tg.stone of tears-第205章

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　was　my　fault　and　was　unjust。　That　is　the　only　reason。
　
　‘When　I　decide　to　get　this　collar　off；　only　those　who　help　me　will　be　my　friends。　Sister　Verna　has　made　it　clear　that　she　will　not　help　me　get　the　collar　off。　She　intends　that　it　remain　on　me。　When　the　time　es；　if　she　stands　in　my　way；　I　will　kill　her；　the　same　as　I　will　kill　any　other　Sister　who　tries　to　stop　me。　The　same　as　I　will　kill　you；　if　you　stand　in　my　way。’
　
　‘Richard；’　she　scoffed；　‘you’re　a　mere　student；　you　shouldn’t　brag　about　your　powers　so。　It’s　unbeing　to　a　young　man。　You　should　not　even　joke　about　such　things。’　She　took　his　arm　again。　‘I　don’t　believe　you　would　ever　hurt　a　woman。　。。。’
　
　‘Then　you　believe　wrong。’
　
　‘Most　young　men　have　trouble　adjusting　at　first；　but　you　will　e　to　trust　in　me。　We　will　bee　friends；　I’m　sure　of　it。’
　
　Richard　yanked　his　arm　away　and　spun　to　her。　This　is　no　game；　Pasha。　If　you　get　in　my　way　when　I　decide　the　time　has　e；　I　will　cut　your　pretty　little　throat。’
　
　She　peered　up　at　him　with　a　coy　smile。　‘Do　you　really　think　I　have　a　pretty　neck？’
　
　‘It’s　a　figure　of　speech；’　he　growled。
　
　He　moved　on；　tugging　Bonnie　ahead。　Pasha　hastened　her　step　to　keep　up。　She　walked　in　silence　for　a　time；　busying　herself　with　pulling　little　knots　and　burrs　from　her　hair。
　
　Richard　was　in　no　mood　to　be　pleasant。　Killing　the　mris…with　had　brought　him　a　strange　feeling　of　fulfillment；　but　it　was　fading　now；　and　his　frustration　with　his　situation　was　returning；　and　it　brought　with　it　the　anger。
　
　Pasha’s　face　brightened。　She　put　on　a　pleasant　smile。
　
　‘I　don’t　know　anything　about　you；　Richard。　Why　don’t　you　tell　me　about　yourself？’
　
　‘What　do　you　want　to　know？’
　
　‘Well；　what　did　you　do　。。。　before　you　came　to　the　palace？　Did　you　have　some　kind　of　skill？　A　profession　you　worked　at？’
　
　Richard　scuffed　his　boots　through　the　dirt。　‘I　was　a　woods　guide。’
　
　‘Where？’
　
　‘Where　I　grew　up；　in　Hartland；　in　Westland。’
　
　Pasha　pulled　the　white　blouse　away　from　her　chest；　trying　to　dry　it。　‘I’m　afraid　I　don’t　know　where　that　is。　I　don’t　know　about　the　New　World。　Someday；　when　I’m　a　Sister；　maybe　I’ll　be　called　upon　to　go　there；　and　help　a　boy。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　say　anything；　so　she　went　on。　‘So　you　were　a　woods　guide。　That　must　have　been　scary；　being　out　in　the　woods　all　the　time。　Weren’t　you　afraid　of　the　animals？　I’d　be　afraid　of　the　animals。’
　
　‘Why？　If　a　rabbit　jumped　out　of　a　bush；　you　could　just　burn　it　to　ashes　with　your　Han。’
　
　She　giggled。　‘I’d　still　be　frightened。　I　like　the　city　better。’　She　pulled　some　hair　back　from　her　face　and　looked　at　him　as　they　walked。　She　had　a　funny　way　of　wrinkling　her　nose。　‘Did　you　have　a　。。。　well；　you　know；　a　girl；　a　love；　or　anything？’
　
　Richard　was　taken　by　surprise　at　the　question。　His　mouth　opened；　but　no　words　came　out。　He　snapped　it　closed。　He　was　not　about　to　discuss　Kahlan　with　her。
　
　‘I　have　a　wife。’
　
　Pasha　missed　a　step。　She　hurried　to　catch　back　up。　‘A　wife！’　She　considered　a　moment。　Her　voice　now　had　an　edge　to　it。　‘What　is　her　name？’
　
　Richard　kept　his　eyes　straight　ahead　as　he　walked。　‘Her　name　is　Du　Chaillu。’
　
　Pasha　twisted　a　strand　of　hair　around　her　finger。　‘Is　she　pretty？　What　does　she　look　like？’
　
　‘Yes；　she　is　pretty。　She　has　thick　black　hair；　a　little　longer　than　yours。　She　has　attractive　breasts；　and　the　rest　of　her　is　shapely；　too。’
　
　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　could　see　Pasha’s　face　glowing　red。　She　picked　at　the　end　of　the　strand　of　hair。　Her　voice　came　quiet　and　cold；　despite　her　trying　to　layer　indifference　over　it。
　
　‘How　long　have　you　known　her？’
　
　‘A　few　days。’
　
　Her　hand　fell　away　from　her　hair。　‘What　do　you　mean；　a　few　days？　How　could　you　only　know　her　a　few　days？’
　
　‘When　Sister　Verna　and　I　went　to　the　Majendie　land；　a　few　days　ago；　they　had　her　chained　up。　They　were　going　to　sacrifice　her　to　their　spirits；　and　they　wanted　me　to　do　the　killing。　Sister　Verna　said　I　was　to　do　as　the　Majendie　wished；　so　we　could　pass　through　their　land。
　
　‘Instead；　I　disobeyed　Sister　Verna；　and　shot　an　arrow　at　their　Queen　Mother；　pinning　her　arm　to　a　pole。　I　told　them　that　if　they　didn’t　let　Du　Chaillu　go；　and　make　peace　with　the　Baka　Ban　Mana；　I　would　put　the　next　arrow　through　the　Queen　Mother’s　head。　They　wisely　agreed。’
　
　‘She　is　one　of　the　savages？’
　
　‘She　is　Baka　Ban　Mana。　A　wisewoman。　She　is　not　a　savage。’
　
　‘And　she　wed　you　because　you　were　her　hero？　Because　you　rescued　her？’
　
　‘No。　Sister　Verna　and　I　had　to　go　through　her　land；　to　e　here。　When　we　were　there；　I　killed　her　five　husbands。’
　
　Pasha　snatched　him　by　the　arm。　‘They　are　blade　masters！　You　managed　to　kill　five　of　them？’
　
　Richard　started　walking　again。　‘No；　I　killed　thirty　of　them。’　Pasha　gasped。　‘Her　five　husbands　were　among　the　thirty。　Du　Chaillu　is　their　spirit　woman；　and　said　I　was　now　the　leader　of　her　people。　She　said　that　since　she　was　the　spirit　woman；　and　I　their　leader；　their　Caharin；　I　was　now　her　husband。’
　
　Pasha’s　smile　crept　back。　Then　you　aren’t　really　her　husband。　She　was　just　telling　you　some　of　her　savage　。。。　some　of　her　Baka　Ban　Mana　spirit　babble。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　say　anything。　Pasha’s　smile　evaporated。　Her　scowl　returned。　‘Then　how　do　you　know　what　her　breasts；　and　the　rest　of　her；　looks　like？’　She　looked　the　other　way　and　gave　a　sniff。　‘I　suppose　she　rewarded　you　for　your　valor。’
　
　‘I　know　because　when　they　sent　me　in　to　kill　her；　she　had　a　collar　around　her　neck　and　she　was　chained　to　a　wall。　She　was　held　naked　in　that　collar　so　that　men　could　rape　her　whenever　they　wanted。’　Pasha　swallowed　and　looked　away　again。　‘She　is　with　child；　now；　by　one　of　those　men。　I　guess　that　because　the　people　to　be　sacrificed　are　held　in　a　collar；　the　Sisters　never　gave　a　thought　to　putting　a　stop　to　it。　I　don’t　guess　the　Sisters　care　much　what　happens　to　someone　in　a　collar。’
　
　‘The　Sisters　care；’　Pasha　said　in　a　small　voice。
　
　Richard　didn’t　argue。　He　walked　on　in　silence。　Pasha　looked　cold　as　she　folded　her　arms　beneath　her　breasts。　The　sky　was　turning　a　deep　purple；　but　it　was　not　getting　cold；　it　was　still　warm。
　
　After　a　time；　Pasha’s　step　regained　a　bit　of　its　bounce。　She　glanced　over；　the　smile　back。
　
　‘So；　what　about　you？　You　have　the　gift。　Did　your　father　have　the　gift；　too？　Is　that　where　it　was　passed　down　from？’
　
　Richard’s　mood　sank　like　a　rock　in　a　well。　‘Yes；　my　father　had　the　gift。’
　
　She　looked　up　hopefully。　‘Is　he　still　living？’
　
　‘No。　He　was　killed　a　short　time　ago。’
　
　Pasha　smoothed　the　front　of　her　skirt。　‘Oh。　I’m　sorry；　Richard。’
　
　Richard’s　hand　tightened　on　the　reins。　‘I’m　not。　I’m　the　one　who　killed　him。’
　
　She　froze。　‘You　killed　your　father？　Your　own　father？’
　
　Richard’s　glare　locked　on　to　her。　‘He　had　me　captured；　and　put　in　a　collar　to　be　tortured。　I　killed　the　beautiful　young　woman　who　held　the　leash　to　that　collar；　and　then　I　killed　him。’
　
　She　had　no　trouble　mistaking　the　threat　in　his　voice；　his　words；　or　his　eyes。
　
　Her　lower　lip　began　to　quiver；　and　then　Pasha　burst　into　tears；　turned；　and　ran。　Holding　her　skirts　up　in　her　fists；　she　went　around　an　outcropping　of　rock　and　ran　off　over　the　edge　of　the　hill。
　
　Richard　let　out　a　long　sigh　as　he　tied　the　reins　to　a　slab　of　granite。　He　patted　Bonnie’s　neck。
　
　‘Be　a　good　girl。　Wait　here　for　me。’
　
　He　found　Pasha　sitting　on　a　rock　with　her　arms　wrapped　around　her　knees　as　she　cried。　Richard　came　around　to　face　her；　but　she　turned　her　face　away。　Her　shoulders　shook　as　she　gasped　in　racking　sobs。
　
　‘Go　away！’　She　put　her　forehead　against　her　knees　as　she　wailed。　‘Or　did　you　e　to　slice　me　to　bits？’
　
　‘Pasha　…’
　
　‘All　you　care　about　is　killing　people！’
　
　‘That’s　not　true。　I　want　nothing　more　than　to　end　the　killing。’
　
　‘Oh；　sure；’　she　cried；　‘that’s　why　you　speak　of　nothing　else！’
　
　That’s　only　because　…’
　
　‘I’ve　been　praying　for　this　day　nearly　my　whole　life！　All　I　ever　wanted　was　to　be　a　Sister