"Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth 4 - Temple of the Winds" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goodkind Terry)

end of the Midlands as a formal entity, a union of sovereign lands, but she
knew that her first responsibility was to the lives of the people, not to
tradition; if not stopped, the Imperial Order would cast the world into
slavery, and the people of the Midlands would be its chattel. Richard had
accomplished what his father could not, but did so for entirely different
reasons. She loved Richard and knew his benevolent intent in seizing power.
Soon they would be wedded, and their marriage would unite the Midlands and
D'Hara in peace and unity for all time. More than that, though, it would be a
personal fulfillment of their love and deepest desire: to be one.
Kahlan missed Saul Witherrin; he had been a capable aide. With the council now
dead, too, and the Midlands now a part of D'Hara, matters of protocol were in
disarray. A few frustrated D'Haran officers were standing at the railing,
attempting to minister to the petitioners' needs.
As she entered, Kahlan's gaze swept the waiting crowd, analyzing the nature of
problems brought to the palace this day. By their dress, most appeared to be
people from the surrounding city of Aydindril: labors, shopkeepers, and
merchants.
She saw a knot of children she knew from the day before when Richard had taken
her to watch them playing a game of Ja'La. It was the first time she had seen
the fast-paced game, and it had been an entertaining diversion for a couple of
hours: to watch children play and laugh. The children probably wanted Richard
to come watch another game; he had been an ardent supporter of each team. Even
if he had picked one team to cheer over the other, Kahlan doubted it would
have made any difference; children were drawn to Richard, seeming to
instinctively sense his kind heart.
Kahlan recognized several diplomats from a few of the smaller lands, who she
hoped had come to accept Richard's offer of a peaceful surrender and union
into D'Haran rule. She knew the leaders of those lands, and was expecting them
to heed her urging to join with them in the cause of freedom.
She recognized, too, a group of diplomats from some of the larger lands that
had standing armies. They had been expected, and later that day Richard and
Kahlan were to meet with them, along with any other newly arrived
representatives, to hear their decision.
She wished Richard would find himself something more suitable to wear. His
woods clothes had served him well, but he now needed to present a more fitting
image of the position he found himself in. He was so much more than a woods
guide now.
Having served nearly her whole life as a person of authority, Kahlan knew that
it often smoothed matters of leadership if you matched people's expectations.
Kahlan doubted people who needed a woods guide would have followed Richard if
he hadn't dressed for the woods. In a way, Richard was their guide in this
treacherous new world of untested allegiances and new enemies. He often asked
her advice; she was going to have to talk to him about his clothes.
When the people assembled saw the Mother Confessor striding into the
passageway, conversation stilled and they began going to a knee in deep bows.
Despite the fact that she was of an unprecedentedly young age for the post,
there was no one of higher authority in the Midlands than the Mother
Confessor. The Mother Confessor was the Mother Confessor, no matter the face
of the woman who held the office. People bowed not so much to the woman as to
that ancient authority. Matters of Confessors were an enigma to most people