Stone of Tears

Kahlan jerked to a halt. She gulped air. Richard stood before Sister Verna, beneath the hole ripped through the roof by the lightning. The two of them stood in a shaft of gray light, in the gently drifting snowflakes floating down. The rest of the room dimmed into darkness around them. At his hip, Richard’s sword glinted in the light. He didn’t have the tooth, or whistle, or Agiel around his neck. He hadn’t had time to call Scarlet yet.

In one hand, Sister Verna was holding the collar out to him. Her gaze went to Kahlan in silent warning for a moment, and then slid back to Richard. “You have heard the three reasons for the Rada’Han. This is your last chance to be helped, Richard. Will you accept the offer?”

Richard left the Sister’s steady gaze, and turned slowly toward Kahlan, toward where she stood panting. His bright gray eyes followed down her dress and came back up to her face. His voice was gentle, reverent. “Kahlan… that dress… is beautiful. Beautiful.”

Kahlan couldn’t find her voice. Her heart was pounding, breaking. Sister Verna spoke his name in a tone of serious warning.

For the first time, Kahlan saw that Sister Verna held something in her other hand. It was the silver knife. But she wasn’t pointing it at herself; it was held toward Richard. Kahlan knew: if he didn’t accept, she intended to kill him. He didn’t even seem to be aware of the knife as it flashed in the dim light. Kahlan wondered if she had used a spell to block it from his vision.

Richard turned back to the Sister. “You have done your best. You have tried your best. It is not enough. I told you before, I will not…”

“Richard!” Kahlan took another step toward him as he turned to the sound of her shriek. Her eyes locked on his. “Richard,” she whispered as she took another step. Her voice broke. “Accept the offer. Take the collar. Please.”

Sister Verna didn’t move. She watched calmly.

Richard frowned a little. “What? Kahlan… you don’t understand. I told you, I won’t…”

“Richard!” He fell silent as he looked at her in puzzlement. She glanced at the Sister standing motionless, the knife still in her hand. She watched as Kahlan stepped closer. Their eyes met. Kahlan knew: the other would wait to see what would happen. There was a hardness in those eyes that spoke of what she was prepared to do if Kahlan didn’t change Richard’s mind. “Richard, listen carefully to me. I want you to accept the offer.”

His frown deepened. “What… ?”

Take the collar.”

His eyes flashed anger. “I told you before. I will not…”

“You said you loved me!”

“Kahlan, what’s the matter with you? You know I love…”

She cut him off. Then you will accept the offer. If you really love me, you will take the collar and put it on. For me.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “For you… ? Kahlan, I can’t… I won’t…”

“You will!” She was being too gentle, and knew it. It was only confusing him. She had to be stronger. She had to act more like Denna if she was to save him. Dear spirits, she begged in her mind, please give me the strength to do this, to save him.

“Kahlan, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. We can talk about it later. You know how much I love you, but I’m not going to…”

She clenched her hands into fists and screamed at him. “If you love me, you will! Don’t stand there and tell me you love me if you aren’t willing to prove it! You disgust me!”

He blinked in surprise. The way his voice sounded made her ache. “Kahlan…”

“You aren’t worthy of my love if you aren’t willing to prove it! How dare you say you love me!”

His eyes were rilling with tears.

With madness.

With the memory of what Denna had done to him.

He sank slowly to his knees. “Kahlan… please.”

She leaned over him as she held out clenched fists. “don’t you dare talk back to me!” His arms flinched up, covering his head. He thought she was going to strike him. He really thought she was going to strike him. Her heart felt as if it ripped. Tears streamed down her face as she let the rage loose. “I told you to take the collar! How dare you talk back to me! If you love me you will take it!”

“Kahlan, please,” he cried. “don’t do this. You don’t understand. Don’t ask me to…”

“I understand perfectly well!” she screamed. “I understand that you say you love me! But I don’t believe you! I don’t believe you! You’re lying to me! Your love for me is a lie if you won’t take the collar! A lie! A filthy lie!”

He couldn’t look up at her, look up at her as she stood over him in the blue dress she was to wed him in. He struggled to get the words out as he fixed his eyes on the ground. “It’s not… it’s not a lie. Please, Kahlan, I love you. You mean more to me than anything in the world. Please believe me. I would do anything for you. But please…”

Dying inside, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and jerked his head up, making him look at her. Madness danced in his eyes. He was gone. But only for now, she prayed. Please dear spirits, only for now.

“Words! That’s all you offer me! Not love! Not proof! Just words! Worthless words!”