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to something else。 I am an officer of the king of Valledo； and while you are in this pany； so are you。 The constable attempted to suborn me from my duty to the king with a threat。 Is that a private matter； my young philosopher？〃
〃By the god's balls； Rodrigo！〃 came an unmistakable voice； approaching from the head of the column； 〃What did Pellino's brat do to deserve that？〃
Ser Rodrigo turned to look at Lain Nunez trotting his horse over toward them。 〃Called me selfish and unfair to my men。 Guilty of exploiting them in my private affairs。〃
〃That all？〃 Lain spat into the grass。 〃His father said a lot worse to me in our day。〃
〃Really？〃 The Captain seemed surprised。 〃De Rada just said he was famous for his discretion。〃
〃Horsepiss；〃 said Lain Nunez succinctly。 〃Why would you believe anything a de Rada said？ Pellino de Damon had an opinion about anything and everything under the god's sun。 Drove me near crazy； he did。 I had to put up with it until I wangled him a promotion to manding a fort by the no…man's…land。 I was never as happy in my life as when I saw his backside on a horse going away from me。〃
Alvar goggled up at both of them； his jaw would have dropped if it hadn't hurt so much。 He was too stunned to even get up from the grass。 For most of his life his quiet； patient father had been gently chiding him against the evils of being too outspoken。
〃You；〃 Ser Rodrigo was saying； grinning at the veteran soldier beside him； 〃are as full of horsepiss as any de Rada I've ever met。〃
〃That； I'll tell you； is a deadly insult；〃 Lain Nunez rasped； the seamed and wizened face assuming an expression of fierce outrage。
Rodrigo laughed aloud。 〃You loved this man's father like a brother。 You've been telling me that for years。 You picked his son yourself for this ride。 Do you want to deny it？〃
〃I will deny anything I have to；〃 his lieutenant said sturdily。 〃But if Pellino's boy has already driven you to a blow I might have made a terrible mistake。〃 They both looked down at Alvar； shaking their heads slowly。
〃It may well be that you have；〃 said the Captain at length。 He didn't look particularly concerned。 〃We'll know soon enough。 Get up； lad；〃 he added。 〃Stick something cold on the side of your face or you'll have trouble offering opinions about anything for a while。〃
Lain Nunez had already turned to ride back。 Now the Captain did the same。 Alvar stood up。
〃Captain；〃 he called； with difficulty。
Ser Rodrigo looked back over his shoulder。 The grey eyes regarded him with curiosity now。 Alvar knew he was pushing things again。 So be it。 It seemed his father had been that way too； amazingly。 He was going to need some time to deal with that。 And it seemed that it wasn't his mother's pilgrimage to Vasca's Isle that had put him in this pany； after all。
〃Um； circumstances prevented me from finishing my last thought。 I just wanted also to say that I would be proud to die defending your wife and sons。〃
The Captain's mouth quirked。 He was amused again。 〃You are rather more likely to die defending yourself from them； actually。 e on； Alvar； I meant it about putting something on your jaw。 If you don't keep the swelling down you'll frighten the women in Fezana and ruin your chances。 In the meantime； remember to do some thinking before next you speak。〃
〃But I have been thinking…〃
The Captain raised a hand in warning。 Alvar was abruptly silent。 Rodrigo cantered back to the pany and a moment later Alvar led his own horse by the reins over to where they had halted for the midday meal。 Oddly enough； despite the pain in his jaw； which a cloth soaked in water did only a little to ease； he didn't feel badly at all。
And he had been thinking； already。 He couldn't help it。 He'd decided that the Captain was right about Garcia de Rada's raid taking the matter out of the area of a private feud and into the king's affairs。 Alvar prided himself that he had always been willing to accept when someone else made a shrewd point in discussion。
All that was days in the past。 A swollen but not a broken jaw had assisted Alvar in the difficult task of keeping his rapidly evolving thoughts to himself。
The twice…yearly collection of the parias from Fezana had bee something close to routine now； more an exercise in diplomacy than a military one。 It was more important for King Ramiro to dispatch a leader of Ser Rodrigo's stature than to send an army。 They knew Ramiro could send an army。 The tribute would not be refused； though it might be slow in ing and there was a kind of dance that had to be performed before they could ride back with gold from Al…Rassan。 This much Alvar learned during the shifts he rode ahead of the party with Ludus or Martin； the most experienced of the outriders。
They taught him other things； too。 This might be a routine expedition； but the Captain was never tolerant of carelessness； and most particularly not so in the no…man's…land； or in Al…Rassan itself。 They were not riding south to give battle； but they had an image； a message to convey： that no one would ever want to do battle with the Horsemen of Valledo； and most particularly not with those manded by Rodrigo Belmonte。
Ludus taught him how to anticipate from the movements of birds the presence of a stream or pond in the windswept plateau。 Martin showed him how to read weather patterns in the clouds…the clues were very different here in the south from those Alvar had known in the far north by the sea。 And it was the Captain himself who advised him to shorten his stirrups。 It was the first time Ser Rodrigo had spoken directly to Alvar since flattening him with that blow on the first morning。
〃You'll be awkward for a few days；〃 he said； 〃but not for longer than that。 All my men learn to ride like this into battle。 Everyone here knows how。 There may e a time in a fight when you need to stand up in the saddle； or leap from your horse。 You'll find it easier with the stirrups high。 It may save your life。〃
They had been in the no…man's…land by then； approaching the two small forts King Ramiro had built when he began claiming the parias from Fezana。 The garrisons in the forts had been desperately glad to see them； even if they stayed only a single night in each； to leave letters and gossip and supplies。
It had to be a lonely； anxious life down here in Lobar and Baeza； Alvar had realized。 The balance in the peninsula might have begun to shift with the fall of the Khalifate in Al…Rassan； but that was an evolving process； not an acplished reality； and there had been more than a slight element of provocation in the Valledans placing garrisons； however small； in the tagre lands。
These were a handful of soldiers in a vast emptiness； perilously near to the swords and arrows of the Asharites。
King Ramiro had tried at the beginning； two years ago； to encourage settlement around the forts。 He couldn't force people to make their way down there； but he'd offered a ten…year tax exemption…given the costs of a steadily expanding army； not a trivial thing…and the usual promise of military support。 It hadn't been enough。 Not yet。 Only fifteen or twenty families； clearly leaving hopeless situations in