His eyes fell upon her as she walked through the trees, the sunlight burning down upon her as she came closer. Standing up, he tilted his head in confusion. Her dress was wrinkled, proving that she had taken it off, but she showed no signs of having been in the river. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" She asked softly, her eyes locked on him.

Moving closer to her, he studied her face, trying to figure her out. "You were going to bathe in the river. You were gone for nearly two hours."

"I did."

"Your hair isn't wet." He said softly reaching out to touch it.

Looking over his shoulder, she saw the Wizard and the Mord-Sith sitting by the fire eating as they stared over at them. "Come with me." She whispered softly, looking back at the man standing before her.

Nodding, he dropped his pack and followed her back into the trees. "Kahlan, what's wrong?" She didn't respond, making his confusion and concern grow until he could take it no longer. Reaching out, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop, her body turning instantly towards him. "Kahlan-"

Grabbing his face, she pulled him to her, crashing her lips against his in a passionate kiss, surprising him. He stumbled backwards as she pushed herself into him, her hands leaving his face and traveling over his chest. Pulling his shirt over his head, she pushed him to the ground and moved over him, reconnecting their lips before he had a moment to think. His heart pounded as her hands moved over his bare chest, slowly feeling his skin. Her kiss was hard, bruising his lips before moving over his jaw, her teeth raking against his skin as she moved to his chest.

His heart pounded as she straightened her back and began pulling at the laces of her dress. He had never seen her act like this before, but he didn't want her to stop. Something was wrong. Kahlan would never do this, but he couldn't stop her. He didn't want to. He breathed out her name as her dress fell from her shoulders, she must have removed her corset before coming back to their camp. She sat over him, allowing him to view her body, watching as his eyes slowly moved over her. Without a thought, he reached out, touching her. His eyes came to hers just as they fell closed and she leaned into his touch.

His mind began to spin as he realized what was happening. Kahlan would never allow this to happen and yet here she was, sitting over him, allowing him to touch her in ways he had only dreamed about. Jerking his hand from her body, Richard pushed her off of him and sat forward.

"What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?" She was smiling as she looked back at him, waiting for his eyes to leave her chest. "Nothing's wrong."

"Everything's wrong." He said softly, looking away from her and into the trees, trying to keep himself from pulling her back to him. "Your touch is wrong, your kiss-"

"If you didn't want me to kiss you, you could have pushed me away."

Shaking his head, he looked back at her. "Of course I want you to kiss me. Kahlan, I always want to kiss you, but not like this. This isn't you."

Slowly, she crawled closer to him. "This is me."

"No, it's not."

Taking his face gently into her hands, she pulled his face close to hers. "This is me." Kissing him slowly, she brought her body closer to his, moving into his lap as their kiss deepened and his arms wrapped around her.

"Kahlan, please." He breathed out as she pulled loose the laces of his pants.

"You've thought about this." she whispered as she laid him back. "We both have. We've been fighting ourselves- our desires and now we don't have to."

"What do you mean?"

"My magic won't hurt you."

He pushed her away, retying his pants. "You're not Kahlan."

"And if I'm not?" She asked softly. "I can give you what you both want." She smiled, "I've been watching both of you for days. I've seen the way you look at each other, the desires that are within you. It must be hard for you." She was close to him again. He didn't remember her moving. "To long for her as you do… She longs for you in the same way… Her body craves your touch, your lips. She dreams about it and sometimes it is all that she is able to think about. Just as it is for you when you are alone in the woods. You think of her and the pleasures you both could have."

He felt his face flush at the words coming from Kahlan's lips. "I've watched you in the trees; you whisper her name before you bring on your own pleasure. I can give you what you want- What you both want." She was moving over him now, his body unable to move as he watched her above him. "She's afraid to hurt you with her magic, but I can stop that. As long as I am inside her, her magic cannot be released. You are able to take her."

"No." It came out softly, in a low breath as her hands moved over his chest. "I can't do this to her."

"She wants you to."

"I don't believe you. Kahlan would never-"

"She would never as long as her magic would hurt you." She smiled, "She's still in here, I can hear her thoughts. She's wanted to do this for a long time. Do you not want her? If you do not, I can take her to any man and they would be more than happy to tend to her needs. I offer you the chance to be with the woman you love."

"And what do you get from this? I mean, you must gain something. You've chosen her for a reason."

"I have." She said softly, her hands once again coming to the laces of his pants. "I had chosen you first; I spent the day within you, learning about you. I had to be sure of your feelings. You watched her sleep. For most of the night, you laid on your side, watching as she took breath and you were content. Your love for her is strong. It is stronger than that I have seen before. Your desire to have her is so strong, but your love for her is more than that." She smiled, but it wasn't as before. This one was more like Kahlan's, like a part of her was coming back to him. "I am giving you the chance to show her your love."

"No, you're not. This isn't her, it's you. I don't want you, I want Kahlan."

"You cannot have her without me." She said as she pulled at his pants. "Without me, she would never be this close to you. Her body begs for you, just as it has become apparent that yours does for her."

Trying to pull his pants back up, Richard pushed away her hands, his mind finding it hard to concentrate when it was Kahlan he saw doing these things to him. "No. I can't."

Pushing him down, she crawled over him. "Do you not see what I am offering you?"

"I don't see how this is something for you. Why are you doing this?"

"You would ask why I would give you the woman you love?"

"That's not what you're doing." He said softly as she lowered her head and began kissing his chest. "Stop." He whispered breathlessly, his voice unable to speak louder from his shock, confusion and desires.

Grabbing his arms, she held them to the ground, hovering over him, her breasts in front of his face. "You won't stop her." She whispered as she moved, bringing her face to his. "Not without bringing her pain and we both know that you don't have the heart for it."

"I may not have the heart to hurt her, but I will not touch her."

"You don't have to do anything. I've already seen what the sight of this body does to you. The thought alone is enough to bring you to rise. You are mine."

"Why?" He asked softly. "Why would you do this to us?"

"I have been trapped in this forest for many years. I have not experienced a pleasure like this in so long. The way her body begs for you, heating her to the core at the thought of you within her, it is a wonderful feeling." She closed her eyes and leaned back, slightly grinding herself against him. With a soft moan she opened her eyes and continued. "I knew from my one night with you that you both would bring me pleasures I could not dream about. With the two of you, it is a lifetime of pleasure in one act." Slowly, she pushed her tongue against his chest and ran it upwards to his chin.

"And after you're done with us?"

"I may never be done with you."

Grabbing her shoulders, he lifted her off of him, bringing her face to his. "You are done with us. Leave her body now."

"Not until I have had you inside of me."

Shaking her gently, he tightened his hold on her. "Kahlan, come back. You can fight this."

"She tried. She fought me for nearly two hours, but as you too will learn, you can't fight me for long." Lowering her head, she brushed her lips lightly against his. "Take me."

"I can't."

Reaching down she grabbed him, making his hold on her arms loosen until he was unable to hold her off of him. "Take me." She whispered as she landed against his chest.

"Only if you promise me two things." He whispered.

"What are they?"

"You will let me have Kahlan, not you and you will leave her body the moment it is over."

"You expect me to sit in here and allow her the control? I will not agree to that."

"Then I will not-"

"If you do not, I will take this body away from you; walk through the woods naked until I find a man who takes me to his bed. How far do you think I will get?"

His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to keep this from happening; to keep Kahlan safe from him. "Don't do this."

Taking one of his hands, she pulled it to her and let out a soft moan. "She likes it when you touch her."

He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No- Please, don't make me do this to her."

"I will give her back to you once we are done."

He was afraid to open his eyes, afraid to look into her eyes and see the fear and the pain he was sure she was feeling. He didn't want to do this, but the thought of her with any other man was more than he could stand. He couldn't allow another man to rape her, but would he do it to save her? "You will leave her and never return?"

"Yes."

"Then allow me one more thing." He opened his eyes, afraid of what he answer would be. "Give her to me as she reaches her height."

"I will not, but I will instantly leave her body once we are done."

Taking a moment to think of her words, he nodded his head slowly. "All right." Looking into her eyes, he tried to find her. "I love you Kahlan and I'm so sorry."

Her lips were upon his in moments, silencing him as she pressed herself against him, making his heart pound as he allowed her to push his pants from his body. She moved slowly, taking her time to feel him against her as she lowered herself onto him. Her eyes opened to the sound of her name leaving his lips in a low breathless gasp. Arching her back, she began silently begging for more as she moved over him. He grabbed her hips, holding her steady as he squeezed his eyes shut.

Her nails dug into his chest as she let out small gasps of pleasure. Unable to keep from looking at her any longer, he opened his eyes and was stunned by the sight before him. Kahlan's hair flowed around her, falling over her shoulders and caressing her with each movement. Tilting her head back, she let out a moan that nearly stopped his heart. Whispering her name, he hoped that somewhere within her, she was able to hear him and know that he was sorry that it was happening like this and that he loved her more than anything.

Opening her eyes, she looked down at him and grabbed his hands, holding them to her and for a brief moment, he was sure that it was the woman he loved. Suddenly pulling her to him, he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her as he had always wanted. When she returned his kiss, it was soft and passionate, just as it had always been, making him for the moment believe that it was Kahlan he was making love to. Holding her to him, he rolled them over, pushing his chest into her as her nails began to dig into his back. He looked down at her, his heart pounding at the vision of her beneath him. She was beautiful.

His name left her lips and he lost all control, his heart ruling over his mind as he watched her. The way her head leaned back into the grass and leaves made his body weak. Her eyes opened as he cupped her cheek, staring down at her with the hope that she was there, somewhere. Suddenly, she reached up and grabbed his face, her eyes bright blue as she gasped his name once more, this time making it clear she was indeed there. He stopped moving instantly, not wanting to continue and hurt her any more.

Shaking her head slowly, she gathered her breath, never taking her eyes off him. "She's still here."

"We're going to go back to Zedd, he'll-"

"No." She whispered as her chest heaved. "Don't stop."

"Kahlan, I don't want you to regret this."

Closing her eyes for a moment, she took in a deep breath as she allowed herself to take in the feeling of him lying on top of her. "She's still here. My magic won't- I can't hurt you."

He studied her face for a moment. "Are you sure you want me to?"

A smile crossed her lips as her thumbs stoked his cheeks. "She was telling the truth before. I've wanted this for so long."

Leaning down, he pressed his forehead to hers, sharing her breath "Me too."

She blushed, thankful that he was too close to see. "I know. I could see her memories- She's been watching us for a while." She waited for him to pull back before she continued. "We won't have another chance."

"You're sure?"

The moment she nodded, he pressed his lips against hers as her fingers slid into his hair, holding his head to hers. Their bodies seem to melt together, claiming the other as its own as they moved with each other. Neither had ever thought it possible to experience anything like it. The touch and kiss of their lover was more than they could have imagined. It seemed like a dream. Her back arched off of the ground, pushing her chest into his as she pulled him to her, finding it unbearable to have space between them. Their bodies moved in sync with each other's as their hands ran over every piece of skin that they could reach.

His lips left hers, slowly trailing over her jaw and down her neck, making his way to her chest. Her fingers dug into his head, pulling his face closer to her as she let out a long moan. Wrapping a leg around his hip, she pushed her heel into his back, slamming his body against hers as she bucked up against him. She felt wild and safe, her body free and relaxed in his arms, something she had never dared hope for. She never wanted it to end.

Her body lifted off of the ground as she cried out his name, her arms wrapped tightly around him as his body began to shake through release. Panting, he laid his head down against her heaving chest as he tried to regain his strength. He was certain it would be days before he was able to move again, but he didn't mind. Within a moment she pushed him from her, knocking him onto his back before her.

"No, don't." she said as she stretched her arm out, telling him to keep away from her. Seeing the darkness beginning to cover her eyes, he gave her a small nod to assure her he wouldn't come closer.

She tightened her hands into fists as she attempted to push down her magic. Her eyes widened as it flowed from her and into the ground, taking her breath away from her. The strength of it felt as though it was ripping the skin from his bones, but he couldn't stop staring at her and thinking about how beautiful it was. Rushing to her side, Richard wrapped his arms around her, trying to stop her body from shaking.

"Are you all right?" His voice filled with concern.

Nodding quickly, she gasped for air, her body suddenly feeling weak. "She's gone." He could barely hear her words as she fell into his arms.

"Kahlan?" He whispered as she opened her eyes. "Spirits, are you all right?"

Looking around them for a moment, she nodded slowly as she realized that she lay in his arms and that they were still naked. "I think so. I- I just- I couldn't hold onto it. I'm sorry."

"What happened?"

Shaking her head, she lifted herself from his arms. "I don't know. I think she was barely holding on to my magic and when she left-" Covering her eyes, she tried to fight back the tears. "When she left, I- I didn't have a hold on it."

"It was beautiful." He said softly, bringing her eyes back to him. "You were beautiful. I- Kahlan, it was beautiful." He gave her a warm smile, watching as the tears left her eyes.

"How long was I-?"

"Only a few moments. I was just about to take you back to Zedd."

Turning around, she grabbed her dress and tossed him his pants. "We have to get dressed."

"What? Why?"

Pulling on her dress, she held it closed, hiding herself from him as she stood up. "They must have felt it. They-"

Shaking his head, his smile widened. "No, I don't think so. If they had, they would have been here already. Zedd would be pulling you away from me and demanding to know what happened. They're not coming."

Her body relaxed at his words and she sat back down on the ground in front of him. "I'm sorry, Richard." She said softly, looking over to him. "I tried to stop her-"

"I know." He smiled. "You-She told me."

"When I was- When I attacked you, I tried to stop myself. I didn't want to do that to you, but then I started talking about you and I- I could see what she saw and I-" Looking away from him, she poked her fingers into the grass as a distraction.

"You could see what she was talking about?" She nodded and his face grew red as he too looked down at the ground. "You saw what she saw me doing?"

"Yes, but I don't understand, Richard." She said after a moment, returning her eyes to his. "What she said, about your love for me. I don't understand how you could- How you can love me when we can't be together in the way that you want- the way that you deserve."

"We're together every day. Maybe not in the way others are, but we are together. Kahlan, when we touch or just look into each other's eyes, we're sharing something that is completely ours. Something, that to me, is more important than everything else, because it's ours." Slowly, he reached over to her and took her hands in his. "We can't make love, but that's not the only way to be together- to show how much we love each other. We don't have to make love to be happy together. Those nights, after Cara and Zedd have gone to sleep and we just lay there and we talk, Kahlan those moments when I can just be with you, they are more important to me than the physical pleasure."

She leaned forward and took his face in her hands and held him still as she pressed her lips to his for a soft kiss. Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around him and pushed him backwards, back to the forest floor. "I love you." She whispered as he pulled her to him. "Do you think we can lay here for a while?"

"I don't want to be anywhere else." Tightening his hold around her, he suddenly found himself wishing that she hadn't pulled her dress back on. "Kahlan," he said hoping that she would know the answer to what he was about to ask her. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know exactly. One minute I was standing beside the river and then I was waking up in the grass a few feet away. I- I could feel her, but I didn't understand what had happened." Slowly, she pushed herself up and away from him. "Then she started showing me what she had seen and I- I couldn't concentrate on what I needed to do. I saw you-" she looked away, unsure if she had the strength to look into his eyes. "You just seemed so content and you were just watching me sleep." Crossing her legs in front of her, she looked down at him, his face red as he wondered what else she had seen him do.

"I was content." A small smile crossed his lips, "I always am when I'm with you."

Tilting her head, she gathered the nerve to ask him what now weighed on her mind. "And now? After we just- How can you be content with me now?"

"How can I not be?" he said softly, "Kahlan, what we did just now, before- It was amazing, but it's not going to change anything. I still love you, I still want to lie beside you each night and-"

She felt her heart break and she had to look away from him. "It changes everything. Now you know what we can never-"

Sitting up, Richard pushed her gently to the ground and moved over her, laying a knee on each side of her hips and looked down at her. Moving slowly, he reached down to her and pushed open her dress, his eyes locked on hers to keep her calm and stop her from pushing him away. Leaning down close to her, he brushed his lips against hers for a moment and then was gone. Pushing her dress off of her shoulders he looked back to her eyes.

"Trust me." She didn't move as he pulled her dress from her body and laid it down beside them.

He sat over her, both of them naked as he grabbed her hands and intertwined their fingers. He could see a spot of her neck pulsing as she stared up at him, her body craving his as her mind fought her. "This isn't a good idea." She breathed out softly.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not strong enough to lay beneath you like this and not want to be with you. I-" Closing her eyes, she shook her head, moving her hair through the dirt and leaves beneath her. "I've never wanted anything like this before."

"Kahlan-"

Pressing her hands to his chest, she slowly ran them over his skin to his stomach, before she pushed him off of her. "We should go back. We need to get moving before we're found by Banelings."

"We're fine." He said as he pushed her dress from her reach. "Stay here. Talk to me." He wanted to make sure that she understood that the both of them, being naked together could become something that they could do. He wanted to show her that they could be together, naked, without fear.

"I can't. Not like this. Not now."

"Why?"

Her face growing red, she released a heavy sigh. "Because sitting here, naked, is making this harder."

Crossing his legs in front of her, he folded his hands in his lap and watched her, being sure to keep his distance. "Kahlan-"

"Seeing you like this, seeing what she saw in the forest, Richard, I- I can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop remembering what it felt like to be with you. Just now, it took everything to push you off of me. All I wanted to do was- Sometimes, just lying beside you is almost too much for me because I can feel you there. I can feel your warmth and all I want is to-" She stopped herself, not wanting to say the rest of it out loud. She didn't need to.

He hadn't felt himself move closer, but he was suddenly against her, laying her back gently to the ground as his lips caressed hers. She didn't hesitate to return his kiss, her arms wrapped around him quickly to hold him against her. She found herself arching her back off of the ground and into his chest, heating quickly at the feeling. Running a hand down her side, he grabbed her leg, moving it to give them a better angle as their bodies continued to rub against each other. The soft moan that flowed from his throat was met by one of her own, as she began to pull at his hair.

She felt her magic rising within her, threatening to take the man that laid over her, but she didn't want him to stop. His hand slid over her stomach to her chest, making her pull her lips from his and gasp out in pleasure. Holding his hand against her, she let out a moan as his tongue licked down her neck. His mind started to scream at him, telling him to stop, but the soft gasps and moans that escaped her lips, begging for more, overruled every thought. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

His body began to ache in its need for her, his desperation to have her once again. From the way she moved up against him, he knew her body too, was growing desperate. Holding onto her waist, he began kissing his way over her chest and breasts, his tongue making sure to leave no place untouched or untasted. As he moved lower, his name left her lips in a gasp as she bucked up into him. Her hands flew to his head grabbing hold and pulling it closer to her body. With her moans becoming more frequent, almost seeming to continue on without stop, Richard began kissing his way back up to her lips.

Suddenly pulling him roughly to her, she flipped them over, his back hitting the cold grass on the forest floor with a hard thump. The air was knocked from his lungs from the impact, but was once again taken away as she sat up over him. Her beauty never failed to grow each time his eyes fell upon her. Pushing the hair from her face, she lowered her head and began slowly kissing his chest as her hands ran over his body. The aching within her was growing stronger, as she watched the hunger in his eyes while he stared up at her. Slowly his hands moved over her thighs, trying to pull her closer as she began biting at his skin.

Unable to deny herself what she wanted, she moved over him as he grabbed her hips, helping her as she lowered herself onto him with a long throaty moan. Her body welcomed him, tightening around him as it begged for more. Sitting forward, he pulled her against him, flattening her breasts to his chest for more contact. Connecting their lips, they held each other close as their bodies moved together, claiming the other as their own. Their tongues battled for the space in their mouths, neither willing to surrender quickly.

Pushing him down, Kahlan pressed her hands against his chest, trying to keep steady as their pace quickened. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her fingers, as they slid through the sweat that collected over his skin. Digging in her nails, she pushed down her magic, her head falling backwards as she tried to contain the power within her through the pleasures that begged for its release. His hands tightened on her hips, pinking her light tone as he helped her move against him, her body growing weaker as she used more and more of her energy to keep him from being destroyed. Her eyes turning completely black as she met his, her only way of warning him how close it was becoming.

Yanking her down onto him, he rolled them over, giving her tensing body a rest as he began to move over her, his head pressed into her shoulder as his climax grew within him. The feel of her chest pressing into his as she lifted her back off of the ground, was his new favorite sensation. He expected her to stop him, but she didn't. Instead, her nails clawed his shoulders and down his arms as she panted out his name. He would never tire of his name leaving her lips in these moments of passion.

His heart held no fear for what he knew was coming, the magic that would take his soul and brand him as hers. He welcomed it, begged for it. He knew that it would make it possible for them to be together, to grow old together. He craved for her magic to take him over and make him able to love her more. Pressing his lips to hers, he lifted her leg and changed their angle, making her moans to louder as she came closer to the edge. She breathed out his name between their kisses, her mind now only able to focus on the pleasure he was providing her.

The strength of the magic's release nearly ripped him from her body, Richard clung onto her through his own release; his mind and heart open to her as he fell upon her, exhausted.

"Spirits." He breathed out heavily as soon as he was able to form words. "Kahlan, that-" he smiled against her as he came to realize his words. "…was more incredible than before."

Her eyes opened and she stared up at the tree limbs that covered the sky above them. Instantly she wanted to push him from her body and cry in anguish at what she had done, but something stopped her. He hadn't called her 'Mistress' he had said her name. No man, once touched by a Confessor, had ever done such a thing. "Richard?" She whispered, closing her eyes in fear of what he would say.

Lifting his head from her chest, he looked down at her with a smile. "I'm still me." She looked at him in shock, and sadness. "Kahlan, it's me. I'm all right."

"I don't understand. I- I felt it go into you."

"So did I. It nearly took me from your arms. Kahlan, when it entered me, I prayed to the spirits to let it take me. I wanted it to allow me to love you more."

"Why would you do that? You've seen what men become once I have touched them."

His smile grew wider, taking up his face. "I have. They love you with everything they have. They will do anything for you and that's when I realized that I don't need to be touched by your magic to be that way. I already am. I've been yours since the moment your blade touched my throat that first day we met. I was yours. Kahlan, your magic can't harm me."

"What have you done?" Richard and Kahlan looked quickly to the sound of a horrified wizard, standing in the trees staring at them. "You've destroyed The Seeker!"

Reaching out, Richard grabbed her dress and pulled it towards her, making sure she was covered before he lifted himself from her body. "Zedd, it's not what you think-"

"Did you not consummate your love?"

"We did." He replied quickly and without shame. "Twice. Zedd we made love and her magic didn't hurt me. We made love and I felt her magic rip through me and I-" he looked over to the Mother Confessor, clinging to her dress, cheeks red as she stared out at his angry grandfather and Mord'Sith. "I can't imagine anything better than that feeling." He was smiling widely, staring at her as though he had found the only meaningful answer in the world.

"Richard, get dressed." Zedd said in a soft but firm tone, not wanting to upset his grandson. "I must speak with The Mother Confessor."

He turned around instantly facing the old man, confused as to why he called Kahlan by her title. "What- No."

"Richard," she whispered his name softly, bringing his attention, once again, back to her. "you should get dressed."

"No- I don't know what's going on, but I-" he stopped, reading the expression on her face and in her eyes. "Fine." He said after a long moment, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. Grabbing his clothes, he followed Cara through the trees, leaving them alone.

"What were you thinking?" Zedd hissed as he turned away, giving her a moment to dress herself. "He could have been lost to us forever. The quest would be over and The Keeper would have won."

"I know." She breathed out, her heart still pounding as her mind replayed what happened in her head. "It was not my intention to-"

"You brought him out here for what?"

"I didn't!" She quickly defended herself. "I did, but it wasn't me. I wasn't me. She- I wasn't me."

For what she expected to be a long story, turned into lasting only a few minutes as she described most of what had happened. She purposely left out certain things that were said and seen to keep the wizard from growing even more upset with them.

"I couldn't stop her and then I didn't want to. She had my magic under control; I could not have released it into him."

"Your magic was released."

"Yes it was, but only after she had left my body and I pushed Richard from me. I would never-"

Shaking his head, Zedd stepped away from her. "You did. He felt your magic flow through him. You lost control of your feelings and we could have lost him."

"But we didn't," she said softly, her mind still trying to understand why, herself. "He's still Richard. He's not confessed to me."

"He is." The Wizard corrected her as he turned around. "My dear, he has been confessed to you for quite a long time. Your magic could not take something that already belonged to you."

"I don't understand. You knew that we- That Richard and I could be together and you said nothing?"

"I could not. What if I was wrong? He would have been lost."

Shaking her head, half in anger and the other in disbelief, she stepped close to him, locking their eyes. "You allowed us to feel this hunger for each other and watch as it ate us alive and you never even hinted at the possibility that our love would change everything?" Pushing past him, Kahlan started off into the trees.

"Where are you going?" He called after her.

For a quick moment, she turned around to face him. "I'm going to find Richard. I intend to make sure he knows how much I love him."

******End******