“You both have earned this joyous wedding. I am happy for you both. I will honor your vows, and protect you in any way I can, out of respect for all you have done for me, as long as you remember what I have warned you about. I will not allow a male child of this union to live. Do not doubt my word in this.”
Richard’s gaze was heating. “Shota, I’ll not be threatened—”
Again, the finger rose, silencing Richard this time.
“I do not make a threat. I deliver you a promise. I do not do it out of animosity for either of you, but out of concern for everyone else in the world. There is a long struggle ahead of us all. I will not allow any chance at victory to be clouded by what you two would bring upon the world. Jagang is worry enough.”
For some reason, Kahlan’s voice wouldn’t work. Richard didn’t seem to have words, either. Kahlan believed Shota; she wasn’t doing this out of malice.
Shota lifted Kahlan’s hand and placed something in it. “This is my gift to you both. I do this out of love for you both, and for everyone else.” She smiled a strange smile. “An odd thing for a witch woman to say?”
“No, Shota,” Kahlan said. “I don’t know that I believe what you tell us about a son, but I know that it is not said in hate.”
“Good. Wear the gift, always, and all will be well. Mark my words well—never take this off when you are together, and you will always be happy. Disregard my request, and suffer the consequences of my vow.” She looked into Richard’s eyes. “Better you battle the Keeper himself, than me.”
Kahlan opened her hand and saw a delicate necklace. A small, dark stone hung from the gold chain.
“Why? What is this?”
Shota put a finger under Kahlan’s chin as she stared into her eyes. “As long as you wear it, you will bear no children.”
Richard’s voice, strangely, seemed gentle. “But what if we—”
Again, Shota’s raised finger silenced him. “You love each other. Have joy in that love, and in each other. You have struggled hard to be together. Celebrate your union and your love. You have each other, now, as you always wanted. Don’t throw it away.”
Richard and Kahlan both nodded. Somehow, Kahlan didn’t feel any anger. She felt nothing other than relief that Shota wasn’t going to do anything to harm their marriage. It had a dreamlike quality, like a formal settlement over an obscure, remote tract of ground claimed by two lands, like agreements in the council chambers over which she had so often presided. There seemed no emotion to it. A simple settlement.
Shota turned to go.
“Shota,” Richard said. She turned back. “Won’t you stay? You’ve come a long way.”
“Yes,” Kahlan said. “We really would like it if you stayed.”
Shota smiled a witch woman smile as she watched Kahlan fasten the chain around her neck.
“That you would ask is pleasure enough, but it is a long journey, and we must be on our way.”
Kahlan ran down the steps and scooped up a pile of tava bread. She wrapped it in a square of cloth from the table. She met Shota at the bottom of the steps.
“Take this for your journey, as our thanks for coming, and for the gift.”
Shota kissed Kahlan’s cheek and then took the bundle. Samuel didn’t try to grab it; he seemed content. Richard was suddenly there, beside Kahlan. Shota smiled a small smile and kissed his cheek, too. She had a strange, wistful look.
“Thank you. Both of you.”
And then she was gone. Simply, gone.
Zedd and Ann were still up on the platform, along with Cara and the rest of the people. Zedd turned to Richard and Kahlan.
“What happened to Shota? We make a truce, and then she just leaves without a word?”
Kahlan’s brow tightened. “She spoke to us.”
Zedd glanced about. “When? She was gone before she had a chance to say anything.”
“I had intended to speak with her, too,” Ann said.
Kahlan looked up at Richard. He looked back at Zedd. “She said some nice things to us. Maybe she just didn’t want you to hear her saying nice things.”
Zedd grunted a laugh. “No doubt.”
Kahlan touched the dark stone on the necklace. She put an arm around Richard’s waist and pulled him close.
“What do you think?” she whispered.
Richard stared out in the direction Shota had gone.
“For now, she’s right; we’re together. That’s what we wanted. I think that, for now, we should be happy that our dream has at last come true and we can be together. I’m so tired of trouble, and there is still Jagang to worry about. I’d just like to be with you for now, and love you.”
Kahlan put her head against him. “I think you’re right. For now, let’s not complicate matters.”
“We can worry about this another time.” He grinned at her. “Right?”
Kahlan forgot all about Shota and the future and grinned back, thinking about the now. “Right.”
The celebration went on until well after nightfall. Kahlan knew it would likely go on all night. She whispered to Richard that she would be happy not to have to remain for the whole thing. Richard kissed her cheek, and then asked the Bird Man if they could be excused. They wanted to go to the spirit house. The spirit house had special meaning to both of them.
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-Sit
h 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.