Chapter 4

He pulled his black cloak tighter around him, tugging the hood even further and allowing the shadows of the night to conceal his face. He kept his head lowered as he moved silently through the dark streets now long since empty from the day's bustling activities.

The only sound save for the striking of his boots along the stone beneath him was the distant steady sound of patrolling Aydindril soldiers. The sole light was that of the moon shining brightly overhead and the faint candlelight cast from windows of homes lining the street.

Cyrus could feel his heart beat a little harder in anxious anticipation of the meeting happening tonight. It had been months and months of these secret meetings taking place within the safe confines of darkness. Months of planning and bickering and fighting, compromising and plotting had finally led to this. Now it was finally coming together, their ultimate goal almost within their reach.

Soon, Lord Richard Rahl wouldn't know what had hit him until it was far too late, wouldn't realize that Aydindril and the Midlands had slipped right through his fingers. He would learn the hard way the cost of trying to rule the Midlands from D'Hara as if it was his to control.

He was a vile Rahl. That alone made him unacceptable to rule, but on top of that he had the audacity to unite two territories under his own empire?

Cyrus could feel his muscles tighten, his teeth grinding with the fury simmering within him. How dare he not only try to force his rule over Aydindril and the Midlands, but to force his wife, their very own Mother Confessor, to abide by his decision?

He had known Kahlan Amnell since she had first come to live at the Confessor's Palace, had watched her grow into a beautiful, powerful woman. She had been the brilliant light that would guide their futures as well as the future for their territory, banishing all the evilness that Darken Rahl had brought down like a vile plague upon them all.

Now, she'd been turned against them, turned against her very own homeland and the people she'd sworn to protect and defend. She would have to pay for her actions as well if she did not relinquish her ties to the Lord Rahl of D'Hara and return permanently to Aydindril.

At the unexpected sound of footsteps coming from behind, Cyrus's hand went for his dagger kept hidden beneath his dark cloak, his fingers wrapping tightly around the hilt. He swallowed hard, ready to take down anyone who might interfere in his important work.

He knew, understood the great cost if they were discovered too soon and was willing to play whatever part necessary to insure their success.

He tilted his head slightly, quickening his pace. If he was being followed, he would have to do something to eliminate the threat. He couldn't lead them to their underground meeting place, allow his fellow supporters to be discovered.

They couldn't afford to be found out or charged with treason against the D'Haran Empire before they'd been allowed to accomplish their ultimate goal. They had fought for months now to save Aydindril from the House of Rahl and he wasn't about to give that battle up any time soon, especially after all that it had cost him already.

He could feel the unknown pursuer behind him bearing down on him. He silently drew his dagger, gripping it tightly in his now clammy hand beneath his cloak. If this person continued on their present course, he would be losing his life.

It would be a very small price to pay for the ultimate good of the cause.

The footsteps steadily grew louder, more pronounced and falling into a steady drumming rhythm that seemed to match that of his own. Cyrus held his breath in anticipation of the worst, hoping it wouldn't come to that.

He'd never taken a life before, watched as a man's spirit slowly left his body, the light dimming in his eyes as drifted from this world and into the next, but he would do it now if necessary. He released a silent prayer of strength as well as a plea for forgiveness for what he was about to do.

He suddenly wandered what his wife would think, knowing that she was married to a murderer. Time seemed to screech to a tedious crawl, the sound of the footsteps growing muffled as that thought took root in his mind.

Would she still be able to love him if she found out? Would she understand why he done it?

He drew a deep breath to cleanse his mind and to focus his thoughts again. He couldn't allow himself to become distracted or turned away from the path that he'd been hurtling down for months. He had chosen this path for a reason and he wasn't about to turn back now.

It felt like his pursuer was breathing down his neck, ready to spring at any moment and take him down like a gar would his prey. Sweat began to form and trickle down his neck beneath the collar of his shirt despite the cool spring breeze that hit his partially obscured face.

His insides twisted with fear, his heart pumping wildly with the adrenaline flowing through his veins. He turned the corner, hoping his follower would keep going straight and avoid the confrontation that was about to come.

Unfortunately, the foot strikes continued to follow him as if they belonged to his very own shadow. He could feel the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He was going to have to change directions soon before he led his lingering shadow to the secret meeting place beneath the Brass Star Tavern.

Another course of action suddenly sprang to his mind, one that would hopefully end in less violence if he could just diffuse the tense situation. If he couldn't, then he was resolved to do whatever was necessary.

Cyrus suddenly stopped, pretending to fumble around in his pockets searching for a lost item. The boot strikes seemed to echo so loudly in his ears as if the man had suddenly morphed into an enormous giant.

"Lose something, friend?"

A voice came, one that was familiar and far from expected, nearly causing Cyrus to drop his dagger from surprise. He whipped around, pulling the hood of his dark cloak back with his free hand, revealing his face in the faint glow of the moonlight.

"Edmund?" Cyrus exclaimed in shock. "What in the name of the Creator are you doing sneaking up on an old man in the middle of the night? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Cyrus?" Edmund squinted in the dim light at his longtime friend. "What are you doing out here at this hour?"

"I could be asking you the same thing, old friend," Cyrus evasively replied, forcing a friendly smile to his lips as he secretly slid his dagger back into place. "What are you up to wandering the streets of Aydindril at this late hour?"

"I just heading to the Brass Star to meet with Williams from the Council," Edmund replied.

"At this hour?" Cyrus frowned, more because of where his friend was heading. How was he going to lose him now?

"Unfortunately," Edmund sighed heavily. "This was the only time I could fit it in. It was a last minute request from Williams to meet with me."

"Nothing wrong I hope?" Cyrus pressed, hoping to gather a little information that he might be able to take with him to his own meeting.

"Not sure," Edmund scratched his chin. "He had some concerns that he wished to discuss with me."

"And he didn't want to discuss it at the Confessor's Palace?"

"No," the elderly man shook his head in thought. "I think he was worried there might be too many ears there. He was acting rather paranoid when I spoke with him early this morning."

Cyrus pondered his words for a moment before responding, wondering what Williams was up to. He was not on their side and would require further attention to make sure they hadn't been discovered yet. "Well, let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Edmund clapped his friend on the back with a broad smile. "I'll do that," he nodded. "By the way, where are you heading?"

"Me? Just out for a late night stroll," he tried to deflect the question as well as his attention. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd get some fresh air. You know how my knee likes to stiffen up on me."

"Isn't it great getting old?" Edmund chuckled ruefully with a shake of his head. "We live our whole childhood anxious for the day we can be adults and once we get old, we yearn for the days when we were young again."

"Truer words have never been spoken, old friend," Cyrus agreed. "Let me know if I can be of any assistance."

"I will," Edmund nodded as he shook his hand. "I'll see you tomorrow at the Council meeting."

"See you then," Cyrus bid him farewell, watching his friend as he was swallowed up into night's shadows.

He felt a sudden heaviness in his heart, one that he hadn't expected. Edmund had been a dear friend to him for well over sixty seasons or better. It was disheartening and rather disconcerting to know that Edmund would pay a heavy price for his allegiance to Lord Rahl once everything was said and done, but it had to be. It was for the greater good of Aydindril and the Midlands.

He couldn't help what was about to come, but he promised himself that he'd do everything in his power to try and protect Edmund as best he could. When it came down to it, though, he would have to go along with the alliance.

He hoped in due time that his friend would come to see that all of this was for the best. There just was no other way. Everyone was so enthralled with Lord Richard Rahl and his marriage to their beloved Mother Confessor, viewing it as a fairy tale come to life.

Kahlan Amnell had been able to marry for love, the first Confessor in thousands of years to be able to do such a remarkable thing. Everyone readily accepted the union, bowing to their every whim and wish even when it meant uniting with D'Hara to form the D'Haran Empire.

The Midlands had all but been forgotten, Aydindril no longer the ruling seat in a territory whose lines had just been wiped away by the magnificent Lord Rahl. Everyone just accepted it by blind faith because he was the great Seeker of Truth, had saved them from being bound by the powerful chains of tyranny.

And she…she was the beloved Mother Confessor, respected and feared by all. Beautiful and powerful, no one would dare question her or go against her.

Except for the Alliance.

They would sit back no longer and just allow the Midlands to be swallowed up into an Empire they neither needed nor wanted. They would fight Richard Rahl with all they had and if Kahlan Rahl got caught in the crossfire then so be it.

She had made her choice, choosing to side with a Rahl. And for that, it just might cost the Mother Confessor her life.

XXX

Zedd sat in the library pouring over the books he and Frederick had managed to gather before Frederick had left with Kahlan for Aydindril. He tried to do his best to focus on the work before him, but it was near impossible with the absolute chaos that had erupted around them.

It broke his weary heart to see his grandson and Kahlan struggling so much and this distance between them was certainly not helping things. Richard had already put an emotional barrier between them after Michael's death, but Kahlan losing their unborn baby had only added to it. Now, there was a physical barrier as well.

He sank back in his chair with a sigh, rubbing his tired eyes. He wanted nothing more than to just flick his wrist and cast a spell that would fix all of this, remove the heartache and anguish, the anger and guilt that consumed both Richard and Kahlan.

He was so angry with Richard for letting his family depart like that, allowing his wife to leave for Aydindril with Tristan Kabay as well as the children. He was just begging for trouble if he didn't go after them.

In the past when things had been difficult or strained between them, Zedd had always known that they would make it through one way of another. Even when they thought they couldn't be together because of Kahlan's magic, he knew they would figure it out and find a way.

Now…now, he didn't know what to think anymore.

He'd never seen Richard quite like this before, so broken and lost and angry at everyone and everything…especially Kahlan. It was so unlike him. He revered Kahlan above all else, treasured her and loved her most of all.

It was like when Michael had died, something died inside of Richard as well despite never truly knowing the boy. It was like it had somehow shattered some sort of notion that Richard had held deep within himself, one that told him he could do anything, even halting the inevitabilities in life like death.

When he'd been unable to keep Michael from dying, it was like that notion had suddenly been crushed, stealing away a piece of himself in a way that no one could've ever anticipated.

Zedd couldn't really blame him, though. He'd been able to achieve far beyond what anyone had ever expected, surpassing all expectations and causing everyone to believe in the Seeker again, believe in justice, that there was still good in the world despite the wickedness of Darken Rahl and the Keeper.

Richard had been able to do the impossible over and over again, but he hadn't been able to prevent the death of a little boy who never should've existed in the first place.

On top of that, he hadn't been able to escape Sangria, hadn't been able to keep Kahlan from coming after him, and hadn't been able to keep her from losing their unborn baby that she had carried in her womb.

It had only added to the self-imposed guilt and anger that he already needlessly carried. It had forced him to face his fallibility more than he feared Richard wanted to.

And instead of facing the fact that he couldn't control every situation or protect everything and everyone, he had lashed out at the one who loved him above all else, the one who could help him the most, the one who needed him now more than ever before.

But she was gone now, leaving for Aydindril with an equally broken heart and a man who obviously still had feelings for her. And just when he didn't think that things could get any worse, he remembered a piece of prophecy concerning Richard and Kahlan as well as their children.

It struck fear deep in his heart like a bolt of deadly lightning, reminding him of all that he held dear, all that he was in great danger of losing if he didn't get to the bottom of this prophecy soon.

"Could you use some company?"

Zedd looked up to find Nicci standing in the doorway with a tray in hand, a plate of sticky buns and two cups of tea. He quickly sat up in his chair in eager anticipation, his stomach rumbling its desire for what he saw.

"Always from you, my dear," Zedd grinned. "Especially when you come bearing my favorite snack."

Zedd quickly stood to his feet, clearing a place on the table for her to set the tray down. His mouth was already beginning to water at the sight of the warm sticky goodness on the plate before him as Nicci poured herself and the Wizard a cup of hot tea.

"So what brings you down here to me at this hour of the night?" Zedd finally asked as he took a large bite of a gooey bun.

"I thought you could use some help," she smiled, settling down in the chair beside him.

"You couldn't sleep either?" he knowingly asked, his eyes twinkling.

"No," she admitted with a soft sigh of resignation. "I'm afraid sleep has become somewhat elusive these days."

"Or since Richard decided to let Kahlan leave without a word?"

"I never thought I'd see the day Richard would let Kahlan just walk right out of his life with another man without even a fight," she sadly said, stirring her tea with an absentminded look on her face.

"I don't think any of us did," Zedd replied with equal anguish as he chewed on his bun. "Richard is no longer the man that he once was, the one we once knew. He's broken right now and I don't know what to do help him anymore."

Nicci's expression suddenly turned furious. "I know what I'd like to do," she scowled.

"I sort of beat you to it this afternoon," Zedd admitted with a sheepish grin.

Nicci sat up a little straighter in her chair, hope springing anew in her eyes as she leaned in a little closer. "What did you do?"

"I marched into his office and gave him a lecture like he's never had before," Zedd proudly smiled as he licked the sticky sweet from the bun off of his lips. "I told him that he wasn't the only one hurting and to get his head on straight before he really lost everything."

Nicci nodded her head in obvious approval. "How did he take it?"

"He was furious with me," Zedd sighed heavily as he reached for another sticky bun. "Shot off all these ridiculous reasons why Kahlan was to blame, how she ran off to Aydindril choosing Tristan over him."

"But she didn't!" Nicci protested, her hand slamming down angrily onto the top of the table. "She wanted Richard to go with her, but he refused. He practically pushed her into Tristan's arms with how he treated her, all but blaming her for losing their baby, furious with her for coming after him."

"I know," Zedd nodded his head in agreement. "I pretty much told him that, but he feels Tristan is who Kahlan truly wants. He's so angry she never told him about the broken engagement."

Nicci leapt to her feet, her own anger and frustration beginning to get the better of her as she began to pace back and forth. "He is being absolutely ridiculous!" she cried. "Kahlan chose him. Kahlan risked everything to stay with him, to protect him. She married him, brought his children into the world. What more proof does that stubborn fool need to see that she loves him, not Tristan?"

"I'm not sure, my dear," Zedd shook his head. "He's blinded by his emotions right now, has allowed his anger to take control of him again. He's lost his way and it's up to us to help him find it again for both his and Kahlan's sake."

"I think I need to begin our sessions again," Nicci thoughtfully supposed. "Working on touching his Han and controlling his magic would definitely help him focus again, regain control of his emotions."

"That's a good idea," he nodded in agreement. "He's always had to battle his emotions for as long as I've known him. So much has happened to them recently. It's caused him to spiral right out of control."

"I know," Nicci agreed. "He's had to endure so much lately that it's heart-breaking, but if he doesn't get his head out of the sand, he's going to lose even more."

"He thinks he's already lost her, though," he scowled as he licked his sticky fingers clean. "He's just given up."

"That's not like him especially when it comes to Kahlan," Nicci confidently said. "Besides, Kahlan will be back. She won't give up on him so quickly."

"I think he believes that he'll never see her again or his children."

"It's not like him not to fight for Kahlan, though," Nicci frowned. "He's fought for her ever since he met her, hasn't he?"

Zedd snorted in response. "That's putting it mildly," he replied. "He'd give anything and everything for her without a second thought, but he's hurt and he's angry. He's wallowing in self-pity and doubt."

"Well, tomorrow is a new day," Nicci said, taking her seat again. "We'll see what I can do to move things along, get him out of his depression and back to the Richard we all love."

"That would be a good place to start," Zedd huffed. "If we don't do something soon, I fear Cara will step in and we all know that won't be pleasant."

Nicci chuckled softly. "You are right about that. If Cara gets a hold of him, there might not be anything left of him for Kahlan to come back to."

Zedd grimaced with the image that flashed through his mind. He visibly shuddered. "That would definitely not be a good thing."

"Garren told me it's taking all he's got to keep her from pummeling him," Nicci informed him. "Cara was threatening to drag him to Aydindril herself the other day."

"Maybe we should just let her," Zedd grinned.

"Let's try my way first," Nicci smiled in return. "What is this that you're working on? I know you've been up to something lately with Frederick, but I don't know what."

"I'm not so sure you want to know," Zedd sighed heavily.

Nicci pursed her lips, knowing that look on Zedd's face a little too well. "More trouble?"

"Always," Zedd groused, his wiry white eyebrows knitting together. "I remembered a partial prophecy recently that I'd stumbled across a while back. It didn't really hit me at the time until the events of the last few weeks. That's when it all clicked and it fell into place.

"The prophecy not only concerns Richard and Kahlan, but I'm afraid it surrounds their children as well."

"And I take it that it's not a pleasant one?"

"It rarely is when it involves the Seeker and Mother Confessor," he grunted. "It said something about twins dually blessed with magic of the bonded gifted will forever split, one to the left and one to the right if the bonded gifted is ever broken."

"Is that it?"

"No, that's just the part of it I can remember which is why I've been pouring over all of these books like a madman trying to find the rest of it."

"Well, since Frederick went with Kahlan, consider me your new assistant," Nicci told him, taking a sip of her tea.

Zedd smiled in appreciation, relieved to have the help. He just hoped that they could find a way to avert this prophecy before they all ended up in more trouble than they already were. He feared, though, that the prophecy was already beginning to come to fruition with how broken Richard and Kahlan truly were right now.