tg.wizardfirstrule-第175章

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　〃When？〃
　
　〃Right　now。〃
　
　Denna　gave　a　sigh。　〃Constance；　would　you　finish　the　session？〃
　
　Constance　looked　into　Richard's　eyes　and　smiled。　〃Why；　of　course；　Denna。〃
　
　Richard　was　terrified；　but　didn't　dare　say　a　word。
　
　〃His　time　is　nearly　up；　just　take　him　back　to　my　quarters　and　leave　him　there。　I'm　sure　I　won't　be　long。〃
　
　〃My　pleasure；　Denna。　You　can　count　on　me。〃
　
　Denna　started　to　leave。　Constance　grinned　at　him　wickedly；　her　face　close　to　his。　She　grabbed　his　belt　and　yanked　it　open。　Richard　couldn't　breathe。
　
　〃Constance〃…Denna　had　e　back　in…〃I　don't　want　you　doing　that。〃
　
　Constance　was　caught　off　guard。　〃In　your　absence；　I'm　in　charge　of　him；　and　I'll　do　as　I　wish。〃
　
　Denna　came　and　put　her　face　close　to　the　other's。　〃He　is　my　mate；　and　I　said　I　don't　want　you　to　do　that。　And　I　don't　want　you　to　put　the　Agiel　in　his　ear　either。〃
　
　〃I'll　do　as　I　。　。　。〃
　
　〃You　will　not。〃　Denna　gritted　her　teeth　as　she　looked　down　to　the　shorter　Woman。　〃I　am　the　one　who　took　the　punishment　when　we　killed　Rastin。　Me。　Not　you　and　me；　only　me。　I　have　never　made　a　point　of　it　before；　but　I　do　now。　You　know　what　they　did　to　me；　and　I　never　told　them　you　had　a　part　in　it。　He　is　my　mate；　and　I　am　his　Mord…Sith。　Not　you。　Me。　You　will　respect　my　wishes　or　there　is　going　to　be　trouble　between　us。〃　〃All　right；　Denna；〃　she　huffed。　〃All　right。　I'll　mind　your　wishes。〃
　
　Denna　still　glared　at　her。　〃See　that　you　do；　Sister　Constance。〃
　
　Constance　finished　the　session　with　all　the　effort　she　could　bring　forth；　although　she　kept　the　Agiel　mostly　where　Denna　wanted　it。　Richard　knew　it　went　on　for　longer　than　it　should　have。　When　she　took　him　back　to　Denna's　quarters；　she　spent　a　good　hour　slapping　him　around；　then　hooked　the　chain　over　the　footboard　of　the　bed　and　told　him　he　was　to　stand　until　Denna　came　back。
　
　Constance　put　her　face　close　to　his；　as　best　she　could；　considering　her　height；　and　grabbed　him　between　the　legs。
　
　〃Take　good　care　of　this　for　me；〃　she　sneered。　〃You　aren't　going　to　have　it　much　longer。　I　have　reason　to　believe　Master　Rahl　will　shortly　be　reassigning　you　to　me；　and　when　he　does；　I'm　going　to　alter　your　anatomy。〃　A　grin　spread　on　her　face。　〃And　I　don't　think　you're　going　to　like　it。〃
　
　His　anger　flashed；　bringing　on　the　pain　of　the　magic。　It　took　him　to　his　knees。　Constance　laughed　as　she　left　the　room。　He　managed　to　get　the　anger　under　control；　but　the　pain　wouldn't　stop　until　he　stood。
　
　Warm　sunlight　was　streaming　in　the　window。　He　hoped　Denna　would　be　returning　soon。　The　sun　set。　Dinnertime　came　and　went。　Still　Denna　did　not　return。　Richard　began　to　worry。　He　had　a　feeling　that　something　was　wrong。　He　heard　the　peal　of　the　bell　for　the　evening　devotion；　but　couldn't　go　to　it；　being　chained　to　the　bed。　He　wondered　if　he　was　supposed　to　kneel　where　he　was；　but　realized　he　couldn't　do　that　either；　he　had　been　told　to　stand。　He　thought　maybe　he　should　still　chant　the　devotion；　but　decided　there　was　no　one　to　hear　him；　and　it　wouldn't　matter。
　
　It　was　long　since　dark　out　the　window；　but　thankfully　the　lamps　were　lit　and　at　least　he　didn't　have　to　stand　in　the　dark。　The　two　bells　announced　the　end　of　evening　devotion。　Still　Denna　was　not　back。　His　training　time　came　and　went。　Still　no　Denna。　Richard　was　fraught　with　worry。
　
　At　last；　he　heard　the　door　push　open。　Denna's　head　was　bowed；　her　posture　stiff。　The　braid　was　undone　and　her　hair　disheveled。　She　laboriously　pushed　the　door　closed。　He　saw　that　her　skin　was　ashen；　her　eyes　wet。　She　didn't　look　at　him：　〃Richard；〃　she　said　in　a　small　voice；　〃fill　my　bath　for　me。　Please？　I　need　a　bath；　I　feel　very　dirty　right　now。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　Mistress　Derma。〃
　
　He　dragged　the　tub　in　and　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　to　fill　it。　He　didn't　think　he　had　ever　done　it　more　quickly。　She　stood　and　watched　as　he　brought　in　bucket　after　bucket。　When　he　was　finished；　he　stood　panting；　waiting。
　
　Her　trembling　fingers　started　unbuttoning　the　leather。　〃Help　me　with　this？　I　don't　think　I　can　do　it　by　myself。〃
　
　He　unbuttoned　it　for　her　as　she　shivered。　Wincing；　he　had　to　peel　it　off　her　back；　some　of　her　skin　came　with　it。　His　heart　was　pounding。　Denna　was　covered　with　welts　from　the　back　of　her　neck　to　the　back　of　her　ankles。　Richard　was　frightened；　and　he　ached　with　hurt　for　her；　for　the　pain　she　was　in。　Tears　came　to　his　eyes。　The　power　roared　up　in　him。　He　ignored　it。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；　who　did　this　to　you？〃　he　demanded。
　
　〃Master　Rahl。　It　is　nothing　I　did　not　deserve。〃
　
　He　held　her　hands　and　helped　her　into　the　tub。　She　let　out　a　little　sound　as　she　sank　slowly　into　the　hot　water；　sitting　stiffly。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；　why　would　he　do　this　to　you？〃
　
　She　winced　when　he　put　the　soapy　cloth　to　her　back。。　〃Constance　told　him　I　was　being　too　easy　on　you。　I　deserve　what　was　done　to　me。　I　have　been　lax　in　your　training。　I　am　Mord…Sith。　I　should　have　done　better。　I　received　only　that　which　I　deserve。〃
　
　〃You　do　not　deserve　this；　Mistress　Denna；　it　is　me　who　should　have　taken　the　punishment。　Not　you。〃
　
　Her　hands　trembled　as　she　held　the　sides　of　the　tub　and　he　carefully　washed　her。　He　gently　wiped　the　sweat　off　the　white　skin　of　her　face。　She　stared　ahead　the　whole　time　he　worked；　a　few　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks。
　
　Her　lip　quivered。　〃Tomorrow；　Master　Rahl　will　see　you。〃　His　hand　stopped　washing　for　a　second。　〃I'm　sorry；　Richard。　You　will　answer　his　questions。〃
　
　He　glanced　up　at　her　face；　but　she　didn't　look　back。　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna。〃　He　rinsed　her　off　with　water　cupped　in　his　hands。　〃Let　me　dry　you　off。〃　He　did　it　as　gently　as　he　could。　〃Do　you　wish　to　sit；　Mistress　Denna？〃
　
　She　gave　an　embarrassed　smile。　〃I　don't　think　I　would　like　that；　just　now。〃　She　turned　her　head　stiffly。　〃Over　there。　I　will　lie　on　the　bed。〃　She　took　his　hand　when　he　put　it　out　for　her。　〃I　can't　seem　to　stop　shaking。　Why　can't　I　stop　shaking？〃
　
　〃Because　it　hurts；　Mistress　Denna。〃
　
　〃I've　had　much　worse　than　this　done　to　me。　This　was　only　a　small　reminder　of　who　I　am。　But　still；　I　can't　stop　shaking。〃
　
　She　lay　facedown　on　the　bed；　her　eyes　on　him。　Richard's　worry　made　his　mind　start　working　again。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；　is　my　pack　still　here？〃
　
　〃In　the　cabinet。　Why？〃
　
　〃Just　lie　still。　Mistress　Denna；　let　me　do　something；　if　I　can　remember　how。〃
　
　He　pulled　his　pack　from　a　high　shelf　in　the　cabinet；　laid　it　on　the　table；　and…started　rummaging　through　it。　Denna　watched　him；　the　side　of　her　face　resting　on　the　backs　of　her　hands。　Beneath　a　carved　bone　whistle　on　a　leather　thong；　he　found　the　package　he　was　searching　for；　and　laid　it　open　on　the　table。　He　pulled　out　a　tin　bowl；　took　his　knife　from　his　belt；　and　laid　it；　too；　on　the　table。　He　stood　and　took　a　jar　of　cream　from　the　cabinet。　He　had　seen　her　spread　it　on　her　skin。　It　was　just　what　he　needed。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；　may　I　use　this？〃
　
　〃Why？？
　
　〃Please？〃
　
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　
　Richard　took　the　entire　pile　of　neatly　stacked；　dried　aum　leaves　and　put　them　in　the　tin　bowl；　then　selected　a　few　other　herbs　he　remembered　by　smell；　but　not　by　name；　and　dumped　them　in　with　the　aum　leaves。　With　the　knife　handle；　he　ground　it　all　into　a　powder。　Picking　up　the　jar　of　cream；　he　scooped　it　all　out　and　plopped　it　into　the　bowl；　mixing　it　with　two　fingers。　He　took　the　bowl　and　sat　on　the　bed　next　to　her。
　
　〃Just　lie　still；〃　he　told　her。
　
　〃The　appellation；　Richard；　the　appellation。　Will　you　never　learn？〃
　
　〃Sorry；　Mistress　Denna；〃　he　smiled。　〃You　may　punish　me　later。　For　now；　lie　still。　When　I'm　finished　you　will　feel　well　enough　to　punish　me　all　night。　I　promise。〃
　
　'He　spread　the　paste　gently　on　the　welts；　smoothing　it　out　as　he　went。　Denna　moaned。　Her　eyes　closed　while　he　worked。　By　the　time　he　reached　the　back　of　her　ankles；　she　was　almost　asleep。　He　stroked　her　hair　while　the　aum　cream　soaked　in。
　
　〃How　does　that　feel；　Mistress　Denna？〃　he　whispered。
　
　She　rolled　onto　her　side；　her　eyes　opening　wide。　〃The　pain　is　gone！　How　did　you　do　that？　How　did　you　make　the　pain　leave？〃
　
　Richard　smiled　in　satisfaction。　〃I　learned　it　from　an　old　friend　named