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‘Prince Harold is a smart soldier。’
Captain Ryan buttoned two of the brass buttons on his dark brown wool coat。 ‘But that doesn’t change my decision。 Of all our choices； the Hammer and Anvil is the best chance we have against them。 I believe we can make it work。 We must。’
Chandalen leaned toward her and spoke in his tongue。 ‘Mother Confessor； these men are the walking dead。 We should be away from them so we do not get caught in their foolishness。 They are going to die to a man。’
The captain frowned。 ‘What’d he say？’
Kahlan leaned close to the young captain。 ‘He says you are all going to die tomorrow。’
Captain Ryan looked Chandalen up and down。 ‘What does he know about battle？ He’s just a savage from the wilds。’
Kahlan lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Savage？ He’s a pretty smart man。 He speaks two languages。 His； and ours。’ Captain Ryan swallowed。 ‘And he has fought in battles。 He has killed men。 How many men have you killed； Bradley？’
He glanced to his two lieutenants。 ‘Well； none； I guess。 Look； I’m sorry； I meant no offense； but I know about war。’
‘And what do you know about war； child？’ she whispered。
‘We’re all volunteers。 Myself； three years ago。 Almost no man here has less than one year。 We’ve all trained hard。 Prince Harold himself has worked with us； taught us tactics。 We’ve won mock battles against him several times。 We may be young but we have experience。 We were sent on this expedition as a final test before our assignments。 We’ve been afield nearly a month； practicing war games and battle tactics。 We know what we are about。 Just because we’re young； that doesn’t mean we can’t fight。 We may be young； but that also means we’re strong。’
Chandalen laughed。 ‘Strong？ You travel like women。’ He cleared his throat when Kahlan lifted an eyebrow to him。 ‘Well； some women。 You are not so strong as you think。 You are soft。 You have wagons to carry your needs。 That makes you soft。 You will die tomorrow。’
Kahlan turned back to the three soldiers。 ‘My friend is wrong。 You are not going to die tomorrow。’
The captain brightened。 ‘We’re not？ You believe in us； then？’
She shook her head。 ‘You are not going to die tomorrow because I will not allow it。 I’m sending you back。 You are to take your division back to your mand unit。 That； Captain； is an order。 I’m on my way to Aydindril to take care of this。 I will put a stop to that army of killers。’
Captain Ryan’s expression hardened。 ‘We have no mand to return to。 They were wiped out in Ebinissia。 That was where we were training； but we were out on maneuvers。 We have the trail of the ones who did it； and we are going after them。’
‘Those soldiers in Ebinissia were many times your number； and they were crushed by the force you chase。’
‘We know。 Those were men we lived with； ate with； slept with。 They were our teachers。 They were our brothers； our fathers。 They were our friends and panions。’ He shifted his weight and cleared his throat in an effort to keep his voice steady。 ‘We should have been there with them。 We should have been there to stand with them。’
Kahlan turned her back to the three Galean soldiers。 She put her fingers to her temples； closing her eyes as she rubbed in little circles。 She had a headache from the worry of these young men all being slaughtered。 She grieved for the friends of these men； friends and rades who were killed defending their city。 The faces of the young women floated before her mind’s eye。
Kahlan spun around； looking into the eyes of the young captain。 Eyes； she realized； that had seen more than she had at first thought。
‘You were the one；’ she whispered。 ‘You were the one who closed the doors。 You closed the doors in the palace。 The doors on the rooms of the queen and her ladies。’ He swallowed and then nodded。 His blue eyes were wet。 His lower lip quivered。 ‘Why would they do that to those poor people？’
Kahlan answered in a gentle tone。 The object of a soldier is to make his enemy do foolish things。 Either by making them too frightened； or too angry； to think。 They do it to strike fear into your hearts； but more than that； to make you so angry you will do something foolish so they can kill you； too。’
‘Those men we chase are the ones who did that。 We have no mand to return to It’s upon us now。’
‘That is the foolish thing they want you to do。 You will not。 You will go to another mand。 You are not going to attack that army。’
‘Mother Confessor； I’m a soldier sworn to serve Galea and the Midlands。 In my life； young though you think it is； I’ve never once entertained the idea of disobeying my manders； my queen； or the Mother Confessor。’ Captain Ryan lifted her wrist with his finger and thumb and placed her hand on his shoulder。 ‘But in this； I must disobey your orders。 If you wish； you may take me with your power； but I will not otherwise do as you say。’
Lieutenant Sloan spoke up for the first time。 And then you will have to take me； because I’ll take his place； and lead our men to the fight。’
Lieutenant Hobson stepped forward。 ‘And then you’ll have to take me。’
After the three of us；’ Captain Ryan said； ‘you will have to move through the officers and then every one of the men。 If there is one left； he will attack； and die in battle if need be。’
She drew her hand back。 ‘I’m going to the Central Council and will take care of this。 What you want to do is a suicide。’
‘Mother Confessor； we are going to attack。’
‘For what！ For glory？ You want to be heroes avenging the murdered？ You want to die in a glorious battle！’
‘No； Mother Confessor；’ he said in a quiet tone。 ‘We saw what those men did to Ebinissia。 We saw what they did to the soldiers they captured。 We saw what they did to the women and children back there。 Many of the men under my mand had mothers and sisters back there。 We all saw what was done to them； and what was done to our fathers and brothers。 Our people。’
He drew himself up tall and straight as he looked with resolve into her eyes。 ‘We’re not doing this for glory； Mother Confessor。 We know it’s a suicide mission。 But we’re all single； we have no families to leave without fathers。 We’re doing it because those men will go on to another city and do to them what they did in Ebinissia。 We’re doing this to stop them； if we can。
‘Our lives are sworn to protect our people。 We cannot shirk our responsibility。 We must attack and try to stop these men before they kill any more innocent people。 I pray to the good spirits that you succeed in Aydindril； but still； that will take too long。 How many more cities will be plundered before you can bring the Midlands to bear on these men？ One city is too many。 We’re the only ones in contact with these killers。 Our lives are all that stand between them and their next victims。
‘When I took the oath to serve； I swore that no matter the choices； no matter the orders； I would always put the protection of my people first。 That’s why I must disobey your orders； Mother Confessor … not for glory； but to protect the defenseless。 I wish to have your blessing in this； but I will try to stop those men with your blessing； or without it。’
She sank to sit on the log again； and stared off into the distance； pondering the three soldiers。 The six men waited in silence。 Children indeed。 They were older than she had thought。 And they were right。
It would still take her some time to get to Aydindril and more time yet to raise armies to hunt down these killers。 In the meantime they would go on killing。 How many would have to die waiting for help from the Central Council？
She wished she could be anyone right now but who she was。 The Mother Confessor。 She disregarded her feelings and considered the problem as the Mother Confessor must； she weighed lives； those spent； and those spared。
Kahlan stood and turned to Chandalen。 ‘We must help these men。’
Chandalen pushed his hands farther up on his spear and leaned toward her。 ‘Mother Confessor； these men are foolish children； and they are going to die。 If we stay with them they will bring a storm of killing around us。 We will be killed with them。 They will die just the same； and you will not reach Aydindril。’
‘Chandalen； these boys are like the Mud People。 They are chasing their Jocopo。 If we don’t help them； then more will die like we saw back in the city。’
Prindin leaned in。 ‘Mother Confessor； we will do whatever you wish； but there is no way to help these boys。 We are only four。’
Tossidin nodded。 ‘And then you would fail in your duty to reach Aydindril。 Is that not important？’
‘Of course it is。’ She pulled some hair back off her face。 ‘But what if the army who killed everyone in that city were going next to the Mud People？ Would you not want me to help if it were your people they would murder next？’
The three men straightened。 They twisted their spears while they thought； glancing over her shoulder occasionally； to the three soldiers who also stood silently。
‘What would you do to defeat this enemy；