ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第25章

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　But　the　merchant　only　shook　his　head　and　made　no　reply。
　　〃I　must　sleep；〃　the　doctor　said　then；　〃if　only　to　let　Velaz　do　so。〃　She　gestured　and　Alvar　saw　her　old　servant　standing　wearily　a　discreet　distance　away；　where　the　firelight　died　in　darkness。
　　All　around　them　the　camp　had　grown　quiet　as　soldiers　settled　in　for　the　night。　The　doctor　looked　at　Rodrigo。　〃You　said　you　are　sending　men　to　attend　to　the　dead　of　Orvilla　in　the　morning。　I　will　ride　with　them；　to　do　what　I　can　for　the　living；　then　Velaz　and　I　will　be　on　our　way。〃
　　
　　Alvar　saw　Velaz　gesture　to　Jehane；　and　then　noticed　where　the　servant　had　made　up　a　pallet　for　her。　She　walked　over　towards　it。　Alvar；　after　a　moment；　sketched　an　awkward　bow　she　did　not　see；　and　went　the　other　way；　to　where　he　usually　slept　near　Martin　and　Ludus；　the　outriders。　They　were　wrapped　in　their　blankets；　asleep。
　　He　unfolded　his　own　saddle　blanket　and　lay　down。　Sleep　eluded　him。　He　had　far　too　many　things　chasing　and　tumbling　through　his　mind。　He　remembered　the　pride　in　his　mother's　voice　the　day　she　recounted　the　details　of　her　first　pilgrimage　to　seek　Blessed　Vasca's　intercession　for　her　brave　son　as　he　left　home　for　the　world　of　warring　men。　He　remembered　her　telling　how　she　had　gone　the　last　part　of　the　journey　on　her　hands　and　knees　over　the　stones　to　kiss　the　feet　of　the　statue　of　the　queen　before　her　tomb。
　　Animals；　to　be　hunted　down　and　burned　from　the　face　of　the　earth。
　　He　had　killed　his　first　man　tonight。　A　good　sword　blow　from　horseback；　slicing　down　through　the　collarbone　of　a　running　man。　A　motion　he　had　practised　so　many　times；　with　friends　or　alone　as　a　child　under　his　father's　eye；　then　drilled　by　the　king's　foul…tongued　sergeants　in　the　tiltyard　at　Esteren。　Exactly　the　same　motion；　no　different　at　all。　And　a　man　had　fallen　to　the　summer　earth；　bleeding　his　life　away。
　　The　deeds　of　men；　as　footprints　in　the　desert。
　　He　had　won　himself　a　splendid　horse　tonight；　and　armor　better　by　far　than　his　own；　with　more　to　e。　The　beginnings　of　wealth；　a　soldier's　honor；　perhaps　an　enduring　place　among　the　pany　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　He　had　drawn　laughter　and　approval　from　the　man　who　might　truly　bee　his　Captain　now。
　　Nothing　under　the　circling　moons　is　fated　to　last。
　　He　had　crouched　by　a　fire　on　this　dark　plain　and　heard　an　Asharite　and　a　Kindath　woman　of　beauty　and　intelligence　far　beyond　his　experience；　and　Ser　Rodrigo　himself；　as　they　spoke　in　Alvar's　presence　of　the　past　and　future　of　the　peninsula。
　　Alvar　de　Pellino　made　his　decision　then；　more　easily　than　he　would　ever　have　imagined。　And　he　also　knew；　awake　under　the　stars　and　a　more　perceptive　man　than　he　had　been　this　same　morning；　that　he　would　be　permitted　to　do　this　thing。　Only　then；　as　if　this　resolution　had　been　the　key　to　the　doorway　of　sleep；　did　Alvar's　mind　slow　its　whirlwind　of　thought　enough　to　allow　him　rest。　Even　then　he　dreamed：　a　dream　of　Silvenes；　which　he　had　never　seen；　of　the　Al…Fontina　in　the　glorious　days　of　the　Khalifate；　which　were　over　before　he　was　born。
　　Alvar　saw　himself　walking　in　that　palace；　he　saw　towers　and　domes　of　burnished　gold；　marble　columns　and　arches；　gleaming　in　the　light。　He　saw　gardens　with　flower　beds　and　splashing　fountains　and　statues　in　the　shade；　heard　a　distant；　otherworldly　music；　was　aware　of　the　tall　green　trees　rustling　in　the　breeze；　offering　shelter　from　the　sun。　He　smelled　lemons　and　almonds　and　an　elusive　eastern　perfume　he　could　not　have　named。
　　He　was　alone；　though；　in　that　place。　Whatever　paths　he　walked；　past　water　and　tree　and　cool　stone　arcade；　were　serenely；　perfectly　empty。　Passing　through　high…ceilinged　rooms　with　many…colored　cushions　on　the　mosaic…inlaid　floors　he　saw　wall　hangings　of　silk　and　carvings　of　alabaster　and　olive　wood。　He　saw　golden　and　silver　coffrets　set　with　jewels；　and　crystal　glasses　of　dark　red　wine；　some　filled；　some　almost　empty…as　if　they　had　only　that　moment　been　set　down。　But　no　one　was　there；　no　voices　could　be　heard。　Only　that　hint　of　perfume　in　the　air　as　he　went　from　room　to　room；　and　the　music…ahead　of　him　and　behind；　tantalizing　in　its　purity…alluded　to　the　presence　of　other　men　and　women　in　the　Al…Fontina　of　Silvenes；　and　Alvar　never　saw　them。　Not　in　the　dream；　not　ever　in　his　life。
　　Even　the　sun　goes　down。
　　
Part　II
Five
　　〃There's　trouble　ing；〃　said　Diego；　as　he　ran　past　the　stables　and　looked　in　briefly　on　the　open　stall。　A　soft　rain　was　falling。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　his　mother　asked；　glancing　quickly　over　her　shoulder。　She　stood　up。
　　〃Don't　know。　A　lot　of　men。〃
　　〃Where's　Fernan？〃
　　〃Gone　to　meet　it；　with　some　of　the　others。　I　told　him　already。〃　Diego；　having　said　what　seemed　necessary；　turned　to　go。
　　〃Wait！〃　his　mother　called。　〃Where's　your　father？〃
　　Diego's　expression　was　withering。　〃How　would　I　know？　Heading　for　Esteren；　I　guess；　if　he　isn't　there　already。　They　must　have　got　the　parias；　by　now。〃
　　His　mother；　feeling　foolish；　and　irritated　because　of　that；　said；　〃Don't　use　that　tone　with　me。　You　sometimes　do　know；　Diego。〃
　　〃And　when　I　do；　I　tell　you；〃　he　said。　〃Got　to　run；　Mother。　Fernan　will　need　me。　He　said　to　lock　the　gates　and　get　everyone　up　on　the　walls。〃
　　With　the　swift；　lethal　grin　that　left　her　almost　helpless…his　father's　smile…Diego　was　gone。
　　I　am　being　ordered　about　by　my　sons　now；　thought　Miranda　Belmonte　d'Alveda。　Another　adjustment　in　life；　another　measure　of　time　passing。　It　was　odd；　she　didn't　feel　old　enough　for　this　to　be　happening。　She　looked　over　at　the　frightened　groom　who　was　helping　her　with　the　mare。
　　〃I'll　finish　here。　You　heard　what　he　said。　Tell　Dario　to　get　everyone　up　on　the　wall…walk。　Including　the　women。　Bring　whatever　weapons　you　can　find。　Build　up　the　kitchen　fires；　we'll　want　boiling　water　if　this　is　an　attack。〃　The　old　groom　nodded　anxiously　and　went　off；　moving　as　quickly　as　he　could　on　a　bad　leg。
　　Miranda　ran　the　back　of　a　muddy　hand　across　her　forehead；　leaving　a　streak　of　grime。　She　turned　again；　already　murmuring　to　the　laboring　mare　in　the　stall。　The　birth　of　a　colt　on　a　Valledan　ranch　was　not　a　matter　that　could　be　superseded。　It　was　the　cornerstone　of　their　fortune　and　their　lives；　of　their　whole　society；　really。　The　Horsemen　of　Jad；　they　were　called；　and　with　reason。　A　moment　later　the　woman　said　to　be　the　most　beautiful　in　Valledo　was　on　her　knees　again　in　the　straw；　her　hands　on　the　mare's　belly；　helping　to　bring　another　stallion　of　Belmonte's　breed　into　the　world。
　　She　was　distracted　and　worried；　however。　Not　surprisingly。　Diego　was　seldom　wrong　in　his　warnings；　and　almost　never　so　when　the　vision　had　to　do　with　trouble　close　to　home。　They　had　learned　that；　over　the　years。
　　When　he'd　been　younger；　still　a　child；　and　these　foreknowings　had　begun　it　had　been　hard；　even　for　him；　to　tell　them　apart　from　nightmares　or　childhood　fears。
　　Once；　memorably；　he　had　awakened　screaming　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　crying　that　his　father　was　in　terrible　danger；　threatened　by　ambush。　Rodrigo　had　been　campaigning　in　Ruenda　that　year；　during　the　bitter　War　of　the　Brothers；　and　everyone　in　the　ranch　house　had　sat　awake　the　rest　of　a　long　night　watching　a　shivering；　blank…eyed　boy；　waiting　to　see　if　any　further　visions　were　vouchsafed　him。　Just　before　dawn；　Diego's　features　had　relaxed。　〃I　was　wrong；〃　he'd　said；　gazing　at　his　mother。　〃They　aren't　fighting　yet。　He's　all　right。　I　guess　it　was　a　dream。　Sorry。〃　He'd　fallen　fast　asleep　with　the　last　apologetic　word。
　　That　sort　of　incident　didn't　happen　any　more。　When　Diego　said　he'd　seen　something；　they　tended　to　treat　it　as　absolute　truth。　Years　of　living　with　a　boy　touched　by　the　god　would　quell　the　skeptic　in　anyone。　They　had　no　idea　how　his　visions　came　and　they　never　spoke　of　them　outside　the　family　or　the　ranch。　Neither　his　parents　nor　his　brother　had　anything　resembling　this　。。。　this　what？　Gift　or　burden？　Miranda　had　not；　to　this　day；　been　able　to　decide。
　　There　were　tales　of　such　people。　Ibero；　the　family　cleric；　who　presided　over　services　in　the　new　chapel　Rodrigo　had　put　up　even　before　he'd　rebuilt　and　expanded　the　ranch　house；　had　heard　of　them。　Timewalkers；　he　called　those　with　such　a　vision。　He　named　Diego　blessed　of　Jad；　b