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from this。
〃Please tell me he is only hurt；〃 his wife said very quietly。 〃Rodrigo； please say he is only hurt。〃
He opened his mouth and closed it。 He shook his head。
Miranda screamed then。 The name。 Only the name。 The same as he had done。 It went into him the way a spear enters。
He reached out to take her in his arms。 She went past him； running； to where Diego lay。 There were other people around him now； Rodrigo saw； turning。 Jehane had e up。 She was kneeling beside his son。 Another man from the queen's party； someone he didn't recognize； was on the other side。 Miranda stopped beside them。
〃Oh； please？〃 she said； in a small voice he had never heard before。 〃Please？〃
She knelt beside Jehane and gathered Diego's hands between her own。
He saw Fernan ing back from the river with ibn Khairan。 He would have heard his mother scream。 Fernan was crying now； his face distorted。 A wind； blowing right through him。
Only this morning； riding towards Fezana； Rodrigo Belmonte would have said； if asked； that the world was a hard place but an interesting one； and he would have named himself a man blessed beyond his worth by the god； with love and panionship and tasks worthy of a man。
He'd had two sons this morning； though。
He came back to where Diego lay。 Someone…the king； it appeared…had placed his own cloak over the mutilated body of Gonzalez de Rada nearby。 Fernan was standing behind his mother。 He was not asking for fort； Rodrigo saw。 He was keeping very still； weeping； with a hand on Miranda's shoulder； looking down at his brother。 He was thirteen years old。
Jehane finished what she was doing。 She looked up at Rodrigo。 〃He isn't dead but I'm afraid he's dying。〃 Her face was white。 Her clothing was still wet from the river； he saw。 It was all so dreamlike。 〃Rodrigo； I'm so sorry。 The blow has broken his head； here。 There is too much pressure。 He will not wake up。 It will not be long。〃 She looked at the other woman beside her； the child's hands in hers。 〃He is 。。。 he is not in pain now； my lady。〃
He'd had a dream once in Ragosa； such a strange one； of the two of them…Miranda and Jehane…standing at sunset somewhere。 Not speaking； no clear details； only standing together at the end of a day。
It was dark here； however； and they were kneeling on the ground。 Miranda said nothing at all； made no movement； eyes on her child。 Then she did move； freeing one of her hands and laying it； so softly； against the broken place on Diego's head。
Jehane looked up at him again； and Rodrigo saw the sorrow in her eyes； and the rage。 The physician's rage at what they could not defeat； the things that claimed human lives too soon； leaving doctors helpless。 She looked across Diego's body at the other man。
〃You are a doctor？〃 she asked。
He nodded。 〃To the queen； formerly with the army。〃
〃I will aid you here； then；〃 she said quietly。 〃There may be others who need our services。 Surely they are not all dead。 There may be some we can save。〃
〃You would do this？〃 the man asked。 〃For a Jaddite army？〃
A spasm of impatience crossed Jehane's face。 〃As to that；〃 she said； 〃I am physician to the pany of Rodrigo Belmonte。 After tonight； I have no idea； but for the moment I am yours to mand。〃
〃May I hold him？〃 Miranda； whispering； to Jehane。 As if no one else had spoken。
Rodrigo took another step forward； helplessly。
〃You can do no harm to him at all； my lady。〃 Jehane's voice was as gentle as he had ever heard it。 〃Of course you may hold him。〃 She hesitated； then repeated； 〃He is not in pain。〃
She made as if to rise。
〃Jehane； wait。〃 Another voice； from behind them。 A woman's voice。 Rodrigo turned； very slowly。 〃Your father wishes to examine the boy；〃 said Eliane bet Danel。
In Al…Rassan； in Esperana； Ferrieres； Karch； Batiara…even； in time； in the far…off eastern homelands of the Asharites…what happened that night in a burning hamlet near Fezana became legend； told so often among physicians； courts； military panies； in universities； taverns； places of worship； that it became imbued with the aura of magic and the supernatural。
It was not； of course； supernatural。 What Ishak ben Yonannon did…blind under the white moon and stars and the torches brought for those who assisted him…was as precise and carefully worked out as what he had done five years before in Cartada； delivering the last child of Almalik I； and it was as wondrous as that。
Indeed； it was more than that had been。 Sightless； unable to municate except through his wife who understood every mangled syllable he spoke； handling a surgeon's blades and implements for the first time since his blinding； working by touch and memory and instinct； ben Yonannon did something even Galinus had only hinted might possibly be done。
He carved an opening in the skull of Diego Belmonte； around the place where the Muwardi blow had broken the boy's head； and he drew forth the shattered bone that had been driven down into what was shockingly exposed beneath the peeled…back scalp and the opened skull。 The intruded fragment of bone that would have killed Rodrigo〃s son before the blue moon joined the white one in the sky。
Trepanning； it was called in the text of Galinus。 Jehane knew that； and so； it appeared； did Bernart d'Inigo； the Jaddite physician assisting them。 And they both knew； as well； that it had never been done。
She would have never even tried； Jehane was aware； all through what happened。 Never have thought to try； or dreamed it was possible。 With awe； fighting back the desire to cry all the time； she watched her father's sure； steady hands probe and define the wound； circumscribe it； then wield the small saw and chisel with which he cut a hole in Diego Belmonte's head。
He gave them instructions when he needed to； her mother； standing above them； under a torch held by the king of Valledo himself； translated his words。 Jehane or Bernart moved； as ordered； to offer a blade； a saw； a clamp； to sponge away the heavily flowing blood where Ishak had peeled back the skin of the boy's scalp。 Diego was being held in a sitting position； that the blood might drain away and not into the wound。
It was his father who was holding him。
Rodrigo's eyes were closed most of the time； concentrating on keeping utterly still； which Ishak； through Eliane； had said was imperative。 Perhaps he was praying。 Jehane didn't know。 She did know； moved beyond words； that Diego never budged。 Rodrigo held his child rock…steady； without shifting his position once through the whole of that impossible； blind surgery on the plain。
Jehane had a strange illusion at one point： that Rodrigo could have sat like this with his child in his arms forever if need be。 That he might almost want to do that。 A stone； a statue； a father doing the one thing left for him to do； and allowed。
The shattered bone of the skull came out in one ugly； jagged piece。 Ishak had Jehane probe the open wound to be sure he had it all。 She found two small fragments and removed them with pincers d'Inigo handed her。 Then she and the Valledan doctor sutured the flaps of skin and bandaged the wound and when that was done they remained； on their knees； on either side of the boy。
They laid Diego down then； Rodrigo moving to stand silently above him beside Miranda。 The brother…Fernan…was behind his mother。 To Jehane's eyes he had an obvious need for something to make him sleep。 She doubted he would accept it。
The white moon was directly overhead by then； the blue climbing in the eastern sky。 The fires had been put out。 Other doctors had e； summoned from the body of the army north of them。 They were dealing with the survivors。 There didn't appear to be very many of those。
A great deal of time seemed to have passed； Jehane realized。 Ishak； guided by Eliane and Ammar； had moved a little apart； to a camp stool provided for him。
Jehane and the Jaddite doctor； d'Inigo； looked at each other across the body of the boy。 D'Inigo had an unfortunate face but kind eyes； Jehane thought。 He had been calmly petent all through what had just been done。 She hadn't expected that of a Valledan physician。
He cleared his throat； struggling with fatigue and emotion。
〃Whatever 。。。 〃 he began； and then stopped。 He swallowed。 〃Whatever happens to me； whatever else I do； this will always be the proudest moment of my life as a doctor。 To have been a small part of this。 With your father； who is my 。。。 who I respect so much。 In his writings； and 。。。 〃 He stopped； overe。
Jehane discovered that she was overwhelmingly tired。 Her father must be exhausted。 It hadn't shown。 If she wasn't careful she would begin remembering what had happened in Fezana； before all this； and that wouldn't do。 Not yet。 She had to stay in control。
She said； 〃He may not survive。 You know that。〃
D'Inigo shook his head。 〃He will。 He will survive！ That is the wonder of it。 You saw what was done as well as I。 The bone came out！ It was flawless。〃
〃And we have no idea whether anyone can live through an opening up of their skull like that。〃
〃Galinus said…〃
〃Galinus never did it！ It was sacrilege to him。 To the Asharites； the Kindath。 To all of us。 You kno