tg.wizardfirstrule-第86章

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out　pulling　him　away；　how　she　had　the　kindness　not　to　show　her　fear。　When　Siddin　went　to　sleep；　she　and　Richard　would　tell　Savidlin　and　Weselan　some　of　the　stories　of　their　journey　from　Westland。　Savidlin　was　one　who　respected　success　in　struggle；　and　listened　with　eyes　almost　as　wide　as　his　son's　had　been。
　
　The　Bird　Man　had　seemed　pleased　with　the　new　roof。　Shaking　his　head　slowly；　he　had　smiled　to　himself　when　he　had　seen　enough　to　figure　out　how　it　would　work。　But　the　other　six　elders　were　less　impressed。　To　them；　a　little　rain　dripping　in　once　in　a　while　seemed　hardly　enough　to　bee　concerned　about；　it　had　done　so　their　whole　life。　and　they　were　resentful　of　an　outsider　ing　in　and　showing　them　how　stupid　they　had　been。　Someday；　when　one　of　the　elders　died；　Savidlin　would　bee　one　of　the　six。　Kahlan　wished　he　were　one　now；　for　they　could　use　such　a　strong　ally　among　the　elders。
　
　Kahlan　worried　about　what　would　happen　when　the　roof　was　finished；　about　what　would　happen　if　the　elders　refused　to　ask　to　have　Richard　named　one　of　the　Mud　People。　Richard　had　not　given　her　his　promise　that　he　wouldn't　hurt　them。　Even　though　he　was　not　the　kind　of　person　to　do　something　like　that；　he　was　the　Seeker。　More　was　at　stake　than　the　lives　of　a　few　of　these　people。　Much　more。　The　Seeker　had　to　take　that　into　account。　She　had　to　take　that　into　account
　
　Kahlan　didn't　know　if　killing　the　last　man　of　the　quad　had　changed　him；　made　him　harder。　Learning　to　kill　made　you　weigh　matters　differently；　made　it　easier　to　kill　again。　That　was　something　she　knew　all　too　well。
　
　Kahlan　wished　so　much　he　had　not　e　to　her　aid　when　he　had；　wished　he　had　not　killed　that　man。　She　didn't　have　the　heart　to　tell　him　it　was　unnecessary。　She　could　have　handled　it　herself。　After　all；　one　man　alone　was　hardly　a　mortal　danger　to　her。　That　was　why　Rahl　always　sent　four　men　after　Confessors：　one　to　be　touched　by　her　power；　the　other　three　to　kill　him　and　the　Confessor。　Sometimes　only　one　was　left；　but　that　was　enough　after　a　Confessor　had　spent　her　power。　But　one　alone？　He　had　almost　no　chance。　Even　if　he　was　big；　she　was　faster。　When　he　swung　his　sword；　she　would　have　simply　jumped　out　of　the　way。　Before　he　could　have　brought　it　up　again；　she　would　have　touched　him；　and　he　would　have　been　hers。　That　would　have　been　the　end　of　him。
　
　Kahlan　knew　there　was　no　way　she　could　ever　tell　Richard　that　there　had　been　no　need　for　him　to　kill。　What　made　it　doubly　bad　was　that　he　had　killed　for　her；　had　thought　he　was　saving　her。
　
　Kahlan　knew　another　quad　was　probably　already　on　its　way。　They　were　relentless。　The　man　Richard　had　killed　knew　he　was　going　to　die；　knew　he　didn't　stand　a　chance；　alone；　against　a　Confessor；　but　he　came　anyway。　They　would　not　stop；　did　not　know　the　meaning　of　it；　never　thought　of　anything　but　their　objective。
　
　And；　they　enjoyed　what　they　did　to　Confessors。
　
　Even　though　she　tried　not　to；　she　couldn't　help　remembering　Dennee。　Whenever　she　thought　of　the　quads；　she　couldn't　help　remembering　what　they　had　done　to　Dennee。
　
　Before　Kahlan　had　became　a　woman；　her　mother　had　been　stricken　with　a　terrible　sickness；　one　no　healer　was　able　to　turn　back。　She　had　died　all　too　quickly　of　the　awful　wasting　disease。　Confessors　were　a　close　sisterhood；　when　trouble　struck　one；　it　struck　all。　Dennee's　mother　took　in　Kahlan　and　forted　her。　The　two　girls；　best　friends；　had　been　thrilled　that　they　were　to　be　sisters；　as　they　called　themselves　from　then　on；　and　it　helped　ease　the　pain　of　losing　her　mother。
　
　Dennee　was　a　frail　girl；　as　frail　as　her　mother。　She　did　not　have　the　strength　of　power　that　Kahlan　did；　and　over　time；　Kahlan　became　her　protector；　guardian；　shielding　her　from　situations　that　required　more　force　than　she　could　bring　from　within。　After　its　use；　Kahlan　could　recover　the　strength　of　her　power　in　an　hour　or　two；　but　for　Dennee；　it　sometimes　took　several　days。
　
　On　one　fateful　day；　Kahlan　had　been　away　for　a　short　time；　taking　a　confession　from　a　murderer　who　was　to　be　hanged；　a　mission　that　was　to　have　been　Dennee's。　Kahlan　had　gone　in　her　sister's　place　because　she　wanted　to　spare　Dennee　the　torment　of　the　task。　Dennee　hated　taking　confessions；　hated　seeing　the　look　in　their　eyes。　Sometimes　she　would　cry　for　days　after。　She　never　asked　Kahlan　to　go　in　her　stead；　she　wouldn't；　but　the　look　of　relief　on　her　face　when　Kahlan　told　her　she　would　do　it　was　words　enough。　Kahlan；　too；　disliked　taking　confessions；　but　she　was　stronger；　wiser；　more　reflective。　She　understood；　and　accepted；　that　being　a　Confessor　was　her　power；　it　was　who　she　was；　and　so　it　didn't　hurt　her　the　way　it　did　Dennee。　Kahlan　had　always　been　able　to　place　her　head　before　her　heart。　And　she　would　have　done　any　dirty　job　in　Dennee's　place。
　
　On　the　trail　home；　Kahlan　heard　soft　whimpers　from　the　brush　at　the　side　of　the　road；　moans　of　mortal　pain。　To　her　horror；　she　discovered　Dennee；　thrown　there；　discarded。
　
　〃I　was　。。　。　ing　to　meet　you　。。。。　I　wanted　to　walk　back　with　you；〃　Dennee　had　said　as　Kahlan　cradled　the　girl's　head　in　her　lap。　〃A　quad　caught　me。　I'm　sorry。　I　got　one　of　them；　Kahlan。　I　touched　him。　I　got　one　of　them。　You　would　have　been　proud　of　me。〃
　
　In　shock；　Kahlan　held　Dennee's　head；　forted　her；　telling　her　it　would　be　all　right。
　
　〃Please；　Kahlan　。　。　。　pull　my　dress　down　for　me？〃　Her　voice　sounded　as　if　it　were　ing　from　a　faraway　place。　Wet　and　weak。　〃My　arms　don't　work。〃
　
　Past　panic；　Kahlan　saw　why。　Dennee's　arms　had　been　brutally　broken。　They　lay　useless　at　her　sides；　bent　in　places　where　they　shouldn't　be　bent。　Blood　trickled　from　one　ear。　Kahlan　pulled　what　was　left　of　the　blood…soaked　dress　over　her　sister；　covering　her　as　best　she　could。　Her　head　spun　with　the　horror　of　what　the　men　had　done。　The　choking　feeling　in　her　throat　wouldn't　let　words　e　out。　She　strained　to　hold　back　her　screams；　fearful　of　frightening　her　sister　any　more。　She　knew　she　had　to　be　strong　for　her　this　one　last　time。
　
　Dennee　whispered　Kahlan's　name；　beckoning　her　closer。　〃Darken　Rahl　did　this　to　me　。　。　。　he　wasn't　here；　but　he　did　this　to　me。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　Kahlan　said　with　all　the　tenderness　she　could　gather。　〃Lie　still；　it　will　be　all　right。　I　will　take　you　home。〃　She　knew　it　was　a　lie；　knew　Dennee　would　not　be　all　right。
　
　〃Please；　Kahlan；〃　she　whispered；　〃kill　him。　Stop　this　madness。　I　wish　I　were　strong　enough。　Kill　him　for　me。〃
　
　Anger　boiled　up　in　her。　It　was　the　first　time　Kahlan　had　ever　wanted　to　use　her。　power　to　hurt　someone；　to　kill　someone。　She　had　gone　to　the　brink　of　feeling　something　she　had　never　felt　before　or　since。　A　terrible　wrath；　a　force　from　deep　within；　a　frightening　birthright。　With　shaking　fingers；　she　stroked　Dennee's　bloody　hair。
　
　〃I　will；〃　she　promised。
　
　Dennee　relaxed　back　in　her　arms。　Kahlan　took　off　the　bone　necklace　and　placed　it　around　her　sister's　neck。
　
　〃I　want　you　to　have　this。　It　will　help　protect　you。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；　Kahlan。〃　She　smiled；　tears　rolling　from　her　wide　eyes；　down　the　pale　skin　of　her　cheeks。　〃But　nothing　can　protect　me　now。　Save　yourself。　Don't　let　them　get　you。　They　enjoy　it。　They　hurt　me　so　much　。　。　。　and　they　enjoyed　it。　They　laughed　at　me。〃
　
　Kahlan　closed　her　eyes　against　the　sickening　sight　of　her　sister's　pain；　rocked　her　in　her　arms；　and　kissed　her　forehead。
　
　〃Remember　me；　Kahlan。　Remember　the　fun　we　had。〃
　
　〃Bad　memories？〃
　
　Kahlan's　head　snapped　up；　jolted　out　of　her　thoughts。　The　Bird　Man　stood　beside　her；　having　e　up　silently；　unnoticed。　She　nodded；　looking　away　from　his　gaze。
　
　〃Please　forgive　me　for　showing　weakness；　〃　she　said；　clearing　her　throat　as　her　fingers　wiped　the　tears　from　her　face。
　
　He　regarded　her　with　soft　brown　eyes　and　sat　lightly　beside　her　on　the　short　bench。
　
　〃It　is　not　a　weakness；　child；　to　be　a　victim。〃
　
　She　wiped　her　nose　on　the　back　of　her　hand　and　swallowed　back　the　wail　that　was　trying　to　fight　its　way　out　of　her　throat
　
　She　felt　so　alone。　She　so　missed　Dennee。　The　Bird　Man　put　his　arm　tenderly　around　her　shoulder　and　gave　her　a　short；　fatherly　hug。
　
　〃I　was　thinking　of　my　sister；　Dennee。　She　was　murdered　by　order　of　Darken　Rahl。　I　found