Walking through the halls of the Confessor's palace, Cara held in the urge to pull her agiel and stick it to the next person who tried to hug her.
"I am Mord-Sith," she said angrily, "we do not hug."
"I told them they should be scared of you, but they didn't agree." Richard said holding in a laugh. "Kahlan would never trust someone who would hurt us." he did his best to mimic one of the ladies he had spoken to earlier that day.
Stopping mid-step, Cara turned towards him, "When I kill one of them-"
"You won't." he said confidently, "You couldn't hurt these innocent people." he laughed
Coming to a stop she turned towards him, "How long are you planning on staying here?"
"As long as Kahlan will let me." he replied honestly.
"She will never make you leave." Cara said as her patients grew thin, "You are The Lord Rahl; you have a palace of your own-"
"I don't want it Cara." he said flatly, knowing she was going to keep reminding him. "I don't want to be Lord Rahl. I want- I just want to be with Kahlan."
"You can have her and your palace. Yours doesn't have people trying to hug you every minute." she said as she backed away from a small man coming towards them.
"Thank you." He said shaking Richard's hand, "You have saved us twice. We are in your debt." Turning to Cara, he smiled widely, "The Mother Confessor told us what you did." he smiled wider as he came closer to her, her back against the wall, "Thank you." Reaching forward, he pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. "We are in your debt as well."
"See?" she said as the man walked away, "This is madness."
Laughing, he took her arm and led her down the hallway, "Relax, you may end up liking it."
"Kahlan?" She turned towards the voice she hoped would become familiar, and smiled. "Why are you in here?"
Taking a few steps towards her sister, she sighed, "I had forgotten how good it felt to be home."
"Oh." Dennee said softly, "Where is your Seeker?"
Smiling, Kahlan sat down in her chair, her hands slowly sliding along the arms. "He's with Cara."
"The Mord-Sith."
"I know it's hard for you." Kahlan said, looking up at her sister, "I lost you. She killed you, but Dennee, she's not that person anymore."
"You keep saying that Kahlan, but-"
"She's my friend."
Staring at her sister, she stood there speechless at her words, "She's Mord-Sith." she said after a few moments.
"And I am a Confessor." Kahlan said flatly as she stood, "I am lucky to have her. She saved Richard's life."
"What?" she asked quickly, as she turned towards her.
"I killed him." she paused, the memory of what she had done replaying in her mind, "If she didn't get there when she did-She saved him."
Watching as her sister walked from the room, Dennee thought about what she had said.
"There you are, my boy! I was looking for you." Zedd said as he rounded the corner and almost running into Cara and Richard.
"You were?" Richard asked skeptically looking around the corner, "You just left the kitchen..."
"I stopped for a quick snack." he replied quickly, "Did you ask her yet?" he asked excited.
"Ask who what?" Cara said as Richard motioned for his grandfather to talk softer.
"Kahlan." Zedd said, "He's going to ask Kahlan to marry him."
Smiling, Cara crossed her arms, "He hasn't left my side all day. He must knew the Mother Confessor would never marry a-"
"I'm just waiting for the right time." he interrupted. "She's always surrounded by so many people."
"She is The Mother Confessor," Cara said with a smirk, "you'll never have her to yourself."
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, "She tried to tell me before we arrived, but I thought-with her sister-"
"The people only followed her orders because Kahlan told them to. As long as Kahlan is here, she is their ruler and must attend to them."
"If you were to take throne of D'Hara, you would be-" The look on his face, surprised her. He never got angry with her, but she knew she was pushing it. "I'm just saying, you wouldn't be alone all the time. People would tend to your every need." she smiled, "The Lord Rahl is always in the company of beautiful women."
"As I have said before, I do not want the throne. Nor to be in the company of beautiful women. I only want to be with Kahlan."
"She can come too." Cara said as she and Zedd followed Richard down the hall.
Walking through the door quietly, her body longing for the comfort of his arms. The sight of him took her breath away. Lying in the middle of her bed, the moonlight covering him as he slept. Changing as quietly as she could, she constantly looked over to him, being sure not to wake him up. Her heart pounded as she carefully crawled into the bed. The warmth of his body sent waves of passion through her veins as she moved into his arms and pressed herself against him.
"Hi." he whispered just as she closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She said softly as she lifted herself onto her elbow, allowing her right hand to slowly trace over his bare chest.
"It's alright. I wanted to wait up for you." he yawned, trying to rid his body of the sleepiness.
"Why?" she asked looking down at him.
Smiling, he rolled onto his side, while gently moving her on her back. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Talk?" she said as his hand slid over her stomach, moving below the covers. "If you keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to talk." she breathed out as she grabbed his hand and holding it in place for a moment, "It's up to you." she smiled.
Moving his hand back to her stomach, he smiled as she released a moan of disappointment. "Kahlan?"
A smiled crossed her lips as she closed her eyes to his touch. "Mmm?"
"I've wanted to ask you for a while now, but I- I never got the chance."
Concerned, she sat up, looking at him, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." he said quickly, "I want to ask you something." he paused, waiting for her relax. "I - Kahlan, marry me?" he said so quickly, she almost didn't understand him. Her mouth fell open, as her mind began to realize what he had said. Finding herself unable to speak, she nodded her head slowly, making his smile widen. "Is that a yes?" he said holding in a laugh, "Because I'm not..."
His words trailed off into her mouth as she pressed it against his, kissing him passionately, while she pushed him back gently and moving herself over him. Slowly, he pulled at her night gown, his hands slowly tracing over her skin. Lifting herself from him for a moment, she pulled the gown over her head, exposing herself completely. He stared at her, his heart pounding at her beauty. No matter how many times they were together, he would never cease to be amazed by how beautiful she was.
Running his hands along her sides, she closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch. Needing more connection, she pulled him forward, pressing herself against him as their lips moved together. Kissing over her jaw, he quickly moved her dark hair from her neck, exposing more flesh to lips. A soft moan escaped her lips as he pushed forward, her back gently being laid back on the bed.
She made quick work of the stings on his pants as he ran his tongue over her collarbone. Using her legs, she pushed them from his waist, suddenly wishing he hadn't been wearing them at all. Covering his body with his, a soft growl came from his throat as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. Grasping his head, she held him against her chest as she arched forward, trying to gain more contact.
His name flew from her lips as they united. Tilting her head back, she pressed her chest closer to him, begging for his lips to continue their journey. His hands slowly roamed over her body, grabbing her hips and slightly tugging them closer to him. A soft moan escaped her throat as he gently cupped her breasts, before returning his mouth to hers. The feel of his body against hers was fueling her desire. She needed more. Reaching between them, she ran her hands over his stomach and chest before coming around his shoulders and holding him against her as she rolled over him. He moaned loudly as she slid her tongue along his neck, taking in the saltiness of his sweat. Turning his head, he met her tongue with his, drawing it into his mouth.
Sitting forward, he grabbed her legs, wrapping them around his waist, being sure not to break their contact as she pressed her chest against his, flattening her breasts with the pressure. Their hearts beat with their passion as she slowly began to move above him. Softly gasping her name he bucked against her mating her speed. A gasp of her own came as his hands ran over her back, pushing her impossibly closer to him. The feel of her magic flowing through him added to the pleasure of the sight before him. Her head falling backwards as she released his name into the night. Her hands holding tightly onto his shoulders as the ecstasy flooded through her veins. With her name on his lips he surrendered himself to her, begging her magic to take everything from him.
"Richard?" she whispered against his chest, hoping he hadn't fallen asleep.
Smiling widely, he tightened his hold on her, pulling her body impossibly closer to his. "I'm sure Kahlan." he whispered back, knowing what she was going to ask. "You can't take it back now anyways. That would be mean and you are anything but." he said as he felt her lift herself onto her elbow. He could feel her eyes on him and he couldn't fight the urge to look back into them.
"I love you." she whispered a bit louder than before.
Her words made his heart pound against his chest and he knew she felt it when she looked down to her hand, resting over his heart. "I love you too."
Laying her head on his shoulder, she slowly tracing along his abs. "The council wants to meet with you."
"What?"
"They are going to try to talk you into taking Darken Rahl's place and ruling D'Hara." she smiled, "I told them it wouldn't go well."
Releasing a soft sigh, he ran his hand down her back, "They still want to meet with me?"
"Yes." she said sitting up and wrapping a blanket around her. "They aren't going to let you say no."
"I'm not going to say yes."
She smiled, tightening the wrap of the blanket around her. "I told them that, but they are persistent."
"Kahlan," he said softly, sitting up. "Will they-If you marry me-"
"They have no say anymore."
"Anymore?"
"The council has the right to choose a mate for a Confessor if she failed to-I was supposed to have chosen a mate before I left to find you." she said softly, looking down at the bed.
"But you didn't?" he asked, hoping she would look up to him.
Shaking her head, she took in a deep breath, "No."
"Why?"
She looked up, meeting his eyes, "I never wanted to."
"Kahlan-"
"I thought I would be dead by now." she said honestly, looking back to the blanket, she now clutched tightly. "Darken Rahl hunted us down. I never thought I would live to have the chance." Looking up, she took in a deep breath, "I never wanted to destroy someone for their child."
Smiling, he moved closer to her, gently pulling her into his arms, "You don't have to anymore." he whispered as he nuzzled into her hair. He held her for a few moments before she wrapped her arms around him, releasing a soft sigh into his neck. "You have me now."
He felt her smile against his skin before she pulled back to look at him, "I love you." she whispered as she pressed her forehead against his. Looking up, she ran her fingers through his hair as she brought her lips to his.
"How long do you wish to deny your throne?" It was the fifth time in the past hour he had been asked and the woman was showing no signs of letting go.
"As long as there is a breath in my body." he replied as he had before.
The man standing before him laughed, "You will deny your right? You are a fool." he said loudly, looking to the other council members, "How can The Mother Confessor mate with a man who wishes to deny who he is? He-You are weak." he stated firmly, turning his attention back to Richard. "You must take the throne."
"I will not." he said as he watched the people around him, shake their heads in disagreement.
"You do not have a choice." A small woman spoke for the first time, "You have a chance to join the lands." she added, hoping it would change his mind.
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, "I will not take the throne."
"You will if you wish to marry The Mother Confessor." He looked to him quickly, "Yes, we assumed you were smart enough to want her." he smiled, "If you wish to marry her, you will take your place as the new Lord Rahl."
Richard stood there as they stared at him, waiting for him to agree to their request. "We've seen you with her. You care about her." the small woman said as she stepped closer, "You would do anything for her?"
"Yes." Richard said without hesitation.
"Take your title." she said as she looked back to the others, "We will leave you to think about it. When you come to the right decision, come find us." They walked quickly from the room, none of them looking back to him except the small woman, "You would be wise to keep this between us. Bringing The Mother Confessor in would be a mistake."
"Why is that?"
She smiled, "She loves you. She isn't thinking about the gain this will bring her people. She only thinks you do not want to do it."
"I will not keep this from her." He said as he stepped towards her, "She should know."
"She will. After you have decided you are on our side. You will not marry her until you have taken the throne. We will be sure of this." She smiled, "We can make this very hard for her. She will feel more pain than she thought imaginable." she said as she walked to the door.
He moved quickly, running towards her, he grabbed her and shoved her against the wall, "Don't you dare threaten her!" he shouted, catching the attention of the other council members. "Threaten Kahlan and I will take your head off."
"Release her or we will take your head." The large man standing behind his said through a growl.
Slowly, Richard pulled his hands away from the woman standing in quivers before him, "Never threaten her again." he sneered before he walked through the doors, pushing the remaining members from his way.
"I didn't realize you were here." he said as he entered their bedroom and saw Kahlan sitting in a large chair on the other side of the room.
Nodding, she turned towards him, her white dress flowing behind her as she stood and walked to the window. "I was asked to stay away while the council spoke with you." she sighed, watching the council as they walked through the open square.
"I need to speak with you."
Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm. "They gave you the choice didn't they?"
"Yes." he watched her, waiting for her to turn around and face him, but she didn't. "Kahlan, they-"
"You shouldn't tell me." she said softly, closing her eyes. "It's your decision."
He walked to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her towards him. "Kahlan, I will not make this decision without you."
Shaking her head, she looked to the floor for a moment before looking to him, "You already have." Slowly, she ran her hand over his chest, her eyes following her fingers as they grabbed onto his shirt. "You decided the moment they gave you the choice. You decided without even thinking about it."
"I've already seen what Rahl's do to their people."
"You aren't a Rahl, Richard." she said softly as she pulled back from him. "You and I both know you are nothing like the Rahl's. You may have their blood, but it's not who you are. You're a Cypher."
He stared at her for a moment, thinking. "I have their blood, Kahlan. Who knows what I'm capable of?"
"I do." she said quickly, grabbing his face in her hands, "You would be a great leader." she smiled.
"What if you're wrong?"
Her smile widened, "If I'm wrong, then I will have unleashed another tyrant on the people." she held in a laugh as she released his face. "Richard, you will be a great leader." she repeated softly, 'The decision is yours."
Grabbing her arm, he gently pulled her to a stop, keeping her from passing him. "I don't want to lose you." he whispered.
"You can never lose me." Turning towards him, she grabbed his hands in hers, "I love you."
"Kahlan, you should know what they made me choose between."
Shaking her head, she took in a deep breath, "You shouldn't tell me." she said softly, pulling her hands from his, "I'm with you. Whatever it is you choose; I will stand beside you."
He nodded as he swallowed the lump in his throat, "I love you." he said as she started walking to the door.
Smiling, she turned back to him, "I know."
"Have you seen Richard?" Zedd asked as he rushed to keep up with Kahlan.
"I have." she said quickly, keeping her eyes ahead of her as the people moved from her way.
"Kahlan-"
"Not here." she said looking back at him for a moment as she continued through the hall.
He followed her silently as she quickly passes the members of the council. She entered the dining hall, moved behind the door and shut it quickly as the wizard entered.
"What's happened?" he asked as she walked towards him.
"He's deciding." she said softly, stepping close to him. "The council is making his choose, Zedd."
Confused, he looked down at the small woman standing before him, "Choose between what?"
"It doesn't matter. He already decided it was important enough to-"
"You're the only thing he would do it for." by the look on her face, he knew she had been thinking the same thing.
"He shouldn't do it for me, Zedd. You have to speak to him."
"My dear, nothing I say will change his mind. He loves you."
Nodding, she sat down on the chair before him, "He doesn't have to do it. I shouldn't have allowed the council to-"
Giving her a reassuring smile, Zedd sat down beside her, "Richard would not have allowed the council to talk him into taking the throne."
Walking through the door, she stopped at the sight of him. "From the sounds you two were making, it couldn't have been that bad..." Cara smiled as she came for a closer look. He sat on the bed, head in his hands as he leaned forward.
Looking up, he ran his fingers through his hair, "I need you to tell me what I should do."
"I'm sure you know what to do." she laughed, "From the rumble of the walls throughout the night, I am sure you are very adequate."
"I spoke with the council today." he said, ignoring her remark. "They want me to take Darken Rahl's place. You must tell me what to do."
Confused, her smile left her face, "What do you mean?"
"The council- They asked me to take the name of Rahl and the throne to unite the lands." he said as he stood, running his fingers through his hair. "If I don't, they will keep me from being with her. They will harm her-"
She laughed, "They can not cause any harm to The Mother Confessor. It is not their right."
"That is not the way they see it."
"Their vision does not matter." she said as Richard began to pace. "No other but hers is final."
"She says nothing!" he said loudly, turning towards the Mord-Sith, who stared blankly at him. "She leaves it to me." he sighed, returning his fingers through his hair as he thought. "How can she expect me to make this decision without her?" he asked as he struggled to find his breath. "I can't lose her." he whispered to himself. "Cara, I can't live without her. If I have to do something I do not wish to do, then I shall do it."
She stood there, in silence, watching him as he continued to pace and speak mostly to himself. It felt like time was slowing down as he talked himself into everything and nothing at the same time. She was growing more annoyed every minute.
"Richard!" she finally shouted as she grabbed him and turned him towards her. "We both know you are going to do it, and we all know why."
He stared at her, eyes wide as she gripped him tighter. "I don't want to leave her." he whispered honestly.
Nodding her head, she released his arms, "You cannot take her with you."
"What if I could?" he asked walking to the door.
For days, they rode through the trees with the sun beaming down upon them through the leaves. "Where are you taking me?" she asked as she tightened her hold on his waist, being sure to sit as close to him as possible.
Looking back to her, he smiled widely, "You'll see."
After another hour they came to a stop, staring a head of them with a wide smile. "What do you think?"
Confused, she looked to him for a moment before following his gaze back onto the open land. "What is it?"
"It's a compromise."
"You wish to take the throne from here?" she asked, hoping she had understood him.
"If it's possible, I would." He replied softly.
Pressing her chest against his back, she whispered, "It is if you want it to be." Looking past him onto the bare land, she sighed, "It's never been done before."
"Kahlan-" he paused, thinking about his words, "Would it be asking too much for you to join me here?" he half whispered, afraid she would decline.
She waited a moment before speaking, "You can never ask too much from me." she whispered as her hands moved slowly over his chest. "I will speak with the council." Pressing her lips against his neck, she looked out at the land once more. "I think we should stay here for the night."
"It's midday-"
"I can think of a few things to pass the time." Sliding her hands down his chest they slowly slid under his shirt. Slowly she moved her hands over his stomach and came to a rest on his chest, causing him to release a moan of wanting.
He turned his head to her, pressing his lips against hers as he pulled her hands from his body. "We should move somewhere a bit more comfortable then."
Quickly, she leapt down from the horse, smiling seductively up at him as she waited for him to join her. He stared down at her, his heart pounding as she lifted her hands to the strings of her dress. The moment the white dress pooled to the ground, he came to the ground, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Lifting her from the ground, he pressed her against one of the trees behind her as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her boots locking around him as she pulled him closer to her. Pulling his shirt over his head, he returned his lips to hers, before moving them over her chin and her neck.
Laying her to the ground, he quickly removed her boots, tossing them aside, he grabbed her skirt, being sure to remove her shorts at the same time. Taking the opportunity, she pulled at her corset, desperately needing his flesh against hers. Softly, he pressed his lips to her stomach, kissing his way over her body as his hands pulled her to him. A soft moan escaped her lips as his attention settled on her breasts. Holding his head against her, she pushed her chest to him, silently begging for more.
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him impossibly closer to her, as she bucked up against him. Pressing his head in the crook of her neck, he softly moaned her name. Dropping her hands to the ground, she gripped tightly at the grass, pulling it from the ground as her eyes darkened and her magic flowed from her, shaking the tress around them.
"We do not agree with this."
"You do not need to agree with me." Kahlan stated as she stared ahead at the council, standing before her. "You have no say in this matter."
Stepping towards her, a large man spoke, "You are allowing him to change the ways of Aydindril."
"Maybe it's time for a change. The Mother Confessor has always sat here because she had no reason not to." She said softly, "There will be no change in the law from where I-We will be. There is no reason for you to disagree, except for your foolishness." Standing, Kahlan walked to them, "You have so say in this matter. You made him choose and he did."
"This is not a decision."
Smiling, Kahlan walked towards the small woman, who looked up at her in anger, "It's my decision. I can always make you more cooperative."
The woman's eyes grew wide as Kahlan continued getting closer, knowing what might be coming. "You wouldn't confess a member of the council."
"I'll confess every one of you if I have to." She said calmly.
"This is not for you to decide." The small woman stated boldly, "Richard Cypher must accept his place or-"
Slowly, Kahlan stepped in front of her and quickly reached for her throat, "You will not threaten him." she said as she looked into the woman's eyes. "I am The Mother Confessor. I am the one who decides." She released the woman, who stumbled back a few steps and coughed. "As for Richard's request, you will have a palace built for him between here and The People's Palace."
"Yes Confessor." they all spoke at once.
They watched in silence as she walked from the room, her white dress flowing freely behind her.
"Cara." She acknowledged the blonde as she passed him at the door.
Turning around and following her, Cara rushed to keep up with her, "What just happened?"
"The council will agree to Richard's terms."
"You threatened them." She said with a smile. "I underestimated you."
Pulling the Mord-Sith around the corner, Kahlan looked back to be sure no one had followed them, "They are going to go back to Richard. My warning will not have convinced them to leave him be. Has Zedd begun the preparations?" she asked softly.
Nodding, Cara crossed her arms, "The wizard sent word this morning."
Releasing a sigh, Kahlan stepped towards her friend, "Where is Richard?"
"Waiting for you." she smiled, "Lord Rahl enjoys your presents in the bedroom."
Blushing, she stepped past her friend, "He doesn't mind my presents in the woods either."
"I'm getting married today, Zedd." Richard stated with a wide smile across his face. "I should hurry before she has a moment to rethink this."
Laughing, the wizard placed his hand on his grandson's shoulder, "She would never rethink this, my boy."
"I don't know what I did to deserve her."
"You did save the world. Twice." Zedd said smiling as he watched him put on the red of the Rahl's. "That is not something to overlook."
Looking into the long mirror before him, he looked to the man standing behind him, "I wish Michael was here."
"I am sure he would be pleased to see you this day. It is big news. People all over have come to see Lord Rahl and The Mother Confessor join together in their love."
The door opened quickly as Cara entered smoothly. "You can still run, you know…" she said as she came to stand beside Zedd.
"I will never run. Not from Kahlan."
"That was clear when you fell in love with her, knowing she was a Confessor." Cara replied with a smirk. Turning around to face them, he took in a deep breath, his heart pounding against his chest, threatening to break through his flesh. "Lord Rahl-" she said as she took in the sight before her.
"I'll never get used to this." He said as he ran his hands down the robe. "It doesn't feel right."
Nodding, Zedd sighed, thinking of the wedding he had jumped to when he had tried to undo the magic Darken Rahl had done to Cara. "You were meant to wear it."
Confused, Richard turned back to the mirror, taking one last look at himself before walking through the door.
Her body shook with anticipation as she walked through the halls. Her pace slowed as her mind began to imagine their life together. Her heart pounded as she came closer to the large set of doors before her.
"There is still a few moments for you to reconsider Mother Confessor."
Turning towards the woman's voice, Kahlan smiled, "I wouldn't reconsider unless it was any other man I was meeting on the other side of those doors. He loved me, Anne. I never thought it was possible for a man to even care for a Confessor." Her smile widened as she stepped towards the small woman, "I'm going to go through those doors and marry the man I love."
Shaking her head, Anne stepped closer, "You may have silenced the others for the moment with the threat of my confession, but we all agree you are making a mistake. Allowing Richard Rahl to change the ways of our land is something your mother would never have allowed."
"My mother is not here, and if she were, she would be pleased." Kahlan stated proudly, "I have something that every Confessor has desired for all of time. My mother would have wanted this." Quickly, she turned and headed towards the doors once more, greeted by Cara, who stood waiting for her.
"I can take care of her-"
"It is not necessary. Soon they will come to realize what Richard will do for them." Taking a deep breath, Kahlan smiled, "It's time."
The doors opened and she was revealed, all eyes fell upon her as she and Cara made their way to the men standing on the other side of the room. For a moment, he thought his heart would fail him as he tried to remind himself to breathe. The blue dress she wore hugged her curved, making his mouth water as his eyes fell to her chest. Seeing his gaze fall, she held in a laugh as she watched his eyes grow wide. Taking notice of his grandson, Zedd lightly bumped his arm into in, pulling Richard from his thoughts.
Taking her hands, he smiled widely. "You look beautiful." he said softly, being sure only she could hear him.
"Thank you." she whispered back, sound barely making it past her lips as she stepped closer to him.
The room grew quiet as a small man stepped before them and raised his hands. "We are here to take witness of the joining of Lord Richard Rahl and The Mother Confessor, Kahlan Amnell."
Laying within the sheets, Richard held her tightly against him, not wanting to lose the contact with her flesh. Sliding her hand over his chest, she released a soft moan into his neck. Sunlight burned through the window, kissing down upon their skin as they awakened.
"Stay." he whispered as she lifted herself from him.
Looking down at him, she smiled at the sight. Eyes closed, he wore a wide grin. "We should get up."
"We have time. I'm sure they will not mind if we spent a few days in here."
"Days?" she said looking down into his eyes, "We have spent two days in here already."
"I do not recall that being a bother to you before." he laughed.
Leaning to him, she pressed her lips against his. "That is because you kept me busy."
"Well then, " he said rolling over her, "I guess I will have to do my best to keep you occupied."
"I'm sure you'll manage."
The knock on the door made her jump, pushing him off of her. "Sorry." she whispered, holding in a laugh at his confused face. "Yes?" she called out loudly as Richard pushed her back to the bed, kissing her neck as he was before the noise.
"The council wishes to meet with the two of you sometime today." Zedd's voice came from the other side of the door.
"We're a little busy Zedd!" He called out, making Kahlan laugh.
"Give us a moment please, Zedd." she said as she pulled Richard to her, kissing him passionately. "We should go. The council will not hesitate to enter without knocking. I am surprised they have sent Zedd before themselves came."
Pressing his forehead against hers, he took in a deep breath. "We will continue this later."
They dressed in silence as each stole glances at the other. Taking her hand, they walked to the door, immediately seeing Cara and Zedd standing before them.
"The council wishes one last chance to change your mind." Zedd said with a smile.
Pulling her closer, Richard smiled widely, "Let them try."
Laughing, Kahlan pulled herself closer to him, tightening her arms around his waist. "You did it, Richard."
"We did it." he corrected softly, feeling her falling closer against him.
Smiling widely at him, "It worked." Wrapping her arms tighter around him, she released a tired sigh.
"Tired?"
"Mmm." she replied sleepily against his back.
Grabbing onto her arms, he held her tightly against him, smiling. "We're almost there. Then I will get you back into bed."
"Only if you stay."
"As The Mother Confessor wishes." He smiled, looking back as she closed her eyes and leaned into him.
Pushing the horse harder, he made sure to keep hold on her, keeping her safely behind him.
"You finally give her a moment to sleep." Cara said looking back to them.
Bringing his horse beside her, he smiled, "We haven't had much sleep."
"We know. The rumble of her magic flows through the Confessor's Palace hourly." she smirked, "It was made clear you were not sleeping. It would appear you have worn her out."
Looking back to Kahlan for a moment, he held in a laugh at the smile on her face. "I am sure you have found a few sleepless nights yourself, Cara." she said without opening her eyes.
"I have not found a man who was able to continue without end, but if you would like to share..." she mocked.
Smiling, Kahlan with held a laugh. "I am sure you will find someone of your own." Looking over to the Mord-Sith, her smile widened.
"We're here."
Staring at their new palace, Kahlan smiled at the sight. "Home." she whispered softly as he pulled their horse to a stop.
"Home." he repeated, turning his head to face her.
END!