tg.stone of tears-第139章

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hem。　Chan…dalen；　Prindin；　and　Tossidin　had　obviously　been　at　work。　The　sentries　put　fists　to　hearts　when　they　recognized　her。
　
　The　dawn　was　turning　the　sky　to　a　dark　steel　gray。　It　was　warmer　than　it　had　been；　with　the　clouds　covering　the　land　like　a　warming　quilt。　She　was　dead　tired　in　the　saddle　as　Nick　plodded　through　the　snow　toward　the　camp；　but　as　she　came　into　sight　of　men　rushing　about；　she　came　alert　with　the　thoughts　of　what　needed　to　be　done。
　
　Chandalen；　Prindin；　Captain　Ryan；　and　Lieutenant　Hobson　were　speaking　with　a　group　of　men　when　they　saw　her　riding　toward　the　camp。　The　four　came　at　a　run　to　meet　her　at　the　edge　of　the　activity。　Men　were　cooking；　eating；　stowing　gear；　preparing　weapons；　and　tending　to　wagons　and　horses。　She　spotted　Tossidin；　in　his　white　wolf　mantle；　off　some　distance　with　Lieutenant　Sloan；　waving　his　arms　in　explanation　as　he　talked　to　men　who　stood　mute；　with　their　spears　all　standing　upright　in　the　snow；　the　tight　mob　of　them　looking　like　a　dark　porcupine　against　the　white　ground。
　
　Kahlan　let　out　a　weary　moan　as　she　dismounted　before　the　four　men　who　had　e　to　greet　her。　Other　men　all　around　kept　to　their　tasks；　but　moved　more　slowly　as　they　watched　her　with　great　interest。　The　four　before　her　stared　openly　with　wide　eyes。　None　said　a　word。
　
　‘What　are　you　all　staring　at？’　she　said；　a　little　short…tempered。
　
　‘Mother　Confessor；’　Captain　Ryan　said；　‘you’re　covered　in　blood。　Are　you　hurt？’
　
　Kahlan　stared　down　at　the　white　wolf　fur　of　her　mantle；　only　it　was　no　longer　white。　She　realized　for　the　first　time　that　the　skin　of　her　face　was　tight　with　dried　blood；　her　hair　stiff　with　it。
　
　‘Oh；’　she　said；　in　a　quieter　tone。　‘It’s　all　right。　I’m　fine。’
　
　Chandalen　and　Prindin　sighed　with　relief。
　
　Lieutenant　Hobson；　still　wide…eyed；　swallowed。　‘What　of　the　wizard？　Did　you　see　him？’
　
　She　lifted　an　eyebrow　to　him。　‘What　you　see　on　me　is　what’s　left　of　him。’
　
　Chandalen　appraised　her　with　a　sly　smile。　‘And　how　many　others　did　you　kill？’
　
　Kahlan　gave　a　tired　shrug。　‘I　was　awfully　busy。　I　didn’t　take　the　time　to　count；　but　all　things　considered；　I　would　guess；　including　the　fires；　well　over　a　hundred。　The　wizard　is　dead；　that’s　what　matters。　Two　of　their　manders　are　dead　also；　and　at　least　two　more　are　wounded。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　and　Lieutenant　Hobson　paled。
　
　Chandalen’s　proud　grin　widened。　‘I　am　surprised　you　left　any　for　others　to　kill；　Mother　Confessor。’
　
　She　didn’t　return　his　smile。　‘There　are　plenty　left。’　Kahlan　rubbed　her　horse’s　nose。　‘Nick　did　most　of　the　work。’
　
　‘I　told　you　he　wouldn’t　let　you　down；　Mother　Confessor；’　Hobson　said。
　
　That　he　did　not。　He　was　better　aid　than　the　good　spirits。　He　kept　me　alive　this　day。’
　
　Kahlan　lowered　herself　to　one　knee　in　the　snow　before　the　two　Galean　officers。　She　bowed　her　head。
　
　‘I　find　I　must　beseech　your　forgiveness。’　She　took　a　hand　of　each　in　hers。　Though　you　are　ignorant　of　how　to　acplish　what　must　be　done；　you　have　put　your　duty　to　the　Midlands　before　my　orders。　That　was　courage　of　the　highest　order。　I　want　you　all　to　know　I　was　wrong。　You　acted　of　noble　intent。’　She　kissed　each　hand。　‘I　laud　your　righteous　hearts。　You　have　kept　in　mind　your　duty　above　all　else。　I　beg　you　forgive　me。’
　
　There　was　silence　as　she　knelt　on　one　knee。　At　last　Captain　Ryan　whispered　down　to　her。
　
　‘Mother　Confessor；　please。　Get　up。　Everyone’s　watching。’
　
　‘Not　until　you　forgive　me。　I　want　everyone　to　know　you　did　the　right　thing。’
　
　‘But　you　didn’t　realize　what　we　were　doing；　or　why。　You　had　only　our　safety　in　mind。’　Kahlan　waited　and　he　was　silent　in　embarrassment　a　moment　longer。　All　right。　I　forgive　you。。。。　Don’t　do　it　again？’
　
　She　came　to　her　feet；　releasing　their　hands　and　giving　them　a　small；　humorless　smile。　‘See　that　that　is　the　last　time　you　ever　disobey　me。’
　
　Captain　Ryan　nodded　in　earnest。　‘I　will。’　He　shook　his　head。　‘I　mean；　no；　I　won’t；　I　mean　I　。。。　We　will　do　as　you　mand；　Mother　Confessor。’
　
　‘I　understand　what　you　mean；　Captain。’　She　let　out　a　tired　sigh。　‘We　have　a　lot　of　work　to　do　before　we　attack　those　men。’
　
　‘We！’　Chandalen　shouted。　‘We　were　only　to　teach　them　some　things；　and　then　‘we’　are　to　be　on　our　way　to　Aydin…dril！　We　cannot　bee　caught　up　in　this　battle。　You　have　already　taken　enough　chances！　We　must。。。’
　
　Kahlan　interrupted　him。　‘I　must　talk　to　you　three。　Bring　Tossidin。　Captain；　please　collect　the　men；　including　the　sentries。　I　want　to　speak　to　you　all　together。　Please　wait　with　your　men。　I　will　be　with　you　shortly。　And　leave　a　tent　up　for　me。　I　need　a　few　hours’　sleep　while　things　are　being　prepared。’
　
　She　walked　off　a　ways；　out　of　earshot　of　the　camp；　with　Chandalen　in　tow；　as　Prindin　went　to　get　Tossidin。　When　they　were　all　together；　she　turned　to　them。　Chandalen　was　scowling；　the　other　two　waited　without　emotion。
　
　‘The　Mud　People；’　she　began　in　a　soft　tone；　‘have　magic。’
　
　‘We　have　no　magic；’　Chandalen　argued。
　
　‘Yes；　you　do。　You　do　not　think　of　it　as　magic　because　you　were　born　with　it　and　it　is　the　only　way　you　know。　You　do　not　know　of　other　peoples；　of　their　ways。　The　Mud　People　can　speak　with　their　ancestors’　spirits。　They　can　do　this　because　they　have　magic。　You　think　this　is　simply　the　way　things　work；　but　they　do　not　work　so　in　other　places；　with　other　people。　Your　ability　to　do　these　things　is　magic。　Magic　is　not　some　strange　and　powerful　force；　it’s　simply　the　way　some　people；　some　creatures；　are。’
　
　‘Others　can　speak　with　their　ancestors；　if　they　wish；’　Chandalen　said。
　
　‘A　few　can；　but　most　cannot。　To　them；　it’s　speaking　with　the　dead；　and　that　is　magic。　Frightening　magic。　You；　and　I；　know　it　is　not　to　be　feared；　but　you　will　never　convince　others　that　what　you　do　is　good。　They　will　always　think　it　evil。　People　believe　as　they　were　raised；　and　they　were　raised　to　believe　that　talking　to　the　dead　is　evil。’
　
　‘But　our　ancestors’　spirits　help　us；’　Prindin　said。　‘They　never　bring　harm。　They　only　bring　help。’
　
　Kahlan　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　as　she　looked　to　his　worried　eyes。　‘I　know。　That’s　why　I　help　to　keep　others　away　from　you；　so　you　may　live　as　you　wish。　There　are　a　few　other　people　who　talk　with　their　ancestors；　as　you　do；　and　they；　too；　have　this　magic。　There　are　other　peoples；　and　other　creatures；　that　have　magic　different　from　you；　but　just　as　important　to　them　as　yours　is　to　you。’　She　looked　to　each。　‘Do　you　understand。’
　
　‘Yes；　Mother　Confessor；’　Tossidin　said。
　
　Prindin　nodded　his　agreement。　Chandalen　grunted　and　folded　his　arms。
　
　‘The　important　thing；　though；　is　not　if　you　believe　what　you　have　can　be　called　magic。　The　important　thing　is　for　you　to　understand　that　others　believe　what　you　do　is　magic。　Many　fear　magic。　They　think　you　are　evil　because　you　practice　this　magic。’
　
　Kahlan　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　army　of　the　Imperial　Order。　‘Those　men；　the　ones　we　chase；　the　ones　who　killed　all　the　people　back　at　the　city；　they　are　joined　in　a　cause。　They　wish　to　rule　all　the　people　of　the　Midlands。　They　do　not　want　any　to　live　as　they　wish；　but　to　bow　to　their　rule。’
　
　‘Why　would　they　wish　to　rule　the　Mud　People？’　Prindin　asked。　‘We　have　nothing　they　would　want。　We　stay　to　our　lands。’
　
　Chandalen　unfolded　his　arms　and　spoke　softly。　‘They　fear　magic；　and　they　wish　us　to　stop　speaking　with　our　ancestors。’
　
　Kahlan　squeezed　his　shoulder。　‘That’s　right。　But　more　than　that；　they　think　it’s　their　duty　to　the　spirits　they　worship　to　kill　you　all。　They　are　on　a　mission　to　destroy　all　who　have　magic；　because　they　think　magic　is　evil。　They　believe　people　like　you　have　magic。’　She　met　Chandalen’s　eyes。　‘If　they　are　not　killed　to　a　man；　like　the　Jocopo；　sooner　or　later；　they　will　e　and　destroy　the　Mud　People；　just　as　they　destroyed　the　city　of　Ebinissia。’
　
　The　three　men　studied　the　ground　in　thought。　She　waited　for　them　to　weigh　her　words。　Chandalen　at　last　spoke。
　
　‘And　they　would　kill　the　other　people；　those　who　wish　not　to　have　outsiders　e　to　them；　to　live　alone；　like　the　Mud　People？’
　
　‘They　would。　I　spoke　with　the　men　of　that　army。　They　are　like　crazy　men。　They　sound　as　if　they　have　been　visited　by　evil　spirits；　like　the　Bantak　did。　Like　the　Jocopo。　They　will　not　listen　to　reason。　They　think　we　are　the　ones　who　listen　to　evil　spirits。　They　will　do　as　they　promise。　You　saw　the　city　they　destroyed　and　the　size　of　the　army　defending　it；　it　is　not　an　empty　threat。
　
　‘I　must　get　to　Aydindril　so　I　can　raise　an　army　to　fight　these　men。　The　councilors　should　already　be　doing　that；　but　I　must　get　there　to　make　sure　the　extent　of　the　threat　is　known；　to　make　sure　all　of　the　Midlands　join　together　in　this。
　
　‘But　there　are　no　forces　at　hand　to　fight　these　men；　now；　except　these　boys。　There　are　cities　that　will　be　destroyed　before　help　can　arrive。　Worse；　the　threat　these　men　pose　will　convince　some　to　join　with　them。　Some　see　honor　as　an　inconvenience　and　will　side　with　the　army　they　think　will　win。　This　will　swell　their　ranks　further。
　
　‘Before　Aydindril　can　send　troops