ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第27节

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　the　king　added；　〃Ser　Rodrigo　was　acting　properly；　and　as　our　officer。〃
　　More　than　one　rancher　or　baron　in　that　forest　clearing　found　this　entirely　too　legalistic　for　his　taste。　Why；　they　wondered；　didn't　Ramiro　just　let　them　fight　it　out　here　under　the　sun　of　Jad　in　the　open　spaces　that　best　became　a　man…and　have　done　with　this　dry…mouthed；　dusty　verbiage？
　　Such　a　pleasing　possibility　seemed　to　be　being　less　likely　with　each　passing　moment。　The　smug　expressions　of　the　three　yellow…robed　clerics　who　had　moved　to　stand　behind　the　king　indicated　as　much。　Ramiro　wasn't　known　for　his　close　relations　with　the　clerics　of　Jad；　but　these　three　certainly　looked　happy　enough。
　　This；　a　number　of　the　lords　of　Valledo　thought；　was　what　happened　when　a　king　became　too　full　of　himself；　when　he　started　making　changes。　Even　that　new　throne　room　back　in　the　palace；　with　its　veined　marble　pillars：　didn't　it　look　more　like　something　designed　for　a　decadent　court　in　Al…Rassan　than　a　Jaddite　warrior　hall？　What　was　happening　here　in　Valledo？　It　was　an　increasingly　urgent　question。
　　〃Having　considered　the　words　of　both　parties　and　the　depositions　that　have　been　rendered；　including　one　by　the　Asharite　silk　merchant　Husari　ibn　Musa　of　Fezana；　we　will　be　brief　in　our　judgment。〃
　　The　king's　expression　continued　to　match　his　stern　words。　The　blunt　fact　was；　if　Belmonte　and　de　Rada　chose　to　pursue　a　blood　feud　Valledo　was　likely　to　be　torn　apart　in　the　choosing　of　sides；　and　Ramiro's　sweeping　changes　would　fall　like　butchered　bodies。
　　〃It　is　our　decision　that　Garcia　de　Rada…may　his　soul　reside　with　Jad　in　light…violated　both　our　laws　and　our　obligations　in　his　attack　upon　the　village　of　Orvilla　by　Fezana。　Ser　Rodrigo's
　　120　Guy　Gavriel　Kay
　　interruption　of　that　attack　was　entirely　proper。　It　was　his　duty；　given　the　parias　being　paid　to　us　for　protection。　It　is　also　our　judgment　that　ordering　the　death　of　Parazor　de　Rada　was　reasonable；　if　unfortunate；　given　the　need　to　demonstrate　both　our　fairness　and　our　authority　in　Fezana。　No　blame　or　criticism　falls　to　Ser　Rodrigo　for　these　things。〃
　　Count　Gonzalez　stirred　restlessly；　but　grew　still　under　the　king's　flat　gaze。　Light　fell　through　the　trees；　dappling　the　clearing　in　bands　of　brightness　and　shadow。
　　〃At　the　same　time；〃　King　Ramiro　went　on；　〃Ser　Rodrigo　had　no　right　to　wound　Garcia　de　Rada　after　accepting　his　surrender。　It　was　not　a　deed　that　bees　a　man　of　rank。〃　The　king　hesitated　and　shifted　a　little　on　his　tree　trunk。　Rodrigo　Belmonte　was　looking　straight　at　him；　waiting。　Ramiro　met　his　gaze。　〃Further；〃　he　said；　his　voice　quiet　but　extremely　clear；　〃the　public　accusation　he　is　reported　to　have　made　with　respect　to　the　death　of　my　lamented　brother　King　Raimundo　is　a　slander　beneath　the　dignity　of　both　a　nobleman　and　an　officer　of　the　king。〃
　　A　number　of　men　in　that　forest　clearing　caught　their　breath　at　this　point。　They　had　reached　a　matter　that　touched　perilously　near　to　Ramiro's　position　on　the　throne　itself。　The　extremely　abrupt　death　of　his　brother　had　never　been　satisfactorily　explained。
　　Ser　Rodrigo　did　not　move；　nor；　at　this　juncture；　did　he　speak。　In　the　slanting　sunlight　his　expression　was　unreadable；　save　for　the　frown　of　concentration　as　he　listened。　Ramiro　picked　up　a　parchment　from　the　trunk　beside　him。
　　〃That　leaves　us　with　an　attack　on　women　and　children　at　Rancho　Belmonte；　and　then　the　killing　of　a　man　who　had　sheathed　his　sword。〃　King　Ramiro　looked　down　at　the　parchment　for　a　moment　and　then　back　up。　〃Garcia　de　Rada　had　formally　surrendered　in　Orvilla；　and　accepted　terms　of　ransom　to　be　determined。　His　obligation　by　his　oath　was　to　e　straight　here　to　Esteren　and　await　the　ruling　of　our　royal　heralds。　Instead　he　recklessly　stripped　our　defenses　in　the　tagra　lands　to　pursue　a　personal　attack　on　Rancho　Belmonte。　For　this；〃　said　the　king　of　Valledo；　speaking　slowly　and　carefully　now；　〃I　would　have　ordered　his　public　execution。〃
　　There　came　a　swiftly　rising　sound　of　protest　between　the　trees。　This　was　new；　a　prodigious　assertion　of　authority。
　　Ramiro　went　on；　unruffled。　〃Dona　Miranda　Belmonte　d'Alveda　was　a　frail　woman　with　no　men　to　guard　her；　fearing　for　the　lives　of　her　young　children　in　the　face　of　an　attack　by　armed　soldiers。〃　The　king　lifted　another　document　from　the　tree　trunk　beside　him　and　glanced　at　it。　〃We　accept　the　deposition　of　the　cleric　Ibero　that　Ser　Garcia　specifically　indicated　to　Dona　Miranda　that　his　purpose　had　been　to　exact　vengeance　upon　herself　and　her　sons；　and　not　merely　to　claim　horses　from　Rancho　Belmonte。〃
　　〃That　man　is　a　servant　of　Belmonte's！〃　the　constable　said　sharply。　The　splendid　voice　was　a　shade　less　controlled　than　it　had　been　before。
　　The　king　looked　at　him；　and　those　in　attendance；　observing　that　glance；　were　made　abruptly　mindful　that　Ramiro　was；　in　fact；　a　warrior　when　he　chose　to　be。　Cups　of　wine　were　raised　and　men　drank　thoughtfully。
　　〃You　were　not　invited　to　speak；　Count　Gonzalez。　We　have　carefully　noted　that　none　of　your　brother's　surviving　men　have　contradicted　this　deposition。　They　appear　to　confirm　it；　in　fact。　We　also　note　that　by　all　accounts　the　attack　was　against　the　ranch　itself；　not　the　pastures　where　the　horses　were　grazing。　We　are　capable　of　drawing　conclusions；　especially　when　supported　by　the　sworn　word　of　a　servant　of　the　god。　Given　that　your　brother　had　already　broken　his　parole　by　attacking　the　ranch；　it　is　our　judgment　that　Dona　Miranda；　a　frightened；　defenseless　woman；　is　not　to　be　censured　for　killing　him　and　thus　protecting　her　husband's　children　and　possessions。〃
　　〃You　bring　shame　upon　us　with　this；〃　said　his　constable　bitterly。
　　When　Ramiro　of　Valledo　was　angry　his　face　grew　white。　It　did　so　now。　He　stood　up；　taller　than　almost　every　man　in　that　clearing。　Papers　scattered　beside　him；　a　cleric　hurried　to　collect　them。
　　〃Your　brother　brought　you　shame；〃　the　king　said　icily；　〃by　refusing　to　accept　your　own　authority；　or　ours。　We　do　no　more　than　rule　upon　his　actions。　Hear　us；　Gonzalez〃…no　title；　the　listeners　realized；　and　wine　goblets　were　lowered　all　about　the　clearing…〃there　will　be　no　feud　to　follow　from　this。　We　forbid　it。　We　make　the　following　decree　before　these　high…born　of　Valledo：　Count　Gonzalez　de　Rada；　our　constable；　will　stand　surety　with　his　own　life　for　the　next　two　years　for　the　lives　and　safety　of　the　family　of　Ser　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　Should　death　or　grievous　harm　befall　any　of　them　from　any　source　during　this　time　we　will　execute　mortal　judgment　upon　his　body。〃
　　A　buzzing　again；　and　this　one　did　not　subside。　Nothing　remotely　like　this　had　ever　been　heard　before。
　　〃Why　two　years？〃
　　It　was　Rodrigo。　The　first　time　the　Captain　had　spoken　since　the　hearing　had　begun。　The　angle　of　the　sun　had　changed　now；　his　face　was　in　shadow。　The　question　brought　a　silence；　as　the　king's　gaze　turned　to　Belmonte。
　　〃Because　you　will　not　be　able　to　defend　them；〃　Ramiro　said　levelly；　still　on　his　feet。　〃Officers　of　the　king　have　a　responsibility　to　exercise　control　both　over　their　weapons　and　their　words。　You　failed　us　twice　over。　What　you　did　to　Ser　Garcia；　and　what　you　said　to　him；　are　direct　causes　of　his　death　and　this　hard　trouble　in　our　kingdom。　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　you　are　condemned　to　a　term　of　exile　from　Valledo　of　two　years。　At　the　end　of　such　time　you　may　present　yourself　before　us　and　we　will　rule　upon　your　case。〃
　　〃He　goes　alone；　I　take　it？〃　It　was　Count　Gonzalez；　reacting　quickly。　〃Not　with　his　pany？〃
　　It　mattered；　all　the　listeners　knew。　Rodrigo　Belmonte's　pany　prised　one　hundred　and　fifty　of　the　finest　fighting　men　in　the　peninsula。
　　Rodrigo　laughed　aloud；　the　sound　almost　shocking；　given　the　tension　among　the　trees。　〃You　are　most　wele；〃　he　said；　〃to　try　to　stop　them　from　following　me。〃
　　King　Ramiro　was　shaking　his　head。　〃I　will　not　do　so。　Your　men　are　yours　and　blameless　in　this。　They　may　go　or　stay　as　they　please。　I　will　ask　only　for　one　undertaking　from　you；　Ser　Rodrigo。〃
　　〃After　exiling　me　from　my　home？〃　The　question　was　pointed。　Rodrigo's　face　was　still　in　shadow。
　　〃Even　so。〃　It　was　interesting　how　calm　the　king　was。　A　number　of　men　reached　the　same　conclusion　at　the　same　time：　Ramiro　had　anticipated　almost　every　point　of　this　exchange。　〃I　do　not　think　you　can　truly　quarrel　with　our　ruling；　Ser　Rodrigo。　Take　your　pany；　if　you　will。　We　ask　only　that　they　not　be　used　in　warfare　against　us。〃
　　Silence　again；　as　every　man　struggled　to　think　through　the　implications。　It　could　be　seen　that　Rodrigo　Belmonte　was　staring　down　at　the　forest　floor；　his　forehead　creased　with　thought。　The　king　gazed　upon　him；　waiting。
　　When　Rodrigo　looked　up；　his　brow　had　cleared。　He　lifted　his　right　hand　towards　the　sky　overhead；　and　shaped　the　sun　circle　of　the　god　with　thumb　and　fingers。　〃I　swear　by　holy　Jad；〃　he　said　formally；　〃that　I　will　never　lead　my　pany　in　warfare　into　the　lands　of　Valledo。〃
　　It　was　almost　what　the　king　had　asked。　Almost；　but　not　quite；　and　Ramiro　knew　it。
　　〃And　if　you　find　a　Valledan　army　beyond　our　borders？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　can　swear　no　oath；〃　Rodrigo　said　quietly。　〃Not　an　honorable　one。　Not　if　I　am　forced　to　take　service　elsewhere　for　my　livelihood　and　that　of　my　pany。　My　lord；　this　is　not；