Assassin 3 - Royal Assassin (70 page)

So I did, and took them back to him, and helped
him smear the wound with his salve before we wrapped it well and
splinted it. He cut a pair of old trousers to go over the splint,
and I helped him down the stairs. Then, despite his words, he went
to Ruddy's stall to see if his horse's arrow wound had been cleaned
and doctored. I left him there and went back up to the Keep. I
wanted to speak to Kettricken, to let her know there would be a man
on guard on her door that night, and why.

I knocked at her chamber door and was admitted
by Rosemary. The Queen was indeed there, and a selection of her
ladies. Most were working embroidery or small lap looms as they
talked. The Queen herself had her window opened to the mild winter
day and was looking out over the calm sea with a frown. She
reminded me of Verity when he Skilled, and I suspected that much
the same worries plagued her. I followed her gaze, and wondered,
like her, where the Red-Ships would strike today, and what was
going on up in Bearns. Useless to wonder. Officially, there was no
word at all from Bea
rn
s.
The rumors were that the coasts ran red with blood.

Rosemary. I wish a quiet word with Her
Majesty.

Rosemary nodded gravely and went over to curtsy
to her queen. In a moment the Queen looked up, and with a nod and a
gesture invited me to join her in her window seat. I greeted her
quietly and gestured smilingly out over the water as if we chatted
of the fine weather. But softly I said, Burrich wishes to guard
your door, beginning this night. He fears that when others discover
you are with child, your life will be in danger.

Another woman might have blanched or at least
seemed surprised. Instead, Kettricken lightly touched the very
serviceable knife she always wore beside her keys. Almost, I would
welcome so direct an attack. She considered. I suppose it is wise.
What harm can come of letting them know we suspect. Nay, that we
know. Why should I be circumspect and tactful?

Burrich has already received their greetings, in
the form of an arrow through the leg. The bitterness in her voice,
and the ferocity beneath it, shocked me. He may take the guard
post, and with it my thanks. I could choose a sounder man, but I
would not have the trust in him that I have in Burrich. Will his
leg injury permit him to do this duty?

I do not think his pride would permit any other
to do it.

Fine, then. She paused. I will have a chair
placed for him.

I doubt he will use it.

She sighed. We all have our own ways of offering
sacrifice. It shall be there, nonetheless.

I bowed my head in acceptance and she dismissed
me. I went back up to my room intending to tidy away all that had
been dragged out for Burrich's use. But as I walked softly down the
hall I was startled to see the door of my room open slowly. I eased
to another doorway and flattened myself inside it. After a moment
Justin and Serene emerged from my room. I stepped out to confront
them.

Still looking for a spot for your tryst? I asked
acidly.

They both froze. Justin stepped back, stood
almost behind Serene. Serene glared at him, then stood firm before
me. We don't have to answer to you for anything.

Not even for being in my room? Did you find
anything interesting there?

Justin was breathing as if he'd just run a race.
I deliberately met his eyes. He was speechless. I smiled at
him.

We need not speak to you at all, Serene
announced. We know what you are. Come, Justin.

You know what I am? Interesting. Rest assured
that I know what you are. And that I am not the only one who
knows.

Beast man! Justin hissed. You wallow in the
filthiest of magics. Did you think you could go undetected amongst
us? No wonder Galen found you unfit to Skill!

His arrow had struck home and quivered in my
most secret fear. I tried not to let it show. I am loyal to King
Shrewd. Face composed, I gazed at them steadily. I said no more
than that. Not in words. But I looked them up and down, measuring
them against what they should be, and found them lacking. In the
minute shifting of their feet, in their quick glances at one
another, I decided that they knew they were traitors. They reported
to Regal; they knew they should report to the King. They were not
deceived as to what they were; they understood. Perhaps Galen had
burned a loyalty to Regal into their minds; perhaps they could not
conceive of turning against him. But parts of them still knew that
Shrewd was king, and that they were disloyal to a King they had
sworn to. I tucked away that bit of knowledge; it was a crack that
might someday hold a wedge.

I stepped forward, and enjoyed watching Serene
shrink away from me while Justin cowered between her and the wall.
But I made no attack. I turned my back to them and opened my door.
As I entered my room I felt a sneaky little wisp of Skill grope at
the edges of my mind. Without thinking, I blocked as Verity had
taught me to. Keep your thoughts to yourself, I warned them, and
did not dignify them by looking back at them. I shut the
door.

For a moment I stood breathing. Calm. Calm. I
did not relax my mind guards. Then quietly, carefully, I worked my
latches. Once the door was secured, I moved cautiously through my
room. Chade had once told me that assassins must always believe the
other person has more skill than they do. It is the only way to
remain alive and keep sharp. So I touched nothing lest it had been
coated with poison. Instead, I stood in the center of my room,
closed my eyes, and tried to recall exactly how it had looked when
I last left it. Then I opened my eyes and looked for changes in the
room.

The small tray of herbs was squarely atop my
clothing chest. I had left it to one end, within easy reach of
Burrich. So they had been through my clothing chest. The tapestry
of King Wisdom, that had been slightly askew for months, now hung
straight. That was all I could see. It puzzled me. I had no idea
what they had been looking for. That they had dug through my
clothing chest seemed to suggest it was a small enough item to fit
in there. But why lift a tapestry and look behind it? I stood
still, thinking a moment. This had not been a random search. I was
not sure what they had been hoping to find. But I suspected they
had been told to look for a secret passageway in my room. That
meant that Regal had concluded that killing Lady Thyme had not been
enough. His suspicions were stronger than Chade had led me to
believe. I was almost grateful I had never been able to discover
how to work the entry to Chade's apartments. It gave me more
confidence in its secrecy.

I inspected every item in my room before I
handled it. I saw that every scrap of food that had remained on
Cook's trays was disposed of where no one and nothing would taste
it. I discarded the water in the buckets as well as that in my
ewer. I inspected my supply of firewood and candles for powders or
resins, checked my bedding for powder, and reluctantly discarded my
complete supply of herbs. I would take no chances. I could discover
no possessions missing, nor that anything had been added to my
room. Sometime later I sat down on my bed, feeling exhausted and
unnerved. I would have to be more on my guard, I concluded. I
recalled the Fool's experience and pondered it. I did not want to
encounter a bag and a beating the next time I entered my
room.

My room suddenly seemed confining, a trap that I
must return to each day. I left it, not bothering to lock it as I
went. Locks were useless. Let them see I did not fear their
intrusion. Even though I did.

Outside, it was a mild, clear late afternoon.
The unseasonably kind weather ate at me, even as I enjoyed my walk
through the inner circle of the Keep. I decided I would walk down
to town, to pay a visit to the Rurisk and my shipmates there, and
then perhaps go into a tavern for a beer. It had been too long
since I'd walked to town, and far too, long since I'd listened to
the gossip of town folk. It would be a relief to get away from
Buckkeep intrigues for a while.

I was going out the gate when a young guardsman
stepped into my path. Stand! he commanded me, then: Please, sir, he
added as he recognized me.

I halted obediently. Yes?

He cleared his throat, then suddenly went
scarlet all the way to his hairline. He took a breath, then stood
silent.

Did you need something from me? I
asked.

Please to wait a moment, sir, the boy
blurted.

The lad disappeared back into the guardhouse,
and a moment later an older watch officer emerged. She regarded me
gravely, took a breath as if to steel herself, then said quietly;
You are denied passage out of the Keep.

What? I could not believe my ears.

She drew herself up. When she spoke, her voice
was firmer. You are denied passage out of the Keep.

A surge of anger heated me. I forced it down. By
whose command?

She stood firm before me. My commands come from
the captain of the watch, sir. That is all I know of it.

I would speak to that captain. I kept my voice
courteous.

He is not in the guardroom. Sir.

I see. But I did not, quite. I could perceive
all the nooses tightening about me, but could not understand why
just now. The other obvious question to ask, however, was why not?
With Shrewd's enfeeblement, Verity had become my protector. But he
was away. I could turn to Kettricken, but only if I were willing to
bring her into open conflict with Regal. I was not. Chade was, as
always, a shadow power. All of this passed through my mind quickly.
I was turning away from the gate when I heard my name called. I
turned back.

Coming up the hill from town was Molly. Her
servant's blue dress flapped around her calves as she ran. And she
ran heavily, unevenly, unlike her usual graceful stride. She was
exhausted, or nearly so. Fitz! she cried out again, and there was
fear in her voice.

I started to go to her, but the guard stepped
suddenly into my path. Fear was on her face, too, but also
determination. I cannot let you go out of the gate. I have my
orders.

I wanted to smash her from my path. I forced my
rage down. A struggle with her would not help Molly. Then you go to
her, damn you! Can't you see the woman is in trouble of some
kind?

She stood eye to eye with me, unmoving. Miles!
she called, and the boy leaped out. Go see what is wrong with that
woman. Quickly now!

The boy took off like a shot. I stood, with the
guard standing squarely before me, and watched helplessly over her
shoulder as Miles raced to Molly. When he reached her, he put an
arm around her and took her basket on his other arm. Leaning
heavily on him, gasping and near weeping, Molly came toward the
gate. It seemed to take forever before she was through the gate and
in my arms. Fitz, oh Fitz, she sobbed.

Come, I told her. I turned her away from the
guard, walked her away from the gate. I knew I had done the
sensible thing, the calm thing, but I felt shamed and small from
it.

Why didn't you ... come to me? Molly
panted.

The guard would not let me. They have orders I
am not to leave Buckkeep, I said quietly. I could feel her
trembling as she leaned against me. I took her around the corner of
a warehouse, out of sight of the guards standing gaping in the
gate. I held her in my arms until she quieted. What's wrong? What
happened? I tried to make my voice soothing. I brushed back the
hair that hung about her face. After a few moments she quieted in
my arms. Her breathing steadied, but she still trembled.

I had gone into town. Lady Patience had given me
the afternoon. And I needed to get a few things ... for my candles.
As she spoke, her trembling lessened. I tilted her chin up so that
she looked into my eyes.

And then?

I was ... coming back. I was on the steep bit,
just outside of town. Where the alders grow?

I nodded. I knew the spot.

I heard horses coming. In a hurry. So I stepped
off the road to make way for them. She started to tremble again. I
kept walking, thinking they would pass me. But suddenly they were
right behind me, and when I looked back, they were coming right at
me. Not on the road, but right at me. I jumped back into the brush,
and still they rode right at me. I turned and ran, but they kept
coming .... Her voice was getting higher and higher.

Hush! Wait a bit. Calm down. Think. How many of
them? Did you know them?

She shook her head wildly. Two. I couldn't see
their faces. I was running away, and they were wearing the kind of
helm that comes down over your eyes and nose. They chased me. It's
steep there, you know, and brushy. I tried to get away, but they
just rode their horses right through the brush after me. Herding
me, like dogs herd sheep. I ran, and ran, but I couldn't get away
from them. Then I fell, I caught my foot on a log and I fell. And
they jumped from their horses. One pinned me down while the other
snatched up my basket. He dumped it all out, like he was looking
for something, but they were laughing and laughing. I thought
...

My heart was hammering as hard as Molly's now.
Did they hurt you? I asked fiercely.