AN: This fic isn't turning out how I wanted, but I have an idea, I'm gonna split the characters up and give them all their respective story lines and then they can all join up at the end this is probably gonna make the chapters longer but the way I figure it will make things less confusing, right then story lines are: Denna has to win the love of her daughters Mother, Nicci has to break Richard and Kahlan up, Shayla and Danika have to dodge a lot of obstacles(there will be a surprise in there) then Sophia has to teach Regin about emotions *coughs* love, much to Cara's displeasure and Dahlia's amusement then the rest of them will be background characters, hope everyone is okay with this.

Chapter Three

Shayla groaned and burrowed further into her pillows when her bedroom door swung open, the well oiled solid gold hinges allowed the set of oak double doors to sail open effortlessly, until they crashed loudly into the stone walls of her bedchamber on account of her Mother's rough handling.

"Rise and shine" Her Mother announced before hastily retreating, Denna was in no mood for dodging pillows today. Shayla grunted an incoherent reply as she lifted her head up off her soft pillows. Glancing out the gilded panes covering her arch-shaped window, she discovered the D'Haran sun had barely begun to peak over the horizon, she scowled as she dived back into her lusciously overstuffed pillows.

"Shayla you're going to be late!" Her Mom called out. Growling low in her throat, she flung the crimson silk bedsheets off her naked body, shivering gently as the morning air hurriedly rubbed against her pale flesh. Shayla slipped her long legs off the side of her four poster bed, stretching like a lazy snow leopard, before she gracefully climbed to her bare feet. Sauntering toward her elaborately carved wardrobe, she drew the doors open. She blindly grabbed her leathers from their shelves and expertly pulled them on within the space of a few moments.

After she finished buckling her corset, she released the tie that kept her silky platinum blonde tresses in its loose braid and smoothed out her pale curls. Reaching for her comb sprawled out on her vanity table, she routinely ran it's long teeth through her long mane, when her waist length tresses were free of all knots. Shayla began assembling her soft platinum blonde hair into their signature style, like any Mord'Sith worth her red leathers, she took pride in the flawless perfection of her appearance. Stepping out into the receiving area of her shared chambers, she found her Mother elegantly perched on a leather padded, high backed chair in front of a small circular table in the corner of their outer rooms with a collection of parchment laid out before her.

"What is this?" She asked, trailing her vivid green irises over the papers.

"I have an assignment. I'll be leaving for the Midlands to escort Lady Jennsen and Prelate Nicci here to the Palace in time for Sophia's birthday celebration" Her Mother explained. As she took the chair opposite the older Mord'Sith, she carefully concealed her disappointment expression. Her Mother had only just returned from the Temple of Jandralyn and now she was leaving again.

"When I get back perhaps we can do something together" Her Mother suggested abruptly. Shayla gave the older blonde a look of pure shock, through her shock she smiled inwardly, normally her Mother was too occupied overseeing the tasks given to her by the Lady Rahl, to spend any lingering time with her.

"We could go hunting, or maybe we could just go out into the City, or both. What do you think?" Her Mother murmured. Her pale blue eyes were trained firmly on the papers but Shayla could see the slight blush staining her high cheekbones. She loved her mother deeply and vice versa, but Mistress Denna wasn't one for shows of open affection and neither was she, mayhap it was in their blood.

"Hunting sounds more preferable" Shayla smirked.

"Yes it does..." Denna mirrored Shayla's exact smirk "...You hadd better get down to the training courtyard, Lady Rahl has called a training session." Her Mom encouraged.

"But it is barely sunrise. Was Lady Rahl up with the roosters?" Shayla drawled with a perplexed frown.

"After you fell asleep last night, Cara and I discussed the best route for me to take on my assignment, being as I won't be taking any of those clowns in the Dragon Corps" Shayla laughed, detecting the note of disdain in her mother's voice.

"How did I fail to notice that" Shayla muttered quietly, raising up to her booted feet, she dashed inside her bedchamber to collect her Agiel from her knee high bed-side table.

"My darling daughter, when you're asleep I seriously doubt you'd notice if Zedd used wizard's fire directly over your head" Her Mom amusedly drawled while she stalked towards the outer chamber doors.

"You're hilarious" Shayla sarcastically drawled over her shoulder, holstering her Agiel as she prowled out into the hall, she smiled fondly when she caught her mother's slight chuckle behind her. She swiftly strode through the blotchy lit corridors, the torches mounted on the stone walls would be left to burn for a few more hours at the very least.

Shayla was just stepping into the Great Hall's vestibule when a slender body collided with her own, growling under her breath with annoyance at the unwanted touch, she blindly caught the culprit by their slender biceps and hauled them against her chest to prevent them from falling on their backside. When Danika's beautiful face became visible to her emerald green eyes, she instinctively snaked her lithe leather clad arms around the Confessor's waist, ignoring the graceful hands pressing into her shoulders, attempting to push her away. Even when the last words the brunette whispered to her rang in her ears, she couldn't bare to let go of the Confessor:

"Oh Spirits don't ever touch me again"

Shayla's heart began pounding furiously as Danika burrowed into her chest, the erratic sobbing raking the brunette roused her protective instincts life with an echoing roar.

"Dani..." She began.

"Just be silent Shayla" Danika growled tearfully as she hid her face in Shayla's neck clinging tightly to the Mord'Sith for dear life. Shayla resisted the urge to snarl out a retort, she only took orders from Lady Rahl and Princess Sophia. And Danika an inner voice purred as the girl of her affections began to nuzzle the small strip of pale skin left by her neck-guard gently as the brunette's sobs trailed off into the occasional hiccup.

Shayla's arms tightened around the Confessor in her arms, all she wanted to do was hold Danika close and keep the brunette safe and happy for as long as Danika would let her. But then that terrible night that had haunted her for the past six days came back to her in a rush. She jerked away from Danika, she instantly missed the Confessor's warmth in her arms, the naturalness in which she could cradle the other girl against her, the tender sensation that thrummed inside her chest when Danika was close.

Shayla clenched her jaw tightly before she continued on down the hall, she cursed the acidic agony that erupted inside of her, it grew more intense with each step she took away from the Confessor. When she reached the training courtyard, she was surprised she hadn't already fallen to her knees, the knife piercing her heart possessed jagged edges. The sight of her Lady Rahl, Sophia and who she assumed was sister Regin going over basic exercises gave her something to focus on besides the ache in her chest. She nodded gently to Sophia, her best friend clapped her on the shoulder as she drew near, seeming to sense the whirlwind of tortuous emotions swirling inside of her. When Danika finally stepped out into the courtyard, Shayla had to forcibly prevent herself from clutching at the bruised organ in her chest. She was astonished there wasn't a pool of blood at her feet, the shard of pain in her heart was sharper than the Lady Rahl's sword.

"Pair up. Regin, Sophia you two will begin first" Cara instructed. Crossing her arms over her ample chest as she stalked towards the side of the marked training circle, it would be several days until carpenters were to be commissioned to build an upraised steel frame to properly separate the combatants from the onlookers. She forced herself to keep her vivid green irises on her best friend and the Princess's newest protector and away from Danika, staring at what she couldn't have only made the pain that much more intense.

xxxxXxxxx

Cara watched closely as Regin and Sophia moved into the centre of the training ring. Though the Lady Rahl had forbidden her eldest daughter from undergoing the full Mord'Sith training with an Agiel, Sophia still held a high pain threshold. Cara knew it was hypocritical of her to deny Sophia the extensive training, particularly since she had been trained to harness the Agiel's power from a very young age. The reason being she didn't want Sophia to become accustomed to violence, that was not the objective of the daily activity, she just wanted Sophia to be able fully capable to protect herself. Even that seemed a redundant action, after all her heiress would be constantly surrounded by the best Mord'Sith of their generation. Though they still couldn't compete with their parents, the young sisters of the Agiel around her certainly held a great deal of potential.

Cara traced her daughter's poised form, watching with analytical aquamarine coloured eyes as Sophia leapt at Regin with her sword raised. Regin rolled over to the side avoiding the blow easily, the pale blonde girl shifted into a defensive crouch, the thing rod of her Agiel held loosely in the girl's gloved hand. The two blonde girls swiftly advanced on each other with their weapons raised offensively, they came together in a flurry of blows however neither girl could gain an advantage over the other. As time drew on, she came to the conclusion that Regin was holding back, fearful of hurting the Princess.

"Enough" Cara called out. The younger blondes instantly stopped mid-attack, sharing a look as they holstered their respective weapons. Cara sighed as she stalked towards Regin, like a hungry lioness on the hunt, a small smile playing with her sculpted pink lips.

"Did I tell you to hold back?" Cara's honeyed voice drawled.

"No Lady Rahl" Regin replied respectfully.

"Then pray tell, why did you?" Cara tilted her head, her long blonde braid fell over one of her silk covered shoulders.

"Because I knew I would hurt her"

"Mmm that would have angered me..." Cara concluded bluntly with a nod.

"...But at least Sophia would have learnt from her mistake, she won't be able to improve if the people around her hold back, will she?" Cara spoke to them all, the force of her glance forcing the young Mord'Sith around her to avert their eyes as they shook their heads.

"Exactly. Now then I think I need to personally gauge your abilities" Cara drawled to Regin as she unsheathed her blade and gestured for Sophia to join the other girls on the sidelines. Cara faced Regin, trailing her eyes over the younger blonde's body. Regin was favouring her right side oddly enough, Cara hadn't noticed Regin take any major blows from during her sparring match with Sophia, unless something had happened last night?.

She frowned to herself even as the pale haired Mord'Sith rushed toward her. Cara caught Regin's wrist in one hand and roughly head-butted the girl, sending the younger blonde reeling back several steps though to Regin's credit she retained her hold on her Agiel as Cara released her hold on the girl's wrist. Raising her sword hilt up, Cara utilised Regin's temporary stumble and slammed the solid gold handgrip into the back of of the young Mord'Sith's head. Regin fell to her knees but the girl didn't slip into unconsciousness like she had expected, she had to respect the pale haired girl for that, her attack had not been gentle in the least.

"You exceed my expectation. Now then Shay and Jacqueline you're up" Cara instructed as she grabbed Regin by the arm and dragged her up off the ground and over to the side lines.

"Sophia come here and stay with her while she recovers" Cara instructed as she focused her attention on the fresh combatants. Shayla was overly aggressive in her savage attacks but fortunately for Jacqueline, she had Berdine's talent for taking a beating and being able to laugh about it. Cara titled her head as Shayla swept the taller girl's legs out from under her with one of her own and slammed her Agiel into Jacqueline's flat abdomen. Something was deeply bothering the young platinum blonde.

"Enough, Nina and Anya your turn" The two quickly swapped places with Shayla and Jacqueline. Cara spared a glance over at Sophia and Regin, she found her daughter on her knees with Regin's head resting in the Princess's lap. For a moment Cara almost felt guilty when it became apparent to her that the pale haired girl was going to be concussed.

"Shayla go and fetch the physician" Cara ordered the younger blonde, Shayla quickly jogged in the direction of the vast marble Palace. Cara returned her gaze over to her daughter and Regin, Sophia was talking to Regin, the Mord'Sith was answering Sophia's questions although Cara plainly see that it was taking a while for Regin to produce her answers. Cara's eyes flashed dangerously as Sophia began to stroke Regin's forehead comfortingly, Oh merciful creator its hereditary, Cara grumbled internally as Sophia and Regin shared a smile. She was going to have to keep a close eye on those two she thought as she returned her gaze to Anya and Nina.

"How may I serve you, Lady Rahl" The new court physician asked, appearing out of nowhere with Shayla and Dahlia.

"I think I just broke Regin" Cara spoke dismissively as she pointed over to her daughter and her barely conscious ward, the physician rushed over to the girls and immediately began to examine Regin, Shayla returned to the rest of her sisters and Cara found herself being scrutinized by her mate.

"What?" Cara asked after a while.

"Why did you break Regin?" Dahlia replied, crossing her arms over her breasts, Cara smirked to herself, she thoroughly enjoyed it when her wife adopted a scolding stance.

"It was not entirely intentional" Cara tried to defend herself.

"So the fact that our daughter is holding you victims hand didn't influence you in the slightest?" Dahlia smirked knowingly, the brunette's sarcastic tone caressed her delicately shaped ears.

"She is holding her hand!" Cara exclaimed and immediately moved to separate her daughter from the Mord'Sith.

"Oh leave them be" Dahlia smiled as she grabbed Cara by the blonde's lean hips, pulling the slightly shorter woman back against her chest. Despite her maternal outrage, Cara could not resist pressing back against her Queen, Dahlia's welcoming warmth and sinful curves was too much to resist.

"But...but..." Cara stuttered as she watched Sophia gaze down at Regin with tender emotion clear in her face.

"You are so seductive when you get overprotective" Dahlia purred into Cara's ear as she began grinding their hips together suggestively.

"Training is over" Cara called out sharply, as she dragged Dahlia in the direction of the palace, the brunette's husky laughter echoed on the light breeze.

xxxxXxxxx

Denna stalked through the labyrinth of marble corridors forming the ground floor of the People's Palace, inclining her head at a few note worthy sisters of the Agiel as the passed by her, keeping a careful distance from her. Abruptly Kahlan came whirling around the corner just ahead of her, sighing gently, she could sense this unexpected encounter was going to be awkward by the way The Mother Confessor kept her bright blue eyes firmly trained on the stone floor.

"Kahlan" Denna greeted civilly.

"Evening Denna" Kahlan responded politely. They both drew to a slow stop in the centre of the hall, the evening sun drifted into the corridor through the wide window panes, each one was stained with crimson dye to proudly display the emblem of House Rahl.

"How is Danika?" Denna titled her head, genuinely concerned for the youngest Confessor after recent events.

"She is...surviving..." Kahlan offered, the brunette clearly did have an accurate idea as to how Danika was feeling.

"...She refuses to talk to me" Kahlan finished with a mournful sigh. Denna's strikingly beautiful face remained blank of all expression, internally she experienced a twinge of guilt stab her through her chest.

"How is Shayla?" Kahlan enquired.

"She is...I know she misses Danika, but other than that...I do not know" Denna admitted. She detested that she knew her daughter was hurting, it was maddening to know she couldn't help Shayla. No amount of soothing words and comforting embraces would balm her daughter's distress. She knew that from experience.

"R-Richard doesn't want Shayla near Dani any more" Kahlan commented, the brunette's melodious voice faltered over her husband's name name. Denna couldn't prevent her perfect shaped platinum blonde brows from tilting downward into a frown as she digested the unusual note, the norm was for Kahlan to positively glow at the mere mention of Richard. It was disturbing to notice Kahlan looking...fragile...broken...upset.

Tilting her head, like a snow leopardess assessing her prey for weakness, she trailed her icy blue eyes over the woman before her, Kahlan's dark hair was left to flow down to the middle of her back, not unusual, the brunette's blue eyes were slightly red, very unusual, there were shadows under her eyes, very unusual again, and her clothes were in disarray. A slight question fought it's way to perch itself on the tip of her tongue, she rolled her eyes when Richard came barrelling around the corner, he was wearing a self-satisfied smile and he was re-lacing his dark brown pants up. Denna looked from him back to Kahlan, the brunette was looking down at the ground and there was a single tear following down her pale cheek. Recognition burned in the pit of her stomach as Richard drew near and Kahlan began to quiver softly.

"What are you doing Kahlan?, I told you to go see the physician immediately" Richard growled, ignoring Denna's presence entirely, not that she cared about the opinion of a snivelling lout like the Cypher cretin. Kahlan was breathing hard and her jaw was clenched the brunette was obviously attempting to smother her sobs.

"Why don't go and suck on the Keeper's cock Richard?, can you not see Kahlan is upset" Denna snarled dangerously, she watched in growing satisfaction as fear clouded his eyes.

"W-what...is it t-to you?" Richard stuttered retreating from Denna, like a mouse from a cat, as she caressed her beloved Agiel with her long and slender, blood red, gloved fingers.

"I simply cannot stand for it when a beautiful woman is upset" Denna drawled as she stalked closer to the whelp in front of her.

"Oddly enough, I thought that sort of thing excited you" Richard sneered, his bravado strengthening his voice even as Denna unsheathed her Agiel, its soft whine filling the silence of the marble hall, she forced herself to smirk at that comment even as it tore at the abused muscle beating in her chest.

"Denna its all right, I'm fine" Kahlan interrupted in a shaky voice.

"Of course Mother confessor" Denna feigned obedience, directly before she brought her Agiel up in between Richard's legs with every ounce of power contained within her lithe arms. She smiled sadistically as Richard's agonised shriek ripped through the Palace, the Agiel's magic seared through his most vulnerable body part, within seconds he was beginning to crumble to the floor. She rapidly withdrew her beloved weapon and struck Richard across his pain contorted face, causing the oaf to loose his footing, Denna's icy blue irises sparkled with maliciousness as he fell into the wall, the sickening thud created by Richard's head smashing into the marble bulwark accompanied his echoing scream.

"How clumsy of me" Denna commented, with a smirk, to Kahlan as she prowled past the brunette, sheathing her Agiel as she went.

xxxxXxxxx

Nicci paced back and forth in her study occasionally glancing at the journey book open on her mahogany desk, while she was expected at Princess Sophia's birthday celebration, waiting to receive Mistress Denna's message regarding the Mord'Sith's arrival at the Palace of Prophets was beyond vexing, it was exasperating.

She had already decided that she would use her time at the People's Palace to convince the Mother Confessor to leave her husband, she did not anticipate her task would be effortless and she wasn't entirely certain where the need to protect Kahlan originated from. But the instinct was there, burning like the magically charged candles spread out across her chambers, and she simply couldn't ignore it, she didn't want to, even if she did not fully understand why she cared for a woman she hadn't even met.

Suddenly she saw words begin to appear on the page, she rushed over, behind her desk, she traced the exquisite penmanship as it scrawled across the pages in her journey book.

"Three days" Nicci rolled her eyes at Denna's blunt message, but then she honestly expected one of the most feared Mord'Sith in history to make idle conversation?. Reaching for her quill and ink bot, Nicci flipped the lid open and dipped the tip of the quill inside, watching as the tip soaked up a small amount of her blood.

"I'll be ready" Nicci wrote swiftly before closing the book and laying the quill down beside it on her desk. She resumed her pacing, from one end of her chamber to the other. Ready`, she smirked to herself, she had already packed what little clothing she would require, and there wasn't much more she would need beside her journey book.

"Prelate" A nervous voice sounded from the doorway, she turned to find Sister Marianne lingering in the arched doorway.

"What is it?" Nicci questioned not breaking her stride to look at the brunette.

"The Sisters and I were concerned when you failed to attend evening prayer..." The brunette Sister of the Light stuttered with a concerned glance.

"Impossible, it is only..." Nicci suddenly whirled around towards the modestly sized window, behind her desk, she was met by the night sky spotted with silver stars. She pinched the bridge of her delicate nose between her thumb and forefinger, the last time she had cast an inquisitive look towards the window, it had been merely midday.

"Its nearing midnight Prelate" Sister Marianne informed her softly. Nicci chuckled softly, dropping her elegant hand away from her beautiful face, she'd become so consumed with thoughts about the Mother Confessor that she had barely noticed the day slipping away from her as silent as a skilled thief in the night.

"Then I must ask the Creator to forgive me for my tardiness before I retire for the night" Nicci muttered, she smiled crisply at her Sister, waiting for Marianne to take her leave before making her own exit. She met very few of her Sisters as she hurriedly made her way toward the Prayer hall. While she was communing with the Creator, she would also beg the Mother of Creation to put an end to the visions of Kahlan Amnell in pain, because the knowledge that the strikingly beautiful brunette was living in misery and she could do nothing to halt it, was causing her more distress than she cared to admit.

xxxxXxxxx

Cara stared intently at Richard with a blank expression upon her flawless face, listening carefully for any inconsistencies as he relayed the tale of Denna's attack. On his word, apparently it had been unprovoked but she was not convinced, Denna's emotions remained dormant unless they were needed which made it impossible for the slightly older blonde to have attacked Richard without a motive. On account of his life in that other 'verse' she had ordered her Mord'Sith to keep their distance from the woods guide.

"Is this true Denna?" Cara titled her head at her third in command, she was almost entirely certain that Richard was fabricating at least some of what he was droning. She wanted nothing more than to return to her bed chambers where Dahlia, her irresistible mate, was waiting for her. She crossed her legs at the knee, gripping the arm rests of her solid gold throne with her hands, she could already imagine the exact stance her Queen adopted.

"In part Lady Rahl" Denna responded coolly. Turning her thoughts away from the deliciously depraved acts she was going to be engaging in, when the mess staring at her with muddy brown eyes finally let her be. The blunt honesty she found shinning within her Sister's icy blue irises was enough for her to turn a dark scowl on Richard when he dived into another harangue.

"Do you wish to relay your version of events Sister?" Cara inquired, interrupting Richard's ranting about Denna's motiveless `brutality`.

"I think not Sister" Denna replied smirking through her stoic mask of Mord'Sith.

"Why ever not?" Cara drawled sarcastically.

"Because I do not think it is my place in interfere any further" Denna murmured candidly.

"I am satisfied that this dispute was not unprovoked, no further action will be undertaken, however I hope that this incident doesn't repeat itself Sister..." Cara's pointed look would've sliced through stone.

"...This minor dispute aside, how are your preparations coming along?"

"The preparations are complete, I'll be leaving at first light and I expect to arrive at Palace of Prophets in approximately three days"

"Perfect. Is there anything else that requires my attention before we all retire for the night?" Cara arched a blonde eyebrow quizzically.

"Actually I would ask a favour" Denna placed her gloved hands on the slender curves of her hips.

"Certainly"

"I have reason to believe that someone may try to harm my daughter in my absence" Denna's cold eyes darted toward Richard, the enraged flare that lit up her Sister's eyes prompted her to lean forward on her throne, she fully expected Denna to strangle the lout standing several metres to the left of the Mord'Sith.

"I will protect her like my own, but for now I think we should all retire to our chambers" Cara stated firmly, gracefully rising up from her ruby encrusted throne, descending the upraised dais, she clapped her Sister on the older blonde's lightly muscled, leather clad, shoulder. Enforcing with a strong touch and soft glance, that she would guard her friend's daughter as fiercely as she did her own daughters.

"Cara, how can you do this?!. She attacks me and you're simply going to shrug it off" Richard complained.

"That is exactly what I'm going to do Richard, and you would do well to remember exactly who it is you're are talking to" Cara growled warningly over her shoulder as she stalked towards the arched doorway at the end of a long crimson carpet. On her approach the two muscular guards, dressed in their typical armour, heaved the double doors open and bowed their heads. She smirked to herself, hearing Denna's soft chuckle behind her as she stepped out into the Throne room's vast entrance hall.

Cara made her way through the Palace corridors, the heavy footsteps of the Home Guard echoed behind her, the lighter foot falls of whichever quad of Mord'Sith on rotation that day went undetected. She paused when she found herself outside Lily's chambers, while she was doubtful her youngest would still be awake at this hour, maternal instinct demanded she take a peaked inside, hurrying through the receiving area of the main chamber, she discovered her brunette daughter was fast asleep on her stomach with her head turned to the side and the sheets pooled at her little waist. Cara sighed fondly before quietly slipping inside the bedchamber, silently creeping forward, she carefully pulling the sheets up to Lily's shoulder blades. Leaning down, she brushed her full lips against her youngest daughter's forehead before she slipped from the chamber as taciturnly as she had entered.

Cara stalked down the wide hall, she passed by various tapestries proudly displaying the emblem of House Rahl, the torches mounted on the stone walls cast flickering orange light around her, out the red dyed window panes boasting the emblem of her noble House, she could see a blanket of silver stars staring back at her. A little further down the hall, she cautiously pushed Sophia's chamber door open, the sight she found irritated her to no end, her heir was sitting at, a rarely used, circular table playing chess with Regin.

"Does your head hurt?" Cara's permanent drawl cut through the intimate silence between her eldest daughter and the head of her Mord'Sith protectors, she smirked when both blonde girls jerked in surprise, obviously they hadn't noticed her presence.

"It is perfectly fine" Regin retorted, turning in her chair to respectfully acknowledge the older blonde.

"I highly doubt that, which is why you're both going to sleep, now" Cara stated firmly. It was far too late for the young blondes to be awake, by her reckoning it was closing in on five candle marks before first light.

"But Mother..." Sophia instantly began to protest.

"Don't argue, we all have work to do on the marrow and you need to be well rested, now move" Cara instructed her daughter, Sophia groaned slightly, rising up to her bare feet the Princess prowled into her bedchamber, Cara lifted her head as she watched Sophia glance over her shoulder at Regin. She recognised the warm, tender smile that slowly began to toy with the corner of her heir's full lips. How many occasions had she directed such looks at Dahlia?.

"She is not hiding it very well" Cara commented absently, after Sophia had pulled the double doors closed behind her.

"Hiding what?" Regin asked, failing spectacularly to conceal her devoted tone. Cara crossed her arms under her ample breasts.

"You do not play dense very well, but I warn you now..." Cara leaned down over Regin's shoulder, whispering into the pale haired Mord'Sith's delicate shaped ear.

"...If you hurt her even slightly. I'll make you rue the day you were born" Cara warned in a deadly undertone. She tilted her head watching as the girl paled considerably. She felt a wedge of respect for the young blonde begin to form, when Regin nodded, feigning nonchalance, in acceptance of the unmistakably lethal warning. Cara straightened as Regin vacated her chair, she felt a smirk tilt the left corner of her full pink lips upward when the young Mord'Sith looked her directly in her aquamarine coloured eyes. While the Mord'Sith may be young, she suspected that the girl may actually be worthy of her daughter's affections.

"Go to bed and get some sleep" Cara ordered gently.

"But what about..." Regin began, already casting her dove grey eyes toward Sophia's bedchamber..

"To my recollection it is Shayla and Jacqueline's nightly rotation is it not?..." Cara interrupted swiftly. She wanted to grin when Regin's eyes quite clearly began to shine with protest, she had never been able to stomach the idea of anyone besides her protecting Dahlia.

"...Do as you're told, retire for the night" Cara instructed. Regin inclined her head, before she stiffly stalked towards the chamber doors, the lingering glance the pale haired girl directed towards Sophia's bedchamber was filled with devotion. Cara smirked helplessly as the door drew shut, striding towards Sophia's bedchamber door, encircling the solid gold door handle with her long slender fingers, she pushed the door open to find her adolescent daughter already in bed, staring up at the carved ceiling with a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Sighing gently, Cara stalked forward and perched herself on the side of Sophia's four poster, crimson canopied, bed.

"You don't conceal it very well" Cara remarked for a second time.

"Do I need to hide it?" Sophia finally murmured softly, so softly even the Spirits wouldn't be able to catch the younger blonde's words, the open expression her heir wore as she tilted her gaze up at the older blonde, prompted another sigh from the Lady Rahl.

"For now I would suggest it" Cara reached out with her left hand, she stroked a wayward tendril of Sophia's long golden blonde hair away from the Princess' face, her daughter's features were almost entirely identical to her own.

"But why?" Sophia whispered with a confused frown. Cara withdrew her hand, staring into her daughter's aquamarine coloured eyes, she swiftly deliberated whether or not she should fabricate something other than the truth.

"Because when a Mord'Sith has the favour of the future Lady Rahl, her life instantly becomes harder, she becomes a target for the rest of the Mord'Sith because they see her as a threat to their own future advancement, do you understand?" Cara tilted her head, the truth slipped from her lips after a moment's thought, she smiled when Sophia nodded, leaning down to kiss her daughter's forehead.

"It will not be forever little one..." Cara whispered, against Sophia's naturally bronzed skin "...Now it is certainly time for you to get some rest"

"Goodnight Mother" Sophia replied, her eyelids fluttering closed, Cara watched with a tender half-smile as her eldest daughter drifted into sleep's embrace before she silently slipped out the chamber, she strode through the receiving area and out into the wide corridor. She hurried down the hall until she found herself outside the double doors leading to her shared bedchambers, the emblem of House Rahl was incised on the polished oak, she gripped the solid gold door handles and pushed both doors open. An instantaneous smile spread across her full sculpted lips when she found Dahlia leaning back against their maroon pillows, the brunette's long silky tresses were released from their usual confines of their signature braid, the silken red bed sheets were pulled up to cover Dahlia's ample breasts, tucked under her mate's lithe arms, the small amount of generous cleavage left bare to her aquamarine coloured eyes had her subconsciously licking her plump lower lip.

"I owe you a new Agiel" Cara muttered, pulling the bedchamber doors closed, she instantly began shedding her clothes like the inconvenient, pesky, vestures they were when her Queen was near. The subtle movements Dahlia made as she finally slid her long bronzed legs free of her black leather pants were enough to stoke her desires, they constantly simmered just beneath the surface of her flesh, all for Dahlia.

"Mmmhm I told you it was only a matter of time" Dahlia mused with a smirk, Cara made a face as she lifted the bedsheets and crawled between them and the celestially soft material of the mattress, she prowled towards her mate, smirking when the brunette instantly moved closer to her. Cara purred in the back of her throat as she settled beside her wife, savouring the brunette's warmth as it melded with her own.

"What gave you cause to suspect them exactly?" Cara grumbled, pressing a tiny kiss to Dahlia's brow, she wrapped her arms around the brunette, feeling her mate's equally long limbs encircle her slender waist.

"Because I see a lot of you in her" Dahlia smirked. Cara gave an incoherent response, instead of musing over the development in the relationship of her eldest daughter and her Mord'Sith protector any longer, she swiftly captured her beloveds succulent lips.

TBC. . .

AN: You have got to love Denna don't you :), anyways I would love to hear your views and opinions about this chapter, the next update will be up within the next four days.