Blood of the Fold (104 page)

Cara arched an eyebrow. “Is that a hint, Lord Rahl?”

“
No, it’s an order.”

Cara shrugged. “Sorry, but we can’t follow that order out here. You need protection. Do you know, Mother Confessor, that we sometimes have to tell him which foot to use next? He sometimes needs us for the simplest of instructions.”

Kahlan was overcome with a helpless sigh. Finally, she looked past Cara to the towering men behind. “Ulic, did you see to it that those bolts were installed on the door to our room?”

“
Yes, Mother Confessor.”

Kahlan smiled. “Good.” She turned to Richard. “Shall we go home? I’m getting tired.”

“
You have to wed him, first,” Cara announced. “Lord Rahl’s orders. No women allowed into his room, except his wife.”

Richard scowled. “I said except Kahlan. I never said wife. I said except Kahlan.”

Cara glanced to the Agiel hanging on the thin chain around Kahlan’s neck. It was Denna’s Agiel. Richard had given it to Kahlan in a place between worlds where Denna had taken them to be together. It had become a sort of amulet—one the three Mord-Sith had never mentioned, but had noticed from the first instant they saw Kahlan. Richard suspected it meant as much to them as it did to him and Kahlan.

Cara’s cavalier gaze returned to Richard. “You charged us with protecting the Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl. We are merely protecting our sister’s honor.”

Kahlan smiled when she saw that Cara had finally managed to nettle him, something she was rarely able to do. Richard took a calming breath. “And a fine job you’re doing of it, but don’t you worry; by my word, she’ll soon be my wife.”

Kahlan’s fingers idly stroked his back. “We promised the Mud People that we would be wedded in their village, by the Bird Man, in the dress Weselan made for me. That promise to our friends means a great deal to me. Would it be all right with you if we were wedded by the Mud People?”

Before Richard could tell her that it meant as much to him, and was his wish, too, a crowd of children swarmed around them. They pulled at his hands, begging him to come watch, as he had promised.

“
What are they talking about?” Kahlan asked as she let out a joyful laugh.

“
Ja’La,” Richard said. “Here, let me see your Ja’La ball,” he said to the children.

When they handed it up, he tossed it in one hand, showing it to her. Kahlan took the ball and turned it around, looking at the gold letter R embossed on it.

“
What’s this?”

“
Well, they played with a ball, called a broc, that was so heavy that children were constantly getting hurt with it. I had the seamstresses make up new balls that are light, so all the children can play, not just the strongest ones. It’s more a game of skill, now, instead of just brute force.”

“
What’s the R for?”

“
I told them that anyone willing to use this new kind of ball would get an official Ja’La broc from the palace. The R stands for Rahl, to show that it’s an official ball. The game was called Ja’La, but since I changed the rules, they call it Ja’La Rahl, now.”

“
Well,” Kahlan said, tossing the ball back to the children, “since Lord Rahl promised, and he always keeps his word …”

“
Yes!” one boy said. “He promised that if we used his official ball he’d come watch.”

Richard glanced to the gathering clouds. “Well, there’s a storm coming, but I guess we have time for a game first.”

Arm in arm, they followed the gleeful crowd of children up the street.

Richard smiled as he walked. “If only Zedd were with us.”

“
Do you think he died up at the Keep?”

Richard glanced up the mountain. “He always said that if you accept the possibility, then you make it real. I’ve decided that until someone proves it otherwise to me, I’m not going to accept his death. I believe in him. I believe he’s alive and out there, somewhere, causing someone trouble.”

The inn looked to be a cozy place, not like some they had been to, with too much drinking and too much noise. Why people wanted to dance whenever it got dark was beyond him. Somehow, the two seemed to go together, like bees and flowers, or flies and dung. Dark and dancing.

People sat at a few tables, having a quiet meal, and one of the tables near the far wall was crowded with a group of older men, smoking pipes, playing a board game, and sipping ale as they engaged in lively conversation. He caught snippets of phrases about the new Lord Rahl.

“
You keep quiet,” Ann warned, “and let me do the talking.”

A friendly-looking couple behind a counter smiled at their approach. The woman’s cheeks dimpled.

“
Evening, folks.”

“
Good evening,” Ann said. “We would like to inquire about a room. The boy at the stable said you had nice rooms.”

“
Oh, that we do, ma’am. For you and your …”

Ann opened her mouth. Zedd beat her to words. “Brother. Ruben is the name. This is my sister, Elsie. I’m Ruben Rybnik.” Zedd flourished a hand. “I’m a cloud reader of some note. Perhaps you’ve heard of me. Ruben Rybnik, the famous cloud reader.”

The woman’s jaw moved as if in search of where all her words went. “Well, I … well … yes, I believe I have.”

“
There you go,” Zedd said, patting Ann on the back. “Nearly everyone’s heard of me, Elsie.” He leaned on an elbow toward the couple behind the counter. “Elsie thinks I make it up, but then she’s been off on that farm, with those poor unfortunates who hear the voices and talk to the walls.”

In unison, the two heads swiveled toward Ann.

“
I worked there,” Ann managed to get out between her clenched teeth. “I worked there, helping the ‘poor unfortunates’ who were our guests.”

“
Yes, yes,” Zedd said. “And a fine job you did, Elsie. Why they let you go I’ll never understand.” He turned back to the mute couple. “Since she’s out of work, I thought to take her out in the world with me, let her see what life’s all about, don’t you see.”

“
Yes,” the couple said as one.

“
And actually,” Zedd said, “we’d prefer two rooms. One for my sister, and one for me.” They blinked at him. “She snores,” he explained. “I need my sleep.” He gestured toward the ceiling. “Cloud reading, you know. Demanding work.”

“
Well, we have lovely rooms,” the woman said, her cheeks dimpling again. “I’m sure you will get a good rest.”

Zedd shook a cautionary finger. “The best you have, mind you. Elsie can afford it. Her uncle passed on, left her everything he had, and he was a wealthy man.”

The man’s brow drew down. “Wouldn’t he be you uncle, too?”

“
My uncle? Well, yes, he would, but he didn’t like me. Little bit of trouble with the old man. He was a morsel eccentric. Wore socks as mittens in the dead of summer. Elsie was his favorite.”

“
The rooms,” Ann growled. She turned and bulged her eyes up at him. “Ruben needs his sleep. He has a lot of cloud reading to do, and must be at it early in the morning. If he doesn’t get his sleep, he gets the oddest burning rash in a ring around his neck.”

The woman started around the counter. “Well, let me show you to them, then.”

“
That wouldn’t be roasted duck I smell, would it?”

“
Oh, yes,” the woman said, turning back. “That’s our dinner tonight. Roasted duck with parsnips and onions and gravy, if you’ve a desire for some.”

Zedd inhaled deeply. “My, but it does have a delightful aroma. Takes talent to roast a duck just right, but I can tell by the fragrance that you’ve gotten it right. No doubt about it.”

The woman blushed and giggled. “Well, I am known for my roasted duck.”

“
It sounds lovely,” Ann said. “If you could be so kind, would you send it up to our rooms?”

“
Oh, of course. It would be my pleasure.”

The woman started them down the hall

“
On second thought,” Zedd said, “You go ahead, Elsie, I know how nervous you get to have people watch you eat. I’ll take my dinner out here, madam. With a pot of tea, if you don’t mind.”

Ann turned and shot him a scowl. He could feel the collar at his neck heat. “Don’t be long, Ruben. We must get an early start.”

Zedd waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, no, my dear. I’ll just have my dinner, perhaps a game with these gentlemen, and then be off to bed straightaway. See you in the morning, bright and early, so we can be off to show you the world.”

Her glare could have boiled pitch. “Good night, then, Ruben.”

Zedd smiled indulgently. “Don’t forget to pay the kind woman, and add something extra for her generosity with the large helping of her excellent roasted duck.” Zedd craned his neck toward her with a weighty look, his voice thinning. “And don’t forget to write in your journal before bed.”

She stiffened. “My journal?”

“
Yes, the little travel journal you keep. I know how you like to write about your adventures, and you haven’t been keeping up to date like you should. I think it’s about time you did.”

“
Yes …” she stammered. “I will, then, Ruben.”

Once Ann had gone, sending warning glances at him the whole way, the gentlemen at the table, having heard the entire conversation, invited him over. Zedd spread his maroon robes and descended among them.

“
Cloud reader, you say?” One asked.

“
The very best.” Zedd held up a bony finger. “Cloud reader to kings, no less.”

Astonished whispers passed around the table.

A man to the side took his pipe from his teeth. “Would you do a cloud reading for us, Master Ruben? We’d all put in and pay you a bit.”

Zedd held up a thin hand, as if warding them off. “I’m afraid I couldn’t.” He waited for the disappointment to build. “I couldn’t accept your money. It would be my honor to tell you what the clouds had to say, but I won’t take a copper.”

Smiles returned. “That’s most generous of you, Ruben.”

A heavyset man leaned in. “What do the clouds have to say?”

The innkeeper set a steaming plate of roasted duck before him, diverting his attention. “I’ll have your tea shortly,” she said as she hurried back to the kitchen.

“
The clouds had much to say about the winds of change, gentlemen. Dangers and opportunities. About the glorious new Lord Rahl, and the … well, let me have a taste of this succulent-looking duck, and I’ll be delighted to tell you all about it.”

“
Dig in, Ruben,” another said.

Zedd savored a mouthful, pausing dramatically to sigh with pleasure as the men all watched with rapt attention.

“
That would be a mighty strange necklace you wear.”

Zedd tapped the collar as he chewed. “They don’t make them like this anymore.”

Squinting, the man pointed his pipe stem at the collar. “Doesn’t seem to have clasp. Looks to be one piece. How did you get it down over your head?”

Zedd unfastened the collar and held it out for them, working the two halves on the hinge. “Yes it does. See? Mighty fine work, isn’t it? A person can’t even see the workings because they’re so delicate. Master workmanship. Don’t see things like this anymore.”

“
That’s what I always say,” the man with the pipe said. “You don’t see fine workmanship anymore.”

Zedd snapped the collar back around his neck. “No, you don’t.”

“
I saw an odd cloud today,” a hollow-cheeked man to the other side said. “Strange cloud. Snakelike it was. Wriggled in the sky, sometimes.”

Zedd leaned in and lowered his voice. “You saw it, then.”

They all leaned in. “What’s it mean, Ruben?” one whispered.

He looked from eye to eye. “Some say it’s a tracer cloud, hooked on a man by a wizard.” Zedd was satisfied by the gasps.

“
What for?” the heavyset man asked, the whites of his eyes showing all around.

Zedd made a show of looking about at the other tables before he spoke. “To track him, and know where he goes.”

“
Wouldn’t he see such a cloud, all snakelike and all?”

“
There’s the trick to it, I’m told,” Zedd whispered as he used his fork to demonstrate. “It points down at the man followed, so all he would see is a tiny dot, kind of like looking at the tip of a cane. But those off to the side see the whole of the cane.”