Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [167]
“I thought you might like to gaze upon a small vision of beauty among the ugliness.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
“Do you wish to keep him?”
Kahlan watched the bird a moment longer, its bright yellow feathers, the way it cocked its head, and then cast it into the air.
“I have no right,” she said, watching the bird flit away. “It should be free.”
A small smile brightened the Bird Man’s face as he gave a single nod. Leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees, he looked over at the spirit house. The work was almost done, maybe one more day. Long, silver-gray hair slipped off his shoulders and down around his face, hiding his expression from her. Kahlan sat awhile and watched Richard working on the roof. She ached to have him hold her right now, and hurt all the more because she knew she couldn’t allow it.
“You wish to kill him, this man, Darken Rahl?” he asked without turning to her.
“Very much.”
“And is your power enough?”
“No,” she admitted.
“And does the Seeker’s blade have enough power to kill him?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
The clouds were getting darker as the day was drawing to an end. Light rain was beginning to fall once more, and the gloom among the buildings was deepening.
“As you said yourself, it is dangerous to be with a Confessor who is in great want of something. I think this is also true of the Seeker. Maybe even more so.”
She paused a moment, then spoke softly. “I do not wish to put words to what Darken Rahl did with his own hands to Richard’s father; it would make you fear the Seeker all the more. But know that Richard would also have let the bird fly free.”
The Bird Man seemed to laugh without sound. “You and I are too smart for these tricks with words. Let us speak without them.” He sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “I have tried to tell the other elders what a wonderful thing the Seeker is doing for our people, how good it is that he is teaching us these things. They are not so sure, as they are set in their ways and can be stubborn, sometimes almost beyond my tolerance. I fear what you and the Seeker will do to my people if the elders say no.”
“Richard has given you his word that he will not harm your people.”
“Words are not as strong as a father’s blood. Or as strong as a sister’s.”
Kahlan leaned back against the wall, pulling her cloak around her, shutting out the wet breeze. “I am a Confessor because I was born so. I did not seek the power. I would have chosen otherwise, would have chosen to be like other people. But I must live with what I was given, and make the best of it. Despite what you may think of the Confessors, despite what most people think, we are here to serve the people, to serve the truth. I love all the people of the Midlands, and would give my life to protect them, to keep them free. That is all I wish to do. And yet I am alone.”
“Richard keeps his eyes on you, he watches over you, cares for you.”
She looked over out of the corner of her eye. “Richard is from Westland. He does not know what I am. If he knew…”
The Bird Man lifted his eyebrow at hearing this. “For one who serves the truth…”
“Please do not remind me. It is trouble of my own making, with consequences I must bear, and fear greatly. And that only proves my words. The Mud People live in a land distant from the other peoples. That has given them the luxury of being out of the reach of trouble in the past. This trouble has long arms; it will reach you. The elders can argue against helping all they want, but they will not be able to argue against the fangs of truth. All of your people will pay the price if these few put pride before wisdom.”
The Bird Man listened carefully, respectfully. Kahlan turned to him.
“I cannot honestly say at this moment what I will do if the elders say no. It is not my wish to harm your people, but to save them from the pain I have seen. I have seen what Darken Rahl does to people. I know what he will do. If I knew I could somehow stop Rahl by killing Savidlin’s precious little boy, I would do it without hesitation, with