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Faith of the Fallen :: Goodkind Terry
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"That be right," Adie said. "Fussing keeps you sharp. When you get old, you need to stay sharp."
"Adie is entirely right," Zedd said. "Why, I think-"
Kahlan silenced him with a hug that Adie joined.
"Are you sure about this, dear one?" Zedd asked after they parted.
"I am. I'm going to take my sword into the belly of the Order."
Zedd nodded as he hooked his bony fingers around the back of her neck.
He pulled her head close and kissed her brow.
"If you're to go, then ride hard and strike harder."
"My thought, exactly," Cara said as she stepped into the tent.
Kahlan thought Cara's blue eyes looked a little more liquid than usual.
"Are you all right, Cara?"
Cara frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Kahlan said.
"General Meiffert got us the six fastest horses he could find." Cara smiled her pleasure at the prospect. "We'll have fresh mounts with us and be able to cover a lot of ground fast. I have all our supplies loaded up.
"If we leave now, we should be able to escape winter's grip. We have the map, so we can stay away from the routes the Order's troops use, and the heaviest popula tion centers. There are good roads, and open country down there. Riding hard, I think that we can make it in a few weeks. A month at most."
Zedd's face contorted with concern. "But the Order controls much of the southern Midlands. It's dangerous country, now."
"I have a better way." Cara flashed a sly smile. "We'll go where I know the country-D' Hara. We will go east from here and cross over the mountains, then go south down through D'Hara-through mostly wide-open country were we can make good time-down through the Azrith Plains, to eventually join the Kern River far to the south. After the river valley clears the mountains, we will cut southeast into the heart of the Old World."
Zedd nodded his approval of the plan. Kahlan curled her fingers lovingly around the old wizard's thin arm.
"When will you go to the Keep?"
"Adie and I will leave in the morning. I think it best not to dally here any longer. Today we'll settle matters of the army with the officers and the Sisters. I think that as soon as the people are out of Aydindril, and when the snow quickly deepens to insure the Order won't be going anywhere until spring, then our men should begin slipping out of this place to make their way over the mountains to the safety of D'Hara. It will be slow going in winter, but without having to fight as they travel, it won't be as difficult as it otherwise would be.
"That be right," Adie said. "Fussing keeps you sharp. When you get old, you need to stay sharp."
"Adie is entirely right," Zedd said. "Why, I think-"
Kahlan silenced him with a hug that Adie joined.
"Are you sure about this, dear one?" Zedd asked after they parted.
"I am. I'm going to take my sword into the belly of the Order."
Zedd nodded as he hooked his bony fingers around the back of her neck.
He pulled her head close and kissed her brow.
"If you're to go, then ride hard and strike harder."
"My thought, exactly," Cara said as she stepped into the tent.
Kahlan thought Cara's blue eyes looked a little more liquid than usual.
"Are you all right, Cara?"
Cara frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Kahlan said.
"General Meiffert got us the six fastest horses he could find." Cara smiled her pleasure at the prospect. "We'll have fresh mounts with us and be able to cover a lot of ground fast. I have all our supplies loaded up.
"If we leave now, we should be able to escape winter's grip. We have the map, so we can stay away from the routes the Order's troops use, and the heaviest popula tion centers. There are good roads, and open country down there. Riding hard, I think that we can make it in a few weeks. A month at most."
Zedd's face contorted with concern. "But the Order controls much of the southern Midlands. It's dangerous country, now."
"I have a better way." Cara flashed a sly smile. "We'll go where I know the country-D' Hara. We will go east from here and cross over the mountains, then go south down through D'Hara-through mostly wide-open country were we can make good time-down through the Azrith Plains, to eventually join the Kern River far to the south. After the river valley clears the mountains, we will cut southeast into the heart of the Old World."
Zedd nodded his approval of the plan. Kahlan curled her fingers lovingly around the old wizard's thin arm.
"When will you go to the Keep?"
"Adie and I will leave in the morning. I think it best not to dally here any longer. Today we'll settle matters of the army with the officers and the Sisters. I think that as soon as the people are out of Aydindril, and when the snow quickly deepens to insure the Order won't be going anywhere until spring, then our men should begin slipping out of this place to make their way over the mountains to the safety of D'Hara. It will be slow going in winter, but without having to fight as they travel, it won't be as difficult as it otherwise would be.