ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第18节

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to　term　with　another　child。　Then　he　put　his　sword　inside　her；　up　inside　her；　and　ripped　it　out；　and　left　her　to　bleed　to　death。　When　I　arrived　the　child　had　already　spilled　out　of　the　wound。　Its　head　had　been　almost　severed。　By　the　sword。　Before　it　was　born。〃　She　felt　sick；　speaking　the　words。
　　〃I　see。〃　There　was　a　weariness　in　Rodrigo　Belmonte's　voice　that　caused　her　to　turn　back　and　look　up　at　him。　She　could　read　nothing　in　his　features。
　　He　sat　his　horse　for　a　moment　in　silence；　then　said；　〃Give　the　boy　your　sword；　Alvar。　This　we　will　not　accept。　Not　in　a　village　Valledans　are　bound　to　defend。〃
　　Where　would　you　accept　it？　Jehane　wanted　to　demand；　but　kept　silent。　She　was　suddenly　afraid。
　　〃This　man　is　my　cousin；〃　the　man　called　Garcia　de　Rada　said　sharply；　holding　a　piece　of　grimy　cloth　to　his　bleeding　face。　〃He　is　Parazor　de　Rada。　The　constable's　cousin；　Belmonte。　Remember　who…〃
　　〃Keep　silent　or　I　will　kill　you！〃
　　For　the　first　time　Rodrigo　Belmonte　raised　his　voice；　and　Garcia　de　Rada　was　not　the　only　man　to　flinch　before　what　he　heard　there。　Jehane　looked　again　into　the　face　of　the　man　they　called　the　Captain；　and　then　she　looked　away。　Her　fury　seemed　to　have　passed；　leaving　only　grief　and　waves　of　sickness。
　　The　young　soldier；　Alvar；　came　obediently　up　to　the　boy　who　was　still　kneeling　beside　her；　holding　both　his　sisters　now。　Alvar　offered　his　sword；　hilt　foremost。　The　boy；　Ziri；　looked　past　Jehane　at　Rodrigo　Belmonte　on　his　black　horse　above　them。
　　〃You　have　this　right。　I　grant　it　to　you　before　witnesses。〃
　　Slowly　the　boy　stood　up　and　slowly　he　took　the　sword。　The　man　called　Alvar　was　as　ashen…faced　as　Ziri；　Jehane　saw…and　guessed　that　tonight　would　have　been　his　own　first　taste　of　battle。　There　was　blood　on　the　blade。
　　〃Think　what　you　are　doing；　Belmonte！〃　the　man　in　the　red　shirt　and　boots　suddenly　cried　hoarsely。　〃These　things　happen　in　war；　on　a　raid。　Do　not　pretend　that　your　own　men…〃
　　〃War？〃　Rodrigo's　voice　knifed　in　savagely。　〃What　war？　Who　is　at　war？　Who　ordered　a　raid？　Tell　me！〃
　　The　other　man　was　still　a　long　moment。　〃My　cousin　Garcia；〃　he　finally　said。
　　〃His　rank　at　court？　His　authority？　His　reason？〃
　　No　answer。　The　crackle　and　crash　of　the　fires　was　all　around　them。　The　light　was　lurid；　unholy；　dimming　the　stars　and　even　the　moons。　Jehane　heard　weeping　now；　the　keening　sounds　of　grief；　from　shadows　at　the　edges　of　the　flames。
　　〃May　Jad　forgive　you　and　find　a　place　for　your　soul　in　his　light；〃　said　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　looking　at　the　red…shirted　man；　speaking　in　a　very　different　voice。
　　Ziri　looked　up　at　him　one　last　time；　hearing　that；　and　evidently　saw　what　he　needed　to　see。　He　turned　and　stepped　forward；　with　the　unfamiliar　blade。
　　He　will　never　have　held　a　sword　in　his　life；　Jehane　thought。　She　wanted　to　close　her　eyes；　but　something　would　not　let　her　do　that。　The　red…shirted　man　did　not　turn　or　try　to　flee。　She　thought　it　was　courage；　at　the　time；　but　later　decided　he　might　have　been　too　astonished　by　what　was　happening　to　react。　This　simply　did　not　happen　to　noblemen　playing　their　games　in　the　countryside。
　　Ziri　ibn　Aram　took　two　steady　steps　forward　and　then　thrust　the　borrowed　blade…awkwardly；　but　with　determination…straight　through　the　heart　of　the　man　who　had　killed　his　mother　and　his　father。　The　man　screamed　as　the　blade　went　in；　a　terrible　sound。
　　Too　late；　Jehane　remembered　the　two　girls。　She　ought　to　have　turned　their　faces　away；　covered　their　ears。　Both　had　been　watching。　Neither　was　crying　now。　She　knelt　and　gathered　them　to　her。
　　I　caused　this　death；　she　was　thinking。　With　rage　no　longer　driving　her；　it　was　an　appalling　thought。　She　was　abruptly　mindful　of　the　fact　that　she　was　out　here　beyond　the　walls　of　Fezana　with　the　purpose　of　causing　another。
　　〃I　will　take　them　now；　doctor。〃
　　She　looked　up　and　saw　the　boy；　Ziri；　standing　beside　her。　He　had　given　the　sword　back　to　Alvar。　There　was　a　bleakness　in　his　eyes。　She　wondered　if；　later；　it　would　help　him　at　all　to　have　taken　his　revenge。　She　had　to　wonder　that。
　　She　released　the　two　girls　and　watched　their　brother　lead　them　away　from　the　open　space。　She　didn't　know　where　they　were　going　amid　all　the　fires。　She　doubted　he　did　either。　She　remained　kneeling　on　the　ground；　looking　at　Garcia　de　Rada。
　　〃My　cousin　was　a　pig；〃　he　said　calmly；　turning　from　the　dead　man　to　look　up　at　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　〃What　he　did　was　disgusting。　We　are　well　rid　of　him；　and　I　will　say　as　much　when　we　all　return　home。〃
　　There　was　a　bark　of　disbelieving　laughter　from　Lain　Nunez。　Jehane　could　hardly　believe　the　words；　herself。　Somewhere　inside　she　was　forced　to　acknowledge　that　the　man　had　courage　of　a　sort。　He　was　a　monster；　though。　A　monster　from　the　tales　used　by　mothers　to　fright　their　children　into　obedience。　But　here　in　Orvilla　the　monster　had　e；　after　all；　and　children　had　died。　One　had　been　stabbed　by　a　sword　before　entering　the　world。
　　She　looked　over　her　shoulder　again；　and　saw　Rodrigo　Belmonte　smiling　strangely　as　he　looked　down　at　de　Rada。　No　one　in　the　world　could　have　taken　any　fort　in　that　expression。
　　〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said；　his　voice　quiet　again；　almost　conversational；　〃I　have　always　thought　you　poisoned　King　Raimundo。〃
　　Jehane　saw　a　startled　apprehension　in　the　craggy　face　of　Lain　Nunez。　He　turned　sharply　to　Rodrigo。　This；　clearly；　had　not　been　expected。　He　moved　his　horse　nearer　to　the　Captain's。　Without　turning　to　him；　Rodrigo　lifted　a　hand　and　Lain　Nunez　stopped。　Turning　back　the　other　way；　Jehane　saw　Garcia　de　Rada　open　his　mouth　and　then　close　it　again。　He　was　clearly　thinking　hard；　but　she　could　see　no　fear　in　the　man；　not　even　now。　Blood　was　dripping　from　the　wound　on　his　face。
　　〃You　would　not　dare　say　such　a　thing　in　Esteren；〃　he　said　at　length。
　　His　own　voice　was　softer　now。　A　new　thread　of　tension　seemed　to　be　running　through　all　the　Jaddites。　The　last　king　of　Valledo　had　been　named　Raimundo；　Jehane　knew　that。　The　oldest　of　the　three　brothers；　the　sons　of　Sancho　the　Fat。　There　had　been　rumors　surrounding　Raimundo's　death；　a　story　involving　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　something　about　the　present　king　of　Valledo's　coronation。　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　could　have　told　her；　Jehane　suddenly　thought；　and　shook　her　head。　Not　a　useful　line　of　thinking。
　　〃Perhaps　I　might　not；〃　Rodrigo　said；　still　mildly。　〃We　aren't　in　Esteren。〃
　　〃So　you　feel　free　to　slander　anyone　you　choose？〃
　　〃Not　anyone。　Only　you。　Challenge　me。〃　He　still　had　that　strange　smile　on　his　face。
　　〃Back　home　I　will。　Believe　it。〃
　　〃I　do　not。　Fight　me　now；　or　admit　you　killed　your　king。〃
　　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　Jehane　saw　Lain　Nunez　make　a　curiously　helpless　gesture　beside　Rodrigo。　The　Captain　ignored　him。　Something　had　altered　in　his　manner　and　Jehane；　for　the　first　time；　found　herself　intimidated　by　him。　This　issue…the　death　of　King　Raimundo…seemed　to　be　his　own　open　wound。　She　realized　that　Velaz　had　e　up　quietly　to　stand　protectively　beside　her。
　　〃I　will　do　neither。　Not　here。　But　say　this　again　at　court　and　observe　what　I　do；　Belmonte。〃
　　〃Rodrigo！〃　Jehane　heard　Lain　Nunez　rasp。　〃Stop　this；　in　Jad's　name！　Kill　him　if　you　like；　but　stop　this　now。〃
　　〃But　that　is　the　problem；〃　said　the　Captain　of　Valledo　in　the　same　taut　voice。　〃I　don't　think　I　can。〃
　　Jehane；　struggling　for　understanding　amid　the　rawness　of　her　own　emotions；　wasn't　sure　if　he　meant　that　he　couldn't　kill；　or　he　couldn't　stop　what　he　was　saying。　She　had　a　flashing　sense　that　he　probably　meant　both。
　　With　a　roar；　another　of　the　houses　collapsed。　The　fire　had　spread　as　far　as　it　could。　There　was　no　more　wood　to　ignite。　Orvilla　would　be　cinder　and　ash　by　morning；　when　the　survivors　would　have　to　try　to　attend　to　the　dead　and　the　process　of　living　past　this　night。
　　〃Take　your　men　and　go；〃　Rodrigo　Belmonte　said　to　the　man　who　had　done　this　thing。
　　〃Return　our　horses　and　weapons　and　we　ride　north　on　the　instant；〃　said　Garcia　de　Rada　promptly。
　　Jehane　looked　back　and　saw　that　Rodrigo's　cold　smile　was　gone。　He　seemed　tired　now；　drained　of　some　vital　force　by　this　last　exchange。　〃You　sued　for　ransom；〃　he　said。　〃Remember？　There　are　witnesses。　Full　price　will　be　settled　at　court　by　the　heralds。　Your　mounts　and　weapons　are　a　first　payment。　You　are　released　on　your　sworn　oaths　to　pay。〃
　　〃You　want　us　to　walk　back　to　Valledo？〃
　　〃I　want　you　dead；〃　said　Rodrigo　succinctly。　〃I　will　not　murder　a　countryman；　though。　Be　grateful　and　start　walking。　There　are　five　hundred　new　Muwardi　mercenaries　in　Fezana　tonight；　by　the　way。　They'll　have　seen　these　fires。　You　might　not　want　to　linger。〃
　　He　was　going　to　let　them　go。　Privileges　of　rank　and　power。　The　way　the　world　was　run。　Dead　and　mutilated　farmers　could　be　redeemed　by　horses　and　gold　for　the　rescuers。　Jehane　had　a　sudden　image…intense　and　disorienting…of　herself　rising　smoothly　from　the　brown；　parched　grass；　striding　over　to　that　young　soldier；　Alvar；　and　seizing　his　sword。　She　could　almost　feel　the　weight　of　the　weapon　in　her　hands。　With　eerie　clarity　she　watched　herself　walk　up　to　Garcia　de　Rada…he　had　even　turned　partially　away　from　her。　In　the　vision　she　heard　Velaz　cry　〃Jehane！〃　just　as　she　killed　de　Rada　with　a　two…handed　swing　of　the