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Blinded by Love (Chapter 3)

Having set up camp in a nearby clearing, Zedd and Cara went about finding something to eat for supper while Richard tended to Kahlan. Try as he might to push his own worry aside in order to be strong for her, Richard's concern for her continued to intensify. They had no idea what Giller had intended to do to Kahlan or if more danger was yet to come.

Richard had led Kahlan to a log to sit on while he laid out her bedroll. She had said little since realizing that she couldn't see. Now that they were finally alone, Richard sat down next to her. He gently took her hands in his, startling Kahlan who pulled away from his touch.

"It's alright, Kahlan. It's just me," Richard soothed as he took her hands in his again, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. "Are you…"

"I'm fine, Richard," she cut him off, knowing what he was going to ask her.

No, she wasn't alright, but she had to be strong. She was the Mother Confessor, the last of her kind…and now she was blind. A blind Mother Confessor. How was she supposed to be able to determine if people were telling the truth or not? Would she still be able to confess people if she couldn't look into their eyes, into their very souls? A single tear escaped, trickling down her cheek against her will. She was not going to cry she silently resolved.

"Kahlan, you're not fine," Richard pushed a little farther, seeing the tear escape her lifeless eyes. He silently begged her to not shut him out, to not push him away.

"Richard, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. My vision will come back," she adamantly replied, trying to convince him as well as herself.

"I'm right here with you, Kahlan. We'll get through this together, I promise," he told her as he pulled her to him, circling his arms around her.

Kahlan couldn't help but melt into his warm embrace. She was terrified that her vision would never return. How could Richard still love her like this? Why would he ever want to be with someone that couldn't see him? It was bad enough that they could never consummate their love for one another, but now this? The barriers that separated them just seemed to keep mounting.

Richard deserved so much better than her, someone who could give him so much more…someone like Cara. She once again felt her heart begin to crumble at the thought of Richard with someone else, but she refused to stand his way of finding true happiness.

XXX

Later after supper, Kahlan sat deep in thought by the fire, questions and emotions building like a violent volcano inside her mind and heart. Insecurities she had always tried to keep buried began to resurface, assaulting her. Fears about still being able to protect Richard and continue to help him in his quest to find the Stone of Tears washed over her like a damn broke free. She felt so helpless, so useless, only serving to further anger her. Anger caused resolve to harden inside her soul; she had never been and never will be helpless.

As Kahlan sat quietly by the fire, Richard pulled Zedd aside. "Zedd, is there anything you can do for Kahlan?" Richard asked as he watched the woman he loved stare blindly into the fire.

"I'm afraid to try anything just yet, my boy," Zedd grimly replied. "We don't know what kind of magic spell Giller used or what exactly his intentions were. I'm afraid if I just start trying spells to restore Kahlan's eyesight that it may trigger something far worse."

"Just before Giller died, he told me that it wasn't over yet, that Darken Rahl and the Keeper would have Kahlan," Richard informed his grandfather as he internally shuddered at the thought.

"That's something else to consider. Giller was sent by Rahl and the Keeper which means that he likely had both additive and subtractive magic. I have only additive magic. If someone were able to help Kahlan, they would likely need to possess both types of magic."

"So, what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Richard sighed in frustration. Watching her now, he had never felt so helpless in his entire life.

"Let me think about it. I still may be able to come up with something. We'll just have to wait and see how this plays out over the next couple of days. This may only be temporary, but we should prepare ourselves, Richard, that this may be permanent."

Zedd didn't have the heart to tell his grandson the rest of what weighed on his mind. If Kahlan's vision was permanently lost, they would have to take her to Aydindril. It would be too dangerous to allow her to continue with them as they searched for the Stone of Tears. There was no way they would be able to care for and protect her while at the same time try to find the Stone. He knew his grandson's mind was reeling with what had happened and now was not the time to bring it up, but they would have to make some decisions soon if things didn't resolve.

Richard closed his eyes against the heat of tears that threatened to escape. He hated having to stand idly by and watch the one he loved suffer. He was the Seeker. He had defeated countless enemies, survived training by a Mord'Sith, been possessed by a past Seeker bent on being reunited with his Confessor, had come back from the future to return to Kahlan and eliminate Darken Rahl, faced screelings and Banelings, only to be rendered powerless by something as simple as blindness in the one who held his heart.

Placing a hand on his grandson's shoulder, Zedd continued, "Richard, there's nothing more we can do tonight. Why don't you try and get some sleep? You never know, things may be better tomorrow."

"Then again, maybe they won't…" Richard softly replied with a heavy sigh as he slowly made his way back to Kahlan.

After helping her into her bedroll, Richard pulled the blanket over her, pressing his lips to her temple. "Kahlan, I'll be right here all night if you need anything."

Laying down in his bedroll right next to hers, Richard took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze to let her know that he was right there. "I love you, Kahlan…forever, no matter what. Don't ever forget that."

"I love you too, Richard," Kahlan softly replied, her voice cracking with emotion.

Keeping her hand in his, Richard lay on his side and watched her until she finally drifted off to sleep. He silently prayed that Kahlan would be alright. No matter what happened, he would never leave her nor would he ever love another woman the way he loved her.

He wished more than anything that he could abandon his mission to find the Stone of Tears, that he could just take Kahlan away from here and build a life with her. He wanted nothing more than to marry her, to have a family with her, to take care of her forever. He knew in his heart that they could be together; the problem was convincing Kahlan.

And now with her eyesight taken from her, Richard knew that the battle to convince her that his love was absolute and unshakable in the face of her powers had just become more challenging. He loved her - powers or no powers, eyesight or no eyesight.

The thought suddenly occurred to him. If Kahlan couldn't see, could she still confess someone? Richard had no fear, already believing they could be together without harming him, but Kahlan still feared it. She would no longer have to fear if she could no longer confess someone. Richard decided to ask Zedd about her powers later. Right now, all that mattered was Kahlan and making sure she was going to be alright.

XXX

Richard woke up the next morning, Kahlan's hand still in his. She'd thankfully had an uneventful night; Richard not so much. Worry had kept the Seeker from having a full night's sleep. He kept waking to check on Kahlan to make sure she was alright. Now as he stared at her, he silently prayed that her eyesight had returned.

"You can stop staring at me, Richard. I'm fine," she murmured to him, eyes still closed.

"How could you…"

"I may not be able to see, but I can still tell when you're staring at me," she said with a small smile as she opened her eyes, her irises still black as the darkest night.

Richard's heart sank, seeing the absence of those blue eyes that used to greet him every morning. Seeing those murky black eyes only served to strengthen Richard's resolve to take care of her and help her through this no matter what.

"Alright, so you caught me. Can you blame me for staring at the most beautiful woman I've ever met?" he replied, a smile spreading across his own face.

"Plying me with compliments isn't going to help you this time, Seeker. I'm not completely helpless; I will adjust to this. It's just a temporary obstacle."

"I know, Kahlan…and I'll be here to help you. Now, I'm going to take you with me to go get cleaned up before breakfast," Richard informed her as he released her hand and stood to pack up his bedroll.

"Oh, you think so? You'd like that wouldn't you?" she replied with a smirk as Richard grasped her forearm and helped her up.

'You have no idea' was what shot through his mind; however, he replied, "Nothing would please me more than to help you in every possible way."

"I think I'll try to manage myself, thank you," Kahlan responded with a blush.

"Kahlan, you are not going to go down to the lake by yourself. I can have Cara take you if you'd rather," he offered, knowing how the obstinate Confessor would feel about the choice.

"Fine, you can take me. But I am warning you, Cypher, if I even suspect for a moment that you're sneaking a peek, you'll need more than a healer," she threatened. Even through the blackness of her eyes, Richard thought he caught a glimpse of a twinkle in her eye.

"I promise I'll behave," he said, taking her hand in his and leading her toward the nearby lake, their packs slung over his shoulder.

"It's bad enough that he's trying to turn me into a hunter, but now he wants me to be a nurse-maid?" Cara sneered, muttering under her breath.

Zedd chuckled to himself. He had no doubt that even though blind, Kahlan could certainly keep the Seeker in line. Cara being a nurse also added to his amusement as Cara shot him a glare that could melt steel as she left in search of breakfast.

This was definitely going to be difficult for them all, but not as difficult as it will be for Kahlan and Richard. This was going to be the ultimate test of their love. Zedd just hoped their love for one another would survive this. Deep down he felt they would for there was no magic in the world stronger than love.