rh.royalassassin-第25章

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e　cub　huddled　in　it；　small　and　miserable　without　anger　and　hate　to　sustain　him。　He　was　hungry。　I　made　a　decision。
　　　　　　　I'm　going　to　take　you　out。　I'm　going　to　carry　you。
　　　　　　　Nothing　from　him。　He　watched　me　steadily　as　I　worked　the　catch　on　the　cage　and　swung　the　door　open。　I　had　thought　he　would　charge　past　me　and　vanish　into　the　night　and　the　falling　snow。　Instead　he　crouched　where　he　was。　I　reached　into　the　cage　and　seized　him　by　the　scruff　to　drag　him　out。　In　a　flash　he　was　on　me；　driving　into　my　chest；　jaws　going　wide　for　my　throat。　I　got　my　arm　up　just　in　time　to　shove　my　forearm　crossways　into　his　jaws。　I　kept　my　grip　on　the　scruff　of　his　neck　and　pushed　my　arm　hard　into　his　mouth；　deeper　than　he　liked。　His　hind　legs　tore　at　my　belly；　but　my　jerkin　was　thick　enough　to　divert　most　of　the　damage。　In　an　instant　we　were　rolling　over　and　over　in　the　snow；　both　snapping　and　snarling　like　mad　things。　But　I　had　the　weight　and　the　leverage　and　the　experience　of　tussling　with　dogs　for　years。　I　got　him　on　his　back　and　held　him　there；　helpless；　while　his　head　thrashed　back　and　forth　and　he　called　me　vile　names　that　humans　have　no　words　for。　When　he　had　exhausted　himself　I　leaned　forward　over　him。　I　gripped　his　throat　and　leaned　down　to　stare　into　his　eyes。　This　was　a　physical　message　he　understood。　I　added　to　it。　I　am　the　Wolf。　You　are　the　Cub；　You　will　obey　me！
　　　　　　　I　held　him　there　staring　into　his　eyes。　He　quickly　looked　away；　but　still　I　held　him；　until　he　looked　back　up　at　me　and　I　saw　the　change　in　them。　I　let　go　of　him　and　stood　up　and　stepped　away。　He　lay　still。　Get　up。　e　here。　He　rolled　over　and　came　to　me；　belly　low　to　the　ground；　tail　between　his　legs。　When　he　got　close　to　me；　he　fell　over　on　his　side　and　then　showed　his　belly。　He　whined　softly。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment　I　relented。　It's　all　right。　We　just　had　to　understand　each　other。　I　don't　intend　to　hurt　you。　e　with　me　now。　I　reached　over　to　scratch　his　chest；　but　when　I　touched　him；　he　yelped。　I　felt　the　red　flash　of　his　pain。
　　　　　　　Where　are　you　hurt？
　　　　　　　I　saw　the　brass…bound　club　of　the　cage　man。　Everywhere。
　　　　　　　I　tried　to　be　gentle　as　I　felt　him　over。　Old　scabs；　lumps　on　his　ribs。　I　stood；　and　kicked　the　cage　savagely　aside　from　our　path。　He　came　and　leaned　against　my　leg。　Hungry。　Cold。　So　tired。　His　feelings　were　bleeding　over　into　mine　again。　When　I　touched　him；　it　was　difficult　to　separate　my　thoughts　from　his。　Was　it　my　outrage　over　how　he　had　been　treated；　or　his　own？　I　decided　it　didn't　matter。　I　gathered　him　up　carefully　and　stood。　Without　the　cage；　held　close　to　my　chest；　he　didn't　weigh　nearly　as　much。　He　was　mostly　fur　and　long　growing　bones。　I　regretted　the　force　I'd　used　on　him；　but　also　knew　that　it　was　the　only　language　he　would　have　recognized。　〃I'll　take　care　of　you；〃　I　forced　myself　to　say　aloud。
　　　　　　　Warm；　he　thought　gratefully；　and　I　took　a　moment　to　pull　my　cloak　over　him。　His　senses　were　feeding　mine。　I　could　smell　myself；　a　thousand　times　stronger　than　I　wanted　to。　Horses　and　dogs　and　wood　smoke　and　beer　and　a　trace　of　Patience's　perfume。　I　did　my　best　to　block　out　my　awareness　of　his　senses。　I　snugged　him　to　me　and　carried　him　up　the　steep　path　to　Buckkeep。　I　knew　of　a　disused　cottage。　An　old　pig　man　had　once　lived　in　it；　out　back　behind　the　granaries。　No　one　lived　there　now。　It　was　too　tumbledown；　and　too　far　from　everyone　else　at　Buckkeep。　But　it　would　suit　my　purposes。　I'd　put　him　there；　with　some　bones　to　gnaw　and　some　boiled　grain；　and　some　straw　to　bed　down　in。　A　week　or　two；　maybe　a　month；　and　he'd　be　healed　up　and　strong　enough　to　care　for　himself。　Then　I'd　take　him　out　west　of　Buckkeep　and　turn　him　loose。
　　　　　　　Meat？
　　　　　　　I　sighed。　Meat；　I　promised。　Never　had　any　beast　sensed　my　thoughts　so　pletely；　or　expressed　his　own　to　me　so　clearly。　It　was　good　that　we　would　not　be　around　one　another　for　long。　Very　good　that　he'd　be　leaving　soon。
　　　　　　　Warm；　he　contradicted　me。　He　set　his　head　atop　my　shoulder　and　fell　asleep；　his　muzzle　snuffling　damply　against　my　ear。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　FIVE
　　　　　　　Gambit
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CERTAINLY　THERE　IS　an　ancient　code　of　conduct；　certainly　its　customs　were　harsher　than　ours　today。　But　I　would　venture　that　we　have　not　wandered　so　far　from　those　customs　so　much　as　put　a　veneer　over　them。　A　warrior's　word　is　still　his　bond；　and　among　those　who　serve　side　by　side；　there　is　nothing　so　foul　as　one　who　lies　to　his　rades；　or　leads　them　into　dishonor。　The　laws　of　hospitality　still　forbid　those　who　have　shared　salt　at　a　man's　table　to　shed　blood　on　his　floor。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Winter　deepened　around　Buckkeep　Castle。　The　storms　came　in　off　the　sea；　to　pound　us　with　icy　fury　and　then　depart。　Snow　usually　fell　in　their　wake；　great　dumps　of　it　that　iced　the　battlements　like　sweet　paste　on　nut　cakes。　The　great　darks　of　the　long　nights　grew　longer；　and　on　clear　nights　the　stars　burned　cold　over　us。　After　my　long　journey　home　from　the　Mountain　Kingdom；　the　ferocity　of　the　winter　didn't　threaten　me　as　it　once　had。　As　I　went　my　daily　rounds　to　the　stable　and　to　the　old　pig　hut；　my　cheeks　might　burn　with　cold　and　my　eyelashes　cling　together　with　frost；　but　I　always　knew　that　home　and　a　warm　hearth　were　close　by。　The　storms　and　the　deep　colds　that　snarled　at　us　like　wolves　at　the　door　were　also　the　watch　beasts　that　kept　the　Red…Ships　away　from　our　shores。
　　　　　　　Time　dragged　for　me。　I　called　on　Kettricken　each　day；　as　Chade　had　suggested；　but　our　restiveness　was　too　much　alike　for　us。　I　am　sure　I　irritated　her　as　much　as　she　did　me。　I　dared　not　spend　too　many　hours　with　the　cub；　lest　we　bond。　I　had　no　other　fixed　duties。　There　were　too　many　hours　to　the　day；　and　all　were　filled　with　my　thoughts　of　Molly。　Nights　were　the　worst；　for　then　my　sleeping　mind　was　beyond　my　control；　and　my　dreams　were　full　of　my　Molly；　my　bright　red…skirted　candlemaker；　now　gone　so　demure　and　drab　in　serving…girl　blue。　If　I　could　not　be　near　her　by　day；　my　dreaming　self　courted　her　with　an　earnestness　and　energy　that　my　waking　self　had　never　mustered　the　courage　for。　When　we　walked　the　beaches　after　a　storm；　her　hand　was　in　mine。　I　kissed　her　petently；　without　uncertainty；　and　met　her　eyes　with　no　secrets　to　hide。　No　one　could　keep　her　from　me。　In　my　dreams。
　　　　　　　At　first；　Chade's　training　of　me　seduced　me　into　spying　upon　her。　I　knew　which　room　on　the　servants'　floor　was　hers；　I　knew　which　window　was　hers。　I　learned；　without　intention；　the　hours　of　her　ings　and　goings。　It　shamed　me　to　stand　where　I　might　hear　her　step　upon　the　stairs　and　catch　a　brief　glimpse　of　her　going　out　on　her　market　errands；　but　try　as　I　might；　I　could　not　forbid　myself　to　be　there。　I　knew　who　her　friends　were　among　the　serving　women。　Though　I　might　not　speak　to　her；　I　could　greet　them；　and　have　a　chance　bit　of　talk　with　them；　hoping　always　for　some　stray　mention　of　Molly。　I　yearned　after　her　hopelessly。　Sleep　eluded　me；　and　food　held　no　interest　for　me。　Nothing　held　any　interest　for　me。
　　　　　　　I　was　sitting　one　evening　in　the　guardroom　off　the　kitchen。　I　had　found　a　place　in　the　corner　where　I　could　lean　against　the　wall　and　prop　my　boots　up　on　the　opposite　bench　to　discourage　pany。　A　mug　of　ale　that　had　gone　warm　hours　ago　sat　in　front　of　me。　I　lacked　even　the　ambition　to　drink　myself　into　a　stupor。　I　was　looking　at　nothing；　attempting　not　to　think；　when　the　bench　was　jerked　out　from　under　my　propped　feet。　I　nearly　fell　from　my　seat；　then　recovered　to　see　Burrich　seating　himself　opposite　me。　〃What　ails　you？〃　he　asked　without　niceties。　He　leaned　forward　and　pitched　his　voice　for　me　alone。　〃Have　you　had　another　seizure？〃
　　　　　　　I　looked　back　at　the　table。　I　spoke　as　quietly。　〃A　few　trembling　fits；　but　no　real　seizures。　They　only　seem　to　e　on　me　if　I　strain　myself。〃
　　　　　　　He　nodded　gravely；　then　waited。　I　looked　up　to　find　his　dark　eyes　on　me。　The　concern　in　them　touched　something　in　me。　I　shook　my　head；　my　voice　suddenly　gone。　〃It's　Molly；〃　I　said　after　a　moment。
　　　　　　　〃You　haven't　been　able　to　find　where　she　went？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　She's　here；　at　Buckkeep；　working　as　a　maid　for　Patience。　But　Patience　won't　let　me　see　her。　She　says　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Burrich's　eyes　had　widened　at　my　first　words。　Now　he　glanced　around　us；　then　tossed　his　head　at　the