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〃I do； of course； wish to have more；〃 said King Badir of Ragosa。
〃I know。〃
〃Can my sons deal with a wider realm when I'm gone； Mazur？ Are they capable of such？〃
〃With help； I think so。〃
〃Will they not have you； my friend； as I have？〃
〃So long as I am able。 We are much the same age； as you know； my lord。 That；〃 said the chancellor of Ragosa； 〃is actually the point of what I am saying。〃
Badir looked at him。 He held up his almost empty glass。 Mazur rose smoothly and went to the sideboard。 He took the decanter and poured for the king and then； at a gesture； for himself。 He replaced the decanter and returned to his cushions； subsiding among them。
〃It was an extremely short poem；〃 said the king of Ragosa。
〃It was。〃
〃Almost 。。。 perfunctory。〃
〃Almost。 Not quite。〃 The chancellor was silent a moment。 〃I think he was giving you a pliment of an unusual kind； my lord。〃
〃Ah。 How so？〃
〃He let you see that he is struggling。 He did not hide the fact behind some bland； elaborate homage。〃
The king's turn to be silent again。 〃Let me understand you；〃 he said at length。 There was a trace of irritation in his voice now； a rare thing。 He was tired。 〃Ammar ibn Khairan； asked to offer a verse for my birth day； recites a quick little piece about there always being water from a pool or wine in my cup。 That is all。 Six lines。 And my chancellor； my poet； says this is to be construed as a pliment？〃
Mazur looked undisturbed。 〃Because he could so easily have done more； my lord； or at the least； have claimed his inspiration was inadequate to the magnitude of the occasion。 He is too experienced not to have done so； had he felt the slightest need to play a courtier's game。 Which means he wanted you…and me； I suppose…to understand that he is being and will be honest with us。〃
〃And that is a pliment？〃
〃From a man such as this； I believe it is。 He is saying he believes we are thoughtful enough to read that message in his six lines； and wait for him。〃
〃And we will wait for him； Mazur？〃
〃It is my counsel； my lord。〃
The king stood up then； and so the chancellor did the same。 Badir strode； in jewelled slippers on the carpet and the marble floor； to a window。 He turned the latch and pushed open both panes of beautifully etched glass。 He stood overlooking a courtyard with almond and lemon trees and a fountain。 Torches had been left burning below to light the play of water。
From beyond the palace the streets of the city were quiet。 They would not be tomorrow night。 In the distance； faintly； could be heard the sound of a stringed instrument； and then a voice； yearning。 The blue moon was overhead； shining through the open window and upon the splashing fountain and the grass。 Stars glittered around the moon and through the branches of the tall trees。
〃You think a great deal of this man；〃 King Badir said finally； looking out at the night。
〃What I think；〃 said his chancellor； 〃if you will allow me to pursue a poet's conceit and imagine men as bodies in the heavens； is that we have the two most brilliant ets in the sky here in Ragosa this spring。〃
Badir turned back to look at him。 After a moment； he smiled。
〃And where would you put yourself； old friend； in such a glittering firmament？〃
And now the chancellor； too； smiled。
〃That is easy； in truth。 I am a moon at your side； my good lord。〃
The king thought about that。 He shook his head。 〃Inexact； Mazur。 Moons wander。 Your people are named for that。 But you have not。 You have been steadfast。〃
〃Thank you； my lord。〃
The king crossed his arms； still musing。 〃A moon is also brighter than ets in the dark；〃 he said。 〃Though being familiar； perhaps it occasions less note。〃
Mazur inclined his head but said nothing。
〃Will you be going abroad tomorrow night？〃
Mazur smiled。 〃I always do； my lord。 For a little time。 Carnival is useful； to walk about unknown； and gauge the mood of the city。〃
〃And it is solely duty that takes you out； my friend？ You find no pleasure in the night？〃
〃I would never say that； my lord。〃
The two men shared the smile this time。
After a moment； Badir asked； bemusedly； 〃Why plain water from a pool； though； Mazur。 In his verse。 Why not just a rich red wine。'
And this； too； his chancellor explained to him。
A little later； Mazur ben Avren took leave of his king。 When； at length； he reached his own quarters in the palace； the Lady Zabira was waiting。
She had been very much present at the banquet； of course； and had all the questions of someone who understood royal courts very well and wished to rise in this one。 She also displayed； gracefully； a continuing desire to minister to whatever needs the chancellor of Ragosa might have…in a fashion that might surpass anyone who had e before her。
As it happened； she had been doing just that through the winter； to his pleasure and surprise。 He had thought he was too old for such a thing to happen。
Later that night； when he was drifting towards the shores of sleep； feeling her youthful nakedness against his body； soft as a cat； warm as a pleasant dream； Mazur heard her ask one last question。 〃Did the king understand what ibn Khairan meant in his poem tonight？ About the water at the drinking place？〃
She was clever too； this lady from Cartada； sharp as a cutting edge。 He would do well to remember that。 He was getting old； must not allow it to render him vulnerable。 He had seen that happen to other men。
〃He understands it now；〃 he murmured； eyes closed。
He heard her laugh then； softly。 Her laughter seemed to ease him wonderfully； a caressing sound。 One of her hands slid across his chest。 She turned herself a little； to fit more closely to him。
She said； 〃I was watching Ammar tonight。 I have known him for many years。 I believe he is troubled by something beyond 。。。 divided loyalty。 I don't think he understands it himself yet。 If I am right； it would be amusing； in truth。〃
He opened his eyes and looked at her； waiting。 And then she told him something he would never have even contemplated。 Women； Mazur ben Avren had long thought； had an entirely different way of seeing the world。 It was one of the reasons he enjoyed their pany so much。
Soon after that she fell asleep。 The chancellor of Ragosa lay awake for a long time； however； considering what she had said； turning it over and over in his mind； as a stone in the hand； or the different possible endings for a verse。
For the bright lord of Ragosa；
Long…tenured on his dais；
Much…loved； and deservedly；
May there always be in times to e
Cool water from the moonlit pool
And wine in the drinking glass。
He could perhaps have said； alone by the pool； Ammar ibn Khairan reflected； but that would have had a flavor of sycophancy； however subtle； and he wasn't ready…so soon after the elegy for Almalik…to give so much to Badir of Ragosa in a verse。 Almost； but not quite。 That was the problem。
It was lions； of course； who were alone when they came down to the water to drink。
He wondered if the king had been offended by his brevity； which would be a pity。 The banquet tables had barely settled themselves to silence when ibn Khairan； given pride of place； first recital； had already finished speaking his brief verse。 The lines were as simple as he could make them； more a well…wishing than an homage。 Save for the hint 。。。 the moonlit waters。 If Badir understood。 He wondered。
I am too old； Ammar ibn Khairan said to himself； justifying； to abuse my craft。
Any of your crafts？
The inner voice always had the hard questions。 He was a soldier and a diplomat as well as a poet。 Those were the real crafts of his living here in Ragosa； as they had been in Cartada。 The poetry？ Was for when the winds of the world died down。
What ought a man honorably to do？ To aspire towards？ Was it the stillness of that pool…dreamed of； and written about…where only the one beast dared stalk from the dark trees to drink in the moonlight and under the stars？
That stillness； that single image； was the touchstone of verse for him。 A place out of the wind； for once； where the noise of the world and all the brilliant color…the noise and color he still loved！…might recede and a deceptively simple art be conjured forth。
Standing； as he had stood one night before…the night he'd first e here…by the waters of Lake Serrana； ibn Khairan understood that he was still a long way from that dark pool。 Water and water。 The dream of the Asharites。 The water that nourished the body and the waters the soul craved。 If I am not careful； he told himself； I'll end up being good for nothing but mumbled； cryptic teachings under some arch in Soriyya。 I'll let my beard and hair grow； walk barefoot in a torn robe； let my students bring me bread and water for sustenance。
Water the body needed； waters the soul desired。
There were lanterns in the rigging of all the fishing boats； he saw by the blue moonlight。 They were not yet alight。 That would e tomorrow。 Carnival。 Masks。 Music and wine。 Pleasures of torchlight。 A brilliance until dawn。
Sometimes the darkness needed to be pushed back。
Beloved Al…Rassan； the though