Stone of Tears

When they came back with the healer, they found Richard huddled in a corner, his fingers intertwined over his head. His skin was white, cold, and wet. Nissel gave him something to drink. After a few minutes, she gave him a small cube of something to swallow. Richard smiled when he saw it. He must have known what it was. Nissel sat on the floor next to him and felt his pulse for a long time. When a little of his color came back, she made him put his head back and open his mouth. She twisted a clove of something over his mouth, dripping the juice in. He made a face. Nissel smiled at that without comment.

She turned to Kahlan. “I think these things will help him. Tell him to keep chewing the leaves. Come get me if he needs me.”

“Nissel, is he going to get better soon? Shouldn’t he be getting better?”

The stooped old woman glanced down at Richard. “spirit has a mind of its own. It doesn’t always listen. I think his does not want to listen.” She suddenly brightened at seeing the stricken look on Kahlan’s face. “don’t worry, child. I can make even the spirit listen.”

Kahlan nodded. Nissel gave her a warm smile and a pat on the arm before she went on her way.

Richard looked up at Kahlan and Savidlin. “did you tell him? Did you tell him I’m sorry about ruining all his arrows?”

Kahlan smiled a little to Savidlin. “He is worried about ruining so many arrows.”

Savidlin grunted. “It is my own fault. I made your bow too good.” Richard managed a laugh. “Weselan is off making bread. I must go see to some things. Rest well. We will be back when it is time to eat. We will eat together. It smells like my wife has made some good stew.”

After Savidlin left, Kahlan sat on the floor, tight against him.

“Richard, what happened today? Savidlin told me how you shot arrows today. You haven’t always been that good, have you?”

He wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. “No. I’ve split arrows before, but not more than a half dozen in one day.”

“You’ve shot that many in one day before?”

He nodded. “On a good day, when I can feel the target. But today was different.”

“How?”

“Well, we went out on the plain, and my head was really starting to hurt. The men set up targets of bundled grass. I didn’t think I would even be able to hit a target, because my head hurt so much. But I didn’t want to disappoint Savidlin, so I tried anyway. When I shoot, I call the target to me.”

“What do you mean, you call the target to you?”

Richard shrugged. “I don’t know. I used to think everyone did it when they shot. But Zedd told me they don’t. I look at the target, and just sort of pull it to me. When I’m doing it right, it blocks out everything else. It’s only me and the target, as if it comes closer. Somehow, I know exactly how the arrow must be held to hit the target. When I’m doing it right, I can feel that the arrow is in the right place before I release the bowstring.

“When I learned that I always hit the target when I had that certain feeling, I quit shooting arrows. I would just aim, trying to bring on the correct feel. I knew when I had it I wouldn’t miss, so I didn’t bother shooting. I would nock another arrow and try for the feel again. Over time, I learned to do it more often.”

“How was it different today?”

“Well, like I said, my head really hurt. I watched some of the other men shoot. They were very good. Savidlin started slapping me on the back, so I knew it was my turn. I figured I might as well get it over. My head felt as if it was going to split open. I drew the bow, and called the target to me.”

Richard ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know how to explain it. I called the target, and instantly, my headache was gone. No pain at all. The target came to me as it never had before. It felt like there was a notch in the air where I needed only to lay the arrow. I have never felt it so strongly before. It was as if the target was huge. I knew it would be impossible to miss.

“After a while, just for variation, instead of splitting the arrows already there, I would just shave off the red outside feather. When I did that, the men thought I had missed splitting the arrow already there. They had no idea I was doing something more difficult.”

“And your headache was completely gone?” He nodded. “do you have any idea why all this was happening?”

Richard pulled his knees up and rested his forearms on them. He looked away from her face. “I’m afraid I do. It was magic.”

“Magic?” Kahlan whispered. “What do you mean?”

His eyes came back to her. “Kahlan, I don’t know what your magic feels like inside you, but I have felt magic. Every time I draw the Sword of Truth, magic flows into me, becomes part of me. I know what that magic feels like. I’ve felt it often enough, and in different ways, depending on how I use it. But because I have joined with the sword, I can sense the magic from it, even as it sits in its scabbard on my hip. Now I can call forth its magic without even having to draw the sword. I can sense it, like a dog at my heel, ready to jump for me.