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terrors Kahlan had bravely faced； and conquered？ Pasha wasn’t woman enough to serve Kahlan tea。
He stuffed the lock of hair back into his pocket。 He forced his thoughts of Kahlan from his mind。 He couldn’t endure the pain。 He had other things to do。
Going into the bedroom； he positioned the ash…framed standing mirror； and then retrieved his pack from the corner。 Richard pulled out the black mriswith cape。 He threw it around his shoulders； and stood inspecting his image in the mirror。
It looked like a normal cape。 He thought it quite handsome； actually。 The cut and length was right； the mriswith had been about his size。 The heavy fabric was inky black； almost as black as a night stone that Adie had given him to help him across the pass； almost as black as the boxes of Orden。 Almost as black as eternal death。
But the pleasing cut of the cape was not what intrigued him。
Richard moved back against the light…brownish wall。 He pulled the hood up； cowling it around his face； and drew the cape closed。 As he watched his image in the mirror； he concentrated on the wall he was standing against。 In the span of a breath； his image vanished。 The cape had bee the color of the wall he stood against； to such a degree that only if he stared； focusing on the edges of the cape； could he distinguish himself standing against the wall。 If he moved； it was only slightly easier to pick out his shape against the wall。 Though his face was exposed； somehow the magic of the cape； or possibly the cape’s magic along with his own； served to mask it； too； to enfold it somehow into the concealing color。
This explained why the mriswith appeared to be different colors。
Richard moved objects behind himself； to discover what effect they had。 He stood in front of the wall and partly in front of a chair with his red coat draped over it。 The cape produced a blotch of red that did a good job of mimicking the color and shape behind。 Though it wasn’t as flawless as when he stood before a plain wall； it would still be easy to miss him if he stood still。
Movement would distort the plicated images； as the cape changed to acmodate new conditions； though it still fooled the eye into missing him； but if he stood still； he virtually vanished in front of anything。 The effect； at times； could be dizzying to watch。 When he stopped concentrating；’ the cape would return to black。
This； he thought as he looked at himself in the mirror standing in a simple black cape； was going to be useful。
CHAPTER 56
As the weeks passed； Richard was constantly busy。
He remembered that Kahlan and Zedd had told him that there were no wizards with the gift left in the Midlands。 Small wonder； they seemed to all be at the Palace of the Prophets。 There were well over a hundred boys and young men at the palace。 From what Richard could discover； a goodly number of the older ones； at least； were from the Midlands； with some even from D’Hara。
Killing a mriswith had earned Richard celebrity status among the younger boys。 Two of them； Kipp and Hersh； were the most persistent。 They followed him around； begging to hear stories of his adventures。 At times they exhibited the maturity； almost wisdom； of old men。 At other times they； like all boys； seemed interested in nothing more than mischief。
The object of this mischief was usually a Sister。 The boys never seemed to tire of thinking up new tricks to pull on them。 Most of the pranks appeared to involve either water； mud； or reptiles。 The Sisters only occasionally erupted in anger when caught up in the boys’ antics； and even then； they quickly forgave them。 As far as Richard could tell； the boys never earned more than a stern lecture。
In the beginning； the young boys thought to number Richard among their targets。 Richard had things to do； and had no time or patience for it。 When the boys learned that Richard was neither shy nor slow with discipline； they quickly moved on to other targets with their buckets of water。
The fact that Richard set limits made Kipp and Hersh like him all the more。 They seemed starved for older male panionship。 Richard rewarded them with adventure stories； or sometimes； when he was going from one place to another； and their presence wouldn’t impede his progress； he taught them about the woods； tracking； and animals。
They coveted staying in Richard’s gbod graces； so when he wanted or needed to be alone； and signaled with a finger or a nod； they vanished。 Richard let them be around often when he was with Pasha； since he couldn’t do more important tasks then anyway。 Frustrated； because she couldn’t seem to find time alone with him； Pasha was somewhat mollified when Richard got her excluded from the boys’ list of targets。 She appreciated not having her fine dresses drenched or having to worry about discovering a snake in her shawl。
Richard occasionally asked Kipp and Hersh to preform little errands； just to test them。 He had plans for their talents。
The other young men in collars wanted to show Richard the city。 Two； Perry and Isaac； who lived in Gillaume Hall with him； took him into the city and showed him the tavern where many of the guards drank； and he soon after bought Swordsman Kevin Andellmere the ale he had promised him。
Richard discovered that most of the young men spent their nights away from the palace； staying in various fine inns around the city。 It didn’t take Richard long to figure out why。 They were provided money； the same as he； and they were practiced at spending it。 They bought themselves fancy clothes； dressing like princes； and on their overnight stays they picked the finest acmodations。
There was no shortage of women wanting to share those acmodations。 Astonishingly beautiful women。
When Perry and Isaac took him to the city； they were always quickly surrounded by attractive women。 Richard had never seen women this brazen。 Every evening； the two men would each select a woman； sometimes several； and buy them presents； maybe a dress or a bauble； and then depart for their rooms。
The two told him that if he didn’t want to bother with spending time buying gifts； he could simply go to any of the houses of prostitution； but they assured him that those women were not as young； or nearly as pretty； as the ones who approached them on the streets。 They admitted； though； that they went to prostitutes sometimes when they didn’t feel like wasting time being sociable for no more than a simple coupling。
When he was spotted with a collar； Richard drew women the same as Perry and Isaac did。 Richard was beginning to see in a new light what Sister Verna meant about him soon finding another pair of pretty legs。 The other two men thought Richard was mad to turn down all the offers。 Sometimes； Richard wondered if they might not be right。
Richard asked Perry and Isaac if they weren’t afraid of a woman’s father cracking their skulls。 They laughed and said that fathers sometimes brought their daughters to them。 Richard threw his arms up and asked if they weren’t concerned about getting some woman they didn’t even know pregnant。 They explained that if a woman ‘got herself’ pregnant； the palace would provide for her and the child； even her whole family。
When Richard had asked Pasha what was behind such a bizarre convention； she folded her arms across her breasts and presented her back to him while she explained that men had uncontrollable urges； and those urges would be a distraction to learning to use their Han； so the Sisters encouraged the men to satisfy their needs。 That was why she didn’t go to the city with him at night。 She was restricted from interfering with his 。。。 needs。
She had turned back to him and begged him to e to her with his needs； saying she would see to it that he had no desire to go to other women； or if he did go to the city； to at least allow her to be one of the women he slept with。 She told him that she could satisfy him better than any other woman； and offered to prove it。
Richard was dumbfounded by such talk； to say nothing of the behavior。 He told Pasha that he only went to the city to see the sights。 Having grown up in the woods； he had never roamed around in a city before。 He told her that where he came from it wasn’t right to treat women in such a way。
He promised that if he was ever overe with need； he would e to her first。 She was so happy to hear this that she didn’t mind when he reminded her that he wasn’t ready yet。 She had no idea that there were times when he felt so lonely that he was sorely tempted to give in to her。 She was unquestionably alluring； and it was sometimes difficult for him to make himself keep her at arm’s length。
Richard had Pasha show him everything she could of the palace。 He had her show him some of the city； and take him on a tour of the docks； to see the big boats。 She said they were called ships； because they went to sea。 Richard had never seen anything that large afloat。 She told him that they brought trade from cities of the Old World farther down the coast。
Pasha went with him to the sea； and they sat for hours； watching the waves； or explored the tide