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〃I would never say that； my lord。〃
The two men shared the smile this time。
After a moment； Badir asked； bemusedly； 〃Why plain water from a pool； though； Mazur。 In his verse。 Why not just a rich red wine。'
And this； too； his chancellor explained to him。
A little later； Mazur ben Avren took leave of his king。 When； at length； he reached his own quarters in the palace； the Lady Zabira was waiting。
She had been very much present at the banquet； of course； and had all the questions of someone who understood royal courts very well and wished to rise in this one。 She also displayed； gracefully； a continuing desire to minister to whatever needs the chancellor of Ragosa might have…in a fashion that might surpass anyone who had e before her。
As it happened； she had been doing just that through the winter； to his pleasure and surprise。 He had thought he was too old for such a thing to happen。
Later that night； when he was drifting towards the shores of sleep； feeling her youthful nakedness against his body； soft as a cat； warm as a pleasant dream； Mazur heard her ask one last question。 〃Did the king understand what ibn Khairan meant in his poem tonight？ About the water at the drinking place？〃
She was clever too； this lady from Cartada； sharp as a cutting edge。 He would do well to remember that。 He was getting old； must not allow it to render him vulnerable。 He had seen that happen to other men。
〃He understands it now；〃 he murmured； eyes closed。
He heard her laugh then； softly。 Her laughter seemed to ease him wonderfully； a caressing sound。 One of her hands slid across his chest。 She turned herself a little； to fit more closely to him。
She said； 〃I was watching Ammar tonight。 I have known him for many years。 I believe he is troubled by something beyond 。。。 divided loyalty。 I don't think he understands it himself yet。 If I am right； it would be amusing； in truth。〃
He opened his eyes and looked at her； waiting。 And then she told him something he would never have even contemplated。 Women； Mazur ben Avren had long thought； had an entirely different way of seeing the world。 It was one of the reasons he enjoyed their pany so much。
Soon after that she fell asleep。 The chancellor of Ragosa lay awake for a long time； however； considering what she had said； turning it over and over in his mind； as a stone in the hand； or the different possible endings for a verse。
For the bright lord of Ragosa；
Long…tenured on his dais；
Much…loved； and deservedly；
May there always be in times to e
Cool water from the moonlit pool
And wine in the drinking glass。
He could perhaps have said； alone by the pool； Ammar ibn Khairan reflected； but that would have had a flavor of sycophancy； however subtle； and he wasn't ready…so soon after the elegy for Almalik…to give so much to Badir of Ragosa in a verse。 Almost； but not quite。 That was the problem。
It was lions； of course； who were alone when they came down to the water to drink。
He wondered if the king had been offended by his brevity； which would be a pity。 The banquet tables had barely settled themselves to silence when ibn Khairan； given pride of place； first recital； had already finished speaking his brief verse。 The lines were as simple as he could make them； more a well…wishing than an homage。 Save for the hint 。。。 the moonlit waters。 If Badir understood。 He wondered。
I am too old； Ammar ibn Khairan said to himself； justifying； to abuse my craft。
Any of your crafts？
The inner voice always had the hard questions。 He was a soldier and a diplomat as well as a poet。 Those were the real crafts of his living here in Ragosa； as they had been in Cartada。 The poetry？ Was for when the winds of the world died down。
What ought a man honorably to do？ To aspire towards？ Was it the stillness of that pool…dreamed of； and written about…where only the one beast dared stalk from the dark trees to drink in the moonlight and under the stars？
That stillness； that single image； was the touchstone of verse for him。 A place out of the wind； for once； where the noise of the world and all the brilliant color…the noise and color he still loved！…might recede and a deceptively simple art be conjured forth。
Standing； as he had stood one night before…the night he'd first e here…by the waters of Lake Serrana； ibn Khairan understood that he was still a long way from that dark pool。 Water and water。 The dream of the Asharites。 The water that nourished the body and the waters the soul craved。 If I am not careful； he told himself； I'll end up being good for nothing but mumbled； cryptic teachings under some arch in Soriyya。 I'll let my beard and hair grow； walk barefoot in a torn robe； let my students bring me bread and water for sustenance。
Water the body needed； waters the soul desired。
There were lanterns in the rigging of all the fishing boats； he saw by the blue moonlight。 They were not yet alight。 That would e tomorrow。 Carnival。 Masks。 Music and wine。 Pleasures of torchlight。 A brilliance until dawn。
Sometimes the darkness needed to be pushed back。
Beloved Al…Rassan； the thought came to him in that moment； sharp and unexpected as a blade from beneath a friend's cloak； shall I live to shape your elegy as well？
In that innermost； jewel…like garden of the Al…Fontina those long years ago the last blind khalif of Silvenes had greeted him as a wele visitor； before the blade…from beneath a friend's cloak…had ended him。
Ammar ibn Khairan drew a breath and shook his head。 It might have been useful to have a friend here tonight； but that had never been the way he'd ordered his life； and it would be a weakness to dwell upon it now。 Almalik was dead； which was a part； a large part； of the present difficulties。
It had been decided two nights ago…though not yet made generally known…that in two weeks' time； when the white moon was full； the mercenary army of Ragosa would set out for Cartada； to wrest that city from a parricide。 They would march and ride in the name of a small boy； Zabira's elder son； who had besought the shelter and support of King Badir and the intercession of the holy stars。
Ibn Khairan stood motionless for another moment； then turned away from the water and the boats to walk back。 The last time he had been here by the lake late at night Jehane bet Ishak had been waiting by the warehouses and they had met Rodrigo Belmonte at the infirmary and he and Belmonte had left her there； laughing； and gone off to get unexpectedly drunk together。 The night of the day he had arrived； the day they had fought side by side。
Something too close there； deeply unsettling。
Jehane had looked remarkably beautiful in the banquet room tonight； he thought； inconsequentially。 His steps echoed on the planks of the wharf。 He came to the first warehouses and continued on。 The streets were empty。 He was quite alone。
She'd been gowned in crimson silk； extravagantly； with only lapis jewelry and a white shawl as gestures towards the Kindath clothing laws。 It would have been Husari who provided that dress for her； Ammar thought； and ben Avren； probably； the jewels。
Her hair adorned w