Wizard's First Rule

"Your desire to stop Darken Rahl made you do what you thought necessary. Sometimes, making the wrong choice is better than making no choice. You have the courage to go forward, that is rare. A person who stands at the fork, unable to pick, will never get anywhere.»

"But it hurts so much to have him angry at me," she cried.

"I will tell you a secret you might riot otherwise learn until you are too old to benefit from the knowledge. " Wet eyes looked up at his smile. "It hurts him just as much to be angry at you, as it hurts you when he is that angry.»

«Really?» He laughed silently and nodded. "Take it on faith, child."

"I had no right, I should have.seen that before. I am so sorry l did it.»

"Don't tell me. Tell him.»

She pushed away, looking at his weathered face. "l think I will. Thank you, honored elder.»

"And while you are offering apologies, offer mine also.»

Kahlan frowned. "For what?"

He sighed. "Being old, being an elder, does not exclude you from holding foolish ideas. Today, I too made a mistake, for Richard, and for my niece. I, too, had no right. Thank him for me, for keeping me from imposing deeds I should have questioned, but did not. " He took his whistle from around his neck. "Give him this gift, with my thanks, for opening my eyes. May it serve him well. Tomorrow, I will show him how to use it."

"But, you need it to call the birds.»

He smiled. "1 have others. Go now."

Kahlan took the whistle, clutching it tightly in her hand. She wiped the tears from her face. "In my whole life, I've hardly ever cried. Since the boundary to D'Hara came down, it seems as if that's all I do.»

"We all do, child. Go."

She kissed his cheek quickly and left. Searching the open areas, she found no sign of Richard. People she asked hadn't seen him. She walked around in circles, looking. Where was he? Children tried to draw her into their dancing, people offered her food, others wanted to talk to her. She politely turned them all down.

At last she went off to Savidlin's home, deciding that that was where he would be. But the house was empty. She sat down on the floor skin, thinking. Would he leave without her? Her heart panicked. Her eyes searched around the floor. No. His pack was still there, where she had left it when she had gotten him the apple. Besides, he wouldn't leave before the gathering.

Then it came to her. She knew where he was. She smiled to herself, took an apple out of his pack, and headed through the dark walkways between the buildings of the Mud People's village, headed for the spirit house.

Light flared suddenly in the darkness, lighting the walls around her. At first, she didn't realized what it was; then, looking out between the buildings, she saw lightning. Lightning at the horizon, in every direction, all around, lacing its angry fingers into the sky, into the dark clouds, lighting them from inside with boiling colors. There was no thunder. And then it was gone, leaving darkness once more.

Was there no end to this weather, she wondered. Would she ever again see stars, or the sun? Wizards and their clouds, she thought, shaking her head. She wondered if she would ever see Zedd again. At least the clouds protected Richard from Darken Rahl.

The spirit house sat in the dark, away from the sound and activity of the banquet. Cautiously, Kahlan pulled back the door. Richard sat on the floor in front of the fire, his sword, in its scabbard, lay at his side. He didn't turn at the sound.

"Your guide wishes to speak with you," she said meekly.

The door squeaked closed behind her as she kneeled down, sitting back on' her heels next to him, her heart pounding.

"And what does my guide wish to tell me?" He smiled, she thought in spite of himself.

"That she made a mistake," she said softly, picking at a string on her pants. "And that she is sorry. Very, very sorry. Not just for what she did, but mostly for not trusting you."

The insides of, his elbows were hooked around his knees, one hand holding the other. He turned to face her, the warm, red glow of firelight reflecting in his gentle eyes.

"I had a whole speech rehearsed in my mind. But now I can't remember a word of it. You have that effect on me." He smiled again. "Apology accepted."

Relief swept through her. She felt as if her heart were mending. From under her eyebrows, she looked up at him. "Was it a good speech?"

His grin widened. "It seemed so at the time, but now I don't think so."

"You are pretty good at speeches. You nearly scared the wits out of the elders, including the Bird Man." Reaching out, she placed the whistle over his head, around his neck.