Warnings: angst, torture, hurt/comfort, character death
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
Cara has no recollection of how many hours had passed, while her body was swaying slightly back and forth in the chains. Her arms were numb, but it was a welcome relief to the searing pain in her wrists, which held her weight for far too long now.
In the minutes when her mind cleared enough to form coherent thoughts, she remembered her training and her former life with her Sisters in the temple, which seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago.
The memories appeared unreal and odd to her now, as if they belonged to someone else. She did not want to remember. She wanted to stay in the present, with Richard, Kahlan and Zedd. But after days, she had lost track of time, since day or night were kept outside of the dungeons. Only the torches on the walls illuminated the dark place, lulling everything in its warm cozy light. She felt neither warm, nor particular cozy. It was cold. The only warmth she felt was from her own blood, running down her legs and slowly forming a dark puddle beneath her feet. Cara tried to fight the urge to fall completely into oblivion, but it was luring her with the sweet, daunting promise of the constant pain to disappear. Darkness engulfed her once again and she was gone, as was her pain.
As the last sunlight faded, a dark clothed former Mord'Sith hid her form in the shadows of big, old oak trees close to the temple. She had never thought that she would ever set a foot in it again, especially not of her own free will. The Sisters of the Dark who had entered hours ago had still to come out yet.
Their attendance was unexpected, but it was a risk, Denna was willing to take. Besides, she had no other choice as she slipped inside through the hidden entrance. She could not wait any longer and risk for her precise and long prepared plan to fail.
It was her only chance. It was going to be now - or never.
The screaming sound of an Agiel was the first thing Cara noticed as she came around. The sound was distant and dampened as if she was wrapped in a blanket of cotton wool. Sudden pain low on her belly was so intense; it felt like her insides were torn apart. She believed her organs to shift and contract as if to find another place to hide away from the pain. It dragged her back to full consciousness in a matter of seconds, leaving her gasping for air as she tried to breathe despite the constricting ache in her chest.
Squalling in agony, she tried to center herself - to find herself again in the darkness. But there was nothing left to be found. Nothing but darkness - not one ray of light in the endless night.
She was lost and knew she wouldn't last much longer. It would only be a matter of time until it was going to break her. Again.
How many times had she walked in these hallways? How many hours of her life had she spent here? Countless.
This temple was the place she called home once, if a place of agony and endless suffering would fit that term. Everything looked familiar, she felt oddly save, even when it was the most dangerous place she could be.
Denna knew every detail around here. She could still turn her gaze to the ceiling and her eyes would find the spot instantly, where blood splatters of a former slave had soaked and darkened the stone. She remembered it vividly as if it had happened only yesterday. She could still hear his gurgling screams vibrating in her ears, as his throat was cut.
Her knowledge of this place would be her advantage now. She kept herself hidden in the dark shadow of a niche, which was barely big enough to cover her body from the candle-lit hallway, as a group of Mord'Sith crossed her path. Holding her breath, she pressed herself more tightly against the wall, as her former Sisters passed by. Without a second thought, she left her hiding place as soon as the Mord'Sith had vanished from her sight and she started moving cautiously in the other direction.
"Keep an eye on the Sister of the Dark."
Denna heard the voice from around the corner accompanied by echoing footsteps, becoming louder with each step. She moved back quickly, reaching the niche at the last second, before the brunette rounded the corner.
"We cannot trust them."
Denna recognized the voice and knew it belonged to Dahlia, long before she saw her former Sister walk by. Her eyes lingered on the dark-haired Mord'Sith a moment longer, memories of a past long gone floated her mind, until Dahlia was gone from her sight and Denna forced the memories back into the deepest corner of her mind.
She knew exactly what she was here for and where to go to find it. And she was not about to let the past catch up on her now. Not ever. She had waited for this moment for so long, planning meticulously every little detail of her mission.
No one would ruin it now; especially not she herself. Her former chambers lay in the north tract of the temple, it was not far anymore. Denna stepped out of the shadow and hurried further through the winding corridors.
"It's time for you Cara, to rejoin your former family."
Darken Rahl stood to her feet or merely where her feet would have been, if she wouldn't be dangling a few feet over the ground.
Rahl went on; he had always loved hearing his own, sickening sweet voice, "the Seeker and his friends have poisoned your thoughts long enough."
Cara heard him speaking, saw his lips moving, but the words leaving his mouth were hollow. He was a shadow of the man she once served. She looked down at him. Her left eye was almost swollen shut and started to pucker painfully as she tried to focus her gaze on him. However, she could not see what she had seen in all these years, as he was still her Master. Her everything. She felt no pride to be close to him or have his attention. She felt no need to please him.
The only feeling that filled her from deep within, pulsing strongly through her veins with every beating of her heart was repulsion.
The single stone slipped easily out of the wall, at least if one knew how to do it. Denna still knew.
The small velvet cloth was inside, where she had placed it a long time ago. Her fingers grazed over the fabric and a sigh of relief escaped her lips as felt the familiar patterns of the chain hidden beneath. She unwrapped it slowly and clasped the fine golden necklace tightly in her hand, feeling the loss and dread disappear, as a part of her finally slipped back into its rightful place - like adding the last missing piece of a puzzle.
With a last glance, she wrapped it again in the black cloth and put it carefully into her pocket. She slipped the stone back in its hole in the wall, but did not even have the time to hide, as the door behind her opened and a familiar voice reached her ears.
"What do you think you're doing in my chambers?"
Still with her back to the other Mord'Sith, Denna waited until she heard the door falling in the lock and the footsteps inching closer. She turned around. Her blazing blue eyes met grey ones. Dahlia.
Dahlia seemed to be struck by thunder and lightening as she took a few unsure steps backwards, staring at her former Sister with wide, open eyes. Denna took Dahlia's shocked expression and the little gasp, which sounded a lot like her name, with rapture. The brunette clearly has not expected her to visit.
Denna stood in a casually defiant pose next to the wall as Dahlia finally came to a halt.
"Dahlia," Denna drawled, "if I remember correctly," she leaned slightly forward, "and I am certain I do, these are my quarters, aren't they?"
Dahlia winced slightly and the silence between them grew thicker with each passing second. She only stared at her and Denna was reminded of their former encounters, as Denna was still the one in charge and everyone feared her relentless wrath. It seemed Dahlia remembered as well. The thought warmed her heart.
After a moment however, Dahlia had gathered herself enough to speak.
"Mistress Denna," Dahlia mocked, regaining her confidence, she smiled arrogantly as she eyed Denna from top to bottom, "I can't say this is a pleasure."
Denna's smile was tight and cold. And Dahlia could feel the temperature drop at the sight of it. "Then it's good that nobody cares for your opinion, Dahlia." Denna said, and then added sweetly, "As always."
The brunette Mord'Sith chuckled in response, "I see you haven't changed one bit. How very unfortunate. For you."
Denna's smile grew wider, "You have no idea how wrong you are." In a sudden movement, Denna strode forwards and hit the brunette Mord'Sith straight across the face with the back of her hand. Dahlia head snapped backwards from the force, but was quick to react as she pulled her Agiel free from its holster on her waist.
"I'll take pleasure from your screams of agony," Dahlia hissed through her teeth before she launched herself at Denna, her Agiel screaming. Unfortunately, for her, Dahlia's Agiel plunged into thin air, and then it was knocked from her hand. In the next moment, Denna held her tightly in a headlock from behind. There was a reason Denna had been the one in charge, not Dahlia.
"Time is up, Dahlia," Denna growled, "I would love to catch up with you further, but I have places to be."
"Brothels?" Dahlia delivered, but it only earned her a hard tug from Denna's arm against her throat. "You must be even more delusional as I thought if you think you will get out here alive. And I'm sure Lord Rahl will be pleased to have both of his renegades back."
"Both?"
"Well, he always had an incomprehensible affinity for you - and Cara."
"Cara is here?" Denna breathed, clearly surprised, but her voice hardened at once, "you're lying. Cara is with Richard."
"Cara was with Richard."
"How?"
Dahlia only chuckled.
"You betrayed her." Denna said without missing a beat. It was a statement not a question.
"And why would you believe that?" Dahlia forced out, choking as Denna increased the pressure around her neck.
"It's not hard to count one and one together, Dahlia," Denna said. "You are the only one she had ever trusted and you being here now, tells me all I need to know. She would not have come back of her own free will and we both know that, don't we Sister?
Dahlia struggled in her grip and hadn't Denna been sure before what Dahlia had done, she would be now.
"What are you doing here anyway, Denna, I thought your years of service to be over?"
"That is none of your business," Denna whispered darkly in her ear, "but be so kind and make sure to give Lord Rahl my best."
Dahlia turned her head, trying to face Denna, but found herself unable to. Denna's grip on her never wavered. "So you'll let me live?"
A guttural sound erupted from Denna's throat, "I m afraid not dear Sister," Denna said in a tone dripping with false compassion. "But I believe he'll join you sooner than later." Denna felt Dahlia's muscles tense under her arm, as the brunette Mord'Sith readied herself for defense.
Denna chuckled again, but her voice oozed venom, "you shouldn't have betrayed your Sister Dahlia, I had to learn that the hard way. There is no honor in such an act."
Denna took a deep breath and once again leaned in closer to whisper in Dahlia's ear, "but it's going to be your final mistake." Denna's eyes fluttered shut.
Dahlia did not even have time to make a move or sound, before Denna snapped her neck in a quick, precise motion. For a moment longer, Denna held Dahlia s warm body in her grip, before she let her lifeless form slip to the floor.
Denna looked down at her former Sister, knowing deep inside her, that she should feel sorry for what she had done - but she simply could not. Reaching down, she picked up Dahlia's Agiel from the floor and studied it closely, while the familiar pain spread through her body. It could come in handy, she thought - smirking to herself, and secured it on her waist. Old habits indeed died hard.
With a last glance at the brunette Denna left her former chambers, this time for good, and headed towards the exit.
She had found what she had come for.
A/N: Okay any love for Cara/Denna out there? ;-)
