Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Staying Together in the Kingdom of the Mountains

For a while, I just stared at the food on the table, too tired to even lift a spoon, but the smell tempted me to take a bite, and then I started to eat.In the middle of eating, I stopped to take off the smock over my shoulders, and then tore off a thick slice of bread.I ate my second bowl of barley porridge, and looked up to see Burrich looking at me with interest. "Is it better?" he asked. I paused to think about his question. "Better." I feel warm and full. Although I am very tired, it is a great tiredness. I just need a good night's sleep to relieve the fatigue.I raised my hand and looked carefully, still feeling trembling, but I couldn't see it clearly. "Much better." I stand up straight.

"You can go to the king." I stare at him in disbelief. "Now? Tonight? King Shrewd is already asleep, and the guard at his door won't let me in." "Probably not. But you'll at least show your face there tonight, and let the king decide when to see you. If you don't see him, you can come back to sleep. But I bet even if King Shrewd doesn't see you, Crown Prince Verity will still want to hear your report, perhaps now." "Are you going back to the stables?" "Of course." He smiled smugly to himself. "Me, just a stable keeper, Fitz. I have nothing to report, and I promised Hand would bring him food."

I watched in silence as he filled a plate of food.He cut the bread into long strips to cover the two bowls of porridge, cut a large piece of cheese, and spread a thick layer of yellow cream on the side. "What do you think of Hand?" "He's a good boy." Burrich reluctantly answered my question. "He should be more than a good boy in your eyes. You let him stay with us in the Mountain Kingdom, and then ride back with us, but let the others come back with the caravan first." "I need someone calm enough to help me, because you were...very ill, and to be honest, I wasn't doing well either." He raised his hand to stroke a strand of white in his black hair, and that The fatal blow nearly killed him.

"Why did you choose him?" "Actually, I didn't choose him, but he came to me. He found the place where we lived, and then negotiated with Jiang Osmanthus, and I was still bandaged, and I couldn't focus my eyes. Rather than seeing it, I Or rather I felt him standing there. I asked him what he wanted, and he said I should get someone in charge, because I was sick and Cobb was dead, and the stable hands were getting lethargic." "His opinion impresses you." "He knows exactly what's important. He doesn't ask stupid questions about you and me, or what's going on. He finds something to do, and he does it, and that's what I like about people, that's why Let him take care of everything and he did a great job. I left him and sent the others back because I knew what he was capable of and wanted to see what he was like. Was he ambitious , or does he really understand the subordinate relationship between the owner and the animals? Does he want to gain power by managing others, or is he really good to the animals?"

"So what do you think of him now?" "I'm getting old. Buckkeep should have had a good stable master take my job when I couldn't control the grumpy horses, but I didn't think I'd have to retire so soon. He still has a lot to learn , but we are still young, he can study hard, and I can also teach him well, so I am satisfied." I nod.I think he planned for me to take over, but now we both know that's not going to happen. He turned to leave. "Burrich." I called him calmly, and he stopped. "No one can replace you. Thank you for everything you have done for me in the past few months. I can only pay you back with my life. You not only saved my life, you gave me life since I was six years old. To be who I am now. Junqi is my father, I know that, but I have never met him, and you have taken care of me like a father day after day for so many years. I have not experienced..."

Burrich snorted, and opened the door. "Wait till one of us is dying! Go report to the king, and come back to sleep." "Yes, my lord!" I heard myself say, and knew he was smiling as I was.He pushed the door open with his shoulder and walked to the stables, which was his home, with Hand's dinner. And this is my home, and it's time for me to face reality.I straightened the damp clothes, then combed my hair with my hands; I removed the dishes from the table, and draped the damp smock over my arms.As I walked from the kitchen to the hall, I was bewildered by what I saw.Tapestries brighter than ever?Scattered herbs smell better?The exquisite wood carvings at each doorway are always shining with warm light?I convinced myself that this was just an illusion of homesickness, but when I stopped at the foot of the grand staircase to light a candle and was about to go upstairs, I noticed that the table there was not stained with wax tears, but covered with an embroidered cloth.

Kettricken.Buckkeep has a queen now.I smirked to myself, so the castle looked better in my absence.Did Verity use it to inspire herself and her people before she came, or did Kettricken herself ask for the castle to be put in order?It's intriguing. As I walked up the Grand Staircase, I noticed something else.The old soot markers above each candlestick were gone, and even the corners of the stairs were spotless and free of cobwebs, and the candlesticks on each step were filled with burning candles, and there were knives on the shelves for defense. It was the change after the queen moved in.When the Queen of Shrewd was alive, I don't remember Buckkeep ever being this spotless, nor was it ever so shiny.

I've known King Shrewd's gatekeeper since I was six, a silent veteran with a sullen expression, who recognized me by gazing at me carefully.He gave me a short smile, and then asked me, "Anything important to report, Fitz?" "Just want to say I'm back." I answered him, and he nodded cautiously.He's used to me coming here and there at unusual times, but he's not one to assume or jump to conclusions, much less talk to them.So he went quietly into the king's chamber, and told those there that Fitz was back.After a while, word came from within that the king would summon me sometime, and was glad that I had returned safely.I left his door quietly, knowing that this was not like someone else's polite words, because Shrewd was never that kind of person.Follow the same corridor to Verity's bedroom.I was recognized here too, but when I asked the guard to let Verity know that I was back and wanted to report to him, he only replied that Verity was not in the room.

"So, in his beacon tower?" I wondered what he was watching there at this time.Winter blizzards kept the robbers at bay and kept the coast safe, at least for months.The guard smiled slowly, and when he caught my puzzled look, the smile turned into a grin. "Prince Verity has just left the room," he repeated, before adding, "I'll ask him to hear from you as soon as he wakes up tomorrow morning.