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"What are you doing?" Kahlan asked him.
"Just eat your apple and then translate for me."
When they finished, Richard stood, motioning her up next to him. "Honored elders, I have returned from stopping the threat against our people. Now that it is over, I would like to ask your permission for something. I hope you find me worthy. I would like to ask your permission to have a Mud Woman as my wife. As you can see, I have taught Kahlan to eat these things as I do. She will not be harmed by it, or by me, and in the same way, though she is a Confessor, I will not be harmed by her. We would like to be together, and we would like to be wedded by our people."
Kahlan could hardly get the last of the words out past the tightness in her throat, and she could hardly keep from throwing her arms around him. She could feel her eyes burning and filling with tears, and had to clear her throat to finish the words. She put her arm around Richard's waist to steady herself.
The elders suddenly beamed with surprise. The Bird Man wore a wide grin. "I think you are finally learning to be Mud People," he said. "Nothing could please us more than for you two to be wed."
Richard didn't wait for the translation, but gave her a kiss that took her breath away. The elders and their wives applauded.
It was all the more special to her that they would be wedded before the Mud People. Kahlan felt at home with them. When they had come here before, seeking help in their struggle to stop Rahl, Richard had shown the Mud People how to make roofs that didn't leak. They had made friends. They had fought battles with them, with lives saved, and lost. In the process, the two of them had become bonded to these people. In honor of their sacrifices, the Bird Man had proclaimed them Mud People.
The Bird Man stood and gave Kahlan a fatherly hug that felt as if he were saying that he understood everything she had been through and was happy she had at last found happiness. She shed a few tears against his shoulder as he held her in his strong arms. The whole of everything that had happened had taken her from the depths of pain and despair to the heights of joy. The fight had ended only yesterday. It didn't seem possible it could be over at last.
As they went on with the feast, Kahlan wished more than ever that it could end soon so she could be alone with Richard. He had been held prisoner for over a month, and had only rejoined her the day before. She hadn't even really had a chance to talk with him. Or hug him nearly enough.
Children danced and played around the small fire while the adults gathered around torches, eating and talking and laughing. Weselan scooted down next to her, hugged her, and said she would make her a proper wedding dress. Savidlin kissed her cheek and slapped Richard's back. She found it difficult to look away from Richard's gray eyes. She didn't want to. Ever.
The hunters who had been out on the plain the day the Bird Man had tried to teach Richard how to call specific birds with the special whistle he had given Richard as a gift, wandered by the elders' platform. All Richard could do that day was make a sound that called all the birds at once, but not different species individually. The hunters had laughed endlessly that day.
As they listened now, Savidlin made Richard show the whistle and tell again how he had used it to call all the birds which roosted in the valley filled with gars. The thousands of hungry birds had eaten the gar's blood flies, creating a panic. The diversion had enabled Richard to rescue Scarlet's egg.
The Bird Man laughed, even though he had already heard the story three times by now. Savidlin laughed and slapped Richard's back. The hunters laughed and slapped their thighs. Richard laughed as he watched them react to Kahlan's translation.
Kahlan laughed at seeing Richard laugh. "I think we have found an adventure that satisfies them." She thought about it and frowned. "How did Scarlet land you close enough to the egg without being seen by the gars?"
Richard looked away and was silent a moment. "She landed me on the valley on the other side of the hills around Fire Spring. I went through the cave."
He didn't look at her. Kahlan hooked some hair behind an ear. "And was there really a beast in the cave? A Shadrin?"
He let out a deep breath as he looked across the open area. "That there was. And more." As she put her hand on his shoulder, he took it and kissed the back of it, still staring off. "I thought I was going to die there, alone. I thought I would never see you again." He seemed to shake off the memory and leaned back on an elbow, gazing at her with a one-sided smile on his face. "The Shadrin left some scars that aren't healed yet. But I would have to take off my pants to show them to you."
"Really?" Kahlan gave a throaty laugh. "I think I better have a look... to see if everything is all right."
As she looked deep his eyes, she abruptly realized most of the elders were watching them. Suddenly she felt her face warm. She snatched up a rice cake and took a quick bite, relieved to know they couldn't understand their words. She hoped others couldn't understand the look in their eyes. She chided herself to pay more attention to where she was. Richard sat up again. Kahlan reached over to a small bowl of roasted ribs that looked to be wild boar, and set it down in his lap.
"Here. Have some of these."
She looked over at a group of the wives. She held up the rice cake and smiled. "These are very good." They nodded their satisfaction. She looked back to Richard. He was staring down at the bowl of meat. His face was white.
"Take it away," he whispered.
Kahlan frowned and lifted the bowl from his lap, setting it behind her. She scooted closer to him. "Richard, what's wrong?"
He was still staring at his lap, as if the bowl was still there. "I don't know. I looked down at the meat, and then I could smell it. It made me feel sick. It just seemed like a dead animal to me. Like I was about to eat some dead animal laying there in front of me. How could anyone eat some dead animal that was just laying there?"
Kahlan didn't know what to say. He didn't look well. "I think I know what you mean. I was sick once and they fed me some cheese. I threw it all back up. They thought it would be good for me, and every day fed me more, and I would throw it up, until I was well again. That is why, to this day, I don't like cheese. Maybe it's something like that, because you have a headache."
"Maybe," he said in a weak voice. "I spent a long time at the
Peoples' Palace. They don't eat meat there. Darken Rahl doesn't—didn't—eat meat, so none was served at the Palace. Maybe I just got used to not eating meat."
She rubbed his back as he put his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair. First cheese, and now meat. His eating habits were becoming as peculiar as... a wizard's.
"Kahlan... I'm sorry, but I need to go somewhere where it's quiet. My head really hurts."
She put her hand on his forehead. His skin was cold and clammy. He looked about ready to fall over. Her insides fluttered with worry.
Kahlan squatted in front of the Bird Man. "Richard doesn't feel well. He needs to go somewhere quiet. Is that all right?"
At first he thought he knew why they wanted to leave. His smile faded when he saw the anxiety on her face. "Take him to the spirit house. It is quiet there. No one will bother him. Get Nissel if you think there be need." A little of his smile came back. "Maybe he has spent too much time on the dragon. I thank the spirits my gift of flight was short."
She nodded, unable to manage much of a smile and said a quick good night to the others. Picking up both their packs, she put a hand under Richard's arm and helped him to his feet. His eyes were squeezed shut, his eyebrows wrinkled together in pain. The pain seemed to pass a little, and he opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and started off with her across the open area.
The shadows were thick among the buildings, but the moon was up, giving them enough light to see their way. The sounds of the feast faded into the background, leaving only the slow scrape of Richard's boots scuffing on the dry ground.
He straightened a little. "I think some of it has passed."
"Do you get headaches often?"
He smiled over
to her in the moonlight. "I'm famous for my headaches. My father told me that my mother used to get headaches like the ones I get, where you feel sick to your stomach because your head hurts so much. But this one is different. I've never had ones like this before. It's like something inside my head is trying to get out." He took his pack from her and hoisted it to his shoulder. "It hurts more that my other headaches."
They passed from the narrow passageways to the wide space around the spirit house. It sat by itself, moonlight reflecting off the tile roof Richard had helped the Mud People build. Wisps of smoke rose from the chimney.
Around the side, by the door, a row of chickens roosted on a low wall. They watched as she pulled the door open for him, starting a little at the squeak of the hinges, and settled down as the two of them passed inside.
Richard flopped down in front of the fireplace. Kahlan pulled out a blanket and made him lay back, bunching the blanket under his head. He rested the back of his wrist over his eyes as she sat, cross-legged, next to him.
Kahlan felt helpless. "I think I should go get Nissel. Maybe a healer can do something for you."
He shook his head. "I'll be all right. I just need to be away from all the noise." He smiled, his arm still over his eyes. "Have you ever noticed how badly we do at parties? Every time we are at a party something happens."
Kahlan thought back to every gathering they had been at together. "I think you're right." She rubbed a hand on his chest. "I think the only solution is for us to be alone."
