ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第60章

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　　Each　of　them　signified　the　symbol　of　the　god's　sun　with　their　right　hand　over　their　heart　and　then　sank　down　upon　their　knees　on　the　stone　of　the　floor。　The　light　in　the　royal　chapel　was　muted。　There　were　windows　but　they　were　old；　and　smaller；　and　rain　was　falling　upon　them。
　　They　prayed　in　that　simple；　unadorned　space　to　the　one　god　and　the　life…giving　light　of　his　sun；　their　faces　turned　to　where　an　emblem　of　that　sun　was　set　upon　the　wall　behind　the　altar　stone。　They　prayed　for　strength　and　mercy；　for　purity　of　heart　and　mortal　body；　for　the　fulfillment　of　Jad's　bright　visions；　and　for　access；　at　the　end　of　their　own　days　among　the　fields　of　earth；　to　Paradise。
　　
Part　IV
Ten
　　Nino　di　Carrera；　young；　handsome　and　adept；　the　most　favored　courtier　of　King　Bermudo　of　Jalona　and　concurrently　the　latest　of　the　furtive　lovers　of　Bermudo's　demanding　queen；　Fruela；　was　in　a　condition　of　anxious　perplexity。
　　In　fact；　he　hadn't　the　least　idea　what　to　do。
　　Confusion　made　him　angry。　Anger　was　pounded　by　the　increasing　embarrassment　of　what　was　presently　taking　place。　Nino　swept　off　his　iron　helmet　and　shook　out　his　yellow　mane　of　hair；　the　envy　and　desire　of　most　of　the　women　at　Bermudo's　court　in　Eschalou。　His　breath　and　that　of　the　two　scouts　and　all　of　their　horses　made　white　puffs　in　the　frigid　early…morning　air。
　　Behind　him　his　pany　had　e　to　a　halt　in　this　high　valley　ringed　with　hills。　They　were　well　trained；　his　own　men。　The　horses　had　been　turned　outward　and　the　mules　with　their　chests　of　gold　from　Fibaz　were　in　the　center　of　the　formation。　Six　chests。　A　year's　parias　from　an　infidel　city　in　Al…Rassan。　The　first…ever　such　tribute　payment　to　Jalona。　A　promise　of　wealth；　of　power；　and　of　much　more　to　e。　The　horse　thieves　of　Valledo　were　not　the　only　ones　who　could　whip　Asharites　to　heel　like　the　mongrels　they　were。　And　he；　Nino　di　Carrera；　had　been　entrusted　with　claiming　this　first　treasure　and　bringing　it　back　to　Eschalou　before　the　winter　snows。　The　king　had　promised　him　much　upon　his　return；　the　queen　。。。　the　queen　had　already　given　him　a　reward；　the　night　before　he　left。
　　My　golden　one；　she'd　called　him；　lying　in　her　bed　after　their　frenzy。　A　phrase　more　apt　than　ever　now。　He　was　bringing　back　gold；　six　chests　of　it；　to　the　greater　glory　of　Jad　and　Jalofta…and　of　Count　Nino　di　Carrera；　who　was　soaring　like　a　golden　falcon　now。　And　who　knew　how　high　that　might　be　before　all　was　done　and　spoken　before　the　god？
　　But　all　that…that　shining；　lofty　future…was　dependent　on　whether　he　could　get　these　six　chests　safely　home　and；　more　to　the　immediate　point；　whether　he　could　silence　the　woman's　voice　that　kept　echoing　down　upon　them　in　this　supernaturally　resonant　highland　valley　he　wished　they　had　never　entered。
　　〃Nino；　Nino；　Nino！　Oh；　my　darling！　It　is　I；　Fruela；　your　queen！　e　to　me；　my　love！〃
　　The　plangent　summons；　high　and　clear；　rang　like　a　bell；　filling　the　valley　with　sound　over　and　over　again。　Nino　di　Carrera　was；　among　other　things；　aware　that　his　color　had　risen：　a　lifelong　affliction　that　came　with　fair　skin。　It　wasn't…of　course　it　wasn't！…Queen　Fruela's　voice　they　were　hearing；　but　it　was　a　woman；　fluent　in　Esperanan；　and　her　tone　was　urgent　with　desire。
　　〃e；　Nino！　Take　me。　Take　me　here　on　the　hills！　Make　me　yours！〃
　　It　was　not；　in　any　conceivable　way；　useful　for　a　rising　figure　at　King　Bermudo's　court　to　have　this　sort　of　request　publicly　uttered。　By　anyone。　Anywhere。　And　the　words　were　very　public　here。　They　were　soaring　all　about　them；　echoing　endlessly。　Someone　was　amusing　themselves　at　Nino　di　Carrera's　expense。　Someone　was　going　to　pay　for　that。
　　He　was　careful　not　to　glance　back　at　his　pany；　but　as　the　woman's　voice；　ripe　with　longing；　continued　to　offer　explicit　variations　on　the　same　theme；　Nino　heard…unmistakably…ripples　of　suppressed　laughter　behind　him。
　　〃Oh；　my　rampant　stallion；　I　must　have　you！　Make　me　yield　to　your　mastery；　my　love！〃
　　Sound　carried　absurdly　well　in　this　place。　It　was　unnatural；　that　was　what　it　was！　And　not　only　did　the　words　carry；　they　echoed；　so　that　each　yearning　proclamation　of　his　name；　each　vividly　proposed　activity；　resonated　as　if　sung　by　a　choir　in　chapel。
　　The　two　outriders　were　ashen…faced；　refusing　to　meet　his　eyes。　No　trace　of　amusement　there。　They　wouldn't　have　dared；　in　any　event；　but　the　tidings　they　had　brought　precluded　levity。　The　woman　wailing　with　desire　was　an　offense；　even　a　mortal　one；　armed　men　waiting　in　ambush　ahead　were　something　else。
　　Reckless　as　his　appearance　and　youth　might　suggest　him　to　be；　Nino　di　Carrera　was　a　careful　mander　of　a　good　pany；　and　his　outriders；　in　particular；　were　excellent。　The　odds　were；　in　fact；　that　few　panies　would　have　received　this　advance　warning。　Most　leaders　would　have　felt　blithely　secure　in　the　presence　of　almost　a　hundred　mounted　men。　Nino　had　been　too　conscious　of　how　important　this　parias　mission　was；　however：　to　Jalona；　to　himself。　He'd　had　outriders　ahead　and　behind；　and　on　both　flanks　until　the　hills　forced　those　men　back　in。　The　pair　up　front　had　spotted　the　carefully　laid　ambush　at　the　northern　exit　from　this　valley。
　　〃Nino！　I　burn　for　you！　Oh；　my　love；　I　am　a　woman　before　I　am　a　queen！〃
　　It　was　almost　impossible　to　concentrate　with　that　voice　filling　the　valley　bowl。　But　concentration　had　bee　vital　now：　whoever　had　laid　this　trap　had　to　know　exactly　how　many　men　the　Jaddites　had。　Which　meant　that　they　weren't　fazed　by　the　numbers。　Which　meant　serious　trouble。　They　couldn't　be　from　Fibaz：　that　would　be　absurd；　to　give　them　the　gold　and　then　attack　them　for　it。　And　King　Badir　of　Ragosa；　who　controlled　the　small；　wealthy　city　of　Fibaz；　had　authorized　this　parias　payment　himself；　however　grudgingly。　Why　release　it　from　behind　defended　walls；　then　attack　in　open　country？　Why　agree　to　pay　in　the　first　place；　if　you　felt　secure　enough　to　attack？
　　None　of　it　made　any　sense。　And　therefore；　obviously；　the　ambush　ahead　had　been　laid　by　outlaws。　Nino　was　pleased　he　could　still　think　clearly　enough…the　woman　on　the　hills　was　now　intimating　that　her　clothing　was　being　removed　in　anticipation　of　his　presence…to　sort　this　through。
　　There　were　still　problems；　though；　what　was　happening　still　didn't　seem　conceivable。　It　was　almost　impossible　to　imagine　any　outlaw　band　large　enough　and　well…equipped　enough　to　try　to　waylay　a　hundred　trained　Horsemen　of　Jad。
　　Something　occurred　to　Nino　di　Carrera　then。　He　narrowed　his　eyes。　He　scratched　his　jaw。　Unless；　unless　。。。　
　　〃I　throb；　I　yearn；　I　die。　Oh；　Nino；　e　to　me　with　the　short　sword　of　your　loins！〃
　　The　short　sword？
　　One　of　the　outriders　coughed　abruptly　and　turned　his　head　sharply　away。　Unmistakable　sounds　could　now　be　heard　from　behind；　where　the　pany　had　halted。
　　That　did　it。　That　was　enough。
　　〃Edrique！　To　me！　Now！〃　Di　Carrera　barked　the　mand　without　looking　back。　Immediately　he　heard　a　horse　cantering　up。
　　〃My　lord？〃　His　burly；　petent　second…in…mand；　unusually　ruddy…faced；　appeared　at　his　side。
　　〃I　want　that　woman　silenced。　Take　five　men。〃
　　Edrique's　expression　was　carefully　neutral。　〃Of　course；　my　lord。　At　once。〃
　　〃My　stallion；　e！　Let　me　ride　you　to　Paradise！〃
　　Edrique's　turn　to　cough；　averting　his　crimson　features。
　　〃When　you　are　sufficiently　recovered；〃　said　Nino　icily；　〃go　about　your　business。　You　might　be　interested　to　know　there　is　an　ambush　laid　at　the　neck　of　this　valley。〃
　　That　sobered　the　man　quickly　enough。
　　〃You　think　the　woman　is　connected　with…〃
　　〃How　in　Jad's　name　would　I　know？〃　Nino　snapped。　〃Deal　with　her；　whoever　she　is；　and　get　back；　quickly。　Bring　her　with　you。　I　want　her　alive。　In　the　meantime；　we're　going　to　double　back　south　and　loop　around　this　valley；　however　far　it　takes　us　out　of　our　way。　I　hate　this　place！〃　He　said　it　with　more　feeling　than　he'd　intended。　〃I　won't　ride　into　a　narrow　space　where　the　enemy　knows　the　ground。〃
　　Edrique　nodded　and　clapped　spurs　to　his　horse。　They　heard　him　rattling　off　names　to　acpany　him。　Nino　remained　motionless　a　moment；　thinking　as　best　he　could　with　a　feverish　woman　crying　his　name　so　that　it　rang　through　the　valley。
　　He'd　had　an　important　thought；　a　moment　ago。　It　was　gone　now。