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。 This simply did not happen to noblemen playing their games in the countryside。
Ziri ibn Aram took two steady steps forward and then thrust the borrowed blade…awkwardly； but with determination…straight through the heart of the man who had killed his mother and his father。 The man screamed as the blade went in； a terrible sound。
Too late； Jehane remembered the two girls。 She ought to have turned their faces away； covered their ears。 Both had been watching。 Neither was crying now。 She knelt and gathered them to her。
I caused this death； she was thinking。 With rage no longer driving her； it was an appalling thought。 She was abruptly mindful of the fact that she was out here beyond the walls of Fezana with the purpose of causing another。
〃I will take them now； doctor。〃
She looked up and saw the boy； Ziri； standing beside her。 He had given the sword back to Alvar。 There was a bleakness in his eyes。 She wondered if； later； it would help him at all to have taken his revenge。 She had to wonder that。
She released the two girls and watched their brother lead them away from the open space。 She didn't know where they were going amid all the fires。 She doubted he did either。 She remained kneeling on the ground； looking at Garcia de Rada。
〃My cousin was a pig；〃 he said calmly； turning from the dead man to look up at Rodrigo Belmonte。 〃What he did was disgusting。 We are well rid of him； and I will say as much when we all return home。〃
There was a bark of disbelieving laughter from Lain Nunez。 Jehane could hardly believe the words； herself。 Somewhere inside she was forced to acknowledge that the man had courage of a sort。 He was a monster； though。 A monster from the tales used by mothers to fright their children into obedience。 But here in Orvilla the monster had e； after all； and children had died。 One had been stabbed by a sword before entering the world。
She looked over her shoulder again； and saw Rodrigo Belmonte smiling strangely as he looked down at de Rada。 No one in the world could have taken any fort in that expression。
〃Do you know；〃 he said； his voice quiet again； almost conversational； 〃I have always thought you poisoned King Raimundo。〃
Jehane saw a startled apprehension in the craggy face of Lain Nunez。 He turned sharply to Rodrigo。 This； clearly； had not been expected。 He moved his horse nearer to the Captain's。 Without turning to him； Rodrigo lifted a hand and Lain Nunez stopped。 Turning back the other way； Jehane saw Garcia de Rada open his mouth and then close it again。 He was clearly thinking hard； but she could see no fear in the man； not even now。 Blood was dripping from the wound on his face。
〃You would not dare say such a thing in Esteren；〃 he said at length。
His own voice was softer now。 A new thread of tension seemed to be running through all the Jaddites。 The last king of Valledo had been named Raimundo； Jehane knew that。 The oldest of the three brothers； the sons of Sancho the Fat。 There had been rumors surrounding Raimundo's death； a story involving Rodrigo Belmonte； something about the present king of Valledo's coronation。 Ammar ibn Khairan could have told her； Jehane suddenly thought； and shook her head。 Not a useful line of thinking。
〃Perhaps I might not；〃 Rodrigo said； still mildly。 〃We aren't in Esteren。〃
〃So you feel free to slander anyone you choose？〃
〃Not anyone。 Only you。 Challenge me。〃 He still had that strange smile on his face。
〃Back home I will。 Believe it。〃
〃I do not。 Fight me now； or admit you killed your king。〃
Out of the corner of her eye Jehane saw Lain Nunez make a curiously helpless gesture beside Rodrigo。 The Captain ignored him。 Something had altered in his manner and Jehane； for the first time； found herself intimidated by him。 This issue…the death of King Raimundo…seemed to be his own open wound。 She realized that Velaz had e up quietly to stand protectively beside her。
〃I will do neither。 Not here。 But say this again at court and observe what I do； Belmonte。〃
〃Rodrigo！〃 Jehane heard Lain Nunez rasp。 〃Stop this； in Jad's name！ Kill him if you like； but stop this now。〃
〃But that is the problem；〃 said the Captain of Valledo in the same taut voice。 〃I don't think I can。〃
Jehane； struggling for understanding amid the rawness of her own emotions； wasn't sure if he meant that he couldn't kill； or he couldn't stop what he was saying。 She had a flashing sense that he probably meant both。
With a roar； another of the houses collapsed。 The fire had spread as far as it could。 There was no more wood to ignite。 Orvilla would be cinder and ash by morning； when the survivors would have to try to attend to the dead and the process of living past this night。
〃Take your men and go；〃 Rodrigo Belmonte said to the man who had done this thing。
〃Return our horses and weapons and we ride north on the instant；〃 said Garcia de Rada promptly。
Jehane looked back and saw that Rodrigo's cold smile was gone。 He seemed tired now； drained of some vital force by this last exchange。 〃You sued for ransom；〃 he said。 〃Remember？ There are witnesses。 Full price will be settled at court by the heralds。 Your mounts and weapons are a first payment。 You are released on your sworn oaths to pay。〃
〃You want us to walk back to Valledo？〃
〃I want you dead；〃 said Rodrigo succinctly。 〃I will not murder a countryman； though。 Be grateful and start walking。 There are five hundred new Muwardi mercenaries in Fezana tonight； by the way。 They'll have seen these fires。 You might not want to linger。〃
He was going to let them go。 Privileges of rank and power。 The way the world was run。 Dead and mutilated farmers could be redeemed by horses and gold for the rescuers。 Jehane had a sudden image…intense and disorienting…of herself rising smoothly from the brown； parched grass； striding over to that young soldier； Alvar； and seizing his sword。 She could almost feel the weight of the weapon in her hands。 With eerie clarity she watched herself walk up to Garcia de Rada…he had even turned partially away from her。 In the vision she heard Velaz cry 〃Jehane！〃 just as she killed de Rada with a two…handed swing of the Jaddite sword。 The soldier's blade entered between two ribs； she heard the dark…haired man cry out and saw his blood spurt and continue to spill as he fell。
She would never have thought such images could occur to her； let alone feel so urgent； so necessary。 She was a doctor； sworn to defend life by the Oath of Galinus。 The same oath her father had sworn； the one that had led him to deliver a child； aware that it could cost him his own life。 He had said as much to ibn Khairan； earlier this same day。 It was hard to believe it was the same day。
She was a physician before she was anything else； it was her holy island； her sanctuary。 She had already caused one man to be killed tonight。 It was enough。 It was more than enough。 She stood up and took a single step towards Garcia de Rada。 She saw him look at her； register the Kindath…style drape of the stole about her head and shoulders。 She could read contempt and derision in his eyes。 It didn't matter。 She had sworn an oath； years ago。
She said； 〃Wash that wound in the river。 Then cover it with a clean cloth。 Do that every day。 You will be marked； but it might not fester。 If you can have a doctor salve it soon； that will be better for you。〃
She would never have imagined it would be so difficult to speak such words。 At the perimeter of the open space； half in the ruined shadows； she suddenly saw her patient； Abirab； with the two little girls held close to her。 Their brother； Ziri； had stepped forward a little and was staring at her。 Enduring his gaze； Jehane felt her words as the most brutal form of betrayal。
She turned away and； without looking back； without waiting for anyone； began walking from the village； between the burning houses and then out through a gap in the fence； feeling the heat of the fires on her face and in her heart as she went； with no prospect of anything to cool her grief。
She knew Velaz would be following。 She had not expected to hear； so soon； the sound of a horse overtaking her。
〃The camp is too far to walk；〃 said a voice。 Not Lain Nunez this time。 She looked up at Rodrigo Belmonte as he slowed the horse beside her。 〃I think we each did something that cut against our desire back there；〃 he said。 〃Shall we ride together？〃
She had been awed by him at first； by the scale of his reputation； then； briefly； afraid； then angry…though unfairly so； perhaps。 Now she was simply tired； and grateful for the chance to ride。 He leaned over in the saddle and lifted her up； effortlessly； though she wasn't a small woman。 She arranged her skirts and undertunic and swung a leg across the horse behind him。 She put her arms around his waist。 He wasn't wearing armor。 In the silence of the night； as they left the fires behind； Jehane could feel the beating of his heart。
They rode in that silence for a time and Jehane let the stillness and the dark merge with the steady drumming of the horse's hooves to guide her back towards a semblance of posure。
This is my day for meeting famous men； she thought suddenly。
It could almost have been amusing； if so much tragedy had not been embedded in the day。 The realization； though； was inescapable。 The man she was riding behind had been known； for almost twenty years…since the late days of the Khalifate…as the Scourge of Al…Rassan。 The wadjis still singled him out by name for cursing in the temples at the darkfall prayers。 She wondered if he knew that； if he prided himself upon it。
〃My temper is a problem；〃 he said quietly； breaking the silence in remarkably unaccented Asharic。 〃I really shouldn't have whipped him。〃
〃I don't see why not；〃 Jehane said。
He shook his head。 〃You kill men like that or you leave them alone。〃
〃Then you should have killed him。〃
〃Probably。 I could have； in the first attack when we arrived； but not after they had surrendered and sued for ransom。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 Jehane said； aware that her bitterness was audible； 〃The code of warriors。 Would you like to ride back and look at that mother and child？〃
〃I have seen such things； doctor。 Believe me。〃 She did believe him。 He had probably done them； too。
〃I knew your father； incidentally；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte after another silence。 Jehane felt herself go rigid。 〃Ishak of the Kindath。 I was sorry to learn of his fate。〃
〃How 。。。 how do you know who my father is？ How do you know who I am？〃 she stammered。
He chuckled。 And answered her； astonishingly； in fluent Kindath now。 〃Not a particularly difficult guess。 How many blue…eyed Kindath female physicians are there in Fezana？ You have your father's eyes。〃
〃My father has no eyes；〃 Jehane said bitterly。 〃As you know if you know his story。 How do you know our language？〃
〃Soldiers tend to learn bits of many languages。〃
〃Not that well； and not Kindath。 How do you know it？〃
〃I fell in love once； a long time ago。 Best way to learn a language； actually。〃
Jehane was feeling angry again。 〃When did you learn Asharic？〃 she demanded。
He switched easily back into that language。 〃I lived in Al…Rassan for a time。 When Prince Raimundo was exiled by his father for a multitude of mostly imagined sins he spent a year in Silvenes and Fezana； and I came south with him。〃
〃You lived in Fezana？〃
〃Part of the time。 Why so surprised？〃
She didn't answer。 It wasn't so unusual； in fact。 For decades； if not centuries； the feuds among the Jaddite monarchs of Esperana and their families had often led noblemen and their retinues to sojourn in exile among the delights of Al…Rassan。 And during the Khalifate not a few of the Asharite nobility had similarly found it prudent to distance themselves from the long reach of Silvenes； dwelling among the Horsemen of the north。
〃I don't know；〃 she answered his question。 〃I suppose because I'd have expected to remember you。〃
〃Seventeen years ago？ You would have been little more than a child。 I think I might even have seen you once； unless you have a sister； in the market at your father's booth。 There's no reason for you to have remembered me。 I was much the same age young Alvar is n