rh.theassassinsapprentice-第47部分

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　　　　　　　〃It　wouldn't　solve　it；　no。　But　our　folk　would　have　a　sense　of　their　ruler's　involvement。　Sometimes　that's　all　it　takes；　boy。　But　all　Verity　does　is　march　his　toy　soldiers　about　and　weigh　strategies。　And　Shrewd　watches　it　happen；　and　thinks　not　of　his　people；　but　only　of　how　to　assure　that　Regal　can　be　kept　safe　and　yet　readied　in　power　should　Verity　manage　to　get　himself　killed。〃
　　　　　　　〃Regal？〃　I　blurted　in　amazement。　Regal；　with　his　pretty　clothes　and　cockerel　posturings？　Always　he　was　at　Shrewd's　heels；　but　never　had　I　thought　of　him　as　a　real　prince。　To　hear　his　name　e　up　in　such　a　discussion　jolted　me。
　　　　　　　〃He　has　bee　his　father's　favorite；〃　Chade　growled。　〃Shrewd　has　done　nothing　but　spoil　him　since　the　Queen　died。　He　tries　to　buy　the　boy's　heart　with　gifts；　now　that　his　mother　is　no　longer　around　to　claim　his　allegiance。　And　Regal　takes　full　advantage。　He　speaks　only　what　the　old　man　loves　to　hear。　And　Shrewd　gives　him　too　much　rein。　He　lets　him　wander　about；　squandering　coin　on　useless　visits　to　Farrow　and　Tilth；　where　his　mother's　people　fill　Regal　full　of　ideas　of　his　self…importance。　The　boy　should　be　kept　at　home　and　made　to　give　some　account　for　how　he　spends　his　time。　And　the　King's　money。　What　he　spends　gallivanting　about　would　have　outfitted　a　warship。〃　And　then；　suddenly　annoyed：　〃That's　too　hot！　You'll　lose　it；　fish　it　out　quickly。〃
　　　　　　　But　his　words　came　too　late；　for　the　crucible　cracked　with　a　noise　like　breaking　ice　and　its　contents　filled　Chade's　tower　room　with　an　acrid　smoke　that　brought　all　lessons　and　talk　to　an　end　for　that　night。
　　　　　　　I　was　not　soon　summoned　again。　My　other　lessons　went　on；　but　I　missed　Chade　as　the　weeks　passed　and　he　did　not　call　for　me。　I　knew　he　was　not　displeased　with　me；　but　only　preoccupied。　When；　idle　one　day；　I　pushed　my　awareness　toward　him；　I　felt　only　secrecy　and　discordance。　And　a　wallop　to　the　back　of　my　head　when　Burrich　caught　me　at　it。
　　　　　　　〃Stop　it；〃　he　hissed；　and　ignored　my　studied　look　of　shocked　innocence。　He　glanced　about　the　stall　I　was　mucking　out　as　if　he　expected　to　find　a　dog　or　cat　lurking。
　　　　　　　〃There's　nothing　here！〃　he　exclaimed。
　　　　　　　〃Just　manure　and　straw；〃　I　agreed；　rubbing　the　back　of　my　head。
　　　　　　　〃Then　what　were　you　doing？〃
　　　　　　　〃Daydreaming；〃　I　muttered。　〃That　was　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　can't　fool　me；　Fitz；〃　he　growled。　〃And　I　won't　have　it。　Not　in　my　stables。　You　won't　pervert　my　beasts　that　way。　Or　degrade　Chivalry's　blood。　Mind　what　I've　told　you。
　　　　　　　I　clenched　my　jaws　and　lowered　my　eyes　and　kept　on　working。　After　a　time　I　heard　him　sigh　and　move　away。　I　went　on　raking；　inwardly　seething　and　resolving　never　to　let　Burrich　e　up　on　me　unawares　again。
　　　　　　　The　rest　of　that　summer　was　such　a　whirlpool　of　events　that　I　find　it　hard　to　recall　their　progression。　Overnight；　the　very　feeling　of　the　air　seemed　to　change。　When　I　went　into　town；　all　of　the　talk　was　of　fortifications　and　readiness。　Only　two　more　towns　were　Forged　that　summer；　but　it　seemed　a　hundred；　for　the　stories　of　it　were　repeated　and　enlarged　from　lip　to　lip。
　　　　　　　〃Until　it　seems　as　if　that　is　all　folk　talk　about　anymore；〃　Molly　plained　to　me。
　　　　　　　We　were　walking　on　Long　Beach；　in　the　light　of　the　summer　evening　sun。　The　wind　off　the　water　was　a　wele　bit　of　cool　after　a　muggy　day。　Burrich　had　been　called　away　to　Springmouth　to　see　if　he　could　figure　out　why　all　the　cattle　there　were　developing　huge　hide　sores。　It　meant　no　morning　lessons　for　me；　but　many；　many　more　chores　with　the　horses　and　hounds　in　his　absence；　especially　as　Cob　had　gone　to　Turlake　with　Regal；　to　manage　his　horses　and　hounds　for　a　summer　hunt。
　　　　　　　But　the　opposite　weight　of　the　balance　was　that　my　evenings　were　less　supervised；　and　I　had　more　time　to　visit　town。
　　　　　　　My　evening　walks　with　Molly　were　almost　a　routine　now。　Her　father's　health　was　failing　and　he　scarcely　needed　to　drink　to　fall　into　an　early　and　deep　sleep　each　night。　Molly　would　pack　a　bit　of　cheese　and　sausage　for　us；　or　a　small　loaf　and　some　smoked　fish；　and　we　would　take　a　basket　and　a　bottle　of　cheap　wine　and　walk　out　down　the　beach　to　the　breakwater　rocks。　There　we　would　sit　on　the　rocks　as　they　gave　up　the　last　heat　of　the　day；　and　Molly　would　tell　me　about　her　day's　work　and　the　day's　gossip　and　I　would　listen。　Sometimes　our　elbows　bumped　as　we　walked。
　　　　　　　〃Sara；　the　butcher's　daughter；　told　me　that　she　positively　yearns　for　winter　to　e。　The　winds　and　ice　will　beat　the　Red…Ships　back　to　their　own　shores　for　a　bit；　and　give　us　a　rest　from　fear；　she　says。　But　then　Kelty　up　and　says　that　maybe　we'll　be　able　to　stop　fearing　more　Forging；　but　that　we'll　still　have　to　fear　the　Forged　folk　that　are　loose　in　our　land。　Rumor　says　that　some　from　Forge　have　left　there；　now　that　there's　nothing　left　for　them　to　steal；　and　that　they　travel　about　as　bandits；　robbing　travelers。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　it。　More　than　likely　it's　other　folk　doing　the　robbing；　but　trying　to　pass　themselves　off　as　Forged　folk　to　send　revenge　looking　elsewhere。　Forged　folk　don't　have　enough　kinship　left　in　them　to　be　a　band　of　anything；〃　I　contradicted　her　lazily。　I　was　looking　out　across　the　bay；　my　eyes　almost　closed　against　the　glare　of　the　sun　on　the　water。　I　didn't　have　to　look　at　Molly　to　feel　her　there　beside　me。　It　was　an　interesting　tension；　one　I　didn't　fully　understand。　She　was　sixteen；　and　I　about　fourteen；　and　those　two　years　loomed　between　us　like　an　insurmountable　wall。　Yet　she　always　made　time　for　me　and　seemed　to　enjoy　my　pany。　She　seemed　as　aware　of　me　as　I　was　of　her。　But　if　I　quested　toward　her　at　all；　she　would　draw　back；　halting　to　shake　a　pebble　from　her　shoe　or　suddenly　speaking　of　her　father's　illness　and　how　much　he　needed　her。　Yet　if　I　drew　my　sensings　back　from　that　tension；　she　became　uncertain　and　shyer　of　speech；　and　would　try　to　look　at　my　face　and　the　set　of　my　mouth　and　eyes。　I　didn't　understand　it；　but　it　was　as　if　we　held　a　string　taut　between　us。　But　now　I　heard　an　edge　of　annoyance　in　her　speech。
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　I　see。　And　you　know　so　much　of　Forged　folk；　do　you；　more　than　those　who　have　been　robbed　by　them？〃
　　　　　　　Her　tart　words　caught　me　off　balance　and　it　was　a　moment　or　two　before　I　could　speak。　Molly　knew　nothing　of　Chade　and　me；　let　alone　of　my　side　trip　with　him　to　Forge。　To　her；　I　was　an　errand　boy　for　the　keep；　working　for　the　stablemaster　when　I　wasn't　fetching　for　the　scribe。　I　couldn't　betray　my　firsthand　knowledge；　let　alone　how　I　had　sensed　what　Forging　was。
　　　　　　　〃I've　heard　the　talk　of　the　guards；　when　they're　around　the　stables　and　kitchens　at　night。　Soldiers　like　them　have　seen　much　of　all　kinds　of　folk；　and　they're　the　ones　who　say　that　the　Forged　ones　have　no　friendships；　no　family；　no　kinship　ties　at　all　left。　Still；　I　suppose　if　one　of　them　took　to　robbing　travelers；　others　would　copy　him；　and　it　would　be　almost　the　same　as　a　band　of　robbers。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps。〃　She　seemed　mollified　by　my　ments。　〃Look；　let's　climb　up　there　to　eat。〃
　　　　　　　〃Up　there〃　was　a　shelf　on　the　cliff's　edge　rather　than　the　breakwater。　But　I　assented　with　a　nod；　and　the　next　handful　of　minutes　were　spent　in　getting　ourselves　and　our　basket　up　there。　It　required　more　arduous　climbing　than　our　earlier　expeditions　had。　I　caught　myself　watching　to　see　how　Molly　would　manage　her　skirts；　and　taking　opportunities　to　catch　at　her　arm　to　balance　her；　or　take　her　hand　to　help　her　up　a　steep　bit　while　she　kept　hold　of　the　basket。　In　a　flash　of　insight　I　knew　that　Molly's　suggestion　that　we　climb　had　been　her　way　of　manipulating　the　situation　to　cause　this。　We　finally　gained　the　ledge　and　sat；　looking　out　over　the　water　with　her　basket　between　us；　and　I　was　savoring　my　awareness　of　her　awareness　of　me。　It　reminded　me　of　the　clubs　of　the　Springfest　jugglers　as　they　handed　them　back　and　forth；　back　and　forth；　more　and　more　and　faster　and　faster。　The　silence　lasted　until　a　time　when　one　of　us　had　to　speak。　I　looked　at　her；　but　she　looked　aside。　She　looked　into　the　basket　and　said；　〃Oh；　dandelion　wine？　I　thought　that　wasn't　any　good　until　after　midwinter。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　last　year's　。。。　it's　had　a　winter　to　age；〃　I　told　her；　and　took　it　from　her　to　work　the　cork　loose　with　my　knife。　She　watched　me　worry　at　it　for　a　wh