ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第70章

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　　The　Jaddite　taverns　were　always　crowded　in　winter；　despite　the　imprecations　of　the　wadjis。　At　court；　in　the　taverns；　in　the　better　homes；　poets　and　musicians　vied　for　patronage　with　jugglers；　acrobats　and　animal　trainers；　with　women　who　claimed　to　converse　with　the　dead；　Kindath　fortune　tellers　who　would　read　one's　future　in　the　moons；　or　with　itinerant　artisans　settled　for　the　season　in　premises　on　the　perimeter　of　the　city。　This　winter　the　fashion　was　to　have　one's　portrait　done　in　miniature　by　an　artist　from　Seria。
　　There　were　even　some　entertaining　wadjis　to　be　found　in　the　smaller　out…of…the…way　temples；　or　on　street　corners　on　the　mild　days；　pronouncing　their　warnings　of　doom　and　Ashar's　wrath　with　fiery　eloquence。
　　Many　of　the　higher…born　women　of　Cartada　enjoyed　attending　upon　these　ragged；　wild…eyed　figures　in　the　morning；　to　be　pleasingly　frightened　by　their　prophecies　of　the　fate　awaiting　Believers　who　strayed　from　the　true　path　Ashar　had　decreed　for　the　Star…born　children　of　the　sands。　The　women　would　repair　from　such　an　outing　to　one　gracious　home　or　another　to　sip　from　delicately　mulled　concoctions　of　wine　and　honey　and　spice…forbidden；　of　course；　which　only　added　piquancy　to　the　morning's　adventure。　They　would　appraise　the　latest　flamboyant　invective　much　as　they　discussed　the　declamations　of　the　court　poets　or　the　songs　of　the　musicians。　Talk　by　the　warming　fire　would　usually　turn　then　to　the　officers　of　the　army；　many　of　them　quartered　in　town　for　the　winter…with　diverting　implications。
　　It　was　not　at　all　a　bad　place　to　be　in　the　cold　season；　Cartada。
　　This　remained　true；　the　longer…lived　and　more　thoughtful　of　the　courtiers　at　the　palace　agreed；　even　in　this　year　of　a　change　of　monarchs。
　　Almalik　I　had　governed　Cartada　for　the　khalifs　of　Silvenes　for　three　years；　and　then　reigned　as　king　for　fifteen。　A　long　time　to　hold　power　in　a　turbulent　peninsula。　Younger　members　of　the　court　couldn't　even　remember　a　time　when　someone　else　had　governed；　and　of　course　there　never　had　been　another　king　in　proud　Cartada。
　　Now　there　was；　and　the　prevailing　view　seemed　to　be　that　the　son　was　beginning　well。　Prudent　where　he　needed　to　be；　in　defense　and　in　minimizing　disruption　to　the　civil　service　and　court；　generous　where　a　powerful　monarch　ought　to　be　generous；　with　favor　shown　to　artists　and　those　courtiers　who　had　taken　risks　for　him　in　the　days　when　his　succession　was　。。。　problematic；　to　put　the　matter　discreetly。　Almalik　II　might　be　young；　but　he　had　grown　up　in　a　clever；　cynical　court　and　seemed　to　have　learned　his　lessons。　He'd　had　an　exceptionally　subtle　tutor；　some　of　the　courtiers　noted；　but　that　remark　was　offered　quietly　and　only　among　friends。
　　Nor　was　the　new　king　a　weakling；　by　all　early　appearances。　The　twitch　above　one　eye…a　legacy　of　the　Day　of　the　Moat…remained；　but　it　seemed　to　be　no　more　than　an　indicator　of　the　king's　mood；　a　useful　clue　for　a　cautious　courtier。　Certainly　there　were　no　signs　of　indecisiveness　in　this　monarch。
　　A　number　of　the　more　visibly　corrupt　of　the　officials　had　already　been　dealt　with：　men　who　had　allowed　their　long　association　with　the　last　king　to　。。。　override　their　integrity；　and　had　been　engaged　in　a　variety　of　fiscal　improprieties。　Several　were　involved　in　the　dyeing　monopoly　that　was　the　foundation　of　Cartada's　wealth。　In　the　valley　south　of　the　city　the　cermas；　beetle　made　its　home；　feeding　on　the　white　ittixa　flower　and　then　producing；　dutifully；　the　crimson　dye　that　Cartada　exported　to　the　world。　There　were　fortunes　to　be　made　from　supervising　that　trade；　and　where　great　wealth　went；　as　the　old　saying　ran；　the　desire　for　more　would　follow。
　　There　were　some　of　this　sort　at　every　court。　It　was　one　of　the　reasons　one　came　to　court。　And　there　were；　of　course；　risks。
　　Those　apprehended　officials　who　were　not　yet　castrates　had　been　gelded　before　execution。　Their　bodies　were　hung　from　the　city　walls　with　dead　dogs　on　either　side　of　them。　The　castrates　of　the　court；　who　really　ought　to　have　known　better；　were　flayed　and　skinned　and　then　staked　out　on　the　cleared　ground　beyond　the　Silvenes　Gate。　It　was　too　cold　for　the　fire　ants；　but　the　animals　were　always　hungry　in　winter。
　　New　officials　were　appointed　from　the　appropriate　families。　They　swore　all　the　proper　oaths。　Some　poets　and　singers　left　for　different　courts；　others　arrived。　It　was　all　part　of　the　normal　course　of　events。　One　could　tire　of　an　artist；　and　a　new　monarch　needed　to　put　the　stamp　of　his　own　taste　on　a　great　many　things。
　　The　harem；　long　dominated　by　Zabira；　the　late　king's　favorite；　went　through　a　predictably　unsettled　phase　as　the　women　maneuvered　viciously　for　their　opportunity　with　the　young　king。　The　stakes　were　extreme。　Everyone　knew　how　Zabira　had　begun；　and　how　very　high　she'd　risen。　There　were　knifings；　and　one　attempt　at　poisoning；　before　the　harem…mistresses　and　the　castrates　managed　to　reassert　a　measure　of　control。
　　One　cause　of　the　turmoil　was　that　so　little　was　known　about　the　new　king's　preferences；　though　rumor　was　always　willing　to　oblige　with　guesses。　There　had　been　tales；　especially　those　concerning　the　disgraced　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　of　Aljais；　the　king's　former　guardian　and　mentor…but　shortly　after　Almalik　II's　ascension　word　from　certain　of　the　less　discreet　supervisors　in　the　harem　put　the　more　scandalous　of　these　stories　to　rest。
　　The　women；　it　was　reported；　were　being　kept　extremely　busy。　The　young　king　appeared　to　have　an　entirely　conventional　orientation　in　matters　of　love；　and　an　appetite　that…by　one　of　the　oldest　omens　for　the　outset　of　a　reign　in　Asharite　lands…presaged　well　for　his　prowess　in　other　matters。
　　The　auspices　were　good　in　a　great　many　ways。　Fezana　had　been　subdued；　rather　violently　it　would　always　be　remembered。　Silvenes　was　quiescent；　as　usual：　only　broken；　dispirited　men　still　lingered　in　and　about　the　sad　ruins　of　the　Al…Fontina。　Elvira　on　the　coast　had　seemed　inclined　to　offer　some　signs　of　unwonted　independence　when　Almalik　I　died；　but　these　flickerings　had　been　quickly　snuffed　out　by　the　new　ka'id　of　the　army；　who　made　a　symbolic　journey　south　with　a　pany　of　Muwardis　just　before　winter　came。
　　The　old　ka'id　was　dead；　of　course。　As　a　much…applauded　gesture　of　courtesy　the　king　had　allowed　him　to　take　his　own　life　rather　than　face　public　execution。　This　death；　too；　was　only　normal：　it　was　not　considered　a　wise　idea　for　new　monarchs　to　allow　generals　to　continue　in　power；　or　even　remain　alive。　It　was　one　of　the　inherent　risks　that　came　with　accepting　a　position　of　high　mand　in　an　army　in　Al…Rassan。
　　Even　the　outlaw　Tarif　ibn　Hassan；　the　terror　of　merchants　on　the　southern　roads　and　all　lawful　tax　collectors；　seemed　to　have　decided　to　turn　his　attentions　elsewhere　this　season。　He　had　eschewed　his　chronic；　debilitating　raids　from　impregnable　Arbastro　into　the　Cartadan　hinterlands　in　favor　of　a　genuinely　spectacular　action　in　Ragosan　territory　to　the　north。
　　Talk　of　that　affair　continued　through　the　winter　as　hardy　travellers　and　merchants　straggled　into　the　city　with　newer　versions　of　the　story。　It　appeared　that　ibn　Hassan　had　actually　managed　to　seize　the　first…ever　parias　tribute　from　Fibaz　to　Jalona；　slaughtering　the　entire　Jaddite　party　in　the　process。　An　astonishing　coup　in　every　respect。　Another　strand　to　the　forty…year　legend。
　　The　embarrassment　to　Ragosa…since　King　Badir　had　authorized　the　payment　in　the　first　place…was　extreme；　and　so　were　the　economic　and　military　implications。　Some　of　the　more　free…spoken　of　those　drinking　in　the　taverns　of　Cartada　that　winter　offered　the　view　that　the　Jalonans　might　even　ride　south　in　numbers　e　spring；　to　teach　Fibaz　a　lesson。　Which　meant；　to　teach　Badir　of　Ragosa　a　lesson。
　　That　was　someone　else's　problem；　the　drinkers　agreed。　For　once　ibn　Hassan　had　caused　real　trouble　elsewhere。　Wouldn't　it　be　nice　if　the　aged　jackal　obligingly　died　soon？　Wasn't　he　old　enough；　already？　There　was　good　land　around　Arbastro；　where　a　loyal　courtier　of　the　new　king　of　Cartada　might　one　day　find　himself　with；　say；　a　small　castle　and　a　crown…bestowed　estate　to　manage　and　defend。
　　Winter　was　a　time　for　dreaming；　among　other　things。
　　
　　The　new　king　of　Cartada　had　ne