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I nodded gravely。
〃He made it impossible for me to speak to the King。 Instead； he insisted on explaining it all to me。 He claimed that the rider had been brought directly to the King's chamber； and that he had encountered the messenger as he came to visit his father。 He had sent the boy to rest while he talked with the King。 And that together they had decided that nothing could be done now。 Then Shrewd had sent him to announce that to the boy and the gathered nobles； and to explain to them the state of the treasury。 According to Regal； we are very near on the brink of ruin； and every penny must be watched。 Bearn must look out for Bearn's own； he told me。 And when I asked if Beam's own were not Six Duchies folk； he told me that Bearn had always stood more or less on its own。 It was not rational； he said； to expect that Buck could guard a coast so far to the north of us； and so long。 Fitz； did you know that the Near Islands had already been ceded to the Raiders？〃
I shot to my feet。 〃I know that no such thing is true！〃 I blurted in outrage。
〃Regal claims it is so；〃 Kettricken continued implacably。 〃He says that Verity had decided before he left that there was no real hope of keeping them safe from the Raiders。 And that is why he called back our ship Constance。 He says Verity Skilled to Carrod； the coterie member on the ship； to order the ship back home for repairs。〃
〃That ship was refitted just after harvest。 Then she was sent out； to keep the coast between Sealbay and Gulls； and to be ready should the Near Islands call for her。 It is what her master asked for； more time to practice seamanship in winter waters。 Verity would not leave that stretch of coast unwatched。 If the Raiders establish a stronghold on the Near Islands； we shall never be free of them。 They can raid winter and summer alike from there。〃
〃Regal claims that is what they have done already。 He says our only hope now is to treat with them。〃 Her blue eyes searched my face。
I sank down slowly； near stunned。 Could any of this be true？ How could it have been kept from me？ My sense of Verity within me mirrored my confusion。 He knew nothing of this either。 〃I do not think the King…in…Waiting would ever treat with the Raiders。 Save with the sharp of his sword。〃
〃This is not； then； a secret kept from me lest it distress me？ Regal implied as much； that Verity would keep these things secret from me； as beyond my understanding。〃 There was a trembling in her voice。 It went beyond her anger that the Near Islands might have been abandoned to the Raiders； to a more personal pain that her lord might have found her unworthy of his confidences。 I longed so badly to take her in my arms and fort her that I ached inside。
〃My lady；〃 I said hoarsely。 〃Take this truth from my lips as surely as it came from Verity's own。 All this is as false as you are true。 I shall find the bottom of this net of lies and slash it wide open。 We shall see what sort of fish falls out。〃
〃I can trust you to pursue this quietly； Fitz？〃
〃My lady； you are one of the few who knows the extent of my training in quiet undertakings。〃
She nodded gravely。 〃The King； you understand； denies none of this。 But neither did he seem to follow all that Regal said。 He was 。。。 like a child； listening to his elders converse nodding； but understanding little 。。。。〃 She glanced down fondly at Rosemary at her feet。
〃I shall go to see the King as well。 I promise； I shall have answers for you； and soon。〃
〃Before Duke Bearns arrives；〃 she cautioned me。 〃I must have the truth by then。 I owe him at least that。〃
〃We shall have more than just the truth for him； my lady queen；〃 I promised her。 The emeralds weighed heavy still in my pouch。 I knew she would not begrudge them。
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mishaps
DURING THE YEARS of the Red…Ship raids； the Six Duchies suffered significantly from their atrocities。 The folk of the Six Duchies at that time learned a greater hatred of the Outislanders than ever they had felt before。
In their grandfathers' and fathers' times； Outislanders had been both traders and pirates。 Raids were carried out by solitary ships。 We had not had a raiding 〃war〃 such as this since the days of King Wisdom。 Although pirate attacks were not rare occurrences； they were still far more infrequent than the Outisland ships that came to our shores to trade。 The blood ties among the noble families to Outisland kin were openly acknowledged； and many a family owned to a 〃cousin〃 in the Outislands。
But after the savage raiding that preceded Forge； and the atrocities at Forge； all friendly talk of the Outislands ceased。 Their ships had always been more wont to visit our shores than our traders to seek out their ice plagued harbors and swift…tided channels。 Now trade ceased entirely。 Thus our folk knew nothing of their Outisland kin during the days when we suffered the Red…Ships。 〃Outislander〃 became synonymous with 〃Raider； 〃 and in our minds； all Outisland vessels had red hulls。
But one； Chade Fallstar； a personal adviser to King Shrewd； took it upon himself to travel to the Outislands in those perilous days。 From his journals we have this：
Kebal Rawbread was not even a name known in the Six Duchies。 It was a name not breathed in the Outislands。 The independent folk of the scattered and isolated villages of the Outislands had never owed allegiance to any one King。 Nor was Kebal Rawbread thought of as a King there。 Rather he was a malevolent force； like a freezing wind that so coats a ship's rigging with ice that in a hour she turns belly…up on the sea。
The few folk I encountered that did not fear to talk said Kebal had founded his power by subduing the individual pirates and raiding ships to his control。 With those in hand； he turned his efforts to 〃recruiting〃 the best navigators； the most capable captains； and the most skillful fighters the scattered villages had to offer。 Those who refused his offers saw their families escralled； or Forged； as we have e to call it。 Then they were left alive to cope with the shattered remnants of their lives。 Most were forced to put family members to death with their own hands； Outislander customs are strict regarding a householder's duty to maintain order amongst family members。 As word of these incidents spread； fewer resisted the offers of Kebal Rawbread。 Some few fled： their extended families still paid the price of escral。 Others chose suicide； but again； the families were not spared。 Such examples left few daring to defy Rawbread or his ships。
Even to speak against him invited escral。 Sparse as was the knowledge I gained on this visit； it was gained with great difficulty。 Rumors I gathered as well； though they were as sparse as black lambs in a white flock。 I list them here。 A 〃white ship 〃 is spoken of； a ship that es to separate souls。 Not to take them； or destroy them： to separate them。 They whisper； too； of a pale woman whom even Kebal Rawbread fears and reveres。 Many related the torments of their land to the unprecedented advances of the 〃ice whales〃 or glaciers。 Always present in the upper reaches