TITLE: WESTLAND - Part 01
Pairing: Kahlan/Cara.
Rating: T
Notes:
The characters Kahlan, Cara, Richard, Zedd, Denna, Nicci, Shota, Darken, Leo, Flynn and other things belong to Terry Goodkind and ABC - Disney. Sword of Truth and Legend of the Seeker.
It is a AU story and it is not beta-ed.
LANDS
Westland is the richest land of Eurorica. This land is divided in half by two kingdoms. House of Mason-Rahl owns D'Hara, the South land. House of Cypher-Amnell owns Midlands, the North land.
Eurorica is a continent in the northern hemisphere of the planet Agiel. Westland is known in Eurorica by their natural resources, especially gold, silver, sapphires and rubies. D'Hara has a vast area of plains and one of sides of the land is bathed by the sea where the strong waves hit against the Westland Mountains and invades its long beach. It is a beautiful and extensive coast. Midlands has valleys, swamps and the huge Westland Mountains that it is around almost the entire land. Westland is separated totally from other lands of Eurorica by this huge chain of mountains and a furious sea.
Each kingdom owns a House that represents it. Each House is a family who rules the entire land, there are the King, the Queen and their Heirs - the Royal Family. The Houses have a banner with the colors of the their Family. All noble families who owns a banner to represent them, those families have received the Honor of the King because of their bravery and service on behalf of the King and they rule a city of the kingdom. Blood red and golden are the colors of the House of Mason-Rahl. Navy blue and silver are the colors the House of Cypher-Amnell.
The two Houses are traditional families from Westland, they rule theirs kingdoms by thousand years, once there was a war between them because of ambition and greed. But for centuries, they are in peace each other. Although, many kingdoms of Eurorica wanted to invade Westland and steal their natural resources, mostly the House of Jagang from the land of Tanimura, beyond Westland Mountains toward the North.
After the first attempt to invade Westland, two centuries ago, Midlands built the Confessors Palace and the Home Guard fortress. And D'Hara, the Temple of the Mord'Siths and the Dragon Corp fortress. The temples and the fortresses are at the top of the Westland Mountains, to keep Westland save from the invaders. They are military bases with the best warriors from two kingdoms of the Westland. They are known as the Highest Guardians with their little tattoo in their wrists, the Symbol of Westland. They wore uniforms and a necklace from Order which they belong and the Higher Commanders of those Orders - Confessors, Mord'Siths, Home Guard and Dragon Corp - wore a ring in their right hand.
FAMILIES
The House of Mason-Rahl and the House of Cypher-Amnell are great allies each other. They have a sincere and deep friendship, and they teach their children to keep this same friendship. The current families are so united that the parents betrothed their children before they were born. But each wedding would be accomplished when the women, their daughters, they will be twenty-one years old.
The heirs of the House of Mason-Rahl were Darken - the eldest son and the Heir Official, Denna - two years younger than Darken and the Second Heir, and Cara - the last Heir, three years younger than Darken.
The heirs of the House of Cypher-Amnell were Richard - the eldest son and Heir Official, Leo - one year younger than Richard and the Second Heir, and Kahlan - the last Heir, three years younger than Richard.
Darken Mason-Rahl was one year older than Richard Cypher-Amnell.
The last Heirs were always taken toward the temples or fortresses to become one of the Highest Guardians. The female ones became Confessor - in Midlands, or Mord'Sith - in D'Hara. The male ones become Home Guard - in Midlands, or Dragon Corp - in D'Hara. When they were fifteen years old, they were separated from their families and they had a intense training by the oldest Highest Guardians, the female ones were trained with magic. The Confessors own the Confession magic to knowing the truth and the Mord'Siths were broken by magic to defeating against it. Kahlan and Cara were the last Heirs of their families, though all of the Heirs must be skillful fighters to learn to defending themselves.
Kahlan was betrothed for Darken. Cara was betrothed for Leo. Denna was betrothed for Richard. No one of them were born when their parents took an oath which their children would be betrothed and Westland will become only one kingdom.
TRAGEDY
The House of Jagang wants to win Westland. They tried for many times during two centuries, but they failed all the times. The king of Tanimura planned to invade Westland by the sea because the Westland Mountains are impenetrable with the Highest Guardians there.
After centuries without wars in Westland, it started when Tanimura's Army put their feet in Westland. The Sea's War.
Invading Westland by the sea was a suicide, even with strong boats. Tanimura's Army commanded by House of Jagang did this and some soldiers died. They attacked D'Hara ruthlessly.
The king of D'Hara and his eldest son marched with D'Hara Army against Tanimura's Army. Took one day to the King of Midlands and their two sons with the Midlands' Army to arrive on the coast and two days to the Home Guard, Dragon Corp, Confessors and Mord'Siths - the Highest Guardians to arrive there, Kahlan and Cara were among them.
Kahlan was eighteen years old and Darken was twenty-two years old. Cara and Leo were nineteen. Richard was twenty-one. Denna stayed in the Palace with her mother, she was twenty years old. But by anxiety and will, she rode toward the sea and fought beside Richard - her betrothed, Darken - her brother, and Cara - her sister.
The Sea's War lasted three weeks and took the lives of many soldiers and between them Darken and Leo's lives, the Heir Official of D'Hara and the Second Heir of the Midlands. Kahlan and Cara saw their betrothed ones being killed. In this same year, Kahlan's mother died of disease.
The King of the House of Jagang from the land of the Tanimura died too and the Tanimura's Army surrendered. The King of the Midland and the King of D'Hara ordered forty Highest Guardians to escort until the boundary between the Westland Mountains and Tanimura, the six Tanimura's soldiers with the corpse of the King of Tanimura.
The surrendered soldiers of the Tanimura's Army were taken toward the Westland Prison - the Blood of the Fold, a prison at the top of the Westland Mountains where there is a bifurcation and the chain of the mountains enter cutting Westland separating D'Hara and the Midlands - a part of them only - forming the Straits of Hartland and where it is placed the city of Stowecroft. All prisoners from D'Hara and the Midlands are taken there and according to their condemnation, they are beheaded and their bodies cremated. This one was the condemnation was given to the surrendered soldiers of the Tanimura's Army and all the executions would be fulfilled in four years.
UNION
The first ones to marry would be Richard and Denna because she will be twenty-one years old first than the others. Kahlan and Cara were nineteen and twenty years old respectively.
The wedding of Richard and Denna was a huge celebration for four days, all their allies kingdoms were invited. They were the Heir Official of the Midlands and the Second Heir of D'Hara and soon, they would be the future King and Queen of Westland. Now, Westland would be an only kingdom and the House of Rahl-Amnell will rule Westland. It was one year after the Sea's War.
The Confessor Kahlan and the Mord'Sith Cara were there in their Official uniforms of their Order, a floating white dress and red leather, one beside other. Their arms touched each other causing reactions of their bodies. Time on time, they exchanged look lifting the corner of their lips in a discrete smirk or intertwined their fingers gently stroking them while looking ahead.
They loved to be with each other. Kahlan thought Cara is the most enjoyable person to being with, besides she is the most beautiful woman Kahlan has seen and Cara thought the same about Kahlan. When Kahlan was fifteen years old and Cara flirted with her at the first time, she hated Cara in that day. But after four years, she grew used to Cara's flirtations and she missed when Cara is not around her.
The fifteenth anniversary was known as the Breath of Life by people from Eurorica, they said it was the beginning of the adult life when one person could live for yourself. And in the Kahlan's Breath of Life celebration, Cara was all seductive with her. Always around her, courting her. Darken and Leo were there, but Cara did not mind about them.
The Heir children from Westland were raised to keep the friendship which their ancestors had. Darken, Denna, Cara, Richard, Leo and Kahlan were childhoods friends practically brothers and sisters. They always spent time together when released from their obligations as Heirs in their kingdoms. But when it was revealed them about their betrothal, it was strange to be together. Kahlan and Darken. Cara and Leo. Denna and Richard.
Cara did not like to be betrothed for one person she did not love neither she was attracted for. The thought about sharing your life with someone she had not chosen, it was stressing and always made her furious. She was twelve years old when she knew she would marry Leo.
Kahlan wept all night long before sleeping, she could not marry Darken. For only that night, she hated their parents because what they had made with she and Darken.
Denna thought she could go out running and disappear in the forest and not return. She has dreamt all the time about she would trip beyond the Westland Mountains after her Breath of Life's celebration and maybe, she could find someone who would make her happy, but this revelation cut her heart and her dreams melted and escaped with her tears.
During those four days of celebration, Kahlan and Cara spent their time together, talking sat in the Aydindril Palace's garden, walking around the Aydindril Palace, riding in the valley near, or sparring in the courtyard. At night, they watched all festive presentations, they ate delicious food, they drank Night Whisp - the stronger beverage from Eurorica, it is made of absinthe, a mix of distilled herbs which many people said they saw blue tinny lights floating around them - Cara drank too, ale and wine, they danced and sang with the guests from other kingdoms.
Cara has something in mind for some time already, since Leo and Darken had died, but she has hesitated. Taking advantage of this chance, the union of their family with the Denna and Richard's wedding, she has drunk to talk with Kahlan about something inside her heart that grows immensely.
It is almost the dawn, when Cara escorted Kahlan toward her bedchamber, her heart is beating out loud and she thinks Kahlan can hear it. When Kahlan put her hand on the door latch, she hears Cara calls her, then she turns around looking at Cara's eyes.
Cara almost dies when she sees Kahlan looking straight at her with her piercing bright blue eyes like if Kahlan sees into her soul. Cara keeps frozen, mute. Kahlan folds her arms in front of her breasts and breathes deeply making her breasts almost jumps over the neckline. Cara's eyes on them and unaware Cara licks her lower lip. Quickly, Kahlan put her hands on her hip, blushing intensely, and saying Cara's name loud in a scolding tone. Then Cara looks at Kahlan's eyes, steps forward and kisses her mouth sucking her lips, and then asks if Kahlan would like to marry her. Nervous and surprised, Kahlan laughs out loud telling Cara if this was the effect of mix among Night Whisp, ale and wine in Cara's blood. Cara only clenches her jaw and turns around, she goes out the Palace toward the Temple of the Mord'Siths. Kahlan was nineteen and Cara, twenty years old.
REUNION
It was a huge place in Stowecroft, in this place was sold everything what a person could imagine to exist. The Zorander Family owns this place, they were the only traders there and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander is the ruler from that city. The Zorander Family were known as healers and practitioners of magic too.
Stowecroft is a city of D'Hara, it is placed in the middle of the Straits of Hartland made by the Westland Mountains. It is border with the city of Aydindril in the Midlands, it is the only easy gateway between both kingdoms.
The banner of Zorander Family in its colors black and ocher is hitting furiously against the wall of great Emporium. Zedd looks at the banner and at the clouds sensing that it will snow soon. His wife Shota is inside talking with Cara, she is there to buy her supplies for the weekend. There is two years Cara brought a house mountain in that city. Cara is well welcomed in that Family, Zedd, Shota, their daughter Nicci and their son Flynn love her. They are close since Cara had been sent to the Temple of the Mord'Siths. In few months that friendship will be seven years.
When Cara goes out from Emporium toward her horse, she freezes. Kahlan comes riding her horse toward there. Her black Confessor's dress is floating with the wind contrasting with her white thoroughbred horse. It is a breathtaking view, Kahlan is prettier than she has remembered. Kahlan stops in front of her using the same gaze that she had used in the last time they met each other. It was two years ago in the Richard and Denna's wedding. Kahlan's gaze is so intense that Cara shivers. The snow falls slowly over them.
Kahlan had been in a state of spirit lamentable. She has closed for herself and for her duty only. She has spent her time in the Confessor's Palace - the Temple of the Confessors. Her family has grown worried about her state, one moment she was fine and another she had become like this. Her father and her brother Richard thought it was because of the Darken's death and the Richard's wedding.
Kahlan had wept all night inside her bedchamber because of the last time she had laughed. She cursed herself because of this. She hated herself for this. Kahlan loved Cara deeply and truly. The kiss that Cara gave her was unforgettable. Her first and only kiss. The proposal that Cara asked to her, it was everything she wanted. But... she lost her control and then she laughed, because she did not believe Cara's love for her, and her world darkened when she saw Cara disappearing in the darkness of Palace's hallway and from her life. The kiss and Cara's voice haunted Kahlan in her dreams when she could sleep.
One day Kahlan was lost in her thoughts when her hand absently hit a jar and the water wet an important book of the Confessors Library, then she had to replace it, she had to find this rare and precious book. She looked for all Aydindril and she did not find it. Then a salesman told her about the Emporium of the Zorander Family in Stowecroft. At the first time she went there, she found the such book and many other things more. Zedd and Shota were amazing. She got along with Zedd quickly. Then she visited them once in a while.
Some weeks after, while she was there, she heard Shota and her daughter Nicci to talk about Cara. The sound of this name did Kahlan jump and her heart tighten. She discovered Cara came there often. In another week, she asked to Zedd about Cara and when she would be there next time.
Her eyes are full with tears when she gets off her horse and stares at Cara. It had passed two years that she was lost in the darkness and now the light shines in your life again. The golden hair of Cara, her piercing emerald eyes and her yummy lips making Kahlan catches her breath and shivers. Her hands are trembling nervously. Then she steps forward and kisses Cara's mouth sucking her lips and then she says she does.
Zedd, Nicci and Flynn opened their eyes wide when they saw them kissing each other. Flynn smirked saying this was making him aroused. Nicci hit him with the back of her hand.
Cara is frozen, but the warm of Kahlan's lips on hers makes her to awake up to life. She listens her heartbeat again after a long silence. She and Kahlan are crying with their foreheads leaning each other.
It has been a big misunderstanding between Kahlan and Cara in that night two years ago. Kahlan thought she had offended Cara because of her lost of control and unbelief. Cara thought she had offended Kahlan with her proposal.
Two years of angst and regret, but the true love wins everything. Kahlan answered again accepting the Cara's proposal. Cara stares at Kahlan and says she has stayed in a house near there when she is not in the Temple of the Mord'Siths. She asks to Kahlan if she want to go with her.
It a beautiful house mountain in the Stowecroft's Mountain, cozy, clean and warm. There is a beautiful view of the Stowecroft's landscape with the Kern River down below.
Kahlan and Cara spent that weekend talking about what they had made in those two years separated each other. All angst, all regret, all misunderstanding, all sadness, all rage, all darkness are being cleaned from their lives. Love is shining again after being buried in the darkness. Their first lovemaking, it was slow and intense, full with passion.
Kahlan will be twenty-one years old two weeks ahead. She can marry with Cara according to the oath of their parents. And she and Cara made their own oath each other, they would be united now and forever.
In the Blood of the Fold, the rest of the Tanimura's soldiers were awaiting for their condemnation to be fulfilled, they have planned an escape and killed some Tamarang - like it was known the Westland Prison guards. They jumped on the snow and a strong ice wind hit their skin, a storm was coming.
DESTINY
When Kahlan and Cara talked to their parents about the proposal of their wedding, this is like a sharp knife cutting the hearts of their parents. The parents protested against the wedding and they did not accept the union.
Only Richard and Denna were happy for them and went to Kahlan's birthday and their engagement in the Cara's house mountain in Stowecroft, besides the Confessors, the Mord'Siths, the Royal Guards, and the Zorander Family. It was the Kahlan's birthday, twenty-one years old.
The Royal Guards are soldiers which their duty is to protect the members of the House - the Royal Family. The King, the Queen, and the Heirs, each one has twelve Royal Guards to protect them. It is made an scale where there is always three Royal Guards keeping watch over one member.
Richard and Denna had a son, he is one year and one month and Denna is pregnant again, eight months, it will be born soon. Their wedding is good but it was not a choice of them. Richard is a good and wise man. Denna is a kind and sincere woman. They respect each other, they care for each other, there is a mutual love between them but it is not a romantic love like a couple must love each other. They are family, not lovers. They love their son with their life even the unborn child. But the children happened because it was Denna's duty as wife and Queen of Westland and Richard's duty as husband and King of the Westland.
Denna stops staring at the tall blonde in front of Cara's house, it is a beautiful woman. Denna feels something inside her, but it is not her tiny baby inside her womb. It is a pleasant feeling like an awakening spreading the long wings to taking off. Then the blonde turns around gazing at her intensely. They smiled each other. Denna's world is not hers anymore.
Zedd was perplexed because Kahlan and Cara's parents were not there in their daughters' engagement. They were against their love because they were two women. And for the King of the Midlands - Kahlan's father - women existed only to be mother. Zedd thinks this was an absurd. Zedd scratches his chin, he could help Kahlan and Cara, when they want.
The Royal engagement in Eurorica were a celebration for two days and during this time, the Zorander Family met Richard and Denna, the King of Westland and his Queen. Zedd and Shota got along quickly with Richard and his boyish style and his sincere laugh. Denna spent her time with Nicci, the tall and beautiful blonde. Richard and Denna's son got along with Flynn and his contagious joy and once in a while Flynn played a fool with the little Heir Official of Westland.
The Royal Family of Westland - Richard and Denna wanted to stay for more time. And they will stay for two weeks. Richard loved to hunt and Denna loved the nature, it brought to her a sense of freedom and there in Cara's house they had these moments released of any duty and their little son could is outside freely.
Cara ordered to build a house and a stable down below, at the border of the Kern River for hers Royal Guards and horses when she bought that house mountain, two years ago. The Kahlan's Royal Guards stayed there too. Now, Richard and Denna's Royal Guards were there too.
Cara is a Princess of the D'Hara and the last Heir but hers Royal Guards do not cross the boundary which she ordered they to obey. She want to have her privacy and Kahlan agreed with her ordering hers Royal Guards to do the same thing.
It has passed six days after the celebration of Kahlan's birthday and Kahlan and Cara's engagement. Richard is stopped next Denna with their son in his arms, he is talking with his sister Kahlan. On one side in the distance, there is the Straits of Hartland and on its top can be seen the wall of the Westland Prison, the Blood of the Fold. On another side, there is the huge Westland Mountains, where can be seen the tower of the Temple of the Mord'Siths and the dome of Confessor's Palace farther at North.
A loud din echoed in the mountain, they saw when Richard was hurled against Kahlan and they fell on the ground and Denna screaming out loud in pain.
Cara looked at them, the back of the Richard's head is opened because of the shot, Kahlan screamed with her brother on her lap. His son was not harmed by shot. Cara caught her nephew in her arms and turns toward her sister Denna.
The Royal Guards ran toward the Straits of Hartland looking for the shooter. Berdine and Raina - Mord'Siths and best friends of Cara - are squatting down beside Denna. They were there because they was going to hunt with Richard and Cara. The horses were ready.
Denna was wounded with a shoot, there is Richard's blood on her face and breasts mixing with hers own. The bullet crossed Richard's head and caught Denna reaching a bit little above her heart and puncturing her lung.
Cara ran toward her horse, Berdine and Raina put Denna in front of Cara with Denna's head resting on Cara shoulder. Cara rode as fast as she can toward Zorander Family's house, the only ones Cara trust to heal her sister or at least saving the unborn child of her sister. Berdine and Raina are coming behind with Richard and Denna's son. Denna is more and more weak and without stopping to speak she asks to Cara raise her children. Cara clenches her jaw and slowly, tears are rolling on her cheeks.
Kahlan feels a huge pain inside her heart and a furious sensation grows quickly taking her control. She looks at the last time for her dead brother and forward at the forest in the basis of Straits of Hartland. With the noise, she had turned her head toward the sound, she had seen the shooter running from his hideout, before Richard's body falling over her and where he had run. She stands up and runs, the only thing in her mind, she will hunt who killed Richard.
Zedd and Shota are speechless looking at Denna lying on the floor with her head on Cara's lap. Cara is crying and asking help from them. Berdine and Raina arrive and help Cara to carry Denna to inside Zedd's house toward a bedchamber. Flynn catches Denna's son and takes him for other room, Nicci stays there and helps her parents.
Denna opens her eyes time on time, she feels her life escaping slowly. Her only thought, her children. Then she keeps repeating for Cara to raise her children. Her voice is a whisper but Cara, Zedd, Shota and Nicci heard it perfectly.
Zedd and Nicci stretch their arms over Denna, then Zedd says it will be difficult to save her life but if they get it, she will lose a part of her memory and maybe, more than this. Shota was holding Denna's belly and says Denna's unborn child could be saved. Cara cannot speak, then she nods only.
Zedd, Shota and Nicci are chanting a spell in a strange language, each one whispering their words. Zedd keeps stood up next the bed with his arms outstretched over Denna. Shota is sitting on her heel in bed, beside Denna, with a bowl full with a type of tea and herbs in her hand, and with her free hand she holds the back of Denna's head and lift her. She pours this tea inside Denna's mouth while Nicci made room between Denna's legs, Nicci is like her mother, sat on her heels, and she is whispering a spell touching Denna's belly. Cara notices Nicci's eyes becomes all white when she is chanting a spell.
Shota holds a dagger and cut Denna's belly above her sex, large enough for Nicci put her hand and pulls the little baby. Zedd keeps his arms outstretched over Denna and his eyes closed. All the time, they keeps chanting a spell on and on. Denna's child cries out loud on Nicci's arms making Cara, Berdine and Raina cries for joy. The child is alive and well. They were stand up near the bed watching everything between Zedd and Nicci's places. Their bodies were itching strongly because of the magic but they stayed there. Cara was beside Zedd.
Denna opens her eyes wide and gasps when she feels something cutting her belly, but there is no pain there. Her vision dims and she listens a distant cry of a child, she tries to focus her vision and sees her baby in the Nicci's arms, her baby is put in the arms of older woman and then on her breasts, she can see his little face, tears fall from her eyes and the darkness comes.
When Denna closes her eyes, Cara falls on her knees screaming. When Zedd touches her shoulder, he is with Denna's child in his arms and give him for Cara. It is a little boy. Nicci and Shota keep in bed chanting the spell with their arms outstretched. Then Nicci starts to glow and from her hands is going out a weak fog and covering Denna's body. All Denna's wound are healed, there is no scars, but she does not move.
Zedd said Denna will need of many time to recover her full health, she got to keep alive with Nicci's magic but her memory must have been affected. If she is lucky, maybe she will remember about her older memories, when she was younger.
Kahlan has been for a long time tracking the shooter, it had passed one week, her body is painful but she will find that shooter. In the way, she had heard shots and screams of Royal Guards chasing the other bandits. Then she sees a cave and runs there. She is panting, all her training as Confessor are working intensely. She senses someone in the darkness then she moves silently her daggers in hands.
A glare and a din echoed, Kahlan squats down and a bullet hit above her head in the wall of cave. Kahlan sees a shadow moving fast away from her. She runs chasing the shadow, and another glare and din. Kahlan protects herself and runs again. Only silence and darkness.
Then Kahlan remembers about her training and closes her eyes, her body and all her senses on alert. Only a deep breath and Kahlan could know where is the shadow. Then she hears it and stretches her arm catching the shadow for its throat thrusting it against the wall of the cave and releasing her magic over him.
She will not kill him without knowing why he had killed Richard. The man says he is the Heir Official of Tanimura and Richard had killed his father. With her other hand, she thrust her dagger deeply in his abdomen, before dying he said his brothers will destroy Westland, Kahlan cut his throat tearing his head. She will not allow them invading Westland again.
Cara heard her name to be called and she ran, one of her Royal Guard showed her Kahlan was walking near the Kern River toward the house. When Kahlan arrived in Cara's house, her home now, she had dry blood in her dress, arms, hands and neck. And in one of her hand, she held the head of Heir Official of Tanimura, the shooter and murderer of Richard, her brother. It had passed two weeks after Richard's death.
Cara hugged her tight, when they entered at home. It was prepared a hot bath and Kahlan spent a long time inside the tub, a long bath. After eating, Kahlan lay in bed embracing Cara and slept. She was exhausted.
When Kahlan awoke up two days after, her body was sore of sleeping and she was starving. While she ate, Cara told her about Denna and her nephews. Kahlan looked around the place and Cara told they were with Zedd. Nicci was taking care of Denna, Zedd and Shota were with the little baby, and Flynn with the older child. And Cara and their Royal Guards had looked for Kahlan on the Straits of Hartland.
Kahlan looked at Cara in an almost transparent gown and the lust grew inside her, when she looked at Cara's eyes, Cara was gazing intensely at a naked Kahlan. After a long lovemaking, both women naked in bed, Kahlan told about the assassin and his words. Cara was surprised. Then Kahlan said she was going to hunt the Heirs of Tanimura. She would catch them in surprise just like they had made in the Sea's War, three years ago. But she would invade by Westland Mountains which she knew each inch, it would be easier.
Cara opened her eyes wide, it would be a suicide. Kahlan looked at Cara, that intense gaze again, and said she would not live in fear nor their nephews, neither their kids. With those words, Cara's heart squeezed and almost stops beating. Those words stayed in her head... their kids.