〃In Fezana？〃
〃Of course。 But if I know this man he is offering a part of it for Velaz。〃
Alvar winced。 He looked back out at the shape of the man on his knees in darkness。 He had； shamefully； forgotten about Velaz。 Jehane's parents would only have heard those tidings tonight。 Watching the old physician rocking slowly back and forth； Alvar felt an unexpected renewal； quiet and sure； of what he had begun to realize on the ride west： he was not going to be a soldier； after all。
He could kill； well enough it seemed； lacking neither in courage nor calm nor skill； but he had no heart for the butchery of war。 He could not name it as the singers did： a pageantry； a contest； a glorious field whereon men could search out and find their honor。
He had no idea what the alternatives were or might be； but he knew that this wasn't the night to sort through that。 He heard a sound from behind and turned。 Rodrigo walked up to them。
〃Alvar； I'd be grateful if you'd e with me。〃 His tone was grave； there was a bone…weariness at the bottom of it。 Diego was still unconscious； Jehane had said he would probably be so all night and into the morning。 〃I think I want a witness for what happens next。 Are you all right？〃
〃Of course；〃 Alvar said quickly。 〃But what is 。。。 ？〃
〃The king has asked to speak with me。〃
Alvar swallowed。 〃And you want me to 。。。 〃
〃I do。 I need one of my men。〃 Rodrigo flashed the faint ghost of a smile。 〃Unless you have a need to urinate？〃
Memory； vivid as a shaft of light。
He walked over with Rodrigo to where the king stood； conferring with outriders。 Ramiro saw them approaching； raised his eyebrows briefly at Alvar。
〃You wish a third man with us？〃 he asked。
〃If you do not object； my lord。 Do you know Pellino de Damon's son？ One of my most trusted men。〃 There was…Alvar heard it…an edge to Rodrigo's voice now。
〃I do not；〃 said his king； 〃but if you value him so highly； I hope to know him well in days to e。〃
Alvar bowed。 〃Thank you； my lord。〃 He was conscious that he must look a fearsome sight。 Like a fighting man。
Ramiro dismissed the outriders and the three of them walked towards the northern fence of the hamlet and then； as Alvar opened a gate； out onto the plain。
A wind was blowing。 They carried no torches。 The fires were behind them and had mostly died。 The moons and the stars shone above the wide land all around them。 It was too dark for Alvar to read the expressions of the other two men。 He kept silent。 A witness。 To what； he knew not。
〃I am pleased you are back。 You will have questions。 Ask me；〃 said Ramiro of Valledo。 〃Then I will tell you some other things you do not know。〃
Rodrigo said coldly； 〃Very well。 Start with my sons。 How came they here？ You may not be glad of my presence for long； my lord king； depending on the answers。〃
〃Your cleric wrote a letter to Geraud de Chervalles； a High Cleric from Ferrieres； wintering with us on his pilgrimage to Vasca's Isle。 He was preaching a holy war； along with his fellows in Eschalou and Orvedo。 You know the army in Batiara has sailed？〃
〃I do。 What sort of letter？〃
〃Explaining about your son's gift。 Suggesting it might be of aid to us in a war against the infidels。〃
〃Ibero did that？〃
〃I will show you the letter； Ser Rodrigo。 Was it a betrayal？〃
〃It was。〃
The king said； 〃He has been punished。〃
〃Not by me。〃
〃Does it matter？ He was a holy man。 Jad will judge him。〃
There was a silence。
〃Go on。 The letter arrived in Esteren？〃
〃And de Chervalles asked my permission to send for the boy。 This was after what had happened at Carcasia。 You heard about that？〃
Rodrigo nodded。 〃A little。〃
The king said； 〃In the wake of those events； I ordered the army to assemble and I sent men to fetch your son。 His brother insisted on ing。 Your lady wife followed； joining the queen。 Am I； also； to be punished； Ser Rodrigo？〃
The tone of both men was cold； precise。 In the darkness； in that keen wind； Alvar had a sense that he was listening to the first notes of an exchange that had been waiting to happen for a long time。
〃I don't know yet；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte flatly。 Alvar blinked。 The Captain was speaking to his anointed monarch。 〃What happened at Carcasia？ You had best tell me about that。〃
〃I intended to。 Almalik II used a spy at the court of my brother of Ruenda to try to kill the queen。 His purpose was subtle and nearly succeeded。 If the queen had died and I blamed Sanchez it would have shattered any alliance and sent us to war against each other。 I nearly rode against Ruenda。 I would have； had she died。〃
〃But？〃
〃The physician； d'Inigo…who assisted with your boy tonight…was able to save the queen where her own doctors could not。 He realized； from the nature of the wound； that there had been poison on the arrow； and provided the remedy。〃
〃We owe him a great deal； then；〃 said Rodrigo。
〃We do。 He said he learned of that poison from the writings of a certain Kindath physician in Fezana。〃
Another silence。 Alvar saw a star fall across the sky in the west。 A birth； a death。 One or the other； in the folk tales at home。 He was far from home。
〃I see。 I had intended to ask you；〃 said Rodrigo； 〃whatever else happens； to look to the well…being of Ser Ishak and his family。〃
〃You need not ask；〃 said the king。 〃It is done。 For the queen's sake； and your son's。 Whatever else happens。〃
Alvar saw Rodrigo incline his head in the moonlight。 A cloud drifted across the face of the white moon； deepening the darkness。
〃D'Inigo also told me something else；〃 the king said quietly。 〃He said the poison used was one known only in Al…Rassan。 The Ruendans would have had no ready access to it； or knowledge of it。〃
〃I see。〃 Rodrigo's tone changed。 〃You wrote to your brother of Ruenda？〃
〃I did。 I told him what we had learned。 He had fled the meeting； fearing we might attack them。 As I said； I nearly did； Ser Rodrigo。 If the queen had died 。。。 〃
〃I believe I can understand that； my lord。〃
〃Sanchez wrote back。 They had unmasked the Cartadan spy and found arrows in his home with the same poison。 My brother was grateful。〃
〃Of course。 Insofar as he can be。〃 The tone was dry。
〃It went far enough。 He agreed to e south at the same time I did。 He is riding for Salos even now。〃
This was news。 Alvar could see Rodrigo absorbing it。
〃And Jalofia？〃 he asked softly。 〃Your uncle？〃
〃Is driving towards Ragosa and Fibaz。 It is happening。 The clerics have their holy war； after all； Ser Rodrigo。〃
Rodrigo shook his head。 〃Three wars of conquest； it would seem to me。〃
〃Of course。〃 The king's turn to sound wry。 〃But the clergy ride with us； and so far as I trust my uncle and brother not to turn back and attack Valledo； it is because of them。〃
〃And because of them my son was brought here？〃
〃He was summoned because in my anger I allowed an offered weapon to be brought to me。〃
〃He is a child； not a weapon； my lord。〃
〃He is both； Ser Rodrigo。 With respect。 And our country is at war。 How old were you when you first rode in my father's army beside Raimundo？〃
No answer。 Wind in the tall grass。
〃That is my tale。 Am I still to be punished？〃 King Ramiro asked softly。 〃I hope not so。 I need you； Ser Rodrigo。 Valledo has no constable tonight； no war leader； and we stand in Al…Rassan。〃
Alvar sucked in his breath sharply。 Neither of the other men so much as glanced at him。 He might not even have been here in the darkness with them。
〃You mentioned the name；〃 said Rodrigo； his voice suddenly no more than a whisper； 〃of your late brother。〃
Alvar shivered suddenly。 He was very tired； and the night breeze was growing colder； and he had begun to feel the places where he'd been wounded； but none of these were the reason。
〃I always thought；〃 said King Ramiro； 〃that we would have to arrive here eventually； you and I。〃
He stopped； and after a moment Alvar realized that the king was looking at him； evaluating。 It was for this； Alvar understood； that the Captain had wanted him here。
The king spoke again； finally； in a very different tone。 〃You genuinely loved hi