tg.stone of tears-第152章

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　A　noble　ideal。　One；　in　fact；　which　I　share；　but　one　you　only　give　pap　to。　You　bring　them　together　only　timidly；　not　under　mon　canon。’　He　held　his　hand　out　to　her；　closing　it　into　a　fist　as　he　sneered　at　her。　‘In　so　doing；　you　leave　all　lands　ripe　for　the　squeezing。　You　are　lost　souls　in　search　of　true　leadership　and　in　desperate　need　of　protection。
　
　As　soon　as　the　boundaries　fell；　you　were　ravaged　by　Darken　Rahl；　and　he　was　only　halfhearted　about　it；　seeking　only　his　magic！　Had　he　let　the　generals　run　as　they　would；　there　wouldn’t　be　even　a　shell　of　this　play　alliance　of　yours　left。’
　
　And　who　is　it　we　all　need　protection　from？’
　
　He　stared　off；　whispering；　almost　to　himself。　‘From　the　horde　who　will　e。’
　
　‘What　horde？’
　
　He　looked　up；　as　if　he　had　just　awakened。　The　horde　spoken　of　in　the　prophecies。’　He　frowned　at　her　as　if　she　were　hopelessly　thick；　and　then　held　his　hand　out　to　the　wizard。　‘The　good　wizard　here　has　counseled　us　on　the　prophecies。　You　are　one　who　spent　your　life　with　wizards；　and　you　never　sought　their　knowledge？’
　
　‘Your　eloquent　claim　to　want　to　join　people　in　peace　and　law　are　high…minded　words；　General　Riggs。　But　your　atrocities　in　Ebinissia　put　the　lie　to　them。　For　all　time；　Ebinissia　will　bear　mute　but　irrefutable　testimony　to　your　true　cause。　You；　and　your　Imperial　Order；　are　the　horde。’　Kahlan　glowered　to　the　wizard。　‘What’s　your　part　in　this；　Wizard　Slagle？’
　
　He　shrugged。　‘Why；　to　assist　and　facilitate　the　joining　of　all　people　under　the　rule　of　mon　law。’
　
　‘Whose　law？’
　
　‘The　law　of　the　victors。’　He　smiled。　‘That　would　be　us。　The　Imperial　Order。’
　
　‘You　have　responsibilities　as　a　wizard。　Those　responsibilities　are　to　serve；　not　to　rule。　You　will　report　at　once　to　Aydindril；　to　take　your　place　in　that　service；　or　you　will　answer　to　me。’
　
　‘You？’　he　said　with　a　derisive　sneer。　‘You　demand　that　good　and　decent　men　whimper　and　snivel　before　you；　and　at　the　same　time　you　blindly　let　banelings　have　a　free　run　of　the　land。’
　
　‘Banelings？’　She　glowered　at　Riggs。　‘I　suppose　you　would　be　foolish　enough　to　seek　council　from　the　Blood　of　the　Fold。’
　
　‘They’ve　already　joined　with　us；’　General　Riggs　said；　offhandedly。　‘Our　cause　is　theirs；　and　theirs　ours。　They　know　how　to　expunge　those　who　would　serve　the　Keeper　and　thus　our　enemies。　We　will　cleanse　the　land　of　all　who　serve　the　Keeper。　Goodness　must　triumph。’
　
　‘You　mean　your　cause。　It　is　you　who　would　rule。’
　
　‘Are　you　blind；　Confessor？　I　rule　here；　now；　but　this　is　not　about　me；　it’s　about　the　future。　I　simply　fill　the　post　for　now；　furrow　the　field　so　it　may　produce。　It’s　not　I　who　is　the　focus。
　
　‘We　offer　everyone　the　chance　to　serve　with　us；　and　every　man　with　me　has　taken　that　offer。　Others　have　joined　our　troops　in　our　battle。　We　are　no　longer　D’Haran　troops。　They　are　no　longer　troops　of　their　homeland。　We　are　all　the　Imperial　Order。　Any　of　right　mind　can　lead　us。　If　I　fall　in　our　noble　struggle；　another　will　rise　up　to　take　my　place；　until　all　the　lands　are　joined　under　united　rule；　and　the　Imperial　Order　can　flower。’
　
　Either　the　man　was　too　drunk　to　know　what　he　was　saying；　or　he　was　mad。　She　glanced　about　at　the　dancing；　drunken；　singing　men　at　campfires　all　about。　Mad　as　the　Bantak。　Mad　as　the　Jocopo。
　
　‘General　Riggs。’　He　had　been　muttering　angrily　under　his　breath；　but　stopped　and　looked　up　at　her。　‘I　am　the　Mother　Confessor。　Like　it　or　not；　I　represent　the　Midlands。　In　the　name　of　the　Midlands　I　call　upon　you　to　to　halt　this　war　immediately　and　either　return　to　D’Hara；　or　e　to　the　council　with　your　grievances。　You　may　petition　the　Central　Council　with　any　dispute　you　have；　and　it　will　be　heard；　but　you　may　not　visit　war　upon　my　people。　You　will　not　like　the　consequence　if　you　choose　not　to　heed　my　orders。’
　
　He　sneered　up　at　her。　‘We　make　no　promises。　We’ll　annihilate　all　who　don’t　join　us。　We　fight　to　stop　the　killing；　to　stop　the　murdering；　as　the　good　spirits　have　called　upon　us　to　do。　We　fight　for　peace！　Until　we　win　peace；　we　will　have　war！’
　
　She　frowned。　‘Who　told　you　this？　Who　told　you　that　you　must　fight？’
　
　He　blinked　at　her。　‘It’s　self…evident；　you　stupid　bitch！’
　
　‘You　cannot　possibly　be　so　stupid　as　to　think　the　good　spirits　tell　you　to　wage　war。　The　good　spirits　do　not　act　in　such　overt　ways。’
　
　‘Ah；　well　then；　we　have　a　disagreement。　That　is　the　purpose　of　war；　is　it　not？　To　settle　such　matters？　The　good　spirits　know　us　to　be　in　the　right；　else　they　would　easily　join　against　us。　Our　victory　will　prove　they　side　with　us　or　we　could　not　win　in　our　struggle。　The　Creator　Himself　wishes　to　see　us　triumph；　and　our　victory　will　be　proof　of　that。’
　
　The　man　was　a　lunatic。　She　redirected　her　attention　to　the　Keltish　mander。　‘Karsh　。。。’
　
　‘General　Karsh。’
　
　‘You　demean　the　rank；　General。　Why　did　you　slaughter　the　people　of　Ebinissia？’
　
　‘Ebinissia　was　given　the　opportunity　to　join　us；　as　will　all　be　given　the　opportunity。　Ebinissia　chose　to　fight。　We　had　to　make　an　example　of　her　heathen　people；　to　show　others　what　awaits　them　if　they　fail　to　join　us　in　peace。　It　cost　us　nearly　half　our　men；　but　it　was　a　goal　worth　the　cost。　Even　now；　those　lost　are　being　replaced　by　others　joining　with　us；　and　we　will　swell　in　rank　to　take　in　all　the　known　lands。’
　
　This；　you　call　leadership？　Extortion　and　murder？’
　
　General　Karsh　slammed　his　mug　down　on　the　table。　His　eyes　were　fire。　‘We　visit　upon　them　what　they　visit　upon　our　people！　They　raid　our　farms；　our　border　towns。　They　kill　Keltans　as　if　we　were　bugs　to　be　stepped　on！
　
　‘Yet　we　offered　them　peace。　It　is　they　who　chose　to　shun　our　mercy。　They　were　offered　a　chance　at　peace；　a　chance　to　join　us；　they　chose　war。　In　that　way；　they　chose　to　aid　us；　they’ve　made　an　example　for　others　of　the　folly　of　fighting　us。’
　
　‘And　what　have　you　done　with　Queen　Cyrilla？　Did　you　slaughter　her；　too；　or　is　she　back　there　in　your　whores’　tents？’
　
　They　all　laughed。　‘She　would　be；’　Riggs　put　in；　‘if　we’d　found　her。’　Kahlan　almost　sighed　aloud　with　relief。
　
　She　looked　back　to　Karsh；　who　was　taking　another　swig。　‘What　has　Prince　Fyren　to　say　of　this？’
　
　‘Fyren’s　in　Aydindril！　I’m　here！’
　
　So；　perhaps　the　Crown　wasn’t　a　part　of　this。　Perhaps　this　was　little　more　than　a　band　of　murdering　outlaws　who　fancied　themselves　as　more。
　
　Kahlan　knew　Prince　Fyren；　knew　him　to　be　a　reasonable　man。　Of　the　Keltish　diplomats　assigned　to　Aydindril；　he　was　the　one　who　had　done　the　most　to　bring　Kelton　forward　into　the　alliance　of　the　Midlands　through　the　Central　Council。　He　cajoled　and　persuaded　his　mother；　the　queen；　to　go　the　route　of　peace　rather　than　conflict。　Prince　Fyren　was　a　gentleman；　in　every　sense　of　the　word。
　
　‘Besides　being　a　murderer；　General　Karsh；　you　are　also　a　traitor　to　your　own　land　and　Crown。　To　your　own　queen。’
　
　He　hammered　his　pewter　mug　down　on　the　table。　‘I’m　a　patriot！　A　protector　of　my　people！’
　
　She　leaned　the　slightest　bit　forward。　‘You’re　a　treasonous　bastard　and　an　outlaw　cutthroat　without　conscience。　I　leave　to　Prince　Fyren　the　honor　of　condemning　you　to　death。　It　will；　of　course；　be　a　posthumous　sentence。’
　
　Karsh　pounded　his　fist。　‘The　good　spirits　know　of　your　treachery　against　the　people　of　the　Midlands！　This　proves　their　words　true！　They’ve　told　us　we　cannot　be　free　as　long　as　you　live！　They’ve　called　upon　us　to　kill　all　those　like　you！　All　those　who　blaspheme！　The　good　spirits　will　not　abandon　us　in　our　struggle。　We　shall　defeat　all　who　do　the　Keeper’s　bidding。’
　
　‘No　real　officer；’　she　said；　contemptuously；　‘would　listen　to　the　babbling　of　the　Blood。’
　
　The　wizard　had　made　an　angry…looking　ball　of　liquid　fire；　and　was　slowly　juggling　it　back　and　forth　between　his　hands　while　he　watched　her。　The　flames　spit　and　hissed；　dropping　little　sparks。　General　Riggs　belched　and　then　put　his　knuckles　on　the　table　as　he　leaned　toward　her。
　
　‘Enough　talking。　Get　down　here；　you　little　wench；　so　we　can　start　the　party。　Us　brave　freedom　fighters　need　a　little　fun。’
　
　General　Karsh　at