"Many of you have seen what my sword can do against the enemy. Yet as awesome a weapon as it is, it cannot touch this invisible enemy. Other magic may prove as impotent."

" In your wisdom we are humbled. " General Kerson quoted softly from the devotion.

Men voiced their agreement and nodded at the logic of Richard's explanation. Kahlan was proud of him, that at least he had convinced them. She wondered if he had convinced himself.

"It's not so much wisdom," Richard murmured, "as it is simple common sense. "Please be assured, all of you," he went on, "that that doesn't mean I have no intention of trying to find a way to end this plague. I am looking into every possible means of stopping it." He laid a hand on Berdine's shoulder. She glanced up. "Berdine is helping me with the old books from wizards past, to see if they left us any wisdom.

' If there is a way for magic to stop it, then I will find that way. For now, though, we must use other means at our disposal to protect people. We need to have the men split up."

"Split up, and then what?" General Kerson asked. "Split up and get out of Aydindril."

General Kerson stiffened. The links of his chain mail reflected the lamplight, so that he seemed to sparkle like a vision of a spirit. "Leave Aydindril undefended?"

"No," Richard insisted. "Not undefended. What I propose is to have our forces divide up, so there is less chance of the plague spreading among them, and move to separate positions around Aydindril. We can put detachments of our forces at all the passes, all the roads and access valleys. That way, no force can advance against us."

"What if one does?" General Baldwin asked. "Then those smaller, separate forces may be insufficient to drive off an attack."

"We will have sentries and scouts. We'll have to increase them so that we don't have any surprises. I don't think there are any forces of the Order this far north yet, but if any attack does come, then we will have warning and can gather our forces quickly. We don't want them too far apart to be able to defend the city if they must, but they must be far enough apart to keep from passing the plague throughout the whole of the army.

"Any ideas you men have would be valued. That's one reason I asked you here. If you have ideas about any of this, then please feel free to speak up."

Drefan stepped forward. "It needs to be done quickly. The sooner the men are away, the better the chance that none of them will have come in contact with the sickness."

The officers all nodded as they pondered.

"The officers who went with us today should remain here," Drefan said. "They may have come in contact with someone who has the plague. Make a list of any they work closely with, and have them isolated here in Aydindril, too." "We'll see to it at once," General Kerson said. "Tonight." Richard nodded. "Each group of our forces must communicate with the others, of course, but messages must be spoken only. No written messages passing from hand to hand. The papers could carry the plague. These men who pass commands and messages should talk at a distance. At least the way we are here, in this room, with me at this end and you at the other."

"Isn't that a rather extraordinary precaution?" one of the officers asked. "I have heard," Drefan said, "that people who have the plague, but have not yet fallen sick and therefore don't know of their affliction, can be detected by the distinctive odor of the plague on their breath." Men nodded with interest. "But to smell that fatal odor would infect you with the plague, and you, too, would be stricken and die." Mumbling spread back through the men.

"That's why we don't want the messengers to get too close to one another," Richard said. "If one were to already have the plague, we don't want him spreading it to another group of our forces. There is no use in going to all of this trouble if we aren't scrupulous in our attention to everything.

"This is a deadly poison. If we act quickly, and act as wisely as we know how, we may spare a great many people from death. If we don't take these precautions seriously, nearly every one of the people in this city, and every one of our men, could be dead within weeks." Serious, worried talk swept back through the room.

"We are giving you the worst look at it," Drefan said, bringing their attentive gazes back. "We don't want to pretend the danger is less than it is. But there are things in our favor. The most important is the weather. The plagues I have seen, and read about, spread worst in the high heat of summer. I don't think it will be able to get a foothold in the cool weather of this time of year. We have that much." Men sighed with renewed hope. Kahlan didn't.

''One other thing, ' Richard said as he looked from eye to eye. "We are D'Harans. We are people of honor. Our men will act accordingly. I don't want any of us lying to people about the danger, telling people that there is no risk, and on the other hand, I don't want anyone deliberately panicking people. Everyone will be frightened enough as it is.

"You are also soldiers. This is no less a battle than if any other enemy attacked our people. This is part of our job.

"Some of the men will have to stay in the city to help. There may need to be men at arms to hold down any uprising that may be stirred up. If there are any riots, like there were with the red moon, I want them put down at once. Use whatever force is necessary, but no more. Remember, the people of this city are our people- we are their protectors, not their wardens.

"We will need men to help with digging graves. I don't think we can be burning that many dead, if the plague gets hot among the population." "How many do you think could die. Lord Rahl?" one of the officers asked. "Thousands," Drefan answered. "Tens of thousands." His blue-eyed gaze took them all in. "If it gets bad enough, more. I read of a plague that in three months took the life of nearly three of every four people in a city of close to half a million." A low whistle came from an officer in back.

"One other thing," Richard said. "Some people will panic. They will want to run from Aydindril to remove themselves from the danger. Most will want to stay, not only because this is the only home they know, but because their livelihood is here.

"We can't allow people to flee Aydindril and spread the plague to other places in the Midlands, or even beyond, to D'Hara. It must be confined here. If people want to rush away from the city and go to the surrounding hills, separating themselves from their neighbors who they fear have the plague upon them. we must be understanding of their fears.

"They are to be allowed to run to the countryside if they wish. but they must remain in the area. I want our soldiers who will be in these separate units to ring the city and surrounding country, protecting all routes to and from Aydindril. The people must stay within these limits.

"Any person fleeing could be infected with the plague and not know it, thus endangering people in other places. As a last resort, force must be used to prevent them from taking the plague abroad. Please keep in mind that these are not malevolent people, but simply people frightened for the lives of their families.

"The ones who flee the city to wait out the plague will soon be short of food and succumb to starvation. Remind people to take food. as they are not likely to find it in the countryside. They will be no less dead if they die of hunger rather than plague. Remind them of this, and that looting of farms will not be tolerated. We will not allow anarchy.

"Well, I guess that's about all I have to say. What are your questions?" "Will you be leaving tonight, my queen. Lord Rahl, or in the morning?" General Baldwin asked. "And where will you be staying?" "Richard and I won't be leaving Aydindril," Kahlan said. "What? But you must get away," General Baldwin insisted. "Please, both of you must escape this. We need you to lead us."