Wizard's First Rule

Richard felt a hand resting on his shoulder and opened his eyes. It was Kahlan. In the firelight coming through the doorway he could see she was sitting in a chair pulled close to his bed. Zedd's big old coon cat was curled up sleeping in her lap.

"Where's Zedd?" he asked, sleepy-eyed.

"He has gone to find the root you need." Her voice was soft and calming. "It has been dark for hours now, but he said not to be concerned if it took him time to find the root. He said that you would go in and out of sleep but would be safe until he returned. He said the drink he gave you before would keep you safe until he is back."

Richard realized, for the first time, that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her hair was tumbled down around her face and shoulders, and he wanted very much to touch it, but didn't. It was enough to feel her hand on his shoulder, to know she was there and that he was not alone.

"How do you feel?" Her voice was so soft, so gentle, that he couldn't imagine why Zedd had been afraid of her.

"I would rather fight another quad than another snake vine."

She smiled her special smile, her private smile of sharing something with him, as she wiped his brow with the cloth. He reached up and grabbed her wrist. She stopped and looked into his eyes.

"Kahlan, Zedd is my friend of many years. He is like a second father to me. Promise me you won't do anything to hurt him. I could not bear it."

She looked at him reassuringly. "I like him, too. Very much. He is a good man, just as you said. I have no desire to hurt him. Only to seek his help in finding the wizard."

He gripped her wrist tighter. "Promise me."

"Richard, everything will be fine. He will help us."

He remembered her fingers on his throat and the look in her eyes when she thought he was trying to poison her with an apple. "Promise me."

"I have already made promises, to others, some of whom have given their lives. I have responsibilities to the lives of others. Many others."

"Promise me."

She put her other hand on the side of his face. "I am sorry, Richard, I cannot."

He released her wrist, turned, and closed his eyes as she took her hand from his face. He thought about the book, all that it meant, and realized he was making a selfish request. Would he trick her to save Zedd, only to have him die with them? Would he doom all the others to death or slavery just to see his friend live a couple more months? Could he condemn her to death, too, for nothing? He felt ashamed at his own stupidity. He had no right to.ask her to make such a promise. It would be wrong for her to do so. He was glad she had not lied to him. But he knew that just because Zedd had asked about the trouble they were in did not mean he would help with anything to do from across the boundary.

"Kahlan, this fever is making me foolish. Please forgive me. I have never met another with your courage. I know you are trying to save us all. Zedd will help us; I will see to it. Promise me only that you will wait until I am better. Give me the chance to convince him."

She squeezed her hand on his shoulder. "That is a promise 1 can make. I know you care about your friend; I would despair if you didn't. That does not make you foolish. Rest now."

He tried not to close his eyes, since when he did, everything started spinning uncontrollably. But talking had sapped his strength, and soon the blackness pulled him back in. His thoughts were once again sucked into the void. Sometimes he came partway back and wandered in troubled dreams; sometimes he wandered in places empty even of illusion.

–+-

The cat came awake, his ears perking up. Richard slept on. Sounds that only the cat could hear made him jump off Kahlan's lap, trot to the door, and sit on his haunches, waiting. Kahlan waited, too, and since the cat didn't raise his fur, she stayed by Richard. A thin voice came from outside.

"Cat? Cat! Where have you gotten to? Well, you can just stay out here then." The door squeaked open. "There you are." The cat ran out the doorway. "Suit yourself," Zedd called after him. "How is Richard?" he called to her.

When he came into the room, Kahlan answered from the chair. "He came awake several times, but he is sleeping now. Did you find the root you need?"

"I wouldn't be here otherwise. Did he have anything to say when he was awake?"

Kahlan smiled up at the old man. "Just that he was worried about you."

He turned and went back into the front room, grumbling. "Not without good reason."