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〃In the long run； my boy； it is not about you and Patience。 It is about you and Molly。〃
〃And King Shrewd；〃 I said wryly。
He glanced up at me quizzically。
〃According to Patience； a man cannot be sworn to a King and give his heart fully to a woman as well。 ‘You cannot put two saddles on one horse；' she told me。 This from a woman who married a King…in…Waiting； and was content with whatever time he had for her。〃 I reached to hand Burrich the mended halter。
He did not take it。 He had been in the act of lifting his brandy cup。 He set it down on the table so sharply that the liquid leaped and slopped over the edge。 〃She said that to you？〃 he asked me hoarsely。 His eyes bored into mine。
I nodded slowly。 〃She said it would not be honorable to expect Molly to be content with whatever time the King left to me as my own。〃
Burrich leaned back in his chair。 A chain of conflicting emotions dragged across his features。 He looked aside into the hearth fire； and then back at me。 For a moment he seemed on the verge of speaking。 Then he sat up； drank off his brandy in one gulp； and abruptly stood。 〃It's too quiet up here。 Let's go down to Buckkeep Town； shall we？〃
The next day I arose and ignored my pounding head to set myself the task of not behaving like a lovesick boy。 A boy's impetuosity and carelessness were what had lost her to me。 I resolved to attempt a man's restraint。 If biding my time was my only path to her； I would take Burrich's advice and use that time well。
So I arose each day early； before even the morning cooks were up。 In the privacy of my room； I stretched and then worked through sparring drills with an old stave。 I would work myself into sweat and dizziness； and then go down to the baths to steam myself。 Slowly； very slowly； my stamina began to return。 I gained weight and began to rebuild the muscle on my bones。 The new clothing that Mistress Hasty had inflicted on me began to fit。 I was still not free of the tremors that sometimes assailed me。 But I had fewer seizures； and always managed to return to my rooms before I could shame myself by falling。 Patience told me that my color was better； while Lacey delighted in feeding me at every opportunity。 I began to feel myself again。
I ate with the guards each morning； where quantity consumed was always of more importance than manners。 Breakfast was followed with a trip to the stables； to take Sooty out for a snowy canter to keep her in condition。 When I returned her to the stables； there was a homey fort in taking care of her myself。 Before our misadventures in the Mountain Kingdom； Burrich and I had been on bad terms over my use of the Wit。 I had been all but barred from the stables。 So there was more than satisfaction in rubbing her down and seeing to her grain myself。 There was the busyness of the stables； the warm smells of the beasts； and the gossip of the Keep as only the stable hands could tell it。 On fortunate days； Hands or Burrich would take time to stop and talk with me。 And on other days； busy days； there was the bittersweet satisfaction of seeing them conferring over a stallion's cough； or doctoring the ailing boar that some farmer had brought up to the Keep。 On those days they had little time for pleasantries and； without intending it； excluded me from their circle。 It was as it had to be。 I had moved on to another life。 I could not expect the old one to be held ajar for me forever。
That thought did not prevent a pang of guilt as I slipped away each day to the disused cottage behind the granaries。 Wariness always stalked me。 My new peace with Burrich had not existed so long that I took it for granted； it was only too fresh in my memory exactly how painful losing his friendship had been。 If Burrich ever suspected that I had returned to using the Wit； he would abandon me just as swiftly and pletely as he had before。 Each day I asked myself exactly why I was willing to gamble his friendship and respect for the sake of a wolf cub。
My only answer was； I had no choice。 I could no more have turned aside from Cub than I could have walked away from a starved and caged child。 To Burrich； the Wit that sometimes left me open to the minds of animals was a perversion； a disgusting weakness that no true man indulged。 He had all but admitted to the latent ability for it； but staunchly insisted that he never used it himself。 If he did； I had never caught him at it。 The opposite was never true。 With uncanny perception； he had always known when I was drawn to an animal。 As a boy； my indulgence in the Wit with a beast had usually led to a rap on the head or a sound cuff to rouse me back to my duties。 When I had lived with Burrich in the stables； he had done everything in his power to keep me from bonding to any animal。 He had succeeded always； save twice。 The keen pain of losing my bond panions had convinced me Burrich was right。 Only a fool would indulge in something that inevitably led to such loss。 So I was a fool； rather than a man who could turn aside from the plea of a beaten and starved cub。
I pilfered bones and meat scraps and crusts； and did my best that no one； not even Cook or the Fool； knew of my activity。 I took elaborate pains to vary the times of my visits each day； and to take every day a different path to avoid creating too beaten a trail to the back cottage。 Hardest had been smuggling clean straw and an old horse blanket out of the stables。 But I had managed it。
No matter when I arrived； I found Cub waiting for me。 It was not just the watchfulness of an animal awaiting food。 He sensed when I began my daily hike to the back cottage behind all the granaries and awaited me。 He knew when I had ginger cakes in my pocket； and too quickly became fond of them。 Not that his suspicions of me had vanished。 No。 I felt his wariness； and how he shrank in on himself each time I stepped within reach of him。 But every day that I did not strike him； every bit of food I brought him was one more plank of trust in the bridge between us。 It was a link I did not want to establish。 I tried to be sternly aloof from him； to know him through the Wit as little as possible。 I feared he might lose the wildness that he would need to survive on his own。 Over and over I warned him； 〃You must keep yourself hidden。 Every man is a danger to you； as is every hound。 You must keep yourself within this structure； and make no sound if anyone is near。〃
At first it was easy for him to obey。 He was sadly thin； and would fall immediately upon the food I brought and devour it all。 Usually he was asleep in his bedding before I left the cottage； or jealously eyeing me as he lay gnawing a treasured bone。 But as he was fed adequately； and had room to move； and lost his fear of me； the innate playfulness of a cub began to reassert itself。 He took to springing upon me in mock attacks as soon as the door was opened； and expressing delight in knuckly beef bones with snarls and tusslings inflicted on them。 When I rebuked him for being too noisy； or for the tracks that betrayed his night romp in the snowy field behind the cottage； he would cower before my displeasure。
But I noted as well the masked sava