Stone of Tears

He looked over with a grave expression. “We were shooting. Chandalen was angry, because of the shots Richard was making. He said Richard was a demon and went off and stood in the tall grass by himself. The rest of us were standing off to the other side, watching Richard shoot. The things he was doing did not seem possible. He nocked an arrow. Suddenly, he spun around toward Chandalen. Before we could even shout, Richard shot an arrow at Chandalen as he stood there with his arms folded. He had no weapon in his hand. None of us could believe Richard would do this.

“As the arrow was still flying toward Chandalen, two of his men, who had arrows nocked, drew their bows. The first one shot a ten-step arrow at Richard before his own arrow even reached Chandalen.”

Kahlan was incredulous. “He shot at Richard, and missed? Chandalen’s men don’t miss.”

Savidlin’s voice was low, and trembled slightly. “He would not have missed. But Richard spun, pulling his last arrow from his quiver, a bladed arrow, and shot. I have never seen anyone do such a thing so fast.” He hesitated, as if he didn’t think she would believe him. “Richard’s bladed arrow met the other in the air and split it in half. Each half went to one side of Richard.”

Kahlan halted Savidlin with a hand on his arm. “Richard hit the other arrow while it was in the air?”

He nodded slowly. “And then the other man shot. Richard had no more arrows. He stood, his bow in one hand, and waited. It too was a ten-step arrow. I could hear it ripping the air.”

Savidlin looked around, as if not wanting anyone else to hear. “Richard snatched it right out of the air with his hand. He had his fist around its middle. He put the man’s arrow in his own bow and drew it on Chandalen’s men. He was yelling at them. We couldn’t understand his words, but they dropped their bows on the ground and put their arms out to the sides, to show him their empty hands. We all thought Richard With The Temper had become crazy. We thought he might kill us all. We were all very afraid.

“Then Prindin called out. He had found the man behind Chandalen. We all saw then, that Richard had killed a trespasser who was armed with a spear. We realized Richard had been trying to kill the invader, not Chandalen. Chandalen, though, was not so certain. He thought Richard cut him with his arrow on purpose. Chandalen became even angrier when his men all went and gave Richard slaps of respect.”

Kahlan stared at him. She couldn’t believe the things she was hearing. Most of it sounded impossible. “Richard wanted me to tell you he was sorry he ruined your arrows. What was he talking about?”

“Do you know what a shaft shot is?”

Kahlan nodded. “It’s when you shoot an arrow through another already in the center of the target, and split the shaft of the first. The Home Guard in Aydindril gave ribbons for doing it. I have seen a few men with a half dozen ribbons. I knew one with ten.”

Savidlin reached around and pulled a fat bundle from his quiver. Every arrow was split. “It would be easier to give Richard With The Temper a ribbon if he ever missed. He would have no ribbons. He ruined over a hundred arrows today. Arrows take time to make. They are not to be wasted, but the men kept wanting him to do it again, because they had never seen anything like it before. One time, he put six arrows through the first, one right on top of the other.

“We shot rabbits, and cooked them over a fire. Richard sat with us, and then when we started eating, he wouldn’t eat with us. He looked sick, and went off and shot arrows by himself until we were finished. Later, after we ate, is when he killed the man.”

She nodded. “We better hurry and get Nissel.” She glanced over as they walked along. “savidlin, why did those men have that head? How can they be so gruesome?”

“Did you see that there was black painted over the eyes of the dead man? That was to hide him from our spirits, so he could sneak up on us. A man who comes onto our land with black over his eyes comes for only one reason: to kill. Chandalen’s men put the heads of men like that on poles at the edge of our land to warn others who would paint black on their eyes.

“It may seem gruesome to you, but in the end it makes for much less killing. Do not think less of Chandalen’s men for taking a head. They do it today not because they like it, but so there will be less killing tomorrow.”

Kahlan suddenly felt foolish. “I guess that, just as Chandalen, I am guilty of judging too quickly. Forgive me, Elder Savidlin, for thinking things about your people that were wrong.”

He gave her a one-arm hug around her shoulders.