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ther。〃
〃No； no。 No！ I must go back home now； Excellence。 As quickly as possible。〃 The man showed a surprising amount of energy for the first time。 〃With my father dead there is an opportunity。 For me； for all of us who serve Ashar and the god。 I must write to the wadjis of the city！ I must…〃
〃It is time for prayers；〃 Yazir repeated； and rose。
Ghalib did the same； with a warrior's grace。 The prince scrambled upright。 They began walking back。 Hazem limped along； still talking； trying to keep pace。
〃This is wonderful！〃 he said。 〃My accursed father is dead。 My brother is weak； with a corrupt； godless advisor…the evil man who killed the last khalif！ We can take Cartada easily； Excellence。 The people will be with us！ I will go home to Al…Rassan； and tell them you are following。 Don't you see； Ashar has given us a gift from the stars！〃
Yazir stopped。 He didn't like being distracted as he readied himself for prayer； and this man was clearly going to be a vexing distraction。 There was also the distinct possibility that Ghalib would be irked enough to kill him out…of…hand。
Yazir said； 〃We go to pray。 Be silent now。 But understand me： we travel nowhere in winter。 Neither do you。 You will remain with us。 You are our guest for this season。 In spring we will take counsel again。 For the rest of the winter I do not want to hear you speak unless addressed by one of us。〃 He paused； tried to sound gentle； soothing。 〃I say this for your safety； do you understand？ You are not in a place where things are as you know them。〃
The man's jaw had dropped open。 He reached forward with a hand…his right hand； alas…and clutched at Yazir's sleeve。
〃But I cannot stay！〃 he said。 〃Excellence； I must go back。 Before the winter storms。 I must be…〃
He said no more。 He was looking downwards； a blank incredulity in his face。 It was very nearly amusing。 Ghalib had cut off the offending hand at the wrist。 He was already sheathing his sword。 Hazem ibn Almalik； prince of Cartada； looked at the bleeding stump where his right hand had been； made a strangled sound in his throat； and fainted。
Ghalib looked down at him expressionlessly。 〃Shall I cut out his tongue？〃 he asked。 〃We will never endure a winter of his words。 He will not survive； brother。 Someone will kill him。〃
Yazir considered it。 Ghalib was almost certainly right。 He sighed； shook his head。 〃No；〃 he said reluctantly。 〃We do need to speak with him。 We might have need of this man。〃
〃Man？〃 Ghalib said。 Lowering his veil； he spat。
Yazir shrugged and turned away。 〃e。 It is time for prayers。〃
He turned to walk on。 Ghalib looked as if he would protest。 In his mind's eye Yazir could almost see him severing the man's tongue。 The prospect of silence was appealing。 He imagined Ghalib kneeling； knife drawn； the Cartadan's head lifted to rest on his left knee； the tongue pulled out as far as it could go； the blade 。。。 Ghalib had done this many times。 He was good at it。 Yazir very nearly changed his mind。 Nearly； but not quite。
He didn't look back。 A moment later； he heard his brother following。 Most of the time Ghalib still followed。 Yazir gestured； and three of the warriors moved to bring the Cartadan。 He might die of his wound； but it was unlikely。 They knew how to treat such injuries in the desert。 Hazem ibn Almalik would live。 He would never realize that his life and speech were Yazir's gift to him。 Some people you just couldn't help； no matter how you tried。
He joined their wadji and the tribesmen in the pound。 They had waited for him。 The bell was rung； the sound small and fragile in the wind。 They lowered their veils and prayed then in the open spaces to the one god and his beloved servant Ashar； their exposed faces turned to where Soriyya was； so far away。 They prayed for strength and mercy； for purity of heart and mortal body； for the fulfillment of Ashar's starlit visions； and for access； at the end of their own days among the sands of earth； to Paradise。
He had been forewarned； but not sufficiently。 King Ramiro of Valledo； sitting upon his throne set before the triple arches in his newly pleted audience chamber； was sharply aware of trouble the moment the visitors entered the hall。
He glanced briefly at his wife and noted the heightened color in her face； which only confirmed his instinct。 Ines had taken great pains with her appearance this morning。 Not a surprise； these were guests from Ferrieres； which had been her home。
On his other side； one step back from the throne； his constable； Count Gonzalez de Rada； displayed only his customary arrogance to their guests。 That was fine； but Ramiro was almost certain that de Rada was oblivious to what these men might actually mean for Valledo。
No real surprise there； either。 Gonzalez had a good mind and a direct way of achieving things； but his perceptions extended no further than the three kingdoms of Esperana。 He could make shrewd observations about what King Ramiro's brother in Ruenda or his uncle in Jalona might intend； and propose measures to balk them； but clerics from countries across the mountains held no interest for him and therefore shared no part of his thought。
Which was why the warning had been insufficient。 Five men of the god； one of them high…ranking； were stopping here at the queen's invitation； en route to the shrine on Vasca's Isle。 What could that possibly signify？ Gonzalez had hardly given it a thought。 Neither； to his own swiftly growing regret； had the king。
Betraying no hint of these emerging apprehensions； Ramiro of Valledo gazed politely at the man proceeding down the carpeted approach to the throne； a few telling steps ahead of his fellows。 Some men alerted you with their very presence that something of substance was afoot。 This was one such。
Geraud de Chervalles； High Cleric of Ferrieres； was tall enough to look down on every man in that room； including the king。 His face was shaved smooth as a baby's； with grey hair swept straight back from his brow； making him seem even taller。 His eyes； even at a distance from the throne； were a penetrating blue； set beneath straight eyebrows and above a long nose and a thin； wide mouth。 His bearing was patrician； courtly； the manner of an ambassador to a lesser court； not that of a servant of the god appearing before a monarch。 Garbed in the blue robes of the Ferrieres clerics； fringed and belted with yellow for the sun； Geraud de Chervalles was an undeniably imposing man。
The king saw no deference at all in that aristocratic face。 Nor did he find it…sparing a quick glance…in the expressions of the four lesser clerics who had now e to a halt behind de Chervalles。 No hostility or aggression； nothing as ill…bred as that； but clerics didn't have to be hostile to cause a world of trouble； and amiro now； belatedly； had a sense that trouble was what had arrived beneath his arches to stand upon the newly laid carpets and mosaics this cold and drizzly morning in autumn。
It didn't help to know that his wife had requested their presence。
He pulled his fur…collared robe more closely about himself。 Out of the corner of one eye he saw Gonzalez make a discreet gesture and servants hastened to build up the fires。 His constable was endlessly solicitous of the king's forts in such small matters。 Unfortunately he had missed something large here。 On the other hand； so had Ramiro himself； and he was not a man to task others for failings he shared。
〃Be wele to Valledo；〃 he said calmly； as the tall cleric stopped a proper distance before the throne。 〃In the holy name of Jad。〃
Geraud of Ferrieres bowed then…not before； Ramiro noted。 The bow was proper； though； a full； formal salutation。 He straightened。
〃We are honored； my lord king。〃 The High Cleric's voice was rich and cultured。 He spoke Esperanan flawlessly； even to the patrician lisp。 〃Honored by the invitation from our own beloved Ines； your most devout queen； and by your royal wele。 Only the prospect of a winter's fort here at Esteren's much…celebrated court could have drawn us forth upon the roads and through the mountains so late in the year。〃
No bones about it then。 His very first remarks。 They were staying。 Not really a surprise； though they might have been intending to push on to Ruenda。 That would have been pleasant。 Ramiro was aware of Ines beaming beside him； elegant and desirable。 She had been looking forward to this for a long time。
〃We shall offer what forts we may；〃 the king said； 〃though we fear we cannot match the fame of Ferrieres for the delights of the flesh。〃 He smiled； to make clear it was a jest。
The High Cleric shook his head。 There was an unwele hint of admonition in his expression。 Already。 〃We live simple lives； your grace；〃 he murmured。 〃We will be well content with any meager space and amenities you are able to spare。 Our delight and sustenance will e from the presence of the god in this mighty stronghold of Jad in the west。〃
Ramiro schooled his features。 He was aware that Ines had already allocated and sumptuously furnished a suite of connecting rooms for the Ferrieres clerics in the new wing of the palace； in the event that they elected to linger for more than a short time。 There was even a chapel there； at her insistence。 Geraud de Chervalles would not be forced to deal with any meager spaces here。 The king was also aware of the detailed exchange of letters between his queen and the clerics of her birthplace。 It would be unseemly； of course； to betray knowledge of this。 He felt like being unseemly。
〃We are certain our dearly beloved queen has been at pains to ply with every point of your instructions regarding what acmodations would be adequate for your needs。 The hot water has been arranged for your rooms； your personal masseur for each afternoon。 The food as stipulated。 The requested Farlenian wine。〃
He smiled genially。 Ines stiffened beside him。 Geraud de Chervalles looked briefly disfited； then sorrowful； in the manner of all clerics。 He had； however； no easy reply。 It was useful； Ramiro thought； to bring them up short early； like a horse in the breaking； before all the smooth； rolling phrases began to pour endlessly forth。 He doubted； though； that this man was susceptible to being checked。 A moment later this was confirmed。
〃I do regret that my advancing years have made it necessary to beg certain solicitous favors from those who honor us with a request to visit。 Especially in winter； I fear。 Your majesty is young yet； in the flush of your god…granted vigor。 Those of us who have begun our mortal decline can only look to you as our stern arm of support； under the holy sun of Jad。〃
As expected。 Not someone who could be quelled as he had managed to quell the yellow…garbed clerics here over the years。 Erratic men； ambitious； but without leadership or force。 Without looking he could picture the smug expressions on their faces。 They had a champion now； and things might be about to change。 Well； he ought to have known this was ing。 He ought to have given it more thought。 He had no one to blame but himself for agreeing to Ines's request that they invite one of the High Clerics from her own country to stop here on his way to the Isle； for the fort of her soul。
He'd known the name of de Chervalles； known he was a figure of power。 Beyond that he had not concerned himself。 A weakness。 He didn't like thinking about clerics。 He did have a vague memory of the afternoon she'd asked his permission to invite the man。 He had been lulled and languorous in the aftermath of lovemaking。 His queen； thought Ramiro of Valledo； looking straight ahead； knew him altogether too well。
He forced himself to smile again at the tall； grey…haired man in the luxurious blue and yellow robe。 〃You are unlikely to need defending here in winter。 Except against cold and boredom； perhaps。 We will do what we can to make you fortable during your brief time with us。〃 He allowed his tone to hint at dismissal。 Perhaps this first encounter； at least； could be kept short。 That would give him time to think things through a little。
De Chervalles's expression grew dark； troubled。 〃The god knows our fears are not for ourselves or our own fort； gracious king。 We e hither on the hard roads heavy with thoughts of the