ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第17节

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　　It　was　the　woman　doctor；　not　the　merchant；　who　answered。　〃A　village。　Orvilla。　I　have　patients　there。〃
　　〃e　then；〃　said　the　Captain；　his　expression　even　grimmer　than　before。　〃You　will　have　more　now。　Leave　the　mule。　Ride　with　Lain…the　older　one。　Alvar；　take　her　servant。　Ludus；　Mauro；　guard　the　camp　with　the　merchant。　e　on！　That　crawling　maggot　Garcia　de　Rada　is　here　after　all。〃
　　
　　At　least　half　of　the　Jaddite　raiders　were　slain　in　a　matter　of　moments　before　Jehane；　sheltering　with　Velaz　at　the　side　of　one　of　the　burning　houses；　heard　the　man　the　others　called　the　Captain　say　clearly；　〃It　is　enough。　Gather　the　rest。〃
　　The　Captain。　She　knew　who　this　was；　of　course。　Everyone　in　the　peninsula　knew　who　was　called　by　that　name　alone；　as　a　title。
　　His　words　were　echoed　quickly　by　two　other　riders；　including　the　older　one　who　had　ridden　here　with　her。　The　killing　stopped。
　　There　was　an　interval　of　time　during　which　the　raiders　were　herded　towards　the　center　of　the　village；　an　open　grassy　space。　Some　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte's　men　were　filling　buckets　at　the　stream；　trying　to　deal　with　the　fires　alongside　a　handful　of　the　villagers。　It　was　hopeless；　though；　even　to　Jehane's　untutored　eye　it　was　obviously　wasted　effort。
　　〃Doctor！　Oh；　thank　the　holy　stars！　e　quickly；　please！〃
　　Jehane　turned；　and　recognized　her　patient…the　woman　who　brought　her　eggs　every　week　at　the　market。
　　〃Abirab！　What　is　it？〃
　　〃My　sister！　She　has　been　terribly　hurt。　By　one　of　the　men。　She　is　bleeding；　and　with　child。　And　her　husband　is　dead。　Oh；　what　are　we　to　do；　doctor？〃
　　The　woman's　face　was　black　with　soot　and　smoke；　distorted　with　grief。　Her　eyes　were　red　from　weeping。　Jehane；　frozen　for　a　moment　by　the　brutal　reality　of　horror；　offered　a　quick　inner　prayer　to　Galinus…the　only　name　she　truly　worshipped…and　said；　〃Take　me　to　her。　We　will　do　what　we　can。〃
　　Ziri　ibn　Aram；　standing　on　the　far　side　of　the　circle；　still　did　not　know　what　had　happened　to　his　father　or　mother。　He　saw　his　aunt　approach　a　woman　who　had　e　with　the　new　men。　He　was　about　to　follow　them；　but　something　held　him　where　he　was。　A　few　moments　ago　he　had　been　preparing　to　die　nailed　to　a　beam　from　the　barn。　He　had　spoken　the　words　that　offered　his　soul　as　a　gift　to　the　stars　of　Ashar。　It　seemed　the　stars　were　not　ready　for　his　soul；　after　all。
　　He　watched　the　brown…haired　mander　of　the　new　arrivals　remove　a　glove　and　stroke　his　moustache　as　he　looked　down　from　his　black　horse　at　the　leader　of　those　who　had　destroyed　Ziri's　village。　The　man　on　the　ground　was　stocky　and　dark。　He　didn't　seem　at　all；　to　Ziri's　eyes；　like　someone　who　feared　his　approaching　death。
　　〃You　have　achieved　your　own　destruction；〃　he　said　with　astonishing　arrogance　to　the　man　on　the　horse。　〃Do　you　know　who　your　louts　have　killed　here？〃　His　voice　was　high…pitched　for　a　man；　almost　shrill。　〃Do　you　know　what　will　happen　when　I　report　this　in　Esteren？〃
　　The　broad…shouldered；　brown…haired　man　on　the　black　horse　said　nothing。　An　older　man　beside　him；　extremely　tall　and　lean；　with　greying　hair；　said　sharply；　〃So　sure　you　are　going　back；　de　Rada？〃
　　The　stocky　man　didn't　even　look　at　him。　After　a　moment；　though；　the　first　horseman；　the　leader　said；　very　quietly；　〃Answer　him；　Garcia。　He　asked　you　a　question。〃　The　name　was　used　as　one　might　admonish　a　child；　but　the　voice　was　cold。
　　For　the　first　time　Ziri　saw　a　flicker　of　doubt　appear　in　the　face　of　the　man　named　Garcia。　Only　for　a　moment；　though。　〃You　aren't　a　plete　fool；　Belmonte。　Don't　play　games　with　me。〃
　　〃Games？〃　A　hard；　swift　anger　in　the　mounted　man's　voice。　He　swept　one　hand　in　a　slashing　arc；　indicating　all　of　Orvilla；　burning　freely　now。　Nothing　would　be　saved。　Nothing　at　all。　Ziri　began　looking　around　for　his　father。　A　feeling　of　dread　was　overtaking　him。
　　〃Would　I　play　a　game　in　the　midst　of　this？〃　the　man　on　the　black　horse　snapped。　〃Be　careful；　Garcia。　Do　not　insult　me。　Not　tonight。　I　told　your　brother　what　would　happen　if　you　came　near　Fezana。　I　assume　he　told　you。　I　must　assume　he　told　you。〃
　　The　man　on　the　ground　was　silent。
　　〃Does　it　matter？〃　said　the　grey…haired　one。　He　spat　on　the　ground。　〃This　one　is　offal。　He　is　less　than　that。〃
　　〃I　will　remember　you；〃　said　the　black…haired　man　sharply；　turning　now　to　the　speaker。　He　clenched　his　fists。　〃I　have　a　good　memory。〃
　　〃But　you　forgot　your　brother's　warning？〃　It　was　the　leader　once　more；　the　one　called　Belmonte。　His　voice　was　calm　again；　dangerously　so。　〃Or　you　chose　to　forget　it；　shall　we　say？　Garcia　de　Rada；　what　you　did　as　a　boy　on　your　family　estates　was　no　concern　of　mine。　What　you　do　here；　as　someone　who　passes　for　a　man；　unfortunately　is。　This　village　lies　under　the　protection　of　the　king　of　Valledo　whose　officer　I　am。　The　parias　I　am　here　to　collect　was　paid　in　part　by　the　people　you　have　butchered　tonight。　You　have　taken　the　promises　of　King　Ramiro　and　made　him　a　liar　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。〃　He　paused；　to　let　the　words　sink　in。　〃Given　that　fact；　what　should　I　do　with　you？〃
　　It　was　evidently　not　a　question　the　man　addressed　had　been　expecting。　But　he　was　not　slow　of　wit。　〃Given　that　fact；〃　he　mocked；　imitating　the　tone。　〃You　ought　to　have　been　a　lawyer　not　a　soldier；　Belmonte。　A　judge　in　your　eastern　pastures；　making　rulings　about　stolen　sheep。　What　is　this；　your　courthouse？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　other　man。　〃Now　you　begin　to　understand。　That　is　exactly　what　it　is。　We　await　your　reply。　What　should　I　do　with　you？　Shall　I　give　you　to　these　people　to　be　spread…eagled？　The　Asharites　nail　people　to　wood　as　well。　We　learned　it　from　them。　Did　you　know　that？　I　doubt　we'd　have　trouble　finding　carpenters。〃
　　〃Don't　bluster；〃　said　Garcia　de　Rada。
　　Jehane；　walking　back　towards　the　knot　of　men　in　the　midst　of　the　burning　village；　with　a　little　girl's　hand　in　each　of　hers　and　a　black　rage　in　her　heart；　saw　only　the　blurred　motion　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte's　right　arm。　She　heard　a　crack；　like　a　whip；　and　a　man　cried　out。
　　Then　she　realized　it　had　been　a　whip；　and　saw　the　black　line　of　blood　on　Garcia　de　Rada's　cheek。　He　would　be　scarred　for　life　by　that；　she　knew。　She　also　knew　she　wanted　his　life　to　end　tonight。　The　fury　in　her　was　as　nothing　she　had　ever　felt　before；　it　was　huge；　terrifying。　She　felt　she　could　kill　the　man　herself。　It　was　necessary　to　breathe　deeply；　to　try　to　preserve　a　measure　of　self…control。
　　When　her　father　had　been　marred　in　Cartada　it　had　e　to　Jehane　and　her　mother　as　rumor　first　and　then　report；　and　then　they　had　lived　with　the　knowledge　for　two　days　before　they　were　allowed　to　see　what　had　been　done　and　take　him　away。　What　she　had　just　seen　in　the　one…room　hut　by　the　river　was　raw　as　salt　in　an　open　sore。　Jehane　had　wanted　to　scream。　What　was　medicine；　what　was　all　her　training；　her　oath；　in　the　face　of　an　atrocity　such　as　this？
　　Anger　made　her　reckless。　Leading　the　two　children；　she　walked　straight　in　to　stand　between　Rodrigo　Belmonte　and　the　leader　of　the　Jaddite　raiders；　the　man　he'd　called　Garcia　and　had　just　scarred　with　a　whip。
　　〃Which　one　was　it？〃　she　said　to　the　children。　She　pitched　her　voice　to　carry。
　　There　was　abruptly　a　silence　around　them。　A　young　man；　fourteen；　fifteen　perhaps；　began　hurrying　towards　her。　The　two　girls　had　said　there　might　be　an　older　brother　still　alive。　The　mother's　sister；　Abirab；　who　used　to　request　endless　salves　and　infusions　of　Jehane　at　the　market　for　foot　pains　or　monthly　cramps　or　sleeplessness；　was　still　in　the　hut　trying　to　do　something　impossible…to　smooth　the　horror　of　a　dead；　viciously　mutilated　woman　and　the　stillborn　child　that　had　spilled　from　her。
　　The　young　man　rushed　up　to　them　and　knelt　beside　his　sisters。　One　of　them　collapsed；　weeping；　against　his　shoulder。　The　other；　the　older；　stood　very　straight；　her　face　grave　and　intent；　looking　around　at　the　raiders。　〃He　wore　a　red　shirt；〃　she　said　quite　clearly；　〃and　red　boots。〃
　　〃There；　then；〃　said　the　man　called　Lain　Nunez　after　a　moment；　pointing。　〃Bring　him　forward；　Alvar。〃
　　A　younger　member　of　the　band；　the　one　with　the　oddly　high　stirrups　on　his　horse；　leaped　from　his　mount。　From　the　ranks　of　the　surviving　raiders　he　pushed　someone　into　the　open　space。　Jehane　was　still　too　consumed　by　her　rage　to　give　more　than　a　brief　thought　to　how　they　had　all　stopped　what　they'd　been　doing；　for　her。
　　It　wasn't　for　her。　She　looked　down　at　the　boy　kneeling　with　his　weeping　sister　in　his　arms。　〃Your　name　is　Ziri？〃
　　He　nodded；　looking　up　at　her。　His　dark　eyes　were　enormous　in　a　white　face。
　　〃I　am　sorry　to　have　to　tell　you　your　mother　and　father　are　dead。　There　is　no　easy　way　to　say　it　tonight。〃
　　〃A　great　many　people　are　dead　here；　doctor。　Why　are　you　interrupting？〃　It　was　Belmonte；　behind　her；　and　it　was　a　fair　question；　in　its　way。
　　But　Jehane's　anger　would　not　let　her　go。　This　man　was　a　Jaddite；　and　the　Jaddites　had　done　this　thing。　〃You　want　me　to　say　it　in　front　of　the　children？〃　She　did　not　even　look　back　at　him。
　　〃No　one　here　is　a　child　after　tonight。〃
　　Which　was　true；　she　realized。　And　so　Jehane　pointed　to　the　man　in　the　red　shirt　and　said；　though　later　she　would　wish　she　had　not；　〃This　man　raped　the　mother　of　these　children；　near　to　term　with　another　child。　Then　he　put　h