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d directly upon her forehead。 He took her good hand from Ramiro and pinched the back of it。 He asked her if she felt that。 Ines shook her head。 The new doctor scowled。
Peire d'Alorre； behind him； said something cutting。 He was prone to sardonic remarks； especially about the Esperanans。 A habit he had never shaken in all his years here。
The new man； whose hands were gentle； if his face was not； said； 〃Do we have the arrow that was removed？ Has anyone thought to examine it？〃 His voice rasped like a saw。
Ines was aware of a silence。 Her vision was not good； just then； but she saw the three court physicians exchange glances。
〃It is over here；〃 said Gonzalez de Rada。 He approached the bed； swimming into view； holding the arrow gingerly near the feathers。 The doctor took it。 He brought the head up to his face and sniffed。 He grimaced。 He had an awful face； actually； and a large boil on his neck。 He came back to the queen and； again apologizing； he shifted the covers at the bottom of the bed and took one of her feet。
〃Do you feel my touch？〃 he asked。 Again； she shook her head。
He looked angry。 〃Forgive me； my lord king； if I am blunt。 It may be I have spent too long in the tagra lands for courtly pany。 But these three men have e near to killing the queen。 It may be too late； and I will have to lay hands and； I fear； more than hands upon her； but I will try if you allow me。〃
〃There is poison？〃 she heard Ramiro ask。
〃Yes； my lord king。〃
〃What can you do？〃
〃With your permission； my lord； I must clean this 。。。 disgusting coating from her arm to prevent more of the substance from entering the wound。 Then I will have to administer a pound I will prepare。 It will be 。。。 difficult for the queen； my lord。 Extremely unpleasant。 It is a substance that may make her very ill as it bats the poison in her。 We must hope it does so。 I know of no other course。 Do you wish me to proceed？ Do you wish to remain here？〃
Ramiro did； both things。 Peire d'Alorre ventured an acerbic； unwise objection。 He was unceremoniously ushered by Gonzalez de Rada to a far corner of the room； along with the other two doctors。 Ramiro； following part of the way； said something to them that Ines could not hear。 They were extremely quiet after that。
The king came back and sat once more beside the bed holding her good hand in both of his。 She still couldn't feel his touch。 The new doctor's coarse features appeared close to hers again。 He explained what he was about to do； and apologized beforehand。 When he spoke softly； his voice was not actually unpleasant。 His breath was sweetly scented with some herb。
What followed was worse than childbirth had been。 She did scream； as he carefully but thoroughly cleaned the mud from her wounded arm。 At some point the god mercifully granted her oblivion。
They revived her； though。 They had to。 She was made to drink something。 What ensued was even worse。 The queen； racked with spasms in the belly and sweating with fever； found that she could not even bear the muted light of the candles in the room。 All sounds hurt her head amazingly。 She lost track of time； where she was； who was there。 She heard her own voice at one point； speaking wildly； begging for release。 She couldn't even pray； or hold properly to her disk。
When she swam back towards awareness； the doctor insisted that she drink more of the same substance； and she sank back into fever and the pain。
It went on for an unimaginably long time。
Eventually it ended。 She had no idea when。 She seemed to be still alive； however。 She lay on the sweat…soaked pillows of the bed。 The doctor gently cooled her face and forehead with damp towels； murmuring encouragement。 He asked for clean linens； these were brought and； while the men turned away； Ines's ladies…in…waiting changed her garments and the bedding。 When they had finished the doctor came back and very gently anointed and then bandaged Ines's arm。 His movements were steady and precise。 The king watched intently。
When the doctor from the forts was done； he ordered the room cleared of all but one of the queen's ladies。 He spoke now with the authority of a man who had assumed mand of a situation。 More diffidently； he then asked permission to speak in private with the king。 Ines watched them withdraw to an adjacent room。 She closed her eyes and slept。
〃Will she live？〃 King Ramiro was blunt。 He spoke as soon as the door was closed behind them。
The doctor was equally direct。 〃I will not know until later tonight； my lord king。〃 He pushed a hand through his untidy； straw…colored hair。 〃The poison ought to have been countered immediately。〃
〃Why did you suspect it？〃
〃The degree of swelling； my lord； and the absence of any feeling in her feet and hands。 A simple arrow wound ought not to have caused such responses。 I have seen enough of those； Jad knows。 And then I smelled it on the arrow。〃
〃How did you know to do what you did？〃
There was a hesitation； for the first time。 〃My lord； since being assigned the great honor of serving in the tagra forts； I have used the 。。。 proximity to Al…Rassan to obtain the writings from some of their physicians。 I have made a course of study； my lord。〃
〃The Asharite doctors know more than we？〃
〃About most things； my lord。 And 。。。 the Kindath know even more； in many matters。 In this instance； I was schooled by certain writings of a Kindath physician； a man of Fezana； my lord。〃
〃You can read the Kindath script？〃
〃I have taught myself； my lord。〃
〃And this text told you how to identify and deal with this poison？ What to administer？〃
〃And how to make it。 Yes； my lord。〃 Another hesitation。 〃There is one thing more； my lord king。 The reason I wished to speak with you alone。 About the 。。。 source of this evil thing。〃
〃Tell me。〃
The doctor from the tagra forts did so。 He was asked an extremely precise question and answered it。 He then received his king's permission to return to the queen。 Ramiro of Valledo remained alone in that adjoining room for some time； however； dealing with a rising fury and ing； quite swiftly after long indecision； to a clear resolution。
In such a fashion； very often； had the course and destiny of nations both lesser and greater than Valledo been shaped and devised。
The doctor gave Ines his pound one more time。 He explained that the body expelled it more swiftly than the poison it fought。 Painful as it was； the substance was the only thing that might save her。 The queen nodded her understanding； and drank。
Again she swam towards oblivion； but it wasn't quite so bad this time。 She always knew where she was。
In the middle of the night her fever broke。 The king was dozing in an armchair by the bed； the lady…in…waiting on a pallet by the fire。 The doctor； unsleeping； was attending upon her。 When she opened her eyes his harsh features seemed beautiful to her。 He reached for her good hand and pinched it。
〃Yes；〃 the queen said。 The doctor smiled。
When King Ramiro woke it was to see his wife gazing at him by the light of several candles。 Her eyes were clear。 They looked at each other for a long time。
〃I had a sun disk； at one point；〃 she said finally； a pale whisper； 〃but what I also remember； when I remember anything； is you beside me。〃
Ramiro moved to kneel beside the bed。 He looked a question across it at the physician； whose fatigue was now evident。
〃I believe we have passed through this；〃 the man said。 The long； unfortunate face was creased by a smile。
Ramiro said； huskily； 〃Your career is made； doctor。 I do not even know your name； but your life is made by this。 I was not ready to let her go。〃 He looked back at his queen； his wife； and repeated softly； 〃I was not ready。〃
Then the king of Valledo wept。 His queen lifted her good hand； hesitated a moment； and then lowered it to stroke his hair。
Earlier that same night； as King Ramiro lingered by the bedside of his queen； harsh words had been exchanged at dinner by the men of the Valledan court with those who served King Sanchez of Ruenda。 Accusations； savage and explicit； were levelled。 Swords were drawn in the castle hall。
Seventeen