rh.theassassinsapprentice-第78章

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rk　on　anything。〃
　　　　　　　I　rolled　and　fastened　the　scroll　I　had　been　looking　at；　feeling　I　knew　what　was　ing。　I　was　not　mistaken。
　　　　　　　〃The　King　has　charged　me　with　an　assignment　for　you。〃
　　　　　　　That　summer；　over　three　months；　I　killed　seventeen　times　for　the　King。　Had　I　not　already　killed；　out　of　my　own　volition　and　defense；　it　might　have　been　harder。
　　　　　　　The　assignments　might　have　seemed　simple。　Me；　a　horse；　and　panniers　of　poisoned　bread。　I　rode　roads　where　travelers　had　reported　being　attacked；　and　when　the　Forged　ones　attacked　me；　I　fled；　leaving　a　trail　of　spilled　loaves。　Perhaps　if　I　had　been　an　ordinary　man…at…arms；　I　would　have　been　less　frightened。　But　all　my　life　I　had　been　accustomed　to　relying　on　my　Wit　to　let　me　know　when　others　were　about。　To　me；　it　was　tantamount　to　having　to　work　without　using　my　eyes。　And　I　swiftly　found　out　that　not　all　Forged　ones　had　been　cobblers　and　weavers。　The　second　little　clan　of　them　that　I　poisoned　had　several　soldiers　among　them。　I　was　fortunate　that　most　of　them　were　squabbling　over　loaves　when　I　was　dragged　from　my　horse。　I　took　a　deep　cut　from　a　knife；　and　to　this　day　I　bear　the　scar　on　my　left　shoulder。　They　were　strong　and　petent；　and　seemed　to　fight　as　a　unit；　perhaps　because　that　was　how　they　had　been　drilled；　back　when　they　were　fully　human。　I　would　have　died；　except　that　I　cried　out　to　them　that　it　was　foolish　to　struggle　with　me　while　the　others　were　eating　all　the　bread。　They　dropped　me；　I　struggled　to　my　horse；　and　escaped。
　　　　　　　The　poisons　were　no　crueler　than　they　had　to　be；　but　to　be　effective　even　in　the　smallest　dosage；　we　had　to　use　harsh　ones。　The　Forged　ones　did　not　die　gently；　but　it　was　as　swift　a　death　as　Chade　could　concoct。　They　snatched　their　deaths　from　me　eagerly；　and　I　did　not　have　to　witness　their　frothing　convulsions；　or　even　see　their　bodies　by　the　road。　When　news　of　the　fallen　Forged　ones　reached　Buckkeep；　Chade's　tale　that　they　had　probably　died　from　eating　spoiled　fish　from　spawning　streams　had　already　spread　as　a　ubiquitous　rumor。　Relatives　collected　the　bodies　and　gave　them　proper　burial。　I　told　myself　they　were　probably　relieved；　and　that　the　Forged　ones　had　met　a　quicker　end　than　if　they　had　starved　to　death　over　winter。　And　so　I　became　accustomed　to　killing；　and　had　nearly　a　score　of　deaths　to　my　credit　before　I　had　to　meet　the　eyes　of　a　man；　and　then　kill　him。
　　　　　　　That　one；　too；　was　not　so　difficult　as　it　might　have　been。　He　was　a　minor　lordling；　holding　lands　outside　of　Turlake。　A　story　reached　Buckkeep　that　he　had；　in　a　temper；　struck　the　child　of　a　servant；　and　left　the　girl　a　witling。　That　was　sufficient　to　raise　King　Shrewd's　lip。　The　lordling　had　paid　the　full　blood　debt；　and　by　accepting　it；　the　servant　had　given　up　any　form　of　the　King's　justice。　But　some　months　later　there　came　to　court　a　cousin　of　the　girl's；　and　she　petitioned　for　private　audience　with　Shrewd。
　　　　　　　I　was　sent　to　confirm　her　tale　and　saw　how　the　girl　was　kept　like　a　dog　at　the　foot　of　the　lordling's　chair；　and　more；　how　her　belly　had　begun　to　swell　with　child。　And　so　it　was　not　too　difficult；　as　he　offered　me　wine　in　fine　crystal　and　begged　the　latest　news　of　the　King's　court　at　Buckkeep；　for　me　to　find　a　time　to　lift　his　glass　to　the　light　and　praise　the　quality　of　both　vessel　and　wine。　I　left　some　days　later；　my　errand　pleted；　with　the　samples　of　paper　I　had　promised　Fedwren；　and　the　conveyed　wishes　of　the　lordling　for　a　good　trip　home。　The　lordling　was　indisposed　that　day。　He　died；　in　blood　and　madness　and　froth；　a　month　or　so　later。　The　cousin　took　in　both　girl　and　child。　To　this　day；　I　have　no　regrets；　for　the　deed　or　for　the　choice　of　slow　death　for　him。
　　　　　　　And　when　I　was　not　dealing　death　to　Forged　ones；　I　waited　on　my　lord　Prince　Verity。　I　remember　the　first　time　I　climbed　all　those　stairs　to　his　tower；　balancing　a　tray　as　I　went。　I　had　expected　a　guard　or　sentry　at　the　top。　There　was　none。　I　tapped　at　the　door；　and　receiving　no　answer；　entered　quietly。　Verity　was　sitting　in　a　chair　by　a　window。　A　summer　wind　off　the　ocean　blew　into　the　room。　It　could　have　been　a　pleasant　chamber；　full　of　light　and　air　on　a　stuffy　summer　day。　Instead　it　seemed　to　me　a　cell。　There　was　the　chair　by　the　window；　and　a　small　table　next　to　it。　In　the　corners　and　around　the　edges　of　the　room　the　floor　was　dusty　and　littered　with　bits　of　old　strewing　reeds。　And　Verity；　chin　slumped　to　his　chest　as　if　dozing；　except　that　to　my　senses　the　room　thrummed　with　his　effort。　His　hair　was　unkempt；　his　chin　bewhiskered　with　a　day's　growth。　His　clothing　hung　on　him。
　　　　　　　I　pushed　the　door　shut　with　my　foot　and　took　the　tray　to　the　table。　I　set　it　down　and　stood　beside　it；　quietly　waiting。　And　in　a　few　minutes　he　came　back　from　wherever　he　had　been。　He　looked　up　at　me　with　a　ghost　of　his　old　smile；　and　then　down　at　his　tray。　〃What's　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃Breakfast；　sir。　Everyone　else　ate　hours　ago；　save　yourself。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　ate；　boy。　Early　this　morning。　Some　awful　fish　soup。　The　cooks　should　be　hanged　for　that。　No　one　should　face　fish　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃　He　seemed　uncertain；　like　some　doddering　gaffer　trying　to　recall　the　days　of　his　youth。
　　　　　　　〃That　was　yesterday；　sir。〃　I　uncovered　the　plates。　Warm　bread　swirled　with　honey　and　raisins；　cold　meats；　a　dish　of　strawberries；　and　a　small　pot　of　cream　for　them。　All　were　small　portions；　almost　a　child's　serving。　I　poured　the　steaming　tea　into　a　waiting　mug。　It　was　flavored　heavily　with　ginger　and　peppermint；　to　cover　the　ground　elfbark's　tang。
　　　　　　　Verity　glanced　at　it　and　then　up　to　me。　〃Chade　never　relents；　does　he？〃　Spoken　so　casually；　as　if　Chade's　name　were　mentioned　every　day　about　the　keep。
　　　　　　　〃You　need　to　eat；　if　you　are　to　continue；〃　I　said　neutrally。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose；〃　he　said　wearily；　and　turned　to　the　tray　as　if　the　artfully　arranged　food　were　yet　another　duty　to　attend。　He　ate　with　no　relish　for　the　food；　and　drank　the　tea　in　a　manful　draft；　as　a　medicine；　undeceived　by　ginger　or　mint。　Halfway　through　the　meal　he　paused　with　a　sigh　and　gazed　out　the　window　for　a　bit。　Then；　seeming　to　e　back　again；　he　forced　himself　to　consume　each　item　pletely。　He　pushed　the　tray　aside　and　leaned　back　in　the　chair　as　if　exhausted。　I　stared。　I　had　prepared　the　tea　myself。　That　much　elfbark　would　have　had　Sooty　leaping　over　the　stall　walls。
　　　　　　　〃My　prince？〃　I　said；　and　when　he　did　not　stir；　I　touched　his　shoulder　lightly。　〃Verity？　Are　you　all　right？〃
　　　　　　　〃Verity；〃　he　repeated　as　in　a　daze。　〃Yes。　And　I　prefer　that　to　'sir'　or　'my　prince'　or　'my　lord。'　This　is　my　father's　gambit；　to　send　you。　Well。　I　may　surprise　him　yet。　But；　yes；　call　me　Verity。　And　tell　them　I　ate。　Obedient　as　ever；　I　ate。　Go　on；　now；　boy。　I　have　work　to　do。〃
　　　　　　　He　seemed　to　roust　himself　with　an　effort；　and　once　more　his　gaze　went　afar。　I　stacked　the　dishes　as　quietly　as　I　could　atop　the　tray　and　headed　toward　the　door。　But　as　I　lifted　the　latch；　he　spoke　again。
　　　　　　　〃Boy？〃
　　　　　　　〃Sir？〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah…ah！〃　he　warned　me。
　　　　　　　〃Verity？〃
　　　　　　　〃Leon　is　in　my　rooms；　boy。　Take　him　out　for　me；　will　you？　He　pines。　There　is　no　sense　in　the　both　of　us　shriveling　like　this。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　sir。　Verity。〃
　　　　　　　And　so　the　old　hound；　past　his　prime　now；　came　to　be　in　my　care。　Each　day　I　took　him　from　Verity's　room；　and　we　hunted　the　back　hills　and　cliffs　and　the　beaches　for　wolves　that　had　not　run　there　in　a　score　of　years。　As　Chade　had　suspected；　I　was　badly　out　of　condition；　and　at　first　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　up　even　with　the　old　hound。　But　as　the　days　went　by　we　regained　our　tone；　and　Leon　even　caught　a　rabbit　or　two　for　me。　Now　that　I　was　exiled　from　Burrich's　domain；　I　did　not　scruple　to　use　the　Wit　whenever　I　wished。　But　as　I　had　discovered　long　ago；　I　could　municate　with　Leon；　but　there　was　no　bond。　He　did　not　always　heed　me；　nor　even　believe　me　all　the　time。　Had　he　been　but　a　pup；　I　am　sure　we　could　have　bonded　to　one　another。　But　he　was　old；　and　his　heart　given　forever　to　Verity。　The　Wit　was　not　dominion　over　beasts；　but　only　a　glimpse　into　their　lives。
　　　　　　　And　thrice　a　day　I　climbed　the　steeply　winding　steps；　to　coax　Verity　to　eat；　and　to　a　few　words　of　conversation。　Some　days　it　was　like　speaking　to　a　child　or　a　dodder