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〃Prince Regal；〃 I replied； and let my tone make the words mean the same as his。 I waited with an icy patience I had not known I owned。 He had to strike me first。
For a time we held our positions； eyes locked。 Then he glanced down； to flick imaginary dust from his sleeve。 He strode past me。 I did not step aside for him。 He did not jostle me as once he would have。 I took a breath and walked on。
I did not know the guardsman at the door； but he waved me into the King's chamber。 I sighed and set myself another task。 I would learn names and faces again。 Now that the court was swelling with folk e to see the new Queen； I found myself being recognized by people I didn't know。 〃That'd be the Bastard； by the look of him；〃 I'd heard a bacon monger say to his apprentice the other day outside the kitchen doors。 It made me feel vulnerable。 Things were changing too fast for me。
King Shrewd's chamber shocked me。 I had expected to find the windows ajar to the brisk winter air； to find Shrewd up and dressed and alert at table； as keen as a captain receiving reports from his lieutenants。 Always he had been so； a sharp old man； strict with himself； an early riser； shrewd as his name。 But he was not in his sitting room at all。 I ventured to the entry of his bedchamber； peered within the open door。
Inside； the room was half in shadow still。 A servant rattled cups and plates at a small table drawn up by the great curtained bed。 He glanced at me； then away； evidently thinking I was a serving boy。 The air was still and musty； as if the room were disused or had not been aired in a long time。 I waited a time for the servant to let King Shrewd know I had e。 When he continued to ignore me； I advanced warily to the edge of the bed。
〃My king？〃 I made bold to address him when he did not speak。 〃I have e as you bid me。〃
Shrewd was sitting up in the curtained shadows of his bed； well propped with cushions。 He opened his eyes when I spoke。
〃Who 。。。 ah。 Fitz。 Sit； then。 Wallace； bring him a chair。 A cup and plate； too。〃 As the servant moved to his bidding King Shrewd confided to me； 〃I do miss Cheffers。 With me for so many years； and I never had to tell him anymore what I wanted done。〃
〃I remember him； my lord。 Where is he； then？〃
〃A cough took him。 He caught it in the fall； and it never left him。 It slowly wore him away； until he couldn't take a breath without wheezing。〃
I recalled the servant。 He had not been a young man； but not so old either。 I was surprised to hear of his death。 I stood silently； wordless； while Wallace brought the chair and a plate and cup for me。 He frowned disapprovingly as I seated myself； but I ignored it。 He would soon enough learn that King Shrewd designed his own protocol。 〃And you； my king？ Are you well？ I cannot recall that I ever knew you to keep to your bed in the morning？〃
King Shrewd made an impatient noise。 〃It is most annoying。 Not a sickness really。 Just a giddiness； a sort of dizziness that sweeps down upon me if I move swiftly。 Every morning I think it gone； but when I try to rise； the very stones of Buckkeep rock under me。 So I keep to my bed； and eat and drink a bit； and then rise slowly。 By midday I am myself。 I think it has something to do with the winter cold； though the healer says it may be from an old sword cut； taken when I was not much older than you are now。 See； I bear the scar still； though I thought the damage long healed。〃 King Shrewd leaned forward in his curtained bed； lifting with one shaky hand a sheaf of his graying hair from his left temple。 I saw the pucker of the old scar and nodded。
〃But； enough。 I did not summon you for consultations about my health。 I suspect you guess why you are here？〃
〃You would like a plete report of the events at Jhaampe？〃 I guessed。 I glanced about for the servant； saw Wallace hovering near。 Cheffers would have departed to allow Shrewd and me to talk freely。 I wondered how plainly I dared speak before this new man。
But Shrewd waved it aside。 〃It is done； boy；〃 he said heavily。 〃Verity and I have consulted。 Now we let it go。 I do not think there is much you could tell me that I do not know； or guess already。 Verity and I have spoken at length。 I 。。。 regret 。。。 some things。 But。 Here we are； and here is always the place we must start from。 Eh？〃
Words swelled in my throat； nearly choking me。 Regal； I wanted to say to him。 Your son who tried to kill me； your bastard grandson。 Did you speak at length with him； also？ And was it before or after you put me into his power？ But； as clearly as if Chade or Verity had spoken to me； I knew suddenly I had no right to question my king。 Not even to ask if he had given my life over to his youngest son。 I clenched my jaws and held my words unuttered。
Shrewd met my eyes。 His eyes flickered to Wallace。 〃Wallace。 Take yourself to the kitchens for a bit。 Or wherever you wish that is not here。〃 Wallace looked displeased； but he turned with a sniff and departed。 He left the door ajar behind him。 At a sign from Shrewd； I arose and shut it。 I returned to my seat。
〃FitzChivalry；〃 he said gravely。 〃This will not do。〃
〃Sir。〃 I met his eyes for a moment； then looked down。
He spoke heavily。 〃Sometimes； ambitious young men do foolish things。 When they are shown the error of their ways； they apologize。〃 I looked up suddenly； wondering if he expected an apology from me。 But he went on。 〃I have been tendered such an apology。 I have accepted it。 Now we go on。 In this； trust me；〃 he said； and he spoke gently but it was not a request。 〃Least said is soonest mended。〃
I leaned back in my chair。 I took a breath； sighed it carefully out。 In a moment I had mastered myself。 I looked up at my king with an open face。 〃May I ask why you have called me； my king？〃
〃An unpleasantness；〃 he said distastefully。 〃Duke Brawndy of Bearns thinks I should resolve it。 He fears what may follow if I do not。 He does not think it 。。。 political to take direct action himself。 So I have granted the request； but grudgingly。 Have not we enough to face with the Raiders at our doorstep； without internal strife？ Still。 They have the right to ask it of me； and I the duty to oblige any who asks。 Once more you will bear the King's justice； Fitz。〃
He told me concisely of the situation in Bearns。 A young woman from Sealbay had e to Ripplekeep to offer herself to Brawndy as a warrior。 He had been pleased to accept her； for she was both well muscled and adept； skilled at staves； bows； and blades。 She was beautiful as well as strong； small and dark and sleek as a sea otter。 She had been a wele addition to his guard； and soon was a popular figure in his court as well。 She had； not charm； but that courage and strength of will that draws others to follow。 Brawndy himself had grown fond of her。 She enlivened his court and instilled new spirit in his guard。
But lately she had begun to fancy herself a prophetess and soothsayer。 She claimed to have been chosen by El the sea god for a higher destiny。 Her name had been Madja； her parentage unremarkable； but now she had renamed herself； in a ceremony of fire； wind； and water； and called herself Virago。 She ate only meat she had taken herself； and kept in her rooms nothing that she had not either made herself or won by show of arms。 Her following was swelling； and included some of the younger nobles as well as many of the soldiers under her mand。 To all she preached the need to return to El's worship and honor。 She espoused the old ways； advocating a rigorous； simple life that glorified what a person could win by her own strength。
She saw the Raiders and Forging as El's punishment for our soft ways； and blamed the Farseer line for encouraging that softness。 At first she had spoken circumspectly of such things。 Of late； she had bee more open； but never so bold as to voice outright treason。 Still； there had been bullock sacrifices on the sea cliffs； and she had blood…painted a number of young folk and sent them out on spirit quests as in the very old days。 Brawndy had heard rumors that she sought a man worthy of herself； who would join her to throw down the Farseer throne。 They would rule together； to begin the time of the Fighter and put an end to the days of the Farmer。 According to Bearns； quite a number of young men were ready to vie for that honor。 Brawndy wished her stopped； before he himself had to accuse her of treason； and force his men to choose between Virago and himself。 Shrewd offered the opinion that her following would probably drop off drastically； were she to be bested at arms； or have a severe accident or bee victim to a wasting illness that depleted her strength and beauty。 I was forced to agree that was probably so； but observed that there were many cases where folks who died became like gods afterward。 Shrewd said certainly； if the person died honorably。
Then； abruptly； he changed the topic。 In Ripplekeep； on Sealbay； there was an old scroll that Verity wished copied； a listing of all those from Bearns who had served the King in the Skill； as coterie members。 It was also said that at Ripplekeep there was a relic from the days of the Elderling defense of that city。 Shrewd wished me to leave on the morrow； to go to Sealbay and copy the scrolls and to view the relic and bring him a report of it。 I would also convey to Brawndy the King's best wishes and his certainty that the Duke's unease would soon be put to rest。
I understood。
As I stood to leave； Shrewd raised a finger to bid me pause。 I stood； waiting。
〃And do you feel I am keeping my bargain with you？〃 he asked。 It was the old question； the one he had always asked me after our meetings when I was a boy。 It made me smile。
〃Sir； I do；〃 I said as I always had。
〃Then see that you keep your end of it as well。〃 He paused； then added； as he never had before； 〃Remember； FitzChivalry。 Any injury done to one of my own is an injury to me。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃You would not injure one of mine； would you？〃
I drew myself up。 I knew what he asked for； and I ceded it to him。 〃Sir； I will not injure one of yours。 I am sworn to the Farseer line。〃
He nodded slowly。 He had wrung an apology from Regal； and from me my word that I would not kill his son。 He probably believed he had made peace between us。 Outside his door； I paused to push the hair back from my eyes。 I had just made a promise； I reminded myself。 I considered it carefully and forced myself to look at what it could cost me to keep it。 Bitterness flooded me； until I pared what it would cost me should I break it。 Then I found the reservations in myself； crushed them firmly。 I formed a resolve； to cleanly keep my promise to my king。 I had no true peace with Regal； but at least I could have that much peace with myself。 The decision left me feeling better； and I strode purposefully down the hall。
I had not replenished my stocks of poisons since I had returned from the Mountains。 Nothing green showed outside now。 I'd have to steal what I needed。 The wool dyers would have some I might use； and the healer's stock would yield me others。 My mind was busy with this planning as I started down the stairs。
Serene was ing up the stairs。 When I saw her； I halted where I was。 The sight of her made me quail as Regal had not。 It was an old reflex。 Of all Galen's coterie； she was now the strongest。 August had retired from the field； gone far inland to live in orchard country and be a gentleman there。 His Skill had been entirely blasted out of him during the final encounter that marked the end of Galen。 Serene was now the key Skill user of the coterie。 In summers； she remained at Buckkeep； and all the other members of the coterie； scattered to towers and keeps up and down our long coast； channeled all their reports to the King through her。 During winter； the entire coterie came to Buckkeep； to renew their bonds and fellowship。 In the absence of a Skill Master； she had assumed much of Galen's status at Buckkeep。 She had also assumed； with great enthusiasm； Galen's passionate hatred of me。 She reminded me too vividly of past abuses； and inspired in me a dread that would not yield to logic。 I had avoided her since my ret