按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
When the doctor from the forts was done； he ordered the room cleared of all but one of the queen's ladies。 He spoke now with the authority of a man who had assumed mand of a situation。 More diffidently； he then asked permission to speak in private with the king。 Ines watched them withdraw to an adjacent room。 She closed her eyes and slept。
〃Will she live？〃 King Ramiro was blunt。 He spoke as soon as the door was closed behind them。
The doctor was equally direct。 〃I will not know until later tonight； my lord king。〃 He pushed a hand through his untidy； straw…colored hair。 〃The poison ought to have been countered immediately。〃
〃Why did you suspect it？〃
〃The degree of swelling； my lord； and the absence of any feeling in her feet and hands。 A simple arrow wound ought not to have caused such responses。 I have seen enough of those； Jad knows。 And then I smelled it on the arrow。〃
〃How did you know to do what you did？〃
There was a hesitation； for the first time。 〃My lord； since being assigned the great honor of serving in the tagra forts； I have used the 。。。 proximity to Al…Rassan to obtain the writings from some of their physicians。 I have made a course of study； my lord。〃
〃The Asharite doctors know more than we？〃
〃About most things； my lord。 And 。。。 the Kindath know even more； in many matters。 In this instance； I was schooled by certain writings of a Kindath physician； a man of Fezana； my lord。〃
〃You can read the Kindath script？〃
〃I have taught myself； my lord。〃
〃And this text told you how to identify and deal with this poison？ What to administer？〃
〃And how to make it。 Yes； my lord。〃 Another hesitation。 〃There is one thing more； my lord king。 The reason I wished to speak with you alone。 About the 。。。 source of this evil thing。〃
〃Tell me。〃
The doctor from the tagra forts did so。 He was asked an extremely precise question and answered it。 He then received his king's permission to return to the queen。 Ramiro of Valledo remained alone in that adjoining room for some time； however； dealing with a rising fury and ing； quite swiftly after long indecision； to a clear resolution。
In such a fashion； very often； had the course and destiny of nations both lesser and greater than Valledo been shaped and devised。
The doctor gave Ines his pound one more time。 He explained that the body expelled it more swiftly than the poison it fought。 Painful as it was； the substance was the only thing that might save her。 The queen nodded her understanding； and drank。
Again she swam towards oblivion； but it wasn't quite so bad this time。 She always knew where she was。
In the middle of the night her fever broke。 The king was dozing in an armchair by the bed； the lady…in…waiting on a pallet by the fire。 The doctor； unsleeping； was attending upon her。 When she opened her eyes his harsh features seemed beautiful to her。 He reached for her good hand and pinched it。
〃Yes；〃 the queen said。 The doctor smiled。
When King Ramiro woke it was to see his wife gazing at him by the light of several candles。 Her eyes were clear。 They looked at each other for a long time。
〃I had a sun disk； at one point；〃 she said finally； a pale whisper； 〃but what I also remember； when I remember anything； is you beside me。〃
Ramiro moved to kneel beside the bed。 He looked a question across it at the physician； whose fatigue was now evident。
〃I believe we have passed through this；〃 the man said。 The long； unfortunate face was creased by a smile。
Ramiro said； huskily； 〃Your career is made； doctor。 I do not even know your name； but your life is made by this。 I was not ready to let her go。〃 He looked back at his queen； his wife； and repeated softly； 〃I was not ready。〃
Then the king of Valledo wept。 His queen lifted her good hand； hesitated a moment； and then lowered it to stroke his hair。
Earlier that same night； as King Ramiro lingered by the bedside of his queen； harsh words had been exchanged at dinner by the men of the Valledan court with those who served King Sanchez of Ruenda。 Accusations； savage and explicit； were levelled。 Swords were drawn in the castle hall。
Seventeen men died in the fighting there。 Only the courageous intervention of the three clerics from Ferrieres； striding unarmed and bare…headed into the midst of a bloody melee； their sun disks held high； prevented worse。
It was remembered； afterwards； that the party from Jalona had dined by themselves that evening； conspicuously absent from the scene of the affray； as if anticipating something。 Wholesale slaughter among the courtiers of the other two kings could only be of benefit to King Bermudo； it was agreed sourly。 Some of the Valledans offered darker thoughts； but there was nothing to substantiate these。
In the morning Bermudo of Jalona and his queen sent a herald to King Ramiro with a formal leavetaking and their prayers for the survival of the queen…word was； she had not yet passed to the god。 Then they rode towards the rising sun with all their pany。
The king and queen and surviving courtiers of Ruenda had already left…in the middle of the night； after the fighting in the hall。 Stealing guiltily away like horse thieves； some of Ramiro's courtiers said； though the more pragmatic noted that they had been on Valledan ground here and in real peril of their lives。 It was also pointed out； by some of the most level…headed； that hunting accidents were a fact of life； and that Queen Ines was far from the first to be wounded in this fashion。
A majority； however； among the courtiers of Valledo were ready to pursue the Ruendan party west along the Duric's banks as soon as the word was given…but the constable gave no such order； and the king was still closeted with his queen and her new physician。
Those who attended upon them reported that the queen appeared much improved…that she was likely to survive。 There was； however； a new report that poison had been used on the arrow。
All things considered； King Ramiro's ensuing behavior…it was three days before he showed his face outside the queen's bedchamber or the adjoining room； which he used as a temporary counsel chamber…was viewed as erratic and even unmanly。 It was clearly time to order a pursuit of the Ruendan party before they reached the nearest of their own forts。 Notwithstanding the presence of the clerics； there was enough； surely； to suggest that Ruendan fingers had drawn that bow； and holy Jad knew that revenge needed little excuse in Esperana。
Among other things； it had e to light by then…no one was certain how…that King Sanchez had had the audacity to draft a letter asserting authority over and demanding tribute from Fezana。 That letter had not； apparently； been sent yet…winter had barely ended； after all…but rumor of the demand was rife in Carcasia in the days following the Ruendan departure。 The city of Fezana paid parias to Valledo and every person in the castle knew the implications of a counter…demand。
It was also pointed out by observant men that King Sanchez himself…known to be one of the finest archers in the three kingdoms…had been conspicuously errant with his own arrows for the two days before the morning of falconry。 Could that unwonted inpetence have been a screen？ A deliberate contrivance； in the event someone did trace a lethal arrow back to him？
Had the arrow been meant for his brother？ Had those days of poor shooting produced a last aberrant flight when a true one had finally been intended？ It would not； the most cynical found themselves thinking； necessarily have been the first time one of the sons of Sancho the Fat had slain another。 No one voiced that particular thought； however。
The untimely death of Raimundo； the eldest son； was not something that could yet be forgotten。 It was remembered that among a grimly silent gathering of courtiers that day long ago； the hard questions raised by young Rodrigo Belmonte； Raimundo's constable； had been specific； shocking。
Ser Rodrigo was far away now； exiled among the infidels。 His well…born wife and young sons had； in fact； been invited to be among the Valledan pany here； but Miranda Belmonte d'Alveda had declined； pleading distance and responsibilities in the absence of her lord。 De Chervalles； the cleric from Ferrieres； had expressed some disappointment at this news when it came。 He was said to be a connoisseur of women and Ser Rodrigo's wife was a celebrated beauty。
Jad alone knew what the Captain would have said and done today had he been here。 He might have told the king this injury to the queen was the god's punishment for Ramiro's own evildoing years ago。 Or he might as easily have pursued the king of Ruenda…alone； if necessary…and brought his head back in a sack。 Rodrigo Belmonte had never been an easy man to anticipate。
Neither was Ramiro of Valledo； mind you。
When the king finally emerged from his meetings with Geraud de Chervalles and Count Gonzalez and a number of his military captains anticipation ran wild in Carcasia。 Finally； they might be going after the Ruendan scum。 The provocation was there： even the clerics could be made to see that。 It was past time for Valledo to move west。
No