ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第110部分

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　　After　four　days　of　this；　it　was　King　Badir　who　made　the　decision　to　show　the　body　of　King　Bermudo　from　the　city　walls。　It　was　indicated　by　a　herald　that　the　corpse　would　be　desecrated　if　the　torturing　continued　outside。　Queen　Fruela；　afire　with　holy　zeal；　appeared　inclined　to　continue　nonetheless　but　her　young　son；　the　new　king　of　Jalona；　prevailed　in　this　matter。　The　prisoners　outside　the　walls　were　all　killed　the　next　morning；　without　ceremony。　The　body　of　King　Bermudo　was　burned　in　Ragosa。　The　Jaddites；　watching　the　smoke　of　that　pyre　rise　up；　took　solace　in　knowing　that　since　he　had　died　in　the　midst　of　a　war　against　the　infidels；　his　soul　was　already　dwelling　with　the　god　in　light。
　　As　a　consequence　of　all　this；　it　was　understood　from　the　beginning　of　the　siege　of　Ragosa　that　a　negotiated　surrender　was　not　an　option。　No　one　in　the　city　was　going　to　be　permitted　to　live　if　it　fell。　In　a　way　that　made　things　simpler　for　those　inside　the　walls。　It　removed　an　otherwise　distracting　possibility。
　　It　had；　in　fact；　been　ibn　Khairan　who　foretold　this。　〃If　it　es　to　an　ending；〃　he　had　said　to　Mazur　ben　Avren　on　the　spring　morning　he　rode　back　west　with　Jehane　bet　Ishak；　〃try；　any　way　you　can；　to　surrender　to　Valledo。〃
　　Unexpected　words；　and　both　the　king　and　his　chancellor　saw　them　as　such；　but　they　became　rather　more　explicable　after　the　very　different　occupations　of　Fezana　and　Salos　later　that　summer。
　　Unfortunately；　there　seemed　no　obvious　way　to　negotiate　such　a　surrender；　and　ibn　Khairan　himself…the　ka'id　of　Cartada's　armies　now…was　engaged　in　making　life　as　miserable　as　he　could　for　the　Valledans　as　they　approached　Lonza。　If　King　Ramiro　had　begun　this　invasion　in　a　tolerant　cast　of　mind；　he　might　well　be　abandoning　that　attitude　by　now；　under　the　deadly；　morale…sapping　raids　of　Cartada's　brilliant　mander；　and　with　autumn　and　the　rains　ing　on。
　　King　Badir's　servant　built　up　the　fire　again　and　then　deftly　refilled　the　glasses　of　both　men。　They　could　still　hear　the　rain　outside。　A　panionable　silence　descended。
　　The　chancellor　felt　his　thoughts　drifting。　He　found　himself　taking　note　of　the　trappings　of　this；　the　king's　most　private　room。　He　looked；　as　if　for　the　first　time；　at　the　fireplace　with　its　mantel　carved　in　a　pattern　of　grapes　and　leaves。　He　gazed　at　the　wine　itself；　and　the　beautifully　worked　goblets；　at　the　white　candles　in　their　gold　sconces；　the　tapestries　from　Elvira；　the　carved　ivory　figures　on　sideboard　and　mantelpiece。　He　smelled　the　incense　imported　from　Soriyya；　burning　in　a　copper　dish；　observed　the　etched　windows　over　the　garden；　the　gilt…edged　mirror　on　the　opposite　wall；　the　intricately　woven　carpets　。。。　
　　In　a　way；　Mazur　ben　Avren　thought；　all　these　delicate　things　were　bulwarks；　the　innermost　defenses　of　civilized　man　against　the　rain　and　dark；　and　ignorance。
　　The　Jaddites　outside　the　walls　did　not　understand　that。　Neither；　to　an　even　greater　degree；　did　the　veiled　ones　from　the　desert…the　longed…for　saviors　of　everyone's　prayers。
　　It　was　too　bitter　a　truth　even　for　irony。　These　things　in　Badir's　room…these　measures　of　having　found　the　space　to　strive　for　and　value　beauty　in　the　world…were　seen　by　those　to　north　and　south　as　the　markers　of　corruption；　decadence；　frivolity。　Impiety。　Dangerous　earthly　distractions　from　a　properly　humble；　cringing　appeasement　of　a　blazing　god　of　the　sun；　or　a　far；　cold　deity　behind　the　stars。
　　〃The　lady　Zabira；〃　he　said；　shifting　position　to　ease　his　hip；　〃has　offered　to　present　herself　as　a　gift　to　the　young　king　of　Jalona。〃
　　Badir　looked　up。　He　had　been　gazing　into　the　fire。
　　〃She　believes　she　might　be　able　to　kill　him；〃　ben　Avren　added；　by　way　of　explanation。
　　King　Badir　shook　his　head。　〃No　point。　A　brave　offer；　but　that　young　man　means　little　to　his　army。　What　is　he；　sixteen？　And　his　mother　would　have　Zabira　torn　apart　before　she　came　anywhere　near　the　boy。〃
　　〃My　thought　as　well；　my　lord。　I　thanked　her　and　declined；　on　your　behalf。〃　He　smiled。　〃I　told　her　she　could　present　herself　to　you；　instead；　but　that　I　needed　her　more　with　winter　ing。〃
　　The　king　returned　the　smile；　briefly。
　　〃Do　we　make　it　to　the　winter？〃　he　asked。
　　Ben　Avren　sipped　his　wine　before　answering。　He　had　been　hoping　this　would　not　be　asked。　〃I　would　rather　we　didn't　have　to；　to　be　honest。　It　will　be　a　near　thing。　We　need　an　army　from　the　desert　to　at　least　land　in　Al…Rassan；　to　put　the　Jalonans　on　warning　that　they　are　at　risk　of　being　trapped　outside　walls　and　shelter。　They　might　withdraw　then。〃
　　〃They　should　have　taken　Fibaz　before　besieging　us。〃
　　〃Of　course　they　should　have。　Give　thanks　to　Ashar　and　I'll　offer　a　libation　to　the　moons。〃
　　The　king　didn't　smile　this　time。　〃And　if　the　Muwardis　don't　land？〃
　　Ben　Avren　shrugged。　〃What　can　I　say；　my　lord？　No　city　is　ever　safe　from　betrayal。　Especially　as　supplies　begin　to　dwindle。　And　you　do　have　a　principal　advisor　who　is　one　of　the　hated；　evil　Kindath。　If　the　Jalonans　ever　offer　a　measure　of　clemency　。。。　〃
　　〃They　will　not。〃
　　〃But　if　they　did？　If　we　then　had　something　to　offer　back　to　them；　in　partial　redress　of　their　king's　death　。。。　？〃
　　Badir　scowled。　〃We　have　been　through　this。　Do　not　vex　me　again。　I　will　not　accept　your　resignation；　your　departure；　your　sacrifice　。。。　none　of　these　things。　What　am　I　clinging　to；　so　desperately；　that　I　would　allow　myself　to　lose　you？〃
　　〃Life？　The　lives　of　your　people？〃
　　Badir　shook　his　head。　〃I　am　too　old　to　clutch　like　that。　If　the　veiled　ones　e；　my　people　may　survive　。。。　after　a　fashion。　This　city…as　we　built　it…will　not。〃
　　He　gestured　around　the　room。　〃We　made　this　together；　my　friend。　If　it　goes；　one　way　or　another；　I　will　make　an　end　drinking　my　wine　with　you。　Do　not　speak　of　this　again。　I　regard　the　subject　as　a　。。。　betrayal。〃
　　Ben　Avren's　expression　was　grave。　〃It　is　not　that；　my　lord。〃
　　〃It　is。　We　find　a　way　out　together；　or　we　do　not。　Are　you　not　proud　of　what　we　have　achieved；　we　two？　Is　it　not　a　denial　of　our　very　lives　to　speak　as　you　are　speaking　now？　I　will　not　cling　to　some　miserable　form　of　existence　at　the　price　of　all　we　have　been。〃
　　His　chancellor　said　nothing。　The　king；　after　a　pause；　said；　〃Mazur；　are　there　not　some　things　we　have　made　here；　some　things　we　have　done；　that　are　worthy　to　have　been　in　Silvenes；　even　in　the　golden　age？〃
　　And　Mazur　ben　Avren；　with　rare　emotion　in　the　deep　voice；　replied；　〃There　has　been　a　king　here；　at　the　least；　my　lord；　more　than　worthy　to　have　been　a　khalif　in　the　Al…Fontina　in　those　most　shining　days。〃
　　Another　silence。　King　Badir　said；　at　length；　very　softly；　〃Then　speak　no　more；　old　friend；　of　my　losing　you。　I　cannot。〃
　　Ben　Avren　inclined　his　head。　〃I　will　speak　of　it　no　more；〃　he　said。　〃My　lord。〃
　　They　finished　their　wine。　The　chancellor　rose；　with　some　difficulty；　and　bade　his　king　good　night。　He　went　down　the　long　palace　corridors；　his　slippers　silent　on　the　marble　floors；　walking　under　torches　and　past　tapestries；　listening　to　the　rain。
　　Zabira　was　asleep。　She　had　left　one　candle　burning　on　a　table　with　a　flask　of　wine　and　another　of　water；　and　a　glass　for　him；　already　filled。　He　smiled；　looking　down　upon　her…as　beautiful　in　sleep　as　she　was　awake。
　　The　northerners；　he　thought；　the　desert　tribes：　how　could　they　even　prehend　a　place　and　time…a　world…that　had　produced　a　woman　such　as　this？　She　would　be　a　symbol　of　corruption　for　them　both。　They　would　kill　her　or　degrade　her；　he　knew。　They　would　have　no　idea　what　else　to　do　with　Zabira　of　Cartada　or　the　music　that　she　made；　moving　in　the　world。
　　He　sat　down　with　a　sigh　in　the　carved；　deep…cushioned　wooden　chair　he'd　missioned　from　a　Jaddite　craftsman　in　the　city。　He　drank　a　glass　of　wine；　and　then；　eventually；　another；　not　really　sleepy；　deep　in　thought。
　　No　real　regrets；　he　told　himself。　And　realized　it　was　true。
　　Before　he　undressed　for　bed　he　went　to　the　inner　window　and　opened　it　and　looked　out；　breathing　the　night　air。　The　rain　had　stopped。　Water　dripped　from　the　leaves　of　the　trees　to　the　garden　below。
　　
　　A　long　way　to　the　south　and　west　another　man　was　awake　that　same　night；　beneath　a　very　different　sky。
　　Past　the　peaks　of　the　Serrana；　past　Lonza；　huddled　and　afraid　behind　its　walls；　waiting　for　the　Valledans　to　e；　past　Ronizza　whose　lacework　was　known　through　all　the　world；　past　arrogant　Cartada　in　the　valley　of　its　power　where　the　red　dye　was　made；　past　Aljais　and　the　canals　of　Elvira；　and　Silvenes　where　ghosts　and　ghostly　music　were　said　still　to　drift　among　the　ruins；　past；　even；　Tudesca　at　the　mouth　of　the　Guadiara；　where　ships　put　out　to　sea　with　the　wealth　of　Al…Rassan　and　brought　eastern　treasures　home。
　　Past　all　of　these　and　beyond　the　waters　of　the　straits；　outside　the　walls　of　Abirab　at　the　northern　tip　of　the　Majriti　sands；　Yazir　ibn　Q'arif；　lord　of　the　tribes　of　the　desert；　Sword　of　Ashar　in　the　West；　breathed　the　salt　air　from　the　sea　and；　sitting　alone　on　an　outspread　cloak；　looked　up　at　a　clear　sky　strewn　with　the　stars　of　his　god。
　　The　Zuhrites　had　been　taught　by　the　sage　who　had　e　to　them　that　there　were　as　many　stars　as　there　were　sands　in　the　desert。　Twenty　years　ago；　new　to　belief；　Yazir　used　to　try　to　prehend　what　that　mea