Authors note: ok next chapter is up, hope you enjoy.

Kahlan grimaced as another man bumped into her. It had been almost a month since she had left Richard and she missed him dearly. She sighed as she imagined the pain she had had to put him through to save their child. One day, she thought, one day he would be back in her arms. Pushing aside the ach that filled her, she concentrated on the present.

She was going to go visit the midwife to ask a few questions. Although there was no doubt in her mind that she was with child, she knew it would raise suspicion if she didn't pay a visit to the midwife.

Stepping into a side street, she knocked on the door with the sign of a naked baby above it. As she waited, she pulled her cloak further around her, whishing that her new outfit could be warmer. The door opened to revile a chubby middle aged woman with greying hair and warm brown eyes. Richard's eyes. She shook her head, it wasn't Richard or even a relative of Richard's, it was just the midwife. Sighing at her pointless hoping she turned back to the waiting woman "Hello, erm I think I may be with child and I think you're the person I'm supposed to see about it."

As the woman's face cracked into a warm smile Kahlan realised how stupid she must have sounded. She wished she had Richard with her. "That's a lot of I thinks in that sentence, the cold must be messing with your brain, come in." Without waiting for an answer, the midwife turned and stormed into the house.

Following her in Kahlan entered a reasonable sized room with a pallet in one corner and a fire in the other. Apart from the door, there were no natural light passages entering the room. The rest of the walls were lined with shelves. Kahlan peered at one of the many strange concoctions in jars along the shelves and gasped when she thought she saw something move.

Turning back to the middle of the room, she saw a table with two chairs either side. Sitting in one, Kahlan shivered at how enclosed she felt in doors after her months of travel. Smiling at the thought of the outdoors she berated herself, she knew she wasn't smiling at the outdoors; she was smiling at the thought of Richard.

Facing the woman, she tried to ask a question, but was interrupted "What's your name then?" The question startled Kahlan; she forgot to make up a name.

Thinking of the first name that came to mind, she whispered "Cara, Cara Mason." Trying not to grin at the thought of Cara ever being pregnant, she paid closer attention to the midwife.

Noticing her tense posture, the midwife sighed "No man to hold your hand then?"

Grimacing, Kahlan replied "No, he he died" Deciding that it was better to say the father was dead then making her child a bastard, Kahlan muttered "I'm sorry Mrs., nothing has ever happened to me like this before"

"Oh please, call me Louise. Don't you worry, I'll have you up to date in no time and sorry about your husband, bainling was it?" Nodding mutely Kahlan returned to her day dreaming. In her dreaming, she was still with Richard; they were excited about her being pregnant and were desperate to find the stone of tears. She knew the dream could still come true if she just returned. As much as her heart told her it would be ok, she knew she had to protect Richard's baby. Although she admitted her logic was floored, she couldn't think of any other way. Deciding to stick with her logic, she contemplated how long it would be before her baby could protect herself, ten years she decided, ten years was how long she would wait. Although she knew that if the keeper had been defeated it would have been by then, she knew she couldn't go to Richard then death followed him like a shadow and she was scared that his child would be added to the long list of innocents that had died in his place. Pulling herself together, she listened closer to the midwife.

"Those bainlings are causing all sorts of trouble they are. Just last week in fact a little boy got murdered in his own garden. Scares the mind doesn't it dear." When Kahlan nodded, Louise continued "Murdering people in broad daylight, whatever next? But my dear that topic must be a rough one for you. Shall we continue?"

"Please" Kahlan muttered, surprised that her voice sounded so week. She was just thinking of the little boy and prayed harder that Richard would continue on his quest and save the people.

Sitting straight, she let Louise prod and poke at her belly, nodding and answering questions when she was asked. After a few minutes, Louise sat back in her chair. Turning to face her, she explained "You are indeed with child, no more than a month I'd say" Kahlan exhaled, she was starting to fear her own judgement. Just hearing another person tell her that her sacrifice had not been in vain, made her feel hope beyond belief.

"Now Cara dear, you have several choices ahead of you. You can shed the child or you can put it up for adoption. And although I have no idea why you would choose this path, you can keep it."

As Louise's words washed over her, Kahlan pulled her arm tighter around her stomach; the thought of anyone trying to kill her baby was infuriating. "I'm keeping it" She put on her best confessor face and sat tall in the chair, showing the woman that she could handle it.

"All right then, I will see to it personally that your baby is delivered into this world safely. Now..."

They continued to talk throughout most of the morning, Kahlan hanging on to everyone of the woman's words. Although she knew a lot about how to handle birth from her confessor days, Kahlan found that she had forgotten most of it.

She kept on noticing how Louise's eyes went from her face to her hair. Kahlan knew it looked terrible. To stay completely hidden, Kahlan had hacked at her hair until it hung just above the shoulder, although it was not the neatest thing in the world Kahlan was proud at how she was able to hack things so close to her neck with a dagger and survive. Although she missed her long curls greatly, she knew that protecting Richard's baby was more important than any amount of hair.

Plucking up her courage Louise asked "What happened to your hair Cara?"

Automatically Kahlan replied "I burnt it so I had to cut it all short, but I didn't have any scissors."

A look of pity filled Louise's eyes as she clambered to her feet and bustled of into the next room "Well I'll just have to neaten that up for you dear."

After Kahlan's hair was fixed, Kahlan decided it was time to go. Picking up her purse Kahlan asked "How much do I owe you then?"

"Nothing dear" at Kahlan's protests, Louise shushed her "My dear you've been through a lot, the least I can do is offer you a free session. Now remember to take the ointment twice a day and don't over stress yourself. I will see you in a months time at your place. Goodbye Cara" With that, she slammed the door in Kahlan's face.

Hunching her shoulder against the chilly wind, Kahlan made her way home.

Back at her house, Kahlan lit a fire and pulled out her favourite sketch book. Sharpening her pencil, she hummed to herself as she imagined what she was about to draw. It was her favourite sketch book not because of the strength of the paper or the pretty cover, it was the drawings inside.

She smiled to herself as she sketched on a pouted mouth and warm brown eyes. Talking about the baby so much had made her remember the time Zedd had made Richard carry his pack. His face still made her laugh. Finishing the sketch, she closed the book and ran her fingers along the embossed cover Your Father the words said.

Although she had planned for her child to meet her father when she was much older, Kahlan didn't want her growing up without knowing who her dad was. Placing the book back on the shelf, she stroked the spine "I miss you Richard"

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"I miss you Richard" standing up, Richard scanned the trees, looking for the source of the voice. There was no mistaking the sweet tone, it was Kahlan.

"Are you alright my boy" Zedd clasped him on the shoulder. Wondering what could have made his grandson jump like that.

"I'm fine Zedd." At the dubious look Zedd gave him, he whispered "Trust me I'm not going anywhere, I promise you that I will complete the quest and save the people"

Looking into his eyes, Zedd could see the pain in them. He knew Richard wanted to end his life just as the keeper did. Knowing that Richard was strong enough, he nodded, nut didn't release his shoulder "and what about after?"

Richard exhaled; Zedd was pushing him to the edge with his constant questioning. "I haven't thought that far ahead Zedd. Let's get moving." With that he turned and stalked after Cara.

Zedd watched him go with worry in his eyes. "Please spirits, don't let him do anything stupid" he prayed to no one before running to catch up with the others.