The king spoke again； finally； in a very different tone。 〃You genuinely loved him； didn't you？ I could not 。。。 I could never understand why everyone loved Raimundo so much。 Even our father。 Obviously。 Even he was seduced by my brother。 He gave him Valledo。 Tell me； Ser Rodrigo； answer a question for me this time： do you truly think Raimundo would have been a better king； had he lived； than I have been？〃
〃Doesn't matter；〃 Rodrigo said； in that same stiff； difficult whisper。
〃It does matter。 Answer me。〃
Silence。 Wind； and swift clouds overhead。 Alvar heard an animal cry out far off on the plain。 He looked at the Captain in the moonlight。 He is afraid； he thought。
Rodrigo said； 〃I can't answer that question。 He died too young。 We can't know what he would have grown into。 I know what you want me to say。 That he had more charm than strength。 That he was selfish and reckless and even cruel。 He was。 All of these things； at times。 But； as Jad will judge my life when I make my end； I have only known one other man； ever； who came even close to making 。。。 the act of living through days and nights so full of richness and delight。 You have been a far…sighted and a strong king； my lord。 I grant you that freely。 But I did love your brother； yes。 We were young…exiled together and then home together in triumph…and I have always believed he was killed。〃
〃He was；〃 said King Ramiro。
Alvar swallowed； hard。
Rodrigo brought one hand up； involuntarily； and touched his forehead。 He stayed thus a moment； then lowered his arm。 〃And who was it who killed him？〃 His voice actually cracked on the question。
〃Garcia de Rada。〃 The king's words were flat； uninflected。 〃You always thought so； didn't you？〃
Alvar had another memory then； torchlit。 This same hamlet。 Rodrigo's whip lashing out； catching Garcia de Rada on the face； ripping his cheek open。 Lain Nunez struggling to control the Captain's black rage。 The cold； ferocious words spoken…accusation of a king's murder。
He heard Rodrigo slowly release his breath。 He couldn't make out his features clearly but he saw the Captain cross his arms on his breast； as if holding tightly to something there。
〃Garcia was…what？…seventeen； eighteen that year？〃 Rodrigo said。 〃He acted on his brother's orders？〃
Ramiro hesitated。 〃I am speaking truth； Ser Rodrigo； believe it。 The answer is； I do not know。 Even tonight； with Gonzalez dead； I do not know for certain。 My thought has always been； he did not。 I believe Count Gonzalez innocent of my brother's blood。〃
〃I do not share your belief； I fear。 Would an eighteen…year…old have killed his king； unprompted？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said King Ramiro again。 He paused。 〃Should I point out that Gonzalez de Rada died terribly tonight because he would not leave Diego's side from the time your boys joined this army？〃
Rodrigo was unmoved。 〃He swore an oath to me last year。 He valued his family honor。〃
〃Then would he have murdered his king？〃
〃He valued many other things； my lord。 Power and wealth among them。 He； too； was younger then。 He might have done so； yes。 I thought you could tell me。〃
〃I have given you my belief。〃
〃You have。 Which leaves us with only the last question； doesn't it？ You know what it is； my lord。〃
Alvar knew it as well； by now。 The last question。 What followed the last question？ He wished he were somewhere else。
The king said； quietly； 〃I had no love for Raimundo。 Or Sanchez； for that matter。 Nor they for me。 It was no secret； Jad knows。 Our father chose a certain way to raise his three sons。 But I knew I could do more for Valledo； and perhaps all of Esperana one day； than either of my brothers ever could。 I knew it。 In my own time of exile here in Al…Rassan； when men came south to speak with me； I will not deny that I voiced anger that Valledo was probably going to be given to Raimundo when our father died。 Which is what happened； of course。〃
The king stopped。 Alvar heard the animal call out again； far off in darkness。 King Ramiro said； 〃It is 。。。 very possible 。。。 that someone listening to me in a tavern or wine shop here might have concluded that were Raimundo to die 。。。 unexpectedly； I would not be displeased。〃
Clouds slid from the white moon。 Alvar saw the king look at Rodrigo in the doubled moonlight。 〃I would not have been displeased。 I was not； in the event。 I will not lie about this。 But before Jad； and on the life of my queen； and by whatever else you would wish me to swear； I did not mand his murder； nor do I know how it was achieved。〃
〃Then how；〃 Rodrigo asked； implacable； 〃do you know it was Garcia？〃
〃He told me。 He wanted to tell me more。 I stopped him。〃
Rodrigo's hands were fists at his sides。 〃And that is all you did？ Stop him from telling you？ Shall I believe this？ No punishment； no exposure？ For the killing of a king？ You made his brother constable of Valledo。 You let Garcia live as he chose； doing what he wished all these years； until he nearly killed my wife and my boys？〃
〃I did；〃 said Ramiro quietly。 〃I let him live his life。 Gonzalez de Rada became constable because he was worthy of the post…do not deny that…and because you would not serve me after Raimundo died。〃
〃After he was murdered！〃
The king made a small movement of hands and shoulders。 〃After he was murdered。 Garcia was never given rank； status； office； power 。。。 none of these things。 You might consider that a moment； given what he could have expected from his birth。 I thought of having him killed； frankly； because he was a risk and an embarrassment； and because I loathed the man。 But I was 。。。 aware that Raimundo had been killed by him because he thought I would approve and because he had 。。。 enough reason to think so。 I would not kill a man for that。 Yes； I let him live。 I kept the secret。 I allowed Gonzalez to serve me and Valledo。 Honorably。 You had been my brother's man。 I would not beg you for aid or approval； Ser Rodrigo； at my ascension； or after。 I will not do so now。 I think you were one of those blind to what Raimundo really was； and that your youth excused this； then。〃
Alvar heard the king's voice change。 〃It is no excuse now。 Not any more。 We are no longer young； Rodrigo Belmonte； and all these events are done with； in the past。 Though I will not beg； I will ask。 What I have told you tonight is truth。 It is all truth。 Will you be my constable？ Will you mand this army for me？〃
Rodrigo Belmonte had a quality； Alvar had long ago observed； of being able to hold himself utterly； disconcertingly still。 He was like that now； for what seemed a very long time。
〃I don't think；〃 he murmured finally； 〃that the past is ever really done with us。〃 But then； in a firmer voice he asked； 〃mand the army to achieve what end； my lord king？〃
〃To take Fezana。 And Cartada。 And Silvenes。 Lonza。 Aljais。 Elvira。 Everything I can。〃 The answer was decisive。
Alvar discovered that he was shivering again。
〃And then？〃
〃And then；〃 said King Ramiro； as bluntly as before； 〃I intend to occupy my uncle's kingdom of Jalona。 And then my brother's Ruenda。 As you said； this campaign is a holy war in name alone。 I want Esperana back； Ser Rodrigo； and not only the land my father ruled under the khalifs' sufferance。 I want all of this peninsula。 Before I die； I intend to ride my horse into the seas to south and west and north； and up into the mountains to look down upon Ferrieres…and know that all the lands through which I rode were Esperana。〃
〃And then？〃 An odd question； in a way。
〃And then；〃 said King Ramiro； more softly； almost amused； 〃I will probably rest。 And try to make a belated peace with Jad for all my transgressions beneath his light。〃
Alvar de Pellino； having struggled through a long year and a terrible day and night towards a new awareness of himself； realized that he was thrilled by this…beyond words or clear thought。 His skin was tingling； the hairs on the nape of his neck standing up。
It was the sheer grandeur of the vision。 Lost and conquered Esperana made whole again； one Jaddite kingdom in all the wide peninsula； with Valledo and its Horsemen at the heart of it。 Alvar longed to be a part of this； to see it e to be；