tg.stone of tears-第261章

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　CHAPTER　69
　
　Richard　cursed　under　his　breath　when　the　horse　dropped　dead　under　him。　He　picked　himself　up；　when　he　had　stopped　rolling　through　the　snow；　and　started　pulling　his　things　off　the　lifeless；　lathered　beast。　He　felt　an　ache　of　sorrow　for　the　horse；　it　had　given　him　everything　it　had。
　
　He　had　lost　count　of　how　many　horses　had　died　under　him。　Some　simply　stumbled　to　a　stop　and　refused　to　move　anymore。　Some　dropped　to　a　walk　and　would　run　no　more。　Some　gave　everything　until　their　hearts　quit。
　
　Richard　had　known　he　was　being　too　hard　on　them；　and　had　tried　to　pace　them；　but　he　simply　could　not　bring　himself　to　go　slow　enough。　When　a　horse　died；　or　quit　running；　he　managed　to　find　another。　Some　owners　were　reluctant　to　sell；　thinking　they　would　haggle　with　him。　Richard　threw　a　fistful　of　gold　at　them；　and　took　the　horse。
　
　He　was　near　dead　with　exhaustion　himself。　He　had　slept　and　eaten　little。　Sometimes　he　had　walked　while　his　mount　recovered。　When　he　had　had　to　find　a　new　horse；　he　had　run。
　
　Richard　hoisted　the　pack　onto　his　back　and　started　trotting　off。　It　had　been　two　weeks　since　he　had　left　D’Hara。　He　knew　he　had　to　be　close　to　Aydindril。
　
　The　fact　that　it　was　two　weeks　past　winter　solstice　somehow　didn’t　seem　as　important　as　his　rush　to　reach　Kahlan。　It　somehow　seemed　to　him　that　if　he　could　hurry　fast　enough；　it　would　save　her；　that　if　he　put　in　his　best　effort；　it　would　somehow　make　time　wait　for　him。　He　could　not　accept　that　he　was　too　late。
　
　He　came　to　a　panting　halt　at　the　top　of　a　rise　in　the　road。　Ahead；　in　the　sparkling　sunlight；　lay　Aydindril。　On　the　wall　of　mountains　to　the　far　side　of　the　city　he　could　see　the　gray　walls　of　the　Wizard’s　Keep。　Richard　ran　on　through　the　snow。
　
　The　streets　were　crowded　with　people；　people　hurrying　through　the　cold　afternoon　air；　and　people　standing　about；　stomping　their　feet　to　keep　warm　as　they　hawked　their　wares。　Richard　rushed　past　them　all。　When　he　saw　people　were　staring　at　him　because　of　the　Sword　of　Truth；　he　pulled　the　mriswith　cape　over　it。
　
　A　hawker　ahead　stood　by　the　side　of　。the　road　with　a　short　pole　resting　on　the　ground。　It　had　a　crossbar　with　wispy　strips　hanging　from　it。　When　Richard　realized　what　the　man　was　calling　out；　he　came　out　of　his　mental　fog　with　a　jolt。
　
　‘Confessor’s　hair！’　the　man　bellowed。　‘Get　a　lock　of　the　Mother　Confessor’s　hair！　Right　off　her　vile　head！　Don’t　have　many　left！　Show　your　children　the　hair　of　the　last　Confessor！’
　
　Richard’s　eyes　locked　on　the　long　hair。　It　was　Kahlan’s。　He　swept　the　lot　of　it　off　the　pole　and　stuffed　it　in　his　shirt。　When　the　man　thought　to　fight　for　it；　Richard　slammed　him　up　against　the　wall。　He　gripped　the　man’s　shirt　in　his　fists；　and　lifted　him　clear　of　the　ground。
　
　‘Where　did　you　get　this！’
　
　The　。。。　the　council。　Bought　it　from　them　to　sell。　Bought　it　fair　after　they　cut　it　from　her。　It　belongs　to　me。’　He　shouted　for　help。　Thief！　Thief！’
　
　When　an　angry　crowd　pressed　in　to　defend　the　man；　the　sword　came　out。　People　scattered。　The　hawker　ran　for　his　life。
　
　Richard’s　fury　was　building　despite　his　putting　the　sword　away　as　he　headed　for　the　Confessors’　Palace。　He　saw　it　rising　up　on　the　vast　grounds　ahead。　He　。remembered　Kahlan　telling　him　how　magnificent　it　was。　He　knew　it　almost　as　if　he　had　seen　it　before。
　
　He　remembered；　too；　Kahlan　telling　him　about　a　woman　there；　a　cook。　No；　the　head　cook。　What　was　her　name？　Sand　something。　Sanderholt；　that　was　it。　Mistress　Sanderholt。
　
　The　aroma　of　cooking　led　him　to　the　kitchen　entrance。　He　charged　through　the　door。　A　roomful　of　working　people　shrank　back　at　the　sight　of　him。　It　was　obvious　that　no　one　wanted　any　part　of　whatever　he　was　about。
　
　‘Sanderholt！’　he　called　out。　‘Mistress　Sanderholt！　Where　is　she！’
　
　People　nervously　pointed　to　a　hallway。　Before　he　had　gone　more　than　a　dozen　strides　down　the　hall；　a　thin　woman　came　rushing　from　the　other　direction。
　
　‘What’s　the　trouble！　Who’s　calling　me？’
　
　‘I　am；’　Richard　said。
　
　Her　frown　withered　to　a　look　of　consternation。　‘What　is　it　I　can　do　for　you；　young　man；’　she　said　in　an　uneasy　voice。
　
　Richard　worked　at　keeping　threat　out　of　his　tone。　He　didn’t　think　he　was　very　successful。　‘Kahlan。　Where　can　I　find　her。’
　
　Her　face　turned　nearly　as　white　as　her　apron。　‘You　would　be　Richard。　She　told　me　of　you。　You　look　like　she　said。’
　
　‘Yes！　Where　is　she！’
　
　Mistress　Sanderholt　swallowed。　‘I’m　sorry；　Richard；’　she　whispered。　The　council　sentenced　her　to　death。　The　sentence　was　carried　out　at　the　winter　solstice　festival。’
　
　Richard　stood　staring　down　at　the　thin　woman。　He　was　having　difficulty　deciding　if　they　were　talking　about　the　same　person。
　
　‘I　think　you　misunderstood；’　he　managed。　‘I　mean　the　Mother　Confessor。　Mother　Confessor　Kahlan　Amnell。　You　must　be　talking　about　someone　else。　My　Kahlan　can’t　be　dead。　I　came　as　fast　as　I　could。　I　swear　I　did。’
　
　Her　eyes　were　filling　with　tears。　She　tried　to　blink　them　away　as　she　stared　up　at　him。　Slowly；　she　shook　her　head。
　
　She　put　a　bandaged　hand　to　his　side。　‘e；　Richard。　You　look　as　if　you　could　use　a　meal。　Let　me　get　you　bowl　of　soup。’
　
　Richard　dropped　his　pack；　bow；　and　quiver　to　the　floor。
　
　The　Central　Council　sentenced　her　to　death？’
　
　She　gave　a　weak　nod。　‘She　escaped；　but　was　caught。　The　Central　Council　reiterated　the　sentence　before　the　people　at　the　behead　。。。　at　the　execution。　And　then　the　members　of　the　council　all　stood　smiling　while　the　people　cheered　them。’
　
　‘Maybe　she　escaped　again。　She’s　a　resourceful　woman。　。。。’
　
　‘I　was　there；’　she　said　in　a　broken　voice；　tears　running　down　her　face。　‘Please　don’t　make　me　tell　you　what　I　saw。　I’ve　known　Kahlan　since　she　was　born。　I　loved　her。’
　
　Maybe　there　was　a　way　to　go　back　somehow；　and　get　here　in　time。　There　had　to　be　a　way。　He　felt　hot　and　dizzy。
　
　No。　He　was　too　late。　Kahlan　was　dead。　He　had　had　to　let　her　die　to　stop　the　Keeper。　The　prophecy　had　beaten　him。
　
　Richard　gritted　his　teeth。　‘Where　is　the　council。’
　
　At　last　she　managed　to　take　her　eyes　from　him。　She　pointed　a　bandaged　hand　down　the　hall　and　gave　him　directions。
　
　She　turned　back。　‘Please；　Richard；　I　loved　her；　too。　Nothing　can　be　done　now。　You　can　acplish　nothing。’
　
　But　he　was　already　moving；　the　mriswith　cape　flying　behind　as　he　swept　down　the　hall。　He　saw　only　enough　of　what　was　around　him　as　he　moved　swiftly　along　to　follow　the　directions　she　had　given　him。　He　moved　toward　the　council　chambers　the　way　his　arrows　flew　to　the　target　when　he　called　it。
　
　Guards　were　everywhere；　but　he　paid　them　no　heed。　He　had　no　idea　if　they　paid　him　any；　nor　did　he　care。　He　flew　single…mindedly　toward　his　target。　He　heard　the　movement　of　men…at…arms　around　him；　in　the　side　halls。　He　barely　noted　them　on　the　balconies。
　
　At　the　end　of　a　column…lined　hall　stood　the　doors　to　the　council　room。　As　he　marched　down　the　hall；　men　moved　in　front　of　the　doors。　He　only　dimly　noticed　them。　He　saw　only　the　doors。
　
　His　sword　still　hadn’t　left　its　scabbard　at　his　hip；　but　the　magic　was　coursing　through　him　at　full　fury。　The　soldiers　closed　rank　before　the　doors。　He　didn’t　slow；　the　black　cape　billowing　open；　his　brow　set　in　a　glare；　as　he　charged　ahead。
　
　They　made　their　move　to　stop　him。　Richard　marched　on。　He　wanted　them　out　of　his　way。　The　power　came　by　instinct；　without　conscious　effort。　He　felt　the　concussion。　In　his　peripheral　vision　he　saw　blood　hit　the　white　marble。
　
　Without　missing　a　stride；　he　emerged　from　the　ball　of　flame　in　a　gaping　hole　twice　the　size　the　doorway　had　been。　Huge　chunks　of　stone　hurtled　through　the　air；　trailing　smoke。　Debris　rained　down　about　him。　One　of　the　doors　spiraled　through　the　air　in　an　arc；　the　other　spun　like　a　top　as　it　skittered　across　the　floor　of　the　council　chamber　along　with　ragged　pieces　of　armor　and　shattered　weapons。
　
　At　the　far　end　of　the　room；　men　behind　a　curved　desk　rose　angrily　to　their　feet。　As　he　advanced　relentlessly　onward；　Richard　drew　the　sword。　The　unique　sound　of　steel　rang　in　the　huge　room。
　
　‘I