rh.theassassinsapprentice-第90部分

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hed　speaking。　She　spoke　as　if　we　were　all　children　brought　together　for　sweet　cakes　while　our　parents　conversed。　〃Rurisk；　Kettricken；　this　young　man　is　most　interested　in　our　gardens。　Perhaps　later　we　can　arrange　that　he　speak　with　those　who　tend　them。〃　She　seemed　to　speak　especially　to　Kettricken　as　she　added；　〃His　name　is　FitzChivalry。〃
　　　　　　　August　frowned　suddenly　and　amended　her　introduction。　〃Fitz。　The　Bastard。〃
　　　　　　　Kettricken　looked　shocked　at　this　sobriquet；　but　Rurisk's　fair　face　darkened　somewhat。　Ever　so　slightly；　he　turned　toward　me；　putting　his　shoulder　to　August。　Even　so；　it　was　a　gesture　that　needed　no　explaining　in　any　language。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　switching　to　Chyurda　and　looking　me　full　in　the　eye。　〃Your　father　spoke　of　you　to　me；　the　last　time　I　saw　him。　I　was　grieved　to　hear　of　his　death。　He　did　much　to　prepare　the　way　for　the　forging　of　this　bond　between　our　folk。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　knew　my　father？〃　I　asked　stupidly。
　　　　　　　He　smiled　down　at　me。　〃Of　course。　He　and　I　were　treating　together；　regarding　the　use　of　a　Bluerock　Pass；　at　Moonseye；　northeast　of　here；　when　he　first　learned　of　you。　When　our　time　of　talking　of　passes　and　trade　as　envoys　was　done；　we　sat　down　to　meal　together；　and　spoke　together；　as　men；　of　what　he　must　next　do。　I　confess；　I　still　do　not　understand　why　he　felt　he　must　not　rule　as　King。　The　customs　of　one　folk　are　not　those　of　another。　Still；　with　this　wedding；　we　shall　be　closer　to　making　one　folk　of　our　peoples。　Do　you　think　that　would　please　him？〃
　　　　　　　Rurisk　was　giving　me　his　sole　attention；　and　his　use　of　Chyurda　effectively　excluded　August　from　the　conversation。　Kettricken　appeared　fascinated。　August's　face　past　Rurisk's　shoulder　grew　very　still。　Then；　with　a　grim　smile　of　purest　hatred　for　me；　he　turned　aside　and　rejoined　the　group　around　Regal；　who　was　speaking　with　King　Eyod。　For　whatever　reason；　I　had　the　plete　attention　of　Rurisk　and　Kettricken。
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　know　my　father　well；　but　I　think　he　would　be　pleased　to　see　。。。〃　I　began；　but　at　that　moment；　Princess　Kettricken　smiled　brilliantly　at　me。
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；　how　could　I　have　been　so　stupid？　You　are　the　one　they　call　Fitz。　Do　not　you　usually　travel　with　Lady　Thyme；　King　Shrewd's　poisoner？　And　are　you　not　training　as　her　apprentice？　Regal　has　spoken　of　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃How　kind　of　him；〃　I　said　inanely；　and　I　have　no　idea　what　next　was　said　to　me；　nor　what　I　replied。　I　could　only　be　thankful　I　did　not　reel　where　I　stood。　And　inside　me；　for　the　first　time；　I　acknowledged　that　what　I　felt　for　Regal　went　beyond　distaste。　Rurisk　frowned　a　brother's　rebuke　at　Kettricken　and　then　turned　to　deal　with　a　servant　urgently　asking　his　instructions　about　something。　Around　me　people　conversed　genially　amid　summer　colors　and　scents；　but　I　felt　as　if　my　guts　had　turned　to　ice。
　　　　　　　I　came　back　to　myself　when　Kettricken　plucked　at　my　sleeve。　〃They　are　this　way；〃　she　informed　me。　〃Or　are　you　too　weary　to　enjoy　them　now？　If　you　wish　to　retire；　it　will　offend　no　one。　I　understand　that　many　of　you　were　too　weary　to　even　walk　into　the　city。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　many　of　us　were　not；　and　would　truly　have　enjoyed　the　chance　to　walk　leisurely　through　Jhaampe。　I　have　been　told　of　the　Blue　Fountains；　and　look　forward　to　seeing　them。〃　I　only　faltered　slightly　as　I　said　this；　and　hoped　it　had　some　bearing　on　what　she　had　been　saying　to　me。　At　least　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　poison。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　be　sure　you　are　guided　to　them；　perhaps　this　evening。　But　for　now；　e　this　way。〃　And　with　no　more　ado　or　formality　than　that；　she　led　me　away　from　the　gathering。　August　watched　after　us　as　we　walked　away；　and　I　saw　Regal　turn　and　say　something　in　an　aside　to　Rowd。　King　Eyod　had　withdrawn　from　the　crowd　and　was　looking　benignly　down　on　all　from　an　elevated　platform。　I　wondered　why　Rowd　had　not　remained　with　the　horses　and　other　servants；　but　then　Kettricken　was　drawing　a　painted　screen　aside　from　a　door　opening　and　we　were　leaving　the　main　room　of　the　palace。
　　　　　　　We　were　outside；　in　fact；　walking　on　a　stone　pathway　under　an　archway　of　trees。　They　were　willows；　and　their　living　branches　had　been　interlaced　and　woven　overhead；　to　form　a　green　screen　from　the　noon　sun。　〃And　they　shed　rain　from　the　path；　too。　At　least；　most　of　it；〃　Kettricken　added　as　she　noted　my　interest。　〃This　path　leads　to　the　shade　gardens。　They　are　my　favorites。　But　perhaps　you　would　wish　to　see　the　herbary　first？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　shall　enjoy　seeing　any　and　all　of　the　gardens；　my　lady；〃　I　replied；　and　this　at　least　was　true。　Out　here；　away　from　the　crowd；　I　would　have　more　chance　to　sort　my　thoughts　and　ponder　what　to　do　in　my　untenable　position。　It　was　occurring　to　me；　belatedly；　that　Prince　Rurisk　had　shown　none　of　the　signs　of　injury　or　illness　that　Regal　had　reported。　I　needed　to　withdraw　from　the　situation　and　reevaluate　it。　There　was　more；　much　more；　going　on　than　I　had　been　prepared　for。
　　　　　　　But　with　an　effort　I　pulled　my　thoughts　away　from　my　own　dilemma　and　focused　on　what　the　Princess　was　telling　me。　She　spoke　her　words　clearly；　and　I　found　her　conversation　much　easier　to　follow　away　from　the　background　chatter　of　the　Great　Hall。　She　seemed　to　know　much　about　the　gardens　and　gave　me　to　understand　that　it　was　not　a　hobby　but　knowledge　that　was　expected　of　her　as　a　princess。
　　　　　　　As　we　walked　and　talked　I　constantly　had　to　remind　myself　that　she　was　a　princess；　and　betrothed　to　Verity。　I　had　never　encountered　a　woman　like　her　before。　She　wore　a　quiet　dignity；　quite　unlike　the　awareness　of　station　that　I　usually　encountered　in　those　better　born　than　I。　But　she　did　not　hesitate　to　smile；　or　bee　enthused；　or　stoop　to　dig　in　the　soil　around　a　plant　to　show　me　a　particular　type　of　root　she　was　describing。　She　rubbed　the　root　free　of　dirt；　then　sliced　a　bit　with　her　belt　knife　from　the　heart　of　the　tuber　to　allow　me　to　taste　its　tang。　She　showed　me　certain　pungent　herbs　for　seasoning　meat　and　insisted　I　taste　a　leaf　of　each　of　three　varieties；　for　though　the　plants　were　very　similar；　the　flavors　were　very　different。　In　a　way；　she　was　like　Patience；　without　her　eccentricity。　In　another　way；　she　was　like　Molly；　but　without　the　callousness　that　Molly　had　been　forced　to　develop　to　survive。　Like　Molly；　she　spoke　directly　and　frankly　to　me；　as　if　we　were　equals。　I　found　myself　thinking　that　Verity　might　find　this　woman　more　to　his　liking　than　he　expected。
　　　　　　　And　yet；　another　part　of　me　worried　what　Verity　would　think　of　his　bride。　He　was　not　a　womanizer；　but　his　taste　in　women　was　obvious　to　anyone　who　had　been　much　around　him。　And　those　that　he　smiled　upon　were　usually　small　and　round　and　dark；　often　with　curly　hair　and　girlish　laughter　and　tiny　soft　hands。　What　would　he　think　of　this　tall　pale　woman；　who　dressed　as　simply　as　a　servant　and　declared　she　took　much　pleasure　in　tending　her　own　gardens？　As　our　talk　turned；　I　found　she　could　speak　as　familiarly　about　falconry　and　horse　breeding　as　any　stableman。　And　when　I　asked　her　what　she　did　for　pleasure；　she　told　me　of　her　small　forge　and　tools　for　working　metal；　and　lifted　her　hair　to　show　me　the　earrings　she　had　made　for　herself。　The　finely　hammered　silver　petals　of　a　flower　clasped　a　tiny　gem　like　a　drop　of　dew。　I　had　once　told　Molly　that　Verity　deserved　a　petent　and　active　wife；　but　now　I　wondered　if　she　would　much　beguile　him。　He　would　respect　her；　I　knew。　But　was　respect　enough　between　a　king　and　his　queen？
　　　　　　　I　resolved　not　to　borrow　trouble；　but　to　keep　my　word　to　Verity　instead。　I　asked　her　if　Regal　had　told　her　much　of　her　husband；　and　she　became　suddenly　quiet。　I　sensed　her　drawing　on　her　strength　as　she　replied　that　she　knew　he　was　a　king…in…waiting　with　many　problems　facing　his　realm。　Regal　had　warned　her　that　Verity　was　much　older　than　she　was；　a　plain　and　simple　man；　who　might　not　take　much　interest　in　her。　Regal　had　promised　to　be　ever　by　her；　helping　her　to　adapt；　and　doing　his　best　to　see　that　the　court　was　not　a　lonely　place　for　her。　So　she　was　prepared　。。。。
　　　　　　　〃How　old　are　you？〃　I　asked　impulsively。
　　　　　　　〃Eighteen；〃　she　replied；　and　then　smiled　to　see　the　surprise　on　my　face。　〃Because　I　am　tall；　your　people　seem　to　think　I　am　much　older　than　that；〃　she　confided　in　me。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　you　are　younger　than　Verit