tg.stone of tears-第77章

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put　a　collar　around　my　neck。　I　know　what　it　makes　me。　I　lied　to　the　Bantak　because　I　didn’t　want　people　to　be　killed。　But　there　is　another　reason。　The　Bantak　are　a　peaceful　people。　I　did　not　want　them　to　learn　the　horror　of　what　it　means　to　kill。　I　know　all　too　well　that　lesson。　You　killed　Sister　Elizabeth　；　perhaps　you　know；　too。’
　
　‘Who　named　you　‘bringer　of　death’？’　she　pressed。
　
　‘No　one。　I　named　myself；　because　that　is　what　I　do；　what　I　am。　I　am　the　bringer　of　death。’
　
　She　released　her　grip　on　his　shirt。　‘I　see。’
　
　As　she　began　turning　her　horse　around；　he　called　out　her　name　in　a　manding　tone。　It　brought　her　to　a　halt。　‘Why？　Why　do　you　want　to　know　who　named　me　that？　Why　is　it　so　important？’
　
　Her　anger　seemed　to　have　vanished；　and　left　a　shadow　of　fear　in　its　passing。　‘I　told　you　I　read　all　the　prophecies　at　the　palace。　There　is　a　fragment　of　one　that　contains　those　words。　‘He　is　the　bringer　of　death；　and　he　shall　so　name　himself。’’
　
　Richard　narrowed　his　eyes。　And　what　does　the　rest　of　the　prophecy　say？　Did　it　also　say　that　I　will　kill　you；　and　anyone　else　I　have　to；　to　get　this　collar　off？’
　
　She　looked　away　from　his　glare。　‘Prophecies　are　not　for　the　eyes　or　ears　of　the　untrained。’
　
　With　a　sharp　kick；　she　surprised　her　horse　and　sent　it　surging　ahead。　As　he　followed　behind；　Richard　decided　to　let　the　matter　drop。　He　didn’t　care　about　prophecies。　They　were　nothing　more　than　riddles　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　and　he　hated　riddles。　If　something　was　important　enough　to　need　saying；　why　couch　it　in　riddles？　Riddles　were　stupid　games；　and　not　important。
　
　As　he　rode；　he　wondered　how　many　people　he　was　going　to　have　to　kill　to　get　the　collar　off。　One；　or　a　hundred；　it　didn’t　matter。　His　rage　boiled　at　the　thought　of　being　led　around　by　the　Rada’Han。　He　gritted　his　teeth　at　the　thought。　His　jaw　muscles　flexed　at　the　thought。　His　fists　tightened　on　the　reins。
　
　Bringer　of　death。　He　would　kill　as　many　as　it　took。　He　would　have　the　collar　off；　or　he　would　die　trying。　The　fury；　the　need　to　kill；　surged　through　every　fiber　of　his　being。
　
　With　a　start；　he　realized　he　was　calling　forth　the　magic　from　the　sword；　even　as　it　sat　in　its　scabbard。　He　no　longer　had　to　hold　the　sword　to　do　it。　He　could　feel　its　wrath　tingling　through　him。　With　an　effort；　he　put　it　down　and　calmed　himself。
　
　Besides　the　rage　of　hate　from　the　sword；　he　also　knew　how　to　call　forth　its　opposite　side；　its　white　magic。　The　Sisters　didn’t　know　he　could　do　that。　He　hoped　he　would　have　no　reason　to　teach　them。　But　if　he　had　to；　he　would。　He　would　have　the　collar　off。　He　would　use　either　side　of　the　sword’s　magic；　or　both；　to　have　the　collar　off　his　neck。　When　the　time　came。　When　the　time　came。
　
　In　the　violet　afterglow　of　twilight；　Sister　Verna　brought　them　to　a　halt　for　the　night。　She　had　said　nothing　further　to　him。　He　didn’t　know　if　she　was　still　angry；　but　he　didn’t　really　care。
　
　Richard　walked　the　horses　a　short　distance　to　a　line　of　small　willows　at　the　bank　of　a　creek　and　removed　their　bridles；　replacing　them　with　halters。　His　bay　tossed　her　head；　glad　to　have　the　bit　out　of　her　mouth。　Richard　saw　it　was　an　aggressive　spade　bit。　Few　bits　were　more　cruelly　punishing。
　
　People　who　used　them；　it　seemed　to　him；　were　people　who　thought　horses　were　nothing　more　than　beasts　humans　had　to　conquer　and　control。　He　thought　maybe　they　should　have　to　have　a　bit　in　their　mouths　to　see　how　they　liked　it。　Properly　trained；　a　horse　needed　nothing　more　than　a　jointed　snaffle。　If　it　was　properly　trained；　and　given　a　little　understanding；　it　didn’t　even　need　a　bit。　He　guessed　some　people　preferred　punishment　to　patience。
　
　He　reached　up　experimentally　to　stroke　the　horse’s　black…tipped　ear。　It　lifted　its　head　firmly　away　from　his　hand。　‘So；’　he　muttered；　‘they　like　to　twitch　your　ear；　too。’　He　scratched　and　patted　the　horse’s　neck。　‘I　won’t　do　that　to　you；　my　friend。’　The　horse　leaned　against　his　scratching。
　
　Richard　retrieved　water　in　a　canvas　bucket　and　let　each　horse　have　only　a　few　swallows；　as　they　weren’t　cooled　down。　In　one　of　the　saddlebags；　he　found　brushes；　and　took　his　time　carefully　currying　each　of　them　and　then　picking　their　hooves　clean。　He　took　longer　than　he　needed　to；　because　he　preferred　their　pany　to　the　Sister’s。
　
　After　he　finished；　he　cut　a　section　of　rind　from　the　melon　the　Bantak　had　given　him；　and　gave　each　horse　a　piece。　Horses　loved　few　things　in　life　as　much　as　a　melon　rind。　Each　showed　eagerness　for　the　treat。　It　was　the　first　eagerness　any　of　them　had　shown。　After　seeing　the　spade　bits；　he　knew　why。
　
　When　he　decided　his　chest　hurt　too　much　to　stand　around　any　longer；　he　went　over　to　where　Sister　Verna　sat　on　a　small　blanket　and　put　his　own　blanket　on　the　ground　opposite　her。　He　folded　his　legs　as　he　sat　and　pulled　a　piece　of　the　flat　tava　bread　from　his　pack；　more　for　something　to　do　than　because　he　was　hungry。　She　accepted　his　offer　of　a　piece。　He　cut　up　the　melon　and　put　the　remaining　rind　aside；　saving　it　for　later。　Richard　offered　Sister　Verna　a　piece　of　melon。
　
　She　looked　at　it　coolly　as　he　held　it　out。　‘It　was　given　under　false　pretenses。’
　
　‘It　was　given　as　thanks　for　preventing　a　war。’
　
　She　took　it　at　last；　but　not　eagerly。　‘Perhaps。’
　
　‘I’ll　take　first　watch；　if　you　wish；’　he　offered。
　
　There　is　no　need　to　stand　watch。’
　
　He　appraised　her　in　the　near　darkness　as　he　chewed　a　juicy　piece　of　melon。　‘There　are　heart　hounds　in　the　Midlands。　Other　things；　too。　I　could　draw　another　screeling。　I　think　a　watch　would　be　wise。’
　
　She　pulled　off　a　piece　of　tava　bread　without　looking　up。　‘You　are　safe　with　me。　There　is　no　need　for　a　watch。’
　
　Her　voice　was　flat。　It　wasn’t　angry；　but　it　wasn’t　far　from　it；　either。　He　ate　in　silence　for　a　while；　and　then　decided　to　try　to　lighten　the　mood。　He　tried　to　make　his　voice　sound　cheerful；　even　though　he　felt　no　cheer。
　
　‘I’m　here；　you’re　here；　I’m　wearing　the　Rada’Han；　how　about　if　you　start　teaching　me　to　use　the　gift？’
　
　She　looked　up　from　under　her　eyebrows　as　she　chewed。　‘There　will　be　time　enough　to　teach　you　when　we　reach　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets。’
　
　The　air　felt　as　if　it　had　suddenly　cooled。　His　anger　heated。　The　sword’s　anger　tugged　at　him　to　be　released。　Richard　put　it　down。　As　you　wish。’
　
　Sister　Verna　lay　down　on　her　blanket；　pulling　her　cloak　tightly　around　herself。　‘It’s　cold。　Build　a　fire。’
　
　He　put　the　last　bite　of　tava　bread　in　his　mouth　and　waited　until　he　had　swallowed　before　speaking　softly。　Her　eyes　watched　him。
　
　‘I’m　surprised　you　don’t　know　more　about　magic；　Sister　Verna。　There　is　a　word　that　is　magic。　It　can　acplish　more　than　you　might　think。　Maybe　you　have　heard　it　before。　It　is　the　word　‘please。’’　He　rose　to　his　feet。　‘I’m　not　cold。　If　you　want　a　fire；　build　it　yourself。　I’m　going　to　go　stand　watch。　I　told　you　before；　I　will　take　nothing　on　faith。　If　we　are　killed　in　the　night；　it　won’t　be　without　warning　on　my　watch。’
　
　
　He　turned　his　back　to　her　without　waiting　for　a　response。　He　didn’t　want　to　hear　anything　she　had　to　say。　Walking　off　a　good　distance　through　the　dry　grass；　he　found　a　mound　of　dirt　around　a　ground…hog　hole　and　flopped　down　on　top　of　it　to　watch。　To　think。
　
　The　moon　was　up。　It　stared　down　at　him　and　cast　a　pale　silver　light　upon　the　surrounding　empty　land；　enough　light　to　enable　him　to　see　without　any　trouble。　He　looked　out　over　the　deserted　countryside；　brooding。　As　much　as　he　tried　to　think　of　other　things；　it　did　no　good。　He　could　think　of　only　one　thing：　Kahlan。
　
　He　drew　up　his　knees　and　wrapped　his　arms　around　them；　after　he　had　wiped　some　tears　from　his　face。　He　wondered　what　she　was　doing；　where　she　was；　whether　she　would　get　Zedd。　He　wondered　if　she　still　cared　for　him　enough　to　go　get　Zedd。
　
　The　moon　moved　slowly　across　the　sky　as　it　stared　down　on　him。　What　was　he　going　to　do？　He　felt　lost。
　
　He　pictured　Kahlan’s　face　in　his　mind。　He　would　have　conquered　the　world　to　see　her　smile　at　him。　To　bask　in　the　warmth　of　her　love。　Richard　studied　her　face　in　his　mind。　He　pictured　her　green