tg.stone of tears-第157章

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epart　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　pools。　Richard　was　astounded　to　learn　that　the　sea　went　up　and　down；　with　tides；　all　by　itself。　She　assured　him　that　it　was　not　the　magic　of　the　palace；　but　did　such　a　thing　everywhere。　Richard　was　spellbound　by　the　ocean。　Pasha　was　content　to　simply　sit　with　him。　But　Richard　couldn’t　afford　to　sit　and　watch　the　ocean　too　often。　He　had　things　to　do。
　
　Pasha　wasn’t　permitted　to　go　with　him　to　the　city　in　the　evening；　in　case　he　chose　to　be　with　a　woman。　He　had　to　constantly　reassure　her　that　that　was　not　why　he　went　out　at　night。　Since　it　was　the　truth　that　he　wasn’t　sleeping　with　any　of　the　women；　he　had　no　difficulty　being　sincere　and　convincing　her。　He　did　not　tell　her　the　truth；　however；　about　what　he　really　was　doing。
　
　Richard　decided　that　as　long　as　the　palace　wanted　to　provide　him　with　money；　he　was　going　to　allow　them　to　finance　their　own　undoing。　He　spent　the　palace’s　money　wherever　it　would　help　him。　He　became　a　regular　at　the　taverns　and　inns　the　palace　guards　frequented。　Whenever　he　was　around；　they　never　paid　for　a　drink。
　
　Richard　made　an　effort　to　learn　all　their　names。　At　night；　he　would　write　down　the　name　of　any　new　guard　he　had　met；　and　everything　he　could　discover　about　him　or　any　of　the　other　guards。　He　paid　the　most　attention　to　those　who　guarded　the　Prelate’s　pound；　and　any　other　place　he　discovered　he　was　forbidden　access。　He　stopped　by　their　posts　whenever　he　was　at　the　palace；　and　inquired　idly　about　their　lives；　their　girlfriends；　their　wives；　their　parents；　their　children；　their　food；　their　problems。
　
　Richard　bought　Kevin　special　expensive　chocolates　that　his　girlfriend　favored；　but　which　Kevin　could　ill　afford　on　his　wages。　The　chocolates　earned　Kevin　favors　from　his　girlfriend。　Kevin　always　brightened　at　Richard’s　approach；　even　when　he　looked　tired　from　the　favors。
　
　Richard　loaned　money　to　any　guard　who　asked；　knowing　it　would　never　be　repaid。　When　a　few　made　excuses　as　to　why　they　didn’t　have　the　money　to　pay　back；　Richard　would　not　hear　their　reasons；　telling　them　that　he　understood　and　that　he　would　feel　bad　if　they　were　to　worry　about　it。
　
　Two　of　the　toughest；　who　guarded　a　restricted　area　on　the　west　side　of　the　palace；　would　let　him　buy　their　ale；　but　wouldn’t　warm　to　him。　Richard　took　it　as　a　challenge。　He　finally　struck　on　the　idea　of　hiring　them　the　services　of　four　prostitutes　…　two　each；　just　to　get　their　attention。　They　wanted　to　know　why。　Richard　told　them　how　the　palace　provided　him　with　money　and　he　didn’t　see　why　only　he　should　enjoy　it。　He　told　them　that　since　they　had　to　stand　up　all　day　guarding　the　palace；　he　thought　it　only　fair　for　the　palace　to　pay　to　put　a　lady　under　them　when　they　lay　down。
　
　The　offer　was　too　much　for　them　to　resist。　They　were　soon　giving　him　surreptitious　winks　when　he　passed。　Once　they　became　amenable　to　his　offers；　he　saw　to　it　that　they　had　reason　to　give　him　the　winks　on　a　more　frequent　basis。
　
　As　Richard　knew　they　would；　the　two　guards　began　bragging　about　their　romps。　When　some　of　the　other　men　found　out　that　Richard　had　been　willing　to　provide　those　two　with　the　services　of　ladies；　they　pointed　out　to　Richard　that　it　wasn’t　fair　to　the　others　that　they　should　be　excluded。　Richard　conceded　that　he　saw　the　logic　of　their　argument。　He　soon　discovered　that　he　didn’t　have　the　time　to　handle　individual　requests；　so　he　struck　on　an　idea。
　
　He　found　a　mistress　of　a　brothel　open　to　an　inventive　business　arrangement。　He　put　the　establishment　on　retainer；　open　only　to　his　‘friends。’　He　calculated　that　in　this　manner　he　was　actually　saving　the　palace　money；　over　a　piecemeal　arrangement。
　
　He　wanted　the　men　to　remember　to　whom　they　owed　their　gratitude；　so　required　they　give　the　mistress　the　code　phrase　‘a　friend　of　Richard　Cypher’　before　they　would　be　granted　admittance。　There　were　no　other　restrictions。　Richard　gave　the　mistress　a　healthy　raise　in　the　retainer　when　she　plained　to　him　that　business　was　steadier　than　she　had　anticipated。
　
　Richard　soothed　his　conscience　about　the　morals　of　what　he　was　doing　by　reminding　himself　that　he　couldn’t　change　what　people　chose　to　do；　and　it　might　save　him　from　having　to　kill　the　guards　when　the　time　came。　In　that　light；　it　made　sense。
　
　One　day　when　Pasha　was　with　him；　and　a　man　gave　him　a　wink；　she　asked　why。　He　told　her　it　was　because　he　was　with　the　most　attractive　woman　at　the　palace。　She　smiled　for　an　hour。
　
　Richard　accustomed　the　guards　to　seeing　him　in　the　black　cape　of　the　mriswith。　He　kept　Pasha　happy　when　he　was　with　her　by　frequently　wearing　the　red　coat　she　liked　best。　Sometimes　he　wore　the　others：　the　black；　the　dark　blue；　the　brown；　or　the　green。　Pasha　most　liked　taking　him　to　the　city；　but　she　went　for　hikes　in　the　surrounding　countryside　to　try　to　be　a　part　of　his　interests。
　
　Richard　learned　that　the　guards　were　soldiers　in　the　Imperial　Order；　on　special　detachment　to　the　palace。　The　Imperial　Order　ruled　all　of　the　Old　World；　but　seemed　to　have　a　nonintervention　policy　with　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets。　They　never　interfered　with　any　Sister；　or　any　man　wearing　a　Rada’Han。
　
　The　guards　were　stationed　at　the　palace　to　handle　all　the　people　who　came　to　Halsband　Island。　Every　day；　people　poured　over　the　bridges　to　e　to　the　palace。　Sisters　saw　petitioners　of　every　want。　Some　requested　charity；　some　intervention　in　disputes；　and　some　wished　to　be　guided　in　the　Creator’s　wisdom。　Others　came　to　worship　in　the　courtyards　scattered　throughout　the　island。　They　viewed　the　place　where　Sisters　of　the　Light　lived　as　hallowed。
　
　Richard　learned　that　the　city　of　Tanimura；　vast　though　it　was；　was　merely　an　outpost　of　the　Old　World；　at　the　fringe　of　the　empire。　Apparently；　the　emperor　of　the　Imperial　Order　had　an　arrangement　with　the　palace　to　provide　guards；　but　not　law。　Richard　suspected　that　the　guards　were　the　emperor’s　eyes　in　an　area　of　his　empire　where　he　was　denied　dominion。　Richard　wondered　what　the　emperor　received　in　return　for　this　arrangement。
　
　Richard　also　learned　that　in　at　least　one　of　the　restricted　areas；　the　Sisters　had　a　‘special　guest’　who　never　came　out；　but　he　was　unable　to　discover　any　more。
　
　Richard　began　testing　the　guards’　loyalty　to　him　with　simple；　innocuous　requests。　He　told　Kevin　that　he　wanted　a　special　rose　for　Pasha　that　grew　only　in　the　Prelate’s　pound。　Richard　made　a　point　of　parading　Pasha；　wearing　the　yellow　rose；　past　Kevin。　Kevin　smiled　with　pride。
　
　At　other　restricted　areas；　Richard　used　the　flower　excuse；　or　said　that　he　wanted　to　get　a　view　of　the　sea　from　atop　a　particular　wall。　He　made　sure　to　remain　in　sight　at　all　times；　to　reassure　the　guards　and　dull　their　sense　of　caution。
　
　It　wasn’t　long　before　he　had　all　the　guards　accustomed　to　his　forays。　After　a　time；　he　was　ing　and　going　almost　as　he　pleased。　He　was　their　friend　…　a　trusted　and　valuable　friend。
　
　Since　he　was　collecting　so　many　rare　flowers　from　the　restricted　areas；　he　used　them　to　an　advantage　…　he　presented　them　to　the　Sisters　who　practiced　with　him。　They　were　puzzled　as　to　why　he　would　give　them　flowers　from　restricted　areas。　He　explained　that　he　considered　the　Sisters　who　trained　him　to　be　special；　and　he　therefore　didn’t　want　them　to　have　just　any　flowers；　but　those　that　were　special；　and　artfully　obtained。　Besides　making　them　blush；　this　explanation　also　disarmed　an　otherwise　inevitable　suspicion　if　he　frequented　restricted　areas。
　
　Though；　as　near　as　Richard　could　tell；　there　were　close　to　two　hundred　Sisters；　only　six　worked　with　him。
　
　Sisters　Tovi　and　Cecilia　were　older；　and　as　kind　as　doting　grandmothers。　Tovi　always　brought　cookies　or　some　other　treat　to　their　sessions。　Cecilia　insisted　on　bing　his　hair　back　off　his　forehead　with　her　fingers　and　planting　a　kiss　there　before　she　left。　Both　blushed　furiously　when　he　gave　them　rare　flowers。　Richard　had　difficulty　thinking　of　either　as　potential　enemies。
　
　The　first　time　Sister　Merissa　showed　up　at　his　door；　Richard　almost　swallowed　his　tongue。　Her　dark　hair　and　the　way　she　filled　her　red　dress　made　him　stumble　ove