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I sighed heavily。 Nighteyes sneezed suddenly； then shook himself all over。 I mislike this mouse dust。 But before I go； use your so clever hands to scratch inside my ears。 It is hard for me to do well without leaving welts。
And so I scratched his ears； and under his throat and the back of his neck； until he fell over on his side like a puppy。
〃Hound；〃 I told him affectionately。
For that insult； you pay！ He flipped himself up onto his feet； bit me hard through my sleeve； and then darted out the door and was gone。 I pulled back my sleeve to survey the deep white dents in my flesh that were not quite bleeding。 Wolf humor。
The brief winter day had ended。 I went back to the Keep and forced myself to go through the kitchens； to allow Cook to tell me all the gossip。 She stuffed me full of plum cake and mutton as she told me of the Queen's possible miscarriage； and then how the men had chopped through the outer door of the King's room after his guard had suddenly perished of apoplexy。 〃And the second door； too； all the time Prince Regal worrying and urging them on； for fear something had befallen the King himself。 But when they got through； despite all that chopping； the King was sleeping like a babe； sir。 And so deep a sleep they could not rouse him at all； to tell him why they'd chopped his doors away。〃
〃Amazing；〃 I agreed； and she went on to the lesser gossip of the Keep。 I found that centered these days mostly on who was and was not included in the flight to Tradeford。 Cook was to go； for the sake of her gooseberry tarts and bundle cakes。 She did not know who was to take over the cooking here； but no doubt it would be one of the guards。 Regal had told her she might take all her best pots； for which she was grateful； but what she would really miss was the west hearth； for she had never cooked on a better； for the draft being just right and the meat hooks at all the right heights。 I listened to her； and tried to think only of her words； to be fully intrigued by the small details of what she considered important in her life。 The Queen's guard； I found； was to stay at Buckkeep； as would those few who still wore the colors of King Shrewd's personal guard。 Since they had lost the privilege of his rooms； they had bee a dispirited lot。 But Regal insisted it was necessary those groups stay； to maintain a royal presence in Buckkeep。 Rosemary would go； and her mother； but that was hardly surprising； seeing as who they served。 Fedwren would not； nor Mellow。 Now； there was a voice she would miss； but she'd probably get used to that inland warbling after a while。
She never thought to ask me if I was going。
As I climbed the stairs to my room I tried to visualize Buckkeep as it would be。 The High Table would be empty at every meal； the food served would be the simple campaign food the military cooks were most familiar with。 For as long as the food supplies lasted。 I expected we would eat a lot of wild game and seaweed before spring。 I worried more for Patience and Lacey than I did for myself。 Rough quarters and coarse food did not bother me； but it was not what they were used to。 At least there would be Mellow still to sing； if his melancholy nature did not overtake him at his abandonment。 And Fedwren。 With few children to teach； perhaps he and Patience could finally study out their paper making。 So putting a brave face on it all； I tried to find a future for us。
〃Where have you been； Bastard？〃
Serene； stepping out suddenly from a doorway。 She had expected me to startle。 I had known by the Wit someone was there。 I did not flinch。 〃Out。〃
〃You smell like a dog。〃
〃At least I have the excuse of having been with dogs。 What few are left in the stable。〃
It took her an instant to discover the insult in my polite reply。
〃You smell like a dog because you are more than half a dog yourself。 Beast…magicker。〃
I nearly responded with some remark about her mother。 Instead； I suddenly and truly recalled her mother。 〃When we were first learning to scribe； remember how your mother always made you wear a dark smock； for you splattered your ink so？〃
She stared at me sullenly； turning the remark every which way in her mind； trying to discover some insult or slight or trick in it。
〃What of it？〃 she asked at last； unable to leave it hanging。
〃Nothing。 I but remembered it。 Was a time when I helped you getting the tails right on your letters。〃
〃That has nothing to do with now！〃 she declared angrily。
〃No； it does not。 This is my door。 Were you expecting to e in with me？〃
She spat； not quite at me； but it landed on the floor at my feet。 For some reason； I decided she would not have done it had not she been leaving Buckkeep with Regal。 It was no longer her home； and she felt free to soil it before leaving it。 It told me much。 She never expected to e back here。
Inside my room； I reset every latch and bolt meticulously； then added the heavy bar to the door。 I went and checked my window and found it well shuttered still。 I looked under my bed。 Finally； I sat down in a chair by my hearth to doze until Chade summoned me。
I came out of a light doze to a tapping at my door。 〃Who is it？〃 I called。
〃Rosemary。 The Queen wishes to see you。〃
By the time I had undone the latches and catches； the child was gone。 She was only a girl； but it still unnerved me to have such a message vocalized through a door。 I groomed myself hastily and then hurried down to the Queen's chambers。 I noted in passing the wreckage that had once been the oak door to Shrewd's room。 A bulky guard stood in the gap； an Inlander； not a man I knew。
Queen Kettricken was reclining on a couch near her hearth。 Several knots of her ladies gossiped in different corners of the room； but the Queen herself was alone。 Her eyes were closed。 She looked so utterly worn that I wondered if Rosemary's message had been an error。 But Lady Hopeful ushered me to the Queen's side and fetched me a low stool to perch upon。 She offered me a cup of tea and I accepted。 As soon as Lady Hopeful departed to brew it； Kettricken opened her eyes。 〃What next？〃 she asked in so low a voice that I had to lean closer to hear it。
I looked askance at her。
〃Shrewd sleeps now。 He cannot sleep forever。 Whatever was given him will wear off； and when it does； we are back to where we were。〃
〃The King…in…Waiting ceremony approaches。 Perhaps the Prince will be busied with that。 No doubt there are new clothes to be sewn and tried upon him； and all the other details he glories in。 It may keep him from the King。〃
〃After that？〃
Lady Hopeful was back with my cup of tea。 I took it with murmured thanks； and as she pulled up a chair beside us； Queen Kettricken smiled weakly and asked if she might have one also。 I was almost shamed by how swiftly Lady Hopeful leaped to do her bidding。
〃I do not know；〃 I murmured in reply to her earlier question。
〃I do。 The King would be safe in my Mountains。 He would be honored and protected； and perhaps Jonqui would know of…oh； thank you； Hopeful。〃 Queen Kettricken took the proffered cup and sipped at it as Lady Hopeful settled herself。
I smiled at Kettricken； and chose my words carefully； trusting her to read my meaning。 〃But it is so far to the Mountains； my queen； and the weather so hard this time of year。 By the time a courier got through to seek your mother's remedy； it would be nigh on to spring。 There are other places that might offer the same cure for your troubles。 Bearns or Rippon； perhaps； might offer if we asked。 The worthy Dukes of those provinces can deny you nothing； you know。〃
〃I know；〃 Kettricken smiled wearily。 〃But they have such problems of their own just now； I hesitate to ask anything more of them。 Besides； the root we call livelong grows only in the Mountains。 A determined courier could travel there； I think。〃 She sipped again at her tea。
〃Who to send with such a request； ah； that would be the hardest question；〃 I pointed out。 Surely she could see the difficulties of sending a sick old man off on a journey to the Mountains in winter。 He could not go alone。 〃The man that went would have to be very trustworthy and strong of will。〃
〃Such a man sounds like a woman to me；〃 Kettricken quipped； and Hopeful laughed merrily； more to see the Queen's mood lightened than at the witticism。 Kettricken paused with her cup at her lips。 〃Perhaps I should have to go myself； to see the thing done right；〃 she added； and smiled when my eyes widened。 But the look she gave me was serious。
There followed some light talk； and a recipe of mostly fictitious herbs from Kettricken that I promised to do my best to find for her。 I believed I took her meaning。 When I excused myself and went back to my room； I wondered how I would keep her from acting before Chade could。 It was a pretty puzzle。
I had scarcely refastened all my door catches and bars before I felt a draft up my back。 I turned to find the entry to Chade's realm standing ajar。 I climbed the stairs wearily。 I longed to sleep； but knew that once I lay down； I would be unable to close my eyes。
The smell of food enticed me as I entered Chade's chamber； and I was suddenly aware I was hungry。 Chade was already at the small table he had set out。 〃Sit down and eat；〃 he told me tersely。 〃We must plot together。〃
I was two bites into a meat pie when he asked me softly； 〃How long do you think we might keep King Shrewd here； in these chambers； undetected？〃
I chewed and swallowed。 〃I've never been able to find a way into this chamber；〃 I pointed out quietly。
〃Oh； but they do exist。 And as food and other necessities must go in and out of them； there are some few who are aware of them； without knowing exactly what they know。 My warren connects to rooms in the Keep which are regularly stocked with supplies for me。 But my life was much simpler when food and linens were supplied for Lady Thyme。〃
〃How will you fare after Regal is gone to Tradeford？〃 I asked。
〃Likely not as well as I have。 Some tasks will be done out of habit； if those with the habits remain； no doubt。 But as food bees scarcer some will wonder why they store supplies of it in a disused part of the Keep。 But we were speaking of Shrewd's fort； not mine。〃
〃It depends on how Shrewd disappeared。 If Regal thought he had left the Keep by ordinary means； you might keep him hidden here for some time。 But if Regal knows he is within Buckkeep still； he will stop at nothing。 I suspect his first order would be to put men with hammers to work on the walls of the King's bedchamber。〃
〃Direct； but effective；〃 Chade concurred。
〃Have you found a safe place for him； at Bearns or Rippon？〃
〃As swift as that？ Of course not。 We would have to hide him here； for days or perhaps weeks before a place was made ready。 And then he must be smuggled out of the Keep。 It would mean finding men who can be bribed； and knowing when they are on the gate。 Unfortunately； men that can be bribed to do a thing can be bribed to speak of it later。 Unless they had accidents。〃 He looked at me。
〃Let that not be a concern。 There is another way out of Buckkeep；〃 I told him； thinking of my wolf's way。 〃We have another problem also； and that is Kettricken。 She will act on her own if she does not soon know we have a plan。 Her own thoughts have taken her in the same direction as yours。 Tonight she proposed herself taking Shrewd to the Mountains for safety。〃
〃A pregnant woman and a sick old man in midwinter？ Ridiculous。〃 Chade paused。 〃But。 It would never be expected。 They would never look for them on that road。 And with all the flow of folk that Regal has created going up the Buck River； one more woman and her ailing father would scarcely be marked。〃
〃It's still ridiculous；〃 I protested。 I did not like the sparks of interest I had seen kindle in Chade's eyes。 〃Who could go with them？〃
〃Burrich。 It would save him from drinking himself to death from boredom； and he could manage their animals for them。 And likely much else they would need。 Would he go？〃
〃You know he would；〃 I said unwillingly。 〃But