“Will you help me, Warren?”looked down, picking at his robes. “On a condition. I never get out of this place. Not that I don’t like working with the prophecies, you understand, but people think that I have no interest in anything else. I’d like to see the country around the palace—the woods, the hills.”twisted his fingers together. “I’m afraid of big places. The sky is so big. That’s the other reason I stay down here, because it feels safe to me. But I’m sick of living like a mole. I would like to try going outside and seeing it. Would you, well, show me the countryside? You look to me like someone familiar with the out-of-doors. I think I would feel safe if you went with me.”smiled warmly. “You’ve come to the right person, Warren. I was a woods guide, before all this started. I don’t know all the country around the palace yet, but I surely intend to. I’d really enjoy guiding you around. It would be just like old times.”’s expression brightened. “Thank you, Richard. I look forward to seeing open places. I need some adventure in my life. I’ll start right away on the things you want, but the Sisters give me work, so I must search when I can find the time. And I’m afraid that I must be honest; it will take a long time. There are thousands of volumes here. It will take months, just to get a good start.”
“Warren, this may be the most important thing you ever studied. You may be able to save time if you start by reading everything the Prelate has been reading.”sly smile came to Warren’s lips. “I thought you said you weren’t good with riddles. That is what I was thinking.” His smile turned to a concerned frown. “Why do you want to know these things?”studied the other’s blue eyes for a long moment. “I am fuer grissa ost drauka. Warren, I know what it means.”clutched his fingers to the sleeve of Richard’s red coat. “You know? You know which is the correct translation?” His fingers trembled. “Would you tell me?”
“If you promise not to tell anyone else, for now.” Warren nodded eagerly. “No one has been able to figure out which one of the three is the true translation because in trying to justify one, they invalidate the whole.” Warren frowned. Richard leaned toward him. They are all true, Warren.”
“What?” he whispered. “How can that be?”
“I have killed people with this sword. I am the bringer of death in that sense. That is the first meaning of drauka.
“In order to prevail against otherwise impossible odds, such as defeating the mriswith, I use the sword’s magic to bring forth the spirits of those who have used it before me. I have called the dead forth, called the past into the present. In that way, I am the bringer of spirits. That is the second meaning of drauka.for the third meaning, bringing forth the underworld, I have reason to believe that I may have somehow torn the veil. That is the third meaning of drauka.”gasped.
“It’s very important that you find out the information I asked you about. I don’t think I have a lot of time.”nodded. “I’ll try. But I think you put too much faith in me.”lifted an eyebrow. “I have faith in a man able to break Jedidiah’s leg.”
“I did nothing to Jedidiah. Jedidiah is a powerful wizard. I would never dare to oppose one of his powers.”
“Oh, come on, Warren. There are ashes of the burned carpet on the shoulder of your robe.”brushed frantically at his shoulder. There is no ash there. I see no ash.”waited for Warren’s eyes to come up. Then why are you brushing at your robes?”
“Well, I… I was… I just…”put a reassuring hand on Warren’s back. “It’s all right, Warren. I’m a believer in justice. I think Jedidiah got what he deserved. I won’t tell anyone. And you must not tell anyone about any of this.”
“I must warn you, Richard, you did a very dangerous thing yesterday when you told all the Sisters that you were the bringer of death. That is a well-known, and hotly debated, prophecy. There are Sisters who believe it means you are one who kills. They will try to comfort you. There are others who think it means you will bring forth the dead, call the spirits. They will want to study you.” He leaned a little closer. There are others who think it means you will tear the veil, and bring the Nameless One to swallow us all. They might try to kill you.”
“I know, Warren.”why would you let them know you are the one in the prophecy?”
“Because I am fuer grissa ost drauka. When the time comes, I will kill any of them I must in order to get this collar off. I had to give them fair warning first, give them the chance to live.”touched his fingers to his lower lip. “But you wouldn’t hurt Pasha. Not Pasha.”
“I hope to hurt no one, Warren. Maybe with the information you help me with, I won’t have to hurt anyone. I hate being fuer grissa ost drauka, but that is who I am.”’s eyes teared. “Please, you wouldn’t hurt Pasha.”
“Warren, I like her. I think she is a lovely person, inside, like you said. I only kill to protect my life, or the lives of innocent people. I don’t believe Pasha would ever give me cause, but you must understand that if I am right, and the veil is torn, then more is at stake than any one person’s life. Mine, yours, or Pasha’s.”nodded. “I have read the prophecies. I understand. I will search for the things you need.”tried to reassure him with a warm smile. “It will be all right, Warren. I’m the Seeker; I’ll do my best. I don’t want to harm anyone.”
“Seeker? What is the Seeker?”slapped his hand to the metal plate. “I’ll tell you about it later.”glanced down at the plate as the door slid opened. “How are you able to do that?”was standing calmly, waiting, her face making a good effort at not showing her anger.
“And just what was that all about?”stepped through the doorway. “Boy talk.”stopped him with a hand to his arm. “What do you mean, boy talk?”looked into her warm brown eyes. “I was twisting Warren’s arm, making him tell me about the test of pain. You failed to mention it, so I had to ask him about it. Or were you planning on waiting until you came to do it, before you told me?”rubbed her bare arms, as if to warm them. “I do not do that, Richard. I’m only a novice. Full Sisters must do it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”welled up in her eyes. “I don’t like to see people hurt. I didn’t want to frighten you about what may not come for a long time. Sometimes the waiting can be worse than the actual experience. I didn’t want you to have to wait in fear.”
“Oh.” Richard let out a long breath. “Well, I guess that’s a good reason. I apologize, Pasha, for what I was thinking of you.”forced a smile. “shall we go start your lessons?”ground again, they passed down halls and through several buildings until they finally reached Gillaume Hall, where his room was. The fabric of Pasha’s dress made a swishing sound as they climbed the wide marble stairway. The walls and columns were a matching tan, variegated marble.was a beautiful place with elegant rooms, but it was not as impressive as the People’s Palace, in D’Hara. Before he had seen that magnificent edifice, he would have been astonished by the opulence of this place. Now, he simply noted its layout in reference to everything else. Upstairs, as they went down another wide, carpeted hall, he saw several other young men wearing Rada’Han. At last they reached his room.caught her wrist as she reached for the door handle. She looked up in puzzlement.’s someone inside,” he said.55
“It is my job to watch over you,” Pasha said.used her Han, breaking his hold on her wrist and throwing him aside as if with an invisible hand, and then charged through the door. Richard rolled, finishing on his feet, drew his sword, and flew in after her. Only the small flames from the hearth gave light to the otherwise dark room. They both stumbled to a halt in the near darkness.voice came from a chair beside the fire. “Expecting a mriswith, Richard?”
“Sister Verna!” Richard slid his sword back into its scabbard. “What are you doing here?”rose to her feet and swept her hand in the direction of a lamp, bringing the wick to flame. “I didn’t know if you heard.” Her face was unreadable. “I’m once again a Sister of the Light.”
“Really?” Richard said. That’s great news.”Verna clasped her hands in a relaxed manner. “since I’m a Sister, again, I wanted to come and speak privately to you for a moment.” She glanced to Pasha. “About same unfinished business Richard and I have.”looked from the Sister to Richard. “Well, I guess this dress is, well, not the most comfortable thing to give lessons in. Why don’t I go change.” She curtsied to Sister Verna. “Good night, Sister. I’m so happy for you; you should be a Sister. And Richard, thank you for being such a gentleman tonight. I will return after I change.”stood facing the door once he had closed it behind Pasha.
“Gentleman,” Sister Verna said. “I’m delighted to hear it, Richard. I would also like to thank you, for my being returned to Sister. Sister Maren told me what happened.”laughed as he turned to her. “You’ve been around me too long, Sister. But you need more practice at telling lies; you’re not yet totally convincing.”couldn’t keep a small smile from coming to her lips. “Well, Sister Maren told me that she had prayed for guidance, and decided I would serve the Creator best if I were a Sister, in view of my experience.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Poor Sister Maren; lying seems to have become infectious since you arrived here.”shrugged. “sister Maren did what was right. I think your Creator would be pleased with the outcome.”
“I heard that you killed a mriswith. News spreads through the palace like a blaze through dry grass.”walked to the hearth. He leaned on the dark granite mantle and stared into the flames. “Well, I had no choice.”Verna stroked a hand tenderly down his hair. “Are you all right, Richard? How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” Richard pulled the baldric over his head and set it and the sword aside. He tossed the red coat on a chair. “I’d be better if I didn’t have to wear these silly clothes. But I guess it’s a small price to pay for peace. For now. What did you want talk to me about, Sister?”
“I don’t know what you did, how you got me returned to Sister, but thank you, Richard. Does this mean you would like for us to be friends?”
“Only if you will take this collar off me.” She looked away from his eyes. “someday, Sister, you will have to make your choice. I hope when the time comes, you choose to be on my side. After all we’ve been through, I would hate to have to kill you, but you know what I am capable of. You knew what my answer would be; surely, you came here for more than that.”
“I have told you before how you are using your Han without knowing what you are doing, remember?”
“Yes, but I don’t think I’m using my Han.”lifted an eyebrow. “Richard, you killed a mriswith. As far as I know, that has not been done in the last three thousand years. You had to use your Han to do that.”
“No, Sister, I used the magic of the sword to kill it.”
“Richard, I have observed you, and learned a little about both you and your sword. The reason no one has ever been able to kill a mriswith is because they never knew it was coming. Even the Han of Sisters and wizards could not sense its approach. Your sword may have killed the mriswith, but your Han let you know it was coming. You are calling on your gift, but without control.”was tired. He didn’t feel like arguing, so he didn’t.flopped into a plush chair. He remembered the way he had seen the mriswith in his mind, had seen it coming. “I don’t understand what I’m doing, Sister. The mriswith came, and I protected myself.”sat in a chair opposite. “Look at it this way, Richard; you killed a beast as deadly as anything walking the land, yet that little girl with the big brown eyes, and about as much power compared to you as a sparrow compared to a hawk, just used her Han to throw you down the hall. I hope you will study hard so you may learn to control your Han. You need to get it under control.”looked at him intently. “Why did you go into the Hagen Woods, after I told you that they are dangerous? The real reason. Not the justification, but the deep-down-inside reason. Please tell me the truth, Richard.”stretched back, looking up at the ceiling. He finally conceded with a nod. “It was like something drew me in. It was a need. A hunger. It was like I needed to pound my fist against a wall, and that was the way to do it.”thought she might launch into a lecture, but she didn’t. Her tone was sympathetic.
“Richard, I’ve been talking to a few friends of mine. None of us knows everything about the magic of the palace, and especially the Hagen Woods, but there is reason to believe that the Hagen Woods were placed there specifically for certain wizards.”studied her quiet expression, the creases in her face, the sincerity in her eyes. “Are you saying, Sister, that if I need to pound my fist against the wall, maybe I should do so?”gave a slight lift to her eyebrows. The Creator gave us hunger so we would eat, because eating is necessary.”
“What would be the purpose of a hunger like mine?”shook her head. “I don’t know. For a second time in as many days, the Prelate has declined to grant me an audience.I’m going to try to find some answers. In the meantime, just please don’t let the sun set on you in the Hagen Woods.”
“Is this what you came to tell me, Sister?”looked away, and paused, rubbing her forehead with two fingers. She looked uncertain. He had never seen her like this. “Richard, there are things going on that I don’t understand, and they are connected to you; events are not happening as they should.” She saw his curious look. “I can’t talk about them just yet.”cleared her throat. “Richard, I don’t want you to trust every one of the Sisters.”lifted an eyebrow. “sister, I trust none of you.”brought a short-lived smile to her face. “For now, that would be best. That was what I wanted to tell you. I’m going to find the answers, but-for now, well, let’s just say that I know you will do as you must to stay safe.”Sister Verna left, Richard thought about what she had said, and about the things Warren had told him. Mostly, he thought about the Stone of Tears.puzzled him that the magic in the Valley of the Lost would present him with a vision of something he had never seen before, and put it around Rachel’s neck. The other visions seemed to have been anchored in his longings and fears. Maybe because he missed seeing his friend, Chase, he saw the vision of Rachel, too; she would be with Chase. But why would the vision put around her neck something he had never seen before, which turned out to look like a drawing in a book?they weren’t the same thing. He told himself they couldn’t be, but an uneasy feeling inside said otherwise.much as he missed Chase and Rachel, it was the stone around Rachel’s neck that had captured his attention. It was as if Rachel were bringing it to him for Zedd, and Zedd had been there with him, urging him to take the stone.’s knock at the door brought him out of his brooding. She was wearing a plain, brownish gray dress with small, pink cloth buttons up the front, all the way up to her neck. Though it didn’t show the expanse of flesh the green dress had, it was tailored so that it revealed nearly every detail of her shape. The fact that it covered everything only made what it covered all that much more intriguing. The color somehow brought out the softness of her brown hair.sat cross-legged on the floor, on the blue and yellow carpet in front of the fireplace. She draped her dress carefully over her knees and then looked up. “Here. Sit like me, in front of me.”sat on the floor and folded his legs. She motioned him to come closer until their knees touched. She took his hands and held them lightly as they rested across both their knees.
“Sister Verna didn’t do this when I practiced.”
“That was because the Rada’Han had to be within the circle of influence of the magic of the palace before we could practice in this way. Until now, when you have practiced touching your Han, it has been alone. Most of the time from now on, I, or a Sister, will use our Han to assist you.” She smiled. “It will help you progress faster, Richard.”
“All right. What do you want me to do?”
“She told you how to try to reach your Han? How to concentrate on finding that place within yourself?” Richard nodded. That is what I want you to do. While you search for that place, I will use my Han, through the Rada’Han, to try to guide you.”squirmed a little, getting more comfortable. Pasha took back a hand and fanned her face. This dress seems so warm, after wearing the other.” She unbuttoned the top five buttons of her dress and then took his hand up again. Richard glanced at the fire, to check the logs, so he would know how long it had been when he opened his eyes again. He could never seem to judge the time while he searched for his Han. It always seemed like mere minutes, but it was usually at least an hour.closed his eyes. He brought forth the image of the Sword of Truth on a plain background. As the quiet settled over him, as he sought the peace within, his breathing slowed. He took a long breath, and then let himself sink into the calm center.was aware of Pasha’s hands holding his, of her knees touching his, and of her even breathing coming into harmony with his. It felt good to have her holding his hands. He didn’t feel isolated the way he had always felt before. He didn’t know if she really was using the magic of his collar to go with him, but he felt himself spiraling deeper than he had before.drifted in the timeless place without thinking, without effort or worry. Whatever his Han was, he didn’t see or feel anything he hadn’t seen or felt before. Other than feeling more relaxed than before, and the comforting feeling of having Pasha with him, it was no different. He was dimly aware of his body starting to feel cramped, and of the warmth from the fire. The cold steel of the sword seemed to be a core of ice in the heat.last, he opened his eyes. Pasha opened her eyes with him. Richard glanced to the fire. The logs had been reduced to glowing coals. Two hours, he judged.trickle of sweat ran down Pasha’s neck. “My, but it’s warm tonight.”unbuttoned buttons. A lot of buttons. More of her was showing than had shown in the green dress. Richard made himself look back up into her soft eyes. Pasha gave him a small, self-assured smile.
“I didn’t feel anything,” Richard said. “I didn’t sense my Han. Although, I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to sense.”
“I didn’t, either, and I should have. Strange.” She sighed to herself with a puzzled expression. Her face brightened. “But it takes practice. Did you feel my Han? Was it any help?”
“No,” he admitted. “I didn’t feel anything.”made a little quirk with her mouth as she frowned. “You didn’t feel anything of me?” He shook his head. “Well, close your eyes and try again.”was late, and Richard didn’t want to practice anymore; it was tiring. But he decided to do as she wished. He closed his eyes. He concentrated on trying to bring back the sword.he felt Pasha’s full lips against his. His eyes opened as she pressed against him. Her eyes were closed, her brow wrinkled. She grasped his face with her hands.gripped her shoulders and pushed her away. She opened her eyes and licked her lips.smiled coyly. “did you feel that?”
“I felt it.”hooked an arm around his neck. “Apparently, not enough.”gently put a hand against her as she tried to lean in. He didn’t want to embarrass her, so he tried to keep his voice pleasant. “Pasha, don’t.”rubbed her free hand around on his stomach. “It’s late. No one will be around. If it will make you feel more comfortable, I’ll shield the door. You shouldn’t worry.”
“I’m not worried. I just… don’t want to.”looked a bit hurt. “You do not think I am pretty enough?”didn’t want to offend her, and he didn’t want to make her angry. But he didn’t want to encourage her, either.
“It’s not that, Pasha. You’re very attractive. It’s just that…”unbuttoned another little button. Richard reached out and took ahold of her hand to stop her. He realized the situation was becoming hazardous. She was his teacher. If he angered or humiliated her, things could become dangerously complicated. He had things to do, and couldn’t afford to turn her antagonistic.pulled her dress up her legs and put his hand against her thigh. “You like this better?” she asked in a breathy voice.froze at the firm, sensual feel of her flesh. He remembered what Sister Verna had said, that he would soon find another pair of pretty legs. These were certainly that, and Pasha was leaving precious little to the imagination. He pulled his hand away. “Pasha, you don’t understand. I think you’re a beautiful young woman…”eyes fixed on his face as she ran her fingers down his beard. “I think you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”
“No, you don’t…”
“I love your beard. Don’t ever cut it off. I think a wizard should have a beard.”remembered the time Zedd had used Additive Magic to grow a beard and teach him a lesson, and then had shaved it off, explaining he couldn’t make it vanish with magic because that would take Subtractive Magic, and wizards didn’t have Subtractive Magic. Subtractive Magic was of the underworld.caught her wrist and pulled her hand away from his face. To Richard, his beard was a symbol of his captivity. It meant he was a prisoner. Prisoners don’t shave, that was what he had told Sister Verna. But he didn’t think now was the time to explain that to Pasha.kissed his neck. Somehow, he was unable to stop her. Her lips were so soft, and he could hear her insistent breath close to his ear. It felt as if the kiss went all the way through him, down to his toes, something like the feeling he had had when she had put her hands to his Rada’Han. The tingling numbed his brain. Inside, he groaned. His resistance was being dissolved by her kisses…he had been held in a collar by Denna, he had had no choice—not even death could rescue him from whatever Denna wanted—but he still felt shame for what he had done.was in a collar again, and Pasha was using some sort of magic on him, but he knew that this time he had a choice in the matter. He forced himself to hunch his head and get her lips from him. He gently pushed her back.
“Pasha, please…”straightened a little. “What’s her name, this girl you love?”didn’t want to tell her Kahlan’s name. It was his life. It was private. These people were his captors, not his friends. “That’s not important. That’s not the issue.”
“What does she have that I don’t? Is she prettier than me?”are a girl, Richard thought, and she is a woman. But he couldn’t say that. You are a pretty candle, he thought, and Kahlan is the sunrise. But he couldn’t say that either.he spurned Pasha, he would have war on his hands. He had to get out of this without making her feel resentful or rejected.
“Pasha, I am honored, I’m flattered, I really am, but you have only known me a day. We’ve really just met.”
“Richard, the Creator gives us urges, and pleasure from acting on them, so we will come to know His beauty through His creation. There is nothing wrong with this. It is a beautiful thing.”
“He also gave us a mind to decide what is right and what is wrong.”chin lifted just a little. “Right, and wrong? If she loved you, she would be with you; she wouldn’t have let you go. That’s what is wrong. She thinks you aren’t good enough for her. She must wish to be free of you; if she cared she would have kept you with her. She’s gone. I’m here and I care. I would fight to keep you. Did she fight?”’s mouth opened, but no words came through the hurt. He felt as if his will to go on had drained right out of him, leaving nothing but a hollow, dead shell.reached out and touched his cheek. “You’ll see that I care, Richard. I care more than she does. You’ll see. It’s right if a person cares as I do.” Her brow creased in worry. “Unless you think I’m unattractive. Is that it? You’ve seen many women, and you think that in comparison, I’m ugly?”cupped a hand to the side of her face. “Pasha… you are ravishing. It’s not that.” He swallowed the dryness, trying to make his words sound sincere. “Pasha, could you just give me some time? It’s simply too soon. Can you understand? Could you really care for a man who would forget his feelings so easily? Could you just give me some time?”wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest. “I knew yesterday, when you held me so tenderly, that it was another sign that the Creator had sent you to me. I knew then that I would never want another. Since I’ll be yours forever, I can wait. We have almost nothing but time. We have all the time you could possibly want. You’ll see that I’m the one for you. You just tell me when you are ready, and I’ll be yours.”sighed as he closed the door behind her. He leaned his back against the door, thinking. He didn’t like deceiving Pasha, letting her think that with time he could come to feel differently about her, but he had had to do something. How shallow could Pasha’s understanding of people be, for her to think that one could win love by invoking lust?took out the lock of Kahlan’s hair, spinning it in his fingers as he watched it. The things Pasha had said about Kahlan not fighting for him made him angry. Pasha could never know the struggles he and Kahlan had been through; the hardships they had had to overcome, the anguish they had suffered together, the battles they had fought together. Pasha probably couldn’t conceive of a woman of Kahlan’s intelligence, strength, and courage.had indeed fought for him. She had more than once selflessly risked her life for him. What could Pasha know of the terrors Kahlan had bravely faced, and conquered? Pasha wasn’t woman enough to serve Kahlan tea.stuffed the lock of hair back into his pocket. He forced his thoughts of Kahlan from his mind. He couldn’t endure the pain. He had other things to do.into the bedroom, he positioned the ash-framed standing mirror, and then retrieved his pack from the corner. Richard pulled out the black mriswith cape. He threw it around his shoulders, and stood inspecting his image in the mirror.looked like a normal cape. He thought it quite handsome, actually. The cut and length was right; the mriswith had been about his size. The heavy fabric was inky black, almost as black as a night stone that Adie had given him to help him across the pass, almost as black as the boxes of Orden. Almost as black as eternal death.the pleasing cut of the cape was not what intrigued him.moved back against the light-brownish wall. He pulled the hood up, cowling it around his face, and drew the cape closed. As he watched his image in the mirror, he concentrated on the wall he was standing against. In the span of a breath, his image vanished. The cape had become the color of the wall he stood against, to such a degree that only if he stared, focusing on the edges of the cape, could he distinguish himself standing against the wall. If he moved, it was only slightly easier to pick out his shape against the wall. Though his face was exposed, somehow the magic of the cape, or possibly the cape’s magic along with his own, served to mask it, too, to enfold it somehow into the concealing color.explained why the mriswith appeared to be different colors.moved objects behind himself, to discover what effect they had. He stood in front of the wall and partly in front of a chair with his red coat draped over it. The cape produced a blotch of red that did a good job of mimicking the color and shape behind. Though it wasn’t as flawless as when he stood before a plain wall, it would still be easy to miss him if he stood still.would distort the complicated images, as the cape changed to accommodate new conditions, though it still fooled the eye into missing him, but if he stood still, he virtually vanished in front of anything. The effect, at times, could be dizzying to watch. When he stopped concentrating,” the cape would return to black., he thought as he looked at himself in the mirror standing in a simple black cape, was going to be useful.56the weeks passed, Richard was constantly busy.remembered that Kahlan and Zedd had told him that there were no wizards with the gift left in the Midlands. Small wonder; they seemed to all be at the Palace of the Prophets. There were well over a hundred boys and young men at the palace. From what Richard could discover, a goodly number of the older ones, at least, were from the Midlands, with some even from D’Hara.a mriswith had earned Richard celebrity status among the younger boys. Two of them, Kipp and Hersh, were the most persistent. They followed him around, begging to hear stories of his adventures. At times they exhibited the maturity, almost wisdom, of old men. At other times they, like all boys, seemed interested in nothing more than mischief.object of this mischief was usually a Sister. The boys never seemed to tire of thinking up new tricks to pull on them. Most of the pranks appeared to involve either water, mud, or reptiles. The Sisters only occasionally erupted in anger when caught up in the boys” antics, and even then, they quickly forgave them. As far as Richard could tell, the boys never earned more than a stern lecture.the beginning, the young boys thought to number Richard among their targets. Richard had things to do, and had no time or patience for it. When the boys learned that Richard was neither shy nor slow with discipline, they quickly moved on to other targets with their buckets of water.fact that Richard set limits made Kipp and Hersh like him all the more. They seemed starved for older male companionship. Richard rewarded them with adventure stories, or sometimes, when he was going from one place to another, and their presence wouldn’t impede his progress, he taught them about the woods, tracking, and animals.coveted staying in Richard’s gbod graces, so when he wanted or needed to be alone, and signaled with a finger or a nod, they vanished. Richard let them be around often when he was with Pasha, since he couldn’t do more important tasks then anyway. Frustrated, because she couldn’t seem to find time alone with him, Pasha was somewhat mollified when Richard got her excluded from the boys” list of targets. She appreciated not having her fine dresses drenched or having to worry about discovering a snake in her shawl.occasionally asked Kipp and Hersh to preform little errands, just to test them. He had plans for their talents.other young men in collars wanted to show Richard the city. Two, Perry and Isaac, who lived in Gillaume Hall with him, took him into the city and showed him the tavern where many of the guards drank, and he soon after bought Swordsman Kevin Andellmere the ale he had promised him.discovered that most of the young men spent their nights away from the palace, staying in various fine inns around the city. It didn’t take Richard long to figure out why. They were provided money, the same as he, and they were practiced at spending it. They bought themselves fancy clothes, dressing like princes, and on their overnight stays they picked the finest accommodations.was no shortage of women wanting to share those accommodations. Astonishingly beautiful women.Perry and Isaac took him to the city, they were always quickly surrounded by attractive women. Richard had never seen women this brazen. Every evening, the two men would each select a woman, sometimes several, and buy them presents, maybe a dress or a bauble, and then depart for their rooms.two told him that if he didn’t want to bother with spending time buying gifts, he could simply go to any of the houses of prostitution, but they assured him that those women were not as young, or nearly as pretty, as the ones who approached them on the streets. They admitted, though, that they went to prostitutes sometimes when they didn’t feel like wasting time being sociable for no more than a simple coupling.he was spotted with a collar, Richard drew women the same as Perry and Isaac did. Richard was beginning to see in a new light what Sister Verna meant about him soon finding another pair of pretty legs. The other two men thought Richard was mad to turn down all the offers. Sometimes, Richard wondered if they might not be right.asked Perry and Isaac if they weren’t afraid of a woman’s father cracking their skulls. They laughed and said that fathers sometimes brought their daughters to them. Richard threw his arms up and asked if they weren’t concerned about getting some woman they didn’t even know pregnant. They explained that if a woman “got herself” pregnant, the palace would provide for her and the child, even her whole family.Richard had asked Pasha what was behind such a bizarre convention, she folded her arms across her breasts and presented her back to him while she explained that men had uncontrollable urges, and those urges would be a distraction to learning to use their Han, so the Sisters encouraged the men to satisfy their needs. That was why she didn’t go to the city with him at night. She was restricted from interfering with his… needs.had turned back to him and begged him to come to her with his needs, saying she would see to it that he had no desire to go to other women, or if he did go to the city, to at least allow her to be one of the women he slept with. She told him that she could satisfy him better than any other woman, and offered to prove it.was dumbfounded by such talk, to say nothing of the behavior. He told Pasha that he only went to the city to see the sights. Having grown up in the woods, he had never roamed around in a city before. He told her that where he came from it wasn’t right to treat women in such a way.promised that if he was ever overcome with need, he would come to her first. She was so happy to hear this that she didn’t mind when he reminded her that he wasn’t ready yet. She had no idea that there were times when he felt so lonely that he was sorely tempted to give in to her. She was unquestionably alluring, and it was sometimes difficult for him to make himself keep her at arm’s length.had Pasha show him everything she could of the palace. He had her show him some of the city, and take him on a tour of the docks, to see the big boats. She said they were called ships, because they went to sea. Richard had never seen anything that large afloat. She told him that they brought trade from cities of the Old World farther down the coast.went with him to the sea, and they sat for hours, watching the waves, or explored the tide pools. Richard was astounded to learn that the sea went up and down, with tides, all by itself. She assured him that it was not the magic of the palace, but did such a thing everywhere. Richard was spellbound by the ocean. Pasha was content to simply sit with him. But Richard couldn’t afford to sit and watch the ocean too often. He had things to do.wasn’t permitted to go with him to the city in the evening, in case he chose to be with a woman. He had to constantly reassure her that that was not why he went out at night. Since it was the truth that he wasn’t sleeping with any of the women, he had no difficulty being sincere and convincing her. He did not tell her the truth, however, about what he really was doing.decided that as long as the palace wanted to provide him with money, he was going to allow them to finance their own undoing. He spent the palace’s money wherever it would help him. He became a regular at the taverns and inns the palace guards frequented. Whenever he was around, they never paid for a drink.made an effort to learn all their names. At night, he would write down the name of any new guard he had met, and everything he could discover about him or any of the other guards. He paid the most attention to those who guarded the Prelate’s compound, and any other place he discovered he was forbidden access. He stopped by their posts whenever he was at the palace, and inquired idly about their lives, their girlfriends, their wives, their parents, their children, their food, their problems.bought Kevin special expensive chocolates that his girlfriend favored, but which Kevin could ill afford on his wages. The chocolates earned Kevin favors from his girlfriend. Kevin always brightened at Richard’s approach, even when he looked tired from the favors.loaned money to any guard who asked, knowing it would never be repaid. When a few made excuses as to why they didn’t have the money to pay back, Richard would not hear their reasons, telling them that he understood and that he would feel bad if they were to worry about it.of the toughest, who guarded a restricted area on the west side of the palace, would let him buy their ale, but wouldn’t warm to him. Richard took it as a challenge. He finally struck on the idea of hiring them the services of four prostitutes—two each, just to get their attention. They wanted to know why. Richard told them how the palace provided him with money and he didn’t see why only he should enjoy it. He told them that since they had to stand up all day guarding the palace, he thought it only fair for the palace to pay to put a lady under them when they lay down.offer was too much for them to resist. They were soon giving him surreptitious winks when he passed. Once they became amenable to his offers, he saw to it that they had reason to give him the winks on a more frequent basis.Richard knew they would, the two guards began bragging about their romps. When some of the other men found out that Richard had been willing to provide those two with the services of ladies, they pointed out to Richard that it wasn’t fair to the others that they should be excluded. Richard conceded that he saw the logic of their argument. He soon discovered that he didn’t have the time to handle individual requests, so he struck on an idea.found a mistress of a brothel open to an inventive business arrangement. He put the establishment on retainer, open only to his “friends.” He calculated that in this manner he was actually saving the palace money, over a piecemeal arrangement.wanted the men to remember to whom they owed their gratitude, so required they give the mistress the code phrase “a friend of Richard Cypher” before they would be granted admittance. There were no other restrictions. Richard gave the mistress a healthy raise in the retainer when she complained to him that business was steadier than she had anticipated.soothed his conscience about the morals of what he was doing by reminding himself that he couldn’t change what people chose to do, and it might save him from having to kill the guards when the time came. In that light, it made sense.day when Pasha was with him, and a man gave him a wink, she asked why. He told her it was because he was with the most attractive woman at the palace. She smiled for an hour.accustomed the guards to seeing him in the black cape of the mriswith. He kept Pasha happy when he was with her by frequently wearing the red coat she liked best. Sometimes he wore the others: the black, the dark blue, the brown, or the green. Pasha most liked taking him to the city, but she went for hikes in the surrounding countryside to try to be a part of his interests.learned that the guards were soldiers in the Imperial Order, on special detachment to the palace. The Imperial Order ruled all of the Old World, but seemed to have a nonintervention policy with the Palace of the Prophets. They never interfered with any Sister, or any man wearing a Rada’Han.guards were stationed at the palace to handle all the people who came to Halsband Island. Every day, people poured over the bridges to come to the palace. Sisters saw petitioners of every want. Some requested charity, some intervention in disputes, and some wished to be guided in the Creator’s wisdom. Others came to worship in the courtyards scattered throughout the island. They viewed the place where Sisters of the Light lived as hallowed.learned that the city of Tanimura, vast though it was, was merely an outpost of the Old World, at the fringe of the empire. Apparently, the emperor of the Imperial Order had an arrangement with the palace to provide guards, but not law. Richard suspected that the guards were the emperor’s eyes in an area of his empire where he was denied dominion. Richard wondered what the emperor received in return for this arrangement.also learned that in at least one of the restricted areas, the Sisters had a “special guest” who never came out, but he was unable to discover any more.began testing the guards” loyalty to him with simple, innocuous requests. He told Kevin that he wanted a special rose for Pasha that grew only in the Prelate’s compound. Richard made a point of parading Pasha, wearing the yellow rose, past Kevin. Kevin smiled with pride.other restricted areas, Richard used the flower excuse, or said that he wanted to get a view of the sea from atop a particular wall. He made sure to remain in sight at all times, to reassure the guards and dull their sense of caution.wasn’t long before he had all the guards accustomed to his forays. After a time, he was coming and going almost as he pleased. He was their friend—a trusted and valuable friend.he was collecting so many rare flowers from the restricted areas, he used them to an advantage—he presented them to the Sisters who practiced with him. They were puzzled as to why he would give them flowers from restricted areas. He explained that he considered the Sisters who trained him to be special, and he therefore didn’t want them to have just any flowers, but those that were special, and artfully obtained. Besides making them blush, this explanation also disarmed an otherwise inevitable suspicion if he frequented restricted areas., as near as Richard could tell, there were close to two hundred Sisters, only six worked with him.Tovi and Cecilia were older, and as kind as doting grandmothers. Tovi always brought cookies or some other treat to their sessions. Cecilia insisted on combing his hair back off his forehead with her fingers and planting a kiss there before she left. Both blushed furiously when he gave them rare flowers. Richard had difficulty thinking of either as potential enemies.first time Sister Merissa showed up at his door, Richard almost swallowed his tongue. Her dark hair and the way she filled her red dress made him stumble over his words like a fool. Sister Nicci, who never wore any color but black, had the same effect on him. When Sister Nicci locked her blue eyes on his, he had trouble remembering how to breathe.Merissa and Nicci were older than Pasha—his age, or maybe at most a couple of years older. They carried themselves with confidence and slow grace. Though Merissa was dark, and Nicci blonde, they seemed to be cut from the same rare cloth.power of their Han radiated from each, making them almost seem to glow. Richard sometimes thought he could almost hear the air crackle around them. Neither walked. Both glided—like swans, serene and cool. Yet he was sure either could smelt iron ore with their placid glances.ever grinned. They bestowed small, subdued smiles. And only while looking him in the eye. Richard could feel his heart thumping faster when they did., he offered Sister Nicci one of his rare flowers from a restricted area. His explanation of where it had come from and the story of why he was giving it to her flew right out of his head. She took the white rose gingerly between a finger and thumb, as if it might soil her hand, and while her gaze held his, she gave him one of her subdued smiles and said in an indifferent tone, “Why, thank you, Richard.” What Pasha had told him about boys bringing Sisters frogs came to his mind. He never gave either Sister Nicci or Merissa a flower again. Anything less than priceless jewels seemed an insult.ever offered to sit on the floor for their sessions. In fact, the very idea of Sisters Merissa ar Nicci sitting on the floor seemed ludicrous to him. The older Sisters, Tovi and Cecilia, sat on the floor, the same as Pasha, and it seemed perfectly natural. Sisters Merissa and Nicci sat in chairs, and held his hands across a small table. It somehow seemed an erotic experience. It made him sweat.both spoke with a quiet economy of words that added an air of nobility to their bearing. While neither ever made a clear offer, they managed to somehow leave no doubt in Richard’s mind that they were available to spend the night with him. Richard could never pin down anything specific in what they said to confirm the impression, but he had no doubt. Their oblique words left him room to feign missing their intent, and neither ever deigned to clarify what she had said.prayed that they would never make the offer any more explicit, because if they did, he knew he would have to bite his tongue in half to keep from saying yes. Both brought to mind what Pasha had told him about men having uncontrollable urges. He had never been around anyone who could make him stammer and fumble and in general make himself appear a fool as those two did. Sisters Merissa and Nicci were the embodiment of pure, unadulterated lust.Pasha found out that Sisters Merissa and Nicci were two of his teachers, she gave a small shrug, and said that they were very talented Sisters, and she was sure they would help him reach his Han. But her cheeks broke out in red blotches.Perry and Isaac found out about Sisters Merissa and Nicci, they both nearly succumbed to apoplexy. They said they would give up all the women in the city, forever, just to have one night with either. They said that if Richard was ever offered the opportunity, he had to take it, and tell them every detail. Richard assured them that women the likes of those two would never be interested in a woods guide like him.dared not say out loud that the offer had been made.fifth Sister, Armina, was older, a mature woman who was pleasant enough, but all business. When he had no more luck finding his Han with her than any of the others, she told him that it would come with time, and not to feel disappointed, but perhaps he should try to put more effort into it. Over time, she warmed to him, and smiled more. She was surprised and flattered by the special flowers. She blushed at her own blushes. Richard liked her straightforward personality.last Sister, Liliana, was Richard’s favorite. Her easy smile was disarming, her plain, bony looks somehow alluring because of her open, friendly nature. She treated Richard like a confidant. Richard felt relaxed with her, sometimes spending more time than he could afford, talking with her late into the night, simply because he enjoyed her company. Though he had no friends among his captors, she came closer than any.Richard gave her the special flower, she hooked some of her brown hair behind an ear and leaned in. Her eyes were wide with mischief, wanting to know how he had gotten past the guards. She giggled when he told the story he invented of sneaking behind their backs. She stuck each rose proudly through a buttonhole, and wore it until it wilted or he gave her another.she touched him in a friendly way, it somehow seemed the natural thing to do. He found himself laying a hand on her arm in the same manner when he told her funny stories about when he had been a guide. They roared with laughter together, holding their ribs and getting tears.Liliana told him how she had grown up on a farm, and loved the country. Several times Richard invited her on a picnic out in the hills. She was comfortable and happy in the countryside. She didn’t care if she got her dress dirty. Richard couldn’t imagine either Sister Merissa or Nicci setting a foot to dirt, but Sister Liliana would flop right down on the ground with him.never made an offer to sleep with him. That in itself put him at ease. She never displayed any pretense; she seemed to genuinely enjoy her time with him. When he opened his eyes after a session with her and admitted he felt no Han, she would squeeze his hands and tell him that it was all right, and that she would try harder the next time to help him.found himself telling her things he told none of the others. When he confided how much he wanted the Rada’Han off, she put a hand to his arm as she gave him a wink, and told him that she would see to it that he had his wish, that when the time came, she would do it herself. She said she could understand his feelings, and for him to have faith.promised that if one day he was at the end of his tolerance, and he truly could stand it no longer, she would help him, she would remove the collar. But she wanted him to know that she had faith in him, and wanted him to put in his best effort to learn to control his Han before she even considered it.said that other young men tried to forget their collar by bedding every woman willing. She told him that she could understand urges, but she hoped that if he chose to sleep with a woman it would be because he liked her, and not because he was trying to forget the collar. She told him not to go to the prostitutes because they were dirty and he would catch something.told her that he was in love with someone, and didn’t want to be unfaithful to her. She grinned and clapped him on the back and said she was proud of him. Richard didn’t tell her that Kahlan had sent him away, but he wanted to. He knew that someday, if he could stand it no longer, he could tell Liliana and she would listen, and understand.he was so comfortable around her, he felt that if anyone could help him find his Han, it would be her. He hoped it would be her. Richard had had only a brother, and didn’t know what it would be like to have a sister, but he imagined that if he did have one, she would be like Liliana. The name Sister Liliana had a different meaning to him than was intended. She seemed his soulmate., he couldn’t let himself open up completely to her. The Sisters were his captors, not his friends. They were the enemy, for now. But he knew that when the time came, Liliana would side with him.’s lessons with the six Sisters took up at most two hours a day. A waste of two hours as far as he was concerned. He was no closer to touching his Han than he had been the first time Sister Verna had him try.Richard could manage to be alone, he explored the land around the palace, and found the limits of his invisible chain. When he reached the farthest distance the collar would allow him to go, it felt like trying to walk through a ten-foot-thick wall of mud layered over solid rock. It was frustrating to be able to see beyond, without obstruction, yet not be able to continue walking.happened, as near as he could tell, about the same distance from the palace in any direction. It was a good number of miles, but once he found the limit, his world began to feel very small indeed.day he found his boundary, the limits of his prison, he went to the Hagen Woods, and killed a mriswith.only true solace was Gratch. Richard spent most nights with the gar. He wrestled with his furry friend, ate with him, and slept with him. Richard hunted food for Gratch, but the gar was learning to hunt on his own. Richard was relieved to learn that; he didn’t have the time to be with him every night. Hungry or not, Gratch was always distraught when Richard missed a night.was worried that Pasha would know where he went all the time, by his collar, but quite by accident he discovered something else his mriswith cape did—it masked from Pasha his whereabouts. When he wore the cape, she couldn’t find him by his Rada’Han, by his Han.was puzzled by his blanking out from her sense of where he was, but didn’t seem too concerned, offering that perhaps it had an explanation that she would come to figure out one day. She seemed to think it was a deficiency on her part. Richard never offered her the solution.realized that this was the reason none with the gift ever knew a mriswith was coming. Richard wondered why he had been able to see the beast in his mind. Maybe it was as Sister Verna said, that he was using his Han. But Sisters and wizards knew how to use their Han, and couldn’t detect the mriswith.had an easier time when he could go where he pleased, and know Pasha would not know where he was; it saved thinking up explanations. He worried that if she ever discovered the reason, she would destroy his cape, so he hid a second for that contingency.seemed to be bigger every time Richard saw him. By the end of Richard’s first month at the palace, the gar was a head taller than R’ichard, and significantly stronger. When they wrestled, Gratch learned to be careful not to hurt him.also spent some of his time with Warren, getting him used to going outside. At first, he took Warren out into the courtyards at night. Warren told him that the size of the sky and landscape frightened him, so Richard reasoned that night would show him less of the landscape, at least to start.said that the Sisters had had him down in the vaults for so long that he thought he just became used to being closed in, but he was tired of it. Richard felt sorry for him, and wanted to help him. He really liked Warren. He was about as smart as anyone Richard had ever met. There didn’t seem to be anything that Warren didn’t know at least a little about.was nervous about being away from the safety of the palace, but was reassured by Richard’s presence, and the way Richard never ridiculed his fears. Richard was always considerate, never taking Warren farther than he felt comfortable. Richard told him that it was just like after you were injured and had been laid up for a while: it took time to stretch the old muscles.a few weeks of their nighttime forays, Richard started taking Warren out in the daylight, first just up onto the walls to look at the vastness of the sky and ocean. Warren was always close to a stairway that led back into the palace, so he was reassured by having an escape route close by if he felt he had to go back inside. A few times he did, and Richard always went with him, and talked about other things to take his mind away from the uncomfortable feeling. Richard had Warren bring a book outside with him, so he could be distracted by reading. Letting Warren forget about the size of the sky helped.a bright, sunny day, after Warren had become comfortable out-of-doors, Richard decided to try taking him out into the hills. Warren was a bit giddy at first, but as they sat on a rock high in the hills, overlooking the countryside and the city, Warren said that he felt as if he had mastered his fear. He said that he still felt uncomfortable, but he felt the fear was under control.grinned at the vast landscape spread out below, enjoying the sight that for so long his fears denied him. Richard told him that he was happy that he was the one to have been able to guide him out of his mole hole. Warren laughed.said he needed adventure in his life, and this felt like the beginning.far as Warren’s search for information was going, he had been able to find out precious little. He had so far found only a few references in old books that talked about the Valley of the Lost, and the Baka Ban Mana, but what he found was intriguing. The information made reference to the power the wizards had given the Baka Ban Mana in return for taking their land, so that they could someday have their land restored. It said that when the completing link was joined with this power invested in their spirit woman, the towers would fall.thought about Du Chaillu saying that he was the Caharin, and that they were now husband and wife. That was a linking of sorts. He wondered if over the intervening time the meaning of this joining could have been taken to mean marriage, instead of its original intent.they sat watching the vast landscape, Warren said, “The Prelate has been reading prophecies and histories that talk about “the pebble in the pond.’”’s ears perked up. He remembered Kahlan singing him a song about screelings that mentioned “the pebble in the pond.” Warren hadn’t studied those prophecies before, and hadn’t been able to piece together their importance as of yet.
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