Temple of the Winds

Kahlan stole a quick peek at Drefan, back behind Cara and Raina. She twined her arm through Richard's. "How are you doing? What did you. . find out?"

Richard put his hand over hers and gave it a squeeze. "Everything is fine," he whispered to her. "It wasn't what I thought. I'll tell you about it later." "What about the murderer? Has anyone found him yet?" "Yes, someone found him, and murdered him for his crime," Richard told her. "What about the representatives? Did you take care of it?"

Her answer was a moment in coming. "Grennidon, Togressa, and Pendisan Reach surrendered. Jara may yet, but they wish to wait for two weeks for a sign from the sky," Richard frowned. "Mardovia refused to join with us. They choose to remain neutral."

Richard jerked to a halt. "What!" Everyone marching behind almost lurched into him. "They refuse to surrender. They claim to be neutral."

"The Order doesn't recognize neutrality. Neither do we. Didn't you tell them that?"

Kahlan's face showed nothing. "Of course I did." Richard hadn't meant to yell at her. He was angry at Mardovia. not her. "General Reibisch is in the south. Maybe we could have him take Mardovia before the Order grinds them into carrion."

"Richard, they were given a chance. They are now the walking dead. We can't waste the lives of our soldiers to take Mardovia just so that we might protect them. It would serve no purpose and it would weaken our effort."

Nadine pushed between them and glared at Kahlan. "You talked to that evil Jagang. You know what he's like. Those people will all die if you leave them to the Order. You just don't care about the lives of innocent people. You're heartless."

From the corner of his eye, Richard saw a red flash as Cara's Agiel spun up into her hand.

Richard shoved Nadine on ahead of him. "Kahlan is right. It just took a moment for it to sink in through my thick skull. Mardovia has chosen their own path: they must walk it. Now, if you want to show me someone, then show me. I have important things to do."

Nadine huffed, flipped her thick brown hair back over her shoulder, and marched on. Cara and Raina were scowling at the back of her head. A scowl from a Mord-Sith was more often than not prelude to a serious consequence. Richard had probably just spared Nadine that consequence. Someday, he was going to have to do something about Shota. Before Kahlan tried.

Richard leaned toward Kahlan. "I'm sorry. I'm dead tired and I just wasn't thinking."

She squeezed his arm. "You promised you would get some sleep, remember?" "Soon as I see to this business with Nadine, whatever it is." At the door to her room, Nadine snatched Richard's hand again and tugged him in. Before he could object, he saw the boy sitting on a red chair. Richard thought he recognized him as one of the Ja'La players he had watched.

The boy was shuddering in tears. When he saw Richard coming into the room, he jumped down off the chair and swiped the floppy wool hat from his head of blond hair. He stood crushing his hat in his fists, trembling expectantly, tears coursing down his face.

Richard crouched down before the boy. "I'm Lord Rahl. I hear you need to see me. What's your name?"

He wiped his nose. The tears kept coming. "Yonick." "There now, Yonick, what's the matter?"

He could only get out the word «brother» before succumbing to gasping sobs. Richard took the boy in his arms and comforted him. He wept in racking sobs as he clung to Richard. His misery was heartbreaking. "Can you tell me what's the matter, Yonick?" "Please, Father Rahl, my brother's sick. Real sick."

Richard stood the boy on his feet before him. "He is? What's he sick with?" "I don't know," Yonick cried. "We bought him herbs. We tried everything. He's so sick. He's just been getting worse since I came to see you before."

"Since you came to see me before?"

"Yes," Nadine snapped. "He came begging for your help a few days ago." Nadine thrust a finger at Kahlan. "She sent him away." Kahlan's face went crimson. Her jaw worked, but no words came out. "All she cares about are her armies and fighting wars and hurting people. She doesn't care about a miserable little boy who's sick. She would only care if he was some fancy, important diplomat. She doesn't know what it is to be poor and sick." With a glare, Richard froze Cara's advance. He turned and glared at Nadine. "That's enough."

Drefan laid a hand on Kahlan's shoulder. "I'm sure you had a good reason. You couldn't have known how sick his brother was. No one is blaming you."

Richard turned back to the boy. "Yonick, my brother here, Drefan, is a healer. Take us to your brother, and we'll see if we can't help him."