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n be worn away by the constant cold drip of mon sense。〃
〃My uncle？ Prince Regal？〃 I was incredulous at the betrayal。
She nodded slowly。 〃He wished me to keep his visit to myself。 Nothing； he said； could be gained by your knowing of it。 He needed to act in his family's best interests。 He said I should understand that。 I did； but it made me angry。 It was only over time that he made me see that it was in my own best interests as well。〃 She paused and brushed a hand over her cheek。 She was crying。 Silently； just the tears running as she spoke。
I walked across the room to her。 Tentatively； I took her into my arms。 She didn't resist； and that surprised me。 I held her carefully； as if she were a butterfly that might be crushed too easily。 She leaned her head forward； so that her forehead barely rested on my shoulder； and spoke into my chest。 〃In a few more months； I will have saved enough that I can start out on my own again。 Not open a business； but rent a room somewhere； and find work to sustain me。 And begin to start saving for a shop。 That's what I intend to do。 Lady Patience is kind； and Lacey has bee a real friend to me。 But I do not like being a servant。 And I will do it no longer than I have to。〃 She stopped speaking and stood still in my arms。 She was trembling lightly； as if from exhaustion： She seemed to have run out of words。
〃What did my uncle say to you？〃 I asked carefully。
〃Oh。〃 She swallowed； and moved her face lightly against me。 I think she wiped tears on my shirt。 〃Only what I should have expected him to say。 When first he came to me； he was cold and aloof。 He thought me a 。。。 street whore； I suppose。 He warned me sternly that the King would tolerate no more scandals。 He demanded to know if I was with child。 Of course； I was angry。 I told him it was impossible that I should be。 That we had never 。。。〃 Molly paused and I could feel how shamed she had been that anyone could even ask such a question。 〃So then he told me that if that was so； it was good。 He asked what I thought I deserved； as reparation for your deceptions。〃
The word was like a little knife twisted in my guts。 The fury I felt was building； but I forced myself to keep silent that she might speak it all out。
〃I told him I expected nothing。 That I had deceived myself as much as you had deceived me。 So then he offered me money。 To go away。 And never speak of you。 Or what had happened between us。〃
She was having trouble speaking。 Her voice kept getting higher and tighter on each phrase。 She fought for a semblance of calm I knew she didn't feel。 〃He offered me enough to open a chandlery。 I was angry。 I told him I could not be paid to stop loving someone。 That if the offer of money could make me love； or not love； then I was truly a whore。 He grew very angry； but he left。〃 She gave a sudden shuddering sob； then held herself still。 I moved my hands lightly over her shoulders； feeling the tension there。 I stroked her hair； softer than any horse's mane； and sleeker。 She had fallen silent。
〃Regal makes mischief；〃 I heard myself say。 〃He seeks to injure me by driving you away。 To shame me by hurting you。〃 I shook my head to myself； wondering at my stupidity。 〃I should have foreseen this。 All I thought was that he might whisper against you。 Or arrange for physical harm to befall you。 But Burrich is right。 The man has no morals； he is bound by no rules。〃
〃He was cold； at first。 But never coarsely rude。 He came only as the King's messenger； he said； and came himself to save scandal； that no more should know of it than needed to。 He sought to avoid talk； not make it。 Later； after we had talked a few times； he said he regretted to see me cornered so； and that he would tell the King it was not of my devising。 He even bought candles of me； and arranged for others to know what I had to sell。 I believe he is trying to help； FitzChivalry。 Or so he sees it。〃
To hear her defend Regal cut me deeper than any insult or rebuke she could level at me。 My fingers tangled in her soft hair and I unwound them carefully。 Regal。 All the weeks I had gone alone； avoiding her； not speaking to her lest it cause scandal。 Leaving her alone； so that Regal could e in my stead。 Not courting her； no； but winning her with his practiced charm and studied words。 Chopping away at her image of me while I was not there to contradict anything he said。 Making himself out to be her ally while I was left voiceless to bee the unthinking callow youth； the thoughtless villain。 I bit my tongue before I spoke any more ill of him to her。 It would only sound like a shallow angry boy striking back at one who sought to deny his will。
〃Have you ever spoken of Regal's visits to Patience or Lacey？ What did they say of him？〃
She shook her head； and the movement loosed the fragrance of her hair。 〃He cautioned me not to speak of it。 ‘Women talk' he said； and I know that is true。 I should not even have spoken of it to you。 He said that Patience and Lacey would respect me more if it seemed I had reached this decision on my own。 He said； also 。。。 that you would not let me go 。。。 if you thought the decision came from him。 That you must believe that I turned away from you on my own。〃
〃He knows me that well；〃 I conceded to her。
〃I should not have told you；〃 she murmured。 She pushed a little away from me； to look up into my eyes。 〃I don't know why I did。〃
Her eyes and her hair were the colors of a forest。 〃Perhaps you did not want me to let you go？〃 I ventured。
〃You must；〃 she said。 〃We both know there is no future for us。〃
For an instant all was stillness。 The fire crackled softly to itself。 Neither of us moved。 But somehow I stepped to another place； where I was achingly aware of every scent and touch of her。 Her eyes and the herb scents of her skin and hair were one piece with the warmth and suppleness of her body under the soft woolen night robe。 I experienced her as if she were a new color suddenly revealed to my eyes。 All concerns； even all thoughts； were suspended in that sudden awareness。 I know I trembled； for she put her hands on my shoulders and clasped them； to steady me。 Warmth flowed through me from her hands。 I looked down into her eyes and wondered at what I saw there。
She kissed me。
That simple act； of offering up her mouth to mine； was like the opening of a floodgate。 What followed was a seamless continuation of her kiss。 We did not pause to consider wisdom or morality； we did not hesitate at all。 The permission we gave each other was absolute。 We ventured together into that newness； and I cannot imagine a deeper joining than our shared amazement brought us。 We both came whole to that night； unfettered by expectations or memories of others。 I had no more right to her than she had to me。 But I gave and I took and I swear I shall never regret it。 The memory of that night's sweet awkwardness is the truest possession of my soul。 My trembling fingers jumbled the ribbon at the neck closure of her nightgown into a hopeless knot。 Molly seemed wise and sure as she touched me； only to betray her surprise with her sharply indrawn breath when I responded。 It did not matter。 Our ignorance yielded to a knowing older than us both。 I strove to be both gentle and strong； but found myself amazed at her strength and gentleness both。
I have heard it called a dance； I have heard it called a battle。 Some men speak of it with a knowing laugh； some with a sneer。 I have heard the sturdy market women chuckling over it like hens clucking over bread crumbs； I have been approached by bawds who spoke their wares as boldly as peddlers hawking fresh fish。 For myself； I think some things are beyond words。 The color blue can only be experienced； as can the scent of jasmine or the sound of a flute。 The curve of a warm bared shoulder； the uniquely feminine softness of a breast； the startled sound one makes when all barriers suddenly yield； the perfume of her throat； the taste of her skin are all but parts； and sweet as they may be； they do not embody the whole。 A thousand such details still would not illustrate it。
The fireplace logs burned down to dark red embers。 The candles had long since guttered out。 It seemed we were in a place we had entered as strangers； and discovered to be home。 I think I would have given away all the rest of the world； just to remain in the drowsy nest of tousled blankets and feather quilts； breathing her warm stillness。
Brother； this is good。
I leaped like a hooked fish； jolting Molly out of her drowsing reverie。 〃What is it？〃
〃A cramp in my calf；〃 I lied； and she laughed； believing me。 So simple a fib； but I was suddenly shamed by the lie； by all the lies I had ever spoken and all the truths I had made into lies by leaving them unspoken。 I opened my lips to tell her all。 That I was the royal assassin； the King's killing tool。 That the knowledge of her that she had given me that night had been shared by my brother the wolf。 That she had given herself so freely to a man who killed other men and shared his life with an animal。
It was unthinkable。 To tell her those things would hurt and shame her。 She would have felt permanently dirtied by the touch we had shared。 I told myself that I could stand to have her despise me； but I could not stand to have her despise herself。 I told myself that I clenched my lips shut because it was the nobler thing to do； to keep these secrets to myself was better than to let the truth destroy her。 Did I lie to myself； then？
Don't we all？
I lay there； with her arms twined warm around me； with the length of her body warming my side； and promised myself that I would change。 I would stop being all those things； and then I would never need tell her。 Tomorrow； I promised myself；
I would tell Chade and Shrewd that I would no longer kill for them。 Tomorrow； I would make Nighteyes understand why I must sever my bond with him。 Tomorrow。
But today； in this day that was already beginning to dawn； I had to go forth with the wolf at my side； to hunt the Forged ones and slay them。 Because I wanted to go to Shrewd with a fresh triumph； to put him in the mood to grant the boon I would ask。 This very evening； when my killing was done； I would ask him to allow Molly and me to marry。 I promised myself that his permission would mark the beginning of my new life as a man who would no longer have to keep secrets from the woman he loved。 I kissed her forehead； then set her arms softly aside from me。
〃I have to leave you；〃 I whispered as she stirred。 〃But I pray it will not be for long。 Today I go to Shrewd； to ask permission to marry you。〃
She stirred and opened her eyes。 She watched in a sort of wonder as I went naked from her bed。 I put more wood on the fire； then avoided her gaze as I gathered my scattered clothes and put them on。 She was not so shy； for as I looked up from fastening my belt； I found her eyes upon me； smiling。 I blushed。
〃I feel we are wed already；〃 she whispered。 〃I cannot imagine how the speaking of any vows could make us more truly joined。〃
〃Nor I。〃 I came to sit on the edge of her bed； to take her hands in mine once again。 〃But there will be great satisfaction to me in letting all know of it。 And that； my lady； requires a wedding。 And a public speaking of all my heart has already vowed to you。 But for now； I must go。〃
〃Not yet。 Stay awhile yet。 I am sure we have some small time left before anyone else begins to stir。〃
I leaned over her to kiss her。 〃I have to go now； to retrieve a certain rope that is hanging from the battlements to my lady's window。 Otherwise； it might excite ment。〃
〃At least stay long enough to let me change the dressings on your arm and neck。 However did you hurt yourself so？ I meant to ask you last night； but 。。。〃
I smiled down at her。 〃I know。 There were more interesting things to pursue。 No； my dear。 But I promise you I shall take care of it this morning； in my room。〃 To call her 〃my dear〃 made me feel a man as no words ever had before。 I kissed her； promising myself that I would go immediately afterward； but found myself lingering to her touch on my neck。 I sighed。 〃I do have to go。〃
〃I