The Bird Man smiled. “It has been a long day. Sleep well.”
Richard and Kahlan said their thanks to everyone, and then, in the quiet of the spirit house, in the soft glow of the low fire that always burned there, they were at long last alone. As they stared into each other’s eyes, words were too small.
Berdine stood tall and straight as she watched the double doors burst open. Like a gout of flame they stormed into the Confessors’ Palace—a dozen Mord-Sith in red leather.
Soldiers scrambled across the slick marble, falling back out of the way, while at the same time trying not to look hurried. They quickly established new guard positions at a safe distance. The twelve women paid them no attention. The existence of D’Haran soldiers hardly registered on the mind of a Mord-Sith—unless they gave her trouble. The group came to a halt. Silence once again settled in the entrance hall.
“Berdine, how good to see you.”
Berdine let a small smile touch her lips. “Welcome, Rikka. But what are you doing here? Lord Rahl left you at the People’s Palace, awaiting his return.”
Rikka’s eyes swept the area before her steady gaze settled on Berdine. “We heard that he is here, now, and we decided that we should be closer so that we could protect him. We left the others at the palace, should he return unexpectedly. We will return with him when he goes home.”
Berdine shrugged. “He sort of considers this home, now.”
“Whatever he wishes. We are here, now. Where is he, so that we may announce ourselves, and protect him?”
“He has gone to be married. Some distance to the south.”
Rikka’s brows drew together. “Why are you not with him?”
“He ordered me to stay here and see to things in his absence. Cara is with him.”
“Cara. Good. Cara will not let anything happen to him.” Rikka considered a moment, her dark frown returning. “Lord Rahl is getting married?”
Berdine nodded. “He is in love.”
The other women glanced at one another as Rikka put her fists on her hips. “In love. A Lord Rahl, in love. Somehow, I can’t picture it.” She huffed. “He’s up to something. Well, never mind; we will figure it out. What of the others?”
“Hally was killed awhile back. In battle, protecting Lord Rahl.”
“A noble death. What of Raina?”
Berdine swallowed, and forced her voice to stay level. “Raina died a short time ago. Killed by the enemy.”
Rikka searched Berdine’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Berdine.”
Berdine nodded. “Lord Rahl wept for her, as he did for Hally.”
Silence echoed around the entryway as all the other Mord-Sith stared at Berdine in disbelief.
“This man is going to be trouble,” Rikka muttered.
Berdine smiled. “I think he would say a similar thing of you.”
Kahlan growled at the insistent knock. It appeared that ignoring it would not make it go away.
She kissed Richard and wrapped a blanket around herself. “Don’t move, Lord Rahl. I’ll get rid of them.”
Barefoot, she crossed the dim, windowless room. She squinted at the sudden light when she opened the door.
“Zedd, what is it?”
He was eating a piece of tava bread. He had a platter of it in his other hand. He offered her the tray.
“I thought you might be hungry.”
“Yes, thank you. Very thoughtful.”
He took a bite of tava bread as his gaze roamed over her hair. He pointed at it with the rolled-up tava bread.
“You will never get those tangles out, dear one.”
“Thank you for your fashion advice.” She started to close the door.
He put his hand against it. “The elders are becoming concerned. They would like to know when they can have their spirit house back.”
“Tell them that when I’m done with it, I’ll let them know.”
Cara, scowling her best Mord-Sith scowl, stepped up behind him. “I will see that he does not bother you again, Mother Confessor.”
“Thank you, Cara.”
Kahlan shut the door in his smiling face. She hurried across the floor, back to Richard. She set the platter aside, laid down, and enfolded Richard in her blanket.
“A pesky in-law,” she explained.
“I heard. Tava bread and tangled hair.”
“Now, where were we?”
He kissed her, and she remembered; he was showing her some magic.
FB2 document info
Document ID: ooo-exporttofb21-200814195819
Document version: 1.3
Document creation date: 2008-01-04
Created using: FB Editor v2.0, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6, AlReader2 software
Document authors :
Cherckes
olimo
Document history:
v 1.0: Cherckes
v 1.1: quotes, ellipses, hyphens, dedication, proofreading by olimo
v 1.2: the series name change to The Sword of Truth by olimo, 2011
v 1.3: proofread by olimo, 2013
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Temple of the Winds tsot-4 Page 84