ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第76章

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heard　me　say　that。〃
　　〃Then　I　suppose　I　am　in　a　better　circumstance　than　you；　because　if　I　give　the　same　answer；　no　woman　is　likely　to　kill　me。〃　Ibn　Khairan　smiled。
　　〃Don't；〃　said　Jehane；　〃be　quite　so　sure。〃
　　They　all　looked　at　her　uncertainly；　until　she　smiled。
　　〃Thank　you；　by　the　way；〃　she　said；　to　all　of　them。
　　
Twelve
　　Towards　the　end　of　winter；　when　the　first　wildflowers　were　appearing　in　the　meadows；　but　while　snow　still　lay　thick　in　the　higher　plateaus　and　the　mountain　passes；　the　three　kings　of　Esperana　gathered　near　Carcasia　in　Valledo　to　hunt　elk　and　boar　in　the　oak　woods　where　the　smells　were　of　rebirth　and　the　burgeoning　of　spring　could　be　felt　along　the　blood。
　　Though　even　the　best　of　the　ancient　straight　roads　were　little　more　than　muddy　impediments　to　travel；　their　queens　were　with　them　and　substantial　retinues　from　their　courts；　for　hunting…pleasurable　as　it　might　be…was　merely　a　pretext　for　this　meeting。
　　It　had　been　Geraud　de　Chervalles；　the　formidable　cleric　from　Ferrieres　who；　together　with　colleagues　wintering　at　Eschalou　and　Orvedo；　had　prevailed　upon　three　men　who　hated　and　feared　each　other　to　e　together　early　in　the　year　to　hold　afternoon　converse　after　chases　in　field　and　wood。
　　A　greater　hunt　was　near　to　hand；　the　clerics　had　declared　in　the　court　of　each　king；　one　that　redounded　both　to　the　glory　of　Jad　and　the　vastly　increased　wealth　and　fame　and　power　of　each　of　the　three　lands　that　had　been　carved　from　what　was　left　of　Esperana。
　　The　glory　of　Jad　was；　of　course；　an　entirely　good　thing。　Everyone　agreed　on　that。　Wealth　and　power；　and　certainly　fame；　were　prospects　worth　a　journey。　Whether　these　things　were　also　worth　the　associated　pany　remained；　as　yet；　to　be　seen。
　　Two　days　had　passed　since　the　Ruendans；　last　to　arrive；　had　joined　the　others　within　Carcasia's　walls。　No　untoward　incidents　had　yet　transpired…little　of　note　either；　though　King　Bermudo　of　Jalona　had　proven　himself　still　the　equal　of　his　nephews　on　horseback　and　with　a　boar　spear。　Of　the　queens；　the　accolades　had　gone　to　red…haired　Ines　of　Valledo；　daughter　of　the　hunting…mad　king　of　Ferrieres；　clearly　the　best　rider　of　the　women　there…and　better　than　most　of　the　courtiers。
　　For　a　man　known　to　be　clever　and　ambitious；　her　husband　appeared　preoccupied　and　inattentive　much　of　the　time；　even　during　the　afternoon　and　evening　discussions　of　policy　and　war。　He　left　it　to　his　constable　to　raise　questions　and　objections。
　　For　his　part；　Bermudo　of　Jalona　hunted　with　fury　in　the　mornings　and　spoke　during　the　meetings　of　vengeance　against　the　cities　of　Ragosa　and　Fibaz；　which　had　defaulted　on　his　first…ever　parias　claim。　He　accepted　condolences　on　the　death　of　a　favored　courtier；　the　young　Count　Nino　di　Carrera；　ambushed　by　outlaws　in　a　valley　in　Al…Rassan。　No　one　was　quite　clear　how　a　party　of　one　hundred　trained　and　well…mounted　Horsemen　could　have　been　slaughtered　by　a　mere　outlaw　band；　but　no　one　was　unkind　or　impolitic　enough　to　raise　that　question　directly。　Queen　Fruela；　still　a　handsome　woman；　was　seen　to　grow　misty…eyed　at　the　mention　of　the　slain　young　gallant。
　　King　Sanchez　of　Ruenda　drank　steadily　from　a　flask　at　his　saddle　horn；　or　a　brimming　cup　at　the　afternoon　meetings　or　the　banquet　hall。　The　wine　had　little　evident　effect　on　him；　but　neither　did　he　hunt　with　notable　success。　His　arrows　of　a　morning　were　surprisingly　erratic；　though　his　horsemanship　remained　impeccable。　Say　what　you　liked　about　the　hot…headed　king　of　Ruenda；　but　he　could　ride。
　　The　three　High　Clerics　from　Ferrieres；　schooled　in　dealing　with　royalty；　and　beginning　to　prehend…if　belatedly…the　depths　of　distrust　they　had　to　contend　with　here；　carried　the　discussion　for　the　kings。
　　The　two　brothers　never　even　looked　at　each　other；　and　they　regarded　their　uncle　with　evident　contempt。　All；　however；　appeared　to　have　taken　due　note　of　the　implications　of　the　army　now　assembled　in　Batiara；　ready　to　sail　with　the　first　fair　winds。　They　wouldn't　be　here　had　they　not　given　thought　to　that。
　　There　was　a　movement　abroad　in　the　world；　and　the　men　in　this　room　were　privileged　to　be　reigning　at　such　a　time；　Geraud　of　Ferrieres　declaimed　ringingly　on　the　first　afternoon。　The　carrion　dogs　of　Ashar　in　Al…Rassan；　he　said；　were　ready　to　be　swept　back　across　the　straits。　The　whole　peninsula　was　there　to　be　retaken。　If　only　they　would　act　together　the　great　kings　of　Valledo　and　Ruenda　and　Jalona　might　ride　their　stallions　into　the　southern　sea　by　summer's　end；　in　the　glorious　name　of　Jad。
　　〃How　would　you　divide　it？〃　King　Bermudo　asked　bluntly。　Ramiro　of　Valledo　laughed　aloud　at　that；　his　first　sign　of　animation　all　day。　Sanchez　drank　and　scowled。
　　Geraud　of　Ferrieres；　who　had　been　ready　for　this　question；　and　had　spent　time　with　maps　over　the　winter；　made　a　suggestion。　None　of　the　kings　bothered　to　reply。　They　all　rose　instead；　without　apology…moving　in　unison　for　the　first　time…and　walked　quickly　from　the　room。　Sanchez　carried　his　flask　with　him。　The　clerics；　left　behind；　looked　at　each　other。
　　
　　On　the　third　day　they　flew　falcons　and　hawks　at　small　birds　and　rabbits　in　the　wet　grass　for　the　delight　of　the　ladies　of　each　court。　Queen　Ines　carried　a　small　eagle；　caught　and　trained　in　the　mountains　near　Jalona；　and　loosed　it　to　triumphant　effect。
　　Younger　than　Fruela；　undeniably　more　acplished　than　Bearte　of　Ruenda；　the　queen　of　Valledo；　her　red　hair　bound　up　in　a　golden　net；　her　eyes　flashing　and　her　color　high　in　the　cool　air；　rode　between　her　husband　and　the　High　Cleric　from　her　homeland　and　was　very　much　the　focus　of　all　men's　eyes　that　day。
　　Which　made　it　the　more　disturbing；　afterwards；　that　no　one　was　able　to　identify　with　certainty　the　source　of　the　arrow　that　struck　her　shortly　after　the　dogs　had　flushed　a　boar　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。　It　seemed　obvious；　however；　that　the　arrow　was　either　a　terrible　accident；　having　been　intended　for　the　boar　beyond　her…or　that　it　had　been　aimed　at　one　of　the　two　men　beside　her。　There　was；　it　was　generally　agreed；　no　evident　reason　for　anyone　to　desire　the　death　of　the　queen　of　Valledo。
　　It　did　not　appear　at　first　to　be　a　deadly　wound；　for　she　was　struck　only　on　the　arm；　but…despite　the　standard　treatment　of　a　thick　mud…coating；　followed　by　bleedings；　both　congruent　and　transverse…Ines　of　Valledo；　clutching　a　sun　disk；　took　a　marked　turn　for　the　worse；　feverish　and　in　great　pain；　before　the　sun　went　down　that　day。
　　It　was　at　this　point　that　the　chancellor　of　Valledo　was　seen　entering　the　royal　quarters　of　the　castle；　striding　past　the　grim…faced　guards；　escorting　a　lean　man　of　loutish　appearance。
　　She　had　never　been　injured　in　such　a　fashion　in　her　life。　She　had　no　idea　how　it　was　supposed　to　feel。
　　It　felt　as　if　she　were　dying。　Her　arm　had　swollen　to　twice　its　normal　size…she　could　see　that；　even　through　the　coating　of　mud。　When　they　bled　her…working　through　a　screen　for　decency…that；　too；　had　hurt；　almost　unbearably。　There　had　been　a　quarrel　between　the　two　physicians　from　Esteren　and　her　own　longtime　doctor　from　Ferrieres。　Her　own　had　won：　they　had　given　her　nothing　for　pain。　Peire　d'Alorre　was　of　the　view　that　soporifics　dulled　the　body's　ability　to　fight　injury　caused　by　sharp　edges。　He　had　lectured　on　the　subject　in　all　the　universities。
　　Her　head　was　on　fire。　Even　the　slightest　movement　of　her　arm　was　intolerable。　She　was　dimly　conscious　that　Ramiro　had　hardly　left　her　side；　that　he　was　holding　her　good　hand；　gripping　it　steadily；　and　had　been　doing　so　since　she　had　been　brought　here；　withdrawing　only　when　the　doctors　pelled　him　to；　for　the　bleeding。　The　odd　thing　was；　she　could　see　him　holding　her　hand；　but　she　couldn't　really　feel　his　touch。
　　She　was　dying。　That　seemed　clear　to　her；　if　not　yet　to　them。　She　had　caused　a　sun　disk　to　be　brought　for　her。　She　was　trying　to　pray；　but　it　was　difficult。
　　In　a　haze　of　pain　she　understood　that　someone　new　had　entered　the　room。　Count　Gonzalez；　and　another　man。　Another　doctor。　His　features…a　long；　ugly　face…swam　into　view；　very　close。　He　apologized　to　her　and　the　king；　and　then　laid　a　hand　directly　upon　her　forehead。　He　took　her　good　hand　from　Ramiro　and　pinched　the　back　of　it。　He　asked