ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第66章

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　that　morning；　every　one　of　them；　in　that　dark　place。
　　Afterwards　it　was　quiet；　save　for　the　moaning　of　injured　outlaws。　Idar　realized　that　some　of　the　new　Jaddite　archers　were　shooting　the　wounded　horses；　which　is　why　those　sounds　had　stopped。　The　animals'　screaming　had　been　going　on　so　long　he　had　almost　blocked　it　out。　He　watched　as　the　undamaged　horses　were　rounded　up。　They　were　magnificent　stallions；　no　mounts　in　Al…Rassan　could　match　those　from　the　ranches　of　Esperana。
　　Idar　and　his　father　and　the　others　laid　aside　their　weapons；　as　ordered：　there　was　no　point　resisting。　They　numbered　barely　more　than　twenty；　all　exhausted　and　many　wounded；　with　nowhere　to　run；　facing　fifty　mounted　warriors。　On　the　ground　beside　them；　his　head　now　pillowed　on　a　saddle　cloth；　Abir　breathed　raggedly；　dealing　with　pain。　The　wound　in　his　thigh　was　too　deep；　Idar　saw；　it　was　still　bleeding　despite　the　knot　tied　above　it。　Idar　had　seen　that　kind　of　wound　before。　His　brother　was　going　to　die。　There　was　a　kind　of　blankness　in　Idar's　mind　because　of　that；　an　inability　to　think　properly。　He　remembered；　quite　suddenly；　the　vision　he　had　had　when　the　new　Horsemen　had　appeared：　death　as　a　woman；　her　nails　raking　for　his　life。
　　It　wasn't　his　life；　after　all。　He　knelt　and　touched　his　younger　brother's　cheek。　He　found　that　he　could　not　speak。　Abir　looked　up　at　him。　He　lifted　a　hand　so　their　fingers　touched。　There　was　fear　in　his　eyes　but　he　said　nothing　at　all。　Idar　swallowed　hard。　It　would　not　do　to　cry。　They　were　still　on　a　battlefield。　He　squeezed　Abir's　hand　and　stood　up。　He　walked　a　few　steps　back　to　stand　beside　their　father。　The　old　man's　blood…smeared　head　was　high；　his　shoulders　straight　as　he　looked　up　at　the　new　men　on　their　horses。
　　Tarif　ibn　Hassan　of　Arbastro；　captured　at　last　after　almost　forty　years。
　　The　outlaw　who　had　bee　more　a　king…and　who　had　always　been　more　a　lion…than　any　of　the　myriad　pretenders　to　royalty　since　Silvenes　fell。
　　The　numbness　in　Idar　extended　to　this　as　well。　Their　world　was　ending　in　this　defile。　A　new　legend　to　go　with　the　old　ones　about　the　haunted　Emin　ha'Nazar。　His　father　betrayed　no　expression　at　all。　For　more　than　three　decades　a　series　of　khalifs　and　then　half　a　dozen　of　the　petty　monarchs　of　Al…Rassan　had　vowed　to　cut　off　his　fingers　and　toes　one　by　one　before　they　allowed　him　to　die。
　　The　leaders　of　the　new　pany　sat　astride　their　horses；　gazing　down　upon　him。　They　looked　undisturbed；　as　if　nothing　of　note　or　consequence　had　taken　place。　Their　own　weapons　had　been　sheathed。　One　of　them　was　an　Asharite。　The　other　was　Jaddite；　as　were　all　of　the　soldiers。　The　Jaddite　wore　an　old…fashioned　helm　with　a　bronze　eagle　on　the　crown。　Idar　didn't　know　either　man。
　　His　father　said；　not　waiting　for　them；　〃You　are　mercenaries　from　Ragosa。　It　was　Mazur　the　Kindath　who　planned　all　of　this。〃　He　did　not　put　it　as　a　question。
　　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。　Idar　thought　he　saw　a　trace　of　amusement　in　their　expressions。　He　felt　too　hollow　to　be　angered　by　that。　His　brother　was　dying。　His　body　ached；　and　his　head　hurt　in　the　silence　after　the　screaming。　It　was　in　his　heart；　though；　that　the　real　pain　lay。
　　The　Asharite　spoke。　A　courtier's　voice。　〃A　measure　of　self…respect　requires　that　we　accept　some　of　the　credit；　but　you　are　correct　in　the　main：　we　are　from　Ragosa。〃
　　〃You　arranged　for　us　to　know　about　the　parias。　You　drew　us　north。〃　Tarif's　voice　was　flat。　Idar　blinked。
　　〃That　is　also　correct。〃
　　〃And　the　woman　on　the　slopes？〃　Idar　said　suddenly。　〃She　was　yours？〃　His　father　looked　at　him。
　　〃She　travels　with　us；〃　the　smooth…featured　man　said。　He　wore　a　pearl　in　one　ear。　〃Our　doctor。　She's　a　Kindath；　too。　They　are　very　subtle；　aren't　they？〃
　　Idar　scowled。　〃That　wasn't　her　doing。〃
　　The　other　man；　the　Jaddite；　spoke。　〃No；　that　part　was　ours。　I　thought　it　might　be　useful　to　have　di　Carrera　distracted。　I'd　heard　some　rumors　from　Eschalou。〃
　　Idar　finally　understood。　〃You　drove　them　into　us！　They　thought　you　were　part　of　our　pany；　or　they　would　never　have　ridden　into　the　trap。　They　had　sent　spies；　I　saw　them。　They　knew　we　were　here！〃
　　The　Jaddite　brought　a　gloved　hand　up　and　touched　his　moustache。　〃Correct　again。　You　laid　your　ambush　well；　but　di　Carrera　is…was…a　capable　soldier。　They　would　have　doubled　back　and　around　the　valley。　We　gave　them　a　reason　not　to。　A　chance　to　make　a　mistake。〃
　　〃We　were　supposed　to　kill　them　for　you；　weren't　we？〃　Idar's　father's　voice　was　bitter。　〃I　do　apologize　for　our　failure。〃
　　The　Asharite　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃Hardly　a　failure。　They　were　well　trained　and　better　armed。　You　came　close；　didn't　you？　You　must　have　known　this　was　a　gamble　from　the　moment　you　set　out。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。
　　〃Who　are　you？〃　Idar's　father　asked　then；　staring　narrowly　up　at　the　two　of　them。　〃Who　are　you　both？〃　The　wind　had　picked　up。　It　was　very　cold　in　the　defile。
　　〃Forgive　me；〃　the　smooth　one　said。　He　swung　down　from　his　horse。　〃It　is　an　honor　to　finally　meet　you。　The　fame　of　Tarif　ibn　Hassan　has　spanned　the　peninsula　all　my　life。　You　have　been　a　byword　for　courage　and　daring。　My　name　is　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　late　of　Cartada；　currently　serving　the　king　of　Ragosa。〃
　　He　bowed。
　　Idar　felt　his　mouth　falling　open　again　and　he　shut　it　hard。　He　stared　openly。　This　was　。。。　this　was　the　man　who　had　slain　the　last　khalif！　And　who　had　just　killed　Almalik　of　Cartada！
　　〃I　see；〃　said　his　father　quietly。　〃Some　things　are　now　explained。〃　His　expression　was　thoughtful。　〃You　know　we　had　people　die　in　villages　near　Arbastro　because　of　you。〃
　　〃When　Almalik　was　searching　for　me？　I　did　hear　about　that。　I　beg　forgiveness；　though　you　will　appreciate　that　I　had　no　control　over　the　king　of　Cartada　at　that　point。〃
　　〃And　so　you　killed　him。　Of　course。　May　I　know　who　your　fellow　is；　who　leads　these　men？〃
　　The　other　man　had　taken　off　his　helm。　It　was　tucked　under　one　arm。　His　thick　brown　hair　was　disordered。　He　had　not　dismounted。
　　〃Rodrigo　Belmonte　of　Valledo；〃　he　said。
　　Idar　actually　felt　as　if　the　hard　ground　had　suddenly　bee　unstable　beneath　his　feet；　as　in　an　earth　tremor。　This　man；　this　Rodrigo；　had　been　named　by　the　wadjis　for　years　to　be　cursed　in　the　temples。　The　Scourge　of　Al…Rassan；　he　had　been　called。　And　if　these　were　his　men　。。。　
　　〃More　things；〃　Idar's　father　said　gravely；　〃are　now　explained。〃　For　all　the　blood　that　smeared　and　stained　Tarif　ibn　Hassan's　head　and　clothing；　there　was　a　remarkable　dignity　and　posure　to　him　now。
　　〃One　of　you　ought　surely　to　have　been　enough；〃　he　murmured。　〃If　I　am　to　be　finally　defeated　and　slain；　I　suppose　it　will　at　least　be　said　in　years　to　e　that　it　took　the　best　men　of　two　lands　to　do　it。〃
　　〃And　neither　man　would　claim　to　be　better　than　you。〃
　　This　fellow；　ibn　Khairan；　had　a　way　with　words；　Idar　thought。　Then　he　remembered　that　the　Cartadan　was　a　poet；　to　go　with　everything　else。
　　〃You　aren't　going　to　be　slain；〃　Rodrigo　Belmonte　added。　〃Unless　you　insist　upon　it。〃　Idar　stared　up　at　him；　keeping　his　mouth　firmly　closed。
　　〃That　last　is　unlikely；〃　Idar's　father　growled。　〃I　am　old　and　feeble　but　not　yet　tired　of　life。　I　am　tired　of　mysteries。　If　you　aren't　going　to　kill　us；　tell　me　what　it　is　you　want。〃　He　said　it　in　a　tone　very　nearly　of　mand。
　　Idar　had　never　been　able　to　keep　up　with　his　father；　to　match　or　enpass　the　raw　force　in　him；　he　had　long　since　stopped　trying。　He　followed…in　love；　in　fear；　very　often　in　awe。　Neither　he　nor　Abir　had　ever　spoken　about　what　would　happen　when　their　father　was　gone。　It　did　not　bear　thinking　about。　There　was　an　emptiness　that　lay　beyond　that　thought。　The　white…faced；　dark…haired　woman　with　her　nails。
　　The　two　mercenaries；　one　standing　before　them；　the　other　still　on　horseback；　looked　at　each　other　for　a　long　moment。　An　agreement　seemed　to　pass　between　them。
　　〃We　want　you　to　take　one　mule's　worth　of　Fibaz　gold　and　go　home；〃　said　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　〃In　exchange　for　that；　for　your　lives　and　that　measure　of　gold；　you　will　ensure　that　the　world　hears　of　how　you　successfully　ambushed　the　Jalonan　party　and　killed　them　all　and　took　all　the　parias　gold　back　to　Arbastro。〃
　　Idar　blinked　again；　struggling。　He　folded　his　arm