rh.theassassinsapprentice-第81部分

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te　their　growing　numbers。　Shrewd　had　grudgingly　released　me　from　my　service　to　Verity。　My　king　had　not　called　for　me　in　over　a　month　when　one　morning　I　was　abruptly　summoned　to　breakfast。
　　　　　　　〃It's　a　poor　time　to　wed；〃　Verity　objected。　I　looked　at　the　sallow；　fleshless　man　who　shared　the　King's　breakfast　table　and　wondered　if　this　was　the　bluff；　hearty　prince　from　my　childhood。　He　had　worsened　so　much　in　just　a　month。　He　toyed　with　a　bit　of　bread；　set　it　down　again。　The　outdoors　had　gone　from　his　cheeks　and　eyes；　his　hair　was　dull；　his　musculature　slack。　The　whites　of　his　eyes　were　yellowed。　Burrich　would　have　wormed　him　if　he'd　been　a　hound。
　　　　　　　Unasked；　I　said；　〃I　hunted　with　Leon　two　days　ago。　He　took　a　rabbit　for　me。〃
　　　　　　　Verity　turned　to　me；　a　ghost　of　his　old　smile　playing　on　his　face。　〃You　took　my　wolfhound　for　rabbits？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　enjoyed　it。　He　misses　you；　though。　He　brought　me　the　rabbit；　and　I　praised　him；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　satisfy　him。〃　I　couldn't　tell　him　how　the　hound　had　looked　at　me；　not　for　you　as　plain　in　his　eyes　as　in　his　bearing。
　　　　　　　Verity　picked　up　his　glass。　His　hand　quivered　ever　so　slightly。　〃I　am　glad　he　gets　out　with　you；　boy。　It's　better　than…〃
　　　　　　　〃The　wedding；〃　Shrewd　cut　in；　〃will　hearten　the　people。　I　am　getting　old；　Verity；　and　the　times　are　troubled。　The　people　see　no　end　to　their　troubles；　and　I　do　not　dare　promise　them　solutions　we　do　not　have。　The　Outislanders　are　right；　Verity。　We　are　not　the　warriors　who　once　settled　here。　We　have　bee　a　settled　people。　And　a　settled　people　can　be　threatened　in　ways　that　nomads　and　rovers　have　no　care　for。　And　we　can　be　destroyed　in　those　same　ways。　When　settled　people　look　for　security；　they　look　for　continuity。〃
　　　　　　　Here　I　looked　up　sharply。　Those　were　Chade's　words；　I'd　bet　my　blood　on　it。　Did　that　mean　that　this　wedding　was　something　Chade　was　helping　to　engineer？　My　interest　became　keener；　and　I　wondered　again　why　I　had　been　summoned　to　this　breakfast。
　　　　　　　〃It's　a　matter　of　reassuring　our　folk；　Verity。　You　have　not　Regal's　charm；　nor　the　bearing　that　let　Chivalry　convince　anyone　that　he　could　take　care　of　any　matter。　This　is　not　to　slight　you；　you　have　as　much　talent　for　the　Skill　as　I　have　ever　seen　in　our　line；　and　in　many　eras　your　soldierly　skills　in　tactics　would　have　been　more　important　than　Chivalry's　diplomacy。〃
　　　　　　　This　sounded　suspiciously　like　a　rehearsed　speech　to　me。　I　watched　Shrewd　pause。　He　put　cheese　and　preserves　on　some　bread　and　bit　into　it　thoughtfully。　Verity　sat　silent；　watching　his　father。　He　seemed　both　attentive　and　bemused。　Like　a　man　trying　desperately　to　stay　awake　and　be　alert　when　all　he　can　think　of　is　putting　his　head　down　and　closing　his　eyes；　well；　Verity　certainly　looked　at　least　that　tired。　My　brief　experiences　of　the　Skill　and　the　split　concentration　it　demanded　to　resist　its　enticements；　while　bending　it　to　one's　will；　made　me　marvel　at　Verity's　ability　to　wield　it　every　day。
　　　　　　　Shrewd　glanced　from　Verity　to　me　and　back　to　his　son's　face。　〃Putting　it　simply；　you　need　to　marry。　More；　you　need　to　beget　a　child。　It　would　put　heart　into　the　people。　They　would　say；　'Well；　it　cannot　be　as　bad　as　all　that；　if　our　prince　does　not　fear　to　marry　and　have　a　child。　Surely　he　would　not　be　doing　that　if　the　whole　kingdom　were　on　the　verge　of　crumbling。'〃
　　　　　　　〃But　you　and　I　would　still　know　better；　wouldn't　we；　Father？〃　There　was　a　hint　of　rust　in　Verity's　voice；　and　a　bitterness　I　had　never　heard　there　before。
　　　　　　　〃Verity…〃　Shrewd　began；　but　his　son　cut　in。
　　　　　　　〃My　king；〃　he　said　formally。　〃You　and　I　do　know　that　we　are　on　the　brink　of　disaster。　And　now；　right　now；　there　can　be　no　slackening　of　our　vigilance。　I　have　no　time　for　courting　and　wooing；　and　even　less　time　for　the　more　subtle　negotiations　of　finding　a　royal　bride。　While　the　weather　is　fine；　the　Red…Ships　will　raid。　And　when　it　turns　poor；　and　the　tempests　blow　their　ships　back　to　their　own　ports；　then　we　must　turn　our　minds　and　our　energies　to　fortifying　our　coastlines　and　training　crews　to　manage　raiding　ships　of　our　own。　That　is　what　I　want　to　discuss　with　you。　Let　us　build　our　own　fleet；　not　fat　merchant　ships　to　waddle　about　tempting　raiders；　but　sleek　warships；　such　as　we　once　had　and　our　oldest　shipwrights　still　know　how　to　make。　And　let　us　take　this　battle　to　the　Outislanders…yes；　even　through　the　storms　of　winter。　We　used　to　have　such　sailors　and　warriors　among　us。　If　we　begin　to　build　and　train　now；　by　next　spring　we　could　at　least　hold　them　away　from　our　coast；　and　possibly　by　winter　we　could…〃
　　　　　　　〃It　will　take　money。　And　money　does　not　flow　fastest　from　terrified　men。　To　raise　the　funds　we　need；　we　need　to　have　our　merchants　confident　enough　to　continue　trading；　we　have　to　have　farmers　unafraid　to　pasture　their　flocks　on　the　coast　meadows　and　hills。　It　all　es　back；　Verity；　to　your　taking　a　wife。〃
　　　　　　　Verity；　so　animated　when　speaking　of　warships；　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　He　seemed　to　sag　in　on　himself；　as　if　some　piece　of　structure　inside　him　had　given　way。　I　almost　expected　to　see　him　collapse。　〃As　you　will；　my　king；〃　he　said；　but　as　he　spoke　he　shook　his　head；　denying　the　affirmation　of　his　own　words。　〃I　will　do　as　you　see　wise。　Such　is　the　duty　of　a　prince　to　his　king　and　to　his　kingdom。　But　as　a　man；　Father；　it　is　a　bitter　and　empty　thing；　this　taking　of　a　woman　selected　by　my　younger　brother。　I　will　wager　that　having　looked　on　Regal　first；　when　she　stands　beside　me；　she　will　not　see　me　as　any　great　prize。〃　Verity　looked　down　at　his　hands；　at　the　battle　and　work　scars　that　now　showed　plainly　against　their　paleness。　I　heard　his　name　in　his　words　when　he　said　softly；　〃Always　I　have　been　your　second　son。　Behind　Chivalry；　with　his　beauty；　strength；　and　wisdom。
　　　　　　　And　now　behind　Regal；　with　his　cleverness　and　charm　and　airs。　I　know　you　think　he　would　be　a　better　King　to　follow　after　you　than　I。　I　do　not　always　disagree　with　you。　I　was　born　second；　and　raised　to　be　second。　I　had　always　believed　my　place　would　be　behind　the　throne；　not　upon　it。　And　when　I　thought　that　Chivalry　would　follow　you　to　that　high　seat；　I　did　not　mind　it。　He　gave　me　great　worth；　my　brother　did。　His　confidence　in　me　was　like　an　honor；　it　made　me　a　part　of　all　he　acplished。　To　be　the　right　hand　of　such　a　king　were　better　than　to　be　King　of　many　a　lesser　land。　I　believed　in　him　as　he　believed　in　me。　But　he　is　gone。　And　I　tell　you　nothing　surprising　when　I　say　to　you　that　there　is　no　such　bond　between　Regal　and　me。　Perhaps　there　are　too　many　years；　perhaps　Chivalry　and　I　were　so　close　we　left　no　room　for　a　third。　But　I　do　not　think　he　sought　for　a　woman　that　can　love　me。　Or　one　that…〃
　　　　　　　〃He　chose　you　a　queen！〃　Shrewd　interrupted　harshly。　I　knew　then　that　this　was　not　the　first　time　this　had　been　argued　and　sensed　that　Shrewd　was　most　annoyed　that　I　had　been　privy　to　these　words。　〃Regal　chose　a　woman；　not　for　you；　or　himself；　or　any　such　silliness。　He　chose　a　woman　to　be　Queen　of　this　country；　of　these　Six　Duchies。　A　woman　who　can　bring　to　us　the　wealth　and　the　men　and　the　trade　agreements　that　we　need　now；　if　we　are　to　survive　these　Red…Ships。　Soft　hands　and　a　sweet　scent　will　not　build　your　warships；　Verity。　You　must　set　aside　this　jealousy　of　your　brother；　you　cannot　fend　off　the　enemy　if　you　do　not　have　confidence　in　those　who　stand　behind　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Exactly；〃　Verity　said　quietly。　He　pushed　his　chair　back。
　　　　　　　〃Where　do　you　go？〃　Shrewd　demanded　irritably。
　　　　　　　〃To　my　duties；〃　Verity　said　shortly。　〃Where　else　have　I　to　go？〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　even　Shrewd　looked　taken　aback。　〃But　you've　scarcely　eaten　。。。。〃　He　faltered。
　　　　　　　〃The　Skill　kills　all　other　appetites。　You　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。〃　Shrewd　paused。　〃And　I　know；　too；　as　you　do；　that　when　this　happens；　a　man　is　close　to　the　edge。　The　appetite　for　the　Skill　is　one　that　devours　a　man；　not　one　that　nourishes　him。〃
　　　　　　　They　both　seemed　to　have　forgotten　entirely　about　me。　I　made　myself　small　and　unobtrusive；　nibbling　on　my　biscuit　as　if　I　were　a　mouse　in　a　corner。
　　　　　　　〃But　what　does　the　devouring　of　one　man　matter；　if　it　saves　a　kingdom。〃　Verity　did　not　bother　to　disguise　the　bitterness　in　his　voice；　and　to　me　it　was　plain　that　it　was　not　the