tg.stone of tears-第156章

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　‘No；　you　don’t。　。。。’
　
　‘I　love　your　beard。　Don’t　ever　cut　it　off。　I　think　a　wizard　should　have　a　beard。’
　
　Richard　remembered　the　time　Zedd　had　used　Additive　Magic　to　grow　a　beard　and　teach　him　a　lesson；　and　then　had　shaved　it　off；　explaining　he　couldn’t　make　it　vanish　with　magic　because　that　would　take　Subtractive　Magic；　and　wizards　didn’t　have　Subtractive　Magic。　Subtractive　Magic　was　of　the　underworld。
　
　He　caught　her　wrist　and　pulled　her　hand　away　from　his　face。　To　Richard；　his　beard　was　a　symbol　of　his　captivity。　It　meant　he　was　a　prisoner。　Prisoners　don’t　shave；　that　was　what　he　had　told　Sister　Verna。　But　he　didn’t　think　now　was　the　time　to　explain　that　to　Pasha。
　
　She　kissed　his　neck。　Somehow；　he　was　unable　to　stop　her。　Her　lips　were　so　soft；　and　he　could　hear　her　insistent　breath　close　to　his　ear。　It　felt　as　if　the　kiss　went　all　the　way　through　him；　down　to　his　toes；　something　like　the　feeling　he　had　had　when　she　had　put　her　hands　to　his　Rada’Han。　The　tingling　numbed　his　brain。　Inside；　he　groaned。　His　resistance　was　being　dissolved　by　her　kisses。。。。
　
　When　he　had　been　held　in　a　collar　by　Denna；　he　had　had　no　choice　…　not　even　death　could　rescue　him　from　whatever　Denna　wanted　…　but　he　still　felt　shame　for　what　he　had　done。
　
　He　was　in　a　collar　again；　and　Pasha　was　using　some　sort　of　magic　on　him；　but　he　knew　that　this　time　he　had　a　choice　in　the　matter。　He　forced　himself　to　hunch　his　head　and　get　her　lips　from　him。　He　gently　pushed　her　back。
　
　‘Pasha；　please　。。。’
　
　She　straightened　a　little。　‘What’s　her　name；　this　girl　you　love？’
　
　Richard　didn’t　want　to　tell　her　Kahlan’s　name。　It　was　his　life。　It　was　private。　These　people　were　his　captors；　not　his　friends。　‘That’s　not　important。　That’s　not　the　issue。’
　
　‘What　does　she　have　that　I　don’t？　Is　she　prettier　than　me？’
　
　You　are　a　girl；　Richard　thought；　and　she　is　a　woman。　But　he　couldn’t　say　that。　You　are　a　pretty　candle；　he　thought；　and　Kahlan　is　the　sunrise。　But　he　couldn’t　say　that　either。
　
　If　he　spurned　Pasha；　he　would　have　war　on　his　hands。　He　had　to　get　out　of　this　without　making　her　feel　resentful　or　rejected。
　
　‘Pasha；　I　am　honored；　I’m　flattered；　I　really　am；　but　you　have　only　known　me　a　day。　We’ve　really　just　met。’
　
　‘Richard；　the　Creator　gives　us　urges；　and　pleasure　from　acting　on　them；　so　we　will　e　to　know　His　beauty　through　His　creation。　There　is　nothing　wrong　with　this。　It　is　a　beautiful　thing。’
　
　‘He　also　gave　us　a　mind　to　decide　what　is　right　and　what　is　wrong。’
　
　Her　chin　lifted　just　a　little。　‘Right；　and　wrong？　If　she　loved　you；　she　would　be　with　you；　she　wouldn’t　have　let　you　go。　That’s　what　is　wrong。　She　thinks　you　aren’t　good　enough　for　her。　She　must　wish　to　be　free　of　you；　if　she　cared　she　would　have　kept　you　with　her。　She’s　gone。　I’m　here　and　I　care。　I　would　fight　to　keep　you。　Did　she　fight？’
　
　Richard’s　mouth　opened；　but　no　words　came　through　the　hurt。　He　felt　as　if　his　will　to　go　on　had　drained　right　out　of　him；　leaving　nothing　but　a　hollow；　dead　shell。
　
　Pasha　reached　out　and　touched　his　cheek。　‘You’ll　see　that　I　care；　Richard。　I　care　more　than　she　does。　You’ll　see。　It’s　right　if　a　person　cares　as　I　do。’　Her　brow　creased　in　worry。　‘Unless　you　think　I’m　unattractive。　Is　that　it？　You’ve　seen　many　women；　and　you　think　that　in　parison；　I’m　ugly？’
　
　Richard　cupped　a　hand　to　the　side　of　her　face。　‘Pasha　。。。　you　are　ravishing。　It’s　not　that。’　He　swallowed　the　dryness；　trying　to　make　his　words　sound　sincere。　‘Pasha；　could　you　just　give　me　some　time？　It’s　simply　too　soon。　Can　you　understand？　Could　you　really　care　for　a　man　who　would　forget　his　feelings　so　easily？　Could　you　just　give　me　some　time？’
　
　She　wrapped　her　arms　around　him　and　laid　her　head　against　his　chest。　‘I　knew　yesterday；　when　you　held　me　so　tenderly；　that　it　was　another　sign　that　the　Creator　had　sent　you　to　me。　I　knew　then　that　I　would　never　want　another。　Since　I’ll　be　yours　forever；　I　can　wait。　We　have　almost　nothing　but　time。　We　have　all　the　time　you　could　possibly　want。　You’ll　see　that　I’m　the　one　for　you。　You　just　tell　me　when　you　are　ready；　and　I’ll　be　yours。’
　
　
　Richard　sighed　as　he　closed　the　door　behind　her。　He　leaned　his　back　against　the　door；　thinking。　He　didn’t　like　deceiving　Pasha；　letting　her　think　that　with　time　he　could　e　to　feel　differently　about　her；　but　he　had　had　to　do　something。　How　shallow　could　Pasha’s　understanding　of　people　be；　for　her　to　think　that　one　could　win　love　by　invoking　lust？
　
　He　took　out　the　lock　of　Kahlan’s　hair；　spinning　it　in　his　fingers　as　he　watched　it。　The　things　Pasha　had　said　about　Kahlan　not　fighting　for　him　made　him　angry。　Pasha　could　never　know　the　struggles　he　and　Kahlan　had　been　through；　the　hardships　they　had　had　to　overe；　the　anguish　they　had　suffered　together；　the　battles　they　had　fought　together。　Pasha　probably　couldn’t　conceive　of　a　woman　of　Kahlan’s　intelligence；　strength；　and　courage。
　
　Kahlan　had　indeed　fought　for　him。　She　had　more　than　once　selflessly　risked　her　life　for　him。　What　could　Pasha　know　of　the　terrors　Kahlan　had　bravely　faced；　and　conquered？　Pasha　wasn’t　woman　enough　to　serve　Kahlan　tea。
　
　He　stuffed　the　lock　of　hair　back　into　his　pocket。　He　forced　his　thoughts　of　Kahlan　from　his　mind。　He　couldn’t　endure　the　pain。　He　had　other　things　to　do。
　
　Going　into　the　bedroom；　he　positioned　the　ash…framed　standing　mirror；　and　then　retrieved　his　pack　from　the　corner。　Richard　pulled　out　the　black　mriswith　cape。　He　threw　it　around　his　shoulders；　and　stood　inspecting　his　image　in　the　mirror。
　
　It　looked　like　a　normal　cape。　He　thought　it　quite　handsome；　actually。　The　cut　and　length　was　right；　the　mriswith　had　been　about　his　size。　The　heavy　fabric　was　inky　black；　almost　as　black　as　a　night　stone　that　Adie　had　given　him　to　help　him　across　the　pass；　almost　as　black　as　the　boxes　of　Orden。　Almost　as　black　as　eternal　death。
　
　But　the　pleasing　cut　of　the　cape　was　not　what　intrigued　him。
　
　Richard　moved　back　against　the　light…brownish　wall。　He　pulled　the　hood　up；　cowling　it　around　his　face；　and　drew　the　cape　closed。　As　he　watched　his　image　in　the　mirror；　he　concentrated　on　the　wall　he　was　standing　against。　In　the　span　of　a　breath；　his　image　vanished。　The　cape　had　bee　the　color　of　the　wall　he　stood　against；　to　such　a　degree　that　only　if　he　stared；　focusing　on　the　edges　of　the　cape；　could　he　distinguish　himself　standing　against　the　wall。　If　he　moved；　it　was　only　slightly　easier　to　pick　out　his　shape　against　the　wall。　Though　his　face　was　exposed；　somehow　the　magic　of　the　cape；　or　possibly　the　cape’s　magic　along　with　his　own；　served　to　mask　it；　too；　to　enfold　it　somehow　into　the　concealing　color。
　
　This　explained　why　the　mriswith　appeared　to　be　different　colors。
　
　Richard　moved　objects　behind　himself；　to　discover　what　effect　they　had。　He　stood　in　front　of　the　wall　and　partly　in　front　of　a　chair　with　his　red　coat　draped　over　it。　The　cape　produced　a　blotch　of　red　that　did　a　good　job　of　mimicking　the　color　and　shape　behind。　Though　it　wasn’t　as　flawless　as　when　he　stood　before　a　plain　wall；　it　would　still　be　easy　to　miss　him　if　he　stood　still。
　
　Movement　would　distort　the　plicated　images；　as　the　cape　changed　to　acmodate　new　conditions；　though　it　still　fooled　the　eye　into　missing　him；　but　if　he　stood　still；　he　virtually　vanished　in　front　of　anything。　The　effect；　at　times；　could　be　dizzying　to　watch。　When　he　stopped　concentrating；’　the　cape　would　return　to　black。
　
　This；　he　thought　as　he　looked　at　himself　in　the　mirror　standing　in　a　simple　black　cape；　was　going　to　be　useful。
　
　
　CHAPTER　56
　
　As　the　weeks　passed；　Richard　was　constantly　busy。
　
　He　remembered　that　Kahlan　and　Zedd　had　told　him　that　there　were　no　wizards　with　the　gift　left　in　the　Midlands。　Small　wonder；　they　seemed　to　all　be　at　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets。　There　were　well　over　a　hundred　boys　and　young　men　at　the　palace。　From　what　Richard　could　discover；　a　goodly　number　of　the　older　ones；　at　least；　were　from　the　Midlands；　with　some　even　from　D’Hara。
　
　Killing　a　mriswith　had　earned　Richard　celebrity　status　among　the　younger　boys。　Two　of　them；　Kipp　and　Hersh；　were　the　most　persistent。　They　followed　him　around；　begging　to　hear　stories　of　his　adventures。　At　times　they　exhibited　the　maturity；　almost　wisdom；　of　old　men。　At　other　times　they；　like　all　boys；　seemed　interested　in　nothing　more　than　mischief。
　
　The　object　of　this　mischief　was　usually　a　Sister。　The　boys　never　seemed　to　tire　of　thinking　up　new　tricks　to　pull　on　them。　Most　of　the　pranks　appeared　to　involve　either　water；　mud；　or　reptiles。　The　Sisters　only　occasionally　erupted　in　anger　when　caught　up　in　the　boys’　antics；　and　even　then；　they　quickly　forgave　them。　As　far　as　Richard　could　tell；　the　boys　never　earned　more　than　a　stern　lecture。
　
　In　the　beginning；　the　young　boys　thought　to　number　Richard　among　their　targets。　Richard　had　things　to　do；　and　had　no　time　or　patience　for　it。　When　the　boys　learned　that　Richard　was　neither　shy　nor　slow　with　discipline；　they　quickly　moved　on　to　other　targets　with　their　buckets　of　water。
　
　The　fact　that　Richard　set　limits　made　Kipp　and　Hersh　like　him　all　the　more。　They　seemed　starved　for　older　male　panionship。　Richard　rewarded　them　with　adventure　stories；　or　sometimes；　when　he　was　going　from　one　place　to　another；　and　their　presence　wouldn’t　impede　his　progress；　he　taught　them　about　the　woods；　tracking；　and　animals。
　
　They　coveted　staying　in　Richard’s　gbod　graces；　so　when　he　wanted　or　needed　to　be　alone；　and　signaled　with　a　finger　or　a　nod；　they　vanished。　Richard　let　them　be　around　often　when　he　was　with　Pasha；　since　he　couldn’t　do　more　important　tasks　then　anyway。　Frustrated；　because　she　couldn’t　seem　to　find　time　alone　with　him；　Pasha　was　somewhat　mollified　when　Richard　got　her　excluded　from　the　boys’　list　of　targets。　She　appreciated　not　having　her　fine　dresses　drenched　or　having　to　worry　about　discovering　a　snake　in　her　shawl。
　
　Richard　occasionally　asked　Kipp　and　Hersh　to　preform　little　errands；　just　to　test　them。　He　had　plans　for　their　talents。
　
　The　other　young　men　in　collars　wanted　to　show　Richard　the　city。　Two；　Perry　and　Isaac；　who　lived　in　Gillaume　Hall　with　him；　took　him　into　the　city　and　showed　him　the　tavern　where　many　of　the　guards　drank；　and　he　soon　after　bought　Swordsman　Kevin　Andellmere　the　ale　he　had　promised　him。
　
　Richard　discovered　that　most　of　the　young　men　spent　their　nights　away　from　the　palace；　staying　in　various　fine　inns　around　the　city。　It　didn’t　take　Richard　long　to　figure　out　why。　They　were　provided　money；　the　same　as　he；　and　they　were　practiced　at　spending　it。　They　bought　themselves　fancy　clothes；　dressing　like　princes；　and　on　their　overnight　stays　they　picked　the　finest　acmodations。
　
　There　was　no　shortage　of　women　wanting　to　share　those　acmodations。　Astonishingly　beautiful　women。
　
　When　Perry　and　Isaac　took　him　to　the　city；　they　were　always　quickly　surrounded　by　attractive　women。　Richard　had　never　seen　women　this　brazen。　Every　evening；　the　two　men　would　each　select　a　woman；　sometimes　several；　and　buy　them　presents；　maybe　a　dress　or　a　bauble；　and　then　depart　for　their　rooms。
　
　The　two　t