I'll Forget You

It was almost time . . . Almost the end.

With a shaky breath I lifted my weary eyes from where they had been lowered to my lap, and looked around me for the first time in hours. The sight that met me was most unwelcome, but I gazed upon it all the same.

I was in a cold, dungy prison cell, housed deep beneath the bowls of the People's Palace. It was still and quiet here within in the jail- though since the Seeker had freed all the prisoners, this came as no surprise to me. There were only two residents left in the dungeon now, and I counted as one of them.

Only several days prior the Seeker had stormed the People's Palace- aided by forces that no one had known he had- and the servants of Lord Rahl had defended the keep until they were overtaken. We had all fought valiantly- each member of the castle doing his or her part- and yet in the end it had amounted to very little.

I had lived within the castle for more years than I could remember; and seeing those I held most dear slaughtered in droves had been my worst night terror reincarnated . . . All of my friends had passed by the slice of the sword or the unforgiving sting of a mercilessly cast curse- my uncle, General Egremont included. At the thought of my departed family member, I felt tears once more prickle in my dark eyes, but I held them back. I couldn't break down now . . . not when I still had someone beside me. . . Not while I still had a smidge of a prayer left within my heart. Though it was most definitely misplaced, seeing as all hope had dissipated long ago.

Since I had been put into this dismal cell days ago, I had barely uttered a single sound. At first this had been the result of shock and perilous grief, but now it was from necessity. I now listened intently to fearsome sounds of distant cheers and fanfares from outside the People's Palace. Such loud sounds coming from the castle's courtyard could only mean one thing, and I instantly felt my heart fly up to my throat. . . It was too soon! I wasn't ready! I never could be ready.

Since the Palace had been taken by the Seeker, there had been daily executions for the surviving forces of Lord Rahl who had refused to surrender. First had been the Mord'Sith and the handful of Dragon Corps who had refused to change allegiance. Then the rest of the servants and Palace guards. . . And today the rebels would truly bring this war to an end, as they took the life of Darken Rahl himself- my current cell partner and master.

For a long time I debated with myself, not wishing to speak- but after more contemplation I found that there was an absolute need that had grown within me. If the end was coming, there were things I had to say . . . things I wouldn't ever have the chance to say again. I had to be strong, just once more . . . before the end.

Finally I shifted my gaze to the former leader of D'hara and the Midlands, though for several more minutes I remained quiet. I drank in the sight of the man I had always cared for silently, memorizing it with what little memory I still had intact.

Darken Rahl stood in one of the four corners of the cell, staring off to only something he could see, his expression blank of all emotion- and yet to me he was as handsome as ever.

Before they had thrown him in my cell- I had been put here first- they had forced him to change out of his elegant robes of crimson and don commoners rags. He had been roughed up pretty badly before they had tossed him in with me, but somehow Lord Rahl had managed to maintain his regal air. Even when he had been removed from grace, Darken Rahl was magnificent.

I observed my master, taking in his beautiful gray-blue eyes as they saw things I could only dream of, before I found my courage and opened my mouth.

"Sire?"

Darken –as I had taken to calling him in my head- exited from his trance like state and looked at me. I continued speaking, though in that first moment I couldn't bear to meet his eyes.

"They'll . . . They'll be . . . coming for you soon," I said brokenly, not bothering to hide the despair in my voice as I swallowed thickly. "What would you have me do, my lord?"

For several long seconds, I was met with silence. Then, from where he stood statuesquely, Darken Rahl answered me calmly. "There is nothing left to be done, Relliya. It is over."

I felt my heart flip when he said my name, but ignored it as a sob threatened to spill from my lips.

"I am so sorry, Lord Rahl. I wish there was something I could do . . . someway to- to. . ." I stopped unable to continue, and finally gave way to my grief. Red hot tears began to poor down my dirty face and I cried; one tear for each of those friends I had lost, and then two more for the man I secretly loved.

And I was so lost to my desolation that I was unaware that Darken Rahl had moved from where he stood, until my blurry eyes were met head on by two startling blue-gray ones. He was now kneeling beside me on the floor- something that was so out of place that I began to shake- and he looked at me openly, seeming to stare upon my soul as he put his hand upon my heaving shoulder.

"You did all that you could, as did Egremont. I could ask no more from you."

"And even with our best efforts we couldn't protect you," I cried bitterly, before bowing my head in shame. "Neither my uncle, nor I could help. . . We failed you, my lord."

As my tears continued to fall, I felt the edge of Darken Rahl's finger lift my chin up and I was once more faced with the sight of the handsome man I had come to adore.

"You and your uncle were the only ones that didn't fail me," he said deeply, gently running his forefinger across my cheek and jawbone. "You never gave your loyalty to the Seeker, and you served me well. That is more than can be said for most."

"Your Mord'Sith and Dragon Corps didn't betray you, sire."

"But they only stood by me out of fear or want of power," Rahl objected, the path of his finger never wavering. "Egremont was like a father to me. . . He was loyal out of personal choice, as are you Relliya."

I was thankful for the grime that currently covered my face, as I felt a blush rise to my cheeks, but I didn't let it affect my answer. This would be the hardest and most truthful thing I would ever say, I couldn't risk ruining it now.

"He loved you, Lord Rahl," I replied softly, before I added, "As do I."

I could hear the affection in my own voice, and wondered at how I had kept it hidden for so long- before my attention once more drew completely to my Master.

Though my admission was hidden behind my uncles' name, I knew that Darken understood what I was truly saying by the way he met my eyes. For a moment, I feared that I had said too much- but then Rahl gave me a gentle smile.

In all my years of working under the Ruler of D'hara I had never seen anything more than a smirk or tight-lipped grin. But as I looked upon his expression now, I realized that it was no deception.

"I have known of your love, Relliya and I thank you for it. . . It was more than I ever thought I'd receive in this world."

"Darken-" I said, forgetting myself as more tears fell, but before I could say anything more, Lord Rahl's traveling forefinger stopped. Then almost tenderly, his masculine hand rose to braid itself in my hair and draw me closer to him. Slowly- as if waiting for me to pull away- he leaned forward, inching closer and closer to my lips with his own. When there was only a breath's distance between us, he ceased movement, waiting.

Darken Rahl was leaving this up to me. . . For once he was offering me a say . . . and I took the moment with a heart full of joy and wistful apprehension.

I closed the distance between myself and the man I had served since adolescence, and melded my lips with his own. My lips felt hard against his smoother ones, but the result ended up being perfect. After the initial contact, Darken angled his head so that he could deepen the kiss and I sighed against him as my dream was fulfilled.

This was all I had ever wanted, and though I knew that it couldn't last, I basked in it. For the first time in my wretched life, I had become beautiful and wanted. I was whole.

After what felt like both a second and a lifetime, we pulled away from one-another to breathe and my master spoke.

"I made an agreement with the Seeker," Rahl said somewhat breathlessly, though he still managed to sound completely in control. "Your life will be spared once I am proclaimed dead by the Mother Confessor. They believe that you were under a spell, because I had one of the guards tell them as much. You'll be freed from this prison cell."

I shook my head in confusion, but he continued before I could object.

"You will live Relliya," there was no room for argument in his tone. Lord Rahl was giving me a command, and I was helpless but to obey. "You will comply with any demands they make of you, and you will concur with their assumptions of what I put you through. Is that understood?"

I wanted to scream my disagreement; I wanted to die alongside my Master, but when he continued to stare at me with his beautifully uncompromising eyes I found myself caving.

"If it is what you wish-"

"It is." Darken Rahl raised his forefinger up again, caressing my lower lip- and I kissed it lovingly before nodding my assent.

"Then I shall obey, Lord Rahl. . . I shall do as you have asked."

He didn't say another word as he then embraced me, but I knew that this was his way of saying goodbye. So I clung to him desperately, knowing that soon he would be gone and I would be left alone.

The guards came for him an hour later. By this time, we had pulled apart and sat silently side by side, my tears dried up in my already mourning eyes.

As the Seeker's men unlocked the cell doors and Lord Rahl stood to meet them, he made one final request of me.

"Do not give them the satisfaction of seeing you cry, Relliya."

I bowed my head to Darken Rahl one last time as he reached the guards' side, and they placed brutal shackles on his wrists to take him away. "I won't," I swore. "You have my word. . . . May the spirits protect you, Master Rahl."

I lifted my gaze just in time to see his last genuine smile, before he was moved beyond my line of sight and the cell door closed behind him. But his parting words would stay with me until the end of my days, haunting my every thought and prayer.

"And you as well, dear one. . . Until we meet again."

Whether or not I would actually see him again in the Underworld, only the Creator could say. But in that moment, as they escorted Darken Rahl away to be executed, I knew that I would never love another. My heart would stop beating the moment his did, and I would be unable to recover the feeling of life once he was gone.

My end came with his.

There was only one man for me; the man that I would never forget: Darken Rahl.

I'll forget you; the more you stay inside of me the weaker I grow.

I'll forget you; tomorrow I will turn and let you go

I'll go grow colder- I'll lose myself in anything but you now

For there is nothing I can do now . . . but forget.

(* * * *)

I'll forget you; I won't remember arms that pulled me in soft and slow

I'll forget you, there has to be a way to let you go

No more shadows: no dreams of leaning in the dark above you

I will forget how much I love you . . . any day.

(* * * *)

But every time I close my eyes, you come to me again

I swear I feel your touch upon my skin!

You haunt me everywhere, 'til I reach into the air

Trembling to think of all the nights that might have been

(* * * *)

I'll forget you; I hear you whisper to me in the dark- still I know

I'll forget you; God help me find a way to let you go!

(* * * *)

I do not want you!

. . . And still you steal each breath I'm breathing from me

With just a touch you overcome. . .

And I let you . . .

I will forget you . . .

. . . When I die. . .

A/N:I've just recently joined the Legend of the Seeker fandom (yes, I'm a late bloomer and have a long way to go seeing as I haven't finished Season One yet) but I have fallen head over heels in love with Darken Rahl. I seriously want Craig Parker's babies right about now. That man is nothing short of yummy sexiness.

(This story's title and the lyrics at the end are from the musical Scarlet Pimpernel by Frank Wildhorn from the song: I'll Forget You)

*This was my very first attempt at writing Darken Rahl. . . How did I do? Please let me know! I would love some feedback on this story! I'm a bit nervous about it. .

~Lyn Harkeran