"Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth 5 - Soul of the Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goodkind Terry)

It had been here in the Mud People's spirit house, on a night that now seemed
lifetimes ago, that she had first realized she was hopelessly in love with
him, but had to keep her forbidden feelings secret. It was during that visit,
after battle, struggle, and sacrifice, that they had been accepted into the
community of these remote people. On another visit, it was here in the spirit
house, after Richard accomplished the impossible and broke the spell of
prohibition, that he had asked her to be his wife. And now they had at last
spent their wedding night in the spirit house of the Mud People.

Though it had been for love and love alone, their wedding was also a formal
joining of the Midlands and D'Hara. Had they been wedded in any of the great
cities of the Midlands, the event undoubtedly would have been a pageant of
unparalleled splendor. Kahlan was experienced in pageantry. These guileless
people understood their sincerity and simple reasons for wanting to be
married. She preferred the joyous wedding they had celebrated among people
bonded to them in their hearts, over one of cold pageant.

Among the Mud People, who led hard lives on the plain of the wilds, such a
celebration was a rare opportunity to gather in merriment, to feast, to dance,
and to tell stories. Kahlan knew of no other instance of an outsider being
accepted as Mud People, so such a wedding was unprecedented. She suspected it
would become part of their lore, the story repeated in future gatherings by
dancers dressed in elaborate grass-and-hide costumes, their faces painted with
masks of black and white mud.

"I do believe you're plying an innocent girl with your magic touch," she
teased, breathlessly. She was beginning to forget how weak and weary her legs
were.

Richard rolled onto his back to catch his breath. "Do you suppose we ought to
go out there and see what Zedd is up to?"

Kahlan playfully smacked the back of her hand against his ribs. "Why Lord
Rahl, I think you really are bored with your new wife. First the chickens,
then tava bread, and now your grandfather."

Richard was watching the door again. "I smell blood."

Kahlan sat up. "Probably just some game brought back by a hunting party. If
there really was trouble, Richard, we would know about it. We have people
guarding us. In fact, we have the whole village watching over us. No one could
get past the Mud People hunters unseen. There would at least be an alarm and
everyone would know about it."

She wasn't sure if he even heard her. He was stone still, his attention
riveted on the door. When Kahlan's fingers glided up his arm and her hand
rested lightly on his shoulder, his muscles finally slackened and he turned to
her.

"You're right." His smile was apologetic. "I guess I can't seem to let myself