tg.stone of tears-第156章
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o I。 I think they will e to regret trying to help you； as do I。’
Richard put his hands in his back pockets as he stared off at the thick forest of oak and leather leaf。 ‘I’m sorry you feel that way； Sister； but I guess I can understand it。 Although I admit I have fought being your prisoner； what happened today was not about you and me。
‘This was about what is right。 As one who would wish to teach me； I hoped you would share that moral stance。 I hoped the Sisters would not want to teach the use of the gift to one who could easily bend his convictions to the circumstance。
‘Sister Verna； I was not trying to displease you。 I simply could not live with myself if I had allowed a murder to take place under my nose； much less if I had participated in it。’
‘I know； Richard。 But that only makes it worse； because it’s all one and the same。’ She unclasped her hands and peered about at the fire and their supplies； finally pulling a cake of soap from a saddlebag。 ‘I’ll make a stew； and bannock。’ She tossed the cake of soap to him。 ‘Du Chaillu needs a bath。’
Du Chaillu folded her arms in a huff。 ‘While I was chained to a wall； the dogs who came to mount me did not offer me water so I would smell pretty for you。’
Sister Verna squatted down； pulling supplies out。 ‘I meant no offense； Du Chaillu。 I simply thought you would want to wash the dirt of those men off you。 If it were me； I would want nothing more than to try to wash the feel of their hands from my flesh。’
Du Chaillu’s indignation faltered。 ‘Well of course I would！’ She snatched the soap from Richard。 ‘You smell of that beast you ride。 You will wash too； or I will not want to be near you and will send you off to eat by yourself。’
Richard chuckled。 ‘If it will keep the peace with you； I’ll wash； too。’
As Du Chaillu marched off toward the pond； Sister Verna called quietly to him。 He waited next to her while she pulled a pot from a saddlebag。
‘Her people have been killing any ‘magic man’ they could get their hands on for the last three thousand years。 There is no time to give you history lessons。’ She looked up to his eyes。 ‘Old habits spring to hand as easily as a knife。 Don’t turn your back on her。 Sooner or later； she is going to try to kill you。’
Her quiet tone unexpectedly raised bumps on his flesh。 ‘I’ll try to keep myself alive； Sister； so you can deliver me to the palace and at last be free of your onerous charge。’
Richard hurried toward the pond and caught up with Du Chaillu as she was walking through the reeds。 ‘Why did you call that your prayer dress？’
Du Chaillu held her arms out； letting the breeze ruffle the strips of cloth on her dress。 ‘These are prayers。’
‘What are prayers？ You mean the strips of cloth？’
She nodded。 ‘Each is a prayer。 When the wind blows； and they fly； each sends a prayer to the spirits。’
‘And what do you pray for？’
‘Every one of these prayers is the same； from the heart of the person who gave me their prayer。 They are all prayers to have our land returned to us。’
‘Your land？ But you are in your land。’
‘No。 This is where we live； but it is not our land。 Many ages ago； our land was taken by the magic men。 They banished us here。’
They reached the edge of the pond。 Puffs of breeze drew up ripples in dark patches。 The bank was grassy with thick patches of rushes to each side； extending out into the water。
The magic men took your land？ What land？’
They took our land from our ancestors。’ She pointed in the direction of the Valley of the Lost。 The land on the other side of the Majendie。 I was going to our land； with our prayers； to ask the spirits if they would help our land be returned to us。 But the Majendie caught me； and I was not able to take our prayers to the spirits。’
‘How will the spirits return your land to you？’
She shrugged。 The old words say only that we must send one every year to our land； to pray to the spirits； and if we do； our land will be returned。’ She untied her belt and slipped it to the ground。 With unsettling grace； she tossed the green…handled knife aside； sticking it in the round end of a branch on a log。
‘How？’
She gave him a curious frown。 ‘By sending us our master。’
‘I thought you were the Baka Ban Mana； those without masters。’
She shrugged。 ‘Because the spirits have not sent us one yet。’
While Richard was puzzling over this； she reached down； took hold of her dress； and pulled it off over her head。
‘What do you think you’re doing！’
She frowned。 ‘It is me that I must wash； not my dress。’
‘Well； not in front of me！’
She looked down at herself。 ‘You have already seen me。 I have not grown any different since this morning。’ She looked up at him。 ‘Your face is red again。’
‘Over there。’ He pointed。 ‘Go on the other side of the rushes。 You on one side and me on the other。’
He turned his back to her。
‘But we have only one soap。’
‘Well； you can throw it to me when you’re through。’
She came around to the front of him。 He tried to turn again but she followed him around； grabbing at his buttons。
‘I cannot scrub my own back。 And it is not fair。 You have seen me； so I should see you。 That is why you are turning red； because you have not been fair。 This will make you feel better。’
He slapped her hands away。 ‘Stop it。 Du Chaillu； where I e from this is not proper。 Men and women do not bathe together。 It’s just not done。’ He turned his back to her again。
‘Not even my third husband is as shy as you。’
‘Third！ You have had three husbands？’
‘No。 I have five。’
Richard stiffened。 ‘Have？’ He turned to her。 ‘What do you mean ‘have’？’
She looked at him as if he had asked if trees grew in the forest。 ‘I have five husbands。 Five husbands and my children。’
‘And how many of those do you have？’
‘Three。 Two girls； and a boy。’ A wistful smile came to her。 ‘It is a long time since I have held them。’ Her smile turned sad。 ‘My poor babies will have cried every night； thinking I am dead。 No one ever returned from the Majendie before。’ She grinned。 ‘My husbands will be anxious to draw lots to see who will be the first to try to give me another child。’ Her smile faded and her voice trailed off。 ‘But I guess a Majendie dog has already done that。’
Richard handed her the soap。 ‘It will all turn out fine。 You’ll see。 Go bathe。 I’ll go on the other side of the rushes。’
He relaxed in the cool water； listening to her splash； waiting for her to finish with the soap。 A mist thickened over the pond； stealing slowly； silently； into the surrounding trees。
‘I’ve never heard of a woman having more than one husband。 Do all the Baka Ban Mana women have more than one husband？’
She giggled。 ‘No。 Only me。’
‘Why you？’
The water stopped splashing。 ‘Because I wear the prayer dress；’ she said； as if it should be self…evident。
Richard rolled his eyes。 ‘Well； what does 。。。’
She came swimming through the rushes toward him。 ‘Before you can have the soap； you must wash my back。’
Richard let out an aggravated sigh。 ‘All right； if I wash your back； will you then go back on your side？’
She presented her back to him。 ‘If you do a proper job。’
When she was satisfied； she finally went back to get dressed while he washed。 She told him over the chirp of bugs and the trill of frogs that she was hungry。 He was pulling his pants on while she called for him to hurry so they could eat。
He threw his shirt over his shoulder and ran to catch up with her as she headed toward the smell of cooking。 She looked much better clean。 Her hair looked like a normal person’s； instead of a wild animal’s。 She looked no more like a savage； but somehow noble。
It wasn’t dark yet； but getting close to it。 The mist that had formed over the pond was drifting in around them from behind。 The trees were disappearing in the gathering fog。
As the two of them stepped into the ring of light around the fire； Sister Verna stood。 Richard was putting his right arm through his sleeve when he froze at the wide…eyed look on Sister Verna’s face。 She was staring at his chest； at the thing he had never let her see before。
At the scar。 At the handprint burned there。 At the handprint that was a constant reminder of who fathered him。
Sister Verna was as white as a spirit。 Her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear her。 ‘Where did you get that？’
Du Chaillu was staring at the scar； too。
Richard pulled his shirt closed。 ‘I told you before； Darken Rahl burned me with his hand。 You said I was only having visions。’
Her gaze slowly rose to meet his。 Her eyes were filled with something he had never seen in them before。 Unbridled fear。
‘Richard；’ she whispered； ‘you must not show anyone at the palace what you have upon you。 Except the Prelate。 She may know what to do。 You must show her。 But no one else。’ She stepped closer。 ‘Do you understand？ No one！’
R
