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ould have replaced her a long time ago。〃
I looked at Hands。 For all his caring for the beasts; for all his gentleness and good instincts; he couldn't really know。 Once; I had been shocked to discover my Wit sense as a separate sense。 Now to confront Hands's total lack of it was to discover his blindness。 I just shook my head and dragged my mind back to my original errand。 〃Hands; have you seen the Queen today?〃
〃Yes; but it was a while ago。〃 His eyes scanned my face anxiously。 〃She came to me and asked if Prince Verity had taken Truth out of the stables and down to town。 I told her no; that the Prince had e to see him; but had left him in the stables today。 I told her the streets would be all iced cobbles。 Verity would not risk his favorite on a surface like that。 He walks down to Buckkeep Town as often as not these days; though he es through the stable almost every day。 He told me it's an excuse to be out in the air and the open。〃
My heart sank。 With a certainty that was like a vision; I knew that Kettricken had followed Verity into Buckkeep Town。 On foot? With no one acpanying her? On this foul day? While Hands berated himself for not foreseeing the Queen's intention; I took Sidekick; a well…named but surefooted mule; from his stall。 I dared not take the time to go back to my room for warmer clothes。 So I borrowed Hands's cloak to supplement mine and dragged the reluctant animal out of the stables and into the wind and falling snow。
Are you ing now?
Not now; but soon。 There is something I must see to。
May I go; too?
No。 It isn't safe。 Now be quiet and stay out of my thoughts。
I stopped at the gate to question the guard most bluntly。 Yes; a woman on foot had e this way this morning。 Several of them; for there were some whose trades made this trip necessary; no matter the weather。 The Queen? The men on watch exchanged glances。 No one replied。 I suggested perhaps there had been a woman; heavily cloaked; and hooded well? White fur trimming the hood? A young guard nodded。 Embroidery on the cloak; white and purple at the hem? They exchanged unfortable glances。 There had been a woman like that。 They had not known who she was; but now that I suggested those colors; they should have known 。。。
In a coldly level voice; I berated them as dolts and morons。 Unidentified folk passed unchallenged through our gates? They had looked on white fur and purple embroidery; and never even guessed it might be the Queen? And none had seen fit to acpany her? None chose to be her guard? Even after yesterday? A fine place was Buckkeep these days; when our queen had not even a foot soldier at her heels when she went out walking in a snowstorm down to Buckkeep Town。 I kicked Sidekick and left them settling blame among themselves。
The going was miserable。 The wind was in a fickle mood; changing directions as often as I found a way to block it with my cloak。 The snow not only fell; the wind caught up the frozen crystals from the ground and swirled it up under my cloak at every opportunity。 Sidekick was not happy; but he plodded along through the thickening snow。 Beneath the snow; the uneven trail to town was glazed with treacherous ice。 The mule became resigned to my stubbornness and trudged disconsolately along。 I blinked the clinging flakes from my eyelashes and tried to urge him to greater speed。 Images of the Queen; crumpled in the snow; the blowing flakes covering her over; kept trying to push into my mind。 Nonsense! I told myself firmly。 Nonsense。
I was on the outskirts of Buckkeep Town before I overtook her。 I knew her from behind; even if she had not been wearing her purple and white。 She strode through the drifting snow with a fine indifference to it; her Mountain…bred flesh as immune to the cold as I was to salt breeze and damp。 〃Queen Kettricken! Lady! Please; wait for me!〃
She turned and; as she caught sight of me; smiled and waited。 I slid from Sidekick's back as I came abreast of her。 I had not realized how worried I was until the relief flooded through me at seeing her unharmed。 〃What are you doing out here; alone; in this storm?〃 I demanded of her; and belatedly added; 〃My lady。〃
She looked about her as if just noticing the falling snow and gusting wind; then turned back to me with a rueful grin。 She was not the least bit chilled or unfortable。 To the contrary; her cheeks were rosy with her walk; and the white fir around her face set off her yellow hair and blue eyes。 Here; in this whiteness; she was not pale and colorless; but tawny and pink; blue eyes sparkling。 She looked more vital than I had seen her in days。 Yesterday she had been Death astride a horse; and Grief washing the bodies of her slain。 But today; here; in the snow; she was a merry girl; escaped from Keep and station to go hiking through the snow。 〃I go to find my husband。〃
〃Alone? Does he know you are ing; and like this; afoot?〃
She looked startled。 Then she tucked her chin and bridled just like my mule。 〃Is he not my husband? Do I need an appointment to see him? Why should not I go afoot and alone? Do I seem so inpetent to you that I might bee lost on the road to Buckkeep Town?〃
She set off walking again; and I was forced to keep pace with her。 I dragged the mule along with me。 Sidekick was not enthused。 〃Queen Kettricken;〃 I began; but she cut me off。
〃I grow so weary of this。〃 She halted abruptly and turned to face me。 〃Yesterday; for the first time in many days; I felt as if I were alive and had a will of my own。 I do not intend to let that slip away from me。 If I wish to visit my husband at his work; I shall。 Well do I know that not one of my ladies would care for this outing; in this weather and afoot; or otherwise。 So I am alone。 And any horse was injured yesterday; and the footing here is not kind to a beast anyway。 So I do not ride。 All of this makes sense。 Why have you followed me and why do you question me?〃
She had chosen bluntness as the weapon; so I took it up as well。 But I took a breath and tuned my voice to courtesy before I began。 〃My lady queen; I followed to be sure you had not e to any harm。 Here; with only a mule's ears to hear us; I will speak plainly。 Have you so swiftly forgotten who tried to topple Verity from the throne in your own Mountain Kingdom? Would he hesitate to plot here as well? I think not。 Do you believe it an accident you were lost and astray in the woods two nights ago? I do not。 And do you think that your actions yesterday were pleasing to him? Quite the contrary。 What you do for the sake of your people; he sees as your ploy to take power to yourself。 So he sulks and mutters and decides you are a greater threat than before。 You must know all this。 So why do you set yourself out as a target; here where an arrow or a knife could find you with such ease and no witnesses?〃
〃I am not so easy a target as that;〃 she defied me。 〃 It would take an excellent archer indeed to make an arrow fly true in these shifting winds。 As for a knife; well; I've a knife; too。 To strike me; one must e where I can strike back。〃 She turned and strode off again。
I followed relentlessly。 〃And where would that