Temple of the Winds

This, too, she seemed not to hear. She stepped buck and looked him up and down. "Richard, what are you doing in that outfit? Who are you pretending to be? Get changed. We'll go home. Everything's fine, now that I've found you. We'll be back home soon, and everything will be back to the way it was. We'll be married and-"

"What!"

She blinked. "Married. We'll be marred, and have a house and everything. You can build us a better one-your old house won't do. We'll have children. Lots of children. Sons. Lots of sons. Big and strong like my Richard." She grinned. "I love you, my Richard. We're going to be married, at last."

His smile, as empty as it had been, was gone, and in its place a serious scowl grew. "Where did you ever get an idea like that?"

Nadine laughed as she playfully ran a finger down his front. She finally glanced about. No one else was so much as smiling. Her laughter died out and she sought refuge in Richard's gaze.

"But, Richard. . you and me. Like it was always supposed to be. We'll be married. At last. Like it was always meant to be."

Cara leaned toward Kahlan to whisper in her ear. "You should have let me kill her."

Richard's glare wiped the smirk from the Mord-Sith's mouth and drained the blood from her face. He turned back to Nadine.

"Where did you get such an idea?"

Nadine was appraising his clothes again. "Richard, you look foolish dressed like this. Sometimes I wonder if you have a lick of sense. What are you doing playing at being a king? And where did you get such a sword? Richard, I know you would never steal, but you don't have the kind of money such a weapon would cost. If you won it in a bet or something, you can sell it so that we-"

Richard gripped her by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "Nadine, we were never engaged to be married, or even close. Where did you get a crazy idea like that? What are you doing here!"

Nadine finally wilted under his glower. "Richard, I've come a long way. I've never been out of Hartland before. It was hard traveling Doesn't that mean anything to you? Doesn't that count for anything? I would never have left except to come get you. I love you, Richard."

Ulic, one of Richard's two huge personal bodyguards, ducked as he stepped through the doorway. "Lord Rahl, if you are not busy, General Kerson has a problem and needs to speak with you."

Richard turned a hot glare toward the towering Ulic. "In a minute."

Ulic, not used to Richard directing such a forbidding look, or tone, his way, bowed. "I will tell him, Lord Rahl."

Puzzled, Nadine watched the mountain of muscle duck back out the doorway. "Lord Rahl? Richard, what in the name of the good spirits was that man talking about? What trouble have you gotten yourself into? You were always so sensible. What have you done? Why are you tricking these people? Who are you playing at being?"

He seemed to cool a bit and his voice turned weary. "Nadine, it's a long story, and one I'm not in the mood to repeat just now. I'm afraid I'm not the same person… It's been a long time since I've left home. A great many things have happened. I'm sorry you've come a long way for nothing, but what was once between us-"

Kahlan expected a sheepish glance her way. She never got one.

Nadine took a step back. She looked around at all the faces watching her: Kahlan, Cara, Berdine, Raina, and the silent hulk of Egan back near the door.

Nadine threw her hands up. "What's the matter with all you people! Who do you think this man is? He's Richard Cypher, my Richard! He's a woods guide- a nobody! He's just a simple boy from Hartland, playing at being somebody important. He's not! Are you all blind fools? He's my Richard, and we're to be married."

Cara finally broke the silence. "We all know quite well who this man is. Apparently, you do not. He is Lord Rahl, the Master of D'Hara, and the ruler of what was the Midlands. At least, he is the ruler of those who have so far surrendered to him. Everyone in this room, if not this city, would lay down their lives to protect him. We all owe him more than our loyalty; we owe him our lives."

"We can all only be who we are," Richard told Nadine, "no more, and no less. A very wise woman told me that, one time."

Nadine whispered her incredulity, but Kahlan couldn't hear the words.

Richard put his arm around Kahlan's waist. In that gentle touch, she read the message of comfort and love, and suddenly felt profound sorrow for this woman standing before strangers, exposing such personal matters of the heart.

"Nadine," Richard said in a quiet tone "this is Kahlan, the wise woman I spoke of. The woman I love. Kahlan, not Nadine. Kahlan and I are soon to be married. We're shortly going to leave to be wedded by the Mud People. Nothing in this world is going to change that."

Nadine seemed afraid to take her eyes from Richard, as if she feared that if she did, it would become true.