Cara was fighting against Richard. They had sparred many times before but this was different. Just as when she had first met Richard, Cara was trying to kill him. Cara attacked Richard with a number of different moves but he blocked them all. He knocked Cara to her knees and raised the Sword of Truth to deliver the final blow. But Richard hesitated and Cara used the opening to strike him with her Agiel. But she hit something on Richard's belt that exploded. Richard cried out but was otherwise unharmed. Out of the corner of her eyes Cara saw Kahlan fighting against a Mord-Sith. But it was not just any Mord-Sith, it was Dahlia. Kahlan had knocked Dahlia to her knees and had her hand on Dahlia's throat. Cara saw the agony of Confession overtake Dahlia. Cara cried out Dahlia's name but then Cara was hit on the head and everything went black.
Cara awoke with a start. It was a quiet night. All Cara could hear was Zedd's snoring. They were camped outdoors on a pleasant summer's evening. Cara had to remind herself that they were now traveling to Aydendril for Richard's and Kahlan's wedding. The reason that Zedd and Cara were not with Richard and Kahlan was that Zedd had insisted that Cara take a detour to Stowecroft to reconnect with her sister and her family. Given what had happened the last time Cara had visited Stowecroft, Zedd had stayed behind to ensure that everything remained peaceful. Cara had thought this visit a crazy idea but it had gone far better than she had thought possible. Not only had she gotten reacquainted with her sister Grace but she had also gotten to know her niece Ella. Things had gone so well that Cara had pledged to make a return visit as soon as her duties to the Seeker and Mother Confessor permitted it and Cara was actually looking forward to the time when she could see Grace and Ella again.
Even more remarkable was that Cara had met Dahlia, a childhood friend who rather uniquely for a woman was a soldier in the Stowecroft Guard. Cara and Dahlia had hit it off almost immediately and had become lovers. Further shortly before Cara was to leave Stowecroft, Dahlia professed her love for Cara. Though part of Cara still thought that love was a weakness, another part of Cara realized that she might be in love with Dahlia as well. Rather than leave Dahlia behind, Cara had enlisted Dahlia to work with her in serving Richard and Kahlan. Dahlia was now traveling with Zedd and Cara to Aydindril.
Though this all was an unexpected pleasure, several things were going on that Cara found quite puzzling. For one thing ever since the Plains of Girgalar, Zedd kept smiling at her and had been more supportive than he had been before. When she had introduced Zedd to Dahlia, Zedd had reacted with surprise, yet somehow already knew her name. When Cara had challenged Zedd about this, he claimed that he had seen her in a vision. Since they had left Stowecroft Zedd was smiling at them even more than before and seemed very pleased with himself. Cara knew that the vision story was nonsense but she couldn't figure out what was really going on.
Then there was the dream. When she had first had it, she thought that perhaps it was a vision of the future but how could someone as old as Dahlia ever be made a Mord-Sith? Now she had had the dream three nights in a row. It was exactly the same every night and it seemed so real. It was beginning to bother Cara. How could she ever turn against Richard, she would rather die. And it was hard to see Dahlia suffer. In the back of her mind part of the old Cara saw the fact that she was so affected by this dream as confirmation of the weakness that results from caring for someone else. But for the rest of Cara this only confirmed what she already knew deep down—she was in love with Dahlia. As she had this thought she looked at Dahlia who was standing watch. Dahlia saw that Cara was sitting up and came over to her.
"Let me take over your watch," Cara said, "I'm done sleeping."
"I think I can help you get back to sleep," Dahlia said with a smile.
Cara glanced over at Zedd but Dahlia said, "Zedd is a very sound sleeper."
After a moment's hesitation Cara said, "I guess we will find out." She grabbed Dahlia's belt, pulled her down and started kissing her.