A/N: Alright, so here's another quick one-shot for LotS. I was yet again completely shocked-although I don't know why- that they didn't show ANY kind of flirtatious interaction between Cara and Richard during the episode "Princess." I mean they couldn't even show us Richard's reaction when he first saw Cara in the dress?! So I started out having this just as Richard's reaction but it sort of took a different turn. Nothing too bad. It's only rated M b/c I'm being paranoid. I don't know what possessed me to change moods so quickly; probably just the change of my own moods I guess.
Oh, & also- I DO realize that Cara probably DOES know how to tie up a corset & that there is a very strong possibility that Richard DOESN'T. But here that doesn't matter; b/c I'm simply writing this for my own pleasure.
Disclaimer: I don't own "Legend of the Seeker" or its characters.
She couldn't believe she had to do this; walking around like some prim and proper princess, acting inferior to men. And then there was the whole rhyming the ends of sentences situation that she had no idea how, or even if, she was going to be able to pull off. She hadn't even worn a dress since she was a little girl- but she hadn't been old enough to wear a corset and she had been taken by the Mord'Sith before her mother had ever had the chance to teach her. Clearly the Mord'Sith didn't have any use for a corset while adorned in leather. She was looking at the pink corset in front of her, eyeing it wearily; as if it would jump up and attack her if she wasn't cautious.
Just then Richard came out, sporting his 'borrowed' gold and emerald green ensemble, his hair already colored blond. "Well don't you look dashing," Cara said sarcastically as she watched him approach her; finding it rather an odd site to be seen- Richard in a rich man's clothing, lacking the usual accompany of his sword.
"Cara, you've still haven't gotten dressed yet? What's wrong?" Richard asked, figuring she was just putting off wearing a dress for as long as possible.
"Where's Zedd?" She avoided his question; not wanting to admit to him there was something she couldn't do. She wasn't supposed to need help; she was supposed to be able to take care of herself and Richard, no questions asked. And besides, if she was going to have to admit to a fault to him she most certainly wasn't going to do it in front of Zedd; she'd never hear the end of it.
Richard noticed how she narrowly dodged answering his question, "He's probably got his dress on by now but he still has to put on his face." He was all the more curious to see why she wasn't dressed, considering Cara never evaded anything; she was always upfront with him, well, except when she was turned into a baneling, but that was a different situation. "So, why aren't you dressed yet Cara?"
Cara knew there was no way she could get around it now. So, breathing out a sigh, she stated, "I…it's just that…I don't know how to put on corset, alright? There, now you know; the one thing I don't know how to do, putting on these stupid girly clothes," Cara felt her cheeks flame; it was probably the most humiliating moment in her life; not only did she have to admit a weakness to the man she lived to serve, but she had been at a loss for words, it was like her ability to speak had vanished. She tilted her head to the side so her hair would cover her blush from his sight.
Richard tried not to smile from how embarrassed she sounded, but he was having a very difficult time. Cara admitting there was something she didn't know was a very rare opportunity; one he wouldn't soon forget. When he saw the blush slowly appear on her face he let out a silent chuckle. He decided he'd help her out; she had had enough suffering and probably just wearing a dress was painful for her. "Here," he walked over to her and picked up the piece of clothing that seemed to be intimidating Cara, "let me help you." Cara turned to him, regarding him skeptically. He knew she would probably be throwing her pride away if she allowed him to help her, but if she refused he wouldn't give her a choice.
"You know how to tie one," she asked incredulously, wondering where he picked up that skill.
"I learned when I was younger," he acknowledged, not really wanting to divulge the story behind it.
Cara sensed that he didn't want to talk about it so she just gave him a knowing smirk. "Alright," she conceded, "if you're so sure you can put one on. Go ahead." She then took out both of her agiles and laid them on the ground.
Richard then realized what he had just gotten himself into. Cara pulled off her gloves and put them on top of her agiles. She slowly worked upwards to her shoulders and started pulling down her leather when Richard grabbed her hands, one still holding the corset, to still them. "Turn around," he ordered. Cara obliged as Richard bent down to pick up the skirt. She continued to pull her leather down to her waist once she knew Richard was certain her breasts were out of his view. "Hold on," Richard said, a little nervous she wouldn't comply. But his fears were wasted because her hands stopped and dropped to her sides. He put the corset down momentarily while he bunched up the skirt and put it over her head, pulling it down until it rested on her waist, atop her leather. "Okay," he permitted her to finish removing all of the leather. She tossed her clothing next to her discarded gloves and agiles and rose back up to stand straight. Richard adjusted her skirt to make sure it was even and his fingers unintentionally brushed against her warm skin, and he paused, shocked by the feeling of electricity running through where there skin touched. He wasn't sure if Cara felt it too but he could have sworn he heard her take a sharp intake of breath.
Cara was surprised by how her skin felt where Richard's hand had touched her. She was sure he'd felt it too considering his movements ceased when his hand lightly moved against her hip, fixing her skirt. When Richard composed himself, he bent down to pick up the corset. "Lift up your arms," he said while he brought it up to her back, and once she did as asked he moved his right hand which was holding the top, and brought his arm out in front of her, resting it against her stomach-loving the heat that was radiating off of her- while his left hand moved to grab the other side of the corset from her left so Cara was in between his arms. While still holding the corset he pulled his arms back equally so it be in the correct spot, "Hold this in place," he said, little more huskily than he intended.
Cara couldn't hold back the smile that made its way onto her face. She decided it was the perfect opportunity to tease him a bit and she just couldn't resist, "As you wish Lord Rahl," she said just as seductive as Richard, but unlike Richard, she had meant it to sound that way. She did as he asked and held it in place. Richard brought the two ends of the corset together and held them there while he pulled the strings as tight as they could go, tying them, and repeating until he was sure that the corset fitted her perfectly. And every time he pulled on the strings Cara was pulled closer and closer to him, until there was less than a foot of space left in between them. "Done," he said, but even as he spoke the words he let his hands rest on her hips, feeling how small she was beneath his hands.
Cara turned around to see if it would hold, and it did- perfectly. "I'm impressed," she looked down at herself to see how she looked and noticed how her cleavage looked. She looked up to Richard and noticed he was thinking the same thing. "You do nice work," seeing if that would get his attention.
"Thanks. It was no problem," he looked into her eyes, realizing he had forgotten himself momentarily. He was just stunned. She looked exquisite; like an angel that had walked down from Heaven. But he knew better; Heaven would be the last place this beauty came from. He couldn't get over how amazing she looked in a dress; it was one of the most abnormal sites he'd ever seen, but also one of the most beautiful. He wanted to pull her to him, kiss her until her mouth was swollen. Bring her either down on the ground beneath him of up against a tree. He wanted to hear her scream his name, bringing each of them to their highest point of ecstasy, gasping for breath.
Cara recognized the look in his eyes and it was one of the most inviting things she'd ever seen. She just wanted to push him onto the ground and straddle his hips and ride him until they both came again and again, moaning and panting. Sweat dripping off of them, skin on skin, feeling the electricity they felt earlier coursing through their bodies; making them become one.
They both found themselves unconsciously leaning in towards one another. Neither knew what came over them; they just knew they wanted each other; so badly they could hardly believe what they were feeling was real.
Their lips were but mere inches apart. Until, "Are you both ready yet?!" Zedd called to them; making his way through the bushes over to where Cara and Richard currently were. They stepped back from one another. Richard cleared his throat while Cara bent down to pick up her small jacket. Zedd appeared from behind some shrubbery and trees. "Well you two look nice. Of course, not as nice as me, clearly." Zedd lifted up his dress a bit and spinned around, showing off how his dress, according to him, brought out the color of his eyes.
"Alright. Since we're all ready, lets head out," and they were off to rescue Kahlan.