ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第57章

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cusations；　savage　and　explicit；　were　levelled。　Swords　were　drawn　in　the　castle　hall。
　　Seventeen　men　died　in　the　fighting　there。　Only　the　courageous　intervention　of　the　three　clerics　from　Ferrieres；　striding　unarmed　and　bare…headed　into　the　midst　of　a　bloody　melee；　their　sun　disks　held　high；　prevented　worse。
　　It　was　remembered；　afterwards；　that　the　party　from　Jalona　had　dined　by　themselves　that　evening；　conspicuously　absent　from　the　scene　of　the　affray；　as　if　anticipating　something。　Wholesale　slaughter　among　the　courtiers　of　the　other　two　kings　could　only　be　of　benefit　to　King　Bermudo；　it　was　agreed　sourly。　Some　of　the　Valledans　offered　darker　thoughts；　but　there　was　nothing　to　substantiate　these。
　　In　the　morning　Bermudo　of　Jalona　and　his　queen　sent　a　herald　to　King　Ramiro　with　a　formal　leavetaking　and　their　prayers　for　the　survival　of　the　queen…word　was；　she　had　not　yet　passed　to　the　god。　Then　they　rode　towards　the　rising　sun　with　all　their　pany。
　　The　king　and　queen　and　surviving　courtiers　of　Ruenda　had　already　left…in　the　middle　of　the　night；　after　the　fighting　in　the　hall。　Stealing　guiltily　away　like　horse　thieves；　some　of　Ramiro's　courtiers　said；　though　the　more　pragmatic　noted　that　they　had　been　on　Valledan　ground　here　and　in　real　peril　of　their　lives。　It　was　also　pointed　out；　by　some　of　the　most　level…headed；　that　hunting　accidents　were　a　fact　of　life；　and　that　Queen　Ines　was　far　from　the　first　to　be　wounded　in　this　fashion。
　　A　majority；　however；　among　the　courtiers　of　Valledo　were　ready　to　pursue　the　Ruendan　party　west　along　the　Duric's　banks　as　soon　as　the　word　was　given…but　the　constable　gave　no　such　order；　and　the　king　was　still　closeted　with　his　queen　and　her　new　physician。
　　Those　who　attended　upon　them　reported　that　the　queen　appeared　much　improved…that　she　was　likely　to　survive。　There　was；　however；　a　new　report　that　poison　had　been　used　on　the　arrow。
　　All　things　considered；　King　Ramiro's　ensuing　behavior…it　was　three　days　before　he　showed　his　face　outside　the　queen's　bedchamber　or　the　adjoining　room；　which　he　used　as　a　temporary　counsel　chamber…was　viewed　as　erratic　and　even　unmanly。　It　was　clearly　time　to　order　a　pursuit　of　the　Ruendan　party　before　they　reached　the　nearest　of　their　own　forts。　Notwithstanding　the　presence　of　the　clerics；　there　was　enough；　surely；　to　suggest　that　Ruendan　fingers　had　drawn　that　bow；　and　holy　Jad　knew　that　revenge　needed　little　excuse　in　Esperana。
　　Among　other　things；　it　had　e　to　light　by　then…no　one　was　certain　how…that　King　Sanchez　had　had　the　audacity　to　draft　a　letter　asserting　authority　over　and　demanding　tribute　from　Fezana。　That　letter　had　not；　apparently；　been　sent　yet…winter　had　barely　ended；　after　all…but　rumor　of　the　demand　was　rife　in　Carcasia　in　the　days　following　the　Ruendan　departure。　The　city　of　Fezana　paid　parias　to　Valledo　and　every　person　in　the　castle　knew　the　implications　of　a　counter…demand。
　　It　was　also　pointed　out　by　observant　men　that　King　Sanchez　himself…known　to　be　one　of　the　finest　archers　in　the　three　kingdoms…had　been　conspicuously　errant　with　his　own　arrows　for　the　two　days　before　the　morning　of　falconry。　Could　that　unwonted　inpetence　have　been　a　screen？　A　deliberate　contrivance；　in　the　event　someone　did　trace　a　lethal　arrow　back　to　him？
　　Had　the　arrow　been　meant　for　his　brother？　Had　those　days　of　poor　shooting　produced　a　last　aberrant　flight　when　a　true　one　had　finally　been　intended？　It　would　not；　the　most　cynical　found　themselves　thinking；　necessarily　have　been　the　first　time　one　of　the　sons　of　Sancho　the　Fat　had　slain　another。　No　one　voiced　that　particular　thought；　however。
　　The　untimely　death　of　Raimundo；　the　eldest　son；　was　not　something　that　could　yet　be　forgotten。　It　was　remembered　that　among　a　grimly　silent　gathering　of　courtiers　that　day　long　ago；　the　hard　questions　raised　by　young　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　Raimundo's　constable；　had　been　specific；　shocking。
　　Ser　Rodrigo　was　far　away　now；　exiled　among　the　infidels。　His　well…born　wife　and　young　sons　had；　in　fact；　been　invited　to　be　among　the　Valledan　pany　here；　but　Miranda　Belmonte　d'Alveda　had　declined；　pleading　distance　and　responsibilities　in　the　absence　of　her　lord。　De　Chervalles；　the　cleric　from　Ferrieres；　had　expressed　some　disappointment　at　this　news　when　it　came。　He　was　said　to　be　a　connoisseur　of　women　and　Ser　Rodrigo's　wife　was　a　celebrated　beauty。
　　Jad　alone　knew　what　the　Captain　would　have　said　and　done　today　had　he　been　here。　He　might　have　told　the　king　this　injury　to　the　queen　was　the　god's　punishment　for　Ramiro's　own　evildoing　years　ago。　Or　he　might　as　easily　have　pursued　the　king　of　Ruenda…alone；　if　necessary…and　brought　his　head　back　in　a　sack。　Rodrigo　Belmonte　had　never　been　an　easy　man　to　anticipate。
　　Neither　was　Ramiro　of　Valledo；　mind　you。
　　
　　When　the　king　finally　emerged　from　his　meetings　with　Geraud　de　Chervalles　and　Count　Gonzalez　and　a　number　of　his　military　captains　anticipation　ran　wild　in　Carcasia。　Finally；　they　might　be　going　after　the　Ruendan　scum。　The　provocation　was　there：　even　the　clerics　could　be　made　to　see　that。　It　was　past　time　for　Valledo　to　move　west。
　　No　mands　came。
　　Ramiro　appeared　from　those　meetings　with　a　sternly　resolute　expression。　So　did　the　men　with　whom　he　had　been　speaking。　No　one　said　a　word；　though；　as　to　what　had　transpired。　It　was　noted　that　de　Chervalles；　the　cleric；　shocked　and　sobered　as　he　might　be　by　what　had　happened；　did　not　look　censorious。
　　King　Ramiro　seemed　subtly　changed；　with　a　new　manner　that　unsettled　his　courtiers。　He　appeared　to　be　reaching　inward　for　strength　or　resolution。　Perhaps　he　was　nurturing　the　desire　for　bloodshed；　someone　suggested。　Men　could　understand　that。　Spring　was　the　time　for　war　in　any　case；　and　war　was　where　a　brave　man　found　his　truest　sense　of　life。
　　Still　no　one　was　certain　what　was　afoot。　The　king　showed　no　signs　of　leaving　Carcasia　for　Esteren。　Messengers　went　out　in　all　directions。　A　single　herald　was　sent　west　along　the　river　towards　Ruenda。　Only　a　herald。　No　army。　Men　cursed　in　the　taverns　of　Carcasia。　No　one　knew　what　message　he　carried。　Another　small　party　set　out　east。　One　of　them　told　a　friend　they　were　bound　for　the　ranching　lands　where　the　horses　of　Valledo　were　bred。　No　one　knew　what　to　make　of　that　either。
　　Through　the　ensuing　days　and　then　weeks；　the　king　remained　inscrutable。　He　hunted　most　mornings；　though　in　a　distracted　fashion。　He　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　with　the　queen；　as　if　her　passage　near　to　death　had　drawn　the　two　of　them　closer。　The　constable　was　a　busy　man；　and　he　too　offered　no　hint；　by　word　or　expression；　of　what　was　happening。　Only　the　High　Cleric　from　Ferrieres　could　be　seen　to　be　smiling　when　he　thought　he　was　unobserved；　as　if　something　he'd　thought　lost　had　been　unexpectedly　found。
　　
　　Then；　as　the　spring　ripened　and　flowers　bloomed　in　the　meadows　and　the　forest　clearings；　the　Horsemen　of　Valledo　began　to　ride　into　Carcasia。
　　They　were　the　finest　riders　in　the　world；　on　the　finest　horses；　and　they　came　armed　and　equipped　for　war。　As　more　and　more　of　them　appeared；　it　slowly　became　apparent；　to　even　the　dullest　courtier　in　Carcasia；　what　was　taking　place。
　　An　air　of　disbelief　mingled　with　a　trembling　excitement　began　to　pervade　the　city　and　castle　as　the　soldiers　continued　to　gather；　pany　after　pany。　Men　and　women　who　had　been　markedly　lax　in　their　observances　for　some　time；　if　not　all　their　lives；　began　to　be　seen　at　the　services　in　Carcasia's　ancient　chapel；　built　in　those　long…ago　days　when　Esperana　had　ruled　all　of　the　peninsula；　not　just　the　northlands。
　　At　those　services；　frequently　led　by　the　High　Cleric　from　Ferrieres；　the　king　of　Valledo　and；　after　she　was　allowed　to　leave　her　rooms；　his　queen　were　present；　morning　and　evening；　kneeling　side　by　side　in　prayer；　sun　disks　of　the　god　clasped　in　their　hands。
　　Over　a　span　of　centuries；　the　golden；　fabulously　wealthy　khalifs　of　Al…Rassan　had　led　their　armies　thundering　north；　irresistible　as　the　sea；　to　raid　and　enslave　the　Jaddites　cowering　at　the　hard　fringes　of　a　land　that　had　once　been　their　own。　Year　after　year　after　year；　back　beyond　the　memories　of　men。
　　The　last；　weak　puppet　khalif　in　Silvenes　had　been　slain；　though；　nearly　sixteen　years　ago。　There　were　no　khalifs　any　more。
　　It　was　time　to　start　rolling　back　the　tide　the　other　way；　in　Jad's　fierce；　bright；　holy　name。
　　
　　Eliane　bet　Danel；　wife　to　a　physician　and　mother　of　one；　was　not　unused　to　strangers　speaking　to　her　in　the　street。　She　was　known　in　the　city；　and　her　husband　and　daughter　had　both　had　a　great　many　patients　over　the　years　here　in　Fezana。　Some　might　wish　to　express　gratitude；　others　to　seek　a　speedy　or　a　less　expensive　access　to　the　doctor。　Eliane　had　learned　to　deal　briskly　with　both　sorts。
　　The　woman　who　stopped　her　on　a　cool　market　morning　in　the　early　spring　of　that　year　fell　into　neither　category。　In　fact；　Eliane　was　later　to　reflect；　this　marked　the　first　time　in　her　life　she'd　ever　been　accosted　by　a　prostitute　of　either　sex。
　　〃My　lady；〃　the　woman　said；　without　stepping　from　the　shaded　side　of　the　lane；　and　speaking　much　more　politely　than　was　customary　for　an　Asharite　addressing　a　Kindath；　〃might　I　have　a　moment　only　of　your　time？〃
　　Eliane　had　been　too　surprised　to　do　more　than　nod　and　follow　the　woman…a　girl；　truly；　she　realized…further　back　into　the　shadows。　A　small　alleyway　ran　off　the　lane。　Eliane　had　e　this　way　twice　a　week　for　much　of　her　life　and　had　never　noticed　it。　There　was　a　smell　of　decay　here；　and　she　saw　what　she　hoped　were　small　cats　moving　quickly　about　further　along　the　alley。　She　wrinkled　her　nose。
　　〃I　hope　this　isn't　where　you　do　business；〃　she　said　in　her　crispest　tones。
　　〃Used　to　be；　up　above；〃　the　girl　said　carelessly；　〃before　they　moved　us　outside　the　walls。　Sorry　about　the　smell。　I　won't　keep　you　long。〃
　　〃I'm　sure；〃　Eliane　said。　〃How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃You　can't。　Your　daughter　has；　though；　most　of　us；　one　way　or　another。　That's　why　I'm　here。〃
　　Eliane　liked　things　to　be　as　clear　as　possible。　〃Jehane；　my　daughter；　has　treated　you　medically；　is　that　what　you　are　saying？〃
　　〃That's　it。　And　she's　been　good　to　us；　too。　Almost　a　friend；　if　that　doesn't　shame　you。〃　She　said　it　with　a　youthful　defiance　that　touched　Eliane　unexpectedly。
　　〃It　doesn't　shame　me；〃　she　said。　〃Jehane　has　good　judgment　in　whom　she　befriends。〃
　　That　surprised　the　girl。　As　Eliane's　eyes　adjusted　further　to　the　darkness　here；　she　saw　that　the　woman　with　whom　she　spoke　was　thin…boned　and　small；　no　more　than　fifteen　or　sixteen　years　old；　and　that　she　was　wrapped　only　in　a　torn　shawl　over　a　faded　green　knee…length　tunic。　Not　nearly　enough　for　a　day　this　cold　and　windy。　She　almost　said　something　about　that；　but　kept　silent。
　　〃I　wanted　to　tell　you；　there's　trouble　ing；〃　the　girl　said　abruptly。　〃For　the　Kindath；　I　mean。〃
　　Eliane　felt　something　icy　slide　into　her。　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　she　said；　involuntarily　looking　over　her　shoulder；　back　where　the　sunlight　was；　where　people　were　moving；　and　might　be　listening。
　　〃We're　hearing　things；　outside。　From　the　men　that　e。　There's　been　sheets　posted　on　walls。　A　nasty　poem。　A　。。。　what　do　they　call　it　。。。　an　allegation。　About　the　Kindath　and　the　Day　of　the　Moat。　Nuna