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the wound； the sooner the better。 I need the place and time of his birth； to see if it is proper to do surgery now。 Do you know these things？〃
〃I do；〃 Idar heard himself saying。 His father was staring at the woman。
〃Good。 Give them to my assistant； please。 I will offer your brother the best care I can here； and I will be pleased to look after him when he returns with us to Ragosa。 With luck and diligence he ought to be able to move about with sticks before spring。〃 Her eyes were extremely blue； and quite level as her gaze rested on Idar's father。 〃I am also confident that having his brother as a panion will speed his recovery。〃
Idar watched his father's face。 The old warrior's expression moved from relief to fury to a gradual awareness that he had no resources here。 Nothing to do in the presence of these people but accede。 It was not a role he had ever played happily in his life。
He managed another thin； wolf's smile。 Turned from the Kindath doctor back to the two men。 〃Do help an old man's faltering grasp of things；〃 he said。 〃Was this elaborate scheme truly worth a single season's delay？ You must know that King Bermudo will send again to Fibaz in the spring； demanding parias； almost certainly a doubled sum。〃
〃Of course he will；〃 said ibn Khairan。 〃But this happens to be an important season and this gold can be put to better use than arming Jalona for the ing year。〃 The pearl in his right ear gleamed。 He said； 〃When next he es Fibaz might refuse him tribute。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Idar's father then。 He pulled a bloody hand slowly through his beard； smearing it even further。 〃I am illuminated！ The spirit of Ashar allows me sight at last。〃 He bowed mockingly to both men。 〃I am humbled to be even a small part of so great an undertaking。 Of course it is an important season。 Of course you need the gold。 You are going after Cartada in the spring。〃
〃Good for you！〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan； encouragement in his voice and the blue eyes。 He smiled。 〃Wouldn't you like to e with us？〃
A short time later； back in the sunlight of the valley； Jehane bet Ishak prepared to saw off the right leg of Abir ibn Tarif； assisted by Velaz and the strong hands of Martin and Ludus； and with the aid of a massive dose； administered by saturated sponge； of her father's strongest soporific。
She had performed amputations before； but never on open ground like this。 She didn't tell them that； of course。 Ser Rezzoni again： 〃Let them always believe you do nothing but this procedure； day after day。〃
The wounded man's brother hovered impotently nearby； begging to be of assistance。 She was struggling to find polite words to send him away when Alvar de Pellino materialized beside the man with an open flask。
〃Will I offend you if I offer wine？〃 he asked the white…faced bandit。 The look of grateful need was answer enough。 Alvar led the man to the far side of their temporary camp。 The father； ibn Hassan； was conversing there with Rodrigo and Ammar。 He betrayed his distraction by glancing in their direction with regularity。 Jehane noted that； then put all such matters from her mind。
Amputations in the field did not have a high success rate。 On the other hand； most military doctors had no real idea what they were doing。 Rodrigo had known that very well。 It was why she was here。 It was also why she was nervous。 She could have asked the moon sisters and the god for an easier first procedure with this pany。 For almost anything else； in truth。
She let none of this show in her face。 She checked her implements again。 They were clean； laid out by Velaz on a white cloth on the green grass。 She had consulted her almanac and cast the moons： those of the patient's birth hour were in acceptable harmony with today's。 She would only have delayed if faced with the worst possible reading。
There was wine to pour into the wound and the cauterizing iron waited in the fire； red…hot already。 The patient was dazed with the drugs Velaz had given him。 Not surprisingly： the sponge had been steeped in crushed poppies； mandragora and hemlock。 She took his arm and pinched it； as hard as she could。 He didn't move。 She looked into his eyes and was satisfied。 Two strong men； used to battlefield surgery； were holding him down。 Velaz…from whom she had no secrets…offered her a reassuring glance； and her heavy saw。
No reason； really； to delay。
〃Hold him；〃 she said； and began to grind through flesh and bone。
Eleven
〃Where's Papa now？〃
Fernan Belmonte； who had asked the question； was lying in clean straw in the loft above the barn。 Most of him was buried for warmth； only the face and brown； tousled hair showing。
Ibero the cleric； who had reluctantly acceded to the twins' morning lessons taking place up here today…it was warmer in the barn above the cows； he'd had to concede…opened his mouth quickly to object； but then shut it and looked with apprehension towards where the other boy lay。
Diego was pletely invisible under the straw。 They could see it shift with the rise and fall of his breathing； but that was all。
〃Why does it matter？〃 His voice； when it came； seemed disembodied。 A message from the spirit…world； Ibero thought； then surreptitiously made the sign of the sun disk； chiding himself for such nonsense。
〃Doesn't really；〃 Fernan replied。 〃I'm just curious。〃 They were taking a brief rest before switching courses of study。
〃Idle child。 You know what Ibero says about curiosity；〃 Diego said darkly from his cave of straw。
His brother looked around for something to throw。 Ibero； used to this； quelled him with a glance。
〃Well； is he allowed to be rude？〃 Fernan asked in an aggrieved tone。 〃He's using you as authority for impolite behavior to his older brother。 Will you let him？ Doesn't that make you a party to his action？〃
〃What's impolite about it？〃 Diego queried； muffled and unseen。 〃Do I have to answer every question that es into his empty head； Ibero？〃
The little cleric sighed。 It was being increasingly difficult to deal with his two charges。 Not only were they impatient and frequently reckless； they were also ferociously intelligent。
〃I think；〃 he said； prudently dodging both queries； 〃that this particular exchange suggests that our rest is over。 Shall we turn to the matter of weights and measures？〃
Fernan made a ghastly； contorted face； pretended he was strangling； and then pulled straw over his head in unsubtle protest。 Ibero reached for and found a buried foot。 He twisted； hard。 Fernan yelped and surfaced。
〃Weights and measures；〃 the cleric repeated。 〃If you won't apply yourself properly up here we'll just have to go down and inform your mother what happens when I'm tolerant of your requests。〃
Fernan sat up quickly。 Some threats still worked。 Some of the time。
〃He's somewhere east of Ragosa；〃 Diego said。 〃There's a fight of some kind。〃
Ibero and Fernan looked quickly at each other。 The matter of weights and measures was； for the moment； abandoned。
〃What does somewhere mean？〃 Fernan demanded。 His tone was sharp now。 〃e on； Diego； do better than that。〃
〃Near some city to the east。 There's a valley。〃
Fernan looked to Ibero for help。 The straw on the other side of the cleric shifted and disgorged a blinking thirteen…year…old。 Diego began brushing straw from his hair and neck。
Ibero was a teacher。 He couldn't help himself。 〃Well； he's given us some clues。 What's the city east of Ragosa？ You both ought to know。〃
The brothers looked at each other。
〃Ronizza？〃 Fernan hazarded。
〃That's south；〃 Ibero said； shaking his head。 〃And on what river is it？〃
〃The Larrios。 e on； Ibero； this is important！〃 Fernan had the capacity to seem older than his years when military matters were being discussed。
But Ibero was equal to this challenge。 〃Of course it's serious。 What sort of mander relies on his cleric to help him with geography？ Your father knows the name and size and the terrain surrounding every city in the peninsula。〃
〃It's Fibaz；〃 Diego said suddenly。 〃Beneath the pass to Ferrieres。 I don't know the valley； though。 It's north and west of the city。〃 He paused and looked away again。 They waited。
〃Papa killed someone；〃 Diego said。 〃I think the fighting is stopping。〃
Ibero swallowed。 It was difficult with this child。 It was almost impossibly difficult。 He looked closely at Diego。 The boy seemed calm； a little distracted； but it was impossible to see from his face that he was registering events unimaginably far away。 And Ibero had no doubt…not after so many trials…that Diego was reporting them truly。
Fernan had none of that calm just now。 Grey eyes gleaming； he stood up。 〃I'll bet you anything this has to do with Jalona；〃 he said。 〃They were sending a parias party； remember？〃
〃Your father wouldn't attack other Jaddites for the infidels；〃 Ibero said quickly。
〃Of course he would！ He's a mercenary； he's being paid by Ragosa。 The only promise he made was not to e with an army into Valledo； remember？〃 Fernan looked confidently from Ibero to Diego。 His whole being was afire now； charged with energy。
And it was Ibero's task…as tutor； guardian； spiritual counsellor…to somehow control and channel t