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he tax burden on Kindath and Jaddite made for a keen incentive to embrace the desert visions of Ashar the Sage。
She transferred the urine sample from the chipped beaker to her father's gorgeous flask； gift of the grateful king whose namesake heir was here today to celebrate an event that further ensured Cartadan dominance of proud Fezana。 On a bustling market morning Jehane had little time to ponder ironies； but they tended to surface nonetheless； her mind worked that way。
As the sample settled in the flask she saw that the urine of the leather worker's son was distinctly rose…colored。 She tilted the flask back and forth in the light； in fact； the color was too close to red for fort。 The child had a fever； what else he had was hard to judge。
〃Velaz；〃 she murmured； 〃dilute the absinthe with a quarter of mint。 A drop of the cordial for taste。〃 She heard her servant withdraw into the booth to prepare the prescription。
To the leather worker she said； 〃He is warm to the touch？〃
He nodded anxiously。 〃And dry。 He is very dry； doctor。 He has difficulty swallowing food。〃
Briskly； she said； 〃That is understandable。 Give him the remedy we are preparing。 Half when you arrive home； half at sundown。 Do you understand that？〃 The man nodded。 It was important to ask； some of them； especially the Jaddites from the countryside in the north； didn't understand the concept of fractions。 Velaz would make up two separate vials for them。
〃Feed him hot soups only today； a little at a time； and the juice of apples if you can。 Make him take these things； even if he does not want to。 He may vomit later today。 That is not alarming unless there is blood with it。 If there is blood； send to my house immediately。 Otherwise； continue with the soup and the juice until nightfall。 If he is dry and hot he needs these things； you understand？〃 Again the man nodded； his brow furrowed with concentration。 〃Before you go； give Velaz directions to your home。 I will e in the morning tomorrow to see him。〃
The man's relief was evident； but then a familiar hesitation appeared。 〃Doctor； forgive me。 We have no money to spare for a private consultation。〃
Jehane grimaced。 Probably not a convert then； sorely burdened by the taxes but refusing to surrender his worship of the sun…god； Jad。 Who was she； however； to question religious scruples？ Nearly a third of her own earnings went to the Kindath tax； and she would never have called herself religious。 Few doctors were。 Pride； on the other hand； was another matter。 The Kindath were the Wanderers； named for the two moons traversing the night sky among the stars； and as far as Jehane was concerned； they had not travelled so far； through so many centuries； only to surrender their long history here in Al…Rassan。 If a Jaddite felt the same about his god； she could understand。
〃We will deal with the matter of payment when the time es。 For the moment； the question is whether the child will need to be bled； and I cannot very well do that here in the marketplace。〃
She heard a ripple of laughter from someone standing by the booth。 She ignored that； made her voice more gentle。 Kindath physicians were known to be the most expensive in the peninsula。 As well we should be； Jehane thought。 We are the only ones who know anything。 It was wrong of her； though； to chide people for concerns about cost。 〃Never fear。〃 She smiled up at the leather worker。 〃I will not bleed both you and the boy。〃
More general laughter this time。 Her father had always said that half the task of doctors was to make the patient believe in them。 A certain kind of laughter helped； Jehane had found。 It conveyed a sense of confidence。 〃Be sure you know both the moons and the Higher Stars of his birth hour。 If I am going to draw blood I'll want to work out a time。〃
〃My wife will know；〃 the man whispered。 〃Thank you。 Thank you； doctor。〃
〃Tomorrow；〃 she said crisply。
Velaz reappeared from the back with the medicine； gave it to the man； and took away her flask to empty it into the pail beside the counter。 The leather worker paused beside him； nervously giving directions for the morrow。
〃Who's next？〃 Jehane asked； looking up again。
There were a great many of King Almalik's mercenaries in the market now。 The blond northern giants from far…off Karch or Waleska and； even more oppressively； Muwardi tribesmen ferried across the straits from the Majriti sands； their faces half…veiled； dark eyes unreadable； except when contempt showed clearly。
Almost certainly this was a deliberate public display by Cartada。 There were probably soldiers strolling all through town； under orders to be seen。 She belatedly remembered hearing that the prince had arrived two days ago with five hundred men。 Far too many soldiers for a ceremonial visit。 You could take a small city or launch a major raid across the tagra…the no…man's…land…with five hundred good men。
They needed soldiers here。 The current governor of Fezana was a puppet of Almalik's； supported by a standing army。 The mercenary troops were here ostensibly to guard against incursions from the Jaddite kingdoms； or brigands troubling the countryside。 In reality their presence was the only thing that kept the city from rising in revolt again。 And now； of course； with a new…built wing in the castle there would be more of them。
Fezana had been a free city from the fall of the Khalifate until seven years ago。 Freedom was a memory； anger a reality now； they had been taken in Cartada's second wave of expansion。 The siege had lasted half a year； then someone had opened the Salos Gate to the army outside one night as winter was ing； with its enforced end to the siege。 They never learned who the traitor was。 Jehane remembered hiding with her mother in the innermost room of their home in the Kindath Quarter； hearing screams and the shouts of battle and the crackle of fire。 Her father had been on the other side of the walls； hired by the Cartadans a year before to serve as physician to Almalik's army； such was a doctor's life。 Ironies again。
Human corpses； crawling with flies； had hung from the walls above this gate and the other five for weeks after the taking of the city； the smell hovering over fruit and vegetable stalls like a pestilence。
Fezana became part of the rapidly growing kingdom of Cartada。 So； already； had Lonza； and Aljais； even Silvenes itself； with the sad； plundered ruins of the Al…Fontina。 So； later； did Seria and Ardeno。 Now even proud Ragosa on the shores of Lake Serrana was under threat； as were Elvira and Tudesca to the south and southwest。 In the fragmented Al…Rassan of the petty…kings； Almalik of Cartada was named the Lion by the poets of his court。
Of all the conquered cities； it was Fezana that rebelled most violently： three times in seven years。 Each time Almalik's mercenaries had e back； the blond ones and the veiled ones； and each time flies and carrion birds had feasted on corpses spread…eagled on the city walls。
But there were other ironies； keener ones； of late。 The fierce Lion of Cartada was being forced to acknowledge the presence of beasts equally dangerous。 The Jaddites of the north might be fewer in number and torn