tg.wizardfirstrule-第114章

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old　it　in；　and　use　it　by　releasing　our　grip　of　it；　relaxing　our　hold　and　letting　it　e　forth。〃
　
　〃Sort　of　like　holding　your　stomach　in？〃
　
　She　smiled　at　his　analogy。　〃Sort　of。〃
　
　〃And　what　does　this　power　do？〃
　
　She　twisted　the　corner　of　her　cloak。　〃It　does　not　reveal　itself　well　in　words。　I　never　thought　it　would　be　this　troublesome　to　explain；　but　to　someone　who　is　not　from　the　Midlands；　well；　it's　difficult　to　put　into　words。　I　have　never　had　to　do　this　before；　and　I'm　not　even　sure　it　can　be　done；　accurately。　It's　a　little　like　trying　to　explain　fog　to　a　blind　person。〃
　
　〃Try。〃
　
　She　nodded　and　stole　a　look　into　his　eyes。
　
　〃It　is　the　power　of　love。〃
　
　Richard　almost　laughed。　〃And　I'm　supposed　to　be　afraid　of　the　power　of　love？〃
　
　Kahlan's　back　stiffened；　indignation　flared　in　her　eyes：　indignation　and　the　kind　of　timeless　look　Adie　and　Shota　had　flashed　him；　one　that　said　that　his　words　were　disrespectful；　that　even　his　small　smile　was　insolent。　It　was　a　countenance　he　was　not　used　to　seeing　her　direct　at　him。　He　felt　a　cold　realization　that　Kahlan　was　not　used　to　having　anyone　smile　about　her　power；　and　who　she　was。　Her　look　said　more　to　him　about　her　power　than　any　words　could　have。　Whatever　her　magic　was；　it　was　definitely　not　something　to　be　smiled　about。　His　small　grin　withered。　When　she　seemed　sure　he　was　not　about　to　say　anything　else　flippant；　she　went　on。
　
　〃You　don't　understand。　Do　not　take　it　lightly。〃　Her　eyes　narrowed。　〃Once　touched　by　it；　you　are　no　longer　the　person　you　were。　You　are　changed　forever。　Forevermore　you　are　devoted　to　the　one　who　touches　you；　to　the　exclusion　of　all　else。　What　you　wanted；　what　you　were；　who　you　were；　no　longer　‘means　anything　to　you。　You　would　do　anything　for　the　one　who　touches　you。　Your　life　is　no　longer　yours；　it　is　hers。　Your　soul　is　no　longer　yours；　it　is　hers。　The　person　you　were　no　longer　exists。〃
　
　Richard　felt　bumps　on　the　skin　of　his　arms。　〃How　long　does　this；　this；　magic；　whatever　it　is；　how　long　does　it　last？〃
　
　〃As　long　as　the　one　I　touch　is　alive；〃　she　said　evenly。
　
　Richard　felt　the　chill　run　the　rest　of　the　way　through　him。　〃So；　it's　sort　of　like　you　bewitch　people？〃
　
　She　let　out　a　breath。　〃Not　exactly；　but　if　it　helps　you　to　understand；　I　guess　you　could　put　it　that　way。　But　the　touch　of　a　Confessor　is　much　more。　Much　more　powerful；　and　final。　A　bewitching　could　be　removed。　My　touch　cannot。　Shota　was　bewitching　you；　even　though　you　did　not　realize　it。　It's　an　incremental　thing。　Witches　cannot　help　it；　it's　their　way。　But　your　anger；　and　the　anger　from　the　sword；　protected　you。
　
　〃The　touch　of　my　power　is　all　at　once；　and　final。　Nothing　could　protect　you。　The　person　I　touch　cannot　be　brought　back；　because　once　I　touch　them；　that　person　is　no　longer　there。　That　person　is　gone　forever。　Their　free　will　is　gone　forever。　One　reason　I　was　afraid　to　go　to　Shota　was　because　witches　hate　Confessors。　They　are　fiercely　jealous　of　our　power；　jealous　that　once　touched；　the　person　is　totally　devoted。　The　one　touched　by　a　Confessor　would　do　anything　she　says。〃　She　gave　him　a　hard　look。　〃Anything。〃
　
　Richard　felt　his　mouth　go　dry　as　his　thoughts　scattered　in　every　direction　at　once；　trying　desperately　to　hold　on　to　his　hopes；　his　dreams。　The　only　way　he　could　hold　it　together；　and　gain　time　to　think；　was　to　ask　questions。　〃Does　it　work　on　everyone？〃
　
　〃Everyone　human。　Except　Darken　Rahl。　The　wizards　warned　me　that　the　magic　of　Orden　protects　him　from　our　touch。　He　has　nothing　to　fear　from　me。　On　those　who　are　not　human；　it　mostly　doesn't　work　because　they　don't　have　the　capacity　for　passion；　which　the　magic　requires　in　order　to　work。　A　gar；　for　example；　would　not　be　changed　by　my　touch。　It　works　on　some　other　creatures；　but　not　exactly　the　same　as　it　does　a　human。〃
　
　He　watched　her　from　under　his　eyebrows。　〃Shar？　You　touched　her；　didn't　you？〃
　
　Kahlan　nodded　and　leaned　back　a　little；　the　slump　_　settling　back　into　her　shoulders。　〃Yes。　She　was　dying；　and　lonely。　She　was　suffering　the　pain　of　being　away　from　her　kind；　the　pain　of　dying　alone。　She　asked　me　to　touch　her。　My　touch　took　her　fear；　and　replaced　it　with　a　love　for　me　that　left　no　room　for　her　own　pain；　for　her　own　loneliness。　Nothing　was　left　of　her　except　her　love　for　me。〃
　
　〃What　about　when　I　first　met　you；　when　the　quad　was　chasing　us？　You　touched　one　of　those　men　too；　didn't　you？〃
　
　Kahlan　nodded；　leaning　back　the　rest　of　the　way　against　the　log；　pulling　her　cloak　around　her；　looking　into　the　fire。　〃Even　though　they　are　sworn　to　kill　me；　once　I　touch　one　of　them；　they　are　mine；〃　she　said　with　finality。　〃They　will　fight　to　the　death　to　protect　me。　That　is　the　reason　Rahl　sends　four　men　to　kill　a　Confessor；　it's　expected　she　will　touch　one；　then　there　are　three　left　to　kill　him；　and　her。　It　takes　the　three　left　because　the　one　will　fight　so　fiercely　he　usually　kills　one；　often　two；　but　that　still　leaves　at　least　one　to　kill　the　Confessor。　On　a　rare　occasion；　he　will　kill　the　remaining　three。　That　happened　to　me　with　the　quad　that　chased　me　before　the　wizards　sent　me　across　the　boundary。　A　quad　is　the　most　economical　unit　to　send；　they　almost　always　succeed；　and　if　they　don't；　Rahl　will　simply　send　another。
　
　〃We　weren't　killed　on　the　cliff　because　you　separated　them。　The　one　I　touched　killed　the　other　with　him　while　you　held　off　the　other　two；　then　he　went　after　the　remaining　two；　but　you　had　pushed　one　off　the　edge；　so　he　used　his　own　life　to　take　the　leader　over　the　cliff。　He　did　that　because　then　there　wouldn't　be　any　chance　of　losing　in　a　sword　fight。　It　meant　his　life　too；　but　that　didn't　matter　to　him　after　I　touched　him。　It　was　the　only　way　for　him　to　be　sure　he　protected　me。〃
　
　〃Can't　you　simply　touch　all　four？〃
　
　〃No。　The　power　is　expended　with　each　use。　It　takes　time　for　it　to　recover。〃
　
　He　felt　the　hilt　of　his　sword　against　his　elbow　and　a　sudden　thought　came　to　him。　〃When　we　came　through　the　boundary；　and　that　last　man　of　the　quad　was　after　you；　and　I　killed　him　。　。　。　I　wasn't　really　saving　you；　was　L〃
　
　She　was　silent　for　a　moment　before　answering。　〃One　man；　no　matter　how　big；　or　strong；　is　no　threat　to　a　Confessor；　even　a　weak　Confessor；　much　less　me。　If　you　hadn't　e　when　you　did　。。　。　I　would　have　dealt　with　him。　I'm　sorry；　Richard；〃　she　whispered；　〃but　there　was　no　need　for　you　to　have　killed　him。　I　could　have　handled　it。〃
　
　〃Well；〃　he　said　dryly；　〃at　least　I　saved　you　from　having　to　do　it。〃
　
　She　didn't　answer；　only　looked　sadly　at　him。　It　seemed　she　had　nothing　to　say　that；　could　bring　him　any　fort。　〃How　much　time？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃How　much　time　does　it　take　to　recover　after　a　Confessor　has　used　her　power？〃
　
　〃In　every　Confessor　the　power　is　different。　In　some　it　is　weaker；　and　it　may　take　several　days　and　nights　to　recover。　In　most；　it　takes　about　one　day　and　one　night。〃
　
　Richard　looked　over　at　her。　〃And　in　you？〃
　
　She　looked　up　at　his　eyes；　…almost　as　if　she　wished　he　hadn't　asked　the　question。　〃About　two　hours。。〃
　
　He　turned　back　to　the　fire；　not　liking　the　sound　of　her　answer。　〃Is　that　unusual？〃　She　let　out　a　breath。　〃So　I　have　been　told。〃　Her　voice　sounded　weary。　〃Shorter　time　to　recover　the　power　also　means　the　power　is　stronger；　works　more　powerfully　in　the　one　touched。　That　is　why　some　of　the　quad　members　I　touch　are　able　to　kill　the　other　three。　It　would　not　be　so　for　a　Confessor　with　a　weaker　power。
　
　〃Confessors　have　position　according　to　their　power；　because　the　ones　with　the　strongest　power　will　bear　daughters　who　have　the　best　chance　of　having　that　stronger　power。　There　is　no　jealousy　among　the　Confessors　for　those　with　the　strongest　power；　only　deeper　affection　and　devotion　in　times　of　trouble；　like　since　Rahl　came　through　the　boundary。　The　lower　ranks　will　protect　the　higher；　with　their　lives　if　need　be。〃
　
　He　knew　she　wasn't　going　to　say　it　unless　he　asked；　so　he　did。　〃And　what　is　your　rank？〃
　
　Her　eyes　stared　unblinking　at　the　fire。　〃All　Confessors　follow　me。　Many　laid　down　their　lives　to　protect　mine　。　。　。〃　Her　voice　caught　for　a　moment。　〃。　。　。　that　I　might　survive；　and　somehow　use　my　power　to　stop　Rahl。　Of　course；　there　are　none　to　follow　me　now。　I　am　the　only　one　left。　Darken　Rahl　has　killed　every　last　one。〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　Kahlan；〃　he　said　softly。　He　was　only；　just　beginning　to　prehend　the　importance　of　the　woman　she　was。　〃So；　do　you　have　a　title？　What　do　people　call　you？〃
　
　〃I　am　the　Mother　Confessor。〃
　
　Richard　tensed。　The　sound　of　〃Mother　Confessor〃　had　the　chill　of　terrible　authority　to　it。　Richard　felt　a　little　overwhelmed。　He　had　always　known　Kahlan　was　important；　but　he　had　dealt　with　important　people　when　he　was　a　guide；　and　had　learned　not　to　be　awed　by　them。　But　he　never　knew　she　was　someone　of　such　prominence。　Mother　Confessor。　Even　if　he　was　just　a　guide；　and　she　was　this　important；　he　didn't　care；　he　could　live　with　that。　Surely；　she　could；　too。　He　wasn't　going　to　lose　her；　or　send　her　away　because　of　who　she　was。
　
　〃I　don't　know　what　that　means。　Is　it　something　like　a　princess；　or　a　queen？〃
　
　Kahlan　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　〃Queens　bow　down　to　the　Mother　Confessor。〃
　
　Now　h