ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第58章

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　　De　Chervalles's　expression　grew　dark；　troubled。　〃The　god　knows　our　fears　are　not　for　ourselves　or　our　own　fort；　gracious　king。　We　e　hither　on　the　hard　roads　heavy　with　thoughts　of　the　Children　of　Jad　who　live　not　beneath　the　benevolent　rule　of　the　kings　in　the　lands　of　Esperana。　This；　I　confess；　is　what　will　make　the　ing　winter　hard　for　me。〃
　　Well；　that　had　been　a　vain　thought：　that　they　might　keep　the　first　meeting　brief。　And　trouble　lay　ahead　now　like　a　thicket　of　spears。　Ramiro　said　nothing。　It　was　still　possible　he　might　deflect　the　worst　of　this；　for　the　moment。　He　really　was　going　to　need　time　to　think。
　　〃What　can　you　mean；　most　holy　sire？〃　Ines's　question　was　transparently　earnest。　Her　hands　were　clasped　together；　holding　the　sun　disk　in　her　lap；　her　face　betrayed　anxious　concern。　The　king　of　Valledo　swore　inwardly；　but　refused　to　permit　any　flicker　of　emotion　to　cross　his　face。
　　〃How　can　I　not　think　of　all　our　pious　brethren　of　the　god　who　must　endure　yet　another　winter　under　the　cruel　torments　of　the　infidels　of　Ashar；〃　said　Geraud　de　Chervalles。　Said　it　smoothly；　flowingly；　sorrowfully。　Loudly　enough　for　the　whole　court　to　hear。
　　It　was　upon　him；　Ramiro　thought　grimly。　It　had　arrived；　with　this　assured；　dangerous　man　from　Ferrieres。　De　Chervalles　had　e　here　to　say　this　one　thing。　Say　it　this　morning；　and　then　again；　and　again；　until　he　made　kings　and　riders　and　farmers　from　the　fields　dance　to　his　tune　and　die。
　　Despite　his　earlier　resolutions；　Ramiro　felt　a　flicker　of　anger　against　his　constable。　Gonzalez　ought　to　have　been　alert　to　this。　Was　that　not　part　of　his　office？　Did　Ramiro　have　to　plan　and　prepare　for　everything　of　importance？　He　knew　the　answer　to　that；　actually。
　　No　one　to　blame　but　himself。　The　king　thought　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　far　away　in　Al…Rassan。　Exiled　among　the　infidels。　They　weren't　even　certain　where　he'd　gone　yet。　He　had　promised　not　to　attack　Valledo　with　anyone；　promised　that　much　but　no　more。　He　had　been　Raimundo's　man：　his　boyhood　friend　then　his　constable。　Not　entirely　trusted　by　Ramiro；　or　trusting　him；　if　it　came　to　that。　Raimundo's　death。　The　shadows　around　it。　Too　much　history　there。　And　Belmonte　was　too　proud；　too　independent　a　man。　Needed；　though；　badly　needed；　in　fact。
　　〃But　most　holy　sire；　what　can　we　do？〃　Ines　asked；　lifting　her　clasped　hands　to　her　breast。　〃Our　hearts　are　heavy　to　hear　your　words。〃　Her　golden　disk　shone　in　the　muted　light　falling　down　through　the　new　windows。　It　had　begun　to　rain　outside；　the　king　could　hear　it　on　the　glass。
　　Had　he　not　known　better；　Ramiro　would　have　thought　his　queen　had　been　given　her　words　by　de　Chervalles；　so　patly　did　they　lead　to　the　High　Cleric's　next　speech。　The　king　wanted　to　close　his　eyes；　his　ears。　Wanted　urgently　to　be　away　from　here；　riding　a　horse　in　the　rain。　The　words　came；　entirely　predictable；　but　sonorous　and　pelling　nonetheless。
　　〃We　can　do　what　those　charged　by　Jad　with　his　holy　mission　on　earth　can　do…that；　and　no　more　or　less；　most　revered　queen。　The　accursed　Khalifate　of　the　Asharites　is　no　more；〃　said　Geraud　of　Ferrieres；　and　paused；　suggestively。
　　〃Now　there's　news；〃　said　Gonzalez　de　Rada　sarcastically；　his　own　beautiful　voice　cutting　into　the　mood。　〃More　than　fifteen　years　old。〃　He　glanced　at　the　king。　Ramiro　understood：　the　count　had　finally　grasped　where　this　was　heading；　and　was　trying　to　steer　it　aside。
　　Too　late；　of　course。
　　〃But　there　is　fresher　news；　I　understand；〃　the　tall　cleric　from　Ferrieres　said；　undeterred。　〃The　vicious　king　of　Cartada　is　also　dead　now；　summoned　to　the　black　judgment　Jad　visits　upon　all　unbelievers。　Surely　there　is　a　message　here　for　us！　Surely　with　the　leader　of　the　jackals　gone　it　is　a　time　to　act！〃
　　The　voice　had　risen；　modulating　smoothly　towards　a　first　crescendo。　Ramiro　had　heard　this　sort　of　thing　before；　but　never　from　such　a　master。　In　a　kind　of　horrified　admiration；　he　waited。
　　〃To　act？　Now？〃　Gonzalez　didn't　bother　to　mask　his　irony。　〃A　trifle　cold　is　it　not？〃
　　Another　good　effort；　the　dry　tone　as　much　as　the　words；　but　Geraud　de　Chervalles　overmastered　it。　〃The　fires　of　the　god　warm　those　who　serve　his　will！〃　His　gaze　as　he　looked　at　the　constable　was　scornful　and　unyielding。　Gonzalez　de　Rada　was　unlikely　to　tolerate　this；　the　king　knew　from　experience；　and　wondered　if　he　ought　to　intervene　before　something　serious　happened。
　　But　then；　unexpectedly；　the　cleric　smiled；　much　as　any　man　might　smile。　His　stem　features　relaxed；　he　lowered　his　voice。　〃Of　course　I　do　not　speak　of　a　winter　war。　I　hope　I　am　not　so　foolish　as　that。　I　know　these　matters　take　time；　much　planning；　the　right　season。　These　are　issues　for　brave　men　of　the　sword　such　as　the　valiant　kings　of　Esperana　and　their　legendary　Horsemen。　I　can　only　try；　in　my　small　way；　to　help　light　a　fire；　and　to　offer　tidings　that　may　aid　and　inspire　you。〃
　　He　waited。　There　was　a　silence。　Rain　drummed　on　the　windows。　A　log　shifted　in　one　of　the　fires；　then　fell　with　a　crash　and　a　flurry　of　sparks。　Ramiro　expected　Ines　to　ask　the　awaited　question；　but　she　had　fallen　unexpectedly　silent。　He　looked　at　her。　She　had　lowered　the　sun　disk　to　her　lap　and　was　staring　at　the　cleric；　biting　her　lip。　Her　expression　was　unreadable　now。　Inwardly；　the　king　shrugged。　The　game　had　begun；　it　was　going　to　have　to　be　played　out。
　　〃What　tidings？〃　he　asked　politely。
　　Geraud　de　Chervalles's　smile　became　a　radiant　thing。　He　said；　〃I　thought　it　might　be　so。　You　have　not　yet　heard。〃　He　paused；　raised　his　voice。　〃Hear；　then；　news　to　cause　all　hearts　to　exult　and　offer　praise：　the　king　of　Ferrieres　and　both　counts　of　Waleska；　the　mightiest　lords　of　the　Karch　Lowlands　and　most　of　the　nobility　of　Batiara　have　e　together　to　wage　war。〃
　　〃What？　Where？〃　Gonzalez　this　time；　the　sharp　words　pulled　from　him。
　　The　cleric's　smile　grew　even　more　triumphant。　His　blue　eyes　shone。
　　〃In　Soriyya；〃　he　whispered　into　the　stillness。　〃In　Ammuz。　In　the　desert　homelands　of　the　infidels；　where　Jad　is　denied　and　his　life…bringing　sun　is　cursed。　The　army　of　the　god　is　assembling　even　now。　It　will　winter　south　by　the　sea　in　Batiara　and　take　ship　in　the　spring。　Already；　though；　a　first　battle　has　been　fought　in　this　holy　war；　we　heard　the　tidings　before　we　left　to　e　to　you。〃
　　〃Where　was　this　battle？〃　Gonzalez　again。
　　〃A　city　called　Sorenica。　Do　you　know　it？〃
　　〃I　do；〃　said　Ramiro　quietly。　〃It　is　the　Kindath　city　in　the　south　of　Batiara；　granted　them　as　their　own　long　ago；　for　aid　given　the　princes　of　Batiara　in　peace　and　war。　What　Asharite　armies　were　there；　may　I　ask？〃
　　Geraud's　smile　faded。　There　was　a　coldness　in　his　eyes　now。　The　belated　recognition　of　a　possible　foe。　Be　careful；　Ramiro　told　himself。
　　The　cleric　said；　〃Think　you　the　so…called　Star…born　of　the　desert　are　the　only　infidels　we　must　face？　Do　you　not　know　the　rites　the　Kindath　practice　on　the　nights　of　two　full　moons？〃
　　〃Most　of　them；〃　said　Ramiro　of　Valledo　calmly。　It　seemed　he　was　not　going　to　be　careful；　after　all。　His　slow；　deep　anger　was　beginning　to　rise。　He　feared　that　anger；　but　not　enough　to　resist　it。　He　was　aware　that　his　wife　was　looking　at　him　now。　He　stared　at　the　cleric　from　Ferrieres。　〃I've　given　thought　to　inviting　the　Kindath　back；　you　see。　We　need　their　industry　and　their　knowledge　in　Valledo。　We　need　all　kinds　of　people　here。　I　wanted　to　know　as　much　as　I　could　about　Kindath　beliefs　before　I　proceeded　further。　There　is　nothing　I've　ever　heard；　or　read；　to　suggest　blood　or　desecration　are　part　of　their　faith。〃
　　〃Invite　them　back？〃　Geraud　de　Chervalles's　voice　had　lost　its　modulated　control。　〃At　the　very　time　when　all　the　kings　and　princes　of　the　Jaddite　world　are　joining　together　to　cleanse　the　world　of　heresy？〃　He　turned　to　Ines。　〃You　told　us　nothing　of　this；　my　lady。〃　The　words　were　an　accusation；　stiff　and　grim。
　　Ramiro　lost　his　temper。　This　was　too　much。
　　But　before　he　could　speak；　his　queen；　his　holy；　devout　queen　from　Ferrieres　said；　〃Why；　cleric；　would　I　tell　you　such　a　thing？〃　Her　tone　was　astringent；　royal；　shockingly　cold。
　　Geraud　de　Chervalles；　utterly　unprepared　for　this；　took　an　involuntary　step　backwards。　Ines　went　on：　〃Why　would　the　plans　of　my　dear　lord　and　husband　for