rh.theassassinsapprentice-第40部分

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　paid　her　generously　indeed。
　　　　　　　I　reentered　the　room　quietly；　shutting　the　door　softly　behind　me。　Chade　shot　the　bolt　and　kindled　a　fresh　candle　from　the　glimmering　stump。　He　spread　a　small　map　on　the　table　beside　it。　I　noticed　he　was　dressed　for　traveling…cloak；　boots；　jerkin；　and　trousers　all　of　black。　He　looked　a　different　man；　suddenly；　very　fit　and　energetic。　I　wondered　if　the　old　man　in　the　worn　robe　was　also　a　pose。　He　glanced　up　at　me；　and　for　a　moment　I　would　have　sworn　it　was　Verity　the　soldier　I　was　facing。　He　gave　me　no　time　to　muse。
　　　　　　　〃Things　will　have　to　go　here　however　they　will　go　between　Verity　and　Kelvar。　You　and　I　have　business　elsewhere。　I　received　a　message　tonight。　Red…Ship　Raiders　have　struck；　here；　at　Forge。　So　close　to　Buckkeep　that　it's　more　than　just　an　insult；　it's　a　real　threat。　And　done　while　Verity　is　at　Neatbay。　Don't　tell　me　they　didn't　know　he　was　here；　away　from　Buckkeep。　But　that's　not　all。　They've　taken　hostages；　dragged　them　back　to　their　ships。　And　they've　sent　words　to　Buckkeep；　to　King　Shrewd　himself。
　　　　　　　They're　demanding　gold；　lots　of　it；　or　they'll　return　the　hostages　to　the　village。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　you　mean　they'll　kill　them　if　they　don't　get　the　gold？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　Chade　shook　his　head　angrily；　a　bear　bothered　by　bees。　〃No；　the　message　was　quite　clear。　If　the　gold　is　paid；　they'll　kill　them。　If　not；　they'll　release　them。　The　messenger　was　from　Forge；　a　man　whose　wife　and　son　had　been　taken。　He　insisted　he　had　the　threat　correct。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　see　that　we　have　a　problem；〃　I　snorted。
　　　　　　　〃On　the　surface；　neither　do　I。　But　the　man　who　carried　the　message　to　Shrewd　was　still　shaking；　despite　his　long　ride。　He　couldn't　explain　it；　not　even　say　if　he　thought　the　gold　should　be　paid　or　not。　All　he　could　do　was　repeat；　over　and　over；　how　the　ship's　captain　had　smiled　as　he　delivered　the　ultimatum；　and　how　the　other　raiders　had　laughed　and　laughed　at　his　words。
　　　　　　　〃So；　we　go　to　see；　you　and　I。　Now。　Before　the　King　makes　any　official　response；　before　Verity　even　knows。　Now　attend。　This　is　the　road　we　came　by。　See　how　it　follows　the　curve　of　the　coast？　And　this　is　the　trail　we　go　by。　Straighter；　but　much　steeper　and　boggy　in　places；　so　that　it　has　never　been　used　by　wagons。　But　faster　for　men　on　horseback。　Here；　a　small　boat　awaits　us；　crossing　the　bay　will　cut　a　lot　of　miles　and　time　from　our　journey。　We'll　beach　here；　and　then　on　up　to　Forge。〃
　　　　　　　I　studied　the　map。　Forge　was　north　of　Buckkeep；　I　wondered　how　long　our　messenger　had　taken　to　reach　us；　and　if　by　the　time　we　got　there　the　Red…Ship　Raiders'　threat　would　have　already　been　carried　out。　But　it　was　no　use　wasting　time　on　wondering。
　　　　　　　〃What　about　a　horse　for　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　been　arranged。　By　the　one　who　brought　this　message。　There's　a　bay　outside　with　three　white　feet。　He's　for　me。　The　messenger　will　also　provide　a　great…granddaughter　for　Lady　Thyme；　and　the　boat　is　waiting。　Let's　go。
　　　　　　　〃One　thing；〃　I　said；　and　ignored　his　scowl　at　the　delay。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　ask　this；　Chade。　Were　you　here　because　you　didn't　trust　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃A　fair　question；　I　suppose。　No。　I　was　here　to　listen　in　the　town；　to　women's　talk；　as　you　were　to　listen　in　the　keep。　Bonnet　makers　and　button　sellers　may　know　more　than　a　high　king's　adviser；　without　even　knowing　they　know　it。　Now。　Do　we　ride？〃
　　　　　　　We　did。　We　left　by　the　side　entrance；　and　the　bay　was　tethered　right　outside。　Sooty　didn't　much　care　for　him；　but　she　minded　her　manners。　I　sensed　Chade's　impatience；　but　he　kept　the　horses　to　an　easy　pace　until　we　had　left　the　cobbled　streets　of　Neatbay　behind　us。　Once　the　lights　of　the　houses　were　behind　us；　we　put　our　horses　to　an　easy　canter。　Chade　led；　and　I　wondered　at　how　well　he　rode；　and　how　effortlessly　he　selected　paths　in　the　dark。　Sooty　did　not　like　this　swift　traveling　by　night。　If　it　had　not　been　for　a　moon　nearly　at　the　full；　I　don't　think　I　could　have　persuaded　her　to　keep　up　with　the　bay。
　　　　　　　I　will　never　forget　that　night　ride。　Not　because　it　was　a　wild　gallop　to　the　rescue；　but　because　it　was　not。　Chade　guided　us　and　used　the　horses　as　if　they　were　game　pieces　on　a　board。　He　did　not　play　swiftly；　but　to　win。　And　so　there　were　times　when　we　walked　the　horses　to　breathe　them；　and　places　on　the　trail　where　we　dismounted　and　led　them　to　get　them　safely　past　treacherous　places。
　　　　　　　As　morning　grayed　the　sky　we　stopped　to　eat　provisions　from　Chade's　saddlebags。　We　were　on　a　hilltop　so　thickly　treed　that　the　sky　was　barely　glimpsed　overhead。　I　could　hear　the　ocean；　and　smell　it；　but　could　catch　no　sight　of　it。　Our　trail　had　bee　a　sinuous　path；　little　more　than　a　deer　run；　through　these　woods。　Now　that　we　were　still；　I　could　hear　and　smell　the　life　all　around　us。　Birds　called；　and　I　heard　the　movement　of　small　animals　in　the　underbrush　and　in　the　branches　overhead。　Chade　had　stretched；　then　sank　down　to　sit　on　deep　moss　with　his　back　against　a　tree。　He　drank　deeply　from　a　water　skin　and　then　more　briefly　from　a　brandy　flask。　He　looked　tired；　and　the　daylight　exposed　his　age　more　cruelly　than　lamplight　ever　had。　I　wondered　if　he　would　last　through　the　ride　or　collapse。
　　　　　　　〃I'll　be　fine；〃　he　said　when　he　caught　me　watching　him。　〃I've　had　to　do　more　arduous　duty　than　this；　and　on　less　sleep。　Besides；　we'll　have　a　good　five　or　six　hours　of　rest　on　the　boat；　if　the　crossing　is　smooth。　So　there's　no　need　to　be　longing　after　sleep。　Let's　go；　boy。〃
　　　　　　　About　two　hours　later　our　path　diverged；　and　again　we　'took　the　more　obscure　branching。　Before　long　I　was　all　but　lying　on　Sooty's　neck　to　escape　the　low　sweeps　of　the　branches。　It　was　muggy　under　the　trees　and　we　were　blessed　with　multitudes　of　tiny　stinging　flies　that　tortured　the　horses　and　crept　into　my　clothes　to　find　flesh　to　feast　on。　So　thick　were　they　that　when　I　finally　mustered　the　courage　to　ask　Chade　if　we　had　gone　astray；　I　near　choked　on　the　ones　that　rushed　into　my　mouth。
　　　　　　　By　midday　we　emerged　onto　a　windswept　hillside　that　was　more　open。　Once　more　I　saw　the　ocean。　The　wind　cooled　the　sweating　horses　and　swept　the　insects　away。　It　was　a　great　pleasure　simply　to　sit　upright　in　the　saddle　again。　The　trail　was　wide　enough　that　I　could　ride　abreast　of　Chade。　The　livid　spots　stood　out　starkly　against　his　pale　skin；　he　looked　more　bloodless　than　the　Fool。　Dark　circles　underscored　his　eyes。　He　caught　me　watching　him　and　frowned。
　　　　　　　〃Report　to　me；　instead　of　staring　at　me　like　a　simpleton；〃　he　ordered　me　tersely；　and　so　I　did。
　　　　　　　It　was　hard　to　watch　the　trail　and　his　face　at　the　same　time；　but　the　second　time　he　snorted；　I　glanced　over　at　him　to　find　wry　amusement　on　his　face。　I　finished　my　report　and　he　shook　his　head。
　　　　　　　〃Luck。　Same　luck　your　father　had。　Your　kitchen　diplomacy　may　be　enough　to　turn　the　situation　around；　if　that　is　all　there　is　to　it。　The　little　gossip　I　heard　agreed。　Well。　Kelvar　was　a　good　duke　before　this；　and　it　sounds　like　all　that　happened　was　a　young　bride　going　to　his　head。〃　He　sighed　suddenly。　〃Still；　it's　bad；　with　Verity　there　to　rebuke　a　man　for　not　minding　his　towers；　and　Verity　himself　with　a　raid　on　a　Buckkeep　Town。　Damn！　There's　so　much　we　don't　know。　How　did　the　Raiders　get　past　our　towers　without　being　spotted？　How　did　they　know　that　Verity　was　away　from　Buckkeep　at　Neatbay？　Or　did　they　know？　Was　it　luck　for　them？　And　what　does　that　strange　ultimatum　mean？　Is　it　a　threat；　or　a　mockery？〃　For　a　moment　we　rode　silently。
　　　　　　　〃I　wish　I　knew　what　action　Shrewd　was　taking。　When　he　sent　me　the　messenger；　he　had　not　yet　decided。　We　may　get　to　Forge　to　find　that　all's　been　settled　already。　And　I　wish　I　knew　exactly　what　message　he　Skilled　to　Verity。　They　say　that　in　the　old　days；　when　more　men　trained　in　the　Skill；　a　man　could　tell　what　his　leader　was　thinking　about　just　by　being　silent　and　listening　for　a　while。　But　that　may　be　no　more　than　a　legend。　Not　many　are　taught　the　Skill；　anymore。　I　think　it　was　King　Bounty　who　decided　that。　Keep　the　Skill　more　secret；　more　of　an　elite　tool；　and　it　bees　more　valuable。　That　was　the　logic　then。　I　never　much　understood　it。　What　if　they　said　that　of　good　bowmen；　or　navigators？　Still；　I　suppose　the　aura　of　mystery　might　give　a　leader　more　status　wit