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。 There were； it emerged； disadvantages to being useful to the king of Valledo。
Fernan was elated； but sympathetic enough to try to conceal it。 Diego wasn't fooled。 He watched his brother leave with the king's party and he turned； grim and silent； to go with the other half of the vanguard troop。 Ibero was with him； of course； and…to Diego's surprise…Count Gonzalez de Rada。
It was possible； he mused； riding west along the river； that the constable had no desire to meet Rodrigo in this unexpected way。 It was also possible that the constable was taking his oath to guard Rodrigo's family very seriously。 Fernan was with the king； so Gonzalez would stay with Diego。 He looked thoughtfully towards the constable but it was almost dark by then and they were riding without torches。
They didn't have far to go。 They saw campfires。 The white moon was rising behind them as they came up to the hamlet where the food wagons had begun assembling during the afternoon。 This was； Diego was given to understand； the obvious place to locate the stores and supplies for a siege。 That had been decided upon a long time ago by those who knew the terrain here。
Diego and the others entered the tiny village…it had already been abandoned by the Asharites。 The hamlet lay alongside the river。 There was a water mill。 Almost all of the houses looked new； which was unexpected。 The smell of cooking came to Diego。 He discovered in that moment that he was ravenous。 This was an absurd time to be thinking of food。 On the other hand； he told himself； what else was there to do now； besides wait？
He dismounted between Ibero and the constable。 Men came running to take their horses。 Diego turned back and looked east； towards the low moon。 Fernan would be at the river and the walls by now； waiting to surprise their father。 It wasn't； Diego decided； fair at all。
He looked around。 This hamlet had a name； of course…Fernan had marked it on one of his maps…but Diego had forgotten it。 He half…expected Ibero to demand that he give the name。 He was prepared to be extremely sarcastic if this happened。
They weren't far from Fezana in this cluster of huts and houses； but at night under stars the city would normally have been lost to sight。 It wasn't now。 Diego saw a red glow to the east and he knew Fezana was burning。 His father was in there。
He put aside his anger with that thought and forgetting about hunger closed his eyes。
He touched Rodrigo's presence； was aware of him by the city walls but still inside。 Just across the river he found Fernan。 With relief； he realized that he had no sense of immediate danger。 No fighting near either of them。 On impulse Diego reached out north and found his mother…closer than he had expected。
He took fort in knowing where she was。 That they were all safe； for the moment。 It even seemed they might be together soon； here with the king's army in Al…Rassan。 That would be good。 That would be wonderful； in fact。 Diego opened his eyes； letting his mind e back to the hamlet and； reassured； he let himself think about food again。
In that moment he heard a low； hard drumming sound and the first scream； cut off。 Then he saw the Muwardis。
It was； in the end； as might have been expected。 Not that this mattered to the desert…born。 If anything； it was a vexation： when war was too easy there was less glory in it。
Aziz ibn Dabir of the Zuhrite tribe； assigned to serve in Fezana by the king of Cartada…to whom he had originally been posted by his own lord； Yazir ibn Q'arif； ruler of all the desert…had taken one hundred of his men west from the city earlier that day。 They had stayed on the south bank of the Tavares and then crossed at a fording place where the river curved and slowed。
At twilight they offered the sunset prayers and then； moving with extreme care； had doubled back west towards the hamlet of Orvilla。
It had been considered； years ago； by the last king of Cartada and his advisors； that if the accursed sun…worshippers ever dared to venture south with designs upon Fezana； they would be very likely to choose Orvilla as a base for their supplies during a siege。
It was the obvious place and because of that the plan of Almalik I； Aziz had to concede； was a shrewd one。 This was true notwithstanding that it had been devised by wine…drinkers in Al…Rassan； and not by tribesmen pure in the will of Ashar。
Still； it was the warriors of the Majriti who had been asked to perform the attack。 Of course； thought Aziz。 Who among the womanish men left in Fezana could have implemented this？
During their silent loop back to the east； Aziz had moved ahead of the pany with his two best outriders。 Leaving their horses out of sight； they had crawled through the grass to overlook Orvilla。
It was exactly as had been foreseen。
The Jaddites； stupid in their predictability； had indeed sent their wagons here。 Whichever of their women had e south would almost certainly be arriving in Orvilla tomorrow。 Secure in the notion that the people of the countryside had fled into the city； they hadn't bothered to detail more than a rudimentary force to guard those setting up camp。
Aziz heard careless laughter； saw tents being readied； smelled meat already cooking on the fires。 He caught snatches of conversation in the sibilant accents of Esperana。 He didn't understand what was being said。 It didn't matter。 What mattered was that his tribesmen were going to achieve a slaughter here。 One that ought to shake the invading northerners to their godless souls。 Aziz had ideas as to how to heighten that effect。 It was a shame that the women weren't here yet： that would have made things perfect。 Aziz had not had a woman for some time。
Unconsciously he stroked the head of the hammer looped at his belt…his own favorite weapon。 It had been his father's before him； on the legendary first ride of the Zuhrites out of the farthest west。 It would one day belong to his own eldest son； if Ashar's stars allowed it to be so。
Ashar seemed to be with him in that moment。 Just as Aziz was about to slip down from his vantage point and order the attack； something alerted him to danger。 He held out a warning hand to his two panions and placed an ear to the ground。 Hoofbeats。 The other two； doing the same； looked at Aziz in the darkness。
They waited。 A few moments later a pany of soldiers rode up on the proud stallions of Valledo。 Aziz coveted those horses almost as much as he wanted to sever the heads and sexual organs of the men who rode them。 It was dark of course； but there were fires in Orvilla and Aziz was blessed with good night vision。 He made out fifty riders； not more。 They could deal with that； in fact he wanted to deal with them。 This was now an attack in which glory could be found。
Timing mattered。 They had been ordered to engage and then swiftly withdraw…not risk being trapped outside the city。 He saw the new Horsemen enter Orvilla； riding through a gate in the low fence rebuilt since the fire of last summer。 He bent his head towards one of his men and whispered his orders。 Nothing very plex。 There was no need for plications here。
〃These men will be hungry now； and vulnerable。 Get back