ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第111章

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　　Ibero　said；　〃In　his　letters　home；　Ser　Rodrigo　did　say　that　his　pany　had　retained　the　services　of　a　physician。　A　woman。　A　Kindath　from　Fezana。　Jehane　bet　Ishak；　I　believe。　Perhaps　。。。　？〃
　　The　king　was　briskly　nodding　his　head。　〃That　would　make　sense。　Rodrigo　knew　we　might　be　ing。　He　would　be　guided　by　loyalty　if　she　is　part　of　his　pany。　Would　this　woman　still　have　family　in　Fezana？〃
　　〃I　would　not　know；　my　lord。〃
　　〃I　do。〃　It　was　Fernan；　speaking　with　assurance。　〃He　wrote　my　mother　about　that。　Her　father　was　a　physician　as　well；　and　still　lives　in　Fezana。〃
　　The　king　quickly　held　up　a　hand。　〃Ishak　of　Fezana？　Is　that　the　father？　The　one　blinded　by　Almalik？〃
　　Fernan　blinked。　〃I　don't　know　anything　about…〃
　　〃It　must　be！　That's　the　man　whose　treatise　the　queen's　doctor　read！　That　is　how　he　saved　her　life！〃　King　Ramiro's　eyes　gleamed。　〃By　Jad；　I　see　it　now。　I　know　what　is　happening。　Ser　Rodrigo　is　going　in；　but　he'll　be　ing　out　with　them　any　way　he　can。　He　needs　time　before　we　arrive。〃
　　〃You　will　tell　us　your　thinking；　I　hope；　my　lord？〃　Geraud　de　Chervalles　wore　an　expression　poised　between　pique　and　curiosity。
　　〃As　much　as　you　need　to　know；〃　the　king　of　Valledo　said　agreeably。　The　cleric　reddened。　The　king；　appearing　not　to　notice；　turned　to　Gonzalez　de　Rada。　〃Constable；　this　is　what　I　want　done；　and　I　want　it　done　swiftly　。。。　〃
　　King　Ramiro　seemed　to　be　extremely　good　at　giving　orders；　so　far　as　Diego　could　judge。　A　king　must　spend　most　of　his　time　telling　people　what　he　wanted　them　to　do；　he　supposed。　A　number　of　men　were　seen　riding　back　to　the　main　body　of　the　army　soon　afterwards。　He　and　Fernan　remained　with　the　king's　guard。
　　They　slowed　their　pace；　however。　And　shortly　before　day's　end；　at　a　place　to　which　one　of　the　outriders　led　them…a　stand　of　trees　within　sight　of　the　river　and　the　city　walls；　but　not　too　close　to　them…they　stopped；　taking　shelter　at　the　edge　of　the　trees。
　　King　Ramiro；　riding　gloves　in　one　hand；　walked　over；　unexpectedly　alone；　to　where　Diego　and　Fernan　and　Ibero　were　watering　their　horses。　He　gestured；　and　Diego　quickly　handed　his　horse's　reins　to　his　brother　and　followed。　Fernan　made　as　if　to　e　too；　but　the　king　held　up　a　finger　and　shook　his　head　and　Diego　watched　his　brother　stop；　crestfallen。
　　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　alone　with　the　king。　Kings　weren't　alone　very　often；　he　thought。
　　They　walked　through　the　stand　of　trees…beech　and　oak；　a　few　cypresses　like　sentries　at　the　edge　of　the　wood。　There　were　small　white　flowers　everywhere；　like　a　carpet　on　the　forest　floor。　Diego　wondered　how　they　grew　in　such　profusion　in　the　dark；　cool　shade。　They　came　to　a　place　near　the　eastern　end　of　the　woods　and　here　the　king　stopped。　He　turned　to　look　south　and　Diego　did　the　same。
　　In　the　light　of　the　setting　sun　they　could　see　the　gleam　of　the　Tavares　River。　Beyond　it　was　Fezana。　River　and　city　had　been　nothing　more　than　names　on　a　map　for　Diego　once；　tests　from　their　tutor：　〃Name　the　cities　owing　allegiance　at　this　time　to　the　king　of　Cartada。　Name　that　king。　Now　write　those　names；　and　spell　them　correctly。〃
　　Tavares。　Fezana。　Almalik。　Not　just　names　any　more。　He　was　in　Al…Rassan；　land　of　terror　and　legend。　Here　with　the　army　of　Valledo；　e　to　conquer。　To　reconquer；　for　all　of　this　had　once　been　their　own；　when　Esperana　was　a　name　of　power　in　the　world；　long　ago。
　　Truth　to　tell；　looking　out　at　those　massive　stone　walls　the　color　of　honey　in　the　slanting　light；　Diego　Belmonte　found　himself　wondering　how　even　this　king　and　this　army　dared　imagine　taking　such　a　city。　Nothing　in　his　experience…he　had　only　seen　Esteren　once；　and　then　Carcasia…could　pare　with　this　splendor。　Even　as　he　stood　looking　south；　his　image　of　Valledo　grew　smaller。
　　Rising　behind　the　walls　Diego　could　see　domes　gleaming　in　the　last　of　the　light。　Places　of　worship；　he　knew。　Shrines　to　beliefs　the　clerics　of　Jad　named　foul　and　evil。
　　They　looked　beautiful；　though；　to　Diego。
　　As　if　reading　his　thoughts　or　following　his　gaze；　the　king　said　softly；　〃The　two　nearer　domes…the　blue　and　white…are　those　of　the　Kindath　sanctuary。　The　silver　ones　that　shine；　the　larger　ones；　are　the　temples　of　Ashar。　At　sundown；　soon；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　hear　the　bells　for　prayer；　even　from　here。　I　remember　loving　that　sound。〃
　　The　king　had　spent　a　year　exiled　in　Al…Rassan；　Diego　knew。　Just　as；　earlier；　Raimundo　and　Diego's　own　father　had　been　exiled　by　King　Sancho　the　Fat　to　the　cities　of　the　infidels。　That　episode　was　part　of　their　family　history；　tangled　up　with　why　Rodrigo　wasn't　constable　of　Valledo　any　more。
　　Diego；　feeling　he　was　expected　to　say　something；　murmured；　〃My　father　ought　to　know　this　city　well　enough。　He's　been　here　before。〃
　　〃I　know　that；　Diego。　Do　you　think　you'll　be　able　to　tell　me　when　he　is　ing　out；　and　where？　There　will　have　to　be　a　way　out　through　the　walls。　The　gates　will　be　locked　by　now。〃
　　Diego　looked　up　at　his　king。　〃I'll　try。〃
　　〃We　need　some　warning。　I　want　to　be　there；　wherever　he　es　out。　Will　you　know　where　he's　going？　Which　part　of　the　city？〃
　　〃Sometimes　I　can　do　that。　Not　always。〃　Diego　felt　guilty　again。　〃I'm　sorry；　my　lord。　I　don't　。。。　I　can't　tell　very　well　what　I'll　see。　Sometimes　there's　nothing。　I'm　afraid　I'm　not　very…〃
　　A　hand　came　down　on　his　shoulder。　〃You　have　already　been　a　help　and　if　Jad　finds　us　both　worthy　you　will　be　again。　Believe　this。　I　am　not　saying　words　to　ease　you。〃
　　〃But　how；　my　lord？〃　Diego　knew　he　probably　shouldn't　ask　this　but　he　had　been　wondering　about　it　since　leaving　home。
　　The　king　looked　down　at　him　for　a　moment。　〃It　isn't　plex；　if　you　understand　war。〃　His　brow　furrowed　as　he　reached　for　words。　〃Diego；　think　of　it　this　way：　you　know　men　cannot　see　very　well　in　the　dark　of　night。　Think　of　war　as　all　taking　place　in　darkness。　During　battle　or　before　battle；　a　captain；　a　king；　knows　only　what　is　happening　next　to　him；　and　not　even　that　much　very　clearly。　But　if　I　have　you　with　me　and　I　have　your　father　manding　a　wing　of　my　army…and　by　Jad　I　hope　I　will　soon…then　you　can　tell　me　something　of　what　is　happening　where　he　is。　Anything　you　give　me　is　more　than　I　would　otherwise　have　had。　Diego；　you　can　be　my　beam　of　light；　like　a　gift　from　the　god；　to　see　by　in　darkness。〃
　　There　was　a　stirring　of　the　wind；　leaves　rustled。　Diego；　looked　up　at　his　king；　swallowing　hard。　It　was　odd；　but　in　that　moment　he　felt　both　larger　and　smaller　than　he　was。　He　looked　away；　abashed。　But　his　gaze　fell　once　more　upon　the　mighty　walls　and　gleaming　domes　of　Fezana　and　there　was　no　fort　there。
　　He　closed　his　eyes。　The　familiar　spinning　came。　He　reached　out　a　hand　and　braced　himself　against　a　tree。
　　Then　he　was　with　his　father；　and　aware　of　something　else　in　the　same　moment。　In　a　stillness　at　the　edge　of　a　wood　Diego　Belmonte　reached　out；　trying　to　serve　his　country　and　his　king；　and　he　found　himself　enmeshed　in　Fezana's　streets。　He　felt　danger　surrounding　his　father　like　a　ring　of　fire。
　　It　was　fire；　he　realized。
　　Heart　pounding；　eyes　still　closed；　concentrating　as　hard　as　he　could；　he　said；　〃There　are　torches　and　a　large　crowd。　People　running。　Houses　are　burning；　my　lord。　There　is　an　old　man　with　my　father。〃
　　〃Is　he　blind？〃　the　king　asked　quickly。
　　〃I　cannot　tell　that。　Everything　is　burning。〃
　　〃You're　right！　I　see　smoke　now。　In　Jad's　name；　what　are　they　doing　there？　Where　is　your　father　going？〃
　　〃My　lord；　I　cannot；　I　。。。　wait。〃
　　Diego　struggled　to　orient　himself。　He　never　saw　actual　faces　with　this　sight；　only　presences；　auras；　an　awareness　of　people；　with　his　father…or　mother；　or　brother…at　the　center。　He　sensed　tall　houses；　walls；　a　fountain。　A　press　of　running　figures。　Then　two　domes；　blue　and　white。　Behind　his　father。　East。　He　opened　his　eyes；　fought　the　dizziness；　looking　south。　He　pointed。
　　〃They　are　going　towards　a　place　in　the　walls　on　this　side　of　the　city。　There　must　be　a　way　out；　as　you　said。　There　is　fighting。　Why　is　there　fighting；　my　lord？〃
　　He　looked　anxiously　up　at　the　king。　Ramiro's　expression　was　grim。
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　can　only　guess。　If　your　father　is　with　ben　Yonannon　and　he　is　fighting；　then　it　may　be　the　Asharites　are　attacking　the　Kindath　in　th