I love Richard and Kahlan, and I love the world of the Seeker. I hope this turns into a good story, and that you guys enjoy reading it.
x
Chapter one:
"No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never give up," Richard gasped out.
Denna rolled her eyes at his defiance, unfazed by it. She paced back and forth for a moment whilst Richard's eyes followed her. She was toying with him and he knew it. Suddenly she turned to look at him, and slowly sauntered to his chained body, trailing her finger along his jawline. Richard refusedto squirm at her touch, choosing to simply stare past her, fixedly picking a mark on the wall in front of him.
"Then lets twist it shall we?" Denna smiled cruelly.
Richard's defiance faltered slightly, as he tried to anticipate Denna's next move. He had no doubt that her twisted mind could conjure up another way to approach the situation. That was what made her dangerous – she knew how to get inside people's heads, how to change her tactics to get what she wanted.
Richard narrowed his eyes at his tormentor, daring her to come up with something that would break him.
"If you don't care about death, I'm certain you care a great deal more about life" she smiled.
Richard's mind raced ahead to try and work out what she was going to threaten him with. His heart raced in fear, though he never let it show on his face.
"My quest is more important than one person," he recited vehemently at her, praying to the spirits that she wasn't going to threaten Kahlan's life, or Zedd's for that matter.
"Who said anything about one person?" she leaned into him, emphasising the word one.
She continued to speak as she slowly circled him, the way an animal plays with its prey. "You say you won't give up no matter how many deaths you die. How about how many lives you take?"
Richard's eyes widened.
She laughed in delight at his fear and confusion, sensing it as she was so accustomed to, even though he barely let it show.
"What are you talking about?" he spit back at her, straining against his chains as if to demonstrate his wilfulness against her.
At his movement Denna pushed the agiel into his neck.
Richard grunted in pain, determined to hold back a scream.
"Aww, my pet refuses to scream for me," she pouted as she removed the agiel.
Richard panted heavily as he sagged against his restraints.
"You'll have to learn to be more obedient," she said sharply, and brought the agiel to him again.
This time Richard was ready for it, and snapping his head up, he grabbed the end of the agiel in his hand, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Surprised momentarily, Denna arched her eyebrow and yanked the agiel away.
"You impress me Richard, but you have to learn that you bend to my will," she told him.
She brought the agiel to his side, and he screamed in agony, feeling the bone splinter.
Denna smiled at the sound, "good boy!" she laughed as he continued to scream.
"Now, shall I explain what I meant?" she asked as she stepped away.
Richard hung limply, but he managed a nod.
"If you do not give me what I want, I will make you watch whilst good people die!"
"I won't let you hurt anyone," Richard snarled.
"Oh Richard, I won't touch a soul. I will make you kill innocent people. As many as I desire. So you see Richard, I will not hurt anyone, you will. That is the perfect way to break you."
"Don't you remember what happened the last time you tried to make me hurt someone?" Richard smiled.
"That was your undoing Denna. I could never harm Kahlan. It was that which saved me!"
"Unfortunately the strength of your love for the Mother Confessor was stronger than I could have imagined. But I have learnt, and I will not set you against her again."
Richard looked at her incredulously. "What makes you think I will kill people at your bidding? You had your chance to break me and Kahlan saved me. That memory and the training I endured under you will ensure that you can never break me!" he said, knowing he spoke the truth. He knew now that his love for Kahlan would save him from Denna's torture, and that he was stronger now, having been through so much in the last year.
"I said I have learnt Richard! I cannot set you against the Mother Confessor but I can threaten her life myself. I admit it would be all the sweeter if you were the one to kill her, but I will have to live with the lesser thrill of having her blood run through my hands." The glint in her eye at the talk of killing Kahlan enraged Richard. He pulled angrily against the chains binding his arms, as he roared at her, "If you touch Kahlan, I will kill you!" He could feel the white hot anger of the sword flaring up at him, able to draw on its power even though it lay a few feet away. He wondered if this was what it was like when Kahlan felt the power of the Con Dar rising in her when his own life was threatened.
Denna smirked at him, but Richard noted the hint of fear in her eyes. Her pride would not let her walk away, and this was her mistake. Richard viciously kicked out, and sent her sprawling to the floor.
He felt the power of the sword rising up within him, eager to be released, and focusing on it he let it course through him. He pulled once more at the chains, snapping them off of the wall, letting out a savage cry.
"You will NOT threaten Kahlan," he roared at her, advancing menacingly, as Denna backed away slowly, still on the floor.
Richard eyed his sword lying on the other side of the room, and grabbing Denna by the neck, he reached behind her and drew it.
"It's too late," she snarled at him, her eyes full of contempt, but Richard was pleased that the fear was still there.
"What do you mean?" he asked, drawing the power of the sword even more into himself where it mingled with his own fury as it seared through his veins. Even though his body was overtaken by the rage, his heart still raced fearfully for his love.