ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第95部分

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hane　had　nothing　left　in　her　for　the　force　of　real　anger。　She　was　very　tired。
　　It　was　Bernart　d'Inigo；　the　doctor　from　the　tagra　forts；　who　had　readied　this　wele　for　them；　she　understood。　It　seemed　he　had　saved　the　life　of　the　queen　using　knowledge　gained　from　reading　Ishak's　writings。　He　had　taught　himself　Asharic　and　Kindath　years　ago；　he　confided　to　Jehane。　The　lanky；　sad…faced　man　was　a　good　physician；　there　was　no　denying　it。
　　Why　shouldn't　he　be？　Jehane　had　thought。　If　he's　bothered　to　learn　from　us　。。。　
　　Not　a　fair　thought；　really；　but　tonight　she　wasn't　putting　much　stress　on　trying　to　be　fair。　D'Inigo　had　volunteered　to　take　the　first　watch　beside　Rodrigo's　son。　Diego's　mother　and　brother　were　with　him　as　well。　Jehane　wasn't　needed。　Valledan　doctors　were　tending　to　the　handful　of　people　who　had　survived　the　assault。　Only　a　handful；　the　rest　were　dead；　butchered　hideously。
　　They　e　from　the　desert；　Jehane　remembered；　seeing　the　chopped…up　bodies；　smelling　charred　human　flesh。　Her　father's　words；　from　so　long　ago。　If　you　would　understand　the　Star…born　of　Ashar　。
　　〃Who　are　my　enemies？〃　Jehane　had　said　then；　aloud；　looking　around　the　hamlet。
　　There　must　have　been　something　in　her　voice；　a　hint　of　vanishing　control。　Ammar；　without　speaking；　had　placed　an　arm　about　her　shoulders　and　guided　her　away。　They　had　walked　around　the　perimeter　of　Orvilla　but　Jehane；　unable　to　be　eased；　had　found　herself　both　looking　back　at　dying　fires　and　remembering　them。
　　Who　are　my　enemies？　The　citizens　of　Fezana？　The　Muwardis　here？　The　soldiers　of　a　Jaddite　holy　army　who　had　run　wild　through　Sorenica？　The　Valledans　who　burned　this　hamlet　last　summer？　She　wanted　to　weep；　but　was　afraid　to　let　herself。
　　Ammar　had　a　gash　on　one　arm；　which　she　examined　by　torchlight；　it　wasn't　serious。　He'd　told　her　that；　but　she'd　needed　to　look。　She　led　him　down　to　the　river　and　cleaned　the　cut　and　bandaged　it。　A　thing　to　do。　On　her　knees；　she　dipped　a　cloth　in　the　cold　water　and　washed　her　face；　looking　down　at　the　rippling　lines　of　moonlight　in　the　Tavares。　She　took　a　deep　breath　of　the　night　air。
　　They　had　walked　again；　following　the　perimeter　fence　to　the　north。　And　there　they　saw　King　Ramiro　with　Rodrigo　and　Alvar　out　among　the　grasses；　the　dark；　wide　emptiness　beyond　them。　At　one　point；　watching；　Jehane　saw　Rodrigo　cross　his　arms　tightly　over　his　breast。　It　was　very　late。　A　wind　was　blowing　in　the　night。
　　Whichever　way　the　wind　blows。
　　Then　they　saw　Rodrigo　and　Alvar　kneel　before　the　king　and　then　rise。
　　〃Who　are　my　enemies？〃　Jehane　asked；　at　length。
　　〃Mine；　I　hope；〃　said　Ammar。
　　〃And　yours　are？〃
　　〃We'll　know　more　of　that　soon　enough；　my　love。　Watch　and　listen。　I　will　likely　be　made　a　handsome　offer　soon。〃
　　His　tone　had　a　coolness　now；　but　that　was　as　much　a　defense　as　anything　else；　she　knew。　More　than　anyone　in　the　world；　perhaps；　she　had　a　sense　of　what　had　e；　however　improbably；　to　bind　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　and　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　each　to　the　other。
　　There　was　an　anticipation　of　partings　in　her　now；　Jehane　realized：　endings　had　e　upon　them　tonight。　As　much　as　anything　else；　that　was　what　made　her　want　to　weep。
　　They　waited。　The　three　men　came　over　the　dark　grass　and　approached　them　by　the　gate。　She　saw　that　Alvar；　too；　was　wounded。　There　was　blood　on　his　shoulder。　Without　speaking　she　went　over　to　him　and　began　carefully　tearing　at　his　loose　shirt　to　expose　the　gash　below。　He　looked　at　her　and　then　away；　standing　quietly　as　she　examined　the　cut。
　　〃Ammar。　I　was　hoping　to　find　you；〃　Rodrigo　said　quietly。　〃Have　you　a　moment　to　speak？〃　He　spoke　in　Esperanan。
　　〃With　you；　always；〃　ibn　Khairan　said　gravely；　in　the　same　tongue。
　　〃The　king　of　Valledo　has　done　me　the　honor　of　asking　me　to　be　his　constable。〃
　　Jehane　looked　over　at　him。　Ammar　inclined　his　head。　〃He　is　equally　honored　if　you　have　accepted。〃
　　〃I　have。〃
　　Ammar　smiled　thinly。　〃Badir　of　Ragosa　will　be　distressed。〃
　　〃I　imagine　so。　I　propose　to　give　him；　unfortunately；　even　greater　cause　for　regret。〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　It　was　like　a　dance；　Jehane　thought；　this　formality　screening　things　so　much　deeper　than　words　could　go。　She　stood　by　young　Alvar；　listening；　and　stopped　even　pretending　to　examine　his　shoulder。　It　was　too　dark　here；　in　any　case。
　　〃I　believe　I　have　sufficient　authority　to　make　you　a　proposal　on　behalf　of　the　king　of　Valledo。〃
　　He　was　right；　Jehane　thought。　How　had　Ammar　known；　so　surely？　No　answer　to　that；　except　to　remember　who　and　what　he　was。　What　they　both　were。　In　the　wind　from　the　north　she　could　feel　something　swiftly　approaching　its　end。
　　Ammar　said；　〃I　am　always　interested　in　proposals。　And　yours　have　ever　been　intriguing。〃
　　Rodrigo　hesitated；　choosing　words。　〃As　we　stand　here；　King　Sanchez　of　Ruenda　is　riding　for　Salos　downriver；　and　the　army　of　Jalofia　is　approaching　Ragosa。〃
　　〃Ah！　Jalofia　rides！　Queen　Fruela　es　to　avenge　her　dead　captain？〃
　　King　Ramiro's　mouth　quirked　sideways　at　that。
　　〃Something　of　the　sort；〃　Rodrigo　said；　unsmiling。　〃There　have　been　a　great　many　dead　captains　over　the　years。〃
　　〃Alas；　it　is　true。　'War　feeds　like　a　wild　dog　upon　the　hearts　of　brave　men。'　〃
　　〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　king　of　Valledo　suddenly。　〃That　was　written　by　ibn　Khairan　of　Aljais。〃
　　Ammar　turned　to　him　and　Jehane　knew　he　was　surprised；　however　he　might　try　to　conceal　it。　〃At　your　service；　my　lord。　The　line　scans　better　in　Asharic。〃
　　The　king's　turn　to　betray　astonishment。　He　looked　sharply　at　Rodrigo　and　then　back　to　Ammar。　〃I　had　not　。。。　you　are　。。。　？〃　He　turned　to　Rodrigo　again；　eyebrows　arched。
　　Calmly；　Rodrigo　said；　〃We　were　exiled　at　the　same　time　last　year　in　Ragosa。　We　have　been　panions　since。　He　came　here；　despite　a　death　sentence　in　Cartadan　lands；　to　bring　Ishak　ben　Yonannon　and　his　wife　out　of　Fezana。　Jehane　bet　Ishak　who　stands　here　is　physician　to　my　pany。　Ibn　Khairan　would　have　been　killed　by　the　Muwardis　had　they　known　he　was　in　the　city。〃
　　〃I　daresay　there　is　no　love　shared　there；〃　King　Ramiro　murmured。　He　was　a　tall；　handsome　man。　He　had　also　recognized　a　line　from　a　poem　by　Ammar。　〃Is　there　any　shared　here？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　am　attempting　to　find　out；〃　Rodrigo　said。　〃Ammar；　we　have　always　thought　that　if　this　army　and　the　other　two　moved　south；　Yazir　ibn　Q'arif　would　probably　be　in　the　peninsula　by　summer's　end　or　next　spring。　Al…Rassan；　as　it　has　been；　is　ing　to　an　end。〃
　　〃Sorrowfully；　I　believe　that；〃　Jehane　heard　the　man　she　loved　say　quietly。　〃Tell　me；　who　will　remember　the　gardens　of　the　Al…Fontina　in　time　to　e？　Or　the　ivories　in　the　holy　places　of　Ragosa？〃
　　〃I　cannot　answer　that；〃　Rodrigo　replied。　〃Perhaps　you　will　help　us　all　remember；　I　do　not　know。　I　have　more　immediate　concerns。　The　king　has　instructed　me　that　this　is　to　be　a　Valledan　campaign　of　conquest；　not　a　holy　war；　though　there　are　clerics　with　us　and　it　might　appear　otherwise。〃
　　〃Oh；　good！〃　Ammar　said；　too　brightly。　〃Does　that　mean　only　those　who　resist　you　are　nailed　to　wood　or　burned　alive　while　the　clerics　sing　paeans　to　Jad？〃
　　〃Something　of　the　sort；〃　Rodrigo　said　levelly。
　　〃Almalik　of　Cartada　is　a　dead　man；〃　King　Ramiro　interjected　quietly；　〃for　what　he　tried　to　do　to　the　queen。　And　the　Muwardis；　when　we　find　them；　will　be　offered　no　kindness　by　me。　Not　after　tonight。　But　my　heart　is　not　set　on　slaughter；　either　for　its　own　sake　or　to　make　the　clerics　happy。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Ammar　in　his　most　sardonic　voice；　〃a　gentle　conquest。　Horsemen　of　Jad　waving　to　happy　Asharite　farmers　as　they　trot　by。　And　to　keep　your　brave　soldiers　content…what？　Chop　up　a　few　Kindath　on　the　way？　No　one　will　miss　them；　will　they？〃
　　Rodrigo　refused　to　rise　to　the　bait。　〃This　is　warfare；　Ammar。　Neither　of　us　are　children。　It　is　still　Ashar　and　Jad　and　there　will　be　ugliness。　After　several　hundred　years　and　with　that　other　army　sailing　for　Soriyya　there　will　be　worse　than　ugliness。〃
　　〃What；　I　wonder；　is　worse　than　ugliness？〃
　　〃You　do　not　really　mean　that；〃　Rodrigo　said。　〃I　have　part　of　an　answer；　though。　Worse；　is　when　what　little　space　there　is　for　men　to　move　back　and　forth　between　worlds　disappears　because　the　worlds　are　lost　to　hatred。　That　may　happen　to　us　yet。〃　He　hesitated。　〃It　probably　will；　Ammar。　I　have　no　more　illusions　than　you　do。　There　will　be　no　happy　farmers　where　this　army　passes。　We　will　conquer　if　we　can；　and　do　what　we　must　do；　and　then　we　will　try　to　govern　here；　as　the　khalifs　and　the　city…kings　have　governed　the　Jaddites　and　Kindath　among　you。〃
　　〃How　。。。　pragmatic　of　you；〃　Ammar　said；　with　an　icy　smile。　He　was　angry；　Jehane　saw；　and　not　trying　to　hide　it。
　　Rodrigo　saw　it　too。　He　said；　〃Are　we　the　proper　targets　for　your　feelings　right　now？〃
　　〃You　are　adequate；　failing　something　better。〃
　　〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　Rodrigo　cried　suddenly。　In　the　silence　that　followed；　Jehane　had　a　sense；　as　once　before　in　Ragosa；　that　for　these　two　men；　staring　fixedly　at　each　other　now；　no　one　else　was　in　the　world；　just　for　a　moment。
　　The　moment　came；　and　was　briefly　held；　and　then　it　passed。　Jehane　felt　as　if　she　could　almost　see　it　happen：　something　receding　from　the　two　of　them；　faster　than　any　horses　could　run；　into　the　dark。
　　〃What　would　I　have　you　do？〃　Ammar's　voice　had　softened。　He　spoke　Asharic　now。　〃What　you　cannot　do；　I　suppose。　Go　home。　Breed　horses；　raise　your　sons；　love　your　wife。〃　He　turned　to　the　king　of　Valledo。　〃Make　your　country…all　of　Esperana　if　you　can　unite　it…into　a　land　that　understands　more　than　only　war　and　righteous　piety。　Allow　space　in　your　lives　for　more　than　battle　chants　to　inspire　soldiers。　Teach　your　people　to　。。。　understand　a　garden；　the　reason　for　a　fountain；　music。〃
　　The　wind　blew　past　them。　Ibn　Khairan　shook　his　head。　〃Forgive　me。　I　am　being　extremely　foolish。　I　am　tired　and　I　know　you　are　as　well。　These　tidings　you　bring　are　not　unexpected；　but　they　do　mark　the　death　of　something　I　have　。。。　held　dear。〃
　　〃I　know　this。〃　Rodrigo's　voice　was　rock…steady。　〃I　would　like　you　to　help　keep　some　part　of　Al…Rassan　alive。　I　said　I　had　a　proposal。　If　the　king　does　not　disagree；　I　would　offer　you　certain　offices　in　Al…Rassan　and　ultimately　the　rank　of　constable　of　Valledo；　shared　with　myself。〃
　　Jehan