tg.wizardfirstrule-第85章

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e　four　young　women　shook　their　bowed　heads；　declining；　then　watched　Richard。　Kahlan　waited　until　he　took　a　bite；　met　the　Bird　Man's　eyes　briefly；　then　turned　once　more　to　watch　the　fires。
　
　〃You　know；　I'm　having　a　hard　time　deciding　which　one　of　these　fine　young　women　to　pick；〃　Richard　said　after　he　swallowed　the　first　bite。　〃Do　you　think　you　could　help　me；　Kahlan？　Which　one　should　I　choose？　What　do　you　think？〃
　
　Struggling　to　slow　her　breathing；　she　looked　over　at　his　grinning　face。　〃You　are　right；　it　is　a　difficult　choice。　I　think　I　would　rather　leave　it　to　you。〃
　
　He　ate　some　more　meat　as　she　clenched　her　teeth　and　swallowed　hard。
　
　〃This　is　kind　of　strange；　I've　never　had　anything　like　it　before。〃　He　paused；　his　voice　changed。　〃What　is　it？〃　The　question　had　an　edge　to　it　that　frightened　her；　almost　made　her　jump。　He　had　a　threatening；　hard　look　in　his　eyes。　She　hadn't　intended　to　tell　him；　but　the　way　he　looked　at　her　made　her　forget　that　pledge。　
　
　She　asked　the　Bird　Man；　then　turned　back　to　him。　〃He　says　it　is　a　firefighter。〃
　
　〃A　firefighter。〃　Richard　leaned　forward。　〃What　kind　of　animal　is　a　firefighter？〃　Kahlan　looked　into　his　piercing　gray　eyes。　In　a　soft　voice　she　answered；　〃One　of　Darken　Rahl's　men。〃
　
　〃I　see。〃　He　leaned　back。
　
　He　knew。　She　realized　he　had　known　before　he　asked　her　the　question。　He　wanted　to　see　if　she　would　lie　to　him。
　
　〃Who　are　these　firefighters？〃
　
　She　asked　the　elders　how　they　had　e　to　know　about　the　firefighters。　Savidlin　was　only　too　eager　to　tell　the　story。　When　he　finished；　she　turned　back　to　Richard。
　
　〃Firefighters　are　enforcers　who　travel　the　country　to　bring　Rahl's　decree　that　people　are　not　allowed　to　use　fire。　They　can　be　quite　brutal　in　their　task。　Savidlin　says　two　of　them　came　here　a　few　weeks　back；　told　them　fire　was　outlawed；　and　then　threatened　them　when　the　Mud　People　wouldn't　agree　to　follow　the　new　law。　They　feared　the　two　would　go　back　and　bring　more　men。。　So　they　killed　them。　The　Mud　People　believe　they　can　gain　their　enemies'　wisdom　by　eating　them。　To　be　a　man　among　the　Mud　People；　to　be　one　of　them；　you　must　eat　it　also；　so　you　will　have　the　knowledge　of　their　enemies。　It　is　the　main　purpose　of　banquets。　That；　and　to　call　the　ancestors'　spirits。〃
　
　〃And　have　I　eaten　enough　of　it　to　satisfy　the　elders？〃　The　expression　in　his　eyes　cut　through　her。
　
　She　wished　she　could　run　away。　〃Yes。〃
　
　With　deliberate　care；　Richard　laid　down　the　piece　of　flesh。　The　smile　returned　to　his　lips；　and　he　looked　to　the　four　young　women　as　he　spoke　to　her；　wrapping　his　arms　around　the　two　closest　to　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　do　me　a　favor。　Go　and　get　me　an　apple　out　of　my　pack。　I　feel　like　I　need　something　familiar　to　clear　this　taste　out　of　my　mouth。〃
　
　〃Your　legs　work；〃　she　snapped。
　
　〃Yes；　but　I　need　to　devote　some　time　to　deciding　which　one　of　these　beautiful　young　women　I　will　lie　with。〃
　
　Rising　to　her　feet；　she　shot　the　Bird　Man　a　furious　glare；　and　then　stormed　off　toward　Savidlin's　house。　She　was　glad　to　be　away　from　Richard；　to　be　away　from　watching　those　girls　pawing　him。
　
　Her　fingernails　dug　into　her　palms；　but　she　didn't　notice　as　she　marched　past　the　happy　people。　The　dancers　danced；　the　drummers　drummed；　the　children　laughed。　People　she　passed　wished　her　well。　She　wanted　one　of　them　to　say　something　mean　so　she　would　have　an　excuse　to　hit　someone。
　
　When　she　reached　Savidlin's　house；　she　went　inside　and　flopped　down　on　the　skin　that　covered　the　floor；　trying　unsuccessfully　to　keep　from　crying。　Just　a　few　minutes；　she　told　herself；　that　was　all　she　needed　to　bring　herself　back　under　control。　Richard　was　doing　what　the　Mud　People　demanded；　what　she　herself　had　promised　the　Bird　Man　he　would　do。　She　had　no　right　to　be　angry；　none　at　all；　Richard　was　not　hers。　She　cried　with　deep　pain。　She　had　no　right　to　feel　this　way；　no　right　to　be　angry　with　him。　But　she　was；　she　was　furious。
　
　She　remembered　what　she　had　told　the　Bird　Man…trouble　of　her　own　making；　with　consequences　she　must　bear；　and　feared　greatly。
　
　Richard　was　just　doing　what　was　necessary　to　get　a　gathering；　what　was　necessary　to　find　the　box　and　stop　Rahl。　Kahlan　wiped　the　tears　from　her　eyes。
　
　But　he　didn't　have　to　be　so　delighted　about　it。　He　could　do　it　without　acting　like　。　。　。
　
　She　snatched　an　apple　from　his　pack。　What　did　it　matter。　She　couldn't　change　the　way　things　were。　But　she　didn't　have　to　be　happy　about　it。　She　bit　her　lip　as　she　stomped　out　the　door；　trying　to　make　her　face　once　again　show　nothing。　At　least　it　was　dark。
　
　When　she　had　crossed　the　gauntlet　of　celebration；　she　found　Richard　with　his　shirt　oft。　The　girls　were　painting　him　with　Mud　People　symbols　of　the　hunter。　Their　fingers　were　applying　the　black　and　white　mud　in　jagged　lines　across　his　chest；　in　rings　around　his　upper　arms。　They　stopped　when　she　stood　over　them；　glaring　down。
　
　〃Here。〃　She　slapped　the　apple　in　his　hand　and　sat　down　in　a　huff。
　
　〃I　still　haven't　been　able　to　decide；〃　he　said；　polishing　the　apple　on　his　pants　leg；　looking　from　one　girl　to　another。　〃Kahlan；　are　you　sure　you　don't　have　a　preference？　I　could　use　your　help。〃　His　voice　lowered　meaningfully；　the　hard　edge　returning。　〃I'm　surprised　you　didn't　just　pick　one　for　me　in　the　first　place。〃
　
　Stunned；　her　eyes　came　up　to　his。　He　knew。　He　knew　this；　too；　was　a　mitment　she　had　made　on　his　behalf。　〃No。　Whatever　you　decide　will　be　fine；　I'm　sure。〃　She　looked　away　again。
　
　〃Kahlan；〃　he　asked；　waiting　until　she　turned　back　to　him；　〃are　any　of　these　girls　related　to　the　elders？〃
　
　She　looked　again　at　their　faces。　〃The　one　at　your　right　arm。　The　Bird　Man　is　her　uncle。
　
　〃Uncle！〃　His　smile　widened　as　he　continued　to　polish　the　apple　on　his　leg。　〃Well；　then；　I　guess　I'll　pick　her。　It　will　be　a　sign　of　respect　for　the　elders；　that　I　pick　the　Bird　Man's　niece。〃
　
　He　took　the　girl's　head　in　both　of　his　hands；　kissing　her　on　the　forehead。　She　beamed。　The　Bird　Man　beamed。　The　elders　beamed。　The　other　girls　left。
　
　Kahlan　glanced　back　at　the　Bird　Man；　and　he　gave　her　a　look　of　sympathy；　a　look　that　said　he　was　sorry。　She　turned；　staring　absently；　painfully；　out　into　the　night。　So　now　Richard　had　picked。　So　now；　she　though　bleakly；　the　elders　would　perform　a　ceremony　and　the　happy　couple　would　be　going　off　somewhere　to　make　a　baby。　She　watched　the　other　couples　walking；　hand　in　hand；　happy　to　be　together。　Kahlan　swallowed　back　the　lump；　the　tears。　She　heard　the　snap　as　Richard　bit　into　his　stupid；　stupid　apple。
　
　And　then　she　heard　a　collective　gasp　from　the　elders　and　their　wives；　then　shouts。
　
　The　apple！　In　the　Midlands；　red　fruit　was　poison！　They　didn't　know　what　an　apple　was！　They　thought　Richard　was　eating　poison！　She　spun　around。
　
　Richard　was　holding　his　arm　back　to　the　elders；　manding　silence；　and　for　them　to　stay　put。　But　he　was　looking　right　into　her　eyes。
　
　〃Tell　them　to　sit　down；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice。
　
　Wide…eyed；　she　looked　back　at　the　elders　and　told　them　what　Richard　had　said。　They　lowered　themselves　uncertainly　back　in　place。　He　leaned　back；　turning　casually　to　them；　an　innocent　expression　on　his　face。
　
　〃You　know；　back　in　Hartland；　in　Westland；　where　I　am　from；　we　eat　these　things　all　the　time。〃　He　took　a　couple　more　bites。　Their　eyes　were　wide。　〃Have　for　as　long　as　anyone　knows。　Men　and　women　both　eat　them。　We　have　healthy　children。〃　He　snapped　off　another　piece；　turning　and　watching　her　as　she　translated。　He　chewed　slowly；　prolonging　the　tension。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　Bird　Man。　〃'Course；　it　could　be　that　it　makes　a　man's　seed　poison　to　any　woman　other　than　one　of　our　own。　Never　been　put　to　the　test；　far　as　I　know。〃
　
　He　let　his　gaze　settle　back　on　Kahlan　as　he　took　another　bite；　letting　his　words　sink　in　after　she　translated。　The　girl　next　to　him　was　getting　nervous。　The　elders　were　getting　nervous。　The　Bird　Man　showed　no　emotion。　Richard　had　his　arms　half　folded；　one　elbow　resting　in　his　other　hand；　so　he　could　hold　the　apple　near　his　mouth；　where　everyone　could　see　it。　He　started　to　take　a　bite；　then　stopped；　thinking　to　offer　a　bite　to　the　Bird　Man's　niece。　She　turned　her　head　away。　He　looked　back　at　the　elders。
　
　〃I　find　them　quite　good。　Really。〃　He　shrugged。　〃But　then；　there　is　the　thing　about　them　maybe　making　my　seed　poison。　But　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I'm　not　willing　to　try。　I　just　thought　you　should　know；　that's　all。　I　wouldn't　want　it　to　be　said　I　wasn't　willing　to　go　along　with　the　duties　that　go　with　being　a　Mud　Person。　I　am。　More　than　willing。〃　He　ran　the　back　of　his　finger　down　the　girl's　cheek。　〃I　assure　you；　it　would　be　an　honor。　This　fine　young　woman　will　make　a　splendid　mother　for　my　child；　I　am　sure。〃　Richard　let　out　a　sigh。　〃If　she　lives；　of　course。〃　He　took　another　bite。
　
　The　elders　looked　apprehensively　from　one　to　another。　None　spoke。　The　mood　on　the　platform　had　definitely　changed。　They　were　no　longer　in　control；　Richard　was。　It　had　happened　in　a　blink。　They　were　now　afraid　to　move　much　more　than　their　eyes。　Without　looking　at　them；　Richard　went　on。
　
　〃'Course；　it's　up　to　you。　I'm　willing　to　give　it　a　try；　but　I　thought　you　should　kn