It had everything to do； Ines had long since decided； with the time when he had lived among the infidels。 All three of the difficult； ambitious sons of King Sancho had spent time exiled among the Asharites； but only Ramiro seemed to have e back with a taste for the ways of Al…Rassan and a suspicious softness in matters of faith。 It was perhaps an irony； and perhaps not； that his father had arranged a marriage for him with the pious younger daughter of the king of Ferrieres across the mountains to the east。
Ines； whose childhood aspiration had been to be accepted among the Daughters of Jad in one of the great retreats； had accepted her betrothal only upon the advice of her spiritual counsellors； including the High Clerics of Ferrieres。 It was a great opportunity； they had told her。 A chance to be of service to the god and to her country both。 The young man she was marrying would likely one day rule a part； at least； of Esperana； and Ines could use her position to influence the path of worship in that troubled land。
The clerics had looked entirely prescient when Ramiro was named ruler of mountainous Jalofia in the three…way division of his father's last testament。 And then even more so when； after the mysterious death of his brother Raimundo； her husband had quickly moved west and claimed the crown of Valledo as well。 He hadn't been able to hold both kingdoms…not yet； at least…for his uncle Bermudo had promptly risen in Jalofia and seized that throne； but Valledo； as everyone knew； was the greater prize。
What the clerics hadn't told her…because they hadn't known…was that the young man she was marrying was fiercely intelligent； ambitious； luridly imaginative in carnal acts and so much a pragmatist in what ought to have been firm doctrines of holy faith that he might as well have been an infidel。
As if on cue to this distressing line of thought； the king appeared in her doorway； his hair and clothing still damp as further evidence of her last reflection： what self…respecting man bathed as often as King Ramiro did？ Not even the Asharites in their far…off eastern homelands did so。 Self…indulgent bathing rituals were characteristic only of the sybaritic courts of Al…Rassan where they had not even the decency to observe the ascetic strictures of their own faith。
Too much time in the courts of the south； Queen Ines thought again； and at a point in life when he had been young and impressionable。 She glanced sidelong at her husband； not wishing
to encourage him with a fuller appraisal。 It was a very handsome man who filled her doorway； no one could deny that much。 Tall； well…built； square…jawed。 If his hair was greying early； his moustache was yet black and there was no evidence of faltering reserves of martial or political stamina or subtlety。
Or of faltering in more private dimensions； either。
With a brief gesture； if a courteous one； the king dismissed her maidservants and slaves and the two guards by the doors。 Ramiro waited until they had all taken their leave then strode across the new carpet to stand before Ines's low seat。 He was grinning。 She knew that smile。
〃e； my wife；〃 he said。 〃Events of this morning have made me amorous。〃
Ines refused to meet his eyes。 Almost everything made him amorous； she had learned。 Clutching her sun disk like a small shield； she murmured； 〃I'm sure it was a ely boar you slew。 But was there no one of my lord's concubines who might have assuaged his appetites before he came to trouble me？〃
Ramiro laughed。 〃Not today。 Today I have a desire to see and touch the body of my life's own panion as consecrated by our most holy god。 e； Ines； let us make sport； then after I will tell you what happened in the wood。〃
〃Tell me now。〃
Her problem； as she had all too often been forced to admit to her intimate counsellors； was that Ramiro was a difficult man to deny。 They had urged her to use his desire for her as a means of drawing him towards a truer faith but； to the queen's endless chagrin； the effect of such encounters was rather the opposite： whether it was his natural fervor or the skills he had learned…most probably among the courtesans of Al…Rassan…Ramiro was dismayingly adept at subverting her best intentions。
Even now； in the middle of a hot summer's day； with carpenters hammering and a barrage of shouting outside； and with the stem words of the world's end still echoing in her ears； Queen Ines found herself breathing a little more quickly at the images her husband's presence had conjured forth within her。 After almost twenty years and with the full knowledge of the impious evil of his ways； this was still true。 And Ramiro could read it in her as easily as her clerics could read from Jad's most holy Books。 He reached down now； not ungently； and plucked the god disk from her clasp。
〃Hold me like that；〃 he murmured； laying the disk aside and lifting her to her feet with his strong hands。 〃Love me the way you love the god。〃 Then he slipped his arms around her and drew her close so that she was made inescapably aware that the king of Valledo was wearing nothing at all beneath his white silk robe。 And that pressing awareness； as he tilted her head to meet his kiss； brought back for Ines all the wildly disturbing sensations she always felt when this happened。
I will have to atone； she told herself as their lips met。
He began unravelling the cloth that bound the coils of her red hair。 She would seek holy counsel and support later。 Her own hands； unbidden； as if bearing weights； came up along his robe； feeling the hard body beneath。 Ramiro drew back； then lowered his head again hungrily。 He bit at the corner of her lip。
There would surely be wise； consoling thoughts from her advisors of the soul later； the queen told herself。 Her fingers seemed now to be laced behind his head。 She pulled his hair； not gently at all。 The king laughed。 He smelled of some eastern spice。 That； too； was unsettling。 It was unfair。 She would need such a great deal of help to guide her back to the pure realm of the spirit。 For the moment； though； as her husband smoothly lifted and then carried her over to the wide couch he'd had brought into her new suite of rooms； the queen of Valledo was rather more preoccupied； to her great and enduring confusion； with increasingly explicit matters of the flesh。
At one point she cried his name aloud； and at another； suffused with her eternal mixture of desire and shame； she found herself riding above his supine form； knowing that this mode of congress was yet another decadent legacy of Al…Rassan； but unable to stop herself from gasping aloud with the pleasure it gave her。 Pleasure of the world； she told herself； somewhat desperately； moving up and down upon him while his fingers teased and circled her breasts。 Of the world。 Only of the world。 The realm of the god was otherwise。 It was eternal； holy； golden； transcendent； shining； not bound to the mortal bodies of frail…
〃Oh my！〃 said the queen of Valledo then； as if in great surprise； and held herself extremely still。
The second cry that escaped her a moment later was； in its own way； an admission。
〃Tell me about what happened；〃 she said； some time after。
He liked to lie with her； entangled indecently； after congress。 That much； at least； she was able to deny him。 Ines had donned a robe and had forced him to clothe himself as well； before summoning one of her women with refreshments。 Amused； satiated； Ramiro had obeyed。
The woman brought ale for him and a pear infusion for the queen and then withdrew。 Now Ramiro lay indolently upon the couch while Ines sat on a nearby bench； needlework in hand。 She was making a new pouch for her sun disk； to hang from her belt。
〃It went surprisingly well；〃 Ramiro said； turning on his side； his head propped on one hand。 He looked at her with such frank admiration it brought color to her cheeks again。 〃Thank you； by the way。 I do prefer it when you leave your hair down；〃 he said。
She hadn't intended to。 An oversight。 She was wrongfully proud of her hair； and as a penance kept it tied tightly back almost all the time。 Self…consciously she pushed a strand from her eyes。 He would laugh at her if she be