tg.stone of tears-第102章

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　Squinting　against　the　blindingly　bright　sun　on　white　snow；　she　saw　the　two　figures；　far　below；　starting　up　the　slope。　She　let　the　round　bone　slip　from　her　fingers。　‘I’m　the　Mother　Confessor。　It’s　my　duty　to　protect　all　the　people　of　the　Midlands；　the　same　way　I　work　to　safeguard　the　Mud　People。’
　
　‘You　bring　no　help　to　my　people；　only　trouble。’
　
　His　protest　seemed　more　habit　than　a　heartfelt　challenge。　She　answered　it　in　a　quiet；　tired　murmur。　‘Enough；　Chandalen。’
　
　Thankfully；　he　didn’t　press　the　argument；　but　turned　his　anger　elsewhere。　‘Prindin　and　Tossidin　should　not　e　up　the　hill　in　the　open　like　that。　I　have　taught　them　not　to　be　so　stupid。　If　they　were　boys；　I　would　strike　their　bottoms。　Anyone　can　see　where　they　go。　Will　you　do　as　I　say；　and　e　out　of　the　open　now？’
　
　She　let　him　shepherd　her　back　into　the　shroud　of　trees；　not　because　she　thought　it　necessary；　but　because　she　wanted　to　let　him　know　she　respected　his　efforts　to　protect　her。　Despite　his　animosity　at　being　forced　to　go　on　this　journey；　he　had　done　his　duty；　watching　over　her　constantly；　as　had　the　two　brothers；　they　with　smiles　and　concern；　he　with　a　scowl　and　suspicion。　All　three　made　her　feel　like　a　precious；　fragile　cargo　that　must　be　tended　at　all　times。　The　brothers；　she　knew；　were　sincere。　Chandalen；　she　was　sure；　saw　his　mission　only　as　a　task　that　must　be　performed；　no　matter　how　onerous。
　
　‘We　should　go　quickly　from　here；’　he　pressed；　again。
　
　Kahlan　withdrew　a　hand　from　under　the　fur　mantle　and　pulled　a　stray　strand　of　her　long　hair　back　from　her　face。　‘It　is　my　duty　to　know　what　has　happened　here。’
　
　‘You　said　your　duty　was　to　go　to　Aydindril；　as　Richard　With　The　Temper　asked。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　away　without　answering；　moving　deeper　into　the　snow…crusted　trees。　She　missed　Richard　more　than　she　could　bear。　Every　time　she　closed　her　eyes；　she　saw　his　face　as　it　had　looked　when　he　thought　she　had　betrayed　him。　She　wanted　to　drop　to　her　knees　and　let　out　the　scream　that　seemed　to　be　always　there；　trapped　just　below　the　surface；　trying　to　find　a　way　past　her　restraint；　a　scream　born　of　her　horror　at　what　she　had　done。
　
　But　what　else　could　she　have　done？　If　what　she　had　learned　was　true；　and　the　veil　to　the　underworld　was　torn　and　Richard　was　in　fact　the　only　one　who　could　close　it；　and　if　the　collar　was　the　only　thing　that　could　save　his　life　and　give　him　the　chance　to　close　the　veil；　then　she　had　had　no　choice。　How　could　she　have　made　any　other　decision？　How　could　Richard　ever　respect　her　if　she　didn’t　face　her　responsibilities　to　the　greater　good？　The　Richard　she　loved　would　eventually　realize　that。　He　had　to。
　
　But　if　any　of　it　was　not　true；　then　she　had　delivered　the　man　she　loved　into　his　worst　nightmare；　for　nothing。
　
　She　wondered　again　if　Richard　often　looked　at　the　lock　of　her　hair　she　had　given　him；　and　thought　of　her。　She　hoped　that　he　could　find　it　in　himself　to　understand　and　forgive　her。　She　wanted　so　much　to　tell　him　how　much　she　loved　him。　She　yearned　to　hold　him　to　her。　She　wanted　only　to　get　to　Aydindril；　to　Zedd；　for　help。
　
　But　she　had　to　know　what　had　happened　here。　She　stiffened　her　back　with　resolve。　She　was　the　Mother　Confessor。
　
　She　had　intended　to　skirt　Ebinissia；　but　for　the　last　two　days　they　had　been　ing　across　the　frozen　corpses　of　women。　Never　any　men；　only　women；　from　young　to　old；　children　to　grandmothers。　Most　were　half　naked；　some　without　clothes　at　all。　And　in　the　dead　of　winter。　While　most　had　been　alone；　a　few　were　together；　huddled　in　frozen　death；　too　exhausted；　or　too　frightened；　or　too　disoriented　to　have　sought　shelter。　They　had　run　from　Ebinissia　not　in　disorderly　haste；　but　in　panic；　choosing　to　freeze　to　death　rather　than　remain。
　
　Most；　too；　had　been　badly　abused　before　they　had　scattered　in　every　direction　into　the　mountainous　countryside。　Kahlan　knew　what　had　been　done　to　them；　what　had　made　them　make　the　choice　they　did。　The　three　men　knew；　too；　but　none　would　voice　it　aloud。
　
　She　pulled　her　warm　mantle　tighter　around　herself。　This　atrocity　couldn’t　have　been　at　the　hands　of　the　armies　from　D’Hara；　it　was　far　too　recent。　The　troops　from　D’Hara　had　been　called　home。　Surely；　they　wouldn’t　have　done　this　after　they　had　been　told　the　war　was　ended。
　
　Unable　to　stand　for　another　moment　not　knowing　what　fate　had　befallen　Ebinissia；　she　pushed　her　bow　farther　up　on　her　shoulder　and　started　down　the　hillside。　Her　leg　muscles　were　at　long　last　used　to　the　wide…footed　gait　needed　to　walk　on　the　snowshoes　the　men　had　made　from　willow　and　sinew。　Chandalen　charged　after　her。
　
　‘You　must　not　go　down　there。　There　could　be　dangerous。’
　
　‘Danger；’　she　corrected　as　she　hitched　her　pack　up　higher。　‘If　there　was　danger；　Prindin　and　Tossidin　would　not　be　out　in　the　open。　You　may　e；　or　you　may　wait　here；　but　I’m　going　down　there。’
　
　Knowing　argument　was　useless；　he　followed　in　a　rare　fit　of　silence。　The　bright　afternoon　sun　brought　no　warmth　to　the　bitterly　cold　day。　There　was　usually　wind　at　the　fringe　of　the　Rang’Shada　Mountains；　but　thankfully　there　was　little　this　day；　for　a　change。　It　hadn’t　snowed　for　several　days；　and　they　had　been　able　to　make　better　time　in　the　clear　weather。　Still；　with　every　breath　she　took；　the　air　felt　as　if　it　were　turning　the　inside　of　her　nose　to　ice。
　
　She　intercepted　Prindin　and　Tossidin　halfway　down　the　slope。　They　brought　themselves　to　a　halt　before　her；　leaning　on　their　spears；　breathing　heavily；　which　was　unusual　for　them　as　nothing　seemed　to　tire　them；　but　they　were　unaccustomed　to　the　altitude。　Their　faces　were　pale；　and　their　handsome　twin　smiles　long　gone。
　
　‘Please；　Mother　Confessor；’　Prindin　said；　pausing　to　catch　his　breath　from　the　strenuous　climb；　‘you　must　not　go　to　that　place。　The　ancestor　spirits　of　those　people　have　abandoned　them。’
　
　Kahlan　untied　a　waterskin　from　her　waist　and　pulled　it　from　under　her　mantle；　where　her　body’s　heat　kept　the　water　from　freezing。　She　held　it　up　to　Prindin；　urging　him　to　take　a　drink　before　questioning　him。
　
　‘What　did　you　see？　You　didn’t　go　into　the　city；　did　you？　I　told　you　not　to　go　inside　the　walls。’
　
　Prindin　handed　the　waterskin　to　his　panting　brother。　‘No。
　
　We　stay　hidden；　as　you　told　us。　We　do　not　go　inside；　but　we　do　not　need　to。’　He　licked　a　drop　of　water　from　his　lower　lip。　‘We　see　enough　from　outside。’
　
　She　took　back　the　waterskin　when　Tossidin　finished；　and　replaced　the　stopper。　‘Did　you　see　any　people？’
　
　Tossidin　stole　a　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder；　down　the　hill。　‘We　see　many　people。’
　
　Prindin　wiped　his　nose　on　the　back　of　his　hand　as　he　looked　from　his　brother　to　her。　‘Dead　people。’
　
　‘How　many？　Dead　from　what？’
　
　Tossidin　tugged　loose　the　thong　holding　his　fur　mantle　tight　at　his　neck。　‘Dead　from　fighting。　Most　are　men　with　weapons：　swords　and　spears　and　bows。　There　are　more　than　I　know　the　words　to　count。　I　have　never　seen　that　many　men。　In　my　whole　life；　I　have　not　seen　that　many　men。　There　has　been　war　here。　War；　and　killing　of　those　defeated。’
　
　Kahlan　stared　at　them　for　a　moment　as　horror　threatened　to　choke　off　her　breath。　She　had　hoped　that　somehow　the　people　of　Ebinissia　had　escaped；　that　they　had　fled。
　
　A　war。　Had　the　D’Haran　forces　done　this　after　the　war　was　ended？　Or　was　it　something　else？
　
　Her　muscles　at　last　unlocked　and　she　started　down　the　hill；　the　mantle　billowing　open；　letting　in　the　icy　air。　Her　heart　pounded　with　dread　at　what　had　befallen　the　people　of　Ebinissia。　‘I　must　go　down　there　to　see　what　has　happened。’
　
　‘Please；　Mother　Confessor；　do　not　go；’　Prindin　called　after　her。　‘It　is　bad　to　see。’
　
　The　three　men　jumped　to　follow　as　she　marched　down　the　hill；　the　slope　speeding　her　effort。　‘I　have　seen　dead　people　before。’
　
　They　began　encountering　the　sprawled　corpses　…　apparently　the　sites　of　skirmishes　…　a　good　distance　from　the　city　walls。　Snow　had　drifted　against　them；　partially　covering　them。　In　one　place；　a　hand　reached　up　from　the　snow；　as　if　the　man　below　were　drowning；　and　reaching　for　air。　Most　had　not　been　touched　by　animals　or　birds；　there　being　an　overabundance　for　scavengers。　All　were　soldiers　of　the　Galean　army；　frozen　in　death　where　they　had　fallen；　blood…soaked　clothes　frozen　rock…solid　to　them；　ghastly　wounds　frozen　open。
　
　At　the　south　wall；　where　huge　oak　doors　crisscrossed　with　iron　strapping　had　stood；　was　a　gaping　hole　through　the　stone；　its　edges　melted　and　burned　black。　Kahlan　stood　staring　at　rock　melted　like　wax　from　a　candle　that　had　guttered。　She　knew　of　only　one　power　that　could　do　that：　wizard’s　fire。
　
　Her　mind　fought　to　understand　what　she　was　seeing。　She　knew　what　the　results　of　wizard’s　fire　looked　like；　but　there　were　no　more　wizards。　Except　Zedd　and；　she　guessed；　Richard。　But　this　would　not　have　been　Zedd’s　deed。
　
　Outside　the　walls；　off　to　either　side；　headless　corpses　were　heaped　in　huge；　frozen　mounds。　Heads　stared　out　from　less　orderly　piles　of　their　own。　Swords　and　shields　and　spears　were　discarded　to　separate　heaps；　looking　like　great；　dead；　steel　porcupines。　This　had　been　a　mass　execution；　carried　o