Temple 17

Chapter 17
An indeterminate time later, Berdine runs into Kahlan in a hallway and is thrilled that Richard wants her to stay up all night and work. This important business accomplished, Kahlan finds Richard and demands to know why he would ever “dance with that whore.” 
Kahlan says she tricked Nadine into confessing, which impresses Richard. She's sorry she asked Nadine to stay, but Richard says she was right, that Nadine needs to stay. His reasoning: “ 'Shota and the prophecy both mentioned “the wind.” Nadine plays some part in this; she has to stay, for now.' ” 
Kahlan calls Nadine a vulture. Richard says he feels sorry for her, indicating that she's not really a bad person, “ ' but I doubt she will ever truly experience love.' ” Why is that? No idea. I can only assume that Nadine is so blitheringly stupid that she can't comprehend it.
This segues into Kahlan being amazed that Richard could ever forgive his brother Michael the Evil Liberal Traitor for his horrible, horrible sins. Richard's response is . . . interesting.
“ 'He was my brother. I would have forgiven him anything he did against me. Someday, I will stand before the good spirits; I didn't want to give them a reason to say I was no better.
'It was what he did to others that I couldn't forgive.' ”
Aheh heh heh. Richard: paragon of forgiveness. Yeah, no. I still haven't forgotten that Michael didn't actually do anything bad to anyone but Richard (and Kahlan, to be fair). He allied with Magic Hitler because he saw no hope of victory against him, making the hard choice to protect his people. That's what good leaders have to do sometimes. All this retroactive mudslinging does not convince me Michael was an evil bastard who deserved his fate, or that Richard is good and noble for “forgiving” him.
\~/
And don't think I missed the subtext there: Richard only “forgave” Michael so he could maintain his air of moral superiority. Not because he loved his brother. Not because it was the right thing to do. Not in hopes that he would become a better person. Because Richard wanted the spirits to like him.
\~/
Kahlan says that maybe Drefan will be a better brother, and “ 'it would be hard to find two that wicked.' ” Shut up, Kahlan. She tells Richard how amazing Drefan's healing talent is, taking the opportunity to get in another petty dig at Nadine, and off they go to meet him. Along the way, Richard makes nice with Cara and Aryan Boy #1.
They reach the room where Drefan is staying and barge in, to find Drefan on his knees before a table full of candles. He kneels and worships Richard for a bit – no, really – and we learn that he's dressed like a pirate. “He was dressed nobly in a ruffled white shirt open to mid-chest, high boots turned down down just below the knees, and tight, dark trousers that displayed enough of the swell of his manhood that Kahlan could feel her cheeks flush.”
\~/ for the “swell of his manhood.” 
Drefan explains that he was making his peace with the good spirits in case he was about to join them. He randomly pulls a couple of knives out of his clothing, apologizes for forgetting to disarm himself, and tosses a knife into the wall. 
Richard and Drefan have a discussion on their mutual father, where we learn that Richard was the “gifted heir,” while the rest of Rahl's children were considered trash by him. So I guess only one of Rahl's offspring had 'the gift,” the capacity for magic? Well, that makes no sense. I'd be willing to believe the trait was rare, but for only Richard to have the gift seems unbelievable.
So anyway, Drefan's mother ambitious and talented, and hoped to be the one to bear Rahl the gifted heir he wanted. She failed. Richard says that Drefan is no less a person than he himself in the eyes of the good spirits. In fact, he says it twice. Editors, who needs 'em? \~/
Drefan snarks that it's “Very magnanimous of you to cede to the good spirits that which was always theirs.” Instead of letting this stand on its own, Terry Goodkind decides to take a moment and tell us how we should be feeling:
“Drefan was managing to be courteously respectful without being servile. He seemed honestly deferential, but without losing his air of nobility. Unlike the way he had been in the pit, he was scrupulously polite, but he nonetheless exuded the bearing of a Rahl: no amount of bowing could alter his aplomb. Like Richard, he carried himself with inherent authority.”
\~/ for that reminder of how awesome Richard is.
Also,
It's one of the basic rules of writing. Demonstrate the behavior of your characters, don't just assert that it is so and expect the reader to believe you. The author stepping in to inform the reader of his characters' qualities rather than demonstrating said qualities through the characters' behavior often has the opposite effect, like repeatedly insisting that you're honest and would never tell lies, despite no one saying otherwise. \~/
And what's this about “the bearing of a Rahl?” We've known exactly three Rahls: the murderous madman Darken, his sociopathic, egotisical son Richard, and Nathan, who still has my pity. Goodkind seem to want to emphasize that being a Rahl is something awesome and special. Why? Why must specialness be inborn? Why can't your heroes earn their status, Terry?
Anyway, Drefan's mother left him in the care of a remote community of healers and poisoned herself once she established that Drefan was not gifted. Once Drefan felt his bond to Darken Rahl break and learned of the new Lord Rahl, he decided to come to Richard and offer his services so he could stop living with the threat of death looming over his head. He figured, even if Richard opted to kill him, at least he wouldn't have to live in fear any longer.
After some silent deliberation, Richard shakes hands with Drefan and welcomes him aboard, and the chapter ends.
Drinks: 6
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