Cara and Zedd were walking side-by-side each lost in their own thoughts. In the week since leaving the Pillars of Creation, they had exhausted all topics of conversation. Normally they would have changed walking partners—pairing up with either Richard or Kahlan who were walking together in front of them. Cara particularly liked talking with Kahlan who could be rather engaging on a wide variety of topics. But since they had found out that Richard's love made him immune to Kahlan's confession, they had become inseparable.
Incredibly they still hadn't slept together. They had decided to wait until they were married. Even after all this time, Cara found that there were things about her companions that she just couldn't understand. They were traveling now to Aydindril, so that the wedding could be arranged. Cara didn't know much about weddings so they explained to her that Dennee and Jennsen were going to be Kahlan's maids of honor. Richard had wanted Kahlan's father to give her away, whereas Kahlan didn't want him to attend the wedding at all. After considerable discussion they compromised and though he would be invited to the wedding, Zedd would give Kahlan away. Cara said that she should be standing with Richard. The others had just smiled and said no, that was the place of the "best man". Cara wasn't convinced especially since there didn't seem to be anyone else worthy of fulfilling this role. The others suggested that Cara could be another maid of honor. Cara was somewhat interested until she discovered that this involved wearing a dress. She had worn a dress once when Kahlan's life was in danger and she didn't intend to wear one again unless a similar circumstance arose. Cara became adamant and Richard and Kahlan good-naturedly agreed. Cara would be the best man. Cara was pleased since she knew that as a Mord-Sith her place was by Richard's side.
As they walked in front of her, Cara was happy for her friends. Yes, there was that term again, friend. She had told Kahlan when they were trapped in the tomb that she was her friend but then tried to deny it after they had been rescued. She was really trying to deny it to herself more than to Kahlan but she had had to admit it was true. That made it all the more puzzling that Richard's and Kahlan's happiness was causing her to feel some negative feelings towards them—in fact jealousy.
She was jealous of Kahlan for getting to be with Richard. She had found Richard attractive almost from the start. And he was the only man to ever turn her down once she had made her interest clear. It wasn't because he didn't find her attractive—she knew he did. Rather it was due to his devotion to Kahlan. Nor were his virtues just limited to Kahlan. He had proven himself extremely loyal to Cara herself, standing up for her again and again when everyone else had wanted her dead. He would be a very worthy companion.
This made it all the more ironic that Cara was also jealous of Richard for getting to be with Kahlan. Certainly nothing showed the perverseness of emotions more than her attraction to Kahlan—a Confessor and one who had initially wanted her dead more than just about anyone. But fortunately they had gotten past their differences and Cara found herself increasingly attracted to Kahlan. She was a very elegant woman. It would be very easy to get lost in those blue eyes of hers and her smile is to-die-for. Cara had almost admitted to feelings stronger than just friendship when she and Kahlan were trapped in the tomb. Since they had wound up being rescued it was a good thing she hadn't. Love making with a Confessor would be tricky but if Kahlan had shown any interest, Cara would have found a way. Maybe she would have obtained a Rada-Han for the purpose. But it was not to be. Richard and Kahlan were deeply in love and Cara had to admit that she didn't know of a finer couple.
Cara's prospects of ever being as happily matched as Richard and Kahlan seemed remote indeed. Few who looked on her could ever see past the fear and loathing triggered by her red leather. Cara had always found it easy to get some man to provide her with sexual release but beyond the sex they had no more interest in her than she did in them. There had been one exception—Leo. He was interested in her sexually of course. But there was more. He didn't seem to be afraid of her and indeed it was almost as if he actually liked her. His being chosen to be the new Seeker showed that he was no ordinary man as did his valiant sacrifice of his life to save Kahlan. If he had lived, Cara certainly would have wanted to see more of him.
Cara could be just as happily matched with another woman. But with the exception of Kahlan, most women she had encountered seemed too frail and beaten down to hold much interest for her though Cara had been surprised by the number of interested glances she received from women since she had started traveling with Richard. There was one group of women that were strong enough to interest her—the other Sisters of the Agiel. Twice in her early days as a Mord-Sith she had had brief relationships with other young recruits such as herself. But then both had fallen carrying out their duties. This was a basic fact of life as a Mord-Sith—there were no old Mord-Sith and in fact few ever lived to middle-age.
Then there was Triana. Both Triana and Cara were lucky and skilled enough to survive for many years and Cara's relationship with her was the most serious one she had ever had. But then it had gone so terribly wrong. Cara had attempted to take control of the Mord-Sith but Triana's familiarity with Cara had led her to publicly challenge Cara's actions. Cara had had to publicly respond to this challenge and humiliate her. But this only led to Triana's brutal betrayal and her attempt to inflict a humiliating death on her—an attempt that nearly succeeded. Much later after Darken Rahl revealed that he had in fact ordered Triana to kill her did Triana's actions make more sense. Still Triana's eager readiness to carry out the order hurt Cara though it would be hard to get her to admit it.
Cara would have plenty of time to ponder the mysteries of sexual relationships but for now there was a far more pressing concern. Two days ago, Zedd had suddenly come up with a ridiculous idea. He noted that on their present path they would be passing close to Stowecroft, the town where Cara had spent the first part of her childhood. He suggested that they take a detour to the town so that Cara could reconnect with her sister and her family. Cara with her usual frankness said that she thought this was the worst idea she had ever heard of and wondered aloud if Zedd were going senile. She pointed out that the last time she had visited there the townsfolk were so eager to have her executed that they had even attacked the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. Cara's own brother-in-law had been her betrayer.
To Cara's horror both Richard and Kahlen thought this was an excellent idea. They said that they would talk to the town and its Elders to make sure there was no more trouble. They would then go on to Aydindril to make the wedding preparations but that Cara should spend a whole week in Stowecroft. They would leave Zedd behind with her to ensure that everything remained peaceful. Cara adamantly refused but then Richard "as Lord Rahl" had ordered her to and Cara had no choice but to comply. Cara didn't know why Zedd was doing this but he had been acting strangely towards her ever since the Plains of Gilgalar, smiling and being more supportive than he had ever been.
As he walked Zedd was occupied by his thoughts. He had three realities of memories to try to keep straight. When he had first found himself on the Plains of Gilgalar it had been his intention to tell Richard, Kahlan and Cara all that had happened. But fortunately they were too busy to want to hear his tale right away and this gave him time to think. He realized that he didn't want them to know the risks he had taken with not only their lives but with the fate of everyone in the Midlands. Even though it was Richard who had wanted Zedd to perform the Spell of Undoing, only he understood the full risks involved and should have known better. He was embarrassed by how badly the first spell had gone—Darken Rahl with the Boxes of Orden, and Richard and the entire Midlands in his power. Cara, who they were trying to save in the first place, was terrified and had died anyway. Further his initial plan for fixing this mess involved putting things back to the way they were where Darken Rahl had the Stone of Tears and their only hope for trying to defeat the Keeper required them to confess Cara.
Fortunately he realized that using the spell on Dahlia was far preferable. Indeed it had worked out better than he could have hoped. They never lost the Stone of Tears to Darken Rahl and were able to defeat the Keeper. Cara was restored to her old self. He was surprised at how happy he was to see this Cara. Despite his early misgivings about her, he had gradually and almost imperceptibly grown quite attached to her. Dahlia's life as a Mord-Sith didn't seem to have had anywhere near the impact that Cara's did and as far as he could tell, most everything had been put back the way it should be.
There was one aspect of this change that did worry him. Though Dahlia's impact on the world as a whole seemed small, her impact on Cara appeared to be far more significant. It was only luck that he had any idea that Cara and Dahlia were more than just friends. When Dahlia had first appeared, Cara did seem to be acting a little strangely around her (even for Cara) but he hadn't thought much about it. It was only when he woke at dawn the next morning that he discovered the truth. Cara and Dahlia were putting their clothes on after a night where it was clear that they hadn't gotten much sleep. Zedd discreetly pretended to still be asleep so that they could finish getting ready. Zedd had thought that this was just Cara getting some easy sexual gratification but as Cara and Dahlia continued to talk he discovered how wrong he was. Cara offered for Dahlia to join with them in their quest to defeat the Keeper. Though hardly romantically phrased, Cara was offering a long-term relationship to Dahlia—something that prior to that moment Zedd wouldn't have thought possible. Zedd had wanted to find out more from Cara as to just what Dahlia meant to her. Getting Cara to talk about her feelings was never easy and Zedd envisioned a prolonged process where he would slowly try to get her to open up. But it turned out he didn't have nearly as much time as he thought as they were ambushed later that day. (Only then did it become clear why Dahlia had turned down Cara's offer). Zedd now would never get a chance to ask that Cara.
Still Dahlia was likely alive, probably living somewhere in Stowecroft. Zedd initially thought that if it were meant to be then just as with Leo in the prior reality, they would somehow meet each other. But then Zedd realized that if Dahlia were a schoolteacher or a mother then she might never leave Stowecroft. Zedd decided to give "fate" a little nudge and take Cara back to Stowecroft. He didn't intend to do anything else or even find out if Dahlia was actually in Stowecroft. Further, Zedd's excuse for bringing Cara to Stowecroft wasn't an excuse. He really did think it was important for Cara to see her family. As his own strained relationship with Thaddicus showed, dealing with family could often be hard but it was important especially as Cara was gaining more normal feelings. If Cara managed to meet Dahlia as well, then so much the better. If not, then at least his conscience would rest easier.