rh.royalassassin-第141章

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eclaim　his　crown。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　he　returns；〃　I　said　gloomily。
　　　　　　　〃When。　The　Elderlings　will　be　with　him。〃　Chade　looked　at　me　sourly。　〃Try　to　believe　in　something；　boy。　For　my　sake。〃
　　　　　　　Without　a　doubt；　the　time　that　I　spent　under　Galen's　tutelage　was　the　worst　period　of　my　life　at　Buckkeep。　But　the　week　that　followed　that　night　with　Chade　runs　a　close　second。　We　were　an　anthill；　kicked　apart。　No　matter　where　I　went　in　the　Keep；　there　were　constant　reminders　that　the　foundations　of　my　life　had　been　shattered。　Nothing　would　ever　be　as　it　was　before。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　great　influx　of　folk　from　the　Inland　Duchies；　e　to　witness　Regal　being　king…in…waiting。　Had　not　our　stables　been　so　depleted　already；　it　would　have　taxed　Burrich　and　Hands　to　keep　up　with　them。　As　it　was；　it　seemed　like　Inlanders　were　everywhere；　tall；　towheaded　Farrow　men；　and　brawny　Tilth　farmers　and　cattlemen。　They　were　a　bright　contrast　to　the　glum　Buckkeep　soldiers　with　their　mourning　cropped　hair。　Not　a　few　clashes　occurred。　The　grumble　from　Buckkeep　Town　took　the　form　of　jests　paring　the　invasion　of　the　Inlanders　with　the　raids　of　the　Outislanders。　The　humor　had　always　a　bitter　edge。
　　　　　　　For　the　counterpoint　to　this　influx　of　folk　and　business　in　Buckkeep　Town　was　the　outflow　of　goods　from　Buckkeep。　Rooms　were　stripped　shamelessly。　Tapestries　and　rugs；　furniture　and　tools；　supplies　of　all　kinds　were　drained　out　of　the　Keep；　to　be　loaded　on　barges　and　taken　upriver　to　Tradeford；　always　to　be　〃kept　safe〃　or　〃for　the　fort　of　the　King。〃　Mistress　Hasty　was　at　her　wit's　end　to　house　so　many　guests　when　half　the　furniture　was　being　hauled　off　to　barges。　Some　days　it　seemed　that　Regal　was　attempting　to　see　that　all　he　could　not　carry　off　with　him　was　devoured　before　he　left。
　　　　　　　At　the　same　time　he　was　sparing　no　expense　to　be　sure　that　his　crowning　as　king…in…waiting　would　be　as　full　of　pomp　and　ceremony　as　possible。　I　truly　did　not　know　why　he　bothered　with　it　at　all。　To　me；　at　least；　it　seemed　plain　he　planned　on　abandoning　four　of　the　Six　Duchies　to　their　own　devices。　But　as　the　Fool　had　once　warned　me；　there　was　no　point　to　trying　to　measure　Regal's　wheat　with　my　bushels。　We　had　no　mon　standard。　Perhaps　to　insist　the　Dukes　and　nobles　of　Bearns　and　Rippon　and　Shoaks　e　to　witness　him　assume　Verity's　crown　was　some　subtle　form　of　revenge　I　could　not　understand。　Little　enough　did　he　care　what　hardship　it　worked　upon　them　to　e　to　Buckkeep　at　a　time　when　their　shores　were　so　beleaguered。　I　was　not　surprised　that　they　were　slow　to　arrive；　and　that　when　they　did；　they　were　shocked　at　the　sacking　of　Buckkeep。　Word　of　Regal's　plan　to　remove　himself　and　the　King　and　Kettricken　had　not　been　spread　to　the　Coastal　Duchies　by　any　means　other　than　rumor。
　　　　　　　But　long　before　the　Coastal　Dukes　arrived；　while　I　still　endured　the　greater　general　chaos；　the　rest　of　my　life　began　to　rattle　into　pieces。　Serene　and　Justin　began　to　haunt　me。　I　was　aware　of　them；　often　physically　following　me；　but　just　as　often　Skilling　at　the　edges　of　my　consciousness。　They　were　like　pecking　birds　e　after　any　loose　thoughts　I　might　have；　snatching　at　casual　daydreams　or　any　unguarded　moment　of　my　life。　That　was　bad　enough。　But　I　saw　them　now　as　only　the　distraction；　the　diversion　created　to　keep　me　from　being　aware　of　Will's　more　subtle　haunting。　So　I　set　my　guards　most　strongly　about　my　mind；　knowing　I　probably　shielded　out　Verity　as　well。　I　feared　this　was　their　actual　intent；　but　dared　reveal　that　fear　to　no　one。　I　watched　constantly　behind　myself；　using　every　sense　Nighteyes　and　I　possessed。　I　vowed　I　would　be　more　wary；　and　set　myself　the　task　of　discovering　what　the　other　coterie　members　worked　at。　Burl　was　at　Tradeford；　ostensibly　helping　prepare　the　place　for　King　Shrewd's　fort。　I　had　no　idea　where　Carrod　was；　and　there　was　no　one　I　could　discreetly　ask。　The　only　thing　I　could　discover　for　certain　was　that　he　was　no　longer　on　the　Constance。　So　I　worried。　And　became　almost　mad　with　worry　that　I　did　not　detect　Will　shadowing　after　me　anymore。　Did　he　know　I　had　bee　aware　of　him？　Or　was　he　so　good　I　could　not　detect　him？　I　began　to　live　my　life　as　if　every　move　I　made　were　watched。
　　　　　　　Horses　and　breeding　stock　were　not　all　that　was　taken　from　the　stables。　Burrich　told　me　one　morning　that　Hands　was　gone。　He　had　not　had　time　to　bid　anyone　good…bye。　〃They　took　the　last　of　the　good　stock　yesterday。　The　best　is　long　gone；　but　these　were　good　horses；　and　they　were　taking　them　overland　to　Tradeford。　Hands　was　simply　told　he　was　to　go　along。　He　came　to　me；　protesting；　but　I　told　him　to　go。　At　least　the　horses　will　have　well…trained　hands　taking　care　of　them　in　their　new　home。　Besides；　there　is　nothing　for　him　here。　There　is　no　stable　left　for　anyone　to　be　stablemaster　over。〃
　　　　　　　I　followed　him　silently　on　what　had　once　been　our　morning　rounds。　The　mews　held　only　ancient　or　injured　birds。　The　clamor　of　dogs　had　been　reduced　to　a　sparse　baying　and　a　few　yips。　The　horses　that　remained　were　the　unsound；　the　almost　promising；　the　past　their　prime；　the　injured　that　had　been　kept　in　the　hopes　of　breeding　something　from　them。　When　I　came　to　Sooty's　empty　stall；　my　heart　stood　still。　I　could　not　speak。　I　leaned　on　her　manger；　my　face　in　my　hands。　Burrich　put　a　hand　on　my　shoulder。　When　I　looked　up　at　him；　he　smiled　oddly。　He　shook　his　cropped　head。　〃They　came　for　her　and　Ruddy　yesterday。　I　told　them　they　were　fools；　they　had　taken　them　last　week。　And　truly　they　were　fools；　for　they　believed　me。　They　did　get　your　saddle。〃
　　　　　　　〃Where？〃　I　managed　to　ask。
　　　　　　　〃Better　you　don't　know；〃　Burrich　said　darkly。　〃One　of　us　dangling　as　a　horse　thief　would　be　quite　enough。〃　No　more　would　he　say　of　it　to　me。
　　　　　　　A　late…afternoon　visit　to　Patience　and　Lacey　was　not　the　quiet　interlude　I　had　hoped　for。　I　knocked；　and　there　was　an　uncharacteristic　pause　before　the　door　was　opened。　I　found　the　sitting　room　in　a　shambles；　worse　than　I　had　ever　seen　it；　and　Lacey　dispiritedly　trying　to　put　things　to　rights。　A　great　many　more　things　were　on　the　floor　than　usual。
　　　　　　　〃A　new　project？〃　I　hazarded；　attempting　a　bit　of　levity。
　　　　　　　Lacey　looked　at　me　glumly。　〃They　came　this　morning　to　take　my　lady's　table　away。　And　my　bed。　They　claimed　they　were　needed　for　guests。　Well；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised；　with　so　much　of　the　rest　of　the　things　gone　upriver。　But　I　greatly　doubt　that　we'll　see　either　item　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　perhaps　they'll　be　waiting　for　you　when　you　get　to　Tradeford；〃　I　suggested　inanely。　I　had　not　realized　the　whole　extent　of　the　liberties　Regal　was　taking。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　very　long　silence　before　Lacey　spoke。　〃Then　they'll　wait　a　long　time；　FitzChivalry。　We　are　not　among　those　to　be　taken　to　Tradeford。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　We're　among　the　odd　folk　to　be　left　here；　with　the　oddments　of　furniture。〃　This　from　Patience　as　she　abruptly　reentered　the　room。　Her　eyes　were　red　and　her　cheeks　pale；　and　I　suddenly　knew　she　had　hidden　herself　when　I　first　knocked　until　she　had　her　tears　under　control。
　　　　　　　〃Then　surely　you　shall　return　to　Withywoods；〃　I　suggested。　My　mind　was　working　very　swiftly。　I　had　assumed　that　Regal　was　moving　the　entire　household　to　Tradeford。　Now　I　wondered　who　else　was　to　be　abandoned　here。　I　put　myself　at　the　head　of　the　list。　I　added　Burrich　and　Chade。　The　Fool？　Perhaps　that　was　why　he　seemed　lately　to　be　Regal's　creature。　That　he　might　be　allowed　to　follow　the　King　to　Tradeford。
　　　　　　　Odd；　how　I　had　not　even　considered　that　the　King　and　Kettricken　were　to　be　whisked　not　only　out　of　Chade's　reach；　but　mine。　Regal　had　renewed　his　orders　confining　me　to　Buckkeep　itself。　I　had　not　wanted　to　trouble　Kettricken　to　override　them。　I　had；　after　all；　promised　Chade　not　to　make　waves。
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot　return　to　Withywoods。　August　rules　there；　the　King's　nephew：　He　who　was　head　of　Galen's　coterie；　before　his　accident。　He　has　no　fondness　for　me；　and　I　have　no　right　to　demand　to　be　there。　No。　We　shall　be　staying　here；　and　making　the　best　we　can　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　I　floundered　for　whatever　fort　I　could　offer。　〃I　have　a　bed　still。　I　shall　have　it　brought　down　here　for　Lacey。　Burrich　will　help　me　bring　it。〃
　　　　　　　Lacey　shook　her　head。　〃I've　made　up　a　pallet；　and　I'll　be　fortable　enough。