Blood 28

Chapter 28
We return to She. Last time, She was Sue Nun, but since Sue Nun was forgiven to death last book, I assume this is a new She. New She is being robbed by a pair of malnourished young men armed with a rusty sword and a knife, both of whom are extremely nervous. New She snarks at the when they demand food, commenting that “We work for our food as we go. You should try it. Work, I mean.”
Considering that these two are undernourished and robbing people in the middle of the winter, I think it's safe to say that if there was work to be had, they'd be doing it instead of starving and freezing and risking violent death. So New She seems a bit of a bitch for mocking two kids who, by their own admission, are robbing her because their families have no food and they're desperate. Nice. Oh, and New She is traveling with a blue-eyed wizard wearing a collar, which pretty much establishes her identity.
The bandits boys search her bags and find a bag of gold coins, but she magically tricks them into thinking said coins are “hard biscuits.” If these two are as desperate and hungry as they seem, they'd take the damn biscuits; unappetizing food is infinitely better than no food. They don't. \~/
The bandits consider taking New She's horses, but dismiss the idea because all four seem to be lame. Um . . . lame horses, like poor food, are preferable to no horses, especially if you're a starving bandit. Also, speaking of starving, there's no shame in eating horseflesh. They don't, of course. \~/
Sorry Pinkie. I meant non-sapient horses, not ponies.
One of the bandits checks “her heavy cape, feeling for anything it might be holding.” Heavy cape? Winter? Cold? Desperate thieves? Maybe you should, I dunno, steal it, and either use it or trade it for food? \~/
I'm overlooking the fact that these desperate, starving bandits should have killed New She and her slave wizard from ambush and looted their corpses, instead of keeping them alive to be insulting.
Suddenly, some soldiers ride up out of nowhere! Yes! At about the same time, New She reveals herself to be Pope Ann, and she and Nathan snatch the sword and knife away from the bandits. Ann covers for the bandits, saying that they were helping her and her “deaf-and-dumb brother,” and giving them a “biscuit” each (which will probably be thrown in the ditch as soon as she's out of sight, since these people are morons). There's some uninteresting talk to establish that the soldiers are D'Harans, which means they are Good and Noble and Upright and will make sure the bandits (ex-bandits?) and their families do not starve.
Ann learns about the Misters that Richard killed, and thinks that this is bad. It's established that they are about a week's ride from Aydindril, and that the soliders are looking for the Red Sheep; specifically, Brogan and his little band. Their job done, the soldiers disappear.
Nathan immediately starts ranting about giving gold to robbers, while Ann plays the part of the compassionate one, noting that “They were hungry.” I guess it just amused her to taunt the poor fools for a while. We learn that Ann effectively kidnapped Nathan, and continues to control him via the collar.
Our Heroes take a room at an inn in an unimportant village, where Nathan prances around like a peacock and we learn that Nathan has been kept a prisoner, and wearing a collar, since he was four years old.
This – assuming Nathan is typical – establishes that the Nuns enslave, collar, and psychologically torment FUCKING TODDLERS. 
Remember the business where Nuns #1 and #3 killed themselves in front of Richard? Remember when he had to bury the corpses alone under threat of eternal nightmares? Remember when he was told that the collar's purpose was to give him pain? Remember when he was compelled to participate in a ceremony of abuse, degradation, and ritual murder?
The Nuns have been doing this sort of thing to four-year-olds.
For centuries.
\~/\~/
“Ann mused to herself that, being his keeper, she was nearly as much a captive as he. [… ] 'Though you never believe me when I say it, Nathan, I will tell you again that I wish it weren't so. It brings me no pleasure to keep one of the Creator's children a prisoner for no crime but his birth.' ”
Sanctimonious, lying, hypocritical bitch. \~/ If you feel his imprisonment is unjust, Ann, then let him go. It really is that simple, especially since you're the Popette. You're keeping a man prisoner – enslaved – because you think it's justified; if you don't think it's justified, then why the hell are you doing it?
My, this chapter is doing wonders for my blood pressure.
Hereafter, Ann is Hypocrite. This is her new name, since that's all she is. If Terry Goodkind intended her to be at all sympathetic, he has failed spectacularly, since I hate her even more than Richard or Kahlan.
Hypocrite reads Verna's message in the IM book, noting that Verna must really hate her. This makes her teary-eyed. Nathan comments that she knows he hates her and it doesn't seem to bother her, to which Hypocrite responds: “Do you, Nathan? Do you really hate me?”
Yes, Hypocrite. Nathan hates, you, Verna hates you, and I hate you.
Nathan rightfully ignores such a stupid question, choosing instead to mock Hypocrite's plan. Hypocrite demands to know what he would do, and he admits that he'd do what she's doing. We lowly readers aren't told the plan, of course; only that it involves prophecies in some way, as every damn thing seems to.
Hypocrite dashes off an uninteresting reply to Verna, and we close the chapter with Nathan wanting a sword “ 'Because I would look dashing with a sword at my hip.' ”
Haaaaaaaate.
Drinks: 6
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