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〃You would do this？〃 the man asked。 〃For a Jaddite army？〃
A spasm of impatience crossed Jehane's face。 〃As to that；〃 she said； 〃I am physician to the pany of Rodrigo Belmonte。 After tonight； I have no idea； but for the moment I am yours to mand。〃
〃May I hold him？〃 Miranda； whispering； to Jehane。 As if no one else had spoken。
Rodrigo took another step forward； helplessly。
〃You can do no harm to him at all； my lady。〃 Jehane's voice was as gentle as he had ever heard it。 〃Of course you may hold him。〃 She hesitated； then repeated； 〃He is not in pain。〃
She made as if to rise。
〃Jehane； wait。〃 Another voice； from behind them。 A woman's voice。 Rodrigo turned； very slowly。 〃Your father wishes to examine the boy；〃 said Eliane bet Danel。
In Al…Rassan； in Esperana； Ferrieres； Karch； Batiara…even； in time； in the far…off eastern homelands of the Asharites…what happened that night in a burning hamlet near Fezana became legend； told so often among physicians； courts； military panies； in universities； taverns； places of worship； that it became imbued with the aura of magic and the supernatural。
It was not； of course； supernatural。 What Ishak ben Yonannon did…blind under the white moon and stars and the torches brought for those who assisted him…was as precise and carefully worked out as what he had done five years before in Cartada； delivering the last child of Almalik I； and it was as wondrous as that。
Indeed； it was more than that had been。 Sightless； unable to municate except through his wife who understood every mangled syllable he spoke； handling a surgeon's blades and implements for the first time since his blinding； working by touch and memory and instinct； ben Yonannon did something even Galinus had only hinted might possibly be done。
He carved an opening in the skull of Diego Belmonte； around the place where the Muwardi blow had broken the boy's head； and he drew forth the shattered bone that had been driven down into what was shockingly exposed beneath the peeled…back scalp and the opened skull。 The intruded fragment of bone that would have killed Rodrigo〃s son before the blue moon joined the white one in the sky。
Trepanning； it was called in the text of Galinus。 Jehane knew that； and so； it appeared； did Bernart d'Inigo； the Jaddite physician assisting them。 And they both knew； as well； that it had never been done。
She would have never even tried； Jehane was aware； all through what happened。 Never have thought to try； or dreamed it was possible。 With awe； fighting back the desire to cry all the time； she watched her father's sure； steady hands probe and define the wound； circumscribe it； then wield the small saw and chisel with which he cut a hole in Diego Belmonte's head。
He gave them instructions when he needed to； her mother； standing above them； under a torch held by the king of Valledo himself； translated his words。 Jehane or Bernart moved； as ordered； to offer a blade； a saw； a clamp； to sponge away the heavily flowing blood where Ishak had peeled back the skin of the boy's scalp。 Diego was being held in a sitting position； that the blood might drain away and not into the wound。
It was his father who was holding him。
Rodrigo's eyes were closed most of the time； concentrating on keeping utterly still； which Ishak； through Eliane； had said was imperative。 Perhaps he was praying。 Jehane didn't know。 She did know； moved beyond words； that Diego never budged。 Rodrigo held his child rock…steady； without shifting his position once through the whole of that impossible； blind surgery on the plain。
Jehane had a strange illusion at one point： that Rodrigo could have sat like this with his child in his arms forever if need be。 That he might almost want to do that。 A stone； a statue； a father doing the one thing left for him to do； and allowed。
The shattered bone of the skull came out in one ugly； jagged piece。 Ishak had Jehane probe the open wound to be sure he had it all。 She found two small fragments and removed them with pincers d'Inigo handed her。 Then she and the Valledan doctor sutured the flaps of skin and bandaged the wound and when that was done they remained； on their knees； on either side of the boy。
They laid Diego down then； Rodrigo moving to stand silently above him beside Miranda。 The brother…Fernan…was behind his mother。 To Jehane's eyes he had an obvious need for something to make him sleep。 She doubted he would accept it。
The white moon was directly overhead by then； the blue climbing in the eastern sky。 The fires had been put out。 Other doctors had e； summoned from the body of the army north of them。 They were dealing with the survivors。 There didn't appear to be very many of those。
A great deal of time seemed to have passed； Jehane realized。 Ishak； guided by Eliane and Ammar； had moved a little apart； to a camp stool provided for him。
Jehane and the Jaddite doctor； d'Inigo； looked at each other across the body of the boy。 D'Inigo had an unfortunate face but kind eyes； Jehane thought。 He had been calmly petent all through what had just been done。 She hadn't expected that of a Valledan physician。
He cleared his throat； struggling with fatigue and emotion。
〃Whatever 。。。 〃 he began； and then stopped。 He swallowed。 〃Whatever happens to me； whatever else I do； this will always be the proudest moment of my life as a doctor。 To have been a small part of this。 With your father； who is my 。。。 who I respect so much。 In his writings； and 。。。 〃 He stopped； overe。
Jehane discovered that she was overwhelmingly tired。 Her father must be exhausted。 It hadn't shown。 If she wasn't careful she would begin remembering what had happened in Fezana； before all this； and that wouldn't do。 Not yet。 She had to stay in control。
She said； 〃He may not survive。 You know that。〃
D'Inigo shook his head。 〃He will。 He will survive！ That is the wonder of it。 You saw what was done as well as I。 The bone came out！ It was flawless。〃
〃And we have no idea whether anyone can live through an opening up of their skull like that。〃
〃Galinus said…〃
〃Galinus never did it！ It was sacrilege to him。 To the Asharites； the Kindath。 To all of us。 You know that！〃 She hadn't meant to raise her voice。 People looked over at them。
Jehane gazed back down at the unconscious boy。 He was lying now on a pallet and pillow； covered in blankets。 He was utterly white； from the loss of so much blood。 That was one of the dangers now。 One of them。 Jehane laid her fingers against his throat。 The pulse was steady； if too fast。 But even as she did this and studied Diego's face； Jehane realized that she； too； was certain he would live。 It was unprofessional； hopelessly emotional。
It was an absolute conviction。
She looked up； at Rodrigo； and the wife he loved； the mother of this child； and she nodded her head。 〃He is doing well。 As well as we could hope；〃 she said。 Then she rose and went to where her father and mother were。 Ammar was with them； which was good。 It was very good。
Jehane knelt at Ishak's feet and laid her head in his lap； the way she used to when she was a child； and she felt her father's hands…his strong； calm； steady hands…e to rest upon her head。
After a time she stood up…because she was not； in truth； a little girl any more； dwelling in her parents' house…and she turned to the man she loved among all others in the world and Ammar opened his arms for her and she let him draw away a little of what had happened to her people in the city that night； with his touch。
Seventeen
After holding a steady torch over Diego Belmonte in the dark of that night； Alvar de Pellino watched Jehane's father walk wearily with his wife to the edge of the village and then stumble alone through the eastern gate out into the grass。 There he knelt down and； rocking slowly back and forth on his knees； began to pray。
It was Husari； ing to stand with Alvar； stained with blood and ash and sweat…as Alvar knew himself to be…who murmured； softly； 〃This will be the Kindath lament。 Under both moons。 For the dead。〃
〃In Fezana？〃
〃Of course。 But if I know this man he is offering a part of it for Velaz。〃
Alvar wince