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That was Verity’s way. Weeks had passed since we had last spoken, but he took no time for greetings. Chade said it was a lack in him, that he didn’t make his men feel their importance to him. I think he believed that if anything significant had happened to me, someone would have told him. He had a bluff heartiness to him that I enjoyed, an attitude that things must be going well unless someone had told him otherwise.
“Not much is wrong with him, sir. He’s a bit out of sorts from the heat and from traveling. A night’s rest in a cool place will perk him up; but I’d not fill him full of pastry bits and suety things; not in this hot weather. ”
“Well. ” Verity bent down to dry his legs. “Like as not, you’re right, boy. Burrich says you’ve a way with the hounds, and I won’t ignore what you say. It’s just that he seemed so moony, and usually he has a good appetite for anything, but especially for anything from my plate. ” He seemed abashed, as if caught cooing at an infant. I didn’t know what to say.
“If that’s all, sir, should I be returning to the stables?”
He glanced at me over his shoulder, puzzled. “Seems a bit of a waste of time to me. Hands will see to your mount, won’t he? You need to bathe and dress if you’re to be on time for dinner. Charim? Have you water for him?”
The serving man straightened from arranging Verity’s garments on the bed. “Right away, sir. And I’ll lay out his clothes as well. ”
In the space of the next hour, my place in the world seemed to shift topsy-turvy. I had known this was coming. Both Burrich and Chade had tried to prepare me for it. But to suddenly go from an insignificant hanger-on at Buckkeep to part of Verity’s formal entourage was a bit unnerving. Everyone else assumed I knew what was going on.
Verity was dressed and out of the room before I was into the tub. Charim informed me that he had gone to confer with his captain of guards. I was grateful that Charim was such a gossip. He did not consider my rank so lofty as to forbear chatting and complaining in front of me.
“I’ll make you up a pallet in here for the night. I doubt you’ll be chill. Verity said he wanted you housed close by him, and not just to tend the hound. He has other chores for you as well?”
Charim paused hopefully. I covered my silence by ducking my head into the lukewarm water and soaping the sweat and dust from my hair. I came up for air.
He sighed. “I’ll lay out your clothes for you. Leave me those dirty ones. I’ll wash them out for you. ”
It seemed very strange to have someone waiting on me while I washed, and stranger still to have someone supervise my dressing. Charim insisted on straightening the seams on my jerkin and seeing the oversized sleeves on my new best shirt hung to their fullest and most annoying length. My hair had regrown long enough to have snarls in it and these he tugged quickly and painfully out. To a boy accustomed to dressing himself, the primping and inspection seemed endless.
“Blood will tell,” said an awed voice from the entry. I turned to find Verity beholding me with a mixture of pain and amusement on his face.
“He’s the image of Chivalry at that age, is he not, my lord?” Charim sounded immensely pleased with himself.
“He is. ” Verity paused to clear his throat. “No man can doubt who fathered you, Fitz. I wonder what my father was thinking when he told me to show you well? Shrewd he is called and shrewd he is; I wonder what he expects to gain. Ah, well. ” He sighed. “That is his kind of kingship, and I leave it to him. Mine is simply to ask a foppish old man why he cannot keep his watchtowers properly manned. Come, boy. It’s time we went down. ”
He turned and left without waiting for me. As I hastened after him Charim caught at my arm. “Three steps behind him and on his left. Remember. ” And that is where I fell in behind him. As he moved down the hallway others of our entourage stepped out from their chambers and followed their prince. All were decked in their most elaborate finery to maximize this chance to be seen and envied outside of Buckkeep. The fullness of my sleeves was quite reasonable compared with what some were sporting. At least my shoes were not hung with tiny chiming bells or gently rattling amber beads.
Verity paused at the top of a stairway, and a hush fell over the folk gathered below. I looked out over the faces turned up to their prince and had time to read on them every emotion known to mankind. Some women simpered while others appeared to sneer. Some young men struck poses that displayed their clothes; others, dressed more simply, straightened as if to be on guard. I read envy and love, disdain, fear, and on a few faces, hatred. But Verity gave none of them more than a passing glance before he descended. The crowd parted before us to reveal Lord Kelvar himself waiting to conduct us into the dining hall.