Temple of the Winds

Kahlan saw what he meant. "When I was here before, those shelves were packed full of rolled vellum scrolls." She sniffed the air. "Something else is missing, too. This room was filled with foul air before. It's gone now."

She remembered how it made her gag and cough, and her head spin, having to breathe the stench. On the floor of the cave was a smoldering heap of ash.

Kahlan swiped the toe of her boot across the ash. "I wonder what happened here.

The flame of the torch whipped and fluttered as they followed the twisting tunnel up and out into a golden dawn. Thin bands of violet clouds drifted across the sunrise. Luminous gold, more stunning than the Jocopo Treasure, edged the clouds. Verdant grasslands spread out before them, smelling clean and fresh. "It looks like the Azrith Plains in spring," Cara said, "before the high heat of summer bakes it barren."

Broad swaths of wildflowers at their feet led in the general direction of the Mud People. Kahlan took Richard's hand. It was a beautiful morning for a walk through the spring grasslands of the wilds. It was a beautiful day to be married. Long before they reached the Mud People's village, they could hear the sound of drums drifting out onto the plains. Laughter and song filled the morning air.

"Sounds like the Mud People are having a banquet," Richard said. "What do you think that's about?"

His voice sounded uneasy. She felt the same; banquets were usually held to call the spirit ancestors, in preparation for a gathering.

Chandalen met them not far from the village. He was wearing the coyote hide of an elder. His hair was slicked down with sticky mud. He was bare-chested and had on his ceremonial dress of buckskin pants and his finest knife, and he carried his best spear.

Grim-faced, Chandalen strode forward and slapped Kahlan. "Strength to Confessor Kahlan."

Richard caught Cara by the wrist. "Easy," he whispered. "We told you about this. It's the way they greet people."

Kahlan returned the slap, a show of respect for a person's strength. "Strength to Chandalen and the Mud People. It is good to be home." She fingered the coyote hide. "You are an elder, now?"

He nodded. "Elder Breginderin died of the fever. I was named elder." Kahlan smiled. "A wise choice, them picking you."

Chandalen stood before Richard, appraising him a moment. The two men had once been foes. Chandalen finally slapped Richard, harder than he had Kahlan.

"Strength to Richard with the Temper. It is good to see you again, too. I am happy that you are to marry the Mother Confessor, so that she will not pick Chandalen." Richard returned the slap in kind. "Strength to Chandalen. You have my gratitude, for protecting Kahlan on your journey together." He lifted a hand. "This is our friend and protector, Cara."

Chandalen was a protector of his people, and the term had special meaning to him. He lifted his chin as he looked into her eyes. He slapped her harder than he had slapped either Richard or Kahlan. "Strength to protector Cara."

It was fortunate that Cara wasn't wearing her armored gloves. As hard as she punched him, she would have broken his jaw. Chandalen grinned when he straightened his neck.

"Strength to Chandalen," she said to him, and then to Richard, "I like this custom."

Cara reached out and ran a finger over a few of Chandalen's scars. "Very nice. This one here is excellent. The pain must have been exquisite."

Chandalen frowned at Kahlan and spoke in his language. "What does that last word mean?

' It means that it must have been intense pain, ' Kahlan told him. She had taught Chandalen her language, and he did very well, but he still had some to learn. Chandalen grinned with pride. "Yes, it was very painful. I wept for my mother." Cara lifted an eyebrow to Kahlan. "I like him."

Chandalen looked Cara up and down, taking in the red leather, and the shape of her.

"You have fine breasts." Her Agiel flicked up into her fist.

Kahlan put a restraining hand on Cara's arm. "The Mud People have different customs," she whispered. "To them, it means that you look like a healthy, strong woman, able to bear children and raise them to be healthy. To them, this is a strictly proper compliment." She leaned closer, lowering her voice so that Chandalen couldn't hear. "Just don't tell him that you would like to see him with the mud washed out of his hair, or you will be inviting him to give you those children."

Cara took in all this, considering Kahlan's words with care. Finally, she turned and, bending over a little, lifted her red leather to expose a nasty scar.

"This one was very painful, like the one you have." Chandalen grunted with knowing appreciation. I had more, on my front, but Lord Rahl made them disappear. It is a shame; some were quite remarkable."

Richard and Kahlan followed behind Chandalen and Cara as he showed her his weapons, and they discussed the worst place to be wounded. She was impressed with his knowledge.

"Chandalen," Kahlan asked, "what's going on? Why has a banquet been called?"