I own nothing of Legend of the Seeker
After a moment, I heard Zedds' soft words as Kahlan and Richard were locked in a passionate kiss. "We should camp here tonight. Cara and I will begin readying the campsite." When I looked at him he gave me a stern look, an expression I rarely received from him. But I understood what he meant.
But we shouldn't stay here through the night. There were far more important things to get done. Staying here would cause an unnecessary dilemma. Richard should very well know this. Yet, I reluctantly followed the Wizard further back into the scattered rubble of the pillars, though determined to voice my opinion at least to him.
"This is a waste of time," I finally said after we had passed earshot of the reunited lovers. "Staying here only risks chance of more danger finding us."
"Well, Cara, we all know how well we attract trouble," Zedd replied with a hint of amusement in his old voice. "But if we do become in danger none of us will be able to defend anyone if we are tired and hungry."
"You especially." My remark was more so a mutter.
It was more probable he had heard than hadn't, so he must have ignored it. "Hopefully I can find wood amongst this rubble. Then I'll start the fire. Why don't you chase down a Shadrin?" I simply rolled my eyes and walked off, leaving him to wander in search for some form of wood.
But the thought lingered in my mind; Staying here was hazardous, especially for our "Merry Band". Richard didn't need to risk any time here. Well, I suppose he deserved a little time with Kahlan. As much as I was eager to escort him to the Peoples Palace to acclaim him the throne as Lord Rahl. That didn't matter as much, though, being as he already stood as my Lord Rahl. I would just have to force my sisters to accept that as well.
Richard walked over, tightly holding Kahlans' hand. A few minutes ago I had managed to find some herds and roots. I firmly hated the food, but we would have to settle for stew. And the Wizard had wondrously come to find two pieces of dark wood a few minutes before that. All that had taken about fifteen minutes, so evening light was still beating down into my eyes with every other turn I made while pacing. The Wizard was putting together the stew and I was still pacing when the two approached.
"How did you manage to find wood?" Richard asked skeptically as he sat beside Kahlan on the stone ground.
"It was off the side of this clearing," Zedd answered. The stone had happened to leave a small area, but in return that area had blood spattered stains scattered over the otherwise clear stone. Not that I was to complain over blood. "I assume we aren't the only ones to arrive here over the years," Zedd finished.
"Then the herbs?" Richard asked again.
"There's the beginning of a scarce forest a few yards away," I replied in my usual passive voice. Really, what was the trouble with herbs, did he believe we conjured them out of magic?
"At least it smells good. As much as I would enjoy berries at the moment." Kahlan chose the moment to speak.
My pacing came to a slow stop. "I'm surprised you both aren't satisfied from eating the others' face," Came my snide comment as I sat as well.
"Mm, sorry Cara, but not even your attitude will allow me to become depressed at this point." I think that was the first time Kahlan had countered my behavior.
Rolling my eyes, I turned my gaze on the fire while changing the subject. "Wizard, you never said why you were confused after the last battle with Banelings."
He hesitated, before responding, "That should wait for another time. Why not another story?"
My eyes flashed up to look at him, my gaze criticizing. What could he be hiding? He looked fretful, and I bet I saw him cringe under my sudden gaze and he attempted to focus on the stew he was still attending to. Oh no doubt I would find out, one way or another, he would tell me. But I let it pass, for now. "Fine. How about…" I turned my head to look at Richard with a smirk on my lips, "The first few days Richard and I met?"
It took the Seeker a minute to realize why he saw a smirk on my face. He'd already told her about everything- No, he hadn't. Dear Spirits, now he had to tell her the other side to it.
His reaction was exactly as I had expected. His chocolate brown eyes widened considerably and his mouth opened to object.
"I'm sure Kahlan would love to hear it, every minute," I added before he could reply first. Then I allowed him to retaliate.
"I think she would simply Confess you."
I waved my hand passively just before hearing Kahlans' question. "Richard what happened? I won't be mad, I can't be at the moment. Although I am confused; I thought you told me everything."
Richard suddenly grew his own small smirk, turning to look first at Kahlan then back to me. "Well, not everything, Kahlan. Alright, we can share the story. Beginning to end." That made me think over the rest of what had happened, focusing on when I first regained clear sight. My jaw clenched as I thought of admitting to what had happened within the first few minutes of that alternate reality. But still, what happened later would probably be worth it, as long as I can keep the Mother Confessor away from me.
"Fine," I forced out between clenched teeth.
Looking rather satisfied with himself, Richard began the story, locking his visual focus on his intrigued 'lover'; "In the other… 'world' I suppose, Cara of course took the first chance to attack me. But other men of that time came. We had been sent fifty years forward. As I told you she was the one who helped me defeat Darken Rahl, so this was when I attempted to acquire the power of Orden."
Kahlan gave a small nod. "She hit you with her Agiel, but stopped and turned on her sister instead. Just before Zedd could hit her sister with Wizards' Fire."
"I had always thought you looked like someone I almost killed," Zedd joked.
"Just keep going." I rolled my eyes, though it felt a little good to know he acknowledged my attribute to defeating his wretched brother.
"The men attached us both and took the boxes," Richard continued. "Cara became temporarily sedated after the men ran off with the boxes. I took her Agiel and ran off." He simply smirked as he watched Kahlan and I scowled. I am a Mord'Sith, to be downed by a commoner was repulsive even in theory. But I acutally had been bested by those 'commoners'.
Although, it was getting to one of the several good parts. So I cut in, earning their attention yet my eyes remained on the fires' glow. "After I awoke I tracked him over a ravine and knocked him down with a rock. Merely a rock." Kahlans' quiet laughter echoed through the Pillars, Yet again Richard looked agitated and uncomfortable.
After allowing Kahlan a moment to quiet her amusement, I went on. "It took a minute, but I regained my Agiel. Plus I almost killed Richard before he convinced me I needed him to return to this time."
"Certainly haven't gotten less stubborn." I decided to ignore Richards' mumbling.
"We went to the Peoples Palace. Shota was there, saying she had been searching for the Rada'Han key. She told us you had become Queen of D'Hara-"
"Please don't repeat thatpart of the story again." Kahlan interrupted in a sickened tone. She fisted Richards' shirt, obviously he had already told her about her contribute to this.
I couldn't blame her in the slightest for her reaction. Darken Rahl had been a vile man, torturous, with no limits to his repulsive thoughts. Having defiled and tortured so many Mord'Sith-including me-as well as destroyed so many villages.
Now, having been tampered by my… family, I would far sooner die than allow him to lay one touch on me or the people around me-my… family-who have done so much for me. They have even given me a sliver of my own heart back, after having Darken Rahl rip it into his own grasp.
"I'm sorry," Richard explained in a gentle voice, hoping not to further distress the woman he loved more dearly than any other being. "Shota must have told you of the time change as she explained it to us. You did it for me." Looking over her still distressed features, he quickly added, "But you did it for me, to make it possible for me to fix things back to how they should be."
"But how did Shota come to have this knowledge?" I flickered my gaze briefly to the Wizard as he spoke, eyes still fixated on the fire and the stew, still hiding something…
"You said yourself, Zedd, Shota is a woman that tends to learn things. She found a way, I'm sure of it." Richard had grabbed Kahlans' wrist in attempt to ease her discomfort. Wow, it already had her trembling, can't wait until the part where she'll want to kill me.
"So," I intervened, partially annoyed with the delay. "She explained that the last Confessor had been male, who called himself the Master. And, being the "hero", Richard already had a plan. He told Shota to allow the Master to Confess her in order to get him to Confess Richard, part of his plan, as I assumed. Then we set off to find shelter, settling for a cave-" Again I was interrupted.
"You forgot that we had found the bones of your sisters' in another prison of the tower."
"I had not forgotten, Richard." My tone made it clear the subject would not be further discussed. This was finally the part that Kahlan would despise the most. Perhaps that was what he had been trying to do; Delay it until the Confessor was first over the fact that she had almost willingly become Darken Rahls' wife. Well she would just have to stomach it, as I had to under his Lordship.
"It was hard to sleep, as it was temperate yet windy and changing every second. I had found one of the fur blankets and undressed under it to remain warm." My smirk returned, eyes now on Richard as though with a silent teasing, daring him to make some move to keep the events from being spoken. He remained practically rigid beside Kahlan, still grasping her wrists.
"After another gust of wind came through the cave I chose to show a bit of kindness." My voice was sly now, fully enjoying the recommendation. Admitting I was temporarily defeated was now worth it as both my 'seductive' voice and words made Kahlan lean away from Richard, unsure of what I was implying. "I offered to share the warmth of the blanket, and like a good boy he complied." My eyes looked over Richards' form as soon as I noticed Kahlans' gaze upon me. After a pause I added, "Quite eagerly."
"Zedd," She began in another confused tone. "I'm not sure who I should be angry at." And I might have found that funny if I hadn't known she was a Confessor and I a Mord'Sith. Kahlan looked over Richard in bewilderment. Why did he not tell me this before? Why did he tell me about me and Rahl but now what he was doing?! She thought furiously.
After a second, we heard the reply. "I don't believe I should be interfering with… this predicament. I will only say to keep in mind; The Mord'Sith is easier to kill. At least for you."
"I keep judgment until I hear through to the next morning," Kahlan decided, pulling herself out of Richards' hold and setting her hands on her lap. "So please continue Cara."
This time I hesitated. But then I remembered I shouldn't care if this was dangerous, so… "I offered my services, as I found it pitiful to be lonely in the new world."
Kahlan suddenly grabbed Richards' arm in a tight hold, her eyes suddenly burning in fury. "And did you comply to that as well?" Her tone in itself was dangerous, making a slight tremble from Richard visible as he felt the ferocity of her gaze. It was hard for her to doubt Richard, but she had finally been able to love this man in every way. Suspicions were part of most relationships.
"Of course not Kahlan," Richard forced his voice to be level. Yet I could still hear the slight hurt from her even considering that he had been unfaithful. Even if they hadn't established a relationship then. "I only belong to you, mind, heart, and body."
"You told me something similar," I added. "Don't worry, Kahlan, you're Seeker turned down the chance."
"And now you should be grateful he did, or I would slay both of you." Richard found the capability to lightly laugh at her threat. Though I doubt Kahlan could bring herself to even remain cross with Richard, much less deal with having slain him.
And then she wasn't strong enough to end my life. After having traveled together across the Midlands and through the Old World and much further we had clarified an… understanding. Or as she seemed to enjoy thinking of it; "We were like sisters". As if I would succumb to that title, though I may as well allow her to claim such a thing. The Mother Confessor deserved to have her fun.
"Richard, it was quite hurtful to hear your rejection." My voice was full of the teasing I had acquired into it. "But I managed to last until morning, when our faithful Seeker told me of his plan. Then we set off to the place we had first found ourselves in. I was told to stay hidden, as to make the Master believe he would have full control over Richard once he had the power of Orden. When I went out to hit Richard with my Agiel, archers came from their hiding place, and shot me. I kept going, and managed to reach Richard just in time, and the combined magic sent us back to the present. Before it happened again I pulled back and saved the Wizard from his own magic."
"Why did you care to save Zedd?" Kahlan asked. "Of course, I'm grateful, but at the time you were a Mord'Sith…"
"Richard again had convinced me we needed him." Turning to look at him I added, "You are important to some."
"I suppose I should thank you for it," Zedd said a bit more to himself than the rest of them. "But now we should eat and rest, I believe Dinner is ready."
"I'm not hungry," I suddenly said. Their surprise was intended, though, since none of us had eaten in the past several days. But truly I didn't find that craving of hunger in my stomach. That or I was ignoring it. I brought myself to my feet, then walked a little ways off, leaving the others to quietly converse over the slowly dying fire. I sat by a large section of fallen debris, wondering again whatever Zedd was going to tell me, then allowed myself to lay on my side against the cold ground, facing away from the others. For a while I lay awake in my own ranting thoughts, and yet I also did not find the pull of sleep lulling over me, I shut my eyes.