rh.theassassinsapprentice-第83部分

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y　man。　Oh；　he　was　well　and　strong　once；　but　on　the　Ice　Fields　he　took　an　arrow　through　his　chest。　Passed　clean　through　him；　so　Regal　was　told。　And　the　wounds　on　his　chest　and　back　healed。　But　in　winters；　he　coughs　blood；　and　in　summer　he　cannot　sit　a　horse　nor　drill　his　men　for　more　than　half　the　morning。　Knowing　the　mountain　folk；　it　is　full　surprising　that　he　is　their　King…in…Waiting。〃
　　　　　　　I　thought　quietly　for　a　moment。　〃Among　the　mountain　folk　the　custom　is　the　same　as　ours。　Male　or　female；　the　offspring　inherit；　by　the　order　of　their　birth。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　That　is　so；〃　Shrewd　said　quietly；　and　I　knew　that　already　he　was　thinking　that　Seven　Duchies　might　be　stronger　than　Six。
　　　　　　　〃And　Princess　Kettricken's　father；〃　I　asked；　〃how　is　his　health？〃
　　　　　　　〃As　hale　and　hearty　as　one　could　wish；　for　a　man　of　his　years。　I　am　sure　he　will　reign　long　and　well；　for　at　least　another　decade；　keeping　his　kingdom　whole　and　safe　for　his　heir。〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably　by　then　our　troubles　with　the　Red…Ships　will　long　be　over。　Verity　will　be　free　to　turn　his　mind　to　other　things。〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably；〃　King　Shrewd　agreed　quietly。　His　eyes　finally　met　mine。　〃When　Verity　goes　to　claim　his　bride；　you　will　go　with　him；〃　he　said　again。　〃You　understand　what　your　duties　will　be？　I　trust　to　your　discretion。〃
　　　　　　　I　inclined　my　head　to　him。　〃As　you　wish；　my　king。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　　　　　　　Journey
　　　　　　　TO　SPEAK　OF　THE　Mountain　Kingdom　as　a　kingdom　is　to　start　out　with　a　basic　misunderstanding　of　the　area　and　the　folk　who　people　it。　It　is　equally　inaccurate　to　refer　to　the　region　as　Chyurda；　although　the　Chyurda　do　make　up　the　dominant　folk　there。　Rather　than　one　stretch　of　united　countryside；　the　Mountain　Kingdom　consists　of　various　hamlets　clinging　to　the　mountainsides；　of　small　vales　of　arable　land；　of　trading　hamlets　sprung　up　along　the　rough　roads　that　lead　to　the　passes；　and　clans　of　nomadic　herders　and　hunters　who　range　the　inhospitable　countryside　in　between。　Such　a　diverse　people　are　unlikely　to　unite；　for　their　interests　are　often　in　conflict。　Strangely；　though；　the　only　force　more　powerful　than　each　group's　independence　and　insular　ways　is　the　loyalty　they　bear　to　the　〃King〃　of　the　mountain　folk。
　　　　　　　Traditions　tell　us　that　this　line　was　begun　by　a　prophet…judge；　a　woman　who　was　not　only　wise；　but　also　a　philosopher　who　founded　a　theory　of　ruling　whose　keystone　is　that　the　leader　is　the　ultimate　servant　of　the　people；　and　must　be　totally　selfless　in　that　regard。　There　was　no　definite　time　when　the　judge　became　the　King；　rather　it　was　a　gradual　transition；　as　ward　of　the　fairness　and　wisdom　of　the　holy　one　at　Jhaampe　spread。　As　more　and　more　folk　sought　counsel　there；　willing　to　be　bound　by　the　decision　of　the　Judge；　it　was　only　natural　that　the　laws　of　that　settlement　came　to　be　respected　throughout　the　mountains；　and　that　more　and　more　folk　adopted　Jhaampe　laws　as　their　own。　And　so　judges　became　Kings；　but；　amazingly；　retained　their　self…imposed　decree　of　servitude　and　self…sacrifice　for　their　people。　The　Jhaampe　tradition　is　rife　with　tales　of　Kings　and　Queens　who　sacrificed　themselves　for　their　folk；　in　every　conceivable　way；　from　fending　wild　animals　off　shepherd　children　to　offering　themselves　as　hostages　in　times　of　feud。
　　　　　　　Tales　have　been　told　that　make　the　mountain　folk　out　to　be　harsh；　almost　savage。　In　truth；　the　land　they　dwell　in　is　unpromising；　and　their　laws　mirror　this　condition。　It　is　true　that　badly　formed　infants　are　exposed　or；　more　monly；　drowned　or　drugged　to　death。　The　elderly　often　choose　Sequestering；　a　self…imposed　exile　where　cold　and　starvation　end　all　infirmities。　A　man　who　breaks　his　word　may　have　his　tongue　notched　as　well　as　having　to　surrender　double　the　value　of　his　original　bargain。　Such　customs　may　seem　quaintly　barbaric　to　those　in　the　more　settled　of　the　Six　Duchies；　but　they　are　peculiarly　suited　to　the　world　of　the　Mountain　Kingdom。
　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　In　the　end；　Verity　had　his　way。　There　was　no　sweetness　in　the　triumph　for　him；　I　am　sure；　for　his　own　stubborn　insistence　was　backed　by　a　sudden　increase　in　the　frequency　of　the　raids。　In　the　space　of　a　month；　two　villages　were　burned；　and　had　a　total　of　thirty…two　inhabitants　taken　for　Forging。　Nineteen　of　them　apparently　carried　the　now　popular　poison　vials　and　chose　to　mit　suicide。　A　third　town；　a　more　populous　one；　was　successfully　defended；　not　by　the　royal　troops；　but　by　a　mercenary　militia　the　townsfolk　had　organized　and　hired　themselves。　Many　of　the　fighters；　ironically；　were　immigrant　Outislanders；　using　one　of　the　few　skills　they　had。　And　the　mutterings　against　the　King's　apparent　inactivity　increased。
　　　　　　　It　did　little　good　to　try　to　explain　to　them　about　Verity　and　the　coterie's　work。　What　the　people　needed　and　wanted　were　warships　of　their　own；　defending　the　coastline。　But　ships　take　time　to　build；　and　the　converted　merchant　ships　that　were　already　in　the　water　were　tubby；　wallowing　things　pared　with　the　sleek　Red…Ships　that　harassed　us。　Promises　of　warships　by　spring　were　small　fort　to　farmers　and　herders　trying　to　protect　this　year's　crops　and　flocks。　And　the　landlocked　Duchies　were　being　more　and　more　vociferous　about　paying　heavier　taxes　to　build　warships　to　protect　a　coastline　they　didn't　share。　For　their　part；　the　leaders　of　the　Coastal　Duchies　sarcastically　wondered　how　well　the　inland　folk　would　do　without　their　seaports　and　trading　vessels　to　outlet　their　goods。　During　at　least　one　High　Council　meeting；　there　was　a　noisy　altercation　in　which　Duke　Ram　of　Tilth　suggested　that　it　would　be　little　loss　to　cede　the　Near　Islands　and　Fur　Point　to　the　Red…Ships　if　that　would　slacken　their　raiding；　and　Duke　Brawndy　of　Bearns　retaliated　by　threatening　to　stop　all　trade　traffic　along　the　Bear　River　and　see　if　Tilth　found　that　as　small　a　loss。　King　Shrewd　managed　to　bring　the　council　to　adjournment　before　they　came　to　blows；　but　not　before　the　Farrow　Duke　had　made　it　clear　that　he　sided　with　Tilth。　The　lines　of　division　were　being　made　more　sharp　with　each　passing　month　and　each　allotment　of　taxes。　Clearly　something　was　needed　to　rebuild　the　kingdom's　unity；　and　Shrewd　was　convinced　it　was　a　royal　marriage。
　　　　　　　So　Regal　danced　his　diplomatic　steps；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　Princess　Kettricken　would　make　her　pledges　to　Regal　in　his　brother's　stead；　with　all　of　her　own　folk　to　witness；　and　Verity's　word　would　be　given　by　his　brother。　With　a　second　ceremony　to　follow；　of　course；　at　Buckkeep；　with　suitable　representatives　from　Kettricken's　folk　to　witness　it。　And　for　the　nonce；　Regal　remained　in　the　Mountain　Kingdom's　capital　at　Jhaampe。　His　presence　there　created　a　regular　flow　of　emissaries；　gifts；　and　supplies　between　Buckkeep　and　Jhaampe。　Seldom　did　a　week　pass　without　a　cavalcade　either　leaving　or　arriving。　It　kept　Buckkeep　in　a　constant　stir。
　　　　　　　It　seemed　to　me　an　awkward　and　ungainly　way　to　assemble　a　marriage。　Each　would　be　wed　almost　a　month　before　glimpsing　the　other。　But　the　political　expedients　were　more　important　than　the　feelings　of　the　principals；　and　the　separate　celebrations　were　planned。
　　　　　　　I　had　long　since　recovered　from　Verity　tapping　my　strength。　It　was　taking　me　longer　to　grasp　pletely　what　Galen's　misting　of　my　mind　had　done　to　me。　I　believe　I　would　have　confronted　him；　despite　Verity's　counsel；　except　that　Galen　had　left　Buckkeep。　He　had　departed　in　pany　of　a　cavalcade　bound　for　Jhaampe；　to　ride　with　them　as　far　as　Farrow；　where　he　had　relatives　he　wished　to　visit。　By　the　time　he　returned；　I　myself　would　be　on　my　way　to　Jhaampe；　so　Galen　remained　out　of　my　reach。
　　　　　　　Again；　I　had　too　much　time　on　my　hands。　I　still　tended　Leon；　but　he　did　not　take　more　than　an　hour　or　two　of　my　time　each　day。　I　had　been　able　to　discover　nothing　more　about　the　attack　on　Burrich；　nor　did　Burrich　show　any　signs　of　relenting　on　my　ostracism。　I　had　made　one　jaunt　into　Buckkeep　Town；　but　when　I　chanced　to　wander　by　the　chandlery；　it　was　shuttered　and　silent。　My　inquiries　at　the　shop　next　door　brought　me　the　information　that　the　chandlery　had　been　closed　for　ten　days　or　more；　and　that　unless　I　wished　to　buy　some　leather　harness；　I　could　go　elsewhere　and　stop　bothering　him。　I　thought　of　the　young　man