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h to be the first person to collapse and die in the new wing of the castle you will have to do so against my instructions。〃
She used this tone with him much of the time。 With many of her patients； in truth。 In a female physician men； even powerful ones； often seemed to want to hear their mothers giving orders。 Ishak had induced obedience to his treatments by the gravity of his manner and the weight of his sonorous； beautiful voice。 Jehane…a woman； and still young…had had to evolve her own methods。
Ibn Musa turned a despairing face towards the Cartadan courtier。 〃You see？〃 he said plaintively。 〃What can I do with such a doctor？〃
Ammar ibn Khairan seemed amused again。 Jehane found that irritation was helping her deal with the earlier feeling of being overwhelmed by his identity。 She still had no idea what the man found so diverting about all of this； unless this was simply the habitual pose and manner of a cynical courtier。 Perhaps he was bored by the usual court routine； the god's sisters knew； she would have been。
〃You could consult another physician； I suppose；〃 ibn Khairan said； thoughtfully stroking his chin。 〃But my guess； based on all…too…brief experience； is that this exquisite young woman knows exactly what she is doing。〃 He favored her with another of the brilliant smiles。 〃You will have to tell me where you were trained； when we have greater leisure。〃
Jehane didn't like being treated as a woman when she was functioning as a doctor。 〃Little to tell；〃 she said briefly。 〃Abroad at the university of Sorenica in Batiara； with Ser Rezzoni； for two years。 Then with my father here。〃
〃Your father？〃 he asked politely。
〃Ishak ben Yonannon；〃 Jehane said； and was deeply pleased to see this elicit a reaction he could not mask。 From a courtier in the service of Almalik of Cartada there would almost have to be a response to Ishak's name。 It was no secret； the story of what had happened。
〃Ah；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan quietly； arching his eyebrows。 He regarded her for a moment。 〃I see the resemblance now。 You have your father's eyes and mouth。 I ought to have made the association before。 You will have been even better trained here than in Sorenica。〃
〃I am pleased that I seem to meet your standards；〃 Jehane said drily。 He grinned again； unfazed； rather too clearly enjoying her attempted sallies。 Behind him； Jehane saw the steward's mouth gape at her impertinence。 They were awed by the Cartadan； of course。 Jehane supposed she should be； as well。 In truth； she was； more than a little。 No one needed to know that； however。
〃The lord ibn Khairan has been most generous with his time on my behalf；〃 Husari murmured faintly from the bed。 〃He came this morning； by appointment； to examine some silks for purchase and found me 。。。 as you see。 When he learned I feared not being able to attend the reception this afternoon he insisted that my presence was important〃…there was pride in the voice； audible through the pain…〃and he offered to try to lure my stubborn physician to my side。〃
〃And now she is here； and would stubbornly request that all those in this room save the slave and your steward be so kind as to leave us。〃 Jehane turned to the Cartadan。 〃I'm sure one of ibn Musa's factors can assist you in the matter of silk。〃
〃Doubtless；〃 the man said calmly。 〃I take it； then； that you are of the view that your patient ought not to attend upon the prince this afternoon？〃
〃He could die there；〃 Jehane said bluntly。 It was unlikely； but certainly possible； and sometimes people needed to be shocked into accepting a physician's orders。
The Cartadan was not shocked。 If anything； he seemed once more to be in the grip of his private source of diversion。 Jehane heard a sound from beyond the door。 Velaz had arrived； with her medications。
Ammar ibn Khairan heard it too。 〃You have work to do。 I will take my leave； as requested。 Failing an ailment that would allow me to spend the day in your care I am afraid I must attend this consecration in the castle。〃 He turned to the man in the bed。 〃You need not send a messenger； ibn Musa。 I will convey your regrets myself with a report of your condition。 No offense will be taken； trust me。 No one； least of all Prince Almalik； would want you to die passing a stone in the new courtyard。〃 He bowed to ibn Musa and then a second time to Jehane…to the steward's visible displeasure…and withdrew。
There was a little silence。 Amid the chatter of marketplace or temple； Jehane unexpectedly remembered； it was reported that the high…born women of Cartada…and some of the men； the whispers went…had been known to seriously injure each other in quarrels over the panionship of Ammar ibn Khairan。 Two people had died； or was it three？
Jehane bit her lip。 She shook her head as if to clear it； astonished at herself。 This was the sheerest； most idle sort of gossip to be calling to mind； the kind of talk to which she had never paid attention in her life。 A moment later Velaz hurried in and she set to work； gratefully； at her trade。 Softening pain； prolonging life； offering a hope of ease where little might otherwise lie。
One hundred and thirty…nine citizens of Fezana assembled in the newest wing of the castle that afternoon。 Throughout Al…Rassan； not long after； what ensued became known as the Day of the Moat。 This was the way of it。
The newly finished part of Fezana's castle was of a most unusual and particular design。 A large dormitory for quartering the new Muwardi troops led to an equally large refectory for feeding them and an adjacent temple for prayers。 The notorious Ammar ibn Khairan； who acpanied the guests through these rooms； was much too polite to make specific mention of the reason for further military presence in Fezana； but none of the assembled dignitaries of the town could possibly escape the significance of such extensive facilities。
Ibn Khairan； offering undeniably witty and impeccably courteous mentary； was also too discreet to draw anyone's attention； particularly during a celebration； to the ongoing indications of unrest and subversion in the city。 A certain number of those passing through the castle； however； exchanged wary； sidelong glances with each other。 What they were seeing； clearly； was meant to be intimidating。
In fact； it was a little more than that。
The odd nature of the new wing's design became even more apparent when they passed…a magnificently dressed herd of prosperous men…through the refectory to the near end of a long corridor。 The narrow tunnel； ibn Khairan explained； designed for defensive purposes； led to the courtyard where the wadjis were to perform the consecration and where Prince Almalik； heir to Cartada's ambitious kingdom； was waiting to receive them。
The aristocracy and most successful merchants of Fezana were individually escorted by Muwardi soldiers down that dark corridor。 Approaching the end of it each； in turn； could discern a blazing of sunlight。 Each of them paused there； squinting； almost sightless on the threshold of light； while a herald announced their proffered names with satisfying resonance。
As they passed； blinking； into the blinding light and stepped forward to offer homage to the hazily perceived； white…robed figure seated on a cushion in the midst of the courtyard； each of the guests was sweepingly beheaded by one of two Muwardi tribesmen standing on either side of the tunnel's arch。
The Muwardis； not really strangers to this sort of thing； enjoyed their labors perhaps more than they ought to have done。 There were； of course； no wadjis waiting in the courtyard； the castle wing was receiving a different sort of consecration。
One by one； through the course of a scorching hot； cloudless summer's afternoon； the elite of Fezanan society made their way along that dark； cool tunnel； and then； dazzled by the return to sunlight； followed the herald's ringing proclamation of their names into the white courtyard where they were slain。 The Muwardis had been carefully chosen。 No mistakes were made。 No one cried out。
The toppling bodies were swiftly seized by other veiled tribesmen and dragged to the far end of the courtyard where a round tower overlooked the new moat created by diverting the nearby Tavares River。 The bodies of the dead men were thrown into the water from a low window in the tower。 The severed heads were tossed carelessly onto a bloody pile not far from where the prince of Cartada sat； ostensibly waiting to receive the most prominent citizens of the most difficult of the cities he was one day to rule； if he lived long enough。
As it happened； the prince； whose relations with his father were indeed not entirely cordial； had not been informed about this central； long…planned aspect of the afternoon's agenda。 King Almalik of Cartada had more than one purpose to what he was doing that day。 The prince had； in fact； asked where the wadjis were。 No one had been able to answer him。 After the first man appeared and was slain； his severed head landing some distance from his toppling body； the prince offered no further questions。
Part of the way through the afternoon's nearly silent； murderous progression under the blazing sun； around the time the carrion birds began to appear in numbers； circling above the water； it was noted by some of the soldiers in the increasingly bloody courtyard that the prince seemed to have developed an odd； disfiguring twitch above his left eye。 For the Muwardis； this was a contemptible sign of weakness。 He did stay on his cushion though； they noted。 And he never moved； or spoke； through the entirety of what was done。 He watched one hundred and thirty…nine men die doing formal obeisance to him。
He never lost that nervous tic。 During times of stress or elation it would return； an infallible signal to those who knew him well that he was experiencing intense emotion； no matter how he might try to hide the fact。 It was also an inescapable reminder…because all of Al…Rassan was soon to learn this story…of a blood…soaked summer afternoon in Fezana。
The peninsula had seen its share of violent deeds； from the time of the Asharite conquest and before； but this was something special； something to be remembered。 The Day of the Moat。 One of the legacies of Almalik I； the Lion of Cartada。 Part of his son's inheritance。
The slaughter did not end until some time after the fifth bells had called the pious again to their prayers。 By then the number of birds over the river and moat had made it evident that something untoward was taking place。 A few curious children had gone outside the walls and circled around to the north to see what was bringing so many birds。 They carried word back into the city。 There were headless bodies in the water。 Not long after that the screaming began in the houses and the streets of Fezana。
Such distracting sounds did not penetrate the castle walls of course； and the birds could not be seen from within the handsome； arcaded refectory。 After the last of the assembled guests had made his way from there along the tunnel； Ammar ibn Khairan； the man who had killed the last khalif of Al…Rassan； went alone down that corridor to the courtyard。 The sun was over to the west by then； the light towards which he walked through a long； cool darkness was gentle； weling； almost worthy of a poem。
Two
After somehow coping with the disastrous incident at the very beginning of their ride south； Alvar had been finding the journey the most exhilarating time of his life。 This did not e as a surprise； he had nourished dreams of this for years； and reality doesn't invariably shatter a young man's dreams。 Not immediately； at any rate。
Had he been of a slightly less rational nature； he might even have given fuller rein to the fantasy he briefly entertained as they broke camp after the dawn invocation on their fifth morning south of the River Duric： that he had died and arrived； by the grace of Jad； at the Paradise of Warriors； and would be allowed to ride behind Rodrigo Belmonte； the Captain； through the plains and steppes of summer forever。
The river was far behind them； and the walls of Carcasia。 They had passed the wooden stockade forts of Baeza and Lobar； small； fledgling outposts in emptiness。 The pany rode now