rh.theassassinsapprentice-第89部分

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　　　　　　　The　interior　of　the　palace　was　as　foreign　to　me　as　the　rest　of　Jhaampe。　A　great　central　pillar　supported　the　main　structure；　and　closer　examination　showed　it　to　be　the　immense　trunk　of　a　tree；　with　the　swells　of　its　roots　still　obvious　beneath　the　paving　stones　around　its　base。　The　supports　of　the　gracefully　curving　walls　were　likewise　trees；　and　days　later　I　was　to　find　that　the　〃growing〃　of　the　palace　had　taken　almost　one　hundred　years。　A　central　tree　had　been　selected；　the　area　cleared；　and　then　the　circle　of　supporting　trees　planted　and　tended；　and　shaped　during　their　growing　by　ropes　and　pruning；　so　that　they　all　bowed　toward　the　center　tree。　At　some　point　in　time；　all　other　branches　had　been　lopped　away；　and　the　treetops　interwoven　to　form　a　crown。　Then　the　walls　had　been　created；　first　with　a　layer　of　finely　woven　fabric；　that　was　then　varnished　to　hardness；　and　then　overlaid　with　lapping　after　lapping　of　sturdy　cloth　made　from　bark。　The　barkcloth　was　daubed　over　with　a　peculiar　local　clay；　and　then　coated　with　a　bright　layer　of　resinous　paint。　I　never　did　discover　if　every　building　in　the　city　had　been　created　in　this　laborious　fashion；　but　the　〃growing〃　of　the　palace　had　enabled　its　creators　to　give　it　a　living　grace　that　stone　could　never　mimic。
　　　　　　　The　immense　interior　was　open；　not　unlike　the　great　hall　at　Buckkeep；　with　a　similar　number　of　hearths。　There　were　tables　set　out；　and　areas　obviously　for　cooking　and　weaving　and　spinning　and　preserving；　and　all　the　other　necessities　of　a　great　household。　The　private　chambers　seemed　to　be　no　more　than　curtained　alcoves；　or　rooms　like　small　tents　set　against　the　exterior　wall。　There　were　also　some　elevated　chambers；　reached　by　a　network　of　open　wooden　stairs；　reminding　me　of　tents　pitched　on　stilt　platforms。　The　supporting　legs　of　these　chambers　were　natural　tree　trunks。　My　heart　sank　as　I　realized　how　little　privacy　there　would　be　for　any　〃quiet〃　work　I　needed　to　do。
　　　　　　　I　was　shown　quickly　to　a　tent　chamber。　Inside　I　found　my　cedar　chest　and　clothing　bag　awaiting　me；　as　well　as　more　warm　and　scented　wash　water　and　a　dish　of　fruit。　I　changed　quickly　from　my　dusty　traveling　clothes　into　an　embroidered　robe　with　slitted　sleeves　and　matching　green　leggings　that　Mistress　Hasty　had　decreed　appropriate。　I　wondered　once　more　at　the　threatening　buck　embroidered　on　it；　then　set　it　out　of　my　mind。　Perhaps　Verity　had　thought　this　changed　crest　less　humiliating　than　the　one　that　so　clearly　proclaimed　my　illegitimacy。　In　any　case；　it　would　serve。　I　heard　chimes　and　small　drums　from　the　great　central　room　and　left　my　chamber　hurriedly　to　find　out　what　was　afoot。
　　　　　　　On　a　dais　set　before　the　great　trunk　and　decorated　with　flowers　and　evergreen　swags；　August　and　Regal　stood　before　an　old　man　flanked　by　two　servants　in　plain　white　robes。　A　crowd　had　gathered　in　a　great　circle　around　the　dais；　and　I　quickly　joined　them。　One　of　my　litter　bearers；　now　robed　in　rose　drapings　and　crowned　with　a　twining　of　ivy；　soon　appeared　at　my　side。　She　smiled　down　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　happening？〃　I　made　bold　to　ask。
　　　　　　　〃Our　Sacrifice；　er；　ah；　you　say；　King　Eyod　will　wele　you。　And　he　will　show　to　you　all　his　daughter；　to　be　your　Sacrifice；　hem；　ah；　Queen。　And　his　son；　who　will　rule　for　her　here。〃　She　stumbled　through　this　explanation；　with　many　a　pause；　and　many　encouraging　nods　from　me。
　　　　　　　With　mutual　difficulty；　she　explained　that　the　woman　standing　beside　King　Eyod　was　her　niece　and　I　awkwardly　managed　a　pliment　to　the　effect　that　she　looked　both　healthy　and　strong。　At　the　moment　it　seemed　the　kindest　thing　I　could　find　to　say　of　the　impressive　woman　standing　so　protectively　by　her　king。　She　had　an　immense　mass　of　the　yellow　hair　that　I　was　being　accustomed　to　in　Jhaampe；　with　some　of　it　braided　up　and　coiled　about　her　head；　and　some　flowing　loose　down　her　back。　Her　face　was　grave；　her　bare　arms　muscular。　The　man　on　the　other　side　of　King　Eyod　was　older；　but　still　as　like　to　her　as　a　twin；　save　that　his　hair　was　cut　severely　short　at　his　collar。　He　had　the　same　jade　eyes；　straight　nose；　and　solemn　mouth。　When　I　managed　to　ask　the　old　woman　if　he；　too；　was　a　relative；　she　smiled　as　if　I　must　be　a　bit　dim　and　replied　that　of　course；　he　was　her　nephew。　She　shushed　me　then；　as　if　I　were　but　a　child；　for　King　Eyod　was　speaking。
　　　　　　　He　spoke　slowly　and　carefully；　but　even　so；　I　was　glad　of　my　conversations　with　my　litter　bearers；　for　I　was　able　to　make　out　most　of　his　speech。　He　greeted　us　all　formally；　including　Regal；　for　he　said　that　previously　he　had　greeted　him　only　as　the　emissary　of　King　Shrewd　and　now　he　greeted　him　as　Prince　Verity's　symbol　of　his　presence。　August　was　included　in　this　greeting；　and　both　were　presented　with　several　gifts；　jeweled　daggers；　a　precious　fragrant　oil；　and　rich　fur　stoles。　When　the　stoles　were　placed　about　their　shoulders；　I　thought　with　chagrin　that　both　now　looked　more　like　decorations　than　princes；　for　in　contrast　to　the　simple　garb　of　King　Eyod　and　his　attendants；　Regal　and　August　were　decked　in　circlets　and　rings；　and　their　garments　were　of　opulently　rich　fabrics　and　cut　with　no　regard　for　either　thrift　or　service。　To　me；　they　both　appeared　foppish　and　vain；　but　I　hoped　that　our　hosts　would　merely　think　their　outlandish　appearance　was　part　of　our　foreign　customs。
　　　　　　　And　then；　to　my　personal　chagrin；　the　King　summoned　forward　his　male　attendant　and　introduced　him　to　our　assemblage　as　Prince　Rurisk。　The　woman　was；　of　course；　Princess　Kettricken；　and　Verity's　betrothed。
　　　　　　　And　finally　I　realized　that　those　who　had　been　our　litter　bearers　and　greeted　us　with　cakes　and　wine　were　not　the　servants；　but　the　women　of　the　royal　household；　the　grandmothers；　aunts；　and　cousins　of　Verity's　betrothed；　all　following　the　Jhaampe　tradition　of　serving　their　people。　I　quailed　to　think　I　had　spoken　to　them　so　familiarly　and　casually；　and　again　mentally　cursed　Regal　that　he　had　not　foreseen　to　send　us　more　word　of　their　customs　rather　than　the　long　list　of　clothing　and　jewelry　he　wished　brought　for　himself。　The　elderly　woman　beside　me；　then；　was　the　King's　own　sister。　I　think　she　must　have　sensed　my　confusion；　for　she　patted　my　shoulder　benignly　and　smiled　at　my　blushes　as　I　attempted　to　stutter　an　apology。
　　　　　　　〃For　you　have　done　nothing　to　shame　yourself；〃　she　informed　me；　and　then　bade　me　call　her　not　〃my　lady〃　but　Jonqui。
　　　　　　　I　watched　as　August　presented　to　the　Princess　the　jewelry　Verity　had　selected　to　send　her。　There　was　a　net　of　finely　woven　silver　chain　set　with　red　gems　to　drape　her　hair；　and　a　silver　collar　set　with　larger　red　stones。　There　was　a　silver　hoop；　wrought　like　a　vine；　full　of　jingling　keys；　that　August　explained　were　her　household　keys　for　when　she　joined　him　at　Buckkeep；　and　eight　plain　silver　rings　for　her　hands。　She　stood　still　as　Regal　himself　decked　her。　I　thought　to　myself　the　silver　with　red　stones　would　have　looked　better　on　a　darker　woman；　but　Kettricken's　girlish　delight　was　dazzlingly　obvious　in　her　smile；　and　around　me　people　turned　and　murmured　approvingly　to　one　another　to　see　their　princess　so　adorned。　Perhaps；　I　thought；　she　might　enjoy　our　outlandish　colors　and　accoutrements。
　　　　　　　I　was　grateful　for　the　briefness　of　King　Eyod's　speech　that　followed。　For　all　he　added　was　that　he　bid　us　wele　and　invited　us　to　rest；　relax；　and　enjoy　the　city。　If　we　had　any　needs；　we　had　but　to　ask　of　anyone　we　encountered；　and　they　would　attempt　to　meet　them。　Tomorrow　at　noon　would　begin　the　three…day　ceremony　of　the　joining；　and　he　desired　that　we　all　be　well　rested　to　enjoy　it。　Then　he　and　his　offspring　descended；　to　mingle　as　freely　with　one　and　all　as　if　we　were　all　soldiers　on　the　same　watch。
　　　　　　　Jonqui　had　obviously　attached　herself　to　me；　and　there　was　no　gracious　way　to　escape　her　pany；　so　I　resolved　to　learn　as　much　as　I　could　as　quickly　as　I　could　about　their　customs。　But　one　of　her　first　acts　was　to　present　me　to　the　Prince　and　Princess。　They　were　standing　with　August；　who　appeared　to　be　explaining　how；　through　him；　Verity　would　witness　his　ceremony。　He　was　speaking　loudly；　as　if　this　would　somehow　make　it　easier　for　them　to　understand。　Jonqui　listened　a　moment；　then　apparently　decided　that　August　had　finish