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She stared at him in surprise。 ‘Because we keep you locked inhere？’
His small smile returned。 There are many different kinds of prisons； Sister。 As far as I am concerned； His blessings are tainted。 The only thing worse than being touched by the Creator is being touched by the Keeper。 And of that； I am not even resolved。’
She took her hand back。 ‘I will still pray for you； Nathan。’
‘If you care so much for me； then free me。’
‘I’m sorry； I can’t do that。’
‘You mean； you won’t do that。’
‘Look at it how you will； but you must remain here。’
At last he turned away from her。 She started for the door。
‘Sister？ Would you send a woman to visit me？ To spend a night or two with me？’
The pain in his voice almost made her weep。 ‘I thought you would be beyond that age。’
He slowly turned to her。 ‘You have a lover； Sister Margaret。’
She reeled at this。 How could he know？ He didn’t know； he was guessing。 She was young； and thought attractive by some。 Of course she would be interested in men。 He was only guessing。 But then； none of the Sisters knew what he was able to do。
He was the only wizard they couldn’t trust to be truthful about his powers。
‘You listen to gossip； Nathan？’
He smiled。 ‘Tell me； Sister Margaret； do you have the day planned out in advance； when you will be too old for love； even if it is only for a time as fleeting as a night？ Exactly how old； Sister； is it； when we lose the need for love？’
She stood silent； ashamed； for a time。 ‘I will go myself； Nathan； into the city； and bring back a woman to visit you for a time。 Even if I must pay her price myself。 I can’t pledge she will be beautiful to your eyes； as I don’t know what your eyes fancy； but I can vow she will not be empty between the ears； as I think you value this more than you will admit。’
She saw a single tear fall from the corner of his eye。 ‘Thank you； Sister Margaret。’
‘But Nathan； you must promise me you will tell her no prophecy。’
He bowed his head slightly。 ‘Of course； Sister。 I swear it on my word as a wizard。’
‘I mean it； Nathan。 I do not wish to have a part in being responsible for people dying。 Not only men died in those battles； but women； too。 I could not bear having a part in it。’
His eyebrows lifted。 ‘Not even； Sister Margaret； if one of those women would bear； had she lived； a boy child who would grow into a brutal tyrant who would go on to torture and slaughter tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of innocent people； women and children among them？ Not even； Sister； if you had a chance to choke off this fork of a terrible prophecy？’
She stood stunned； frozen。 At last she made herself blink。 ‘Nathan；’ she whispered； ‘are you saying 。。。’
‘Good night； Sister Margaret。’ He turned and strode off to the solitude of his small garden； pulling up his black hood as he went。
CHAPTER 6
The wind ripped at her； tugging at her clothes and snapping the loose ends。 After yesterday’s tangled mess； Kahlan was at least glad she had thought to tie back her hair。 She clung to Richard for dear life； pressing the side of her face against his back as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut。
It was happening again … the thick feeling of growing heavy that made the knot in the pit of her stomach sink lower of its own accord。 She thought she might be sick。 She was afraid to open her eyes； she knew what always happened when she felt heavy like this。 Richard called back for her to look。
She opened her eyes just a little； peeking through narrow； squinting slits。 As she suspected； the world was tilted at a crazy angle。 Her head spun sickeningly。 Why did the dragon have to tip over whenever it made a turn？ She could feel herself being pressed against the red scales。 She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t falling off。
Richard had told her he had figured out that it was just like when you swung a bucket of water around over your head and the water didn’t fall out。 She had never swung a bucket of water over her head and wasn’t entirely sure he was telling the truth about the water not falling out。 She looked longingly at the ground and saw what Richard was pointing at … the Mud People’s village。
Siddin squealed with glee from his place in Richard’s lap as Scarlet’s huge； leathery wings caught the air and pulled them into a tight spiral。 As the red dragon plummeted earthward； the knot of Kahlan’s stomach felt as if it were ing up in her throat。 She didn’t understand how they could like doing this。 They enjoyed it。 They actually enjoyed it！ Arms stuck up in the air； they were both laughing with delight； acting like little boys。 Well； one was a little boy； and she guessed he had a right。
She suddenly smiled and then laughed herself。 Not at flying on a dragon； but at seeing how happy Richard was。 She would fly on a dragon every day just to see him laughing and happy。 She stretched up and kissed the back of his neck。 He brought his hands down and rubbed one on each of her legs She clasped them tighter around him and forgot a little about feeling sick。
Richard called forward for Scarlet to land in the open field in the center of the village。 The sun was almost down； making the tan； plastered； mud…bricked buildings in the circle of the village stand out brightly in the slanting light。 Kahlan could smell the sweet smoke from the cooking fires。 The long shadows trailed the people running for cover。 Women ran from the cooking shelters and men from their weapons making； all shouting and calling out。
She hoped they wouldn’t be too frightened。 The last time Scarlet had e here she had carried Darken Rahl； and when he didn’t find Richard he had killed people。 These people didn’t know Rahl had forced Scarlet to fly him around after he had stolen her egg。 Of course； even without Darken Rahl riding her； no one ever thought of a red dragon as anything but a deadly threat。 She herself would have run for her life at seeing a red dragon。 The red were the most fearsome of all the dragons； and no one would ever imagine doing anythin