Wizard's First Rule

"Word spread; there was more work here than the town people could handle. Work for Father Rahl. More people came in to work the orders for lumber. While all this was going on, the missionaries told the people of the threat to them from Westland. The threat to Father Rahl from Westland."

"From Westland!" Richard was incredulous.

She nodded. "Then the People's Peace Army moved out, saying they were needed to fight the Westland forces, to protect the other towns that had sworn allegiance to D'Hara. The people begged for some to stay, for protection. In return for their loyalty and devotion, a small detachment was left behind."

Richard ushered her back onto the trail ahead of him as he gave one last puzzled glance over his shoulder. "So it.wasn't Rahl's army that did this?"

The trail was wide enough, so she waited until he was next to her before she went on. "No. They said everything was fine for a while. Then, about a week ago, at sunrise, a military unit of the Westland army swept in, killing the D'Hara detachment to a man. After that, they went on a rampage, killing people indiscriminately, and sacking the town. As the Westland soldiers killed, they yelled that this was what happens to anyone following Rahl, to anyone who resists Westland. Before the sun set, they were gone."

Richard grabbed a fistful of shirt at her shoulder, jerking her to face him.

"That's not true! Westlanders wouldn't do this! It wasn't them! It couldn't be!"

She blinked at him. "Richard, I did not say it was true. I am merely telling you what I was told, what those people back there believe."

He released his grip of her shirt, his face having a second reason for its flush. He couldn't help himself from adding, "No Westland army did this." He started-to turn back to the trail, but she took his arm, halting him.

"That is not the end of it."

By her eyes, he knew he didn't want to hear the end of it. He nodded for her to go on.

"Those left alive began leaving at once, taking what they could carry. More left the next day, some after burying members of their families. That night, a detachment of Westlanders came back, maybe fifty men. There were only a handful of townspeople left by that time. The people were told that resisters to Westland are not allowed to be buried, that they are to be left, for animals to pick clean, as a reminder to all of what will happen to any who resist the rule of Westland. To make their point, they collected all the men still left, even the boys, and executed them." By Kahlan's inflection of the word executed, and making no mention of the manner, he knew he didn't want to know. "The little boy and the old man back there were somehow overlooked or they would have been killed too. The women were made to watch." She paused.

"How many women were left?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, not many." She peered back up the trail, staring off toward the. town a moment before her intensely angry eyes returned to his. "The soldiers raped the women. And the girls." Her eyes burned into his. "Each one of those girls you saw back there was raped by at least…"

"Westlanders did not do this!"

She studied his face. "I know. But who? Why?" Her expression cooled back to calm.

He stared back at her in frustration. "Isn't there anything we can do for them?"

"Our job is not to protect a few people, or the dead; it is to protect the living, by stopping Darken Rahl. We do not have the time to give; we must get to Tamarang. Whatever trouble is about, we had best stay off the roads."

"You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "But I don't like it."

"Nor do L" Her features softened. "Richard, I think they will be safe. Whatever army it was that did this is not likely to return for a couple of women and children; they will be off to hunt bigger game."

Some solace that was, that the killers would be off to hunt larger groups of people to hurt, in the name of his homeland. Richard thought about how he hated all this, and remembered how when he was back in Hartland, his biggest trouble was his brother always telling him what to do.

"A group of soldiers that big isn't going to be traveling by trail through a thick wood such as this, they'll stay to the roads, but I think it best if we start looking for wayward pines at night. No telling who could be watching."

She nodded her agreement. "Richard, many people of my homeland have joined with Rahl, and done unspeakable crimes. Does that make you think less of me?"

He frowned. "Of course not."