ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第119章

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　　〃I　imagine　so。　I　propose　to　give　him；　unfortunately；　even　greater　cause　for　regret。〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　It　was　like　a　dance；　Jehane　thought；　this　formality　screening　things　so　much　deeper　than　words　could　go。　She　stood　by　young　Alvar；　listening；　and　stopped　even　pretending　to　examine　his　shoulder。　It　was　too　dark　here；　in　any　case。
　　〃I　believe　I　have　sufficient　authority　to　make　you　a　proposal　on　behalf　of　the　king　of　Valledo。〃
　　He　was　right；　Jehane　thought。　How　had　Ammar　known；　so　surely？　No　answer　to　that；　except　to　remember　who　and　what　he　was。　What　they　both　were。　In　the　wind　from　the　north　she　could　feel　something　swiftly　approaching　its　end。
　　Ammar　said；　〃I　am　always　interested　in　proposals。　And　yours　have　ever　been　intriguing。〃
　　Rodrigo　hesitated；　choosing　words。　〃As　we　stand　here；　King　Sanchez　of　Ruenda　is　riding　for　Salos　downriver；　and　the　army　of　Jalofia　is　approaching　Ragosa。〃
　　〃Ah！　Jalofia　rides！　Queen　Fruela　es　to　avenge　her　dead　captain？〃
　　King　Ramiro's　mouth　quirked　sideways　at　that。
　　〃Something　of　the　sort；〃　Rodrigo　said；　unsmiling。　〃There　have　been　a　great　many　dead　captains　over　the　years。〃
　　〃Alas；　it　is　true。　'War　feeds　like　a　wild　dog　upon　the　hearts　of　brave　men。'　〃
　　〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　king　of　Valledo　suddenly。　〃That　was　written　by　ibn　Khairan　of　Aljais。〃
　　Ammar　turned　to　him　and　Jehane　knew　he　was　surprised；　however　he　might　try　to　conceal　it。　〃At　your　service；　my　lord。　The　line　scans　better　in　Asharic。〃
　　The　king's　turn　to　betray　astonishment。　He　looked　sharply　at　Rodrigo　and　then　back　to　Ammar。　〃I　had　not　。。。　you　are　。。。　？〃　He　turned　to　Rodrigo　again；　eyebrows　arched。
　　Calmly；　Rodrigo　said；　〃We　were　exiled　at　the　same　time　last　year　in　Ragosa。　We　have　been　panions　since。　He　came　here；　despite　a　death　sentence　in　Cartadan　lands；　to　bring　Ishak　ben　Yonannon　and　his　wife　out　of　Fezana。　Jehane　bet　Ishak　who　stands　here　is　physician　to　my　pany。　Ibn　Khairan　would　have　been　killed　by　the　Muwardis　had　they　known　he　was　in　the　city。〃
　　〃I　daresay　there　is　no　love　shared　there；〃　King　Ramiro　murmured。　He　was　a　tall；　handsome　man。　He　had　also　recognized　a　line　from　a　poem　by　Ammar。　〃Is　there　any　shared　here？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　am　attempting　to　find　out；〃　Rodrigo　said。　〃Ammar；　we　have　always　thought　that　if　this　army　and　the　other　two　moved　south；　Yazir　ibn　Q'arif　would　probably　be　in　the　peninsula　by　summer's　end　or　next　spring。　Al…Rassan；　as　it　has　been；　is　ing　to　an　end。〃
　　〃Sorrowfully；　I　believe　that；〃　Jehane　heard　the　man　she　loved　say　quietly。　〃Tell　me；　who　will　remember　the　gardens　of　the　Al…Fontina　in　time　to　e？　Or　the　ivories　in　the　holy　places　of　Ragosa？〃
　　〃I　cannot　answer　that；〃　Rodrigo　replied。　〃Perhaps　you　will　help　us　all　remember；　I　do　not　know。　I　have　more　immediate　concerns。　The　king　has　instructed　me　that　this　is　to　be　a　Valledan　campaign　of　conquest；　not　a　holy　war；　though　there　are　clerics　with　us　and　it　might　appear　otherwise。〃
　　〃Oh；　good！〃　Ammar　said；　too　brightly。　〃Does　that　mean　only　those　who　resist　you　are　nailed　to　wood　or　burned　alive　while　the　clerics　sing　paeans　to　Jad？〃
　　〃Something　of　the　sort；〃　Rodrigo　said　levelly。
　　〃Almalik　of　Cartada　is　a　dead　man；〃　King　Ramiro　interjected　quietly；　〃for　what　he　tried　to　do　to　the　queen。　And　the　Muwardis；　when　we　find　them；　will　be　offered　no　kindness　by　me。　Not　after　tonight。　But　my　heart　is　not　set　on　slaughter；　either　for　its　own　sake　or　to　make　the　clerics　happy。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Ammar　in　his　most　sardonic　voice；　〃a　gentle　conquest。　Horsemen　of　Jad　waving　to　happy　Asharite　farmers　as　they　trot　by。　And　to　keep　your　brave　soldiers　content…what？　Chop　up　a　few　Kindath　on　the　way？　No　one　will　miss　them；　will　they？〃
　　Rodrigo　refused　to　rise　to　the　bait。　〃This　is　warfare；　Ammar。　Neither　of　us　are　children。　It　is　still　Ashar　and　Jad　and　there　will　be　ugliness。　After　several　hundred　years　and　with　that　other　army　sailing　for　Soriyya　there　will　be　worse　than　ugliness。〃
　　〃What；　I　wonder；　is　worse　than　ugliness？〃
　　〃You　do　not　really　mean　that；〃　Rodrigo　said。　〃I　have　part　of　an　answer；　though。　Worse；　is　when　what　little　space　there　is　for　men　to　move　back　and　forth　between　worlds　disappears　because　the　worlds　are　lost　to　hatred。　That　may　happen　to　us　yet。〃　He　hesitated。　〃It　probably　will；　Ammar。　I　have　no　more　illusions　than　you　do。　There　will　be　no　happy　farmers　where　this　army　passes。　We　will　conquer　if　we　can；　and　do　what　we　must　do；　and　then　we　will　try　to　govern　here；　as　the　khalifs　and　the　city…kings　have　governed　the　Jaddites　and　Kindath　among　you。〃
　　〃How　。。。　pragmatic　of　you；〃　Ammar　said；　with　an　icy　smile。　He　was　angry；　Jehane　saw；　and　not　trying　to　hide　it。
　　Rodrigo　saw　it　too。　He　said；　〃Are　we　the　proper　targets　for　your　feelings　right　now？〃
　　〃You　are　adequate；　failing　something　better。〃
　　〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　Rodrigo　cried　suddenly。　In　the　silence　that　followed；　Jehane　had　a　sense；　as　once　before　in　Ragosa；　that　for　these　two　men；　staring　fixedly　at　each　other　now；　no　one　else　was　in　the　world；　just　for　a　moment。
　　The　moment　came；　and　was　briefly　held；　and　then　it　passed。　Jehane　felt　as　if　she　could　almost　see　it　happen：　something　receding　from　the　two　of　them；　faster　than　any　horses　could　run；　into　the　dark。
　　〃What　would　I　have　you　do？〃　Ammar's　voice　had　softened。　He　spoke　Asharic　now。　〃What　you　cannot　do；　I　suppose。　Go　home。　Breed　horses；　raise　your　sons；　love　your　wife。〃　He　turned　to　the　king　of　Valledo。　〃Make　your　country…all　of　Esperana　if　you　can　unite　it…into　a　land　that　understands　more　than　only　war　and　righteous　piety。　Allow　space　in　your　lives　for　more　than　battle　chants　to　inspire　soldiers。　Teach　your　people　to　。。。　understand　a　garden；　the　reason　for　a　fountain；　music。〃
　　The　wind　blew　past　them。　Ibn　Khairan　shook　his　head。　〃Forgive　me。　I　am　being　extremely　foolish。　I　am　tired　and　I　know　you　are　as　well。　These　tidings　you　bring　are　not　unexpected；　but　they　do　mark　the　death　of　something　I　have　。。。　held　dear。〃
　　〃I　know　this。〃　Rodrigo's　voice　was　rock…steady。　〃I　would　like　you　to　help　keep　some　part　of　Al…Rassan　alive。　I　said　I　had　a　proposal。　If　the　king　does　not　disagree；　I　would　offer　you　certain　offices　in　Al…Rassan　and　ultimately　the　rank　of　constable　of　Valledo；　shared　with　myself。〃
　　Jehane　heard　Alvar　de　Pellino　gasp　and　saw　the　king　make　an　abrupt；　uncontrolled　movement。　Rodrigo　had　just　proposed　to　cut　his　own　position　in　half　and　give　it　to　an　Asharite。
　　Ammar　laughed　softly。　He　looked　at　the　king　and　then　back　to　Rodrigo。　〃You　do　enjoy　surprising　people；　don't　you？　I　thought　that　was　my　vice。〃
　　Again；　Rodrigo　did　not　smile。　〃It　seems　simple　enough　to　me。　We　haven't　nearly　enough　people　to　take　and　settle　Al…Rassan。　We　need　the　Star…born…and　the　Kindath…to　stay　here；　farm　the　land；　conduct　their　business；　pay　taxes　。。。　perhaps　one　day　bee　Jaddites　in　the　same　way　our　people　have　turned　to　Ashar　here　over　the　centuries。　If　this　campaign　succeeds；　we　will　be　a　very　few　people　in　a　large　land。　To　keep　the　sons　and　daughters　of　Ashar　calm　and　well…governed　we　need　men　of　their　own　faith。　A　great　many　of　them　eventually；　but　at　the　moment　there　is　only　one　man　I　trust　to　wield　so　much　power　and　strive　towards　this　balancing　and　you　are　that　man。　Will　you　help　govern　Al…Rassan　for　us？　So　much　of　it　as　we　control？〃
　　Ammar　turned　to　the　king　again。　〃He　is　eloquent　when　he　chooses　to　be；　is　he　not？　Does　he　persuade　you？〃　The　cutting　edge　of　irony　was　in　his　voice　again。　〃Does　it　sound　simple　enough　to　you？〃
　　The　horses　were　running　away　in　the　night。　Jehane　could　almost　see　them；　so　vivid　was　the　image　for　her…manes　lifting　with　their　speed　under　the　moons　and　the　racing　clouds。
　　〃He　has　surprised　me；〃　said　King　Ramiro　carefully。　〃Though　not　more　than　I　am　surprised　to　discover　you　in　my　camp。　But　yes；　Ser　Rodrigo　speaks　simple　truths　and　I　can　hear　those　as　well　as　any　man；　I　hope。　Speaking　for　myself；　I　also　prefer　a　palace　or　a　chapel　with　some　grace　to　one　that　merely　keeps　out　wind　and　rain。　I　am　not　unaware　of　what　Al…Rassan　has　been。　I　have　read　your　verses；　and　that　of　other　poets　here。　There　are　those　among　us　who　might　be　hoping　for　bonfires　of　flesh　as　we　move　south。　I　would　pref