tg.stone of tears-第173部分

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ould　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　over　his　words　like　a　fool。　Sister　Nicci；　who　never　wore　any　color　but　black；　had　the　same　effect　on　him。　When　Sister　Nicci　locked　her　blue　eyes　on　his；　he　had　trouble　remembering　how　to　breathe。
　
　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　were　older　than　Pasha　…　his　age；　or　maybe　at　most　a　couple　of　years　older。　They　carried　themselves　with　confidence　and　slow　grace。　Though　Merissa　was　dark；　and　Nicci　blonde；　they　seemed　to　be　cut　from　the　same　rare　cloth。
　
　The　power　of　their　Han　radiated　from　each；　making　them　almost　seem　to　glow。　Richard　sometimes　thought　he　could　almost　hear　the　air　crackle　around　them。　Neither　walked。　Both　glided　…　like　swans；　serene　and　cool。　Yet　he　was　sure　either　could　smelt　iron　ore　with　their　placid　glances。
　
　Neither　ever　grinned。　They　bestowed　small；　subdued　smiles。　And　only　while　looking　him　in　the　eye。　Richard　could　feel　his　heart　thumping　faster　when　they　did。
　
　Once；　he　offered　Sister　Nicci　one　of　his　rare　flowers　from　a　restricted　area。　His　explanation　of　where　it　had　e　from　and　the　story　of　why　he　was　giving　it　to　her　flew　right　out　of　his　head。　She　took　the　white　rose　gingerly　between　a　finger　and　thumb；　as　if　it　might　soil　her　hand；　and　while　her　gaze　held　his；　she　gave　him　one　of　her　subdued　smiles　and　said　in　an　indifferent　tone；　‘Why；　thank　you；　Richard。’　What　Pasha　had　told　him　about　boys　bringing　Sisters　frogs　came　to　his　mind。　He　never　gave　either　Sister　Nicci　or　Merissa　a　flower　again。　Anything　less　than　priceless　jewels　seemed　an　insult。
　
　Neither　ever　offered　to　sit　on　the　floor　for　their　sessions。　In　fact；　the　very　idea　of　Sisters　Merissa　ar　Nicci　sitting　on　the　floor　seemed　ludicrous　to　him。　The　older　Sisters；　Tovi　and　Cecilia；　sat　on　the　floor；　the　same　as　Pasha；　and　it　seemed　perfectly　natural。　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　sat　in　chairs；　and　held　his　hands　across　a　small　table。　It　somehow　seemed　an　erotic　experience。　It　made　him　sweat。
　
　They　both　spoke　with　a　quiet　economy　of　words　that　added　an　air　of　nobility　to　their　bearing。　While　neither　ever　made　a　clear　offer；　they　managed　to　somehow　leave　no　doubt　in　Richard’s　mind　that　they　were　available　to　spend　the　night　with　him。　Richard　could　never　pin　down　anything　specific　in　what　they　said　to　confirm　the　impression；　but　he　had　no　doubt。　Their　oblique　words　left　him　room　to　feign　missing　their　intent；　and　neither　ever　deigned　to　clarify　what　she　had　said。
　
　He　prayed　that　they　would　never　make　the　offer　any　more　explicit；　because　if　they　did；　he　knew　he　would　have　to　bite　his　tongue　in　half　to　keep　from　saying　yes。　Both　brought　to　mind　what　Pasha　had　told　him　about　men　having　uncontrollable　urges。　He　had　never　been　around　anyone　who　could　make　him　stammer　and　fumble　and　in　general　make　himself　appear　a　fool　as　those　two　did。　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　were　the　embodiment　of　pure；　unadulterated　lust。
　
　When　Pasha　found　out　that　Sisters　Merissa　and　Nicci　were　two　of　his　teachers；　she　gave　a　small　shrug；　and　said　that　they　were　very　talented　Sisters；　and　she　was　sure　they　would　help　him　reach　his　Han