ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第39部分

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　　〃That　will　be　sufficient；〃　said　King　Badir；　visibly　diverted　now。　〃We　offer　you　service　in　our　court　and　armed　panies　for　a　term　of　one　year。　On　your　honor；　you　will　not　take　or　offer　service　elsewhere　in　that　time　without　our　leave。　We　shall　allow　our　advisors　to　propose　and　discuss　terms。　Do　you　accept？〃
　　An　answering　smile　came；　the　one　Jehane　remembered　from　her　father's　chamber。
　　〃I　do；〃　said　ibn　Khairan。　〃I　find　I　rather　like　the　idea　of　being　bought。　And　the　terms　will　be　easy。〃　The　smile　deepened。　〃Exactly　those　you　have　offered　our　Valledan　friend。〃
　　〃Ser　Rodrigo　came　here　with　one　hundred　and　fifty　horsemen！〃　said　Mazur　ben　Avren；　with　the　just　indignation　of　a　man　tasked　with　monitoring　purse　strings　in　difficult　times。
　　〃Even　so；〃　said　ibn　Khairan；　with　an　indifferent　shrug。　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　Jehane　saw；　was　smiling。　The　other　captains　were　not。　A　palpable　ripple　of　anger　moved　through　them。
　　One　man　stepped　forward。　A　blond　giant　from　Karch。　〃Let　them　fight；〃　he　said；　in　thickly　accented　Asharic。　〃He　says　he　is　worth　so　much。　Let　us　see　it。　Good　soldiers　here　are　paid　much　less。　Let　Belmonte　and　this　man　try　swords　for　proof。〃
　　Jehane　saw　the　idea　spark　and　kindle　through　the　garden。　The　novelty；　the　hint　of　danger。　The　testing。　The　king　looked　at　the　Karcher　soldier　speculatively。
　　〃I　think　not。〃
　　Jehane　bet　Ishak　would　always　remember　that　moment。　How　three　voices　chimed　together；　as　in　trained　harmony；　the　same　words　in　the　same　moment。
　　〃We　cannot　afford　to　risk　such　men　in　idle　games；〃　said　ben　Avren　the　chancellor；　first　of　the　three　to　continue。
　　Rodrigo　Belmonte　and　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　each　of　whom　had　also　spoken　those　words；　remained　silent；　staring　at　each　other　again。　Rodrigo　was　no　longer　smiling。
　　Mazur　stopped。　The　stillness　stretched。　Even　the　captain　from　Karch　looked　from　one　to　the　other　and　took　a　step　backwards；　muttering　under　his　breath。
　　〃I　think；〃　said　ibn　Khairan　finally；　so　softly　Jehane　had　to　lean　forward　to　hear；　〃that　if　this　man　and　I　ever　cross　swords；　it　will　not　be　for　anyone's　diversion；　or　to　determine　yearly　wages。　Forgive　me；　but　I　will　decline　this　suggestion。〃
　　King　Badir　looked　as　if　he　would　say　something；　but　then；　glancing　over　at　his　chancellor；　he　did　not。
　　〃I　do　have　a　thought；〃　Rodrigo　murmured。　〃Though　I　have　no　doubt　at　all　that　the　lord　ibn　Khairan　is　worth　whatever　the　king　of　Ragosa　chooses　to　offer　him；　I　can　appreciate　why　some　of　our　panions　might　wish　to　see　his　mettle。　I　should　be　honored　to　fight　beside　him　for　the　king's　pleasure　against　our　friend　from　Karch　and　any　four　men　he　would　like　to　have　join　him　in　the　lists　this　afternoon。〃
　　〃No！〃　said　Mazur。
　　〃Done；〃　said　King　Badir　of　Ragosa。　The　chancellor　checked　himself　with　an　effort。　The　king　went　on；　〃I　should　enjoy　such　a　display。　So　would　the　people　of　my　city。　Let　them　applaud　the　valiant　men　who　defend　their　liberty。　But　as　to　the　contract；　I　accept　your　terms；　ibn　Khairan。　The　same　wages　for　both　my　exiled　captains。　That　amuses　me；　in　truth。〃
　　He　did　look　pleased；　as　if　having　discerned　a　path　through　the　thicket　of　nuances　that　had　been　woven　in　the　garden。　〃My　lord　ibn　Khairan；　it　is　past　time　to　begin　earning　your　fee。　We　shall　require　your　presence　immediately　to　consider　certain　matters　raised　here　this　morning。　You　will　do　battle　for　our　pleasure　this　afternoon。　We　shall　then　require　something　further。〃　He　smiled　with　anticipation。　〃A　verse　to　be　offered　after　the　banquet　we　will　have　prepared　in　the　lady　Zabira's　honor　and　your　own　tonight。　I　have　agreed　to　your　terms；　frankly；　because　I　am　also　acquiring　a　poet。〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　had　been　looking　at　Rodrigo　at　the　beginning　of　this；　but　by　the　end　the　king　had　his　steady；　courteous　regard。　〃I　am　honored　to　be　of　service　in　any　capacity　at　all；　my　lord　king。　Have　you　a　preferred　subject　for　tonight？〃
　　〃I　do；　with　the　king's　gracious　permission；〃　said　Mazur　ben　Avren；　one　index　finger　stroking　his　beard。　He　paused　for　effect。　〃A　lament　for　the　slain　king　of　Cartada。〃
　　Jehane　had　not　actually　known　he　could　be　cruel。　She　abruptly　remembered　that　it　had　been　ibn　Khairan；　in　her　father's　chambers；　who　had　warned　her　to　be　careful　with　Mazur。　And　with　the　thought　she　realized　that　he　was　looking　at　her。　She　felt　herself　flush；　as　if　discovered　at　something。　His　own　expression　thoughtful；　Ammar　turned　back　to　the　chancellor。
　　〃As　you　wish；〃　he　said　simply。　〃It　is　a　worthy　subject。〃
　　
　　The　poem　he　offered　them　that　night；　after　the　banquet　dishes　and　cups　had　been　cleared　away；　after　the　afternoons　extraordinary　encounter　in　the　lists　beneath　the　city　walls；　was　to　travel　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　peninsula；　even　on　the　bad　roads　of　winter。
　　By　spring　it　had　made　people　weep…more　often　than　not　against　their　will…in　a　score　of　castles　and　as　many　cities　and　towns；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　Almalik　of　Cartada　had　been　the　most　feared　man　in　Al…Rassan。　It　is　an　old　truth　that　men　and　women　sometimes　miss　what　they　hate　as　much　as　what　they　love。
　　On　the　night　that　lament　was　first　offered；　in　the　banquet　room　of　Ragosa　by　a　man　who　still　preferred　to　name　himself　a　poet　before　anything　else；　it　had　already　been　decided　that　war　with　Cartada　would　be　premature；　whatever　the　dead　king's　woman　might　desire　for　her　sons。　There　was　no　real　dissent。　Winter　was　ing；　not　a　time　for　armies。　Spring　would　doubtless　open　a　course　of　wisdom　to　them；　much　as　flowers　would　open　in　the　gardens　and　the　countryside。
　　Guarding　Zabira's　two　boys　had　bee　rather　more　important　than　hitherto；　everyone　agreed　on　that　as　well。　Princes　were　useful；　especially　young　ones。　One　couldn't　have　too　many　royal　pawns。　It　was　another　old　truth。
　　At　the　very　end　of　that　extremely　long　day　and　night…after　the　meeting；　after　the　passage　of　arms；　after　the　banquet；　after　the　verses　and　the　toasts　and　the　last　lifted　glasses　of　wine　in　the　splendid　room　where　the　stream　ran…two　men　remained　awake；　speaking　together　in　the　king　of　Ragosa's　private　chambers　with　only　the　servants；　lighting　candles；　in　the　room　with　them。
　　〃I　don't　feel　easy　at　all；〃　said　Mazur　ben　Avren　to　his　king。
　　Badir；　leaning　back　in　a　low　chair…an　exquisite　thing；　Jaddite　in　style　but　made　of　Tudescan　redwood；　with　ivory　legs　in　smiled　at　his　chancellor　and　stretched　the　shape　of　lions'　feet…with　his　legs　upon　a　stool。
　　The　two　men　had　known　each　other　a　long　time。　Badir　had　taken　a　huge　risk　at　the　very　outset　of　his　reign　in　appointing　a　Kindath　chancellor。　The　texts　of　Ashar　were　explicit：　no　Kindath　or　Jaddite　could　hold　sovereign　authority　of　any　kind　over　the　Star…born。　No　Asharite　could　even　be　employed　by　them。　The　penalty；　if　one　followed　the　desert　code；　was　the　death　by　stones。
　　Of　course　no　one　who　mattered　in　Al…Rassan　followed　the　desert　code。　Not　during　the　Khalifate；　not　after。　The　glass　of　wine　in　the　king's　hand　was　the　most　current　evidence　of　that。　Even　so；　a　Kindath　chancellor　had　been　a　very　large　thing…a　gamble　that　the　wadjis　would　plain　as　usual　but　be　able　to　do　no　more。　There　was　a　chance　that　roll　of　dice　might　have　cost　Badir　his　newly　claimed　crown　and　his　life　if　the　people　had　risen　in　righteous　wrath。　In　return　for　that　risk　taken；　Mazur　ben　Avren；　the　so…called　Prince　of　the　Kindath；　had　made　Ragosa　not　only　independent；　but　the　second　most　powerful　kingdom　in　Al…Rassan　in　the　turbulent　years　after　the　Khalifate's　fall。　He　had　guided　the　city　and　her　king　through　the　dangerous　shoals　of　a　swiftly　changing　world；　had　kept　Ragosa　free　and　solvent　and　proud。
　　He　had　ridden　with　the　army　himself　in　the　first　years；　in　campaigns　to　the　south　and　east；　and　had　directed　it　in　the　field；　triumphantly。　His　mount　had　been　a　mule；　not　a　forbidden　horse；　Mazur　knew　enough　to　offer　the　wadjis　their　necessary　symbols　of　deference。　Nonetheless；　the　simple　truth　was　that　Mazur　ben　Avren　was　the　first　Kindath　to　mand　an　army　in　the　western　world　in　five　hundred　years。　Poet；　scholar；　diplomat；　jurist。　And　soldier。　More　than　anything　else；　those　early　military　triumphs　had　ensured　his　survival　and　Badir's。　Much　could　be　forgiven　if　a　war　went　well　and　an　army　came　home　with　gold。
　　Much　had　been　forgiven；　thus　far。　Badir　ruled；　ben　Avren　beside　him；　and　together　they　had　shared　another　dream：　a　desire　to　make　Ragosa　beautiful　as　well　as　free。　A　city　of　marble　and　ivory　and　gardens　of　exquisite　detail。　If　Cartada　to　the　west　under　the　hated　and　feared　Almalik　had　inherited　the　larger　portion　of　the　power　of　the　khalifs；　Ragosa　on　Lake　Serrana　was　an　emblem　of　other　things　Silvenes　once　had　been　in　the　lost　days　of　splendor。
　　They　were　an　old　team　by　now；　the　king　and　his　chancellor；　deeply　familiar　with　each　other；　without　illusions。　Each　of　them　knew　that　an　ending　could　e　at　any　time；　from　any　number　of　directions。　The　moons　waxed　and　waned。　The　stars　could　be　hidden　by　clouds；　or　burned　away　by　the　sun。
　　If　Silvenes　and　the　Al…Fontina　could　fall；　if　that　city　and　palace　could　be　sacked　and　fired　and　left　as　nothing　more　than　wind…borne　ashes　of　glory；　any　city；　any　kingdom　could　be　brought　down。　It　was　a　lesson　learned　by　all　who　claimed　any　measure　of　power　in　the　peninsula　after　the　death　of　the　last　khalif。
　　〃I　know　you're　uneasy；〃　King　Badir　said；　glancing　up　at　his　chancellor。　He　gestured。　〃For　one　thing；　you　haven't　touched　your　glass。　You　don't　even　know　what　I've　poured　for　us。〃
　　Mazur　smiled　briefly。　He　picked　up　his　golden　wine；　looked　at　it　in　the　candlelight　and　then　sipped；　eyes　closed。
　　〃Wonderful；〃　he　murmured。　〃Ardeno　vineyards；　and　a　late　growth；　surely？　When　did　this　e？〃
　　〃When　do　you　think？〃
　　The　chancellor　sipped　again；　with　real　pleasure。　〃Of　course。　This　morning。　Not　from　the　woman；　I'd　imagine。〃
　　〃They　said　it　was。〃
　　〃Of　course　they　did。〃　There　was　a　silence。
　　〃That　was　a　remarkable　poem　we　heard　tonight。〃　The　king's　voice；　resuming；　was　low。
　　Ben　Avren　nodded。　〃I　thought　so。〃
　　King　Badir　looked　at　his　chancellor　for　a　moment。　〃You've　done　as　well；　in　your　time。〃
　　Mazur　shook　his　head。　〃Thank　you；　my　lord；　but　I　know　my　limits　there。〃　Another　pause。　Mazur　stroked　his　carefully　trimmed　beard。　〃He's　an　extra