CHAPTER ONE (set during the last events of "Resurrection")
A long time ago

"Cara! Cara!"

Cara looked at Kahlan. "What?"

"Come on, we need to help Richard."

Cara did not move, still looking at the unconscious form of Denna. "Richard?"

Kahlan shook Cara's arm, earning herself a glare from the sullen Mord'Sith. "Cara! Richard! I stabbed him, remember? You have to give him the breath of life, as soon as we get his soul back into his body."

"Right."

Some guards arrived to take Denna's body elsewhere. Cara pushed them off her. "Leave her there. I'll come back later."

She went with Kahlan to save Richard's life and then she did her part in the whole "Hooray we saved the Seeker" thing before going back to Denna. She was slightly stirring now and Cara couldn't wait for her to wake up. She shook Denna's shoulder roughly. Denna woke and glared at Cara.

"Do make it quick, I have no time for a slow death."

Cara cocked her head to one side. "Whatever gave you the thought that I'd kill you, Denna?"

Denna looked confused but a look of knowing soon dawned on her face. Her eyes grew wide but she kept a mask of illusion on her face, so Cara could not read her emotions. Too bad Cara read them anyway. She laughed.

"What's wrong Denna? Since when were you afraid of a little…pleasure?"

She bent low to where Denna was slumped against the wall. She then drew her tongue from Denna's neck to her lips delighting when Denna shivered. When she pulled away, however, Denna was chuckling to herself. This resulted in a smack across the face from Cara.

"What's funny Denna? Care to share?"

Denna wiped blood from her lip. "Well, you see Cara; I thought you already had a Mate?"

Cara stiffened. "Your point?"

"Well, I don't think poor little Dahlia would have liked seeing her Mate with her Mistress."

Cara lashed out again, this time bloodying Denna's nose. "You were not Dahlia's Mistress."

Denna laughed. "I broke her, didn't I? Or didn't she tell you? I was her first."

Cara raised her hand and Denna prepared herself for another blow but instead hands started pulling, undoing, clawing at her leathers. Soon Denna was half naked and at the mercy of Cara's tongue.

In the caves nearby, Richard and Kahlan heard a great amount of screaming and moaning coming from nearby. They rushed towards the scene with Zedd only to find Denna propped up on a table with her legs open and Cara between them. The two Mord'Sith ignored them completely and Denna was raking her hands down Cara's now bare back making deep scratches in them. Kahlan lunged forward but Richard pulled her back and she realised that Cara's grunts were not in pain but in pleasure. She liked it. The trio left quickly and quietly.

Kahlan spoke first. "What in the Underworld has Denna done to Cara?!"

"The question is, will Denna be alright?" Richard was speaking more to Zedd than he was to Kahlan.

"Have you lost your mind?!"

"Kahlan, you don't know?" Zedd looked confused.

"Know what?!"

"When Mord'Sith battle for dominance the winner has certain…privileges… over the other, and one of these privileges is sexual dominance over the loser. What Cara is doing is completely natural to Mord'Sith. However, I am hoping that Denna will be left in one piece. Now that Cara can order her around, she will prove to be a useful ally."

"You cannot be serious, Zedd! She is faithless! She is loyal to no-one and she cannot be trusted."

"She can if Cara is her Mistress now." Richard added.

"Or if she and Cara decide to be Mate to one another." Zedd said thoughtfully.

"Mate? What does that mean to them?" Richard asked.

"To a Mord'Sith, a Mate is something that they will protect at all costs, even the Lord Rahl's life. It is the only thing in the world that the Mord'Sith loves and sadly very few Mates exist."

"How do you know if a Mord'Sith is Mated to another?" Richard was curious now.

"Well usually they will always be together but sometimes they will wear a bracelet that symbols that they belong to each other. It is usually silver and very visible so that other Mord'Sith do not touch them. Still, it's not stopped some of them."

"What happens if a Mate is taken by someone else?"

"Usually both Mates die because they have broken the oath of love they swore to each other."

"Even if it wasn't with consent?"

Zedd nodded. "Sadly, yes. The last thing both Mates see is each other in the great pain they are in."

Kahlan looked worried. "I'm sure Cara has mentioned a Dahlia every now and then. Could she be her Mate?"

Zedd frowned. "I'm not sure. If she was another Mord'Sith then it would be entirely possible but only Cara has that information."

"What happens if one of the Mates dies in battle?"

Zedd frowned again. "The other Mate will feel a feeling like no other and immediately go to their Mate so they shall not die alone. Then they spend a year wearing black leathers in mourning for their lost Mate."

Kahlan sighed. "As horrible as that sounds, it is incredibly romantic." She looked at Richard who smiled at her.

Zedd smiled too. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Richard laughed. "Look at you two! Cara would be glaring at you so hard right now if she was here!"

Kahlan laughed too. "Why? Do you find it ridiculous that Mord'Sith can fall in love?"

Richard thought. "No but I bet it's not real love."

Zedd looked at him. "You bet your life it is. Some Mates even get married and from then on they both wear their white leathers."

Kahlan squealed. "Now that really is romantic! Do you reckon Cara was ever married?"

"I was. A long time ago." Cara stood quite near to them. "But Dahlia died."

Kahlan gasped and Richard put his hand on Cara's shoulder. "How?"

Cara glared at Kahlan. "She was Confessed."

Zedd looked sad. "Where?"

Cara's voice broke. "In Valeria. When we attacked the last Confessors. She was Confessed while I was…dealing with…Denee and her family. I couldn't risk letting Denee escape so I ignored the feeling and let her die alone. I've hated myself for it ever since."

Kahlan rested a hand on Cara's arm. "It seems we both lost during that battle. I have forgiven you for killing my sister. Forgive me, on behalf of the Confessor that killed your Mate."

Cara's voice came out in barely a whisper. "I forgive you. I just cannot forgive myself."

The sound of footsteps made everyone look to the stairs to find Denna standing awkwardly some distance away from the group. She looked at Cara.

"What shall I do for you now, Mistress?"

Cara looked at her venomously but the look softened as Denna looked to the floor at the nasty gaze, submissive. Cara took two strides to get to her and ran her hand from her shoulder to her wrist and she then looked deeply into Denna's blue eyes.

"Not Mistress. Mate. You're my Mate."

Denna looked surprised, her face full of questions. She recovered herself and almost became the evil, bitchy Denna again that they were all so used to.

"You have got to be joking?"

Cara's green eyed stare did not waver. "Have I reason to?"

Denna looked uncomfortable. "I am not sure what I think of this. I have only ever had one Mate and she left me for another."

Richard looked puzzled. "Is that even possible?"
Denna nodded looking pained. "If one or both Mates decide that they no longer wish to be bonded with the other then they can use some amounts of a powerful elixir to separate the bond and erasing any love the two Mates share."

Cara frowned before leaning up to Denna and placing a tender kiss on her lips. "I am broken at the moment Denna. So are you. We should heal each other. We should become Mates."

Denna looked into Cara's green stare. "And what will your beloved Seeker and Mother
Confessor say to that?"

Cara looked to Richard and Kahlan. She gave them both a glare. "Nothing I should hope."

Kahlan laughed. "Your life is yours, Cara. Why ever would we stand in your way when you make important choices? I fully support your decision to take Denna as your Mate."

Richard smiled at Kahlan. "I agree. You both have my blessing. Can we trust you Denna?"

Denna was still looking at Cara, mesmerised as she replied. "I will serve the Seeker with my Mate."

Zedd walked over and embraced both of the now very surprised and a little annoyed Mord'Sith. He looked very happy.

"Not only will Cara be happy now" he said "but we now have two excellent Mord'Sith each with very unique abilities."

Cara rolled her eyes and put a protective arm around Denna's waist, relishing as Denna slightly leaned into her. Whispering so only Denna could hear, Cara spoke softly in her ear.

"Too bad you don't have a blanket to sleep under. You'll have to share with me."

Denna smiled wickedly before whispering back. "Not complaining."