rken Rahl said； I’ve only made it worse。 He was right； I am stupid。 It’s going to be my fault 。。。’
‘Richard； stop it。 You’ve been hurt。 You’re just exhausted。 When you’ve rested； you’ll figure it out。 You’ll know what to do。’
He gave himself a mental shake。 He threw the blanket off and looked down。 ‘Who washed the mud off me and dressed me？’
‘The elders washed off the mud。 Nissel and I were going to dress you；’ she said； as his face turned red； ‘but you were too big and heavy for us。 The elders did that too。 They had quite a time of it。 It took all of them。’
He nodded absently； he had stopped listening。 He reached up to the spot on his chest where the whistle； Scarlet’s tooth； and the Agiel usually hung； but didn’t find them。 ‘We have to get out of here。 We have to get to Zedd。 Right now； before anything else happens。 I need Zedd’s help。 Where is Scarlet’s tooth？ I have to call her。 Where’s my sword？’
‘All of our things are in the spirit house。’
He scrubbed his hands over his face； thinking； then bed his fingers through his hair。 ‘All right。’ His solid gaze came to her eyes。 ‘I’ll go get the tooth and call Scarlet； and get our things together； get them ready to leave。’ He gently squeezed her upper arm。 ‘You go to Weselan； and put on your wedding dress。 While we wait for Scarlet to e； we can be married。 We’ll leave when Scarlet gets here。’ He kissed her cheek。 ‘We will be married； and we’ll be in Aydindril with Zedd before dark。 Everything will be all right； you’ll see。 Everything will be all right。 I’ll find out what I did wrong； and fix it。 I promise。’
She put her arms around his neck。 ‘We will fix it；’ she corrected。 Together。 Always together。’
He laughed quietly in her ear。 Together。 I need you。 You light my way。’
She slipped away from him； and looked at him sternly。 ‘Well； I have instructions for you； and you are going to do as you are told。 You are going to wait here until Nissel says you can get up。 She said that when you wake； she has to change the poultice and bandage and give you medicine。 You are going to stay here until she is finished。 Understand？ I don’t want you getting sick and dying on me now； not after I have gone to all the trouble of saving you； and a great deal of trouble it was。
‘I’ll go to Weselan so she can finish fitting my dress。 When Nissel is finished with you； then’ … she shook a finger at him … ‘and only then； may you leave to go call Scarlet。 When you are finished here with Nissel； and when you have called Scarlet and gotten our things together； e get me； and I will marry you。’ She kissed the end of his nose。 ‘If you also promise to love me always。’
‘Always；’ he said with a grin。
She rested her wrists on his shoulders； to each side of his strong neck； and clasped her fingers together behind his head。 ‘I’ll wake Nissel； and ask her to hurry with you。 But please； Richard； don’t waste any time after that。 Call Scarlet quickly； quick as you can。 I want to get away from here。 I want to get away before Sister Verna even es close。 I don’t want to take any chances； even if she isn’t supposed to be back for a few days。 I want us away from here。 Away from the Sisters of the Light。 I want to get you to Zedd so he can help you with the headaches before they can get any worse。’
He gave her a boyish； lopsided smile。 ‘What about your big bed in Aydindril？ Don’t you want to get to that in a hurry； too？’
With a finger； she gently squashed his nose flat。 ‘I’ve never had anyone else in my big bed before。 I hope I don’t disappoint you。’
He gripped her waist in his strong hands and pulled her to him hard enough to make her grunt。 He pushed her hair back off her neck and gave it a tender kiss … right where Darken Rahl’s lips had been。 ‘Disappoint me？ That； my love； is the only thing in the world it would be impossible for you to do。’ He gave her neck one more tickling kiss。 ‘Now； go get Nissel。 We are wasting time。’
Kahlan pulled on the fabric； trying to bring it up as much as she could。 ‘I’ve never worn anything cut this low。 You don’t think it 。。。 shows too much？’
Weselan looked up from the floor where she was fussing with the hem of the blue dress。 She look the fine bone needle from her mouth as she rose to appraise her client’s fit。 She studied the expanse of flesh a moment。
‘You don’t think he will like it？’
Kahlan felt her face flush。 ‘Well； I think he will。 I hope so； but 。。。’
Weselan leaned a little closer。 ‘If you are worried about him seeing that much； maybe you had better reconsider this。’
Kahlan lifted an eyebrow。 ‘He is not the only one who will be looking。 I’ve never worn anything like this before。 I’m 。。。 worried that I don’t do it justice。’
Weselan smiled and patted Kahlan’s arm。 ‘You wear the dress well。 It looks beautiful on you。 It’s perfect。’
Kahlan still fretted as she glanced down at herself。 ‘Really？ Are you sure？ I fill it out properly？’
Weselan’s smile widened。 ‘Really。 You have fine breasts。 Everyone says so。’
Kahlan felt her face redden。 She was sure of the truth of the casual statement。 Among the Mud People； menting favorably on a woman’s breasts； in public； was no more odd than a man elsewhere telling a woman she had a pleasant smile。 It was an uninhibited attitude that more than once had caught her off…guard。
Kahlan held the skirt out to the sides。 ‘It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever worn； Weselan。 Thank you for all your hard work。 I will treasure it always。’
‘Maybe someday； if you have a daughter； she will wear it when she weds。’
Kahlan smiled and nodded。 Please； dear spirits； she was thinking； if a child es； let it be a daughter and not a son。 She reached up and touched the delicate necklace she wore； her fingers turning the small； round bone strung among a few red and yellow beads。
Adie； the bone woman； had given her the necklace to protect her from the beasts that dwelt in the pass through the boundary that at the time had separated Westland from the Midlands。 The old woman had told her it would help protect her child one day。
Kahlan dearly loved the necklace。 It was just like the one her mother had received from Adie； and had； in turn； given to Kahlan。 Kahlan had buried it with her closest childhood friend； Dennee。 Since Dennee’s death she had missed her mother’s necklace。
This one was all the more special because the night before they had gone through the pass； Richard had added his oath to the necklace； to protect any future child she might have。 Neither she nor Richard had suspected at the time that there was any way that child might possibly be his。
‘I hope so。 Weselan； will you stand with me？’
‘Stand with you？’
Kahlan pulled some of her hair self…consciously over her half…exposed chest。 ‘ Where I e from； it is the custom to have a friend stand by you when you wed。 To stand as a representative of the good spirits watching over the joining。 Richard would like Savidlin to stand with him。 I would like it if you stood by me。’
‘That seems a strange custom。 The good spirits always watch over us。 But if it is your custom； I would be honored to be the one who stands by you。’
Kahlan beamed。 ‘Thank you。’
‘Now stand up straight。 I am almost finished。’
Weselan again bent to her task at the hem。 Kahlan tried to stand with her back straight。 It hurt from sitting on the floor next to Richard the last half of the night。 She wished she could sit； or lie down； she was that sleepy。 But mostly； her back hurt。
Suddenly； she wondered how much Denna was hurting right now。
She didn’t care； she told herself。 Whatever was happening to her would never be enough； after what she had done to Richard。 Her stomach lurched at the memory of what Denna had told her。
Kahlan could still feel the place on her neck where Darken Rahl had put his lips。 A shiver ran up her spine at the memory。
She remembered the mask of agony on Denna’s face the instant before she disappeared。 It didn’t matter： she deserved it。
It could have been Richard； though。 If it hadn’t been for Denna； it could have been Richard。
‘Don’t be afraid； Kahlan。’
‘What？’ She focused her eyes。 Weselan was standing in front of her； smiling。 ‘I’m sorry。 What did you say？’
Weselan reached out and wiped a tear from Kahlan’s cheek。 ‘I said not to be afraid。 Richard is a good man。 You will have a happy life with him。 It is natural to fear being wedded； but do not worry。 It will be fine； you will see。 I cried too； before I wedded my Savidlin。 I didn’t think I would； because I wanted him so； but I found myself crying； just like you。’ She winked。 ‘I never had reason to cry again。 Sometimes I find reason to plain； but never to cry。’
Kahlan wiped the other cheek。 What was the matter with her？ She didn’t care what was happening to Denna； she didn’t。 Not one bit。
She nodded to Weselan and forced a smile。 ‘That would be my greatest hope in life。 Never to cry again。’
Weselan gave her a forting hug。 ‘