TITLE: Forever
AUTHOR: LOTSlove®
CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan
RATING: PG-16 / T
TIMELINE: Anything up through S2 season finale (Tears)
STORY TYPE: Angst / Romance / Adventure
SPOILERS: Anything from Seasons 1 & 2
DISCLAIMER: I love them and love to write about them even though I don't own them or make a dime.
SUMMARY: Sequel to my fic Meant to Be, Kahlan and Richard are preparing for their wedding, but will things go as planned?
Forever (Chapter 1)
Leaves rustled gently in the wind that twisted and turned its way through the branches of the ancient trees that lined and sheltered the expansive private gardens of the Confessor's Palace in Aydindril. The sun deceptively peeked out from behind the gathering clouds, but was swiftly concealed from sight almost as quickly as it had appeared. The slight morning chill in the breeze signaled that fall would be creeping upon them soon.
Walking through the garden lost in thought, Kahlan let her hand drift out, gently running her fingers over the large delicate flowers that stood waist-high along the stony path, enjoying the soft velvety feel of the petals beneath her fingertips. Their heads were slightly bowed as if in reverence for the one who passed by them.
Kahlan closed her eyes, inhaling deeply the fragrant scents the graceful buds offered their honored guest. The garden had always been her favorite place in all of the Palace and its surrounding grounds. Whether happy or sad, scared or hurt, she always found solace and comfort among the flowers and trees of the Confessor's Private Garden. The outdoors was a common love that she and Richard shared, though Richard's love ran much deeper than hers.
Strolling along the path, Kahlan let her mind drift back to yesterday when she and Richard had made love all afternoon and long into the night in between talking for hours and finally falling asleep in each other's arms. Richard had stayed true to his promise, locking them inside her suite and answering the door only to allow food to be delivered. He had left very strict instructions with Aggie that they were not to be disturbed unless the palace was actually burning down to its foundation. Aggie had replied with a blushing giggle, giving him a knowing wink as she left a tray filled with food on the small dining table in their suite.
It had been the most magical experience of her life. The intimacy and love that she and Richard had shared, the passion given and received had only intensified their bond even more than Kahlan thought possible. They had truly become one. One heart, one soul…and finally one body.
It had been pure rapture making love with Richard. Warmth stirred in the pit of her stomach at the memory of his touch, so gentle and yet so intense, his lips against her that set her very skin on fire, the feeling of him filling her. She felt flutters of desire as she replayed each tender stroke of her flesh, every passionate moan of pleasure, the sound of her name breathlessly escaping his lips.
She, Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor and guardian of the Midlands, was going to marry the man she loved. To marry a man she loved and valued above everything was something she never believed possible. Tears of happiness collected in her eyes at the thought. She loved this man so much it overwhelmed her, made it difficult to breathe at times. She already knew she would do anything for him, anything to keep him safe or bring him as much happiness as he had brought her.
Raindrops began to leisurely sprinkle down upon her as she strolled through her expansive private garden. It did little to dampen her spirits or ruin her walk. She loved the rain. She had watched the rainstorms when she had been a phantom, a prisoner in the Wizard's Keep wishing that she could be real again, wanting to feel the rain dampening her face and skin, longing more than anything to feel Richard's touch.
Now, she could. Richard had rescued her from that bleak existence, if one could have called it existing. She had been frozen in time because of Brey's magic. Her heart constricted at the thought of Brey. Richard had held her last night in his arms, telling her everything that had happened and why Brey had died when she confessed him.
Kahlan could still hardly believe that her touch had done that to the Bender. Guilt began to sneak over her at the thought of taking his life. She knew that the Brey that had died yesterday morning in the Crypt of Secrets had not been the same person that she knew from childhood, but it did nothing to lessen her grief or erase the painful memories of what he had done to her in the Keep. It hurt her to see how much his magic had deteriorated his mind, had led him into the dark depths of madness that had become his life. It still did not excuse his attack on her, though. He had gone from a friend she had trusted completely to a deranged monster who had almost destroyed her life.
Rubbing her arms, she shuddered as she remembered his hands roughly touching her, grabbing her, breaking her bones and bruising her body with his fists. She swore she could still feel his violent hold on her, his mouth on hers. She quickly wrapped her arms tightly around her in a futile attempt to keep her body from trembling. She had been certain that Brey was either going to force himself on her despite her magic or that he was going to kill Richard.
Calming her racing heart, she also remembered how Richard had held her close last night as she told him some of the things Brey had done to her. She had decided to leave some parts out, not wanting him to know just how close she'd come to being raped. Richard had been so comforting and understanding. It was then that she had finally decided to reveal the sickening details of what her father had done to her, had forced her and Dennee to do, the horrifying consequences of disobeying him. She shuddered even now at the memories.
She had been nervous at first to tell him about her childhood, afraid of how Richard would react and what he would think of her. Would he still love her after what she had to tell him? He had known for some time the untold scars that she carried because of her father. Scars that were unseen by the eye, but were instead buried deep within her heart, but he didn't know any of the details or the actual deeds that she had been forced to carry out.
Instead of turning away from her, he had enveloped her in the protective shelter of his infinite love and compassion. As she shared her wounded heart with him, Kahlan had felt as though a burdensome weight had been unexpectedly lifted, freeing her from ever having to carry those painful memories by herself ever again. Richard had reached right into her heart and began mending the hurts that she had carried all these years.
Kahlan had been stirred by Richard's love as he listened to her, the tears that had silently streamed down his face as she retold every sordid and nauseating detail of her childhood spent with her father, the rage that burned in his eyes for what her father had forced her to do. It had frightened her to see the extent of that rage, not because she thought he was angry at her, but because she was afraid of what Richard might do if her father ever returned.
She had told Richard about her past, not to gain pity or sympathy, but because she needed him to know. She had accused him that night in the woods when he had confronted her with his concerns about Brey that Richard didn't know the extent of what she had endured while in the so-called care of her father, but that Brey had known. She had regretted saying that as she remembered the pain that had flashed across Richard's face as if she had slapped him. Richard didn't know because she had been too afraid to tell him, too afraid of his reaction. She knew that he deserved to know the details of her past.
She knew how deeply it had hurt him to hear it, but he had to know the extent of her sins. And that's exactly what they had been – sins, black as night. Even though it had been against her will, she had still committed the unspeakable deeds and she would have to carry that with her for the rest of her life, but now she no longer had to carry it all alone.
Brushing her fingers across her lips, she could still feel the lingering intensity of his kisses as he made love to her after she had told him everything. That time it had not been the heated passion of earlier, but tender and gentle, so loving it had caused her to weep.
But their time together had not been all about her. She had seen the tormented anguish that still swam in his dark brown eyes as he recounted the belief by everyone that she was gone, having to endure the dreadful bell tolling mournfully all afternoon, the endless procession of people in black lined up to pay their respects to the fallen Mother Confessor, the continuous talk about planning her memorial service. It hurt her to know how Richard had suffered all because of her. As hard as it was for her to endure, she realized that it had been so much worse for him.
She had held him to her breast as he wept, releasing all the pain that he'd walled up inside during her ordeal. He had clung so desperately to her, allowing her to see his hurts, his vulnerability, his pure need for her. And it had only made her fall even more in love with him, more than she ever thought possible. It had also hardened her resolve to keep him from experiencing any more pain because of her.
It had been a night of discovery, a night of sharing and healing. She was in awe of the infinite power of their love for one another. And just when she thought that she couldn't be any happier than she already was, she had a wedding to plan.
Kahlan was suddenly torn from her thoughts, when she felt arms sneak around her waist, embracing her from behind. She immediately jerked free, panic rising furiously and crashing like tidal waves over her, her heart pounding in her chest with an inexplicable fear. Before she could even pull her daggers and turn on him, she was quickly pulled back into his embrace, his voice instantly soothing her soul.
"Hey, it's just me. Are you alright?" he worriedly asked, startled by her response to his touch. "I didn't mean to scare to you."
Kahlan drew a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart, his arms wrapping around her waist once more and pulling her back against his chest. "You just startled me," she replied, swallowing down the panic she tried to keep from showing in her voice.
His chin settled on her shoulder as his nose began to nuzzle the silky strands of her hair, attempting to find that sensitive spot behind her ear that his lips so anxiously wanted to tease. Melting into his hold on her, Kahlan released a soft sigh of contentment. Here in the garden with Richard, the worries and cares of the world all seemed so distant. She wished with all her heart they could just hide here forever in their private paradise, but she knew that wasn't possible. They both had responsibilities that demanded their attention sooner then they liked.
"So, what is my future wife thinking so deeply about out here in the drizzling rain all by herself?" he murmured as his hand seductively drew her hair over her other shoulder before brushing her ear with a tender kiss. "I'm usually not able to sneak up on you like that."
Covering his arms with her hands to keep them in place around her waist, Kahlan felt shivers race down her spine, sending sparks of desire surging throughout her body, the feel of his breath so warm and exciting against her flesh. His touch was swiftly erasing the nightmares that lingered in the back of her mind. He was the only one who could ever soothe her heart.
"Just thinking about you, about how happy you make me…about making love with you last night…over and over…" Kahlan shyly replied as she turned around in his arms in order to face her lover, a smile gracing her lips.
"It was pretty amazing, wasn't it?" Richard grinned, unable to hide his joy at being able to share his lover's bed last night, of the pleasure they had repeatedly brought each other. He felt as though his feet had yet to touch the ground he walked on.
"Better than magical," Kahlan whispered as she leaned in, pressing her lips against his, the need to taste every part of him seizing control of her body once more despite how exhausted she still was from yesterday's activities not to mention her ordeal with Brey.
Richard relished the feel of her lips caressing his, her tongue begging for entrance. Unable to deny her anything, he eagerly welcomed her. He parted his lips, willing to give her whatever she desired and then some. He readily decided that he had never known true happiness until Kahlan. He vowed that he would do everything in his power to keep anything from interfering with their happiness again.
"I loved finding and kissing every one of your perfect freckles last night," he huskily told her as he pulled back for much needed air.
"I think you discovered freckles I didn't even know I had," she lightly laughed, blushing brightly.
Richard chuckled softly, completely captivated by her beauty and the glow that permeated her entire countenance. The rosy blush that had risen to her cheeks only added to her allure. He remembered exploring every bit of her from stunning head to her beautiful toes. He was more than anxious to do it again.
"I discovered something on you that I particularly love too," she suggestively murmured, her face filled with amusement as well as desire.
Richard moaned deep in his throat, remembering how she had explored every inch of him as well. It had been the most erotic experience of his life. She had been like a ghostly visitor in the darkness of the room. The feel of her lips whispering over his body, her tongue sneaking out to taste him, her long dark strands brushing him and tickling his skin, his fingers tightly gripping the sheets as he allowed her the same pleasure of discovering him as he had with her. It had taken every ounce of strength he possessed to keep from flipping her over and ravishing her right then and there, but having never been with a man before, he wanted her to have the opportunity to be in control.
He had lasted much longer than he thought he would before she finally began moving over him, allowing him to release the mounting desire that was wreaking havoc on his body. She had taken him to the heights of ecstasy again to a fierce release that seemed to last forever for both of them before she had weakly collapsed on top of him.
Standing before him now, Kahlan watched Richard's eyes clouding over with building desire, reliving last night in his mind. Leaning in, she softly kissed his chin, licking and nipping her way along his jaw to his ear, drinking in his skin that was now damp from the drizzling rain. Her breath warmed and teased his ear, sending chills though out his aroused body.
Her name was a throaty moan on his lips as his eyes slid closed. He knew that he would never love another, that he would willingly die a thousand deaths just to be in her presence. He drew her closer to him, his breathing becoming more and more ragged by the moment.
"I want you to take me…hear…now…" she breathed in his ear. Kahlan surprised herself by her sudden boldness, but standing here in the drizzling rain with the man she loved more than life itself she couldn't wait any longer to feel him again.
Unable to make his voice work, the only response he could even muster was a low primal growl. Before she knew it, Kahlan found her back pressed up against a nearby tree. His lips met hers in a searing open-mouthed kiss that spoke of his insatiable hunger for her.
He kissed her with a fervor that she'd only just experienced last night; she was desperate to feel it all over again. The thought that someone could come upon them at any moment only intensified his desire and made his pulse race faster.
Trailing frantic kisses down her neck, his hands slid down her arms, entwining their fingers. He swiftly drew her arms up over her head, his hands gripping hers tightly as he pinned her body against the tree. She began to tremble with need, with anticipation of what was about to happen between them.
She stole his breath away as he gazed into her eyes that were now azure blue with her passion for him and him alone. His mouth crashed into hers again, no longer concerned about being seen, but only consumed with her and the love that encompassed them.
"Richard…I need you…now…" she panted breathlessly, her face flush with want for this man. Need to feel the security and warmth of his love once more, need to forget the brutality she had endured at the hands of Brey.
His hips bucked into hers, desperate to be inside of her, to feel her warmth surrounding him. His blood coursed hotly in his veins, his arousal begging for release. "I love you…now and forever…" he whispered into her hair.
Releasing his grip on her hands, Richard unlaced his breeches before wrapping her long legs around his waist. Pressing into him, Kahlan moaned at the feeling of being connected with her lover again. "I love you too…forever…" she murmured, quickly losing herself to the sensation of being with her future husband again.
There in the shelter of the trees with the rain beginning to pound the earth, they made fierce love, their cries of ecstasy drowned out by the thunder rumbling loudly overhead as they succumbed to the torrential release of their passion. Collapsing against him, Kahlan buried her face in the crook of his neck, nuzzling her nose against his moist flesh, inhaling his musky scent before trailing soft kisses along his throat.
Richard held her close in his arms as they recovered from their intense release. Tenderly brushing her damp hair away, Richard feathered sweet kisses along her jaw as they listened to the steady beating of the falling rain.
