erturbed demeanor； lightly plucking at her lute。
The stocky； white…haired mander of the Cartadan army； a man who had seen almost forty years of warfare under the khalifs and after their fall； remained on his knees； his own gaze fixed on the carpet before the dais。
The carpet was magnificent； as it happened； woven and dyed by artisans in the Soriyyan homelands centuries ago； rescued by Almalik from the looting of the Al…Fontina in Silvenes fifteen years before。 The echo of the khalifs' imperial splendor here in Cartada was； of course； entirely deliberate。
Despite his efforts to hide the fact； the kneeling general was visibly afraid。 The plagiarizing poet was not the only man to have been killed by the king in his audience chamber； he was only the most recent。 Almalik had been a military leader before he was a governor and then a monarch； it was not a thing he allowed his people to forget。 The blade that rested in its sheath by the dais was no ornament。
Without lifting his head； the kneeling ka'id murmured； 〃He is not in Fezana； Magnificence。 No man has seen him since 。。。 the disciplining in that city。〃
〃You just told me that；〃 Almalik of Cartada said； his voice close to a whisper now。 This was a bad sign； one of the worst。 None of the courtiers ranged near the dais or standing between the pillars dared even glance at each other now。 〃I asked a different question； ibn Ruhala。 I asked the supreme ka'id of all my armies where one exceedingly well…known figure is at this moment。 Not where he is not。 Am I deficient in expressing myself； of late？〃
〃No； Magnificence！ Not at all。 Never。 The deficiency is mine。 I have sent my personal cadre of guards and the best of the Muwardis throughout the country； Magnificence。 We have put the most extreme questioning to all who might be privy to ibn Khairan's whereabouts。 Some of these people have died； Magnificence； so zealous were their interrogations。 But no one knew； no one knows。 Ammar ibn Khairan has disappeared 。。。 from the face of the earth。〃
There was a silence。
〃What a dreadfully tired phrase；〃 said the Lion of Al…Rassan。
Morning sunlight entered the chamber through the high windows； spilling down past upper galleries through the dancing motes of dust。 It could be seen that the woman on the pillows smiled at the king's remark； and that Almalik noted her smile and was pleased。 One or two courtiers drew slightly deeper breaths at that。 One or two risked smiles of their own； and approving nods。
〃Forgive me； Magnificence；〃 murmured the ka'id； head still lowered。 〃I am only an old soldier。 A loyal； plain man of the battlefield； not an artist with a tongue for honeyed phrases。 I can say only what I have found to be true； in the simplest way I know。〃
〃Tell me；〃 the king said； biting into a wedge of the orange； 〃has Prince Almalik been put to the extreme questioning you mentioned？〃
The ka'id's white head went straight down to the floor。 It could be seen that his hands had begun to tremble。 The woman on the pillows looked up at the dais； her expression grave。 Her fingers hesitated upon the strings of the lute and then resumed their movement； though with less attentiveness than before。
There was not a man in the room who did not know that if Prince Almalik was no longer the king's heir； the two young children of this woman would be living in greatly enhanced circumstances。 With Hazem ibn Almalik； the king's second son； given over to religious extremes and disgraced there would be； effectively； no one between the older of the two boys and succession to the kingship。
〃We have asked 。。。 aid of the prince；〃 the general stammered into the carpeting。 〃Of course he was treated with the utmost deference and he 。。。 he told us what he could。 He expressed a great hope that the lord Ammar ibn Khairan would soon be found and returned； that he would be among us all once more。 As he had been 。。。 among us in the past。〃
The ka'id's babbling was manifestly unsuitable for a man of his rank。 This was no mere field soldier； this was the mander of the army of Cartada。 No one in the room imagined； however； that he would have acquitted himself with greater aplomb in the same circumstances。 Not at this juncture。 Not in response to that particular question。 Those who had smiled were urgently praying to their birth stars that their expressions of levity had passed unnoticed。
Only the four Muwardis； two by the entrance doors and two behind the dais； appeared undisturbed behind their half…veils； watching everything and everyone with inimical eyes； despising them all； not troubling to hide the fact。
The king bit into another section of his orange。 〃I ought to have the prince summoned；〃 he said thoughtfully。 〃But I am certain he knows nothing。 Ibn Khairan wouldn't bother telling such a fool of his plans。 Is his eye still dropping like a leper's； by the way？〃
Another silence。 Evidently the ka'id ibn Ruhala was nursing a vain hope that someone else might reply to this。 When the stillness continued； the general； only the back of his head visible to the king on his dais； so prostrate was he； said； 〃Your most noble son still suffers； alas； from that affliction； Magnificence。 Our prayers are with him。〃
Almalik made a sour face。 He dropped the remaining section of orange beside his pillows and held up his fingers delicately。 The slave； swift and graceful； appeared before the dais with a muslin towel to wipe the juice from the king's fingers and mouth。
〃He looks ridiculous；〃 Almalik said when the slave had withdrawn。 〃Like a leper；〃 he repeated。 〃He disgusts me with his weakness。〃
The woman was no longer even pretending to play at her lute。 She watched the king with careful attention。
〃Get up； ibn Ruhala；〃 Almalik said abruptly。 〃You are being an embarrassment。 Leave us。〃
With unseemly alacrity； the old general scrambled to his feet。 He was crimson…faced from keeping his head lowered for so long。 He made the quadruple obeisance and began retreating hastily backwards； still bowing； towards the doors。
〃Hold；〃 said Almalik absently。 Ibn Ruhala froze； half…bent； like a grotesque statue。 〃You have made inquiries in Ragosa？〃
〃Of course； Magnificence。 From the moment we began searching in summer。 King Badir of Ragosa was our first thought。〃
〃And south？ In Arbastro？〃
〃Our very second thought； Magnificence！ You will know how difficult it is to obtain information from those who live in the lands menaced by that dung…eating outlaw Tarif ibn Hassan。 But we have been diligent and unpromising。 It does not appear that anyone has seen or heard of ibn Khairan in those places。〃
There was silence again。 The woman on the pillows by the dais held her lute but did not play。 The room was very still。 The colored water in the great alabaster bowl in the central aisle showed not a ripple of movement。 Only the dust was dancing； where the slanting sunlight fell。
〃Diligent and unpromising；〃 the king repeated thoughtfully。 He shook his head； as if in sorrow。 〃You have thirty days to find him； ibn Ruhala； or I will have you castrated and disembowelled and your odious face stuck on a pike in the middle of the market square。〃
There was a collective intaking of breath； but it was as if this had been expected； the necessary finale to the scene just played。
〃Thirty days。 Thirty。 Yes。 Thank you； Magnificence。 Thank you；〃 said the ka'id。 He sounded absurd； fatuous； but no one could think of what else he might have said。
In silence； as ever； the two Muwardis opened the double doors and the general withdrew； facing the dais； still bowing。 The doors swung closed。 The sound echoed in the stillness。
〃The poem； Serafi。 We will hear that verse again。〃 Almalik had taken another orange from the attendant slave and was absently peeling it。
The man addressed was a minor poet； no longer young； honored more for his recitations and his singing voice than for anything he himself had ever written。 He stepped hesitantly forward from where he had been standing； half…hidden behind one of the fifty…six pillars in the room。 This was not a moment when one wished； particularly； to be singled out for attention。 In addition to which； 〃tha