rh.royalassassin-第166章

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forgiveness　before　all。
　　　　　　　I　think　the　time　that　passed　was　a　night。　I　slept　for　none　of　it；　save　to　doze　off　and　then　wake　with　a　start　from　a　dream　of　eyes　at　my　window。　I　dared　not　even　reach　out　to　Nighteyes　for　fort；　and　I　hoped　he　would　not　try　to　reach　me　with　thoughts。　I　came　out　of　such　a　doze　with　a　start；　thinking　I　had　heard　footsteps　down　the　hall。　My　eyes　were　sandy；　my　head　ached　with　my　vigilance；　and　my　muscles　were　knotted　from　tension。　I　stayed　where　I　was　on　the　bench；　conserving　every　bit　of　strength　that　I　had。
　　　　　　　The　door　was　flung　open。　A　guard　thrust　a　torch　into　my　cell；　then　cautiously　followed　it。　Two　other　guards　followed。　〃You。　On　your　feet！〃　barked　the　one　with　the　torch。　Farrow　was　in　his　accent。
　　　　　　　I　saw　no　point　in　refusing　to　obey。　I　stood　up；　letting　Brawndy's　cloak　fall　back　on　the　bench。　Their　leader　made　a　curt　gesture；　and　I　fell　in　between　the　two　guards。　There　were　four　others　outside　my　cell；　waiting。　Regal　was　taking　no　chances。　None　of　them　were　men　I　knew。　They　all　wore　the　colors　of　Regal's　guard。　I　could　tell　their　orders　by　the　looks　on　their　faces。　I　gave　them　no　excuses。　They　took　me　down　the　hall　a　short　ways；　past　the　deserted　guard　post；　to　the　larger　chamber　that　served　once　as　a　guardroom。　It　had　been　cleared　of　furniture；　save　for　a　fortable　chair。　Every　sconce　boasted　a　torch；　making　the　room　painfully　bright　to　my　light　deprived　eyes。　The　guards　left　me　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　joined　others　lining　the　walls。　Habit　more　than　hope　made　me　assess　my　situation。　I　counted　fourteen　guards。　Surely　that　was　an　excess；　even　for　me。　Both　doors　to　the　chamber　were　closed。　We　waited。
　　　　　　　Waiting；　standing；　in　a　brightly　lit　room　surrounded　by　hostile　men　can　be　underestimated　as　a　form　of　torture。　I　tried　to　stand　quietly；　to　shift　my　weight　unobtrusively。　I　rapidly　grew　tired。　It　was　frightening　to　discover　how　quickly　starvation　and　inactivity　had　weakened　me。　I　felt　almost　a　sense　of　relief　when　the　door　finally　opened。　Regal　entered；　followed　by　Will。　Will　was　quietly　remonstrating　with　him。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　unnecessary。　Another　night　or　so　would　be　all　I　required。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　prefer　this；〃　Regal　said　acidly。
　　　　　　　Will　bowed　his　head　in　silent　assent。　Regal　was　seated；　and　Will　took　a　position　behind　his　left　shoulder。　Regal　considered　me　for　a　moment；　then　leaned　back　negligently　in　his　chair。　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　breathed　out　through　his　nose。　He　lifted　a　finger；　indicated　a　man。　〃Bolt。　You。　I　want　nothing　broken。　When　we　have　what　we　want；　I'll　want　to　make　him　presentable　once　more。　You　understand。〃
　　　　　　　Bolt　nodded　briefly。　He　stripped　off　his　winter　cloak　and　let　it　fall；　pulled　off　his　shirt　as　well。　The　other　men　watched　stony…eyed。　From　some　long…ago　discussion　with　Chade；　a　small　bit　of　advice　came　to　mind。　〃You　can　hold　out　longer　under　torture　if　you　focus　on　what　you　will　say　rather　than　what　you　won't。　I've　heard　of　men　repeating　the　same　phrase；　over　and　over；　long　past　the　point　where　they　could　hear　the　questions　anymore。　By　focusing　on　what　you　will　say；　you　make　it　less　likely　you'll　say　that　which　you　don't　wish　to。〃
　　　　　　　But　his　theoretical　advice　might　not　do　much　for　me。　Regal　did　not　seem　to　have　any　questions　to　ask。
　　　　　　　Bolt　was　taller　than　I　was；　heavier　than　I　was。　He　looked　as　if　his　diet　included　a　lot　more　than　bread　and　water。　He　limbered　and　stretched　as　if　we　were　going　to　wrestle　for　a　Winterfest　purse。　I　stood　watching　him。　He　met　my　look　and　smiled　at　me　liplessly。　I　watched　him　pull　on　a　pair　of　fingerless　leather　gloves。　He'd　e　prepared　for　this。　Then　he　bowed　to　Regal；　and　Regal　nodded。
　　　　　　　What's　this？
　　　　　　　Be　silent！　I　ordered　Nighteyes。　But　as　Bolt　stepped　purposefully　toward　me　I　felt　a　snarl　twitch　at　my　upper　lip。　I　dodged　his　first　punch；　stepped　in　to　land　one　of　my　own；　and　then　moved　back　as　he　swung　again。　Desperation　lent　me　agility。　I　had　not　expected　a　chance　to　defend　myself；　I　had　expected　to　be　bound　and　tormented。　Of　course；　there　was　plenty　of　time　for　that。　Regal　had　all　the　time　he　needed。　Don't　think　of　that。　I　had　never　been　good　in　this　kind　of　a　fight。　Don't　think　of　that　either。　Bolt's　fist　grazed　my　cheek　stingingly。　Be　wary。　I　was　luring　him　to　open　up；　taking　his　measure；　when　the　Skill　wrapped　me。　I　reeled　in　Will's　onslaught；　and　Bolt　landed　his　next　three　blows　effortlessly。　Jaw；　chest；　and　high　on　my　cheek。　All　quick　and　solid。　The　style　of　a　man　who　did　this　a　lot。　The　smile　of　a　man　who　enjoyed　it。
　　　　　　　There　followed　a　timeless　period　for　me。　I　could　not　both　shield　myself　from　Will　and　defend　myself　from　Bolt　battering　me。　I　reasoned；　if　the　thinking　one　does　in　such　a　state　can　be　called　reasoning；　that　my　body　had　its　own　defenses　against　physical　pain。　I'd　pass　out；　or　die。　Dying　might　be　the　only　victory　I　could　hope　for　here。　So　I　chose　to　defend　my　mind　rather　than　body。
　　　　　　　I　veer　away　from　recalling　that　beating。　My　token　defense　was　to　move　away　from　his　blows　and　force　him　to　pursue　me；　to　keep　my　eyes　on　him；　to　block　where　I　could　as　long　as　it　did　not　distract　me　from　my　vigil　against　Will's　Skill　pressure。　I　heard　the　guards　jeer　at　my　supposed　lack　of　spirit　as　I　scarcely　fought　back。　When　one　of　his　blows　sent　me　staggering　back　against　the　soldiers　who　ringed　us；　their　shoves　and　kicks　drove　me　back　toward　Bolt　again。
　　　　　　　I　could　not　devote　my　thoughts　to　strategy。　When　I　swung；　I　swung　wildly；　and　the　few　times　my　fists　landed；　it　was　with　small　impact。　I　longed　to　release　myself；　to　tap　my　fury　and　just　fling　myself　at　Bolt　and　hammer　at　him　any　way　I　could。　But　that　would　have　left　me　wide　open　to　Will's　intentions。　No。　I　had　to　remain　cool　and　endure。　As　Will　increased　his　pressure　on　me；　Bolt　had　a　leisurely　time　of　it。　Eventually；　I　was　reduced　to　two　choices。　I　could　use　my　arms　to　shelter　either　my　head　or　my　body。　He　merely　shifted　targets。　The　horror　was　that　I　knew　the　man　was　holding　back；　striking　only　to　inflict　pain　and　minor　damage。　I　dropped　my　hands　once　and　met　Will's　gaze　face…on。　I　had　the　very　brief　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　sweat　that　streamed　down　his　face。　At　that　moment；　Bolt's　fist　connected　solidly　with　my　nose。
　　　　　　　Blade　had　once　described　to　me　the　sound　that　he　heard　as　his　nose　broke　in　a　brawl。　Words　did　not　do　it　justice。　A　sickening　sound　bined　with　incredible　pain。　Pain　so　intense　it　was　suddenly　the　only　pain　I　was　aware　of。　I　blacked　out。
　　　　　　　I　don't　know　how　long　I　was　out。　I　fluttered　to　the　edge　of　consciousness；　hovered　there。　Someone　had　flipped　me　over　onto　my　back。　Whoever　it　was　straightened　from　inspecting　me。　〃Nose　is　broke；〃　he　announced。
　　　　　　　〃Bolt；　I　said；　nothing　broken！〃　Regal　remonstrated　with　him　angrily。　〃I　have　to　be　able　to　show　him　intact。　Bring　me　some　wine；〃　he　added　irritably　in　an　aside　to　someone　else。
　　　　　　　〃Not　a　problem；　King　Regal；〃　someone　assured　him。　That　person　bent　over　me；　took　a　firm　grip　on　the　bridge　of　my　nose；　and　dragged　it　straight　again。　That　crude　setting　of　it　hurt　worse　than　the　breaking；　and　once　more　I　dipped　down　into　unconsciousness。　I　lingered　there；　hearing　the　voices　discuss　me　for　some　time　before　they　resolved　into　words　and　the　words　into　sense。
　　　　　　　Regal's　voice。　〃So　what　is　he　supposed　to　be　able　to　do？　Why　hasn't　he　done　it　yet？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　only　what　Serene　and　Justin　told　me；　Your　Majesty。〃　Will's　voice　was　tired。　〃They　claimed　he　was　weary　from　Skilling；　and　Justin　was　able　to　force　his　way　into　him。　Then　the　Bastard　。。。　fought　back　in　some　way。　Justin　said　he　believed　himself　attacked　by　a　great　wolf。　Serene　said　she　actually　saw　the　marks　of　claws　on　Justin；　but　that　they　faded　shortly　afterward。〃
　　　　　　　I　heard　the　creak　of　wood　as　Regal　flung　himself　back　in　his　chair。　〃Well；　make　him　do　it。　I　wish　to　see　this　Wit　for　myself〃　A　pause。　〃Or　are　not　you　strong　enough？　Perhaps　Justin　was　the　one　I　should　have　held　in　reserve。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　stronger　than　Justin　was；　Your　Majesty；〃　Will　asserted　calmly。　〃But　Fitz　is　aware　of　my　intent。　He　was　not　expecting　Justin's　attack。〃　More　quietly　he　added；　〃He　is　stronger　far　than　I　was　led　to　believe。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　do　it！〃　Regal　manded　in　disgust。