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Each of them signified the symbol of the god's sun with their right hand over their heart and then sank down upon their knees on the stone of the floor。 The light in the royal chapel was muted。 There were windows but they were old； and smaller； and rain was falling upon them。
They prayed in that simple； unadorned space to the one god and the life…giving light of his sun； their faces turned to where an emblem of that sun was set upon the wall behind the altar stone。 They prayed for strength and mercy； for purity of heart and mortal body； for the fulfillment of Jad's bright visions； and for access； at the end of their own days among the fields of earth； to Paradise。
Part IV
Ten
Nino di Carrera； young； handsome and adept； the most favored courtier of King Bermudo of Jalona and concurrently the latest of the furtive lovers of Bermudo's demanding queen； Fruela； was in a condition of anxious perplexity。
In fact； he hadn't the least idea what to do。
Confusion made him angry。 Anger was pounded by the increasing embarrassment of what was presently taking place。 Nino swept off his iron helmet and shook out his yellow mane of hair； the envy and desire of most of the women at Bermudo's court in Eschalou。 His breath and that of the two scouts and all of their horses made white puffs in the frigid early…morning air。
Behind him his pany had e to a halt in this high valley ringed with hills。 They were well trained； his own men。 The horses had been turned outward and the mules with their chests of gold from Fibaz were in the center of the formation。 Six chests。 A year's parias from an infidel city in Al…Rassan。 The first…ever such tribute payment to Jalona。 A promise of wealth； of power； and of much more to e。 The horse thieves of Valledo were not the only ones who could whip Asharites to heel like the mongrels they were。 And he； Nino di Carrera； had been entrusted with claiming this first treasure and bringing it back to Eschalou before the winter snows。 The king had promised him much upon his return； the queen 。。。 the queen had already given him a reward； the night before he left。
My golden one； she'd called him； lying in her bed after their frenzy。 A phrase more apt than ever now。 He was bringing back gold； six chests of it； to the greater glory of Jad and Jalofta…and of Count Nino di Carrera； who was soaring like a golden falcon now。 And who knew how high that might be before all was done and spoken before the god？
But all that…that shining； lofty future…was dependent on whether he could get these six chests safely home and； more to the immediate point； whether he could silence the woman's voice that kept echoing down upon them in this supernaturally resonant highland valley he wished they had never entered。
〃Nino； Nino； Nino！ Oh； my darling！ It is I； Fruela； your queen！ e to me； my love！〃
The plangent summons； high and clear； rang like a bell； filling the valley with sound over and over again。 Nino di Carrera was； among other things； aware that his color had risen： a lifelong affliction that came with fair skin。 It wasn't…of course it wasn't！…Queen Fruela's voice they were hearing； but it was a woman； fluent in Esperanan； and her tone was urgent with desire。
〃e； Nino！ Take me。 Take me here on the hills！ Make me yours！〃
It was not； in any conceivable way； useful for a rising figure at King Bermudo's court to have this sort of request publicly uttered。 By anyone。 Anywhere。 And the words were very public here。 They were soaring all about them； echoing endlessly。 Someone was amusing themselves at Nino di Carrera's expense。 Someone was going to pay for that。
He was careful not to glance back at his pany； but as the woman's voice； ripe with longing； continued to offer explicit variations on the same theme； Nino heard…unmistakably…ripples of suppressed laughter behind him。
〃Oh； my rampant stallion； I must have you！ Make me yield to your mastery； my love！〃
Sound carried absurdly well in this place。 It was unnatural； that was what it was！ And not only did the words carry； they echoed； so that each yearning proclamation of his name； each vividly proposed activity； resonated as if sung by a choir in chapel。
The two outriders were ashen…faced； refusing to meet his eyes。 No trace of amusement there。 They wouldn't have dared； in any event； but the tidings they had brought precluded levity。 The woman wailing with desire was an offense； even a mortal one； armed men waiting in ambush ahead were something else。
Reckless as his appearance and youth might suggest him to be； Nino di Carrera was a careful mander of a good pany； and his outriders； in particular； were excellent。 The odds were； in fact； that few panies would have received this advance warning。 Most leaders would have felt blithely secure in the presence of almost a hundred mounted men。 Nino had been too conscious of how important this parias mission was； however： to Jalona； to himself。 He'd had outriders ahead and behind； and on both flanks until the hills forced those men back in。 The pair up front had spotted the carefully laid ambush at the northern exit from this valley。
〃Nino！ I burn for you！ Oh； my love； I am a woman before I am a queen！〃
It was almost impossible to concentrate with that voice filling the valley bowl。 But concentration had bee vital now： whoever had laid this trap had to know exactly how many men the Jaddites had。 Which meant that they weren't fazed by the numbers。 Which meant serious trouble。 They couldn't be from Fibaz： that would be absurd； to give them the gold and then attack them for it。 And King Badir of Ragosa； who controlled the small； wealthy city of Fibaz； had authorized this parias payment himself； however grudgingly。 Why release it from behind defended walls； then attack in open country？ Why agree to pay in the first place； if you felt secure enough to attack？
None of it made any sense。 And therefore； obviously； the ambush ahead had been laid by outlaws。 Nino was pleased he could still think clearly enough…the woman on the hills was now intimating that her clothing was being removed in anticipation of his presence…to sort this through。
There were still problems； though； what was happening still didn't seem conceivable。 It was almost impossible to imagine any outlaw band large enough and well…equipped enough to try to waylay a hundred trained Horsemen of Jad。
Something occurred to Nino di Carrera then。 He narrowed his eyes。 He scratched his jaw。 Unless； unless 。。。
〃I throb； I yearn； I die。 Oh； Nino； e to me with the short sword of your loins！〃
The short sword？
One of the outriders coughed abruptly and turned his head sharply away。 Unmistakable sounds could now be heard from behind； where the pany had halted。
That did it。 That was enough。
〃Edrique！ To me！ Now！〃 Di Carrera barked the mand without looking back。 Immediately he heard a horse cantering up。
〃My lord？〃 His burly； petent second…in…mand； unusually ruddy…faced； appeared at his side。
〃I want that woman silenced。 Take five men。〃
Edrique's expression was carefully neutral。 〃Of course； my lord。 At once。〃
〃My stallion； e！ Let me ride you to Paradise！〃
Edrique's turn to cough； averting his crimson features。
〃When you are sufficiently recovered；〃 said Nino icily； 〃go about your business。 You might be interested to know there is an ambush laid at the neck of this valley。〃
That sobered the man quickly enough。
〃You think the woman is connected with…〃
〃How in Jad's name would I know？〃 Nino snapped。 〃Deal with her； whoever she is； and get back； quickly。 Bring her with you。 I want her alive。 In the meantime； we're going to double back south and loop around this valley； however far it takes us out of our way。 I hate this place！〃 He said it with more feeling than he'd intended。 〃I won't ride into a narrow space where the enemy knows the ground。〃
Edrique nodded and clapped spurs to his horse。 They heard him rattling off names to acpany him。 Nino remained motionless a moment； thinking as best he could with a feverish woman crying his name so that it rang through the valley。
He'd had an important thought； a moment ago。 It was gone now。