Stone of Tears

Captain Ryan swallowed. “Thank you, Mother Confessor.” With a shaking hand he slid his knife back in its sheath. “I grew up with him.” He lifted the hand toward the body at her feet. “We lived about a mile apart, on the same road. We used to go hunting and fishing together all the time. We helped each other with chores. We always went to feast day in our best coats of the same color. We always…”

“I’m sorry, Bradley. There is nothing to ease the pain of betrayal, or loss, except time. As I told you, war is not fair. Were it not for the men of the Order making war, perhaps you would be fishing today, with your friend. Blame the Order, and avenge him, too, with all the rest.”

He nodded. “Mother Confessor? What would you have done if you were wrong? What would you have done if Mosle wasn’t going to the enemy?”

She regarded him until his gaze rose to meet hers. “I probably would have taken that knife you offered, and killed you.”

She turned from his hollow expression and put a hand on the shoulder of the the man next to him. “Lieutenant Hobson, I know you had a difficult task. Prindin tells me you did it well.”

He looked near tears, but still managed to stiffen his back with pride. She noticed that his beard hadn’t even started to grow in earnest yet. Thank you, Mother Confessor.”

She looked around at the hundreds of men standing about, watching. “I believe you all have work?”

As if they had just awakened, everyone began moving again, slowly at first, and then with accelerating urgency.

Hobson gave a salute of his fist to his heart and turned to other business. The men who had brought Mosle lifted his body and carried it off. Others went to Chandalen and the two brothers, asking for instructions. Captain Ryan stood alone with her, watching as everyone went about their work.

Her legs felt limp and slack, like bowstrings left out in the rain all night. For a Confessor to use her power when she was rested and alert was taxing. To use it when she was already tired was perilously exhausting. She could hardly keep herself upright.

She had been dead tired from riding all night to the enemy camp and back, to say nothing of the fight with them. She needed more sleep than she had gotten, and using her power had cost her even the benefit of the short nap, and then some. She had used what strength she had left to do something that should have been done without her.

She thought maybe it must be the cold, and traveling in such difficult conditions, but she seemed more tired than usual lately. Maybe she could ask Prindin to make her some more tea.

“Could I speak with you for a moment, Mother Confessor?” Captain Ryan asked.

Kahlan nodded. “What is it, Captain?”

He pushed his unbuttoned wool coat open, shoving his hands in his back pockets. He glanced away to watch some men filling waterskins. “I just want to say that I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

“It’s all right, Bradley. He was your friend. It’s difficult to believe ill of a friend. I understand.”

“No, that’s not it. My father always told me that a man had to admit his mistakes before he could do right in this world.”

He shuffled his feet and looked around, finally bringing his blue eyes to her. The mistake I made was believing that you wanted Mosle killed because he wouldn’t follow you. I thought you were being spiteful because he didn’t want to follow you. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. Sorry I thought that of you. You were trying to protect us, even though you knew we would hate you for it. Well, I don’t hate you. I hope you don’t hate me. I’m honored to follow you into this battle. I hope that someday I’m half as wise as you, and have the guts you do, to use that wisdom.”

She released a quiet sigh. “I’m hardly older than you, yet you make me feel like an old woman. I’m relieved, you understand. It’s a small pleasure in all this pain. You’re a fine officer, and will do right by this world.”

He smiled. “I’m glad we’re on good terms again.”

A man approached, and was waved forward by the captain. “What is it, Sergeant Frost?”

Sergeant Frost gave a salute of his fist to his heart. “We sent a few men out, and in an abandoned barn they found some crushed chalk and other things needed to make whitewash. We have some wooden tubs we can mix it in. You said you wanted it in something big. They’re big enough to bathe in.”

“How many of these tubs do you have?” Kahlan asked.

“A dozen, Mother Confessor.”

“Put the tubs near each other, and pitch a tent around each. Use the largest tents you have, even if it is the command tents. Make the whitewash with hot water, and place the heated stones inside the tents, to keep it as warm as possible inside. Let me know when all this is seen to.”

Keeping his obvious questions to himself, the sergeant saluted and rushed off to see it done.

Captain Ryan gave her a curious frown. “What do you want with whitewash?”

“We’ve just gotten back on good terms; let’s not spoil it for a bit. I’ll tell you after things are prepared. Are the wagons ready?”

“Should be.”