tg.stone of tears-第81章

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　He　opened　his　eyes。　Sister　Verna　was　sitting　calmly　watching　him。　She　gave　a　heavy　sigh　…　he　thought　maybe　out　of　displeasure。
　
　Richard　swallowed。　‘I’m　sorry。　Nothing　happened。’
　
　‘Don’t　be　discouraged；　Richard。　I　did　not　expect　anything　to　happen。　It　takes　a　long　time　to　learn　to　touch　the　Han。　It　will　happen　when　it　happens。　There　is　no　way　to　rush　it。　It　does　no　good　to　push　too　hard；　it　es　from　finding　the　inner　peace　and　not　by　force。　That　is　long　enough　for　today。’
　
　‘A　few　minutes？　That’s　all　you　want　me　to　try？’
　
　She　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘You　have　had　your　eyes　closed　for　over　an　hour。’
　
　He　stared　at　her；　and　then　glanced　to　the　sun。　It　seemed　to　have　jumped　up　into　the　sky。　Over　an　hour。　How　was　that　possible？　A　tingle　of　apprehension　spread　through　him。
　
　She　cocked　her　head。　‘It　seemed　only　a　few　minutes　to　you？’
　
　Richard　stood。　He　didn’t　like　the　frown　on　her　face。　‘I　don’t　know。　I　wasn’t　paying　any　attention。　I　guess　it　did　feel　like　an　hour。’
　
　
　He　started　packing　the　few　things　he　had　taken　out。　The　more　he　thought　about　what　he　had　seen；　the　more　unreal　it　seemed。　It　began　to　feel　like　a　dream　after　waking；　the　fear；　the　hard　edges；　the　reality；　fading。　He　began　to　feel　foolish　for　being　so　frightened　by　a　dream。
　
　A　dream？　He　hadn’t　been　sleeping。　How　could　he　have　been　dreaming　when　he　was　awake？
　
　Maybe　he　hadn’t　been　awake。　He　had　been　dead　tired。　Maybe　while　he　was　sitting　there　concentrating　on　the　sword；　he　had　fallen　asleep。　That’s　how　he　went　to　sleep；　sometimes：　by　concentrating　on　something　until　he　drifted　off。　That　was　the　only　explanation　for　the　time　going　so　fast。　He　was　asleep；　and　the　rest　of　it　had　been　a　dream。
　
　He　let　out　a　heavy　breath。　He　felt　silly　for　having　been　so　frightened；　but　he　felt　relieved；　too。　When　he　turned；　Sister　Verna　was　still　watching　him。
　
　‘Do　you　wish　to　shave　now？　Now　that　I　have　shown　you　I　only　wish　to　help　you。’
　
　Richard　straightened。　‘I　told　you：　prisoners　don’t　shave。’
　
　‘You　are　not　a　prisoner；　Richard。’
　
　He　stuffed　his　blanket　into　his　pack；　tucking　in　the　corners　to　make　it　fit。　‘Will　you　remove　the　collar？’
　
　Her　answer　was　slow　in　ing；　but　firm。　‘No。　Only　when　it　is　time。’
　
　‘May　I　leave；　and　go　where　I　wish？’
　
　She　sighed　impatiently。　‘No。　You　must　go　with　me。’
　
　‘And　if　I　don’t；　if　I　try　to　leave　you？’
　
　Her　eyes　narrowed　a　little。　Then　I　would　be　forced　to　prevent　it。　You　would　find　you　did　not　like　that。’
　
　Richard　nodded　solemnly。　‘That　fits　my　definition　of　a　prisoner。　As　long　as　I’m　a　prisoner；　I　will　not　shave。’
　
　The　horses　nickered　at　his　approach；　their　ears　pricking　toward　him。　Sister　Verna　eyed　them　suspiciously。　He　returned　the　greeting　with　gentle　words　and　a　stiff　scratch　to　the　side　of　each　horse’s　neck。　Taking　out　the　brushes；　he　gave　each　a　quick　grooming；　paying　particular　attention　to　their　backs。
　
　Sister　Verna　folded　her　arms。　‘Why　are　you　doing　that？　You　groomed　them　last　night。’
　
　‘Because　horses　like　to　roll　in　the　dirt。　They　could　have　something　under　where　the　saddle　goes。　Feels　kind　of　like　walking　around　with　a　rock　in　your　boot；　only　worse；　it　could　give　them　a　sore；　and　then　we　won’t　be　able　to　ride　them。　So；　I　like　to　check　them　over　before　I　put　their　saddles　on。’
　
　When　he　finished；　he　cleaned　the　brushes　against　each　other。　‘What　are　their　names？’
　
　Sister　Verna　gave　a　sour　frown。　‘They　don’t　have　names。　They　are　just　horses。　We　don’t　give　names　to　dumb　animals。’
　
　He　pointed　with　the　curry　brush　at　the　chestnut　gelding。　‘You　don’t　even　give　your　own　a　name？’
　
　‘He　is　not　my　own。　They　all　belong　to　the　Sisters　of　the　Light。　I　ride　whichever　one　is　available。　The　bay　you　rode　yesterday　is　the　one　I　rode　before　you　came　with　me；　but　it　makes　no　difference。　I　simply　ride　whichever　one　is　available。’
　
　‘Well；　from　now　on；　they’re　going　to　have　names。　Avoids　confusion。　Yours　is　the　chestnut；　and　he　will　be　Jessup；　my　bay　will　be　Bonnie；　and　the　other　bay　will　be　Geraldme。’
　
　‘Jessup；　Bonnie；　and　Geraldine；’　she　huffed。　‘No　doubt　from　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day。’
　
　‘Glad　to　hear　you　read　something　other　than　prophecies；　Sister　Verna。’
　
　‘As　I　told　you　before；　ones　with　the　gift　who　e　to　the　palace　are　brought　when　they　are　young。　One　boy　brought　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day　with　him。　I　read　it　to　see　if　it　was　appropriate　for　young　minds；　and　to　see　if　it　was　of　good　moral　teachings。　I　found　it　to　be　a　preposterous　story　of　three　people　who　would　have　had　no　troubles　if　a　one　of　them　had　been　blessed　with　brains。’
　
　Richard　smiled　a　little。　‘Perfect　names　for　‘dumb　animals’　then。’
　
　She　scowled　at　him。　‘It　was　a　book　of　no　intellectual　value。　No　value　of　any　kind。　I　destroyed　it。’
　
　Richard’s　smile　tried　to　fade；　but　he　didn’t　let　it。　‘My　father　。。。　well；　the　man　who　raised　me　as　his　son；　and　who　I　think　of　as　my　father；　George　Cypher；　well；　he　traveled　often。　One　time；　when　he　came　home；　he　brought　me　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day；　as　a　gift　for　learning　to　read。　It　was　the　first　book　I　ever　had。　I　read　it　many　times。　It　brought　me　pleasure；　and　made　me　think；　each　time　I　read　it。　I；　too；　thought　the　three　heroes　did　foolhardy　things；　and　I　always　vowed　not　to　repeat　the　same　mistakes　they　made。　You　may　have　seen　no　value　in　it；　but　it　taught　me　things。　Things　of　value。　It　made　me　think。　Perhaps；　Sister　Verna；　that　is　something　you　don’t　like　your　students　to　do？’
　
　He　turned　away　from　her　and　started　taking　apart　the　bridles。　‘My　real　father；　Darken　Rahl；　came　to　my　house；　just　this　autumn；　looking　for　me。　He　wanted　to　cut　my　belly　open　and　read　my　entrails　…　to　kill　me。　Just　as　he　killed　George　Cypher。’　He　stole　a　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder。　‘Anyway；
　
　I　wasn’t　at　home；　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　me；　he　tore　that　book　apart　and　threw　the　pages　all　around。　Maybe　he　didn’t　want　me　learning　any　of　its　lessons　or　thinking　for　myself　either。’
　
　Sister　Verna　didn’t　say　anything；　but　he　could　feel　her　eyes　watching　him　take　the　bridles　apart；　undo　the　headstalls　and　reins　from　the　bits。　After　he　had　them　apart；　he　packed　the　headstalls　away　and　flipped　the　reins　over　his　shoulder。
　
　He　could　hear　her　let　out　a　little；　angry　breath。　‘I’ll　not　be　calling　horses　by　names。’
　
　Richard　stacked　the　three　spade　bits　atop　one　another　on　the　dirt；　where　the　horses　had　pawed　the　ground　bare。　‘You　might　want　to　reconsider　the　wisdom　of　that；　Sister　Verna。’
　
　She　stepped　out　to　the　side　of　him；　where　he　could　see　her；　pointing　at　the　ground。　‘What　are　you　doing？　Why　did　you　take　the　bridles　apart？　What　are　you　doing　with　those　bits？’
　
　Richard　drew　the　sword。　Its　distinctive　ring　filled　the　cold；　bright　air。　The　rage　of　the　magic　instantly　flooded　through　him。　‘I’m　destroying　them；　Sister。’
　
　With　a　scream　of　fury；　and　before　she　could　make　a　move；　he　brought　the　sword　down　with　a　powerful　swing。　The　tip　whistled　through　the　air。　The　blade　shattered　the　three　bits　into　flying　shards　of　hot　metal。
　
　She　rushed　forward；　her　cloak　flapping。　‘What’s　the　matter　with　you！　Have　you　lost　your　mind！　We　need　those　bits　to　control　the　horses！’
　
　‘Spade　bits　can　be　cruel。　I　won’t　allow　you　to　use　them。’
　
　‘Cruel！　They　are　just　stupid　beasts！　Beasts　that　need　to　be　controlled！’
　
　‘Beasts；’　he　muttered；　shaking　his　head　and　sliding　his　sword　back　into　its　scabbard。　He　snugged　up　the　halter　on　Bonnie　and　began　attaching　the　reins　to　the　side　rings。　‘You　don’t　need　a　bit　to　control　a　horse。　I’ll　teach　you　how。　Besides；　without　a　bit　in　their　mouths　they　can　eat　while　we　travel。　They’ll　be　happier　that　way。’
　
　‘That’s　dangerous！　Spade　bits　give　you　control　over　a　headstrong　beast。’
　
　He　arched　an　eyebrow　to　her。　‘With　horses；　as　with　many　other　things；　Sister；　you　often　get　what　you　expect　to　get。’
　
　‘Without　bits；　you　don’t　have　any　control。’
　
　‘Nonsense。　If　you　ride　properly；　you　control　with　your　legs　and　body。　You　just　have　to　teach　the　horse　to　pay　attention　and　trust　you