ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第105节

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　heart　of　it。　Alvar　longed　to　be　a　part　of　this；　to　see　it　e　to　be；　to　ride　his　own　horse　into　those　oceans　and　up　that　mountain　with　his　king。　Yet；　even　as　his　heart　heard　this　call　to　glory；　he　was　aware　of　slaughter　embedded　in　the　sweep　of　the　king's　dream；　or　swooping　above　it　like　the　carrion　birds　that　followed　the　battlefields　of　men。
　　Will　I　ever；　he　thought；　with　a　knifing　of　despair；　be　at　peace　between　these　things？
　　He　heard　Rodrigo　Belmonte　say　then；　very　calmly；　〃You　might　have　told　me　about　Garcia　a　long　time　ago；　my　lord。　I　think　I　should　have　believed　you。　I　do　believe　you　now。　I　am　your　man；　since　you　want　me。〃
　　And　he　knelt　before　the　king　and　held　up　his　hands　together；　palms　touching。　Ramiro　looked　down　upon　him；　unspeaking　for　a　moment。
　　〃You　would　not　have　believed；〃　he　said。　〃You　would　always　have　doubted。　We　needed　to　grow　older；　you　and　I；　for　me　to　say　this　and　you　to　hear　it。　I　wonder　if　your　young　soldier　can　possibly　understand　that。〃
　　Alvar　flushed　in　the　darkness；　then　heard　the　Captain　say；　〃You　might　be　surprised；　my　lord。　He's　more　than　a　soldier；　though　I　will　tell　you　later　what　he　did　in　Fezana　this　evening。　If　I　am　to　be　your　constable　I　have　my　first　request：　I　would　ask　that　Alvar　de　Pellino　be　named　my　herald；　to　bear　Valledo's　staff　and　carry　our　words　to　the　Star…born。〃
　　〃It　is　an　honor；〃　the　king　said。　〃He　is　very　young。　It　is　also　a　dangerous　post　in　this　war。〃　He　motioned　towards　the　hamlet　behind　them。　〃The　Asharites　may　not　observe　the　laws　of　heralds　and　their　codes。〃
　　Rodrigo　shook　his　head。　〃They　will。　That　much　I　know。　They　value　their　own　honor　as　much　as　we　do　ours。　Even　the　Muwardis。　In　a　way；　especially　the　Muwardis。　And　Alvar　will　acquit　himself。〃
　　Ramiro　looked　at　Alvar；　that　appraising　glance　in　the　moonlight。　〃You　wish　this　for　yourself？〃　he　asked。　〃There　is　less　glory　than　might　be　found　in　battle　by　a　courageous　young　man。〃
　　Alvar　knelt　beside　Rodrigo　Belmonte　and　lifted　his　joined　palms。　〃I　wish　for　this；〃　he　replied；　discovering　as　he　spoke　that　he　did；　that　it　was　exactly　what　he　wanted。　〃I；　too；　am　your　sworn　man　if　you　will　have　me；　my　lord。〃
　　The　king　placed　his　hands　around　those　of　Rodrigo；　and　then　he　touched　Alvar's　the　same　way。　He　said；　〃Let　us　go　forward　from　this　place　and　begin　to　reclaim　our　lost　land。〃
　　He　looked　as　if　he　would　say　more；　but　did　not。　They　rose　then；　and　began　walking　back　to　Orvilla。　But　Alvar；　unable　to　stop　the　thought　from　ing…even　now…found　himself　saying；　inwardly；　And　whose　land　will　be　broken　and　lost　in　that　claiming？
　　He　knew　the　answer。　It　wasn't　a　real　question。　In　the　newest　royal　herald　of　Valledo；　pride　and　bone…cold　apprehension　came　together　and　warred　for　dominion。
　　Then；　nearing　the　hamlet；　he　saw　Jehane。　She　was　standing　by　the　northern　gate　waiting　for　them　with　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　beside　her。　And　looking　at　her　small；　straight…backed　figure　in　the　mingled　light　of　the　moons；　Alvar　felt　love　e　back；　too；　bittersweet　among　the　weapons　and　shed　blood；　tonight　and　yet　to　e。
　　She　saw　them　both　kneel：　Rodrigo　first；　and　then　Alvar。
　　Beside　her；　Ammar　said　softly；　〃He　is　being　made　constable　now。〃　And　then；　as　she　looked　quickly　up　at　him；　〃It　is　best　for　both　of　them；　Rodrigo　and　the　king。　He　ought　to　have　been；　all　these　years。〃
　　She　took　his　hand。　Smoke　drifted　behind　them；　though　the　fires　were　mostly　out。　Husari　was　with　her　parents　and　the　two　children　they　had　saved　from　the　Kindath　Quarter。　The　queen　of　Valledo　had　e　to　them。　She　had　said　that　Ishak　and　his　family　were　her　guests　and　would　be；　for　so　long　as　they　desired。　She　had　been　gracious　and　well…spoken；　but　it　was　evident…to　Jehane；　at　least…that　Queen　Ines　had　never　met　or　talked　with　a　Kindath　before　and　didn't　quite　know　how　to　deal　with　that。
　　That　shouldn't　have　bothered　her；　perhaps；　but　tonight　it　did。　She　had　almost　wanted　to　ask　Ines　of　Valledo　if　there　were　any　plump　babies　around；　to　cook　for　a　proper　Kindath　breakfast；　but　too　many　children　had　died　that　evening；　and　Jehane　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　th