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ran troops who； on a battlefield； fighting by the tactics of mon war； could bring about such a feat。
‘Please believe me； I mean no disrespect to your bravery； but in the field of war； you are not their equal。 Not yet。 You could not defeat an army half their size were the battle fought the way your enemy would fight。
‘That does not mean you cannot win。 It means only that you must do it in another way。 I believe you can win； and I’m going to tell you what you must do； and lead you in the first strike； to start you in this。 The Imperial Order is not invincible。 They can be defeated。
‘From this day forward； I shall never again call you ‘boys。’ From this day forward； you are men。
‘You think of yourselves as soldiers of your homeland； Galea。 But you are not。 In this； you are not。 You are soldiers； men； of the Midlands。 For it is not just Galea who will be conquered； but all of the Midlands； if these men are not stopped。 I call upon you to stop them。’
The tightly packed crowd of soldiers； tempered by what they had heard； shouted that they would do the job。 She watched from under her eyebrows as they confidently pledged to fight to the end。 There were angry whispers from some in the crowd； to her right。 Men were jostling each other and arguing。 Some men wanted to speak； and others were seeking to prevent it。
‘If you should choose to join in this battle； you will follow orders without question；’ she said。 ‘But for this time only； you may speak your mind freely； without retribution。 If you have something to say； then let all hear it now； or else hold it to your grave。’
One man pulled his arm free of another。 He glowered up at her。 ‘We’re men。 We don’t follow women into battle。’
Kahlan blinked at him。 ‘You follow Queen Cyrilla。’
‘She is our queen； we fight on her behalf。 She doesn’t lead us in battle。 That’s left to men to do。’
Kahlan narrowed her eyes。 ‘What is your name？’
He glanced around at his fellows； and then held his chin up。 ‘I’m William Mosle。 And we’ve been trained by Prince Harold himself。’
‘And I；’ Kahlan said； ‘was trained by his father； King Wyborn。 King Wyborn was my father； too。 I am half sister to Queen Cyrilla and Prince Harold。’
There were astonished murmurs throughout the crowd。 Without taking her eyes from Mosle； she lifted a hand to silence them。 ‘But that does not count for mand。 You are soldiers。 Your duty is to follow the orders of your manders； and they the queen； and she must follow mands of the Central Council of the Midlands。 The council of the Midlands follows the orders of the Mother Confessor。
‘For now； I fill that office。 My family name is； like your queen’s； Amnell； but I’m of Confessor blood； first； and last。 I am the Mother Confessor of the Midlands； and as such； if I say you’re to march into a lake； then it’s your duty to march until you’re breathing water and seeing fishes。 Does that make it clear enough for you； soldier？’
A few other men were shoving at Mosle； urging him to go on with their grievances。 ‘It means you can order us； it doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing。’
Kahlan let out a sigh and pulled some blood…stiffened hair back； hooking it behind an ear。 ‘I don’t have the time； today； to tell you of all the training I’ve had； or of all the fighting against impossible odds I’ve been through； or the men I’ve had to kill in that fighting。
‘I would tell you only that last night； I went alone to the camp of the Imperial Order to save your life。 The men of the Order； D’Harans； fear the things of the night； spirits； and for protection from that and to assist them； they had a wizard in their pany。 Had you； in your confidence of battle knowledge； tried to attack those men； that wizard would have known what you were doing； and probably used magic to kill you all。’
Mosle’s defiant expression didn’t diminish； but some of the others broke into worried whispers。 Fighting against steel was one thing； fighting against magic quite another。
Captain Ryan stepped forward。 ‘The Mother Confessor killed the wizard；’ he said with pride。 There were relieved sighs among the men。 ‘If it hadn’t been for her experience； we would have marched to our deaths without even having the chance to lay steel to steel。 I； for one； intend to follow those I’ve sworn my life to serve： my land； my queen； the Midlands； and the Mother Confessor。
‘We’re going to stop this threat against the Midlands； and we’re going to do it by following those we are sworn to follow。 We go into battle under the mand of the Mother Confessor。’
‘I’m a soldier in the Galean army！’ Mosle seemed only to get more defiant。 ‘Not a soldier in any Midlands army！ I fight for Galea； not to protect lands like Kelton！’ Kahlan watched as other men shouted their agreement。 ‘This army； the Imperial Order； or whatever they call themselves； is marching toward the border。 Cellion is a border city； and most of it’s on the other side of the river； in Kelton！ Most of its citizens are Keltish！ Why should we die for the Keltans？’
Men in the crowd were starting to argue with one another。 Captain Ryan’s face was red。 ‘Mosle； you’re a disgrace to 。。。！’
Kahlan held a hand out to silence him。 ‘No； soldier Mosle is only speaking as he believes； as I asked him to。 You men must understand me。 I’m not ordering you to do this。 I’m asking you to fight for the lives of innocent people of the Midlands。 Tens of thousands of your fellow soldiers have already died in this battle。 I would not ask you to lay down your lives for something you do not believe in。 Most who go into this war will die。
‘It’s your decision to stay or not。 You are not manded to stay。 But if you choose to stay； it will be under my mand。 I want no man with us who does not believe in what we do。
‘Decide now； if you will be with us or not。 If not； then you are free to go； because you will be of no help to your rades。’
Her voice turned as cold as the thin morning air。 ‘If you decide to go with me into this war； then you will follow the orders of your superiors。 In the Midlands； there is no one to outrank me。 You will follow my orders without question； or your punishment will be unsparing。 Too much is at stake to have to suffer men who can’t follow orders。
‘If I say you will do something； then you will do it； even if you know it’s to cost you your life； because it’s to save many more lives。 I give no orders without sound reason； but I won’t always have time to explain them。 Your duty is to trust in your superiors and do as you’re told。’
She held out a finger and swept it slowly over their heads。 ‘Choose； then。 With us； or not。 But choose this day for all time。’
Kahlan drew her hands back inside her warm fur mantle and waited in silence while men discussed and argued among themselves。 Tempers flared； and angry oaths were given。 Men gathered around Mosle； and others moved away from him。
‘I’m leaving； then；’ Mosle called out to the others。 He thrust his fist in the air。 ‘I’ll follow no woman into battle； no matter who she is！ Who’s