tg.stone of tears-第197章

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　‘No；　Sister；　it　is　not。’　She　curtsied。　‘Thank　you；　Sisters；　for　your　time。’
　
　Sister　Verna　sighed　to　herself　as　she　closed　the　door　against　her　back。　She　stood　for　a　moment；　considering。
　
　Eyes　to　the　floor　before　her；　she　made　her　way　back　through　the　palace；　down　halls　both　opened　and　closed；　both　stone　and　paneled；　across　floors　carpeted　and　tiled。　Rounding　a　corner；　she　came　suddenly　upon　someone。　She　looked　up　into　a　face　she　had　been　hoping　not　to　see。
　
　He　smiled　in　a　familiar　manner。　‘Verna！　How　good　to　see　you！’
　
　His　young；　square…jawed　face　looked　unchanged。　His　wavy　brown　hair　was　worn　a　little　longer　over　his　ears　than　before；　and　his　shoulders　were　broader　than　she　remembered。　She　had　to　restrain　herself　from　touching　his　cheek；　from　falling　into　his　arms。
　
　She　bowed　her　head。　‘Jedidiah。’　She　gazed　up　into　his　brown　eyes。　‘You　look　fit。　You　look　。。。　the　same　as　you　have　always　looked。　You　wear　the　time　well。’
　
　‘You　look　。。。　I　guess　。。。’
　
　‘The　word　you　are　searching　for　is　old。　I　look　old。’
　
　‘Ah；　Verna。　A　few　wrinkles　…’　He　glanced　down　her　body。’　…　a　few　pounds；　do　not　diminish　a　beauty　such　as　yours。’
　
　‘I　see　your　tongue　is　still　in　good　form　around　women。’　She　glanced　to　his　plain；　tan　robes。　‘And　I　can　see　you’ve　been　a　good　student；　as　always；　and　have　managed　to　advance　yourself。　I’m　proud　of　you；　Jedidiah。’
　
　He　shrugged　off　the　pliment　and　pressed　his　fingers　together。　Tell　me　about　the　new　one　you　brought　in。’
　
　Her　eyes　narrowed。　‘You’ve　not　seen　me　in　twenty…odd　years；　since　I　rose　from　your　bed　to　go　on　my　journey；　and　that　is　your　question　for　me？　Not；　how　have　I　fared？　Not；　how　do　I　feel　about　you　after　all　this　time？　Not；　has　your　heart　found　another？　Well；　I　guess　the　shock　of　seeing　how　I’ve　aged　has　made　those　questions　fly　right　from　your　head。’
　
　The　sly　smile　stayed　on　his　lips。　‘Verna；　you’re　not　a　silly　girl。　Surely　you　must　realize　that　in　the　passing　of　so　much　time；　neither　of　us　could　be　expected　to　。。。’
　
　‘Of　course　I　know　that！　I　had　no　delusions　of　us。　I　had　simply　hoped　to　return　and　be　treated　with　a　little　tact　and　sensitivity。’
　
　He　shrugged　again。　‘I’m　sorry；　Verna。　I　always　thought　of　you　as　a　woman　who　appreciated　candor；　one　who　had　no　use　for　word　sports。’　His　eyes　went　out　of　focus。　‘I　guess　I’ve　learned　so　much　about　。。。　life　。。。　since　back　then；　when　I　was　so　young。’
　
　She　removed　her　glare　from　his　handsome　face　and　started　away。　‘Good　night；　Jedidiah。’
　
　‘What　of　my　question？’　His　voice　had　an　unpleasant　edge　to　in。　He　softened　it。　‘What’s　the　new　one　like？’
　
　She　halted；　but　didn’t　turn。　‘You　were　there。　I　saw　you。　What　you　saw　of　Richard　is　what　he　is。’
　
　‘I　also　saw　what　happened　to　you。　I’m　gaining　a　little　influence　among　some　of　the　Sisters。　Maybe　I　can　do　something　to　help　you　with　your　situation。’　He　gestured　vaguely　with　a　hand。　‘If　you’re　open　with　me；　and　satisfy　my　curiosity；　maybe　I　can　help　you　out　of　your　unfortunate　predicament。’
　
　She　started　out　again。　‘Good　night；　Jedidiah。’
　
　‘I’ll　be　seeing　you　around　the　palace；　Verna。　Think　on　it。’
　
　She　couldn’t　believe　how　ignorant　she　had　been　all　those　years　ago。　She　remembered　Jedidiah　as　caring　and　sincere。　Maybe　her　memory　was　addled。
　
　Maybe　she　was　just　thinking　of　herself；　and　hadn’t　given　him　the　chance　to　be　kinder。　She　must　look　a　mess。　She　should　have　cleaned　herself　up；　put　on　a　nice　dress；　at　least　fixed　her　unruly　hair；　before　she　saw　Jedidiah。　But　she　had　not　had　the　chance。
　
　Maybe　if　she　had　touched　his　cheek；　he　would　have　remembered　the　spark　of　something；　maybe　remembered　the　tears　he　shed　the　day　she　left；　and　the　promises　he　had　made。　Promises　she　knew　the　moment　they　left　his　lips　would　be　broken　before　their　echo　faded；　so　long　ago。
　
　She　came　to　the　hall　that　led　to　the　novices’　apartments。　She　stood　looking　down　at　the　doors。　She　was　tired。　Sunup　to　sundown　in　the　stables　was　going　to　be　exhausting。　She　turned　the　other　way；　instead。　She　had　one　other　thing　to　do　before　she　slept。
　
　
　Pasha　came　to　a　stop　before　a　doorway　with　a　casing　of　stone；　carved　to　look　like　vines。　Nestled　in　the　center　of　the　stone　vines　was　a　large；　round…topped；　fumed　oak　door。
　
　Pasha　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　‘Your　dungeon。’
　
　‘There’s　no　bolt　on　the　outside　of　the　door。　How　will　you　lock　me　in？’
　
　She　seemed　surprised　by　the　question。　‘We　don’t　lock　our　boys　in。　You’re　free　to　e　and　go　as　you　please。’
　
　Richard　frowned。　‘You　mean　I’m　free　to　roam　this　building？’
　
　‘No。　You’re　free　to　go　wherever　you　wish。　You　may　go　most　anywhere　in　the　palace；　or　into　the　city；　if　you　wish。　Most　of　the　boys　spend　a　great　deal　of　their　time　in　the　city。’
　
　Her　face　reddened　a　little　at　the　last　of　what　she　said；　and　she　looked　away　from　his　face。
　
　‘What　about　the　country　around　the　city？’
　
　She　shrugged；　and　then　pulled　the　shoulder　of　her　blue　dress　back　up　a　little。　‘Of　course。　I　don’t　know　why　you　would　want　to　go　into　the　countryside；　none　of　the　other　boys　do；　but　there’s　nothing　stopping　you　from　going　outside　either　the　palace　or　the　city。’
　
　A　worried　wrinkle　came　to　her　brow。　‘But　you　must　stay　clear　of　the　Hagen　Woods。　It　is　extremely　dangerous。　Were　you　warned　about　the　Hagen　Woods？　Were　you　shown　where　it　is　while　you　journeyed　to　the　palace？’
　
　Richard　nodded。　‘How　far　may　I　go　into　the　countryside？’
　
　‘The　Rada’Han　will　prevent　you　from　going　too　far　afield；　we　must　be　able　to　find　you；　but　the　limit　is　a　good　number　of　miles　in　a　radius　around　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets。’
　
　‘How　many　miles？’
　
　‘Farther　than　you　would　want　to　go。　I　expect　almost　all　the　way　to　the　land　of　the　savages。’
　
　‘You　mean　the　Baka　Ban　Mana。’
　
　She　nodded。　‘Nearly　that　far；　I　would　expect。’
　
　‘Unguarded？’
　
　She　put　her　hands　on　her　hips。　‘You　are　assigned　to　me。　I　will　acpany　you　most　everywhere　you　go；　for　now。　After　our　boys　are　more　experienced；　they　go　off　on　their　own　when　they　wish。’
　
　‘Whenever　I　want；　I　can　simply　wander　around？’
　
　‘Well；　you　live　here；　at　the　palace；　of　course。　And　you　must　be　around　for　your　lessons。　I　will　give　you　lessons；　and　so　will　a　number　of　the　Sisters。　We　will　teach　you　to　touch　your　Han；　and　then　once　you　are　able　to　do　that；　we　will　begin　to　teach　you　how　to　control　it。’
　
　‘Why　different　Sisters？　Why　not　just　one；　or　you？’
　
　‘Because　sometimes　the　Han　of　certain　people　works　better　together。　Also；　the　Sisters　have　more　experience　than　me；　have　more　knowledge。　There　may　be　one　or　several　of　us　who　are　better　able　to　help　you；　and　so　different　Sisters　give　you　lessons；　until　we　discover　with　whom　you　work　best。’
　
　‘Will　Sister　Verna　be　one　of　those？’
　
　Pasha　gave　him　a　look　from　under　her　eyebrows。　‘Verna　is　no　longer　a　Sister。　She　is　no　longer　entitled　to　the　appellation。　She　is　a　novice；　now；　and　should　be　addressed　simply　as　Verna。　Novices；　other　than　the　one　assigned　to　you　…　that　is　me　…　are　not　allowed　to　give　lessons。　Novices　of　the　first　rank；　like　Verna；　are　not　allowed　to　have　anything　to　do　with　our　boys。　The　duty　of　a　novice　is　to　learn；　not　to　teach。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　think　he　could　ever　think　of　Sister　Verna　as　simply　Verna。　It　sounded　too　strange　to　him。　‘When　will　she　be　a　Sister　again？’
　
　‘She　must　serve　as　a　novice；　and　advance　as　any　other　novice。　I　started　scrubbing　pots　in　the　kitchens　when　I　was　little。　It　has　taken　me　this　long　to　be　given　this　chance。　One　day；　if　Verna　works　as　hard　as　I　have；　then　she；　too；　will　have　the　chance　to　be　a　Sister　of　the　Light。　Until　then；　Verna　is　a　novice。’
　
　Richard　fumed　at　the　thought　of　Sister　Verna　being　demoted　on　his　account。　By　the　time　she　was　again　a　Sister；　she　would　be　an　old　woman。　He　changed　the　subject。　‘And　why　are　we　allowed　to　roam　around？’
　
　‘Because　you　are　not　a　danger　to　the　people。　Someday；　when　you　learn　to　control　your　Han；　then　you　begin　to　have　limits　placed　on　where　you　may　go。　The　people　in　the　city　are　afraid　of　boys　who　can　wield　th