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d prefer to disappoint their expectations。〃
〃And your brother？ And your uncle？〃
King Ramiro's mouth twitched again。 〃I would prefer；〃 he murmured； 〃to disappoint their expectations as well。〃
Ammar laughed aloud。 Again Rodrigo did not smile。 Absolutely self…contained； he was waiting for his answer； Jehane understood。 And he wanted this。 She thought she understood that too。 His son had nearly died tonight。 Might yet die。 Rodrigo Belmonte did not want to endure another loss now。
Ammar's laughter stopped。 Unexpectedly he looked over at her。 She held his gaze； but it was difficult to read expressions in the moonlight。 He turned back to Rodrigo。
〃I can't；〃 he said； with finality。 In Jehane's mind the horses were gone now； out of sight。
〃It will be the Muwardis；〃 Rodrigo said quickly。 〃You know it； Ammar！ Ragosa cannot even hold against Jalona with half its army mercenaries from Jaddite lands。 When High Clerics appear outside the walls and speak of holy war…
〃I know this！〃
〃And Fezana falls to us。 You know that； too！ Before summer's end。〃
〃I know this city；〃 King Ramiro interposed quietly。 〃I was in exile here in my youth。 I observed certain things。 Unless the defenses are greatly altered； I believe I can take Fezana； even with its new garrison。〃
〃It is possible。〃
Rodrigo continued； with a note of desperation。 〃And then Yazir and Ghalib e across the straits to meet us。 Al…Rassan is theirs； or it is ours； Ammar。 By my god and yours； you must see that！ Cartada； Ragosa； your memory of Silvenes 。。。 they cannot be saved。 Even you cannot dance that dance between fires。 And surely； Ammar； surely you know…〃
〃I have to try。〃
〃What？〃
〃Rodrigo； I have to try。 To dance that dance。〃
Rodrigo stopped； breathing hard； like a horse reined up too harshly。
〃Your faith means so much to you？〃 King Ramiro's voice was thoughtful。 〃I had heard tales otherwise。 It means so much that you would serve the veiled ones of the desert； knowing their ways and what they will bring to your land？〃
〃My faith？ I would put it differently； my lord。 I would say； my history。 Not just Al…Rassan； but Ammuz； Soriyya 。。。 Ashar in the desert of the homelands under stars。 Our sages； our singers； the khalifs of the eastern world。〃 Ammar shrugged his shoulders。 〃The Muwardis？ They are a part of that。 Every people has its zealots。 They e； and change； and e again in a new guise。 Forgive me for saying this； but if a king of Valledo can be as reflective as you； my lord…a descendant of Queen Vasca of blessed name！…shall I be the one to deny the possibility of like grace descending upon a veiled son of the sands？ Perhaps among the seductive fountains； the flowing rivers of Al…Rassan 。。。 ？〃
〃You would rather be with them。〃 Jehane heard the bitterness in Rodrigo's voice。
Ammar looked at him。 〃As panions？ Friends？ Am I mad？ Rodrigo； do I look mad？〃 He shook his head。 〃But the Muwardis； what are they？ Exactly the same as Queen Vasca was； as most of the people of your north still are today。 Righteous； convinced； unforgiving。 Terrified of anything beyond their understanding of the world。 The tribes are uncivilized？ I think so。 But I confess I find little of value in the cities of Esperana either。 The desert is a hard place； harder even than your northlands in winter。 Ashar knows； I have no bonding of spirit with the veiled ones； but I share even less with those who make pilgrimage on their knees to Vasca's Isle。 Would I rather be with the tribesmen？ Again； put it a little differently； and then leave it； Rodrigo； as my last words； lest we quarrel before we part。 I suppose I would rather； if Al…Rassan is to be lost； herd camels in the Majriti than be a shepherd in Esperana。〃
〃No！ That cannot be a last word； Ammar！〃 Rodrigo shook his head vehemently。 〃How do I let you ride to them？ Do you know what they will do to you？〃
Ammar smiled again； wryly this time。 〃What will they do？ Take away my ink and paper？ For a start； I will almost certainly be named ka'id of all Cartada's armies by Almalik II。 I expect Ghalib ibn Q'arif and I will one day have a disagreement over who leads our conjoined forces； and I will politely defer to him。 I am reliably informed he wears a neck thong made of the foreskins of those who do not defer to him。〃 He let the smile fade。 〃After that； I truly do not know。 It may e to camel herding； after all。 Leave it； Rodrigo； please。〃 He paused。 〃There is a question about Jehane； however。〃
〃No there isn't。〃
She had actually been expecting this and she was ready when it came。 The four men turned to her。 〃Ammar； if I can have some assurance that my parents are safe with Rodrigo and the king； then I'm afraid you must let me e with you…or I'll kill you before you leave this camp。〃
She saw Rodrigo Belmonte smile then for the first time that night； the remembered look softening his face。 〃Ah。 You've met my wife； then？〃 he said。
Jehane turned to him。 〃I have。 The lady Miranda is as gracious and as beautiful as I was told…by others…she would be。 Would she let you leave her behind in such a circumstance as this； Ser Rodrigo？〃
Ammar said quickly； 〃It is not the…
〃It is the same。 Enough so as to make no difference；〃 Jehane snapped。 She was afraid weariness would make her cry again； and she didn't want that at all。
〃Well now；〃 said the king of Valledo； 〃I do regret having to add my voice to what seems a matter of the heart； but I need to be told why I ought to allow the self…proclaimed future ka'id of my enemies to depart。〃
Jehane swallowed abruptly。 Her heart thudded。 She hadn't even thought of this。
〃You must let him leave；〃 Rodrigo said quietly。
King Ramiro looked sharply at him； and Jehane saw his temper； now being kept in check。 What he had just said terrified her。
In truth； given the war that had begun； she could see no reason why he ought to let them go。 Ammar had had his chance； his astonishing offer； and now 。。。
〃I must？〃 said Ramiro of Valledo。 〃I am never happy with the word； Ser Rodrigo。〃
〃My lord； forgive me；〃 said Rodrigo calmly； 〃but I have…we have…one hundred and fifty men in the army of Ragosa。 Trapped there。 When word es that you are in Al…Rassan and I am with you； and that the king of Jalona has e south as well； I believe Badir of Ragosa will receive counsel that he should eliminate my pany before they are deployed against him。〃
Ammar's expression had grown sober。 〃You believe Mazur would propose this？〃
Rodrigo said； 〃Ben Avren； or one of the others。 Remember？ Last autumn？ Badir valued you at your named price…equal； in yourself； to me and all my pany。 By that measure； he does a lesser thing in destroying them than we would in killing you。〃
〃You are playing with words。 That isn't a true measure； Rodrigo。〃
〃What is？ In wartime？ They are in mortal danger。 I must try to deal with that。 You are my best…at the moment my only way。 The price of your freedom is this： you ensure； upon your oath and your honor； that my men are allowed to leave that army and e here。〃
〃And if I cannot？〃
It was the king who answered。 His anger had passed。 〃You agree to return； on your oath and honor； and submit to my judgment。 True measure； or not； if King Badir accepted such a value for your service； so will I。〃
It was monstrous； Jehane thought； monstrous； and somehow inevitable； as if the careless banter about mercenary wages that bright； autumn day in Ragosa had led straight to this moment on a dark plain。 She heard sounds from the camp behind them； and the wind blowing。
〃It is agreed；〃 said Ammar quietly。
〃You can free them and e back；〃 Rodrigo added quickly。 He was not a man who surrendered easily； if at all； Jehane realized。 And he would not stand on pride。 There was a plea in his voice。
Ammar； she saw； heard it too。 He had to hear it。 Again the two men looked at each other； but by now the horses were long gone； far apart in a too wide； too dark night。 It was over。
Ammar said softly； 〃We refused to fight each other that day in Ragosa。〃
〃I remember。〃
〃It was an entertainment they proposed。 It is a different place now； the world；〃 said ibn Khairan； unwontedly awkward。 〃I 。。。 deepl