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Winter was a time for dreaming； among other things。
The new king of Cartada had neither the leisure nor the disposition to share in such dreams。 An edgy； precise man； very much the son of his father…though both would have denied that…Almalik II knew too much that his citizens did not and his own winter； accordingly； enpassed little of the optimism of theirs。
Not that this was unusual for kings。
He knew his brother was with the Muwardis in the desert； with the blessings and hopes of the wadjis acpanying him。 He knew with certainty what Hazem would be suggesting。 He had no way of knowing how the proposals would be received by Yazir ibn Q'arif。 The transition from a strong king to his successor was always a dangerous time。
He made a point of pausing in his business to pray each time the bells rang during the day。 He summoned the most prominent of the wadjis of Cartada and listened to their list of plaints。 He lamented with them that his beloved father…a Believer of course； but a secular man…had let their great city slip some distance from the Laws of Ashar。 He promised to take regular counsel with them。 He ordered a notorious street of Jaddite prostitutes to be cleared immediately and a new temple built there； with gardens and a residence for the wadjis。
He sent gifts； substantial ones； to Yazir and his brother in the desert。 It was all he could do； for the moment。
He also learned； early in the winter before the flow of news from abroad slowed to a trickle； that a holy war was being readied in Batiara； with armies from four Jaddite lands massed to sail to Ammuz and Soriyya in the spring。
That was potentially the most momentous news of all； but not his immediate problem； and it was difficult to imagine that after a bored； fractious winter together such a disparate force would ever really sail。 In another way； though； whether they did or didn't embark； the mere assembling of that army represented the gravest danger imaginable。
He dictated a message of warning to the Grand Khalif in Soriyya。 It would not arrive before spring； of course； and there would be other warnings sent； but it was important to add his voice to the chorus。 They would ask him for soldiers and gold； but it would take time for that request to make its way back。
Meanwhile it was more important to decipher what the Jaddites in the north of this peninsula might be contemplating in the wake of these tidings of war； which they too would have by now。 If four Jaddite armies were massing to sail east； what might the Esperanans be considering； with Asharites so near to hand and an example of holy war？ Would not their holy men be preaching to the kings even now？
Could the three rulers of Esperana even gather in the same place without one of them killing another？ Almalik II doubted it； but he took counsel with his advisors and then sent certain gifts and a message to King Sanchez of Ruenda。
The gifts were princely； the message took carefully worded note of the fact that Fezana； which Cartada controlled and which currently paid parias to arrogant Valledo； not Ruenda； was at least as close to the latter kingdom； and at least as much potentially subject to Ruendan protection。 He besought； respectfully； King Sanchez's thoughts on these thorny matters。
There were divisions to be sown in the north； and it was not especially hard to sow them among the successors of Sancho the Fat。
Jalona in the northeast was not； for the moment； of concern to him。 They were more likely to cause difficulty for Ragosa； and that was useful； so long as it didn't amount to more than that。 It occurred to him more than once that he really ought to be exchanging counsels with King Badir this winter； but he balked at that。 Any interaction with Badir meant dealing； now； with Ammar ibn Khairan； who had fled to Cartada's principal rival the day after his exiling。
It had been a cowardly thing to do； Almalik had decided。 It even bordered on the treasonous。 All Ammar would have had to do was withdraw discreetly somewhere for a year； write some poems； maybe make a pilgrimage east； even fight for the Faith in Soriyya this ing year； in Ashar's name 。。。 and then Almalik could have weled him back； a contrite； chastened courtier who had done a decent time of penance。 It had seemed so obvious。
Instead； ibn Khairan； prickly and contrary as ever； had stolen away with Zabira straight to Badir and his wily Kindath chancellor in dangerous Ragosa。 Very dangerous Ragosa； in fact； because Almalik's sources then informed him； belatedly； that the woman had apparently sent her two sons…his own half…brothers…to Badir during the summer； immediately after the Day of the Moat。
That was news he ought to have had sooner； before his father died。 He was pelled to make an example and execute two of his men： it was perilous to be receiving such important tidings so late。 Those two boys represented a threat to his tenure on this throne almost as great as Hazem in the desert。
Superfluous brothers； the new king of Cartada decided； were best disposed of swiftly。 Look at what had happened among the Jaddites； for example。 Ramiro of Valledo； for all his vaunted prowess； had only begun to flourish after the abrupt passing of his brother Raimundo。 And though there had been rumors from the moment of that death； they hadn't impeded Ramiro's steady ascent at all。
A lesson to be learned there。 Almalik summoned two men known to him and gave them careful instructions and explicit promises and sent them east； equipped as spice merchants； to cross the mountains to Ragosa while the pass was still open to legitimate traders。
He was sobered； and more than a little shaken； to learn later in the winter that they had both died in a tavern brawl the very evening of their arrival in Badir's city。
Badir was clever； his father had always said so。 The Kindath chancellor was extremely clever。 And now Ammar was with them； when he ought to have been here； or at least waiting quietly somewhere for permission to return。
Almalik II； seeking transitory solace one windy night in his father's harem； which was now his own； felt very much alone。 He rubbed absently at his irritating eyelid while an extremely tall yellow…haired woman from Karch ministered eagerly to him with scented oils and supple hands； and he considered certain facts。
The first was that Ammar ibn Khairan was not going to be amenable to a swift return to Cartada； even with a promise of restored honor and immense power。 He knew this with certainty。 His carefully thought…out exiling of ibn Khairan on the day of his father's demise had begun to seem a less judicious course of action than it had at the time。
Angrily； he confronted and accepted the fact that he needed Ammar。 Too many things were happening this winter； too many disparate events needed to be addressed and responded to； and the men around him were not equal to that。 He had need of good counsel and the only man he trusted to provide it was the one who had always treated him with the amused condescension of a master towards a pupil。 He was king of Cartada now； it could not be the same way again； but he had to get Ammar back。
He arranged the woman on her hands and knees and entered her。 She was extraordinarily tall； it was briefly awkward。 Her immediate sounds of rapture were patently exaggerated。 They were all like that； desperately anxious to win favor。 Even as he moved upon the Karcher woman he found himself wondering what the delicate； subtle Zabira had been like； with his father in this same bed。 The woman beneath him moaned and gasped as if she were dying。 He finished quickly and dismissed her。
Then he lay back alone among the pillows； and began to give careful thought to how to regain the one man he needed before the threats from so many directions burst into flame like bonfires to consume him。
In the morning； at first pale light； he sent for a spy he had used before。 The young king of Cartada received this man alone； without even his bedchamber slaves in the room。
〃I want to know；〃 he said； without greeting or preamble； 〃everything you can discover about the movements of the lord Ammar ibn Khairan in Fezana on the