Dennee walked slowly with Kahlan behind the rest of the group. Richard and Cara charged ahead like they always did; Cara was even less at ease then normal and therefore pushing Richard to move faster in a way that only she did. Right behind them was the soldier Kahlan had Confessed, who followed them with his arrow drawn. Zedd was between the sisters and the rest of the group, going at his own odd pace with long strides.

But the two sisters moved along at their own pace. Even Zedd gave them some room for the last moments before they had to leave again, once more leaving Dennee behind.

"This is wrong," Dennee said. Kahlan looked at her. "This woman…her child, it shouldn't have to be like this,"

"But it is," Kahlan put her arm around her sister's shoulders. The gesture wasn't as comforting as it had been in earlier times, and Kahlan knew it. But still, she did it, as an offering of even the smallest protection was better then none. And Kahlan liked that she could still protect her sister, especially in moments like these.

"It all seems so much bigger now then it was before. At least then, we knew that Darken Rahl was mortal, but the Keeper…" She paused, and her eyes dropped down to the ground. " That woman doesn't even know the sacrifice she made. Now to think of her in the underworld, alone,"

The wooded path they were on was coming to a clearing and beyond was a village. They moved along, slowly, still keeping an eye out for any random D'Haran soldiers who'd want to challenge them.

"It's just a little past the village, we should be there in a bit," called Richard from up ahead.

Kahlan felt her sister tense up. She reached down with her other hand and gave a light squeeze. "It's going to be okay,"

They walked along in silence for a bit. The village up ahead was moving closer. No wall surrounded it, just a central cluster of homes and buildings partly surrounded by woods and grassland. It seemed a peaceful, isolated place, though as they got closer Kahlan could see that there were a few more women working out in the fields then was normal.

"Will they even accept me?" Dennee asked the question out loud, but it didn't seem like she expected an answer.

"As Lucinda or as a Confessor?"

Dennee glanced at her sister, then shook her head, but gave no answer. Her new gray eyes were clouded in thought.

Kahlan knew that the best way for her sister to remain safe was to not reveal to anyone that she was a Confessor. She knew it, and she knew that Dennee knew it, despite the awful feelings she had now. Dennee was an honest creature, beyond that of a Confessor's truth. A lie to her, in any form, was difficult to allow.

"I know that you want to help people. But right now, the best thing to do is to be safe, at least for the moment. Because we may need all the friends we have later on. And I need more then a friend, I need my sister,"

Dennee let out a small smile. "You have me, again,"

"I know."

Kahlan walked along, feeling a odd renewal of strength flow within her. Having her sister by her side again, if only for a little while had a calming effect on her after these past few days. The weight on her shoulders wasn't gone, but temporarily displaced.

She let her eyes drift toward Richard and watched as he walked with one hand on the sword, one hand hidden in his clothes. They did have to kill his body, after all, which left his midsection bruised and tender with two small marks that she hoped would clear up without leaving scars. He was moving along at a brisk pace, however, and he didn't seem to be in pain.

"You don't only have me, I see,"

Kahlan turned back to Dennee, her head cocked slightly to one side. "What?"

Dennee moved closer to Kahlan and almost in a whisper said, "I saw you two when he came back. He kissed you,"

The memory was still very much alive in her mind, but Kahlan hadn't had the chance to go over it. As soon as they were out of the brothel, she concentrated on Dennee and put aside the kiss.

"And even more so, you were able to kiss him back. How?" Dennee asked. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Kahlan replied. She hoped that Dennee would just stopped with the questions.

"Kiss him without your powers flaring up? I would think with how you two feel towards each other that…"

Kahlan felt her cheeks get warm.

"…that it would be difficult." Her new grey eyes had a odd effect, making her thoughts more transparent then they were before. Large and still, they looked at Kahlan like a hawk. "I knew you two had feelings, but to be able to act on them--"

"I don't," Kahlan interrupted quickly, "We don't."

"Then, your powers…?"

"Haven't changed,"

"Oh." Dennee looked disappointed. "But you're still able to kiss--" Her words drifted off and a small pocket of guilt formed in Kahlan's stomach. She knew that Dennee's mate was probably the first one she was able to be with freely and release her hold on her powers. And in a careless move, Kahlan had opened up an old wound that every Confessor once had. The wound that they couldn't love and be loved in return.

"I love Richard, but my powers are still there," Kahlan explained. "That never changes. The few times we have done anything, it was only because of magic," Which was true, if not entirely.

"I…Richard, and I…" She took a quick breath, "It doesn't happen much at all really. And I've learned how to control myself a bit more, if only for a few moments. " Thankfully, the latest kiss only lasted a few seconds. "But even with that he sometimes… surprises me, and I can't…Richard knows I can't…for very long,"

The words came out wrong, but she hoped that Dennee would know what she was trying to get at. One glance at her sister told her that she didn't need to elaborate, and for that Kahlan was grateful.

Dennee's eyes did widen a little, and she muttered softly, "My dear Kahlan, you really are the Mother Confessor,"

She wasn't sure what she meant by that.

As she opened her mouth to ask, Richard appeared in front of them. Kahlan whipped her head up to attention; she didn't hear him come so close. "We found out where Lucinda lives," he looked down at them, "It's in small farm cottage across the next field. Are you ready?" he said to Dennee.

Dennee didn't do anything at first, then she took a small breath and gave a curt nod. Richard smiled and turned around to lead them to the farm. To where a mother was waiting for her daughter, to where a son was waiting for his mother. Neither of them would find that person in Dennee, only a stranger who looked so much like someone they knew.

Yet, Dennee picked up her head and held it high, ready to do what needed to be done. Regardless of what happened, Dennee was ready.

Kahlan again pushed aside the thoughts of the kiss and concentrated on Dennee. She thought about the words she would say to Lucinda's family, and how to explain to them what their daughter had done for humanity. She thought about Lucinda's son and her own nephew. And she hoped that they would understand.

Then it was out of her hands. For Dennee's sake, she hoped that they were good people. That they would accept her, and the D'Haran soldier she was going to leave with them.

The spirits were with her, after all.

Disclaimer: I do not own LOTS characters

Author's note: Second 1000 plus word challenge up tomorrow.