Temple of the Winds

"Raina, it's late. Why don't you and Berdine go get some sleep." Kahlan caught the quick glance to Berdine. "Berdine, just like Lord Rahl, needs to get some rest so that she can work on the journal tomorrow. We all need some rest. Ulic and Egan here will watch over Richard."

Raina slapped the back of her hand against Ulic's stomach. "You boys up to it? Can you handle it without me?"

Ulic scowled down at the Mord-Sith. "We are the Lord Rahl's bodyguards. If anyone tried to get into his room, there wouldn't be enough left for you to pick your teeth with."

Raina shrugged. "I guess the boys can handle it. Let's go, Berdine. It's about time you got a good night's sleep for a change."

Cara stood beside Kahlan as she watched Berdine and Raina stride off down the hall, passing a critical eye over soldiers on patrol.

"You are right about rest. You need to get some sleep, too. Mother Confessor," Cara said. "You don't look well."

"I. . I want to check on Richard first. I'll be able to sleep better if I know he's all right. I'll be back out in a minute." She gave Cara a firm look to discourage any ideas she might have about going in with her. "Why don't you go get some sleep, too?"

Cara clasped her hands behind her back. "I will wait."

Richard's room was dark, but the light coming from the window proved enough to find the bed. Kahlan stood beside him and listened to his even breathing.

She knew how distressed Richard was by recent events. She felt the same pain. How many families were suffering in grief this night? How many more would be suffering the next, and the night after?

Kahlan sat lightly on the edge of the bed. She slipped an arm under his shoulders and strained to gently lift him. He murmured her name under his breath in his sleep, but didn't wake as she sat him up a bit and leaned the heavy weight of him against her.

Kahlan reached behind and picked up the glass with the sleeping potion Nadine had made. It was still half full. She held it to his mouth and tipped it, letting the potion slide to his lips. He stirred slightly, and swallowed as she tipped the glass higher.

"Drink, Richard." she urged in a whisper. She kissed his forehead. "Drink, my love. It will help you sleep."

She tipped the glass a little more each time he swallowed, forcing him to drink more. When he had taken most of it, she set it behind once more. He murmured her name again.

Kahlan hugged his head, holding his cheek to her breast. She pressed her cheek to the top of his head as a tear rolled over the bridge of her nose and fell into his hair.

"I love you so much, Richard," she whispered. "No matter what, don't ever doubt how much I love you."

He mumbled something she couldn't understand, except for the word "love." Kahlan eased him back onto the pillow and slipped her arm out from underneath him. She pulled up his covers.

She kissed her finger, and gently pressed the kiss to his lips, before she left the room.

On the way to her own room, she again told Cara that she should go get some sleep.

"I will not leave you unguarded," Cara insisted. "Cara, you need sleep, too."

Cara glanced over out of the comer of her eye. "I have no intention of letting Lord Rahl down again." When Kahlan started to protest, Cara spoke over her words. "I will be posting soldiers outside your room. too. I can nap there, and if anything happens I will be at hand. I'll get enough sleep." Kahlan had things to do. She needed Cara out of her hair. "You saw how Richard was when he didn't get enough sleep." Cara let out a dismissive chuckle. "Mord-Sith are stronger than men. Besides, he was like that because he hadn't slept for days. I slept last night."

Kahlan didn't want to argue. She was frantically trying to think of how to overcome this obstacle in skintight leather. She couldn't let Cara know what she was doing. Sister of the Agiel or not, Cara would tell Richard; there was no doubt of that.

That was the last thing Kahlan wanted. Under no circumstances did she want Richard knowing what she was going to do. She would have to think of a new plan. "I don't know if I'm ready for bed. I'm kind of hungry." "You look tired. Mother Confessor. You need sleep, not food. You won't sleep as well if you eat right before bed. I want you to get a good sleep, like Lord Rahl. You can sleep well knowing that Nadine will not be going near him. I have a good idea of what Raina said to Nadine, and I can assure you that as brazen as that strumpet is, she has enough sense to heed a warning from Raina. You have no cause for fear tonight, so you can sleep well." "Cara, what are you afraid of? Besides magic, and rats." Cara scowled. "I don't like rats. I am not afraid of them." Kahlan didn't believe a word of it. She waited until they were out of earshot of a patrol passing in the opposite direction. "What scares you? What do you fear?" "Nothing."

"Cara," Kahlan admonished, "it's me, Kahlan, a sister of the Agiel. Everyone is afraid of something."