Faith of the Fallen   ::   Goodkind Terry

Cara sank back down to the ground. "Not if Brass Buttons, here, values his ribs," she muttered.

Kahlan struggled not to chuckle, lest she twist the ever present knives in her ribs. Sometimes, she felt as if she knew how the chunk of wood Richard was carving felt. It was good to see Richard, for once, get the best of Cara. It was usually she who had him flustered.

"I can't help you, for now," Richard said, his serious tone returning.

He went back to his work with his knife. "I hope you can all accept that."

"Of course, Lord Rahl. We know that you will lead us into battle when the time is right."

"I hope that day comes, Captain. I really do. Not because I want to fight, but because I hope there to be something to fight for." Richard stared into the fire, his countenance a chilling vision of despair. "Right now, there isn't."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Captain Meiffert said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. "We will do as we think best until the Mother Confessor is better and you are then able to join us."

Richard didn't argue the time schedule, as the captain had described it. It was one Kahlan hoped for, too, but Richard had never said it would be that soon. He had, in fact, made it clear to them that the time might not ever come. He cradled the wood in his lap, studying what he had done.

He ran his thumb along the fresh-cut line of the nose as he asked, "Did the returning scouts say. . how it faired for the people in Anderith.

with the Imperial Order there?"

Kahlan knew he was only torturing himself by asking that question. She wished he hadn't asked; it could do him no good to hear the answer.

Captain Meiffert cleared his throat. "Well, yes, they did report on the condiions.

"And. .?"

The young officer launched into a cold report of the facts they knew.

"Jagang set up his troop headquarters in the capital, Fairfield. He took over the Minister of Culture's estate for himself. Their army is so huge that it swallowed the city and overflows far out onto the hills all around.

The Anderith army put up little resistance. They were collected and all summarily put to death. The government of Anderith for the most part ceased to exist within the first few hours. There is no rule or law. The Order spent the first week in unchecked celebration.

"Most people in Fairfield were displaced and lost everything they owned. Many fled. The roads all around were packed solid with those trying to escape what was happening in the city.