Royal Assassin

"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 Shrewd would never survive such a trip."

"He is more likely to survive such a trip than to survive going with Regal. That which eats at him will continue to devour his life, wherever he is." He frowned more darkly.

"But why it eats at him so much more swiftly these days is beyond me to say."

"The cold. The privation. It will not help him."

"There are i

"You ca

"Tomorrow night," he replied. "We must do something by tomorrow night. For that is when the sleeping potion I gave Shrewd will wear off. Another attempt will probably not be made on the Queen until she is on her way to Tradeford. But once Regal has her in his power, well, so many accidents can happen on a journey. A slip from a barge into a freezing river, a runaway horse, a meal of bad meat. If his assassin is half as good as we are, he'll succeed."

"Regal's assassin?"

Chade gave me a pitying look. "You don't suppose our prince is up to spreading grease and lampblack on steps himself, do you? Who do you think it is?"

"Serene." The name popped to my lips.

"Then most obviously it is not her. No, we will find it to be some mouse of a man with a pleasant demeanor and a settled life. If we ever find him out at all. Ah, well, set it aside for now. Though there's nothing quite as challenging as stalking another assassin."

"Will," I said quietly.

"Will what?" he asked.

I told him of Will, quickly and quietly. As he listened his eyes widened.

"It would be brilliant," he said admiringly. "A Skilled assassin. It's a wonder no one thought of it before."

"Perhaps Shrewd did," I said quietly. "But perhaps his assassin failed to learn…"

Chade leaned back in his chair. "I wonder," he said speculatively. "Shrewd is closemouthed enough to have such an idea, and keep it even from me. But I doubt, myself, that Will is any more than a spy, just now. A formidable one, and no mistaking that. You must be especially vigilant. But I do not think we need fear him as an assassin." He cleared his throat. "Ah, well. The urgency for speed becomes ever plainer. The escape must be made from the King's room. You must find a way to draw the watchers all off again."

"During the King-in-Waiting ceremony—"

"No. We dare not wait that long. Tomorrow night. No later than that. You need not keep them occupied long. Just a few minutes will be all I will need."

"We must wait! Otherwise, the whole plot is impossible. By tomorrow night, you wish me to have the Queen and Burrich prepared, which means telling them you exist. And Burrich will have to see to horses and supplies—"

"Plug horses. Nothing fine. They would be noticed too quickly. And a litter for the King."

"Plug horses we have in plenty, for they are all that is left. But it will stick in Burrich's craw for his king and queen to ride them."

"And a mule for himself. They are to be humble folk, with scarce the coin to journey inland. We have no wish to attract highwaymen."

I snorted to think of Burrich astride a mule. "It ca

"Anything that must be done, can be done," Chade asserted. He sat thoughtfully a moment. "Perhaps you have a point. Regal ca

"The Fool will want to go with the King." I reminded myself slowly.

"He ca

"I do not think that will change his mind."

"Leave the Fool to me. I can show him that his King's life depends on his getting away from here cleanly. An `atmosphere' must be created, in which the King and Queen's disappearance is not seen as… ah, well. Leave that part to me. I will discourage them from smashing walls. The Queen's role is easy. All she need do is retire early from the ceremony, and declare that she wishes to sleep long, and send her attendants away. She should leave word she does not wish to be disturbed until she summons them. If all goes well, we should be able to give Shrewd and Kettricken most of the night hours to gain some distance." He smiled at me kindly. "Well. I think that is as much pla

"Very well," I assured him. I paused. "Were you at the Keep well last night, about midnight? Supposedly the Pocked Man was seen. Some are saying it means the well will go bad. Others are seeing it as a bad omen for Regal's ceremony."

"Oh? Well, and perhaps it is." Chade chuckled to himself. "Omens and portents they shall have, boy, until a vanishing King and a missing Queen seem but a natural thing in the midst of it." He gri

His laughter was not a wholly reassuring sound as it followed me down the stairs.