ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第74章

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nd　that　this　was　spreading　to　the　other　cities　of　the　kingdom。　He　had　the　prostitutes　harassed　a　little　more　than　usual。　A　few　Jaddite　taverns　were　closed。　The　governor　quietly　augmented　his　own　stock　of　wine　from　the　confiscations　that　acpanied　this。　Such　actions　were　normal；　though　the　times　were　not。
　　The　Kindath　were　receiving　rather　more　vituperation　than　was　customary。　This　didn't　particularly　distress　him。　He　didn't　like　the　Kindath。　They　seemed　always　to　have　an　air…even　the　women…of　knowing　things　he　didn't。　Secrets　of　the　world。　The　future　mapped　in　their　wandering　moons。　This　made　him　nervous。　If　the　wadjis　chose　to　preach　against　the　Wanderers　more　ferociously　than　in　the　recent　past；　it　was　apparently　with　the　king's　approval　or　acceptance　and　the　governor　was　certainly　not　about　to　intervene。
　　He　had　graver　concerns　that　year。
　　Fezana　wasn't　fortifying　its　walls　or　adding　Muwardis　to　the　garrison　simply　to　keep　soldiers　busy。　There　was　a　mood　in　the　north　this　season　that　augured　ill　for　the　future；　whether　mapped　in　the　Kindath　moons　or　not。
　　Even　so；　the　governor；　being　deeply　cautious　by　nature；　couldn't　quite　believe　that　Ramiro　of　Valledo　would　be　foolish　enough　to　e　and　make　war　here；　laying　a　siege　so　far　from　his　own　lands。　Valledo　was　being　paid　parias　from　Fezana　twice　a　year。　Why　would　any　rational　man　risk　life　and　his　kingdom's　stability　to　conquer　a　city　that　was　already　filling　his　coffers　with　gold？　Among　other　things；　a　Valledan　army　ing　down　through　the　tagra　lands　meant　extreme　vulnerability　back　home…to　Jalona　or　Ruenda。
　　On　the　other　hand；　the　governor　had　heard　along　with　everyone　else　tidings　of　that　Jaddite　army　assembling　in　Batiara；　due　to　sail　east　this　spring　for　Ammuz　and　Soriyya。
　　That　sort　of　thing　could　set　a　very　bad　example；　the　governor　of　Fezana　thought。
　　Spring　came。　The　Tavares　rose　and　subsided　without　undue　flooding。　In　the　temples　Ashar　and　the　holy　stars　of　the　god　were　ritually　thanked　for　that。　Fields　made　rich　by　the　river　were　tilled　and　sown。　Flowers　bloomed　in　the　gardens　of　Fezana　and　outside　the　walls。　There　were　melons　and　cherries　in　the　market　and　on　his　table。　The　governor　was　fond　of　melon。
　　Word　came　down　through　the　tagra　lands　of　a　gathering　of　the　three　Jaddite　kings　in　Carcasia。
　　This　was　not　a　good　thing；　by　any　measure。　He　relayed　the　information　to　Cartada。　Almost　immediately　afterwards；　further　tidings　came　that　the　gathering　had　ended　in　violence；　after　an　attempt　on　the　life　of　either　the　king　or　queen　or　perhaps　the　constable　of　Valledo。
　　Information　from　the　north　was　seldom　clear；　sometimes　it　was　almost　useless。　This　was　no　exception。　The　governor　didn't　know　who；　if　anyone；　had　been　injured　or　killed；　or　who　was　behind　it。　He　passed　this　word　along　as　well；　however；　for　what　it　was　worth。
　　He　received　swift　messages　back　from　Cartada：　continue　work　on　the　walls；　store　up　food　and　drink。　Keep　the　wadjis　happy　and　the　Muwardis　in　good　order。　Post　watchmen　near　the　tagra　lands。　Be　endlessly　vigilant；　in　the　name　of　Ashar　and　the　kingdom。
　　None　of　this　was　reassuring。　He　did　all　of　these　things　petently　in　an　increasingly　nervous　city。　The　governor　discovered　that　he　wasn't　enjoying　his　melon　in　the　morning　as　much　as　he　was　wont　to　do。　His　stomach　seemed　to　be　vexing　him。
　　Then　the　child　died　in　the　tannery。
　　And　that　very　day　came　word　that　the　Valledan　army　had　been　seen。　South　of　the　tagra　lands；　in　Al…Rassan；　banners　flying。
　　An　army。　A　very　large　army；　ing　swiftly。　For　the　first　time　in　hundreds　of　years　the　Horsemen　of　Jad　were　riding　towards　his　city。　It　was　folly；　the　governor　thought　agitatedly。　Sheerest　folly！　What　was　King　Ramiro　doing？
　　And　what　could　a　prudent；　diligent　civil　servant　do　when　the　kings　of　the　world　went　mad？
　　Or　when　his　own　people　did；　that　same　day？
　　Sometimes　events　in　far…distant　places　speak　with　a　single　voice　of　a　changed　mood；　a　turning　of　the　world　towards　darkness　or　light。　It　was　remembered　long　years　afterwards　that　the　Kindath　massacres　in　Sorenica　and　Fezana　occurred　within　half　a　year　of　each　other。　One　was　achieved　by　Jaddite　soldiers　wild　with　boredom；　the　other　by　Asharite　citizens　in　a　frenzy　of　fear。　The　effects　were　not　dissimilar。
　　In　Fezana　it　began　with　a　child's　fever。　The　daughter　of　a　tanner；　one　ibn　Shapur；　contracted　an　illness　that　spring。　The　poorer　laborers　lived　nearest　to　the　river　and　in　the　flooding　season　sickness　was　mon；　especially　among　children　and　the　aged。
　　The　child's　parents；　unable　or　unwilling　to　pay　for　the　services　of　a　physician；　utilized　instead　the　ancient　remedy　of　placing　her　on　a　pallet　in　the　tannery　itself。　The　noxious　fumes　were　thought　to　drive　away　the　evil　presence　of　illness。　It　was　a　healing　that　had　been　in　use　for　centuries。
　　It　so　happened　that　day　that　a　Kindath　merchant；　ben　Mores　by　name；　was　at　the　tannery　buying　hides　for　export　to　the　east　by　way　of　Salos　then　down　the　coast　and　through　the　straits。
　　While　expertly　appraising　the　finished　and　unfinished　leathers　in　the　yard　he　heard　the　crying　child。　Informed　of　what　was　being　done；　the　Kindath　merchant　loudly　and　profanely　began　slandering　the　parents　of　the　girl　and　proceeded　to　stride　into　the　tannery　and　lay　hands　upon　the　child…which　was　forbidden。　Ignoring　protests；　he　carried　her　out　from　the　healing　place　and　into　the　chill　of　the　spring　air。
　　He　was　continuing　to　shout　imprecations　when　ibn　Shapur；　observing　his　small　daughter　being　dishonored　and　abducted　by　one　of　the　Kindath…knowing　that　this　evil　people　used　children's　blood　in　their　foul　rites；　ran　up　and　struck　the　merchant　on　the　head　from　behind　with　a　tanner's　hook；　killing　him　instantly。　It　was　mon　agreement　afterwards　that　ibn　Shapur　had　never　been　considered　a　violent　man。
　　The　child　fell　to　the　ground；　crying　piteously。　Her　father　picked　her　up；　accepted　the　grim　congratulations　of　his　fellows；　and　carried　her　back　into　the　tannery。　For　the　rest　of　the　day　the　Kindath　merchant's　body　was　left　where　it　had　fallen　in　the　yard。　Flies　gathered　upon　him　in　the　sun。　Dogs　came　over　and　licked　at　his　blood。
　　The　child　died；　just　before　sunset。
　　The　Kindath's　touch　had　cursed　her；　the　leather　workers　agreed；　lingering　after　work；　angrily　discussing　the　matter　in　the　yard。　She　had　been　surely　on　the　mend　before　that。　Children　died　when　Kindath　laid　hands　upon　them；　it　was　a　fact。　A　wadji　arrived　in　the　yard；　no　one　later　remembered　who　had　summoned　him。　When　informed　of　what　had　transpired　the　pious　man　threw　up　his　hands　in　horror。
　　Someone　pointed　out　at　about　that　point；　echoing　a　verse　widely　posted　and　recited　earlier　in　the　year；　that　none　of　the　Kindath　had　died　in　the　Day　of　the　Moat…not　one。　Only　good　Asharites。　They　are　a　poison　in　our　midst；　this　same　man　cried。　They　kill　our　children　and　our　leaders；　both。
　　The　body　of　the　slain　merchant　was　dragged　from　the　place　where　it　had　been　lying。　It　was　mutilated　and　abused。　The　wadji；　watching；　made　no　remonstration。　Someone　had　the　idea　of　decapitating　the　dead　man　and　throwing　his　corpse　into　the　moat。　The　head　was　cut　off。　The　crowd　of　tanners　left　their　yard；　carrying　the　body；　and　began　proceeding　towards　the　gate　nearest　the　moat。
　　While　crossing　the　city　the　leather　workers…quite　a　number　of　them　by　then…came　across　two　Kindath　women　buying　shawls　in　Weavers'　Lane　late　in　the　day。　It　was　the　man　who　had　recited　the　posted　poem　who　struck　one　of　them　across　the　face。　The　other　woman　had　the　temerity　to　strike　him　in　return。
　　An　unbeliever；　a　woman；　laying　hands　upon　one　of　Ashar's　Star…born？　It　was　not　to　be　endured。
　　Both　women　were　bludgeoned　to　death　in　front　of　the　shop　where　their　purchases　were　still　being　wrapped。　The　weaver　quietly　put　the　two　shawls　back　under　the　counter　and　pocketed　the　money　that　had　been　tendered。　She　then　closed　up　shop　for　the　day。　A　very　large　crowd　had　now　assembled。　After　the　briefest　hesitation；　the　two　women　had　their　heads　cut　off。　No　one　could　later　remember　clearly　who　had　actually　wielded　the　blades。
　　The　angry　crowd；　growing　larger　all　the　time；　began　streaming　towards　the　Gate　of　the　Moat　with　three　headless；　bleeding　Kindath　bodies。
　　On　the　way　there　they　met　another；　even　larger；　gathering。　This　crowd　was　in　the　market　square；　almost　filling　it。　It　was　not　a　market　day。
　　They　had　just　heard　tidings　from　the　north。　Jaddites　had　been　seen。　They　were　almost　upon　them。　An　army　from　Valledo；　ing　to　sack　and　burn　Fezana。
　　Without　any　person　ever　voicing　the　specific　suggestion…as　best　anyone　could　recall　afterwards…the　two　crowds　merged　into　one；　and　drew　others　to　their　mass；　and　they　turned；　together；　in　the　hour　before　sunset　and　the　rising　of　the　white　moon；　towards　the　gates　of　the　Kindath　Quarter。
　　The　governor　of　Fezana　received　advice　of　some　sort　of　uprising　among　the　tanners；　and　violence　done；　at　almost　the　same　moment　that　the　long…feared　word　of　Horsemen　thundering　south；　already　down　through　the　tagra；　also　reached　him。　He　would　have　greatly　preferred　that　these　tidings　remain　his　alone　for　a　time；　but　this　proved　impossible。　A　third　messenger　reported；　immediately　on　the　heels　of　the　first　two；　that　there　was　a　mob　gathered　in　the　marketplace　and　that　they　had　already　heard　the　news　from　the　north。
　　The　governor　thus　had　a　number　of　decisions　to　make　in　rapid　succession。　He　sent　two　separate　messengers　immediately　for　Cartada　and　another　to　Lonza。　It　had　been　agreed　that　part　of　the　Lonza　garrison　would　be　diverted　northwards　to　the　slopes　of　the　Tavares　Range　if　a　siege　actually　began　at　Fezana…they　could　partly　forestall　Jaddite　raids　south　of　the　river。　Food　for　a　besieging　army；　or　the　absence　of　it；　was　often　the　key　to　a　siege。
　　The　governor　also　sent　an　aide　running　for　certain　documents　that　had　long　since　been　prepared　for　him。　More　than　three　years　ago；　in　fact；　Almalik　I　of　Cartada；　who　had　been　a　governor　before　he　was　a　monarch　（the　thought　was　an　enduring　distraction）；　had　recorded　with　his　generals　and　advisors　some　plans　to　be　followed　in　the　event　of　a　siege　of　Fezana。　Consulting　these　written　instructions；　which　had　not　been　superseded；　the　governor　noted　with　trepidation　the　boldest　element　of　them。　He　hesitated　for　a　time；　then　elected　to　trust　to　the　wisdom　of　the　dead　king。　Orders　were　given　to　the　most　senior　Muwardi　in　the　room。　The　man's　veiled　face　revealed　nothing；　of　course。　He　left　immediately；　to　assemble　the　men　required。
　　All　of　this；　and　other　associated　mands；　took　some　little　while。　As　a　consequence；　by　the　time　another　messenger　arrived　to　report　that　an　extremely　large　number　of　people　were　now　heading　towards　the　Kindath　Gates　carrying　torches；　the　governor　was　lagging　uncharacteristically　behind　the　sweep　of　events　in　his　city。　The　torches　spurred　him　to　action；　though。　It　was　not　yet　dark；　torches　were　not　needed　for　light。　What　was　the　good　of　defending　against　the　Valledans　if　they　burned　down　their　own　city？　Ashar　and　the　stars　knew　he　had　no　love　for　the　Kindath；　but　if　that　Quarter　was　fired；　the　whole　city　could　go　up。　Wooden　walls　knew　nothing　of　the　boundaries　of　faith。　The　governor　ordered　the　mob　dispersed。
　　It　was　the　proper　thing　to