ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第46章

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　　〃Of　course；〃　Rodrigo　said。　She　detected　a　note　of　placency。　〃He　knows　how　to　do　this。　What　do　you　think　we　are？〃
　　Ammar　grinned　at　that；　the　white　teeth　flashing。　〃Valiant　Horsemen　of　Jad；〃　he　said。　〃The　same　as　the　ones　being　butchered　down　below。〃
　　〃Not　quite；〃　Rodrigo　replied；　refusing　to　be　baited。　〃Not　quite　the　same。　You'll　see。　e　on；　Jehane。　Can　you　control　your　smoldering　enough　to　get　down　from　here？〃
　　She　would　have　hit　him　with　something；　but　by　then　the　sounds　of　men　and　their　horses　in　the　darkness　beyond　the　north　end　of　the　valley　were　appalling　and　she　followed　her　two　panions　down　in　silence。
　　
　　〃We　kill　anyone　who　es　out　from　the　defile；〃　Lain　Nunez　said　flatly　when　he　gave　the　mand　to　ride。　〃No　surrender　accepted。　Treat　both　parties　as　enemies。　We　are　seriously　outnumbered　here。〃
　　Alvar　was　intimidated　by　the　grimness　in　the　old　warrior's　face　as　he　gave　his　orders。　It　was　no　secret　that　Lain　had　always　thought　this　intricate；　many…layered　plan　to　be　foolish　and　unworkable。　But　with　Mazur　ben　Avren　in　Ragosa；　Ser　Rodrigo　and　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　all　vying　to　outdo　each　other　in　subtlety　the　scheme　had　acquired　so　many　nuances　as　to　be　almost　inprehensible。　Alvar　had　long　ago　given　up　trying　to　follow　what　was　happening。
　　He　understood　no　more　than　the　essence：　they　had　made　certain　that　a　notorious　outlaw　leader　knew　about　the　Fibaz　gold。　They　wanted　him　to　e　after　the　parias。　King　Badir　had　delayed　agreeing　to　payment　of　the　gold　to　Jalona　until　as　late　in　the　year　as　possible　to　give　this　outlaw　time　to　act；　if　he　chose。
　　Then；　after　a　lone　messenger　had　arrived　from　the　south　one　night；　Rodrigo　and　ibn　Khairan　had　led　fifty　of　the　Valledans　out　from　Ragosa　the　next　morning　in　a　cold　rain　on　the　brink　of　winter。　No　banners；　no　identifying　emblems；　not　even　their　own　horses…they　rode　nondescript　mounts　from　Ragosa。　They　had　passed　like　ghosts　through　the　countryside；　heading　east；　twenty　of　them　at　any　time　scattering　to　watch　for　the　movement　of　panies　of　men。
　　It　was　Martin；　predictably；　who　had　spotted　the　outlaw　band　ing　north。　The　Captain　and　ibn　Khairan　had　smiled　then；　old　Lain　had　not。　From　that　point　on　the　bandit　chieftain's　progress　had　been　carefully　monitored　all　the　way　to　this　valley。　He　had　about　eighty　men。
　　The　Jalonans；　led　by　a　Count　Nino　di　Carrera…not　a　name　Alvar　knew…were　already　in　Fibaz；　east　and　south　of　where　the　outlaws　waited。　Di　Carrera　had　a　hundred　men；　superbly　mounted；　by　report。
　　When　word　came　of　where　the　ambush　was　being　laid；　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　had　smiled　again。　Rain　had　been　falling　that　day　too；　dripping　from　hat　brims　and　into　the　collars　of　overtunics　and　cloaks。　The　cart　roads　and　fields　were　already　turning　to　winter's　thick　mud；　treacherous　for　the　horses。
　　〃The　Emin　ha'Nazar？　That　old　fox；〃　ibn　Khairan　had　said。　〃He　would　do　it　in　the　valley。　Truly；　I　shall　be　a　little　sorry　if　we　must　kill　him。〃
　　Alvar　was　still　not　sure　how　he　felt　about　the　lord　Ammar　ibn　Khairan。
　　Jehane　liked　him；　he　was　fairly　certain　of　that…which　plicated　matters。　Her　presence　on　this　ride　was　plication　enough。　He　worried　about　her　in　the　cold　and　the　rain；　sleeping　in　a　tent　on　damp　or　frozen　ground；　but　she　said　nothing；　offered　no　plaint；　rode　a　horse…normally　forbidden　the　Kindath；　of　course…surprisingly　well。　She　had　learned　in　Batiara；　he　discovered。　It　appeared　that　in　Batiara　any　number　of　normally　forbidden　things　could　be　done。
　　〃What　is　that　valley？〃　Rodrigo　had　asked　ibn　Khairan。　〃Tell　me　all　you　know　about　it。〃
　　The　two　of　them　had　walked　off　together　into　the　mist；　talking　quietly；　so　Alvar　heard　no　more。　He　had　happened　to　be　watching　Lain　Nunez's　face；　and　from　the　older　man's　expression　had　grasped　a　part　of　why　Lain　was　so　unhappy　on　this　winter　expedition。　Alvar　wasn't　the　only　man　here　feeling　displaced　by　recent　developments。
　　Nonetheless；　Lain's　disapproval　seemed　unwarranted　in　the　end。　Even　with　all　the　plexity　and　the　need　for　absolute　secrecy　of　movement；　it　had　all　e　together　after　all；　here　at　this　strange；　high；　echoing　valley。　There　was　even　sunshine　today；　the　air　bright　and　very　cold。
　　Alvar　had　been　part　of　the　first　small　group　that　had　run　up…no　horses　allowed；　by　ibn　Khairan's　orders…to　close　the　southern　entrance　to　the　valley　after　the　Jalonans　had　gone　through。　They　were　posing　as　outlaws；　he　understood　that　much：　as　part　of　the　same　band　lying　in　ambush　to　the　north。　And　they　were　meant　to　be　seen　by　the　Jalonan　outriders。
　　They　were。　Martin　spotted　the　two　scouts　in　plenty　of　time　to　have　killed　them　had　they　wanted　to。　They　didn't　want　to。　For　whatever　reason　in　this　indecipherable　scheme；　they　were　to　allow　the　scouts　to　see　them　and　then　race　back　into　the　valley　to　report。　It　was　very　hard　to　puzzle　out。　It　was　made　even　harder　for　Alvar　because　all　through　the　tense　movements　of　the　morning　he　had　been　forced　to　listen　to　Jehane's　voice　from　high　on　the　slopes　as　she　moaned　her　desire　for　the　yellow…haired　Jalonan　mander　in　the　valley　ahead　of　them。　He　didn't　like　that　part　at　all；　though　most　of　the　others　seemed　to　find　it　killingly　funny。
　　By　the　time　Lain　Nunez　gave　the　order　to　ride…the　horses　had　been　brought　up　the　moment　the　two　scouts　left…Alvar　was　in　a　mood　to　do　injury　to　someone。　It　did　cross　his　mind；　as　they　galloped　north　in　the　wintry　sunlight；　that　he　was　about　to　kill　Jaddites　in　an　Asharite　cause。　He　tried　not　to　let　that　bother　him。　He　was　a　mercenary；　after　all。
　　
　　Nino　was　wearing　good　armor。　One　arrow　hit　his　chest　and　was　turned　away；　another　grazed　his　unprotected　calf；　drawing　blood。　Then　his　horse；　moving　too　quickly；　trod　on　emptiness　and　fell　into　a　pit。
　　It　screamed　as　it　impaled　itself　upon　the　forest　of　stakes　below。　The　screaming　of　a　horse　is　a　terrible　sound。　Nino　di　Carrera；　lithe　and　desperate；　hurled　himself　from　the　saddle　even　as　the　horse　was　falling。　He　grabbed　for　the　near　wall　of　the　pit；　clutched；　held；　and　hauled　himself　out。　Just　in　time　to　be　nearly　trampled　by　the　mount　of　one　of　his　men；　veering　frantically　around　the　death　pit。
　　He　took　a　kick　in　the　ribs　and　sprawled　on　the　frozen　ground。　He　saw　another　horse　ing　and　rolled；　agonizingly；　away　from　flailing　hooves。　He　fought　for　air。　The　breath　had　been　knocked　out　of　him　and　his　ears　were　ringing；　but　Nino　found　that　all　limbs　were　intact。　Gasping；　wheezing；　he　could　move。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　only　to　discover　that　he'd　lost　his　sword　in　the　pit。　There　was　a　dead　man　beside　him　with　an　arrow　in　his　throat。　Nino　seized　the　soldier's　blade；　ignoring　the　pain　in　his　ribs；　and　looked　around　for　someone　to　kill。
　　No　shortage　of　candidates。　Outlaws　were　pouring　down　from　the　slopes　on　either　side　of　the　defile。　At　least　thirty　of　Nino's　men…probably　more…were　down；　dead　or　crippled　by　the　spear　trap　and　the　volley　of　arrows。　That　still　left　a　good　number　of　Horsemen；　though；　and　these　were　Asharite　bandits　opposing　them；　offal；　dogs；　food　for　dogs。
　　Holding　a　hand　to　his　side；　Nino　roared　his　defiance。　His　men　heard　him　and　cheered。　He　looked　around　for　Edrique。　Saw　him　battling　three　men；　fighting　to　maneuver　his　horse　in　the　narrow　space。　Even　as　Nino　watched；　one　of　the　bandits　ducked　in　under　the　legs　of　Edrique's　mount　and　stabbed　upwards。　A　peasant's　way　to　fight；　knifing　horses　from　below。　It　worked；　though。　Edrique's　stallion　reared　up　on　its　hind　legs；　screaming　in　pain　as　the　man　with　the　short　sword　scrambled　away。
　　Nino　saw　his　second…in…mand　beginning　to　slide　in　the　saddle。　He　was　already　sprinting　towards　him。　The　second　outlaw；　waiting　for　Edrique　to　fall；　never　knew　what　killed　him。　Nino's　swinging　sword；　white　rage　driving　it；　hewed　the　man's　unhelmed　head　from　his　shoulders。　It　landed　in　the　grass　a　distance　away　and　rolled　like　a　ball。　The　blood　that　fountained　from　the　headless　torso　spattered　them　all。
　　Nino　roared　in　triumph。　Edrique　swung　his　feet　free　of　the　stirrups　to　fall　free　of　the　maimed　horse。　He　was　up　on　his　feet　instantly。　The　two　men　exchanged　a　fierce　glance　then　fought　together；　side　by　side　in　that　dark　defile；　two　of　Jad's　holy　warriors　against　legions　of　the　infidels。
　　Against　bandits；　really；　and　as　he　swung　his　sword　again　and　again　and　strove　to　carve　a　space　to　advance；　Nino　abruptly　reclaimed　the　thought　he　had　found　and　then　lost　earlier。
　　It　chilled　him；　even　amid　the　clotted；　sweating　chaos　of　battle：　whoever　his　outriders　had　seen　ing　up　south　of　the　valley　couldn't　have　been　part　of　this　ambush。　It　was　so　obvious。　Where　had　his　mind　been？　No　one　laid　a　death　trap　like　this　and　then　split　his　forces。
　　Struggling　for　understanding　again；　Nino　tried　to　get　some　sense　of　what　was　happening；　but　the　narrow　ground　between　the　steep　slopes　meant　that　the　fighting　was　desperately　close；　hand…to…hand；　fists　and　knives　and　shoulders　as　much　as　swords。　No　chance　to　step　back　and　evaluate　anything。　They　were　spared　the　arrows　now。　With　their　own　men　entangled　with　the　Jaddites；　the　bandits　could　not　shoot。
　　The　mules！　Nino　suddenly　remembered　the　gold。　If　they　lost　that　there　was　no　point　to　anything　else。　He　hammered　his　metal…clad　forearm　into　a　bandit's　face　and　felt　bones　crunch　with　the　blow。　With　a　moment's　respite　he　looked　quickly　around　and　spotted　a　cluster　of　his　men　ringing　the　gold。　Two　of　the　mules　were　down：　the　cowards　had　shot　at　the　animals　again。
　　〃Over　there！〃　he　shouted　to　Edrique；　gesturing。　〃Fight　over　that　way！〃
　　Edrique　nodded　his　head　and　turned。　Then　he　fell。　Someone　jerked　a　sword　out　from　his　ribs。
　　In　the　space　where　his　second…in…mand　had　stood　a　moment　before；　a　brave；　petent；　living　man；　Nino　saw　an　apparition。
　　The　man　who　had　killed　Edrique　had　to　be　at　least　sixty　years　old。　He　was　built　like　an　ox；　though；　massive　and　thick…muscled；　broad…shouldered；　heavy…browed；　a　huge；　ugly　head。　He　was　dripping　with　blood。　His　long；　snarled　white　beard　was　dyed　and　clotted　with　it；　blood　streamed　from　his　bald　head　and　had　soaked　the　dun…colored　clothing　and　leather　armor　he　wore。　The　man；　eyes　wild　with　battle　lust；　levelled　his　red　sword　at　Nino。
　　〃Surrender　or　you　will　die！〃　he　roared　in　crude　Esperanan。　〃We　grant　ransoming　if　you　yield！〃
　　Nino　glanced　past　the　outlaw。　Saw　the　ring　of　his　men　still　holding　around　the　mules。　Many　dead；　but　more　of　their　foes　fallen　in　front　of　them…and　his　pany　were　soldiers；　the　best　Jalona　had。　The　old　man　was　bluffing；　taking　Nino　for　a　coward　and　a　fool。
　　〃Jad　rot　you！〃　Nino　screamed；　his　throat　scraped　raw。　He　cut　viciously　on　the　backhand　against　the　other　man's　blade　and　drove　the　blood…soaked　figure　back　a　step　with　the　sheer　force　of　his　rage。　Another　outlaw　rushed　up　on　Nino's　left；　Nino　twisted　under　his　too…high　sword　stroke　and　swept　his　own　blade　back　across　and　down。　He　felt　it　bite　into　flesh。　A　red　joy　filled　him。　His　victim　made　a　sloppy；　wet　sound　and　fell　to　the　frosted　earth。
　　The　white…bearded　outlaw　froze　for　a　moment；　screaming　a　name；　and　Nino　used　that　hesitation　to　ram　straight　into　him　and　then　past；　as　the　man　gave　way；　to　where　most　of　his　remaining　men　were　ferociously　defending　the　gold。　He　stumbled　into　their　ranks；　greeted　with　glad；　fierce　cries；　and　he　turned；　snarling；