Title: Now we are free - Part I
Author: herblueeyes (also known as "redheadednursey" on lj)
Note: This fic is a request from lots4love - follows on directly after the season 2 finale :)
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters or LotS. I just like manipulating them to my will.
"Marry me." It wasn't a question, and it was out of his lips before he knew what he was saying, but he didn't regret it. He needed this, needed her, for the rest of his life. Eyes wide in shock – the Mother Confessor almost fell back a step as his words sunk in. She muttered a breathless "What?" as her hands bunched in his shirt. She knew that even though his face was lit with a smile, his question was spoken in all seriousness.
"You heard me." He began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before pulling her in. "Kahlan Amnell, I want you to marry me. I want you to be my wife, and I want to be your husband." He paused, waiting for her to catch up. Her eyes were still wide, but a smile stretched across her face, the same smile that she only ever gave to him. Over her shoulder he could see Cara and Zedd. They had their backs turned towards them, looking out over the ocean– giving them as much privacy as they could. Gathering her up in his arms, Richard eased his lips over hers, teasing her with feather soft kisses until her hands gripped his shoulders in an attempt to keep her standing. Leaving her breathless, the Seeker pulled away but pressed his face to hers.
"Marry me, Mother Confessor." The way he said it, the heat in his voice and the way it reverberated through to her core left her shuddering and she turned to meet his gaze, heart hammering in her chest. Pressing a hand over his heart, over his chest where her dagger had pierced, the Mother Confessor tried to still her racing heart before she spoke.
Taking a breath, she couldn't help but smile as her lips formed the words. "You are willing, Richard Cypher, to be my mate?" he was already nodding and was about to speak until she pressed her fingers to his lips and continued. "Willing to respect and understand my role as the Mother Confessor? Willing - " she paused, her chest feeling tight as the words she always wanted to say to him suddenly fell short. Laughter bubbled up suddenly, a nervous sound that left her breathless. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Kahlan took a breath and continued.
"Willing to continue the line of Confessor's with me?" his hands gripped her hips before he began sliding down her body, resting on his knees before her. With a grin at her look of uncertainty, the Seeker pressed his lips to her belly.
"There is nothing-" his voice was warm – eyes suddenly dark as he looked up to her. She felt his hands brush aside her skirt, felt their warmth sliding up the back of her legs until they rested just beneath the curve of her backside. "-nothing that I want more-" his fingers stroked the soft skin there before pressing his lips to her belly once more "-than to continue the line of Confessor's with you."
Eyes closed, she murmured his name "Richard-", burying her fingers into his hair as his hands squeezed the backs of her thighs. "Marry me Kahlan." Hands falling away he wrapped his arms around her legs and stood – lifting her into the air as he repeated himself. "Marry me, marry me, marry me." Her hands were still buried in his hair, and her voice was filled with laughter as she answered him.
"Yes." He grinned, eyes closing at the sweetness of her answer "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, Richard." The Mother Confessor bent to press lips against his. The arms around her legs loosened and he let her slide back to her feet as their kiss deepened. When eventually they pulled apart, the Seeker pressed her into his chest, hands stroking her hair.
"Zedd." He called out to his grandfather, smiling as he turned to face them. Kahlan pulled her head back, eyes questioning as he began pulling her towards the cliff. His eyes never left hers, both hands pulling her towards their small family. There was something suspicious in the way he pulled her through the ruins. Coming to a stop beside the Wizard and Mord'Sith, the Seeker grinned. "Zedd we need you to marry us."
Kahlan was the first to respond "Richard? Wha-" he turned to her, fingers intertwining with hers and bringing them up between them. "Please Kahlan – please don't make me wait to have you as my wife." Their eyes held, the joy she was feeling suddenly bubbling up and with a laugh she threw her arms around his neck – closing her eyes as she felt her delight starting to overflow once more, tears forming as the ocean crashed beneath them.
"You want her to marry you in that dress?" Cara's sudden snide remark had all three of them turn and face her, equal looks of shock meeting the Mord'Sith. She shrugged and turned to walk away but the Seeker reached out to grab her arm.
"We want you here Cara." The Mord'Sith brought her head up in surprise, Kahlan catching a glimmer of a smile before that stone exterior fell into place. "If the Lord Rahl orders it – so it shall be." His hand slipped down to her gloved hand, squeezing tightly before turning back to his Confessor. He lifted a hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"I promise we will have a proper ceremony in Aydindril-" she shook her head but he was insistent. "I promise – a wedding, a wedding dress." He grinned wickedly, leaning in to press his lips to her ear "A wedding night."
"Could you get on with it?" Cara's voice interrupted them once more. "You are making me uncomfortable – you love her, he loves you-"
"Say the words over us Zedd." Kahlan's voice cut above the Mord'Siths's and pulled at her Seeker until they stood before the Wizard. Eyes catching once more, they stood with fingers intertwined as Zedd cleared his throat.
"Richard Cypher – do you take this woman into your heart, to claim as yours forever: as your one and only love and wife?" The old Wizard was grinning like a mad man as he watched his grandson tighten his grip on the Mother Confessor's hands.
"Yes." He replied warmly, eyes never leaving this Confessor's. Zedd turned to Kahlan.
"Kahlan Amnell - do you take this man into your heart, to claim as yours forever: as your one and only love and husband?"
Her grin was contagious and she laughed in joy as she answered the same. "A thousand times yes." Zedd smiled with her.
"Then complete the words that will bind you together for eternity-" stepping towards them he placed one hand over their joined ones, and one beneath. "Body to body, mind to mind-"
He turned to his Grandson who took a breath before finishing the sentence, eyes completely focused on her. "I bind your heart and soul with mine." Warmth spread through her, to the very tips of her toes – she felt Zedd's eyes on her now, but couldn't tear her gaze away from her Seeker's.
"Then – from this day, you'll be as one." The Wizard's voice was warm and Cara behind them had a soft smile touching her lips.
She too took a breath, before completing the binding words "From the rising of the moon and the setting of the sun." She felt tears fill her eyes as Zedd gripped their hands tighter and lifted them into the air.
"With these words, I bind you together as Husband and Wife-" he lowered their hands now and took a step back. The Seeker and Mother Confessor reached for each other, bringing their lips together as the sun set behind them. It was a kiss unlike any they had shared before, hot sweetness coursing through their blood as they clung to each other. Pulling back, the Confessor saw the change in his eyes – the way they filled with hot tears.
"We'll be together always Richard." He nodded with her as the Wizard and Mord'Sith took a step back once more.
"We found a way Kahlan." He needed to be closer as he breathed out those words. Burying fingers into her silken hair, the Seeker brought her face to his and pressed their foreheads together, shivering as her breath washed over his face. "Together, we did it." He felt her smile, heard the catch in her breath and looked up to see hot tears fill her eyes as that knowledge seeped into her very core. Her own fingers bunched his shirt as her tears fell even though her smile lit up her face.
Choked with laughter and with the meaning of his words, the Mother Confessor pressed her lips to his and drowned herself in his heady taste. They clung together, revelling in this new, unchecked passion as they tasted and laughed together. They could hear the laughter behind them, Cara shook her head as she attempted a disgusted look. They didn't care though, not in the slightest. This was their moment. The Seeker pulled away and brushed thumbs over her cheeks to wipe away her tears once more before pressing his face to hers again. "Now-" he began, grinning like a fool as he wrapped one arm about her waist. "Now, Kahlan – we are free."
You know I love your thoughts -
-Now we are free - Part I -