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king。 A more generous offering in its way； but awareness of that did nothing to touch the core of bitterness Jehane felt to this day； four years after。 It was not a bitterness that would pass； she knew that with certainty。
She gave a prescription for sleeplessness and another for stomach troubles。 Several people stopped to buy her father's remedy for headache。 It was a simple pound； though closely guarded； as all physicians' private mixtures were： cloves； myrrh and aloes。 Jehane's mother was kept busy preparing that one all week long in the treatment rooms at the front of their home。
The morning passed。 Velaz quietly and steadily filled clay pots and vials at the back of the booth as Jehane issued her directions。 A flask of urine clear at the bottom but thin and pale at the top told its tale of chest congestion。 Jehane prescribed fennel and told the woman to return the next week with another sample。
Ser Rezzoni of Sorenica； a sardonic man； had taught that the essence of the successful physician's practice lay in inducing patients to return。 The dead ones； he'd noted； seldom did。 Jehane could remember laughing； she had laughed often in those days； studying in far…off Batiara； before the fourth son of Cartada's king had been born。
Velaz dealt with all payments； most often in small coin； sometimes otherwise。 One woman from a hamlet nearby； troubled by a variety of recurring ailments； brought a dozen brown eggs every week。
The market was unusually crowded。 Stretching her arms and shoulders as she glanced up briefly from steady work； Jehane noted with satisfaction the respectable line of patients in front of her。 In the first months after she'd taken over her father's weekly booth here and the treatment rooms at home the patients had been slow to e； now it seemed she was doing almost as well as Ishak had。
The noise level this morning was really quite extraordinary。 There had to be some cause for this bustling excitement but Jehane couldn't think what it might be。 It was only when she saw three blond and bearded foreign mercenaries arrogantly shouldering their way through the market that she remembered。 The new wing of the castle was being consecrated by the wadjis today； and the young prince of Cartada； Almalik's eldest son； who bore his name； was here to receive selected dignitaries of subjugated Fezana。 Even in a town notorious for its rebels； social status mattered； those who had received a coveted invitation to the ceremony had been preening for weeks。
Jehane paid little attention to this sort of thing； or to any other nuances of diplomacy and war most of the time。 There was a saying among her people： Whichever way the wind blows； it will rain upon the Kindath。 That pretty well summed up her feelings。
Since the thunderous； echoing fall of the Khalifate in Silvenes fifteen years ago； allegiances and alignments in Al…Rassan had shifted interminably； often several times a year； as petty…kings rose and fell in the cities with numbing regularity。 Nor were affairs any clearer in the north； beyond the no…man's…land； where the Jaddite kings of Valledo and Ruenda and Jalona…the two surviving sons and the brother of Sancho the Fat…schemed and warred against each other。 It was a waste of time； Jehane had long ago decided； to try to keep track of what former slave had gained an ascendancy here； or what king had poisoned his brother there。
It was being warmer in the marketplace as the sun climbed upwards in a blue sky。 Not a great surprise； midsummer in Fezana was always hot。 Jehane dabbed at her forehead with a square of muslin and brought her mind back to the business at hand。 Medicine was her training and her love； her refuge from chaos； and it was her link to her father； now and as long as she lived。
A leather worker she did not recognize stood shyly at the front of the line。 He carried a chipped earthenware beaker to serve as a flask。 Placing a grimy coin on the counter beside her he grimaced apologetically as he proffered the beaker。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he whispered； barely audible amid the tumult。 〃It is all we have。 This is from my son。 He is eight years old。 He is not well。〃
Velaz； behind her； unobtrusively picked up the coin； it was considered bad form； Ser Rezzoni had taught； for doctors to actually touch their remuneration。 That； he had said waspishly； is what servants are for。 He had been her first lover as well as her teacher； during her time living and studying abroad in Batiara。 He slept with almost all his women students； and a few of the men it had been rumored。 He had a wife and three young daughters who doted upon him。 A plex； brilliant； angry man； Ser Rezzoni。 Kind enough to her； however； after his fashion； out of respect for Ishak。
Jehane smiled up at the leather worker reassuringly。 〃It doesn't matter what container you bring a sample in。 Don't apologize。〃
By his coloring he appeared to be a Jaddite from the north； living here because the work for skilled artisans was better in Al…Rassan； most probably a convert。 The Asharites didn't demand conversions； but the tax burden on Kindath and Jaddite made for a keen incentive to embrace the desert visions of Ashar the Sage。
She transferred the urine sample from the chipped beaker to her father's gorgeous flask； gift of the grateful king whose namesake heir was here today to celebrate an event that further ensured Cartadan dominance of proud Fezana。 On a bustling market morning Jehane had little time to ponder ironies； but they tended to surface nonetheless； her mind worked that way。
As the sample settled in the flask she saw that the urine of the leather worker's son was distinctly rose…colored。 She tilted the flask back and forth in the light； in fact； the color was too close to red for fort。 The child had a fever； what else he had was hard to judge。
〃Velaz；〃 she murmured； 〃dilute the absinthe with a quarter of mint。 A drop of the cordial for taste。〃 She heard her servant withdraw into the booth to prepare the prescription。
To the leather worker she said； 〃He is warm to the touch？〃
He nodded anxiously。 〃And dry。 He is very dry； doctor。 He has difficulty swallowing food。〃
Briskly； she said； 〃That is understandable。 Give him the remedy we are preparing。 Half when you arrive home； half at sundown。 Do you understand that？〃 The man nodded。 It was important to ask； some of them； especially the Jaddites from the countryside in the north； didn't understand the concept of fractions。 Velaz would make up two separate vials for them。
〃Feed him hot soups only today； a little at a time； and the juice of apples if you can。 Make him take these things； even if he does not want to。 He may vomit later today。 That is not alarming unless there is blood with it。 If there is blood； send to my house immediately。 Otherwise； continue with the soup and the juice until nightfall。 If he is dry and hot he needs these things； you understand？〃 Again the man nodded； his brow furrowed with concentration。 〃Before you go； give Velaz directions to your home。 I will e in the morning tomorrow to see him。〃
The man's relief was evident； but then a familiar hesitation appeared。 〃Doctor； forgive me。 We have no money to spare for a private consultation。〃
Jehane grimaced。 Probably not a convert then； sorely burdened by the taxes but refusing to surrender his worship of the sun…god； Jad。 Who was she； however； to question religious scruples？ Nearly a third of her own earnings went to the Kindath tax； and she would never have called herself religious。 Few doctors were。 Pride； on the other hand； was another matter。 The Kindath were the Wanderers； named for the two moons traversing the night sky among the stars； and as far as Jehane was concerned； they had not travelled so far； through so many centuries； only to surrender their long history here in Al…Rassan。 If a Jaddite felt the same about his god； she could understand。
〃We will deal with the matter of payment when the time es。 For the moment； the question is whether the child will need to be bled； and I cannot very well do that here in the marketplace。〃
She heard a ripple of laughter from someone standing by the booth。 She ignored that； made her voice more gentle。 Kindath physicians were known to be the most expensive in the peninsula。 As well we should be； Jehane thought。 We are the only ones who know anything。 It was wrong of her； though； to chide people for concerns about cost。 〃Never fear。〃 She smiled up at the leather worker。 〃I will not bleed both you and the boy。〃
More general laughter this time。 Her father had always said that half the task of doctors was to make the patient believe in them。 A certain kind of laughter helped； Jehane had found。 It conveyed a sense of confidence。 〃Be sure you know both the moons and the Higher Stars of his birth hour。 If I am going to draw blood I'll want to work out a time。〃
〃My wife will know；〃 the man whispered。 〃Thank you。 Thank you； doctor。〃
〃Tomorrow；〃 she said crisply。
Velaz reappeared from the back with the medicine； gave it to the man； and took away her flask to empty it into the pail beside the counter。 The leather worker paused beside him； nervously giving directions for the morrow。
〃Who's next？