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〃Of course you didn't；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte。 〃That's why you killed the king。〃
〃That's why I had to kill the king；〃 said ibn Khairan； grave in his black robe。 Another murmur of sound rose and fell away。
It was the chancellor's turn to sound irritated。 Deliberately breaking the mood； Mazur said； 〃And are we to offer a position here to a man who slays whenever his pride is wounded？〃
Jehane realized； with an unexpected flicker of amusement； that he was irked because Rodrigo had pieced together this part of the puzzle first。 On the subject of wounded pride； she thought 。。。
〃Not whenever；〃 said ibn Khairan quietly。 〃Once in my life； and with regret； and for something very large。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the chancellor sardonically； 〃with regret。 Well； that changes everything。〃
For the first time Jehane saw ibn Khairan betray an unguarded reaction。 She watched his blue gaze go cold before he lowered his eyes from ben Avren's face。 Drawing a breath； he unclasped his hands and let them fall to his sides。 She saw that he wasn't wearing his rings。 He looked up again at the chancellor； saying nothing； waiting。 Very much； Jehane thought； like someone braced for what further blows might be levelled against him。
No blows fell； verbal or otherwise。 Instead； it was the king who spoke again； his equanimity restored。 〃If we should agree with our Valledan friend； what could you offer us？〃
Zabira of Cartada； nearly forgotten in all this； turned and looked back at the man who had e here as her steward。 Her dark； carefully accentuated eyes were quite unreadable。 Another fringe of cloud trailed past the sun and then away； taking the light and giving it back。
〃Myself；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan。
In that exquisite garden no one's gaze was anywhere but upon him。 The arrogance was dazzling； but the man had been known； for fifteen years and more； not only as a diplomat and a strategist； but as a military mander and the purest swordsman in Al…Rassan。
〃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 ret