ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第89节

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of　Fezana。　There　was　that　same　anger　now；　and　a　kind　of　hurt　that　didn't　sort　easily　with　his　profession。　Or　perhaps　that　wasn't　true：　perhaps　Rodrigo　was　good　at　what　he　did　because　he　knew　the　price　exacted　by　the　deeds　of　soldiers　at　war？
　　Odd；　how　her　mind　was　drifting。　Questions　for　which　there　were　no　answers。　Much　like　death。　The　emptiness。　The　physician's　implacable　adversary。　A　sword　wound　deep　into　the　collarbone。　There　was　no　answer　for　that。
　　She　said；　clearing　her　throat；　〃Did　he　clean　it　。。。　before　he　put　the　dressing　on？〃
　　Belmonte　nodded。　〃With　a　whole　flask　of　wine。　Didn't　you　hear　me？〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃It　looks　like　a　proper　dressing。〃
　　〃Lain's　been　doing　this　for　years。〃
　　〃I　know。〃
　　There　was　a　little　silence。　He　knelt　in　front　of　her；　beside　Ammar。　〃His　last　words　to　me　were　to　ask　that　we　take　care　of　you。　Jehane；　I　swore　that　we　would。〃
　　She　bit　her　lip。　Said；　〃I　thought　I'd　been　hired　to　take　care　of　all　of　you。〃
　　〃It　goes　both　ways；　my　dear。〃　That　was　Husari。　Ammar　said　nothing；　only　watched。　His　ringers　were　cool；　holding　hers。
　　Rodrigo　looked　at　him；　registering　the　linked　hands；　and　said；　〃Muwardi　assassins　suggests　Cartada。〃　He　stood　up。
　　〃I　would　think　so；〃　Ammar　said。　〃In　fact；　I　know　it　was。　There　was　an　emissary　who　found　me；　as　well。　A　different　kind　of　mission。〃
　　Rodrigo　nodded　slowly。　〃He　wants　you　back？〃
　　〃He　does。〃
　　〃We　assumed　that；　didn't　we？〃
　　〃I　think　Almalik　wanted　to　make　certain　I　knew　it。〃
　　〃What　was　the　offer？〃
　　〃All　the　things　one　might　expect。〃　The　tone　was　cool。
　　Rodrigo　registered　that；　too。　〃My　apologies。　I　ought　not　to　have　asked。〃
　　〃Perhaps。　But　you　did。　Ask　the　next　question？〃　Ammar　released　her　hand。　He　rose　to　his　feet。
　　The　two　men　gazed　at　each　other；　grey　eyes　and　blue。　Rodrigo　nodded　his　head；　as　if　accepting　a　challenge。　〃Very　well。　What　did　you　tell　them？〃
　　〃That　I　didn't　know　my　answer；　whether　I　would　return　or　not。〃
　　〃I　see。　Was　that　true？〃
　　〃At　the　time。〃
　　A　silence。　〃Not　so　long　ago；　if　it　was　tonight。〃
　　〃It　was。　Some　things　have　intervened。〃
　　〃I　see。　And　what　would　you　answer　if　the　same　question　were　asked　of　you　now？〃
　　A　small；　deliberate　hesitation。　〃That　I　am　well　content　with　the　pany　in　which　I　find　myself。〃　There　was　a　nuance　there；　Jehane　realized。　A　moment　later　she　saw　that　Rodrigo　had　also　caught　it。
　　He　gestured　around　the　room。　〃We　are　that　pany？〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　inclined　his　head。　〃A　part　of　it。〃　The　two　men　were　of　a　height；　the　Valledan　was　broader　across　the　shoulders　and　chest。
　　〃I　see。〃
　　〃And　you？〃　Ammar　asked；　and　now　Jehane　understood　why　he　had　permitted…even　invited…the　questions。　〃Where　will　the　men　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte　be　serving　this　summer？〃
　　〃We　ride　against　Cartada　soon。　With　the　army　of　Ragosa。〃
　　〃And　if　King　Ramiro　should　also　be　riding？　Against　Fezana's　walls？　What　then；　O　Scourge　of　Al…Rassan？　Will　we　lose　you？　Will　we　live　to　fear　the　sight　of　your　banner　again？〃
　　Some　of　the　pany　had　e　over　and　were　listening。　It　was　quiet　in　the　room　and　there　was；　indeed；　light　ing　in　from　the　east。　Sunrise　soon。
　　Rodrigo　was　silent　a　long　while。　Then；　〃I；　too；　am　well　content　with　where　I　find　myself。〃
　　〃But？〃
　　The　anger　in　Belmonte's　eyes　was　gone。　The　other　thing　was　still　there。　〃But　if　the　armies　of　Esperana　e　through　the　tagra　lands；　I　think　I　must　go　to　them。〃
　　Jehane　let　out　her　breath。　She　hadn't　been　aware　that　she'd　been　holding　it。
　　〃Of　course　you　must；〃　Ammar　said。　〃You　have　lived　your　life　for　this。〃
　　Rodrigo　looked　away　for　the　first　time　and　then　back。　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say？〃
　　Ammar's　tone　was　suddenly　hard；　merciless；　〃Oh；　well　。。。　how　about；　'Die；　Asharite　dogs！　Kindath　swine！'　Something　of　that　sort？〃
　　There　was　a　sound　from　the　soldiers。　Rodrigo　winced　and　shook　his　head。　〃Not　from　me；　Ammar。　Not　from　those　who　ride　with　me。〃
　　〃And　from　those　who　will　ride　all　around　you？〃
　　Rodrigo　shook　his　head　again；　almost　doggedly。　〃Again；　what　can　I　say　to　you？　They　will　be　much　as　the　Muwardis　are；　I　suppose。　Driven　by　hatred　and　holiness。〃　He　made　a　curious　gesture；　both　hands　opening　and　then　closing　again。　〃You　tell　me。　What　shall　good　men　do　in　such　a　war；　Ammar？〃
　　Ammar's　answer　came；　as　Jehane　had　feared　and　known　it　would：　〃Kill　each　other；　until　something　ends　in　the　world。〃
　　
　　Alvar　and　Husari　took　her　home　as　the　sun　was　rising　over　the　strewn　and　empty　streets。　They　all　needed　sleep　very　badly。　Alvar　took　his　old　room　on　the　ground　level；　the　one　he'd　used　when　she　and　he　and　Velaz　had　first　e　through　the　pass　to　Ragosa。
　　Husari　took　Velaz's　bed　beside　the　chamber　where　Jehane　saw　her　patients。
　　She　bade　them　good　night；　though　the　night　was　done。　She　went　up　the　stairs　to　her　room。　She　opened　the　window　and　stood　there　watching　the　eastern　sky　grow　brighter　beyond　the　roofs　of　houses。
　　It　was　going　to　be　a　beautiful　morning。　The　dawn　wind　brought　the　scent　of　almond　trees　from　the　garden　across　the　way。　It　was　quiet　now。　The　streets　were　empty。　Velaz　would　not　see　this　morning　e。
　　She　tried；　again；　to　think　how　she　could　tell　this　to　her　mother　and　father；　and　again　backed　away　from　that。　She　thought　of　something　else：　it　would　be　necessary　to　arrange　for　burial；　a　Kindath　service。　Avren　would　help。　Perhaps　she　would　ask　him　to　do　this？　Find　someone　to　chant　the　ancient　words　of　the　liturgy：　
One　sun　for　the　god。　
Two　moons　for　his　beloved　sisters。　
Uncountable　stars　to　shine　in　the　night。　
Oh；　man　and　woman；　born　to　a　dark　path；　
only　look　up　and　the　lights　shall　guide　you　home。
　　She　cried　again；　the　tears　spilling　down　her　cheeks；　falling　on　the　windowsill。
　　
　　After　a　time　she　wiped　her　face　with　the　backs　of　her　hands　and　lay　down　on　the　bed；　not　bothering　to　undress；　though　there　was　blood　on　her　clothing。　The　tears　had　stopped。　An　emptiness；　pushing　outwards　from　her　heart；　took　their　place。　She　lay　there　but　could　not　sleep。
　　A　little　later　she　heard　the　sound　from　outside。　She　had　been　waiting　for　that　sound。
　　Ammar　swung　up　and　onto　the　window　ledge。　He　stayed　there；　motionless；　regarding　her　a　long　while。
　　〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃　he　asked　finally。　〃I　needed　to　e。〃
　　〃I　would　not　have　forgiven　you；　ever；　had　you　not；〃　she　said。　〃Hold　me。〃
　　He　jumped　down　to　the　floor　and　crossed　the　room。　He　lay　on　the　bed　beside　her　and　she　laid　her　head　on　his　chest。　She　could　feel　his　heartbeat。　She　closed　her　eyes。　His　hand　came　up　and　touched　her　hair。
　　〃Oh；　my　love；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Jehane。〃
　　She　began；　again；　to　cry。
　　This　passed　as　well；　though　not　soon。　When　she　had　been　quiet　for　a　time　he　spoke　again。　〃We　can　lie　like　this；　as　long　as　you　like。　It　is　all　right。〃
　　But　there　was　an　emptiness　in　her；　and　it　needed　not　to　be　empty　any　more。
　　〃No　we　can't；〃　she　said；　and　lifted　her　head　and　kissed　him。　Salt。　Her　own　tears。　She　brought　her　hands　up　and　laced　them　in　his　hair　and　kissed　him　again。
　　
　　Much　later；　with　both　of　them　unclothed；　she　lay　wrapped　in　his　arms　under　the　bedcovers　and　fell　into　desperately　needed　sleep。
　　He　did　not。　He　was　much　too　aware　of　what　was　to　e…later　this　same　day。　He　had　to　leave　Ragosa；　before　nightfall。　He　would　urge　that　she　remain　here。　She　would　refuse。　He　even　knew　who　would　insist　upon　ing　with　them。　There　was　a　darkness　looming　in　the　west；　like　a　high…piled　thundercloud。　Above　Fezana。　Where　they　had　met。
　　He　lay　awake；　holding　her　in　his　arms；　and　became　aware　of　a　great　irony…observing　how　the　newly　risen　sun　poured　in　through　the　eastern　window　and　fell　upon　them　both；　as　if　someone　or　something　wished　to　cloak　them　in　a　blessing　made　entirely　of　light。
　　
Part　V…Even　the　Sun　Goes　Down
Fifteen
　　The　governor　of　Fezana　was　a　watchful　and　a　cautious　man。　If　he　occasionally　remembered　that　the　lamented　King　Almalik　I；　the　Lion　of　Cartada；　had　begun　his　own　ascent　to　glory　from　the　position　of　governing　that　city　for　the　khalifs　of　Silvenes；　he　more　often　reminded　himself　of　his　extreme　good　fortune　in　having　been　the　only　important　city　governor　to　survive　the　transition　from　father　to　son　in　Cartada。
　　When　unsettled　by　dreams　of　loftier　position　he　had　learned　to　allow　himself　an　evening　of　distraction：　a　quantity　of　Jaddite　wine；　dancers；　encounters…watching　or　participating…involving　slaves　of　both　sexes　in　varying　binations。　He　had　discovered　that　the　release　afforded　by　such　activities　served　to　quell　the　disturbances　of　inappropriate　dreams　for　a　time。
　　In　truth；　it　wasn't　merely　good　fortune　that　had　ensured　his　continuance　in　Fezana。　During　the　last　years　of　the　reign　of　the　elder　Almalik；　the　governor　had　taken　pains；　quietly；　to　establish　cordial　relations　with　the　son。　Though　the　tension　between　the　king　and　the　prince　was　evident；　the　governor　of　Fezana　nonetheless　judged　that　the　young　man　was　likely　to　survive　and　succeed　his　father。　His　reasoning　was　simple　in　the　extreme：　the　alternatives　were　untenable；　and　the　prince　had　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　for　his　guardian。
　　The　governor　of　Fezana　had　been　born　in　Aljais。
　　He　had　known　ibn　Khairan　from　the　poet's　boyhood　in　that　city。　Concern