rh.royalassassin-第164章

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　at　it　more　closely；　but　he　held　me　back。
　　　　　　　Some　dangers　bee　more　dangerous　when　confronted；　he　warned　me。　This　is　one　of　them。　But　I　am　sure　it　is　the　path　I　must　follow；　if　I　am　to　find　the　Elderlings。
　　　　　　　〃Prisoner！〃
　　　　　　　I　jolted　out　of　my　trance。　A　key　turned　in　the　lock　of　my　door　and　it　swung　open。　A　girl　stood　in　the　doorway。　Regal　was　beside　her；　one　hand　fortingly　on　her　shoulder。　Two　guards；　Inlanders　both　by　the　cut　of　their　clothes；　flanked　them。　One　leaned　forward　to　thrust　a　torch　into　my　cell。　I　cowered　back　inadvertently；　then　sat　blinking　in　the　unaccustomed　light。　〃Is　that　him？〃　Regal　asked　the　girl　gently。　She　peered　at　me　fearfully。　I　peered　back；　trying　to　decide　why　she　looked　familiar。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　sir；　Lord　Prince；　King；　sir。　That's　him。　I　went　to　the　well　that　morning；　had　to；　had　to　have　water；　or　the　baby　would　die；　just　as　sure　as　if　the　Raiders　killed　him。　And　it　had　been　quiet　awhile；　all　Neatbay　as　quiet　as　the　dead。　So　I　went　to　the　well　in　the　early　morning；　creeping　like　through　the　mist；　sir。　Then　there　was　this　wolf　there；　right　by　the　well；　and　he　starts　up　and　stares　at　me。　And　the　wind　moves　the　mist；　and　the　wolf　is　gone；　he's　a　man　now。　That　man；　sir。　Your　Majesty　King。〃　She　continued　to　stare　at　me　wide…eyed。
　　　　　　　I　recalled　her　now。　The　morning　after　the　battle　for　Neatbay　and　Bayguard。　Nighteyes　and　I　had　paused　to　rest　by　the　well。　I　recalled　how　he　had　jostled　me　awake　as　he　fled　at　the　girl's　approach。
　　　　　　　〃You're　a　brave　girl；〃　Regal　praised　her；　and　patted　her　shoulder　again。　〃Here；　guard；　take　her　back　above　to　the　kitchens；　and　see　she　gets　a　good　meal　and　a　bed　somewhere。　No；　leave　me　the　torch。〃　They　backed　out　of　the　door；　and　the　guard　shut　it　firmly　behind　him。　I　heard　departing　footsteps；　but　the　light　outside　the　door　stayed。　After　the　footsteps　had　dwindled；　Regal　spoke　again。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　Bastard；　it　looks　as　if　this　game　is　played　out。　Your　champions　will　abandon　you　fairly　quickly；　I　suspect；　once　they　understand　what　you　are。　There　are　other　witnesses；　of　course。　Ones　who　will　speak　of　how　there　were　wolf　tracks　and　men　dead　of　bites　everywhere　you　fought　at　Neatbay。　There　are　even　some　of　our　own　Buckkeep　guard　who；　when　put　to　oath；　must　admit　that　when　you　have　fought　Forged　ones；　some　of　the　bodies　have　borne　the　marks　of　teeth　and　claws。〃　He　heaved　a　great　sigh　of　satisfaction。　I　heard　the　sounds　of　him　setting　the　torch　into　a　wall　sconce。　He　came　back　to　the　door。　He　was　just　tall　enough　to　peer　in　at　me。　Childishly　I　stood；　and　approached　the　door　to　look　down　at　him。　He　stepped　back。　I　felt　petty　satisfaction。
　　　　　　　It　had　tweaked　his　temper。　〃You　were　so　gullible。　Such　a　fool。　You　came　limping　home　from　the　Mountains　with　your　tail　between　your　legs；　and　thought　that　Verity's　favor　would　be　all　you　needed　to　survive。　You　and　all　your　foolish　plottings。　I　knew　of　them　all。　All　of　them；　Bastard。　All　your　little　chats　with　our　queen；　the　tower…garden　bribes　to　turn　Brawndy　against　me。　Even　her　plans　to　leave　Buckkeep。　Take　warm　things；　you　told　her。　The　King　will　go　with　you。〃　He　stood　on　tiptoe　to　be　sure　I　could　see　his　smile。　〃She　left　with　neither；　Bastard。　Not　the　King；　nor　the　warm　things　she　had　packed。〃　He　paused。　〃Not　even　a　horse。〃　His　voice　caressed　the　last　words　as　if　he　had　been　saving　them　for　a　long　time。　He　watched　my　face　avidly。
　　　　　　　I　suddenly　knew　myself　for　nine　kinds　of　a　fool。　Rosemary。　Sweet；　sleepy　child；　always　nodding　off　in　a　corner。　So　bright　one　could　trust　her　with　any　errand。　So　young　one　forgot　she　was　even　there。　Yet　I　should　have　known。　I　was　no　older　when　Chade　had　first　begun　to　teach　me　my　trade。　I　felt　ill；　and　it　must　have　shown　on　my　face。　I　could　not　recall　what　I　had　or　had　not　said　in　front　of　her。　I　had　no　way　of　knowing　what　secrets　Kettricken　had　confided　over　that　little　dark　curly　head。　What　talks　with　Verity　had　she　witnessed；　what　chats　with　Patience？　The　Queen　and　the　Fool　were　missing。　That　only　I　knew　for　certain。　Had　they　ever　gotten　out　of　Buckkeep　alive？　Regal　was　grinning；　well　satisfied　with　himself。　The　barred　door　between　us　was　the　only　thing　that　kept　my　promise　to　Shrewd　intact。
　　　　　　　He　left；　still　grinning。
　　　　　　　Regal　had　his　proof　that　I　had　the　Wit。　The　Neatbay　girl　was　the　binding　knot　for　that。　All　that　remained　now　was　for　him　to　torture　from　me　a　confession　that　I　had　killed　Shrewd。　He　had　plenty　of　time　for　that。　However　much　time　as　it　would　take；　he　had。
　　　　　　　I　sank　down　onto　the　floor。　Verity　had　been　right。　Regal　had　won。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　THIRTY…ONE
　　　　　　　Torture
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　BUT　NOTHING　WOULD　satisfy　the　Willful　Princess　but　that　she　rode　the　Piebald　Stallion　to　the　hunt。　All　her　ladies　warned　her；　but　she　turned　aside　her　head　and　would　not　hear　them。　All　the　lords　warned　her；　but　she　scoffed　at　their　fears。　Even　the　stablemaster　sought　to　say　her　nay；　telling　her；　〃Lady　Princess；　the　stallion　should　be　put　down　in　blood　and　fire；　for　he　was　trained　by　Sly　o'　the　Wit；　and　only　to　him　is　he　true！　〃　Then　the　Willful　Princess　grew　wroth　and　said；　〃Are　these　not　my　stables　and　my　horses；　and　may　I　not　choose　which　of　my　beasts　I　shall　ride？〃　Then　all　grew　silent　before　her　temper；　and　she　ordered　the　Piebald　Stallion　saddled　for　the　hunt。
　　　　　　　Forth　they　went；　with　a　great　baying　of　hounds　and　fluttering　of　colors。　And　the　Piebald　Stallion　bore　her　well；　and　carried　her　far　ahead　of　the　field；　and　at　last　out　of　sight　of　the　other　hunters　entirely。　Then；　when　the　Willful　Princess　was　far　and　away；　over　the　hill　and　beneath　the　green　trees；　the　Piebald　Stallion　bore　her　this　way　and　that；　until　she　was　lost　and　the　crying　of　the　hounds　but　an　echo　in　the　hills。　At　last　she　stopped　by　a　stream　to　sip　the　cool　water　but　lo；　when　she　turned；　the　Piebald　Stallion　was　gone；　and　in　his　place　stood　Sly　o'　the　Wit；　as　mottled　as　his　Wit　beast。　Then　he　was　with　her　as　a　stallion　is　with　a　mare；　so　that　ere　the；　year　had　turned；　she　went　heavy　with　child。　And　when　those　who。　attended　her　birth　saw　the　babe；　all　mottled　on　the　face　and　shoulders；　they　cried　aloud　with　fear。　When　the　Willful　Princess　saw　him；　she　screamed；　and　gave　up　her　spirit　in　blood　and　shame；　that　she　had　borne　Sly's　Wit　child。　So　the　Piebald　Prince　was　born　in　fear　and　shame；　and　that　was　what　he　brought　into　the　world　with　him。
　　　　　　　…〃Legend　of　the　Piebald　Prince〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　torch　Regal　had　left　set　the　shadows　of　the　bars　to　dancing。　I　watched　them　for　a　time；　thoughtless；　hopeless。　Knowledge　of　my　own　death　numbed　me。　Gradually　my　mind　began　to　work　again；　but　without　order。　Was　this　what　Chade　had　been　trying　to　tell　me？　Without　her　horse；　how　much　had　Regal　known　about　the　horses？　Had　he　known　the　destination？　How　had　Burrich　escaped　detection？　Or　had　he？　Might　not　I　meet　him　in　the　torturer's　chamber？　Did　Regal　think　Patience　was　connected　to　the　escape　plan？　If　he　did；　would　he　still　be　content　simply　to　abandon　her；　or　would　he　take　more　direct　vengeance？　When　they　came　for　me；　should　I　fight？
　　　　　　　No。　I　would　go　with　dignity。　No。　I　would　kill　as　many　of　his　inland…bred　curs　as　I　could　with　my　bare　hands。　No。　I　would　go　quietly；　and　wait　for　a　chance　at　Regal。　I　knew　he　would　be　there；　to　watch　me　die。　My　promise　to　Shrewd；　not　to　kill　one　of　his　own？　It　no　longer　bound　me。　Did　it？　No　one　could　save　me。　Don't　even　wonder　if　Chade　would　act；　if　Patience　could　do　anything　at　all。　After　Regal　had　tortured　a　confession　from　me　。。。　would　he　keep　me　alive　to　hang　and　quarter　before　all？　Of　course　he　would。　Why　deny　himself　that　pleasure？　Would　Patience　e　to　watch　me　die？　I　hoped　not。　Maybe　Lacey　could　keep　her　away。　I　had　thrown　my　life　away；　sacrificed　all　for　nothing。　At　least；　I　had　killed　Serene　and　Justin。　Had　it　been　worth　it？　Had　my　queen　escaped　at　all；　or　was　she　still　hidden　somewhere　within　the　castle　walls？　Was　that　what　Chade　had　been　trying　to　tell　me？　No。　My　mind　paddled　and　scrabbled　through　thoughts　like　a　rat　fallen　into　a　rain　barrel。　I　longed　to　talk　to　someone；　anyone。　I　forced　myself　to　calmness；　to　rationality；　and　finally　found　a　grip。　Nighteyes。　Nighteyes　had　said　that　he　had　taken　them；　had　guided　them　to　Burrich。
　　　　　　　My　brother？