TITLE: Enchanted
AUTHOR: LOTSlove®
CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan
RATING: R / M
TIMELINE: Anything up through S2 season finale (Tears)
DISCLAIMER: I love them and love to write about them even though I don't own them or make a dime.
SUMMARY: Lord and Lady Rahl host a dinner party that turns into something more.
Enchanted
Music played softly in the background, the room awash in the elegant glow of candlelight. Servants lined both sides of the table, displaying large trays filled with the finest foods in all of D'Hara. Nothing was held back, all of the lavishness due to the Lord Rahl being displayed for the nobility of the territory gathered there tonight.
Dozens of monarchs and dignitaries from neighboring regions sat on either side of an extravagantly decorated table in the Lord Rahl's private dining hall, their conversations creating a low din that buzzed throughout the room.
Anticipation filled the air, these notable guests delighted with the privilege of being in the presence of Lord Richard Rahl and his wife, Lady Kahlan. The majority of their excitement came from being allowed to witness the highly regarded couple.
Word of their extraordinary love for one another, everything that they had fought so hard for and overcome had spread far and wide across all three territories. The Seeker had fallen for his Confessor, loving her beyond the deadly power that she possessed. But even more than that, he was a very powerful war wizard as well as a Rahl, the rightful heir to the throne, and she the Mother Confessor.
No one was immune to the fascination that surrounded the Lord Rahl and his wife, the mystique that enveloped them mesmerizing everyone in the room. Frequent glances to the end of the table brought minute glimpses into the real person of Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor.
Rejecting the notion of sitting at his rightful place at the head of the table, Lord Richard Rahl sat on one side of the table at the end. He refused to sit in supreme authority over others especially during a dinner, preferring to exert his title only when necessary.
It was only partially the explanation for it. The real reason behind his decision, however, had been Kahlan. She was always the source behind everything that he did, every decision that he made. His world truly revolved around her.
Although he relished being as close to her as possible, he adored sitting across from her, allowing himself the advantage of appreciating her beauty, to watch her every graceful movement. He knew it made her feel self-conscious, but he loved the awe-struck feelings that washed through him that being in her presence always created within him.
Reaching for his glass of wine, he cast a glance at his wife. He couldn't help the stuttering beat of his heart as their eyes met, the smile owned by no one but him softly touching her lips.
He had known her, been in love with her for well over two years; had the incredible privilege of calling her his wife for the last three months and yet she always affected him so deeply. He was still humbled by the thought that Kahlan, a woman of such beauty and profound importance, would chose to fall in love with him, would take a simple wood's guide as her husband. It was like a fairy-tale come to life.
Leaning his elbow on the arm of his chair, Richard forced himself to turn his attention back to the dignitary from Glenn Haven and their conversation. He had discovered that they shared a mutual love for hunting, much to the Seeker's relief.
He was still trying to adjust to life as the Lord Rahl, attempting to learn how to adapt to these formal dinners as well as everything else that was considered a part of his role as leader of the newly named D'Haran Empire. He found these dinners to be so tedious, often feeling inadequate to be the Lord Rahl.
It was times like these when he was fully reminded of his humble background, his simple upbringing, causing him to question himself and the authority that he now held.
But then he would look at Kahlan, finding reassurance in her smile and the confidence necessary to perform his duties. She seemed to sense when he needed encouragement, her hand suddenly finding his when he needed her most.
"In fact, I caught myself a very nice buck just a couple of weeks ago," the man proudly stated.
"I used to hunt some of the biggest bucks you'd ever laid eyes on back home in Westland," Richard told him.
"You don't say?" the man replied, leaning closer with increased interest.
Glancing up at her husband, Kahlan smiled to herself as she watched him, delighting in the life that danced in his warm brown eyes. He was obviously talking about something that he loved, his face reflecting his thoughts as well as his heart.
She couldn't help but stare at him. He looked so unbelievably handsome in his deep red and black jacket and tunic, the tooth pendant that his father had given him visible through the opening. She knew well what lay beneath the material, the curve of his muscles, the taste of his skin, the scent that drove her wild.
Memories of nights spent with his masculine form pressing her deep into the mattress, of straddling him as she rode the waves of passion began to drift through her mind. She'd never known love or the true heights of rapture that love was able to carry a person to until Richard. He created sensations within her that she felt certain should consume her whole, her body instinctively responding to his in such an overpowering, almost animalistic way at times.
It was something that she didn't even realize was a part of her, something that had been awakened and unleashed because of Richard and what she felt for him.
Taking a bite of her food, Kahlan watched him as he chuckled at something that the dignitary had said, the sound of his laughter reaching her ears. His lingering smile warmed her heart before spreading through her. Spirits, he had such a profound effect on her.
Their love for one another was always there, simmering somewhere just beneath the surface. What was amazing, though, was how it didn't take more than a brush of a hand or a lingering glance for that love to be stirred.
And how she wished that they were alone right now.
She longed to feel his hands roaming so greedily over her body, the ravenous way in which he took her sometimes as if she was everything that he needed to survive another moment. It was those times when it seemed their love was so all-consuming that they would not survive apart from the other, their love uncontainable as they gave themselves fully over to what made their hearts beat.
As much as she relished being ravaged by the intensity of his love for her, Kahlan equally adored those gentle moments of making love with him. It was those moments when his touch and his thrusts were so reverential as he worshipped her that it made her weep from the sheer immensity of his love. It was those times that she felt that she was truly seeing directly into his very soul. It left her in awe of what she saw there, the depths of his love overwhelming her.
"So, have you thought yet about starting a family, Lady Rahl?"
Kahlan wasn't certain what had taken her off guard more – the voice that had suddenly interrupted her lust-filled thoughts or the question itself. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she swallowed hard.
Turning to look at the dignitary's wife, Kahlan smiled shyly, searching for the words. "We haven't really discussed it yet. Richard has been quite busy in his new role as Lord Rahl. Once things have settled down some, I'm sure we'll be discussing it. We're both eager to start a family."
"I'm glad to hear that, my dear," the elder woman smiled, patting Kahlan's hand in a motherly fashion. "Just don't let yourselves be too busy. It's always good to keep your husband satisfied…if you know what I mean."
Kahlan immediately averted her eyes in embarrassment, knowing exactly what the woman had meant as she peered at Richard through her long eyelashes. Judging by the strangled sounds he had been making last night, she was fairly certain he was more than satisfied.
Feeling eyes upon him, Richard looked up to see Kahlan gazing at him, a heated look permeating her eyes as she bit her bottom lip. He felt his want for her begin to awaken, his pulse quickening with the thoughts that began to fill his mind.
Kahlan looked breathtaking, her dark hair pulled up, curls dangling about her face. A blush had risen to her cheeks, accentuating her beauty. Whatever the dignitary's wife had said to her had obviously affected her. By the way she was looking at him now, it must have involved him.
Richard felt his throat go dry, suddenly wishing they were alone right now. He ached to undress her, to feel the softness of her skin, to experience once more the wild passion that he knew flowed through her veins for him and him alone.
At one time, he had foolishly thought that once they'd finally been able to consummate their love, his hunger for her would be somewhat tempered. Instead, he found that it had only grown stronger over time, his need for her only temporarily sated.
He found himself filled with an overwhelming joy unlike anything that he'd ever known, a contentment that only being with Kahlan could ever bring him. At the same time, he found himself falling more in love with her, his need for her only growing stronger over time.
That was when he had come to realize that their love would never be anything but extraordinary, binding them together forever.
"How many children would you like to have?" the woman continued to pry.
Kahlan's hand absentmindedly fell to her abdomen, rubbing it lightly as she began to think about having a baby with Richard. The thought alone caused a storm of arousal to erupt within her as her gaze once again wandered over to her husband across the table.
"If Richard had his way, we would have a whole houseful of daughters," Kahlan replied, happiness lighting her heart.
"I'm sure these halls will be filled with the sounds of children soon enough," the woman reassured her before going into lengthy detail of all the children that she and her husband had.
Kahlan took a drink of her tea in an attempt to hide the desire that was coursing through her system at that moment. If she didn't get him alone soon, she thought for certain that she would fall apart right here.
Casting a glance across the table, Richard felt a shiver suddenly race through him, the look of wanton desire burning in his wife's eyes as she gazed at him over the lip of her teacup taking him off guard. He couldn't help but smile at her, knowing where this night would eventually lead, wishing he could whisk her away right now.
He cursed to himself, wishing now that he had sat beside her. He wanted so badly to touch her, to hold her hand, to feel her fingers interlocked securely with his.
And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the moment was gone as Kahlan's attention was drawn back to the dignitary's wife chatting incessantly to her. Soon, he reminded himself. Soon she would be all his.
Making his way around the room talking to his guests, Richard kept an eye on his wife's every movement, taking note of her proximity to him at all times. The way that she moved about the room totally mesmerized him, the sultry looks that she gave him making his head swim with desire.
Speaking with a gentleman from River Oaks, he caught a glimpse of Kahlan walking through the open glass doors that led out into the Lord Rahl's private gardens. He was thankful that the evening was finally winding down. He was more than ready to spend the rest of the night alone with his wife.
Excusing himself, Richard made his way to the doors that Kahlan had just passed through. Lit torches lined the central stone path that wandered throughout the entire garden. A dozen soldiers stood guard in the garden by the entrance, a handful of guests still mingling outside as well.
Richard nodded to the guards, smiling at them as he made his way down the path in his search for Kahlan. One of the guests began to follow the Lord Rahl, wanting to speak with him when the guards suddenly moved to block his path. His personal guards knew better than to allow someone to interfere when he was looking for his wife.
Richard knew that Kahlan couldn't have wandered too far. Turning down a side path, Richard's eyes searched the dimly lit garden, his need to find her growing with every step he took. The music that was spilling outside was gradually growing softer as he made his way deeper into his private sanctuary.
After wandering the gardens for several minutes, Richard finally found the object of his deepest desires. She was standing in the grass along a stone wall that was waist high, overlooking a stream that ran through the gardens.
Kahlan stood with her back to him as she looked out over the water, her hands resting on the stone ledge. Tears pricked his eyes as he studied her from the dark shadows of the trees, just drinking her in as he attempted to breathe.
His legs felt heavy, his heart light as he watched the moonlight cast an angelic radiance around her. Her white Confessor's dress practically glowed, the gentle folds of her dress softly swaying in the warm summer breeze.
It wasn't her typical Confessor's dress with the long flowing sleeves, but a more refined version that he'd never seen her wear before. The dress covered one shoulder, cutting down across her chest and under her other arm, revealing the creamy skin of her other shoulder. He couldn't wait to kiss that bare flesh, to trail kisses along her throat and taste her skin.
The dress was fitted through the bodice, falling into soft pleats at the waist. Her raven curls were a beautiful contrast, further accentuating the air of regality that she already possessed. She looked like a goddess fallen from the heavens, come to earth to mingle among the human race.
His want for her was like a fiery inferno threatening to devour him whole. As he finally began to make his way to her, he could think of no better way to lose himself than in her.
Kahlan watched as the moonlight danced across the water, enjoying the warm breeze that brushed across her skin. The evening had been long. She was more than ready for it to be over, to just be alone with Richard.
The talk she'd had with the dignitary's wife had brought about a new excitement, one that she couldn't wait to discuss with Richard. She'd wanted to talk to him for a while now, but it had never seemed like the right time.
The sudden brush of lips on her shoulder, fingertips along the back of her neck caused her to shiver, a soft sigh slipping past her lips. Her mouth curled up into a smile, so thankful that Richard had gotten the hint and followed her out here. She had wondered what had taken him so long to find her.
"You know…you've been driving me absolutely crazy…all night long?" he murmured, pausing between words to place kisses along her collarbone as he pressed himself against her back, his hands gripping her shoulders.
"Really?" she coyly replied, her eyes falling closed with the euphoria beginning to wash through her. She'd been aching for this all evening, desperate for even more.
Pausing in his tortuous assault, Richard chuckled lightly at the innocent tone in her voice, knowing she was anything but. He had seen such an amazing transformation in her, a shameless seduction awakened within her that drove him wild. It was an aspect of her personality that he fully enjoyed exploring for the rest of his life.
"Oh, I think you knew exactly what you were doing," he replied with amusement.
His fingers slowly slid down her arms, brushing across the backs of her hands before grabbing hold of the ledge on either side of hers, trapping her between the wall and himself. He leaned in even closer, raking his teeth lightly along the side of her neck, secretly hoping to leave his mark behind as his lips closed around the sensitive flesh and sucked gently.
"Richard…" she throatily moaned, tilting her head further to the side, allowing him even more access to her.
Kahlan knew that if she turned and looked into those brown eyes of his they would be so incredibly dark with his need for her. She shivered with the thought, her own craving for him growing stronger by the moment.
"Cold?" he whispered in her ear, knowing that she was far from it. He was just making her hotter and hotter with every touch.
She tilted her head back, resting it against his shoulder, her eyes still closed. She slid her hand over his, taking hold of it and bringing it up to her chest. She closed his hand over her breast, urging him to squeeze and stroke her, begging him to feed her hunger while at the same time to satisfy her mounting need.
He growled low in his throat, the feel of her hand moving with his over her breast causing his heart to hammer in his chest. He ground his hips into her, his head falling forward onto her shoulder. Turning his head, he kissed her throat. He knew that if he didn't get her back to their suite soon, he was going to lose control right here.
"Richard...what…what if someone…catches us…" she softly panted, her head swimming as logic began to give way to heated passion.
"Should have thought about that before you tormented me so mercilessly," he breathily replied.
Kahlan could feel his mouth curl up into a smile against her skin. It felt as though her heart was pounding out of her chest. It was growing harder and harder to breathe as he tightened his grip on her breast.
Before she knew it he was lowering her to the ground, his body covering hers. His lips crashed into hers, his hand finding the slit in her skirt, his fingers stroking her thigh and leaving goose flesh in his wake. Her fingers wound their way into his hair, tugging on it and holding him to her.
He kissed along the column of her throat, the scruff of his beard scratching her skin and setting her body on fire as he pushed her dress off of her shoulder, revealing her breasts. She arched her back, pushing more of herself into him, her legs parting as she cradled him.
He ground his hips into her before bunching her skirt up around her waist. Kahlan gasped loudly as his fingers stroked along her skin, his mouth finally finding hers once more. Gripping his face in her hands, she pulled him up to look her in the eye.
"What is it?" he panted heavily, his eyes filled with confusion.
"We're going to have a baby," she softly said, her chest heaving, her eyes shining with happiness as well as longing.
Richard stared at her for a long moment, her words sinking in as her thumbs brushed back and forth along his cheekbones. Tears filled his eyes, joy matching what he saw in her eyes filling his heart. If she was all that the good spirits allowed him to have in life, he would die the happiest man alive. But now, they had seen fit to allow him to have a child with her.
"Kahlan…"
It was the only word he managed to utter as he gazed into her bright blue eyes. He leaned in, kissing her with all of the love and happiness that pounded in his heart at that moment. He suddenly began to pull away from her, fearful of crushing her or hurting the baby.
Kahlan quickly pulled him back to her, not about to let him go. "Richard…it's alright…" she shook her head with a smile.
"But…"
"You won't hurt either of us," she gently said, leaning up and capturing his lips. Her hands quickly began undoing the buttons of his tunic, desperate to feel his flesh against hers as she drew her knees further up.
Richard smiled brightly at her, fighting to keep the tears from forming. He'd never wanted anything more than her…more than this. And now he had everything and so much more.
Shrugging off his jacket and tunic, he moaned as Kahlan's fingernails raked across his chest, his body demanding to be complete with her, to be buried deeply inside of her. No less would due.
A passionate cry filled the air as he entered her, his arms wrapping around her and lifting her up close against his body as he began to move within her. His lips found her ear, his warm breath beating against her skin.
Love was proclaimed and proven as he made love to her in the stillness of the garden, the moonlight casting shifting shadows. Heated sounds of rapture, breaths panted and shared filled the summer night air.
Pulling her up more firmly against him, he filled her with everything he had, giving her all that he was. She buried her face in his shoulder, her teeth grazing across his flesh as he exploded inside of her, each taking the other over the edge.
Laying her back down in the grass, Richard settled down beside her, pulling her against him as they fought to regain their breath. He nuzzled his nose against her cheek, his lips brushing softly over her face.
Kahlan rolled onto her side, hooking her leg over his and pulling him close. They kissed for several moments before Richard pulled back to gaze into her eyes. Stroking her cheek, he found it difficult to speak.
"Kahlan…I love you…more than life itself, I love you," he finally murmured, his eyes roaming over her face, drinking in each and every delicate curve.
"I love you too, Richard," she smiled softly.
"I never dreamed that it was possible for you to make me any happier than you already had. Spirits, Kahlan…we're going to have a baby," he said, his voice so full of wonder.
"We are," she reaffirmed, still trying to believe it herself. Taking his hand, she held it against her abdomen. "We created her, Richard…you and me. She's all ours."
"How long have you known?" he suddenly asked, his brow furrowed.
"Only a few days."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I wanted to find the perfect moment."
"I think you did, Kahlan," he murmured, stroking her cheek.
"What do you think of these formal dinner parties now?" she asked, her eyes dancing with lingering desire.
"I think this is the best dinner party I've ever attended," he replied, sitting up and adjusting her dress. Holding out his hand, he helped her to her feet. Retrieving his tunic and jacket, he attempted to put himself back in order.
Taking her hand in his, Richard led her back to their suite, more than anxious to show her all over again what he burned in his heart for her. He wanted no other life than this one he shared with her. Kahlan had capture his attention that fateful day in Hartland and he'd been completely enchanted with her ever since.
THE END