ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第33章

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　in　his　grey　eyes。　Rodrigo　was　still　unlike　anything　she　might　have　expected　him　to　be。
　　She　had　teased　him　on　that　solitary　ride　under　the　two　moons；　letting　her　hands　slide　down　to　his　thighs。　She　had　been　irritated；　deliberately　provocative。　She　didn't　think　she　would　risk　that　again。　She　couldn't　believe　she　had　done　it　in　the　first　place。　It　was　reported　by　Alvar　that　the　Captain　was　married　to　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　Valledo。
　　Rodrigo　had　spoken　of　his　wife　that　night　near　Fezana　as　if　she　was　an　unholy　terror。　He　had　an　odd　sense　of　humor。　Alvar　worshipped　him。　All　his　pany　did。　It　was　obvious；　and　it　said　a　great　deal。
　　They　had　spoken　seldom　since　he'd　arrived；　and　only　in　public。　It　was　among　a　number　of　people；　including　ben　Avren；　the　chancellor；　at　a　reception　in　a　palace　courtyard；　that　Rodrigo　had　again　declared　his　intention　of　recruiting　her。　The　chancellor　had　arched　his　expressive　eyebrows　but　he　hadn't　raised　the　matter　later　when　they　were　alone。　Neither　had　Jehane。
　　Rodrigo　was　usually　outside　the　walls　through　the　autumn's　early；　mild　days；　leading　his　pany…or　parts　of　it…on　a　sequence　of　minor；　overdue　expeditions　designed　to　deal　with　outlaw　bands　to　the　northeast；　and　then　making　a　show　of　strength　in　the　small；　important　city　of　Fibaz；　by　the　pass　leading　to　Ferrieres。　Ragosa　controlled　Fibaz；　and　drew　taxes　from　it；　but　King　Bermudo　of　Jalona　had　increasingly　obvious　designs　upon　the　town。
　　He　had　already　made　his　first　tribute　demand；　the　parias　gold　being　exacted　from　Fezana　by　his　nephew　in　Valledo　serving　as　an　example。　The　Jaddites　were　growing　bold。　Remembering　that　moonlit　conversation　by　a　campfire；　Jehane　asked　Mazur　once　how　long　he　thought　Al…Rassan's　city…kings　could　survive。　He　hadn't　answered　that　question。
　　Rodrigo　had　made　it　explicit　that　he　wanted　Jehane　to　e　as　physician　with　his　pany　on　those　early　expeditions。　She　knew　he　saw　them　as　a　test　for　both　of　them。　It　wasn't　entirely　her　decision；　in　a　way。　She　could　have　accepted　or　refused；　but　did　not；　waiting　to　see　what　would　happen。　King　Badir　promised　his　newest　mercenary　leader　that　he　would　consider　the　matter；　and　then　promptly　increased　Jehane's　duties　at　court。　Mazur　was　controlling　that；　she　knew。　She　was　uncertain　whether　to　be　vexed　or　amused。　By　the　terms　of　her　engagement　she　was　free　to　leave　if　she　wanted；　but　they　were　determined　to　make　it　difficult。　Rodrigo；　in　and　out　of　the　city　through　the　autumn；　bided　his　time。
　　Husari　ibn　Musa　rode　with　him　on　several　of　those　expeditions。　Jehane's　former　patient　was　almost　unrecognizable。　No　longer　the　portly；　soft　merchant　he　had　been；　he　had　lost　a　great　deal　of　weight　in　a　season。　He　looked　a　younger；　harder　man　now。　The　kidney　stones　no　longer　vexed　him；　he　said。　He　could　ride　all　day；　and　had　been　learning　to　handle　a　sword　and　bow。　He　wore　a　wide…brimmed　Jaddite　leather　hat　now；　even　in　the　city。　Jehane　had　said　teasingly　that　he　and　Alvar　appeared　to　have　exchanged　cultures。　When　the　two　men　first　saw　each　other　they　laughed；　and　then　grew　thoughtful。
　　The　leather　Jaddite　hat　was　an　emblem　of　sorts　for　Husari；　Jehane　decided。　A　reminder。　He；　too；　had　sworn　an　oath　of　vengeance；　and　the　recollection　of　that　served　to　modify　her　surprise　at　the　changes　in　him。　He　was　still　actively　doing　business；　he　told　her　one　night　when　he　came　for　dinner　in　the　Kindath　Quarter；　as　he　used　to　e　to　her　father's　house。　His　factors　were　busy　all　over　Al…Rassan；　even　here　in　Ragosa；　he　added；　as　the　servant　Velaz　had　hired　poured　wine　for　them。　There　were；　simply；　other　priorities　for　him　now；　Husari　said。　Since　the　Day　of　the　Moat。　She'd　asked；　cautiously；　what　affairs　he　was　pursuing　in　Cartada；　but　that　question　he　had　deflected。
　　It　was　interesting；　Jehane　thought；　lying　in　bed　that　night：　all　these　men　who　trusted　her　had　certain　questions　they　would　not　answer。　Except　Alvar；　she　supposed。　She　was　fairly　certain　he　would　answer　anything　she　asked　him。　There　was　something　to　be　said　for　straightforwardness　in　a　world　of　oblique　intrigue。　She　had　Velaz　for　directness；　though。　She'd　always　had　Velaz。　More　of　a　blessing　than　she　deserved。　She　remembered　that　it　was　her　father　who　had　made　her　take　Velaz　when　she　left　home。
　　Amid　all　of　this；　the　king's　three　other　court　physicians　actively　hated　her。　That　was　to　be　expected。　A　woman；　and　a　Kindath；　and　preferred　by　the　chancellor？　Openly　coveted　by　the　most　celebrated　Jaddite　captain　for　his　pany？　She　was　lucky　they　hadn't　poisoned　her；　she　wrote　in　a　letter　to　Ser　Rezzoni　in　Sorenica。　She　asked　him　to　continue　writing　her　father。　She　said　there　was　reason　to　believe　there　might　now　be　a　reply。　She　wrote　home　herself　twice　a　week。　Letters　came　back。　Her　mother's　careful　handwriting；　in　slanted　Kindath　script；　but　her　father's　dictation　now；　some　of　the　time。　Small；　good　things；　it　seemed；　still　happened　in　the　world。
　　She　didn't　make　that　jest　about　being　poisoned　to　them；　of　course。　Parents　were　parents；　and　they　would　have　been　afraid　for　her。
　　
　　On　the　autumn　morning　when　Mazur's　messenger　brought　her　tidings　from　Cartada　and　bade　her　follow　him　to　court　that　jest　didn't　seem　particularly　witty　any　more。
　　Someone　had　been　poisoned；　it　appeared。
　　In　the　palace　of　Ragosa；　as　Jehane　arrived　and　made　her　way　to　the　Courtyard　of　the　Streams　where　the　king　was　awaiting　the　newly　arrived　visitor；　no　one's　thoughts　or　whispered　words　were　of　anything　else。
　　Almalik　of　Cartada；　the　self…styled　Lion　of　Al…Rassan；　was　dead；　and　the　lady　Zabira…more　his　widow　than　anything　else…had　arrived　unannounced　this　morning；　a　supplicant　to　King　Badir。　She　had　been　acpanied　only　by　her　steward　in　her　flight　through　the　mountains；　someone　whispered。
　　Jehane；　who　had　made　the　same　journey　with　only　two　panions；　wasn't　impressed　by　that。　But　neither　was　she　even　remotely　close　to　sorting　out　how　she　felt　about　the　larger　tidings。　She　was　going　to　need　a　long　time　for　that。　For　the　moment　she　could　only　grasp　the　essential　fact　that　the　man　she　had　vowed　to　kill　was　somehow　dead　at　Ammar　ibn　Khairan's　hand…the　story　was　not　yet　clear…and　the　woman　who　had　birthed　a　living　child　and　had　herself　survived　only　because　of　Jehane's　father　was　soon　to　enter　through　the　arches　at　the　far　end　of　this　garden。
　　Beyond　these　two　clear　facts　confusion　reigned　within　her；　mingled　with　something　close　to　pain。　She　had　left　Fezana　with　a　sworn　purpose；　and　had　proceeded　to　spend　the　past　months　in　this　city　enjoying　her　work　at　court；　enjoying…if　she　was　honest…the　flattering　attentions　of　an　immensely　civilized　man；　enjoying　the　determined　skirmishing　for　her　professional　services。　Taking　pleasure　in　her　life。　And　doing　nothing　at　all　about　Almalik　of　Cartada　and　the　promise　she'd　made　to　herself　on　the　Day　of　the　Moat。
　　Too　late　now。　It　would　always　be　too　late；　now。
　　She　stood；　as　was　her　custom；　on　the　margin　of　one　bank　of　the　stream；　not　far　from　Mazur's　position　at　the　king's　right　shoulder　on　the　island。　Wind…blown　leaves　were　falling　into　the　water　and　drifting　away。　As　many　times　as　she'd　been　in　this　garden；　by　daylight　and　under　torches　at　night；　Jehane　was　still　conscious　of　its　beauty。　In　autumn　only　the　late　flowers　still　bloomed；　but　the　falling　leaves　in　the　sunlight　and　those　yet　clinging　to　the　trees　were　brilliant；　many…colored。　She　was　aware　of　the　effect　this　garden　could　have　on　someone　seeing　it　for　the　first　time。
　　The　Courtyard　of　the　Streams　had　been　designed　and　contrived　years　ago。　The　same　stream　that　ran　through　the　banquet　hall　had　been　further　channelled　to　pass　through　this　garden　and　to　branch　into　two　forks；　creating　a　small　islet　in　the　midst　of　trees　and　flowers　and　marble　walkways　beneath　the　carved　arcades。　On　the　isle；　reached　by　two　arched　bridges；　the　king　of　Ragosa　now　sat　on　an　ivory　bench　with　his　most　honored　courtiers　beside　him。　Flanking　the　gently　curving　path　that　approached　one　of　the　bridges　members　of　Badir's　court　waited　in　the　autumn　sunshine　for　the　woman　who　had　e　to　Ragosa。
　　Birds　flitted　in　the　branches　overhead。　Four　musicians　played　on　the　far　bank　of　the　stream　that　ran　behind　the　isle。　Goldfish　swam　in　the　water。　It　was　cool；　but　pleasant　in　the　sun。
　　Jehane　saw　Rodrigo　Belmonte　on　the　other　side　of　the　garden；　among　the　military　men。　He　had　returned　from　Fibaz　two　nights　before。　His　eyes　met　hers；　and　she　felt　exposed　by　the　thoughtful　look　in　them。　He　had　no　right；　on　so　little　acquaintance；　to　be　regarding　her　with　such　appraisal。　She　abruptly　remembered　telling　him；　by　that　fireside　on　the　Fezana　plain；　that　she　intended　to　deal　with　Almalik　of　Cartada　herself。　That　made　her　think　of　Husari；　who　had　also　been　there　that　night；　who　had　shaped　the　same　intention　。。。　who　would　be　experiencing　much　the　same　difficult　tangle　of　thoughts　and　emotions　that　she　was。
　　If　someone　doesn't　do　it　before　either　of　us；　he　had　said　that　night。　Someone　had。
　　Husari　wasn't　here　now。　He　had　no　status　at　court。　She　hoped　there　would　be　a　chance　to　talk　with　him　later。　She　thought　of　her　father　in　Fezana；　and　what　had　been　done　to　him　by　the　king　now　slain。
　　Between　coral…colored　pillars　at　the　far　end　of　the　garden　a　herald　appeared；　in　green　and　white。　The　musicians　stopped。　There　was　a　brief　silence　then　a　bird　sang；　one　quick　trilling　run。　Bronze　doors　opened　and　Zabira　of　Cartada　was　announced。
　　She　entered　under　the　arches　of　the　arcade　and　waited　between　the　pillars　until　the　herald　moved　aside。　She　had　arrived　without　ceremony；　with　only　the　one　man；　her　steward；　two　steps　behind　her　for　escort。　Jehane　saw；　as　the　woman　approached　along　the　walkway；　that　there　had　been　nothing　at　all　exaggerated　in　the　reports　of　her　beauty。
　　Zabira　of　Cartada　was；　in　a　sense；　her　own　ceremony。　She　was　an　exquisite　supplicant　in　a　crimson…dyed；　black…bordered　gown　over　a　golden　undergown。　She　had　jewelry　at　wrist　and　throat　and　on　her　fingers；　and　there　were　rubies　set　in　the　soft；　night…black　silken　cap　she　wore。　They　gleamed　in　the　sunlight。　With　only　one　man　to　guard　her；　it　appeared　that　she　had　carried　an　extraordinary　treasure　through　the　mountains。　She　was　reckless　then；　or　desperate。　She　was　also　dazzling。　Fashions；　thought　Jehane；　were　about　to　change　in　Ragosa　if　this　woman　stayed　for　long。
　　Zabira　moved　forward　with　effortless；　trained　grace；　betraying　no　wonder　at　all　in　this　place；　and　then　sank　down　in　full　obeisance　to　Badir。　This　was　not；　evidently；　a　woman　for　whom　a　garden　or　courtyard；　even　one　such　as　this；　held　the　power　to　awe。　She　wouldn't　even　blink　at　the　stream　running　through　the　banquet　room；　Jehane　decided；　just　before　something　took　her　thoughts　in　another　direction　entirely。
　　Most　of　the　court　was　staring　at　Zabira　in　frank　admiration。　King　Badir　had　ceased　doing　so；　however；　in　the　moment　she　lowered　herself　to　the　ground　before　the　arched　bridge　leading　to　his　isle。　So；　too；　even　before　the　king；　had　his　chancellor。
　　A　high　cloud　slid　briefly　across　the　sun；　changing　the　light；　lending　a　swift　chill　to　the　air；　a　reminder　that　it　was　autumn。　At　this　moment　the　newest　physician　in　Ragosa；　following　the　king's　narrowed　glance　past　the　kneeling　woman；　encountered　a　difficulty　with　her　breathing。