Assassin 3 - Royal Assassin (76 page)

Queen-in-Waiting Kettricken sat very still on
her horse. No one moved to touch her, no one spoke a word. I
glanced at Burrich, met his eyes. I saw fatalistic resignation
there. This was the second time he had seen a King-in-Waiting fall
before ascending the throne. After a long silence, Kettricken
turned in her saddle. She surveyed her guard, and the mounted
soldiers who followed her. Prince Regal has had tidings that
King-in-Waiting Verity is dead. She did not raise her voice, but
her clear words carried. Merriment faded, and the triumph went out
of many an eye. She gave it a few moments to settle in. Then she
nudged her horse to a walk, and we followed her back to
Buckkeep.

We approached the gate unchallenged. The
soldiers on watch looked up at us as we passed. One made a sketchy
salute to the Queen. She did not notice it. Burrich's scowl
deepened, but he said nothing.

Within the castle courtyard, it seemed an
ordinary day. Stable help came to take the horses while other
servants and folk moved about on the ordinary business of the Keep.
Somehow the very familiarity of it rattled against my nerves like
stones. Verity was dead. It did not seem right that life should go
on in such a workaday fashion.

Burrich had helped Kettricken to dismount into a
cluster of her ladies. A part of me noted the look on Foxglove's
face as Kettricken was hustled away by court ladies who were
exclaiming over how worn she looked, was she well, amid
exclamations of sympathy, regret, and sorrow. A twinge of jealousy
passed over the face of the captain of the Queen's guard. Foxglove
was but a soldier, sworn to protect her queen. She could not, at
this time, follow her into the Keep, no matter how much she cared
about her queen. Kettricken was in the care of her court ladies
now. But I knew Burrich would not stand guard alone before
Kettricken's door tonight.

The solicitous murmuring of her ladies on
Kettricken's behalf was enough to let me know that the rumor of her
pregnancy had been spread. I wonder if it had yet been shared with
Regal. I was well aware that some gossip circulated almost entirely
through the women before becoming common knowledge. I suddenly
wanted very badly to know if Regal knew that Kettricken carried the
heir to the throne. I handed Sooty's reins to Hands, thanked him,
and promised to tell him all later. But as I headed for the Keep
Burrich's hand fell on my shoulder.

A word with you. Now.

Sometimes he treated me almost as if I were a
Prince, sometimes as less than a stable boy. These words now were
no request. Hands gave me Sooty's reins back with a wry smile and
vanished to see to other animals. I followed Burrich as he led
Ruddy into the stables. He had no problem finding an empty stall
for Ruddy near Sooty's regular stall. There were only too many
stalls available. We both began matter-of-factly to work on the
horses. The old familiarity of that routine, seeing to a horse
while Burrich worked nearby, was comforting. Our end of the stable
was relatively quiet, but he waited until no one was about before
asking, Is it true?

I don't know, exactly. My link with him is gone.
It had been faint before we went to Neatbay, and I always have a
problem maintaining my link to Verity when I get into a fight. He
says I put my guard up so strongly against those around me that I
wall him out.

I don't understand any of that, but I knew of
that problem. Are you sure that is when you lost him?

So I told him, about a vague sense of Verity
during the battle, and the possibility that he had been under
attack at the same time. Burrich nodded impatiently.

But can't you Skill out to him, now that things
are calm? Renew the link?

I took an instant, pushed down my own seething
frustration. No. I can't. I don't have the Skill that
way.

Burrich frowned. Look. We know that messages
have gone awry lately. How do we know that this one hasn't been
invented?

We don't, I suppose. Though it is hard to
believe that even Regal would be so bold as to say Verity was dead
if he was not.

There is nothing I believe him incapable of,
Burrich said quietly.

I straightened up from cleaning the mud out of
Sooty's hooves. Burrich was leaning on the door of Ruddy's stall,
staring off into distance. The white streak in his hair was a vivid
reminder of just how ruthless Regal could be. He had ordered
Burrich killed as casually as one might swat an annoying fly. It
had never seemed to give Regal a moment's concern that he had not
stayed dead. He had no fear of retribution from a stablemaster or a
bastard.

So. What would he say when Verity came back? I
asked quietly.

Once he was king, he could see that Verity never
came back. The man who sits on the throne of the Six Duchies can do
away with people who are inconvenient. Burrich did not look
directly at me as he said this, and I tried to let the barb go by
me. It was true. Once Regal was in power, I had no doubt there
would be assassins ready to do his bidding. Perhaps there already
were some. That thought put a queer chill up me.

If we want definite word that Verity is still
alive, our only choice is to send someone to find him, and to come
back with tidings of him. I considered Burrich.

Assuming the messenger managed to survive, it
would still take too long. Once Regal is in power, the word of a
messenger is nothing to him. The bearer of such tidings would not
dare speak them aloud. We need proof that Verity is alive, proof
that King Shrewd will accept, and we need it before Regal comes
into power. That one would not be king-in-waiting long.

King Shrewd and Kettricken's child still stand
between him and the throne, I protested.

That location has proven unhealthy for
full-grown, strong men. I doubt an ailing old man or an unborn
child will find it any luckier a place to be. Burrich shook his
head and set that thought aside. So. You cannot Skill to him. Who
can?

Any of the coterie.

Pah. I have faith in none of them.

King Shrewd might be able to, I suggested
hesitantly. If
he took strength from me.

Even if your link with Verity is broken? Burrich
asked intently.

I shrugged and shook my head. I don't know. That
is why I said `might.'

He ran a final hand down Ruddy's newly sleek
coat. It will have to be tried, he said decisively. And the sooner
the better. Kettricken must not be left to fret and grieve if there
is no cause for it. She might lose the child of it. He sighed and
looked at me. Go get some rest. Plan on visiting the King tonight.
Once I see you go in, I will see that there are witnesses to
whatever King Shrewd finds out.

Burrich, I protested, there are too many
uncertainties. I do not even know that the King will be awake
tonight, or able to Skill, or that he will if I ask it. If we do
this, Regal, and all else, will know that I am a King's Man in the
Skill sense. And...

Sorry, boy. Burrich spoke abruptly, almost
callously. There is more at stake here than your well-being. Not
that I do not care about you. But I think you will be safer if
Regal thinks you can Skill, and all know Verity is alive, than if
all believe Verity is dead and Regal thinks it timely to be rid of
you. We must try tonight. Perhaps we shall not succeed. But we must
try.

I hope you can get some elfbark somewhere, I
grumbled to him.

Are you developing a fondness for that? Be wary.
But then he grinned. I am sure I can get some.

I returned the grin, and then was shocked at
myself. I didn't believe Verity was dead. That was what I admitted
to myself with that grin. I did not believe my king-in-waiting was
dead, and I was about to stand toe to toe with Prince Regal and
prove it was so. The only way that could have been more satisfying
would be if I could do it with an ax in my hands. Yet.

Do me one favor? I asked of Burrich.

What? he asked guardedly.

Be very very careful of yourself.

Always. See that you do the same.

I nodded, then stood silent, feeling
awkward:

After a moment Burrich sighed and said, Out with
it. If I happen to see Molly, you'd like me to tell her ...
what?

I shook my head at myself. Only that I miss her.
What else can I say to her? I've nothing to offer her but
that.

He glanced at me, an odd look. Sympathy, but no
false comfort. I'll let her know, he promised.

I left the stables feeling that somehow I had
grown. I wondered if I would ever stop measuring myself by how
Burrich treated me.

I went directly to the kitchen, intending to get
something to eat, then go rest as Burrich had suggested. The watch
room was packed with the returning soldiers, telling stories to the
ones who had stayed home while devouring stew and bread. I had
expected that, and intended to find my own provisions and carry
them off to my room. But within the kitchen, everywhere, kettles
were bubbling, bread was rising, and meat was turning on spits.
Kitchen servants were chopping, stirring, and going to and fro
hurriedly.

There is a feast tonight?' I asked
stupidly.

Cook Sara turned to face me. Oh, Fitz, so you're
back and alive and in one piece for a change. She smiled as if she
had complimented me. Yes, of course, there's a feast to celebrate
the victory at Neatbay. We would not neglect you.

With Verity dead, we still sit down to
feast?

Cook looked at me levelly. Were Prince Verity
here, what would he wish?

I sighed. He would probably say to celebrate the
victory. That folk need hope more than mourning.

So exactly Prince Regal explained it to me this
morning, Cook said with satisfaction. She turned back to rubbing
spices into a leg of venison. We'll mourn him, of course. But you
have to understand, Fitz. He left us. Regal is the one who stayed
here. He stayed here to look after the King, and mind the coasts as
best as he could. Verity is gone, but Regal is still here with us.
And Neatbay is not fallen to the Raiders.

I bit my tongue and waited for the fit to pass.
Neatbay did not fall because Regal stayed here to protect us. I
wanted to make certain that Cook was connecting those two events,
not merely mentioning them both in the same lecture.

She nodded as she kept rubbing the meat. Pounded
sage, my nose told me. And rosemary. It's what's been needed all
along. Soldiers sent right away. Skilling is fine, but what's the
good of knowing what's happening if no one does anything about
it?

Verity always sent out the warships.

And they always seemed to get there too late.
She turned to me, wiping her hands down the front of her apron. Oh,
I know you worshiped him, lad. Our Prince Verity was a goodhearted
man, who wore himself to death trying to protect us. I'm not
speaking against the dead. I'm only saying that Skilling and
chasing down Elderlings are not the way to fight these Red-Ships.
What Prince Regal done, sending the soldiers and ships out the
minute he heard, that's what was needed all along. Maybe with
Prince Regal in charge, we'll survive here.

What about King Shrewd? I asked
softly.

She misunderstood my question. In doing so, she
showed me what she really thought. Oh, he's as good as can be
expected. He'll even be down to the feast tonight, at least for a
bit. Poor man. He's suffering so much. Poor, poor man.

Dead man. She as much as said it. King no
longer, Shrewd was just a poor, poor man to her. Regal had it. Do
you think our queen will be at the feast? I asked. After all, she
has just heard of the death of her husband and king.

Oh, I think she'll be there. Sara nodded to
herself. She turned the leg over with a thud, to begin pricking the
other side full of herbs. I've heard it said she's saying she's
with child now. The cook sounded skeptical. She'll want to announce
it tonight.

Do you doubt she's with child? I asked bluntly.
Cook was not offended by it.

Oh, I don't doubt she's pregnant, if she says
she is. It just seems a bit odd, is all, her telling it after word
of Verity's death came in instead of before.

How's that?

Well, some of us are bound to wonder.

Wonder what? I asked coldly.

Cook darted a glance at me and I cursed my
impatience. Shutting her up was not what I wanted to do. I needed
to hear the rumors, all of them.

Well ... She hesitated, but could not deny my
listening ears. What's always wondered, when a woman doesn't
conceive, and then when her husband's away, suddenly she announces
she's pregnant by him. She glanced about to see who else might be
listening. All seemed busy at their work, but I didn't doubt a few
ears were tilted our way. Why now? All of a sudden. And if she knew
she was pregnant, what was she thinking of, racing off in the
middle of the night, right into battle? That's strange behavior for
a Queen carrying the throne's heir.

Well -I tried to make my voice mild- I suppose
when the child is born will show when it was conceived. Those who
want to count moons on their fingers may do so then. Besides -and I
leaned in conspiratorially- I heard that some of her ladies knew of
it before she left. Lady Patience, for instance, and her maid
Lacey. I would have to make sure that Patience bragged of her early
knowledge, and that Lacey noised it about among the
servants.