Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Very Very Tired

In the evening, the hunting party returned, and they guarded the carriage with solemnity and tranquility.Kettricken, who was leading the charge, looked tired, as if frozen by some kind of cold that wasn't chill.I wanted to get to her, but I didn't want to take credit for Burrich who led her horse and helped her dismount.Her boots and Lightstep's shoulders were covered in blood.She softly ordered the guards to wash their bodies and comb their hair and beard, put on clean clothes and return to the hall.Kettricken stood alone for a moment as Burrich took the light steps away. I had never seen her look so sad.She is tired.Very very tired.

I walked towards her quietly. "If you need it, my queen." I said softly. She didn't turn around. "I must do it myself. But come closer, I may need your help." She said it so quietly that no one but me heard it.Then she took a few steps forward, and the waiting crowd dispersed in front of her, nodding as she spoke heavily.Then she walked silently across the kitchen, nodding in approval of the food the cooks had prepared, then looked around the hall, nodding again at what she saw.As she entered the small hall, she paused briefly, then removed her carefully sewn knitted hat and jacket to reveal a soft purple linen shirt.She presented her hat and jacket to a page boy, who looked stunned by the honor.Then she went to a table and rolled up her sleeves, and everyone stopped and turned to look at her, only to see her looking up at the surprised crowd. "Bring in the bodies of the fallen." She ordered simply and clearly.

A heartrending number of mournful bodies were brought in.I didn't count exactly how many there were, but there were more than I expected and Verity's reports indicated.I followed Kettricken, holding a basin of warm and fragrant water, and followed her from corpse to corpse, gently washing each grieving face, and closing their painful eyes so that they could rest in peace.Others followed us in long snake-like file, gently undressing each corpse, washing the body thoroughly, combing the hair and wrapping it in a clean cloth.Then I became aware of Verity's presence, accompanied by a young scribe, going from corpse to corpse, writing down the names of the few known dead and briefly recording the appearance of the others.

I told him the name of one of the victims, Kerry.The last time Molly and I heard about the street kid was that he had gone off to be an apprentice to a puppet master, and that he ended his life only slightly better than a puppet, with that grin from ear to ear never See you again.We used to run errands together for a penny or two when we were both boys, and he was with me when I first got drunk, laughed so loud I had diarrhea, and stuffed rotten fish in the tavern master under the table because he accused us of stealing.Looking back now, the time we spent together was still vivid, but suddenly it didn't seem real, because part of my past had been smelted away.

When we were done, we stood quietly looking at the table full of dead bodies.Verity stepped forward and read aloud the list of the dead in the silence.Although there were not many names written down, he did not ignore those unknown people. "A young man with a new beard, dark hair, and fishing scars on his hand..." He described one by one, "A delicate young woman with curly hair, with a tattoo logo of the Puppet Master Guild." We listened to this story There is a long list of the dead, and only a hard-hearted person will not shed tears. In solidarity we carried the bodies to the pyre, carefully placing them in their final resting place.Verity lit the torch himself, but passed it to the queen who waited by the pyre.When she lit the fire on the pitch-sprayed bough, she called out to the dark sky, "We will carry you forever!" and all the people cried after her.The elder Sergeant Brad stood by the woodpile, took scissors and cut off a lock of finger-length hair for each soldier, symbolizing mourning for the compatriots who died in battle.Verity joined the ranks, and Kettricken stood behind him, waiting to offer a lock of her flaxen hair.

What followed was a night like no other I've ever experienced.Most of the inhabitants of Buckkeep came without suspicion, and they fasted and watched as the Queen did, until the corpses in the pyre were burned to ashes.Then the great and small halls were packed, and plank tables were set up in the courtyard outside to give room to those who could not fit into the hall.Buckets of drink were brought out, and I had never imagined that Buckkeep would have such bread, roasts, and other food, which I later learned was voluntary in the city. The King, who had been home for weeks, came down to watch the crowd from his throne at the High Table.The Fool came too, and stood beside and behind the King to receive whatever food the King gave him, but he would not please the King to-night, but quieted his chatter, and tied the bell and the sleeve of his hat with string Tighten so as not to make a sound.We glanced at each other, but I couldn't see any particular significance in that glance.Verity sat on the king's right, and Kettricken on Verity's right.Regal was there, of course, in rich black, but only the color of his clothes represented mourning.He drank sullenly and angrily, and I guess some people might think he was silently mourning.For me, I could feel the rage boiling inside him, and knew that somewhere, someone would pay the price for the humiliation Regal felt right now.Even Patience, who was as rarely seen as the king, made me feel the solidarity we showed.

The king ate very little, and did not rise to speak until the high table was full.When he spoke, his words were repeated at low tables and small halls, and even outside in the courtyard by bards.He briefly mentioned the victims of the Red Ship invasion, but did not mention the task of smelting or hunting the forged, but described those who died today as martyrs who died in the resistance of the Red Ship, and then simply said Mentioned that we must remember them, etc., and then retired, on the grounds of exhaustion and mourning, and got up to his own bedchamber. Then, Verity also stood up, almost repeating what Kettricken said before, that although we are mourning the dead now, we must prepare for revenge after the mourning is over.He lacked the fire and enthusiasm of Kettricken's previous speeches, but I could tell everyone at every table echoed his words.Everyone nodded and started talking to each other, only Regal sat glaring at the sight in silence.Verity and Kettricken left the table very late, arm in arm to draw attention to their departure together, while Regal stayed behind to drink and mutter.I sneaked back to my room for bed not long after Verity and Kettricken left.

I don't try to fall asleep, I just tuck myself into the bed and stare into the fire.When the secret door opened, I rose at once and went upstairs to Chade's room to find him fidgeting with the infected breath, and even his pale, pock-scarred cheeks were pink.His gray hair was a mess, and his green eyes shone like jewels.He walked up and down the room, hugged me rudely when I came in, then looked back at me with a shocked look on his face and laughed.