Chandalen pointed angrily at the wound on the top of his shoulder. “You did this deliberately! I saw how you shoot! It could not have been an accident!”
Richard threw his hands in the air. “Idiot!” he said to the sky. He lowered his glare to Chandalen’s fierce eyes. “Yes, you saw me shoot! Do you have any doubt that if I wanted to kill you, you would not be breathing right now! Of course I did it deliberately! It was the only way to save you!” He reached over her shoulder, putting his hand close to Chandalen’s face, holding his first finger and thumb half an inch apart. “This is all the room I had! At the most! If I didn’t take it, you would be dead!”
“What do you mean?” Chandalen demanded.
Kahlan put a hand on his arm. “Calm down, Richard. Just tell us what happened.”
“He couldn’t understand me. None of them could. I couldn’t explain it to them.” He looked at her in frustration. “I killed a man today.”
“What!” she whispered. “You killed one of Chandalen’s men?”
“No! That’s not what they’re angry about. They’re happy I killed him. I was saving Chandalen’s life! But they think . . .”
She collected herself. “Just calm down. I will explain your words to them.”
Richard nodded and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He looked down at the ground as he combed the fingers of both hands through his hair. He looked back up. “I’m only going to explain this once, Chandalen. If you can’t get it through your thick head, then we are going to stand at opposite ends of the village and shoot arrows at each other until we can’t argue anymore. And I will only need one arrow.”
Chandalen lifted an eyebrow and folded his muscular arms. “So explain.”
Richard took a deep breath. “You were standing a long way off. For some reason, I knew he was there, behind you. I spun around. All I could see of him . . . here, like this.” He grabbed Kahlan by her shoulders and turned her around, facing Chandalen. He held her shoulders and ducked down behind her. “Like this. I couldn’t see any of him but the top of his head. He had his spear ready. In one second more, he would have put it through your back. I had only one chance to keep him from killing you. Only one chance. I couldn’t see enough of him; there was nothing else to shoot at from where I was. Only the very top of his head.
“The top of his forehead sloped back. If I hit it too high, the arrow would have deflected off, and he would have killed you. The only way to stop him, to kill him, was to let the arrow nick the top of your shoulder.”
He held his finger and thumb half an inch apart again. “This is all I had. If I put the arrow that much lower, your bone would have deflected the arrow, and he would have had you. If I would have put it that much higher, just enough not to nick you, he would have lived, and you would be dead. I knew Savidlin’s bladed arrow could pass through a little of your flesh and allow me to kill him. There was no time for anything else. I had to shoot instantly. I think a dozen stitches is a light price to pay for your life.”
Chandalen’s eyes looked a little less sure. “How do I know you are telling the truth?”
Richard shook his head, muttering. He suddenly thought of something. He snatched a cloth sack from one of Chandalen’s men. He thrust his hand in the sack and pulled out a head, lifting it by blood-soaked, matted hair.
Kahlan gasped. She put a hand over her mouth as she turned away. But before she did, she saw an arrow jutting from the center of the forehead, the blade end sticking from the back of the head.
Richard held the head behind Chandalen’s shoulder and laid the feathers of the shaft on his shoulder, next to the wound.
“This is all I saw. If it were not as I say, if he had been standing straighter, and I put the arrow where I did, it would not have touched you.”
The hunters all started nodding and whispering among themselves. Chandalen looked down at the shaft of the arrow lying on his shoulder. He looked back at the head. He thought about it a minute and then unfolded his arms and took the head, stuffing it back in the sack.
“I have been stitched before. A few more will not hurt me. I will take your words as true. This time.”
Richard put his fists on his hips as he watched Chandalen and his men walking away. “You’re welcome,” he called after them.
Kahlan didn’t translate that. “Why do they have that head?”
“Don’t ask me. It wasn’t my idea. And you don’t want to know what they did with the rest of him.”
“Richard, that seems a risky shot to me. How far were you when you shot that arrow?”
The heat left his voice. “Not risky at all, believe me. And I was at least a hundred paces.”
“You can shoot an arrow that accurately at a hundred paces?”
He sighed. “I’m afraid I could have done it at twice that distance. Three times that distance.” He looked down at the blood on his hands. “I have to go wash this off. Kahlan, in about two minutes my head is going to explode. I have to sit down. Could you please go get Nissel? Yelling at that idiot was the only thing keeping me on my feet.”
She put a hand on his arm. “Of course. Go on inside, I’ll go get her.”
“I think Savidlin is angry with me too. Please tell him that I’m sorry I ruined so many of his arrows.”
She frowned as Richard went inside, closing the door. Savidlin looked as if he was about to speak to her. She took him by the arm.
“Richard needs Nissel. Come with me, and tell me what happened.”
Savidlin cast a glance over his shoulder at the door to his home as they hurried away. “Richard With The Temper seems to be living up to his name.”
“He is upset because he killed a man. It is not an easy thing to live with.”
“He didn’t tell you all of the story. There was more to it.”
“So tell me.”
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.
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.
“Today, when I drew the bow and called the target, I also called something else: magic.
“When Zedd touched me before, to heal me, and when you touched me when you were in the Con Dar, I felt the magic. This was something like that. I knew it was magic. It felt different from yours and Zedd’s, but I recognized the texture of magic. I could feel the life of it, like a second breath. Alive.” Richard put a fist in the center of his chest. “I could feel it coming from inside me, building until I released it to call the target.”
Kahlan recognized in herself the feelings he was describing. “Maybe it has something to do with the sword.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I suppose it could be. But I couldn’t control it. After a while, it simply went away, like a candle blown out in the wind. It felt like suddenly being in darkness, as if I was suddenly blind. And the headache came back.
“I couldn’t hit the target, and I couldn’t call it to me, so I just let the others shoot. The magic would come and go. I could never tell when it was going to happen. Then when the men started eating meat, I felt sick, and had to go away from them. I shot while they ate, and sometimes I could summon the magic and the headache would go away.”
“What about when you caught the arrow out of the air?”
He cast her a sidelong glance. “Savidlin told you about that, did he?” She nodded. Richard let out a deep breath. “That was the strangest of all. I don’t know how to explain it. Somehow, I made the air thicker.”
She leaned closer, studying his face. “Made the air thicker?”
He nodded again. “I knew I had to slow the arrow down, and the only thing I could think of was that if the air was thick, like it was those times with the sword, when the air got thick and stopped the sword, then maybe I had a chance. Otherwise, I was going to die. It just all came into my head at once, the idea, and the doing. Instantly.
“I have no clue as to what I did. I just had the thought and I saw my hand snatch the arrow out of the air.”
He fell silent. Kahlan rubbed her thumb on the side of her boot heel. She didn’t know what to say. Fear was nibbling at the fringes of her mind. She flicked her eyes up for a glance at him. He was staring off into space.
“Richard,” she whispered, “I love you.”
His answer was a long moment in coming. “I love you too.” He turned to her. “Kahlan, I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Something is going on. A screeling shows up, I have these headaches, you call down lightning, I do what I did today. The only thing I can think to do is to go to Aydindril and find Zedd. All these things have something to do with magic.”
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