Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind Page A

smiled and nodded and ruffled Siddin’s hair. They both gripped the spikes on Scarlet’s back as she pulled out of the steep descent. Dust swept up around them, lifted by the fluttering of Scarlet’s huge wings as she settled on the ground.
    Richard grabbed hold of Siddin and set the little boy up on his broad shoulders, then stood up on Scarlet’s back. The stiff, cold breeze carried the dust away to reveal a ragged ring of hunters, their bows drawn, poison arrows pointing up at the three of them. Kahlan held her breath.
    Grinning, Siddin waved both hands over his head, like Richard had told him to. Scarlet held her head down so the Mud People could get a clear view of who was riding her. Astonished, the hunters cautiously lowered their bows. Kahlan exhaled when she saw the tension come off the bowstrings.
    A figure in buckskin pants and tunic stepped through the ring of hunters. Long silver hair hung down, spreading over his shoulders. It was the Bird Man, his sun browned face a picture of shock.
    “It’s me, Richard! I have returned! With your help, we have defeated Darken Rahl. And, we have brought Savidlin and Weselan’s son back.”
    The bird man looked to Kahlan as she translated. A beaming grin spread on his face. “ We welcome you both back to your people with open arms. ”
    Women and children were gathering among the ring of hunters, their dark, mud-slicked hair framing amazed faces. Scarlet lowered her bulky body to the ground and Richard slid off her shoulder, landing on his boots with a thump. He held Siddin in one arm as he reached up with the other and helped her down. Kahlan was quietly joyful to have her feet on the earth again.
    Weselan pushed through the throng, running to them, Savidlin right at her heels. She wailed her son’s name. Siddin held his arms out gleefully and practically leapt into her arms. Weselan alternated between crying and laughing as she tried to hug her son and Richard and Kahlan all at once. Savidlin rubbed his boy’s back and looked to her and Richard with wet eyes.
    “ He was brave as any hunter, ” Kahlan told him.
    He gave a single, firm, pride filled nod. He appraised her for a moment and then stepped closer, giving her a gentle slap. “ Strength to Confessor Kahlan. ”
    Kahlan returned the slap and greeting, and then he threw his arms around her and squeezed her tight for a long time. When finished with hugging her, he straightened his elder’s coyote hide on his shoulders and looked up at Richard. He shook his head in wonderment. And then he gave Richard a powerfully hard whack across the jaw, a demonstration of his heartfelt respect for his Richard’s strength.
    “ Strength to Richard With The Temper. ”
    Kahlan wished he wouldn’t have done that. She could tell by Richard’s eyes that he had a headache. He had had it since yesterday, and she had hoped it would be better after a good sleep the night before in Scarlet’s cave. Siddin had played with the little red dragon until he was dead tired, and then cuddled between them and gone to sleep.
    Having not slept for days, she thought she would have no trouble sleeping, but she found she didn’t want to stop looking at Richard. She had finally put her head on his shoulder, held his hand in both of hers and fallen asleep smiling. They had all needed the rest. Bad dreams had caused Richard to jerk awake several times in a cold sweat, and even though he had said nothing, she could see in his eyes that he still had the headache. Richard didn’t let it bother him, though, and returned Savidlin’s slap in kind.
    “Strength to Savidlin. My friend.”
    Properly greeted, souls protected, Savidlin let his grins and back slaps fly. After they had exchanged greetings with the Bird Man, Richard addressed the crowd.
    “This brave and noble dragon, Scarlet,” he called out in a voice for all to hear, even though they couldn’t understand the words, “has helped me kill Darken Rahl and avenge our murdered people. She