Stone 50

**Chapter 50**

Verna goes to the Prelate's office to return her magic two-way radio book, and we learn that the Prelate has two secretaries named Sisters Ulicia and Finella. So we have Nuns named Ulicia, Finella, Pasha Maes...and Janet, Phoebe, Verna and Elizabeth. The naming conventions in this series continue to confound me.

Anyway, Verna demands to see the Prelate, stating that she was broken to novice because she was obeying the Prelate's orders, and she will know the reason why. The secretaries bitch at her and engage in some petty tyranny before sending her on her way. Outside, she meets Jedidiah, who unsubtly tries to pump her for information about Richard. Verna blows him off and continues on her way.

Back to Pasha, who is showing Richard his room. She explains that Richard is free to wander around the Big Stone Witch House, and even the city. Richard asks if he can wander the countryside as well, and Pasha says he can, although *"none of the other boys do."* So not a single one of the pre-teen children the Nuns have trained over the years has ever wanted to wander around in the countryside? I find that unlikely. Anyway, the Radish'Han will supposedly *"prevent [Richard] from going too far afield."*

We learn that, as the boys learn to control their Force, they become more and more restricted as to where they can go; the students closest to graduation are restricted to certain areas of the Big Stone Witch House. This seems counter-intuitive to me; wouldn't a fledgling wizard be gaining greater control over their power as their skills advanced, and so be *less* of a threat? I'd feel safer around a wizard who was 3/4 trained and knew how to control his powers than around one who was barely trained and who - as Verna says Richard keeps doing - was manifesting his powers uncontrollably. This setup is illogical, and warrants a drink. \~/

Richard's room is gigantic and sumptuous and awesome, and has a set of glass doors and a balcony. Pasha for some reason points out the womens' quarters, and orders Richard to stay away from them, *"Unless a Sister invites you to her room."* o\_O

There's an exchange between Richard and Pasha in which Richard calls Pasha on her patronizing attitude, noting that she's never been in charge of anyone before and is terrified of messing up. Pasha admits that he is right and apologizes for annoying him. It's actually a decently-written scene, and it sounds like two real people. Naturally, Richard then ruins it by telling Pasha *"Don't you ever turn your back on me, because I will kill you, just as I killed the last person who held me prisoner in a collar."* Ah, there's the egotistical, angsty sociopath we all know and...well, we all know.

There's a big wardrobe full of fancy clothes that Pasha tries to talk Richard into trying on. Richard wonders why, if everyone was expecting him to be a child, the clothes are his size (which is a damn good question), but Pasha glosses over this with *"Someone must have known. Verna must have told them."* There's also a bowl each of silver and gold coins which Richard is free to spend on whatever he feels like in the city, and which the Nuns will refill when he uses them.

This is the typical arrangement for pre-teen boys, is it? \~/\~/ Because when I was that age, an unlimited budget combined with freedom to wander a whole city as I saw fit would have quickly lead to endless piles of candy, toys, and similar nonsense, not to mention things like my own horses and swords and...you get the picture (actually, mostly books; I was a nerdy kid). Things only get worse with older boys. I simply can't believe that any organization in charge of young boys or teenagers, no matter how wealthy, would give every student an unlimited supply of credit. The Nuns are officially Too Stupid To Live.

Anyway, Richard literally throws Pasha out of his room and she runs off in tears. Now me, I would have wanted to befriend her, hoping she could make my stay at the Big Stone Witch House easier, but then I'm not a Seeker. A few minutes later Verna shows up, and now she and Richard are best buddies. We learn that Richard guessed that Verna was forbidden to use her Force to control him, marking perhaps the first example of genuine deductive reasoning on Richard's part.

Verna gives Richard the hank of Kahlan's hair that he threw away a while back. Apparently she was awake when he loomed over her like the avatar of Death and then decided not to murder her in her sleep. Richard doesn't want to take the hair back, but Verna insists since she promised Kahlan she wouldn't let Richard forget that she loves him. Finally, Richard agrees.

Verna offers to be Richard's friend, and he asks if she will take off his collar. She says she can't, so Richard declares that *"I have no friends. I am in enemy territory, in enemy hands."* Yes, after he's repeatedly been told that the collar is necessary to train him and to keep his Force from killing him. Sounds like a sulky teenager to me.

Richard asks Verna if she's ever killed anyone she loved, and she says no. This makes me wonder about the Nun she heroically murdered several chapters back, Elizabeth Myric, aka Nun #3. The Nuns Three (Verna, Elizabeth and Grace) had been hunting for Richard for **twenty years!** In all that time, they never became friends? Oh wait; I forgot: love = sex. Never mind. \~/

Richard explains to Verna how Denna tortured him, but he learned to love her, turn the sword white, and kill her. They chat for a little more, and then Verna leaves. Richard then collects his weapons and sneaks out of the Big Stone Witch House into the night.

Drinks: 4

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