had to pick one man to fight beside me； as much as he hates me； it would be him。 I am the fool； for not being able to make him see the truth。’ He turned to her。 ‘I have to go north。 I have to stop them。’
Kahlan looked around。 There are some other men here。 We will gather all we can and …’
He shook his head； cutting her off。 ‘No。 There wouldn’t be enough。 Besides； we need every man able to hold a bow or spear here； to defend the village if I fail。 The elders must go on with the banquet。 We must have the gathering。 That is what’s most important。 I’ll go alone。 I’m the Seeker。 Maybe I can stop them。 Maybe they will listen to one man； see that he isn’t so much of a threat。’
‘All right。 Wait here。 I’ll be right back。’
‘Why？’
‘I have to put on my Confessor’s dress。’
‘You’re not going！’
‘I have to。 You can’t speak their language。’
‘Kahlan； I don’t want 。。。’
‘Richard！’ She snatched a fistful of his shirt。 ‘I’m the Mother Confessor！ There will be no war under my nose while I have a say in it！ You will wait here！’
She released his shirt and stormed off。 The Mother Confessor didn’t wait for answers to her instructions； she expected them to be carried out。 She suddenly regretted yelling at Richard； but she was furious at Chandalen for not listening。
She was furious； too； at the Bantak。 She had been to their village before and always found them to be a gentle people。 Whatever their reasons； as long as she was around there was going to be no war。 The Mother Confessor was supposed to stop wars； not sit by and watch them start。 This was her responsibility； her job； not Richard’s。
At Savidlin and Weselan’s home； in the dark with all the noise going on outside； she slipped into her white Confessor’s dress。 All Confessors wore dresses cut the same； square at the neck； long； simple； free of embellishment； and satiny smooth； but of black fabric。
Only the Mother Confessor’s was white。 It was a mantle of power。 In the dress； she was not Kahlan Amnell； she was the Mother Confessor； a symbol of the power of truth。 With all the other Confessors now dead； the weight of defending the Midlands； those without power； was upon her shoulders。
It made her feel different now to wear the dress。 Before； it had seemed the normal thing to do。 Now； since she had met Richard； it seemed a heavier responsibility。 Before； she had always felt alone in her job； but now； with him； she felt more of a connection to the people of the Midlands； more one of them； more responsible to them。 She knew now what it was to love someone； and to fear for him。 She was not going to allow anyone to start a war； not as long as she was the Mother Confessor。 She grabbed their heavy cloaks and went back through the passageways to the festivities。
The elders were standing in front of their platform； where she had left them。 Richard was still waiting。 She tossed his cloak to him and addressed the elders。
‘Tomorrow night is the gathering。 It must go on。 We will be back well before then。’ She turned to the wives。 ‘ Weselan； we wish to be married the next day。 I’m sorry there isn’t more time to prepare； but we must leave as soon as it is done。 We must go to Aydindril。 We must stop the threat to the Mud People and everyone else。’
Weselan smiled。 ‘ Your dress will be ready。 I wish we could give you a big wedding feast； but we understand。’
The Bird Man put a hand on her shoulder。 ‘If Chandalen is wrong 。。。 Be careful。 The Bantak are peaceful； but maybe things have changed。 Tell them we wish their people no harm。 We do not want war with them。’
Kahlan nodded and flung her cloak around her shoulders as she started off。 ‘Let’s go。’
CHAPTER 15
Richard fell in beside her without objection。 Without speaking； they left the village and went north out onto the flat； open grasslands。 As they walked； the sounds of the people and boldas and drums faded steadily into the night。 The moon wasn’t near full； but it gave them enough light to see by as they walked through the waist…high； dry grass。 She hoped that it was dark enough to make them poor targets。
Richard finally glanced over。 ‘Kahlan； I’m sorry。’
‘For what？’
‘For forgetting who you are。 That you are the Mother Confessor； and that this is your job。 I was just worried for you。’
She was surprised by his apology。 ‘I’m sorry I yelled at you。 I shouldn’t have done that。 I just don’t want there to be any fighting。 I’m supposed to keep the people of the Midlands from fighting。 It makes me angry when they insist on killing one another。 Richard； I’m so tired of seeing people killed。 I thought it was over。 I can’t bear it anymore。 I swear I can’t。’
He put an arm around her。 ‘I know。 Me； too。’ He gave her shoulder a squeeze as they walked。 ‘The Mother Confessor will put a stop to it。’ He looked over。 She thought he was frowning； but it was too dark to be sure。 ‘With my help。’
She grinned。 ‘With your help。’ She leaned her head against him a moment。 ‘From now on； always with your help。’
They walked a long way from the village without seeing anything but the black ground and starlit sky。 Richard would stop once in a while to watch the surrounding grassland and take out a few of Nissel’s leaves to chew。 Sometime past the middle of the night they came to a slight depression in the landscape。 He looked around again and then decided they should wait where they were。 It would be better for the Bantak to e upon them； he said； than for the two of them to walk into a surprise。
Richard flattened out a small patch of grass and they sat down to wait。 They each took turns taking little naps while the other watched to the north。 With her hand over his； she watched him sleep and scanned the horizon； and thought about all the times they had done this before； one standing watch； the other sleeping。 She longed for the day they could just sleep； and not have to watch。 Sleep together。 It would happen； she decided； soon enough。 Richard would figure out how to close the veil； and then it would be over。 They could be at peace。
Kahlan slept nuzzled against him with her cloak wrapped tight against the cold。 His warmth made her all the more sleepy。 She began to wonder if he was right； if the Bantak would e from the north。 If they came from the east； there would be a lot of killing。 Chandalen would show no mercy。 She didn’t want the Mud People to be hurt； but she didn’t want the Bantak hurt either。 They； too； were her people。 She drifted into worried sleep； her last thoughts of Richard。
He brought her awake； pressing his arm around her and his hand over her mouth。 The sky was just beginning to lighten to their right； to the east。 Thin wisps of dark purple clouds bunched near the horizon； as if trying to mask the sunrise with their dark hue。 Richard was watching to the north。 She was lower than he； and couldn’t see anything； but she knew by the tenseness of his muscles that someone was ing。
They lay still； close to the ground； waiting。 Gentle breezes rustled the dry grass around them。 Kahlan quietly； slowly； slid the cloak from her shoulders。 She didn’t want there to be any mistake about who she was。 The Bantak would recognize her long hair； but she wanted them to see her Confessor’s dress； too。 She didn’t want there to be any doubt who she was and that she was here as the Mother Confessor。 Richard shrugged his cloak off his shoulders。 Shadows slid through the grass around them。
When there seemed to be men all around； the two of them stood up。 Men with spears and bows closest leapt back and screamed yells of surprise。 The Bantak were spread out in a long； thin line； advancing toward the Mud People’s village。
There were excited shouts。 Men swept in from the line； a few surrounding them； most bunched in front。 Kahlan stood tall； her hands at her sides。 She wore her Confessor’s face； a calm that showed nothing； as her mother had taught her。 Richard was tight at her side； his hand on the hilt of his sword。 Most of the men； in simple hide clothes trimmed with grass； leveled weapons at the two of them。 They were clearly nervous about doing so。
‘You would dare to threaten the Mother Confessor？’ she called out。 ‘Lower your weapons。 Now。’
Eyes flicked around； looking to see if the two of them were alone。 The men seemed to bee less sure about pointing spears and arrows at the Mother Confessor； they were doing something unheard of； and they knew it。 They looked as if they couldn’t decide to keep doing what they were doing； or drop their weapons and fall to their knees。 A few of them crouched lower； in half bows。
Kahlan took an aggressive stride toward them。 ‘Now！’
The men flinched； cowering back a little。 The points of all the weapons moved from her … to Richard。 They appeared to hope this would be an acceptable promise。 It was not what she had expected。
She stepped in front of Richard。 All the weapons were once again pointing at her。
‘What do you think you are doing；’ he whispered to the back of her head。
‘Just stay quiet。 Let me try to do this。 We don’t have a chance if we can’t get them to lower their weapons and talk。’
‘Why are they doing this？ I thought everyone was afraid of the Mother Confessor。’
They are afraid； but they are used to seeing a wizard with me。 They may be more bold because they don’t see one now。 Even so； they shouldn’t be doing this。’ She took another step forward。 ‘Who speaks for the Bantak？ Who among you takes responsibility for allowing the Bantak to threaten the Mother Confessor？’
Not being able to point their weapons at Richard with her in the way； the Bantak lost a bit of their confidence and lowered the points a little。 Not all the way； but a little。
At last； an old man approached； pushing through； stopping in front of her。 He wore simple hide clothes like the other men； but around his neck hung a gold medallion worked with Bantak symbols。 She knew him。 He was Ma Ban Grid； the Bantak’s spirit guide。 His scowl made his heavily wrinkled loose skin seem even more deeply creased than she remembered。 She also didn’t remember him scowling like this； she remembered only his easy smile。
‘I speak for the Bantak；’ Ma Ban Grid said。 He had only two bottom teeth in front。 His jaw wobbled easily with the difficult…to…pronounce Bantak words。 He glanced at Richard。 ‘Who is this one？’
Kahlan returned Ma Ban Grid’s scowl。 ‘Now Ma Ban Grid would question the Mother Confessor before she is weled before his eyes？’
The Bantak men shuffled their feet uneasily。 Ma Ban Grid did not。 His gaze was solid and unwavering。 ‘These are not right times。 These are not our lands。 We are not here to wele visitors before the eyes of the Bantak。 We have e to kill the Mud People。’
‘Why？’
Ma Ban Grid peered down his nose at her。 ‘They have invited war； as our spirit brethren have warned us they would。 They have proven it by killing one of mine。 We must kill them before they can kill us all。’
‘There will be no war！ There will be no killing！ I am the Mother Confessor