"You two were gone for some time last night."

Nodding, Kahlan gave a weak smile as she brought her eyes to the wizard's. "We discussed what would happen when the rifts were sealed."

"And?"

"He wants to come home with me, with us." She saw him about to respond, her heart pounding as she imagined the anger he would spit in her direction. "I told him what I must do, how it is I live, but... We both know the High Council will find use of him, he may find-"

"They could throw him into a pit filled with naked women and he would not notice. He may find another woman, yes, but we know Richard. Your memory will have to be burned from his mind."

"There are many women in Aydindril, we cannot say he will not find one for himself."

"No," the older man agreed with a nod, "but we would be fools to believe it will happen. We know how he feels about you, he is not one to give up, on anything."

"Perhaps. I won't hurt him, Zedd, I can't."

Nodding, he gave a soft sigh, "I'm afraid it's too late. Are you going to tell him about the child?"

Kahlan froze mid-step, her heart pounding against her chest as she turned to face him in surprise. "How-"

With a smile, the older man reached out and took her hand, "You've made sure to eat something each time we have stopped, and you keep resting your hands against your stomach. It's hard to miss."

"Please don't say anything, not yet. I need to find the right words."

"No matter the words, it will not ease the pain."

"No, but they may save our friendship."

"Kahlan-"

Stepping back, the Mother Confessor straightened her back and lifted her head, holding his attention. "I will not tell him until he has sealed the rifts. I will return to Aydindril and do what is necessary for my people. I have no future with Richard, not in the way we both desire, but I cannot lose my friend."

"Then you should tell him now. The longer you wait, the harder it will become."

"How can I-"

"You know Richard, dear one. He will feel pain for only a moment before he grows excited for you."

"It's cruel, Zedd."

"But it must be done."

Her mind was spinning, screaming for the older man to let it go, to allow her to carry the secret, but he showed no sign of releasing here. It was her fault, she told herself, she hid the fact truth of the child's father. It was forbidden and she had done it anyway, destroying any trust they had between them. If she told him now, he would understand her not wanting to tell his grandson, but his reaction may do the very deed. Before she could make a decision, she spoke, "I can't tell him, I won't. Not until the world is safe. Then, and only then, will I speak to him about what will come next. When the world is safe, no sooner."

"Kahlan- What is it you aren't telling me, Mother Confessor."

Her blood ran cold, the man now speaking to her as a Wizard of the First Order, nearly her equal. "There are secrets that are best left to lie. Know that I do this for him and not to toss aside your advice."

"When we seal the rifts, you will tell him?"

"I will, I give you my word as his friend; as Mother Confessor."

"Very well. We should hurry, they've likely stopped for us down the path."

Richard found them horses the night before, a gift from a small town they rescued from banelings. He rode close to her, his eyes shifting from the trail, to the trees and then locking on her for a breath, doing his best to keep her from noticing. She had been quiet, too quiet and he missed the sound of her voice. He continued to talk to her, hoping that one thing may lead her to speak more. She didn't seem to be upset, but he didn't push the thought from his mind. Something was different, a fact clear to his eyes, but he didn't want to hope for it to be what he wanted it to.

They hadn't spoken about what they had done, not since their last night together and he knew that if she did conceive a child, there was a reason she hadn't told him. If she carried his child, his mind wondered, leaving his words to trail off into silence as he allowed himself to imagine the life he always wanted. There was a reason she would be keeping it a secret, he reminded himself, and he knew that it was him, in some way he couldn't see, she was protecting. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave a swift smile and made sure his eyes didn't linger. If she was with child, he didn't want to draw attention to her, to them.

"What's wrong?"

He struggled with the instinct to look at her again, to lose a moment in her eyes and hope to never be rescued. "Nothing's wrong," he said quickly. "I was thinking."

"About what?" She was using the tone she did when she knew the answer, but asked anyway, the one she rarely used with him.

"What happens when we seal the rifts." She remained quiet for a moment, a reaction he expected, but wished away. "I want to return to Hartland for a few days," he added without emotion.

"I'm sure they'd love to have you back. They must miss you."

"Maybe," he replied softly. He knew what she meant, the words she wouldn't speak, the woman's name she wouldn't say. "Everything has probably changed. I may not recognize anything anymore."

"More reason for you to go," she told him more cheerfully than she intended. "You'll be able to see them differently, perhaps aid them in those changes."

"I've considered that."

"Considered?"

"It's one of the reasons I don't want to return."

"I don't understand," she said, her tone changing.

Slowing his horse, he looked over to her, forgetting about his previous thoughts, about the secret he believed she held and the life they could never have. "You saw the way things were, the way my brother was. I'm not sure I am the one that can help them to change."

"You're not- Michael was the man you always thought he was, maybe he lost his way, but he found a way back."

"Yes, but after how many died?"

"You're not-"

"No, I'm not like him," he said, completing her sentence. "I'm worse. I'm a Rahl."

Her hand reached out, his instinctively moving, clutching hers. "You may have Rahl blood, but your heart is a Cypher." She waited a moment for him to respond, but when he didn't, she squeezed his hand. "You'll never be that kind of man, Richard. Your people will never fear you."

"Maybe they should."

"Maybe," she responded with an expression that nearly made him laugh. "You may kill them with your kindness. It's a horrible death, to be given so much... How dare you be such a generous man."

He grinned, fighting the urge to chuckle. It felt good to talk to her again, touch her, even if it was only holding her hand. It wouldn't last long, but it was enough to calm him. "Sometimes I wish I was able to see things the way you do."

"And I, you." If she hadn't pulled back her hand, he would have needed a moment to understand her meaning and hear the soft pain in her voice.

"But we can only see things the way we know them," he whispered in reply. "If I returned to Hartland," he added swiftly, "I don't think I would stay. It isn't my home any longer."

"It could be. You may be surprised."

Shaking his head, Richard sighed. "My family is here. You, Zedd and Cara, you are here."

"They can go with you, Richard."

"But you won't," he stated factually. "The rifts will be sealed in a few weeks and we both know what will happen. I will build a place here, in the Midlands, and maybe you'll come visit."

"I'd like that."

"Me too."

"Richard," she whispered, her voice barely reaching his ears. "Your heart is not a Rahl."

"We don't know that."

"I do."

"Kahlan-"

"I know you. I've looked into your eyes, remember? I have seen the truth of you. You're nothing like Darken Rahl and if you choose to help lead your people, they won't fear you, they have no reason to."

"Kahlan-"

Bringing her eyes to the wizard ahead of them, she slouched her shoulders, catching the disappointed expression on his face. "We should move faster. Zedd will want to eat soon."

"You're shaking."

"The wind blew by."

"Kahlan," he whispered, inching his body closer to hers. He wanted to tell her that he knew, that he suspected the child within, but as she met his eyes, he couldn't. "You're freezing."

"I'm fine. A little cold wind won't kill me, Richard."

His hand moved to the side of her face, resting against her right cheek for a moment before moving his fingers to her hair. "It might."

"I'm fine, I promise."

"Come here." She opened her mouth to object, but he was already pulling her into his arms. "Just until you stop shaking," he added as their chests met.

She didn't move away like he thought she would, instead, she wrapped her arm around his and pulled herself closer. His mind wondered on the action, winding around thoughts that he knew would lead him into trouble. The warmth between them was instant, but she didn't pull back. It was comfortable, as though it was how they ended each night, but as he took in a deep breath of her lavender scent, he realized she would never allow them to have it, not together. Tightening his arms around her, he pulled, slowly bringing his back to the ground. The wizard would be watching and he didn't want to give him a reason to be upset with them, not when he had already made his opinion on the couple more than clear.

Maybe it was he, she wanted to keep the secret from, he thought. The older man wouldn't understand the life they wanted together, he couldn't. He saw Kahlan the way most of the world saw her, as a monster who awaited the moment to be set free, something she wasn't.

"Can I ask a favor of you?" The words left his lips before he could stop them, his mind made up.

"You can ask anything of me," she replied without pause.

Pulling back, he brought just enough distance between them to meet her eyes. "When the rifts are sealed, come with me. When the world is safe, come with me to Hartland." As she opened her mouth to speak, he moved his hand over her side, sending a wave of warmth through her. "I'm not asking you to stay, I know that you can't, but I have been thinking and I know it's not something you can answer quickly, but I am asking. Kahlan, if you were there, maybe I would be the man you see in me and I can be of help to them. Maybe I can help them become the city my brother wanted them to be."

"How long would you want me to stay?"

Her question surprised him, completely different than the one he expected her to ask. Instead of dismissing the idea or warning him of the dangers, she accepted his words. "I know you couldn't stay long... Not as as long as I would like you to, but if you wouldn't mind, just a few days."

"Alright," she answered rapidly, again, surprising him.

"Are you sure? I know how important it is that you return to Aydindril."

She moved slowly, but not through hesitation, bringing her hand to his cheek with a small smile. "I'm sure. I may have a duty to return home, but I have one to you as well. I won't abandon you, Richard."

"I know, but there are more important things for you to do."

Rubbing her thumb over his cheek, she swallowed. "Not more important than you."

"Kahlan-"

"I'll come with you," she whispered, interrupting him smoothly.

"Thank you."

Withdrawing her hand, she wrapped her arm around his and pulled herself back against him. "It's still cold."

"Kahlan," Richard whispered as he shook her shoulder. "Zedd went to find us something more for breakfast-"

"Breakfast?" she questioned through a sleepy haze. "I haven't taken my watch-"

"I know," he continued softly. "I started to wake you, but you seemed to need the sleep." A part of him wanted to tell her that she gave away her secret in her sleep, that she found it difficult to keep her hands from her stomach and at times, held his there as well, but he couldn't do it. "You seemed to be sleeping peacefully, so I took your watch."

"You didn't have-"

"I know, but I did. It's nothing you wouldn't have done for me. Here," he added as he showed her one of his favorite snacks, bread that was covered in honey. "Zedd nearly ate everything earlier, but I saved one for you." She took the food as she sat up, noticing the way he backed away to give her space. "The fire will be dying soon, you should gather up some of it's warmth before we need to travel again. It's even colder today."

With a nod, she looked around them, realizing they were alone. "No snow, this morning..."

"There was some this morning, but it didn't linger. Your blanket must have shielded you from the extra cold."

A small smile came to her lips as she met his eyes. "I'm sure yours helped as well. You must have been-"

"I laid close," he interrupted softly. "I was warm enough." He continued to fight the smile that pulled on his lips, the happiness at the hidden secret, hoping he was doing what she wanted. He felt her watching him, seeing through him, the way only she could. "What?"

"How long have you known?"

"What?" he questioned innocently, making her smile widen for a moment.

Leaning forward, she lowered her voice as she held his eyes. "You know what. How-"

"I thought that maybe- Last night, you told me without saying anything." To continue the morning of surprises, Kahlan moved forward until she was sitting on his lap. Laying her hands on the sides of his face, she inched closer as his arms circled her waist. "Zedd can't know, can he?"

She swallowed, frowning as her hands lowered between them. "He knows I'm pregnant, Richard. He doesn't- I couldn't tell him she was yours."

"Because he wouldn't understand."

"I don't think that he can." Grabbing a piece of his shirt, she pulled sightly. "There were a few minutes when I thought he was going to figure it out."

"What do you mean?"

"He didn't want me to wait to tell you, and no matter what my reason was to hold it in, he continued to push... I thought he would see through it."

"But he didn't."

Slouching her shoulders, she sighed. "No, he didn't."

"And we can't tell him, can we?"

"No- I don't know. Not right away."

"Does this mean it's time for us to revisit that conversation?"

She smiled, before licking her lips, buying herself a moment. "It appears that it does."

"Makayla?"

Letting out a soft laugh, she nodded. "We did agree on it, didn't we?"

"Quickly."

Giving his shirt another soft tug, she looked down at her hands for a moment. "You don't have to be alright with this, Richard."

"What do you mean?"

Bringing her eyes to his, she tilted her head, the way she did when she wasn't sure what to say. "This can't be how you wanted a child, and I know- You do not have an obligation to us."

"Kahlan-"

"I remember the way you talked about it, the-"

"Don't do that-"

"You had your life planned, Richard. You knew where you wanted to live, the home you wanted your family to grow in and this, this isn't it." Blinking, she released his shirt and flattened her palms against his chest, doing her best to remove the wrinkles she had just created. "You deserve to have that life, to be happy and lay with your wife in your arms and your children-"

"Our children," he corrected her softly.

"Richard, please... You know that we cannot have a life together, not one as wonderful as that."

"Because you'd confess me?"

"It's possible."

"No, it's not. You love me too much."

She didn't fight the smile that pulled on her lips, but he knew it was hard for her to ignore. "That, I do, but I cannot promise-"

"That you won't lose control in a night of passion and make me your slave. Mother Confessor, I am already at your bidding, I await your every command and the sound of your voice."

"Richard-"

"Each gasp you make in passion belong to me alone, as I belong to you."

She swallowed, her heart racing with a fierce pounding she feared would rip through her chest. "You are not my slave, Richard. You are free, you are more than I can give you."

"You have given me everything in my freedom to love you."

"How can you say such a thing? You know what I am capable of."

Sliding his hands up her back, he pulled her closer. "You are capable of many things."

Her forearms rested against his shoulders, her fingers stroking the hair at the back of his neck. "Like loving a man I cannot have."

"At loving me, I assure you, you are exceptionally capable." Her cheeks were burning as he grazed his lips against hers. "Proof lies within you."

"Proof of your-"

Tightening his arms around her he connected their lips, silencing her at once. She allowed the kiss to continue, savoring the action before they were caught. She knew what would come next and it felt to be a sin to end the moment and tear apart their last breath of hope. A letter had already been sent to her home, to the High Council, who eagerly awaited the news of the upcoming birth. To them, it was Nicolas' child she carried and it was his land they gained and most likely, already taken over.

The world he knew was entirely different, the life he would have at her side was one he had never dreamed of and who was she to ask him to hide with her in the shadows? That would be the life they could have, one where they made love in secret and held each other in the dark, a life she should not want to give him.

Breaking their kiss, she held her forehead against his and shared his next few breaths. When courage boiled in her blood, she brushed her lips against his for a single kiss. "We can never be."

And then she was gone, out of his lap and away from his warmth, the cold air quickly forcing its way over him. He knew better than to hurry after her, to run into the trees and demand that she be his forever, so he remained still. His lips were still warm from hers, a pressing reminder of the comfort she was. She would not keep their child from him, a fact he knew to be as true as his breath. He would have a family, but it would not be in the way he hoped for, the way he dreamed it would be.

"You'll be able to talk sense into her when the rifts are sealed." He jumped at her voice, his friend kneeling down behind him with a surprisingly genuine smile. "You've deflowered her-"

"Cara, please... We should pack, Zedd will want to leave once he's eaten again."

Three days had passed since they named their unborn child and Richard continued with the struggle of keeping his part of it a secret. They hadn't spoke much, but considering the story the wizard was told, he didn't expect them to. The older man knew that it would be hard for his grandson to know that the woman he loved carried another man's child, but he expected something entirely different to come from the news. The couple continued to steal glances, but they were short and never at the same time, something Zedd had not seen in some time. Richard would wait for her to fall asleep and then move his bedroll beside hers, making sure he laid in a way that shielded her from the wind. At times, the wizard would study them at night during his watch, noticing the small movements the other made to acknowledge the others presence, even in their sleep.

He awoke before she did, every morning, making sure he was packed when she opened her eyes, and that there was something close by for her to eat. She'd give him a small smile in thanks, but nothing was said. Kahlan never refused the food, eating quietly and at times, continuing as they walked, giving her something to think on. Cara had come to walk at her side, something the others assumed Richard had asked her to do. The women spoke through a whisper, their conversations never hitting the ears of the other two, something Zedd thought would bother his grandson, but in truth, it didn't.

He couldn't imagine what was going through her head, how she felt and if she was scared, something he knew she would be able to talk about with the Mord'Sith. It reminded him of the way he felt when he had been confessed to Annabelle and the feelings he felt from deep within her, they were those he wished to have now, experience through Kahlan's eyes. He knew that she had to be excited, in some small way and he wanted desperately to feel it. He wondered if it matched his own, if the frustration of the situation made it more difficult and if she needed anything. Each time he looked at her, he tried to read her expression, hoping that for a moment he would know and be able to do what she needed, what she wanted.

He half smiled at the thought, imagining her doing something she wanted to as opposed to what she was needed to do. It was not easy to picture, she never thought of herself above others. Their child would be taken care of in a way no other woman could, there was something about her that made him sure that the child would never know anything other than kindness. He froze mid-step at the thought, his mind racing through the stories he had heard about the way Kahlan had grown up, the fear she experienced and the way that, even now, the people looked at her. He never wanted their child to know that feeling. It's unavoidable, Kahlan would tell him. He could hear her voice and see the sad smile she'd give him, her hand softly resting against his arm as she tried to assure him that it was not the worst thing in the world, but to him, it was close.

The snow was becoming harder to move through and at times, Richard had to help her weave through. The other two found it entertaining as they watched his footsteps come closer together so that she was as to step into them without pause, an action she was sure to thank him on, but they were only words. It was hard for him and she knew that it was, leaving her to wish that she could do more than smile.

They were given shelter at a few inns, many who were more than happy to help without the persistence of the Mother Confessor. He would lay in his room for hours, listening to the silence as his mind thought and tried to find a way to make it right.

He entered her room quietly, searching for a sign of her on the bed. It was obvious that she had laid beneath the blankets, but as he entered the room and felt the cool air, he knew where to find her. She laid before the fire, facing it's warmth in silence as he came closer. Laying down behind her, he let his arm drape over her side, sitting his fingers on her stomach for a breath before she took it in hers and brought it to her chest. It was a familiar position, one they had shared more often then either knew, a comfort unlike any other. She held his arm to her for a few moments, her heart pounding against it.

She turned around, surprising him fully as she pushed herself forward and brought her face in the crook of his neck. Her arm circled his shoulder, holding herself against him as though it was something she always did.

"Are you alright?" he questioned softly, feeling the subtle shake of her body.

"I don't know," Kahlan whispered honestly in reply, warming his neck further with her breath.

Tightening his arms, he rubbed his left hand over her back, hoping to help warm her. "You should be sleeping in your bed," he whispered.

"I tried," she replied, her breath on his neck. "It's warmer over here."

"Maybe-"

"It's more comfortable, anyway."

"Is the Mother Confessor saying that she would rather sleep on the floor than a nice, big bed?"

She grinned at his playful tone, "The Mother Confessor can sleep where she pleases."

He had to fight the words that pulled on his lips, the comment about he not being able to sleep in his bed. "A life of luxury," he commented through a breath.

"It can be," she replied without pause. "Luxury does not always have the same benefits as comfort." Pulling out of his arms, she rolled onto her back with a quiet sigh. "Why did you come here?"

"I've been worried," he told her instantly, trying to hide the surprise he felt as she held his hand against her stomach. "I've- I wanted to know how- If you needed anything..."

"I'm fine. You have taken very good care of me," she said with a smile, meeting his eyes. "It was not hard to figure out who was leaving me the berries and you're the only person I know who can cook a rabbit that way." Letting her fingers dance lightly over his arm, she grinned. "Thank you."

"What happens when you return to Aydindril?"

"I will visit a midwife, most likely, Alexandra, she's been with the Confessors for as long as I can remember. She will make sure everything is alright, give me advice and help me through the months." She answered him softly and without delay, surprising him for a moment, but it was almost as though it was a typical conversation for them to have. She spoke softly, her hand resting on his arm, her eyes on the ceiling above them as they listened to the crackle of the fire. "The High Council will make sure I'm busy, I'm sure there are many Confessions that are needed and many laws that must be attended to. I cannot imagine what has become of our lands."

"And when you give birth?"

He watched her eyes close and couldn't help but notice the expression on her face, the fear and anticipation, the excitement he caught for only a moment. "I don't know, truthfully. This was not a part of life I expected myself to experience. I can remember what the other Confessors went through, how they... I pray that the spirits are kind and help me to be the mother I want to be, but... The way I would want to raise my daughter, our daughter," she corrected herself as she opened her eyes. "I can't imagine the High Council allowing it to be possible."

"Why?"

"She shouldn't have the life I did. She shouldn't- I don't want her to grow up in that palace, I- There were so many nights I would imagine running away, finding a safe place and just... Be. She will never be able to have that, no matter how much I wish for it. From the moment she takes her first breath, she's at the call of the Council, the people and anyone who wants something from her. She will grow in the eyes of strangers who want nothing more than to benefit themselves and she deserves to live and be a child for as long as possible." Bringing her eyes to his, she tilted her head in confusion. "What?"

Moving his hand over her stomach, he grinned. "You are going to be a wonderful mother, Kahlan."

"I pray that I am," she whispered, her eyes falling closed for a moment as she turned her head back toward the ceiling. "I can never give her the life I long to."

"A life without the fear you experienced?"

"Kind of. She's going to be a Confessor, Richard. She will always know the fear. I- If it were possible for me to take her away, hide our family somewhere where she could learn and train, see things the way they are not the way they are forced upon us. I don't know how to explain it, you were not raised here. Things are different for us as children, we are taught by how we are seen and we learn how to see ourselves through other people's eyes."

"But you are not what others see you as."

"Not to you," she whispered in a surprisingly tender tone. "If I had told you what I was; what I could do... Things would have been different."

"Maybe," he replied softly. "But I don't think it would have changed the way I feel about you. Nothing could." She met his eyes for a moment before darting them away, wanting to question him, but she didn't have to. "It wasn't just the way you looked that attracted me. You were- are the bravest woman I have ever known, you were kind and not just to me, but those who were cruel to you. You smiled and I swear I felt it pull through me and when you're close, I feel a safety I've never known before." She blinked slowly, holding his gaze and doing the very thing he wanted her to. She read him carefully, easily and then waited for the moment he spoke again. "I saw the kind of woman you are the moment we met, had you told me what your magic could do... I don't believe it would have changed anything. It's made you the woman that you are, the woman I love. I know that you think I should be afraid of it, but I'm not and that's because of you. To be afraid of your magic would be to be afraid of you and there is no reason to fear you."

"I can hurt you," she whispered so softly, he almost didn't hear her over the crackle of the fire.

"Kahlan, we are all capable of hurting someone else, but we do not need magic to do it. You are just as dangerous in a fight with your fists as you are with your magic. I have seen you take down half a dozen men without using your power. You don't use it on a whim or cruelly, but only as a last resort. You are not the woman others see you to be, the one you allow them to believe you are."

"Sometimes I wish that I was," she told him honestly, looking back to the ceiling. "If I was that cold and heartless, I would have taken you without thought and this wouldn't be as painful."

Richard ran his hand over to her side and then back to her stomach, trying to give her comfort as he watched her eyes close. He knew that carrying his child was hard for her, something he knew from the moment he learned, but he couldn't stop himself from believing that a part of her, if not most of her, was too excited and happy to notice. He looked at her and wanted to grin with happiness, ecstatic for the joy she would experience as a mother, but now he wondered if her pain overshadowed the feelings within herself. She was strong, and he knew she would see it differently, an obstacle, maybe, something that would start hard, but soon fade away as she became stronger from it. Closing his own eyes, he sighed as he realized her own thoughts.

She carried a Confessor who would grow in a world that feared and hated her, living the life of inner torment that her mother faced everyday and it would never be the life she wanted to give her. She had spoken the words not long before, but it was now that they truly began to set in.

"You can change things for her," he said before his mind competed its thought. "You can make sure she grows up the way you wish you did and if you would allow... I can help."

Her jaw locked, the way it did when she was fighting the urge to cry, the way he had only seen a few times when she spoke of her sister. "Confessors have been raised the same way since the beginning of time. It is what we are and I cannot change it."

"Maybe not fully, but you can stop her from feeling the same pain you feel. You are the Mother Confessor and you are the voice of your people, your land. Kahlan, there is no limits to what you can do, what you can give Makayla and the change you can bring the world."

"What would you do?" she asked, her mind spinning in thoughts. "How would you raise her?"

"With you," he answered swiftly with a grin that faltered as he realized she had wanted different answer. "We'd have a home somewhere, a place we built together and-" He stopped himself and closed his eyes, unable to look at her as he revealed he life he imagined. Resting his forehead against her shoulder, he took in a slow breath and prepared to let her into his secret dreams. "It's not a large home, but it holds our family. Makayla has a room down the hall, next to the kitchen because she has Zedd's appetite and gets up to eat a few times every night. You and I, we always leave something out for her, she doesn't say anything, but she knows. We have a place behind our home, a small one where the two of you spend part of the day, working together with her magic. She's just like you, stubborn and smart. Her heart is so big she doesn't always know what to do with it. She's always with her sister, Madi, holding her hand as she leads her down to the lake to fish with us. They-" He paused as she shifted, turning to face him just as gracefully as she always moved. "They're happy, we all are."

Taking his face in her hands, she inched forward with a sad smile. "I can't imagine that we wouldn't be."

"We will find a way to be happy together."

"How can you believe that?"

"Because we always do."

Kahlan nudged her nose against his, finding her breath as she fought the urge to do the one thing she shouldn't do. If she kissed him, everything could unravel or, she reasoned with herself, it could solve everything. With the thought in her mind, she let her lips graze his and waited, hoping he would make the next move. His arm inched up her back, circling her shoulder and slowly pulling her closer as though he was giving her a chance to stop him. Bringing her chest to his, he kissed her and the moment she returned the action, he stopped holding back.

She was still in his arms when he awoke the next morning, sleeping soundly and naked. He would swear that she hadn't slept very well in weeks, bringing him to make sure he didn't wake her as he shifted his own body. Her head rested against his shoulder, her right arm draped over his chest and she was so close, for a moment, he wasn't sure which limb was his. As he rolled onto his side, she moved with him, bringing herself to lay perfectly against him. Tightening his arms around her, he closed his eyes and did his best not to imagine this to be their lives. It was easy to see and it was clearer than anything he had ever seen. He knew what would happen when she woke up and it would be too painful to do anything other than accept their fate.

He jumped at the knock on the door, but it didn't wake her. His mind raced through the situation if anyone knew what they had done. Laying her on her back, he stood and hurried to the bed, making sure to be as quiet as possible as he grabbed the thick, woolen blanket and laid it over her. He laced his pants as he walked through the door, knowing what the thoughts would be of the old man who stood on the other side.

"Why-"

"I came to check on her and she asked me to stay," Richard replied softly, his eyes running to the still sleeping confessor. "She's slept most of the night, but I'm not sure it's enough."

"Where did you sleep?"

With a shrug, the Seeker turned and allowed him into the room, motion to the chair beside her. "Over there. I meant to leave when she went to sleep, but I fell asleep, too."

Zedd blinked slowly at his words, thinking them over as he looked around the room. Kahlan was facing the fire now, the blanket wrapped tightly around, hiding her and keeping the illusion that she had slept that way through the night. She shifted as he walked closer to her, the other man instantly knowing she was awake.

"Are you still here?" she questioned sleepily, rolling her shoulders as she tightened the blanket around her.

"I am."

He wondered what she was thinking, what her plan was and before he could form a thought, she spoke.

"Will you lay here with me?"

"Kahlan-" he started, thinking she didn't know the wizard was there.

"I don't- For a few moments, I don't want to be afraid."

He felt his heart stop as his grandfather looked at him, their eyes meeting in sadness. He wondered if that was part of her plan, but the tone of her voice called out for him. After a brief moment, breath and a nod from the wizard, Richard turned away from the older man and made his way to her, sitting down behind her. Bringing his hand to her shoulder, he squeezed, wishing the blanket wasn't shielding her from him. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he whispered as Zedd left the room. Her head turned once the door was closed and they were alone, locking their eyes. "Kahlan-"

"The life you spoke of, I want to have it with you, but..."

"Your magic would destroy me."

"More than that," she whispered almost too silent for him to hear. "The way you talk about it, that life with me, I- I'm not sure that I can explain properly." Rolling onto her back, she blinked, buying herself an extra moment to think. "When I'm with you, I am so afraid that I will lose control and lose you, but it's the only fear I have. I have been scared for all of my life, but when I'm with you, I fear nothing more than losing you. You talk about the life I am afraid to have and I need you to know- Richard, I do want that life with you, but if I ever confessed you-"

"I know what you would do, Kahlan and it makes me love you more."

"Richard-"

"I wouldn't let you die, Kahlan. I know you too well, and I know that you could go on and maybe it would be hard at first, but our children, Kahlan, they would need you."

"They would need you, too."

"Kah-"

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since we first... My whole life, I never thought about a future with children and then now, Richard, I can't stop. I imagine what it would be like and I want so badly to hold onto it forever, but if I confessed you, I would kill myself to set you free." He started to speak, but she laid her fingers over his lips to keep gain another moment to finish her secret thoughts. "I cannot live with the shell of you, no matter how good looking it is," she added with a small grin. "You are far more than anything he could be, and the man you are now, I could never destroy him, not for my own selfish reasons."

"Wanting a family isn't selfish, Kahlan."

"It is when I only want one with you." Laying her hand against his chest, she took in a slow breath. "You are the only man I can truly hurt and I love you too-"

"Maybe that is all that matters," he whispered. "Kahlan, we are going to have a family together and our love has already brought us this far. Our family may not be the way either of us imagine, but it is a fam- It doesn't make it any less wonderful Kahlan, you and I- We both know that we would find a way to have a life together, no matter what. It may be different and you may take a mate, but I would still be there. You're my family, both of you."

"I-" Releasing a heavy sigh, the Mother Confessor sat forward and held the blanket to her chest as she looked over to the fire. "We may be now, but what happens later? What happens when I am to take a mate? How can I put you through that and then expect you to be there when it's done. How can I- How can I take a mate with you so near, after what we've done... I exist for this single purpose-"

"No you don't," Richard stated as he sat up and moved closer. Bringing his chest to her back, he wrapped his arms around her, pleased when she leaned into his embrace. "Kahlan, you may be a Confessor, but that is not all that you are. You do not exist for this alone, you are more than this. The child you carry and the children you will have, you're all a part of something greater than what the world sees." Resting his chin on her left shoulder, he sighed, "And if the time comes and I cannot give you another child... If you needed to take a mate, I-"

"Please don't," she pleaded softly, laying her arms over his. "I know what you're going to say, but... I can't let you say it, because I know you and you won't let it be a lie."

"Kahlan-"

"You're going to want a real family one day."

"Yes," he said softly, tightening his arms around her, "and I will have one soon, with you."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but I don't think you're right. I'll have to keep up with you and our daughter, I won't have the energy to take another woman." He chuckled softly, surprised she didn't give a reaction, but he knew better. He knew what was going through her mind and the images he had just placed there. "I love you, Kahlan and we've talked about this before. You won't keep me away and I will do everything I can to make us happy, I promise."

"Zedd will never allow it," she said in a tone that told him more than her words.

"He may not, but it is not his life, it's ours. My child grows within you, our child, Kahlan... We have the right to, at least, try. I know it may not be what we wanted, what we hope, but if we don't try... Kahlan, I have to try. You are worth a fight."

"No-"

"Mother Confessor," he stated firmly. "You are unable to see yourself the way I do. There is no arguing this fact."

"I'm sorry, Lord Rahl, it is a habit I picked up through my wild upbringing as a Confessor."

"I can only imagine the fun you had."

Releasing a quiet chuckle, Kahlan turned her head, kissing his cheek for a brief breath. "There are stories you can't imagine."

Her hands came to lay over his, slowly sliding them over her as she allowed the blanket to fall to her waist. Her head fell back as his fingers moved over her breasts, a low, vibrating moan leaving her lips. It was an exceptional feeling, exciting her fully and she gave no effort to hide it. His lips raced to her neck, kissing over the soft skin while he pushed himself closer. Holding one hand to her breast, Richard trailed the other down her stomach, pausing for a moment until her hips lifted with a silent cry for something more.

She began to shake against him, a mix of pleasure and the pain of her magic building up within her, but he didn't stop and she didn't make him. Instead, she turned and connected their lips, unlacing his pants with quick ease. Before either could form a thought, he was holding her stead as she slid down onto him. His hold was so tight, her skin would be bruised, but she felt no pain as she shared his heated breath. Their bodies moved in unison, acting together as though they shared the same one. Her chest was pressed against his, their arms wrapped firmly around the other and their mouths dueling with a passion that could never be captured.

They were so close to the fire, it amplified the heat between them and shoved them closer together. Bringing her hands to his chest, she pushed gently, breaking their kiss as his back moved to the ground. She held herself above him, shifting her hips as his eyes moved over her, admiring the perfection of her form. Her cheeks were flushed, matching her breasts from the his hands, keeping his attention until she moved again. Their hands came together, their fingers locking tightly as she lifted herself slowly. With his breath caught in his lungs, he lifted his hips, meeting hers with a united moan.

Sweat glistened off her body, magnified by the light of the fire, giving her a glow that only the great spirits could have. Sliding his hands up her sides, he circled to her back and brought her chest back to his. He rolled them over quickly, bringing his body still against hers as she took in a long and deep breath. She was fighting her magic, he could see it in her eyes, the beauty of the darkness that called out to him. It was almost a silent beckon, but he heard it clearly as though she has spoken it to him.

Her nails pushed into his sides, her failing attempt to calm herself as she tried to hold back the magic. He held her eyes with an expression she had never known anyone to have, one without fear and for a moment, she would swear she saw something more. Laying her right hand against his cheek, Kahlan bucked her hips, letting loose a soft gasp as he pushed against her, holding them to the floor. She could see the struggle within him, the same desires, but he held still. As painful as she was sure it was for him, he held back, waiting for the moment she was truly ready. It wouldn't be long before she had control again, so he waited.

Closing her eyes, the Mother Confessor sucked in a deep breath, focusing on the heat of his against her neck. She quivered beneath him, on the verge of a pleasure she could never know, not with him. Pushing her nails into his shoulder, she shifted beneath him, an encouraging action that was filled with permission.

He rocked forward, reaching his left hand to hers and intertwining their fingers. The connection between them still held him captive, allowing him to experience something he had never known to exist. It was a feeling he couldn't place, a warmth that filled him and flowed into her. It was a never ending circle between them, amplified in the moments when their breaths were short and their hearts raced in unison.

His body collapsed against her, his head against her chest with a ragged breath. Her arms circled him instantly, holding him in place, soaking him in. Running her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, she forced herself to focus on the heat of his breath against her breasts, letting it continue the rumble within. She was sure he could feel her heart racing, her body shaking beneath him and she knew he wouldn't let it continue.

"Let it go," he whispered, letting the words linger around them. "Take me." Swallowing, Kahlan tightened her hold on him, making him, for a moment, believe she was going to do as he wanted. "I'm already yours."

"And I'm yours, but not through magic. Please don't ask me to do that, not when it would be so easy to let go." Her voice shook, matching her body while it struggled with the pleasure of his body against hers. She would never grow tired of the feeling, the way her heart lept and body ached for his. Each touch had her blood burning through her veins, his kiss had her wanting in a way she never could explain, one she never expected to crave. His breath on her chest was comforting, a luxury she feared to enjoy, but wanted nothing less.

His lips came to her skin at the thought, a slow kiss that had his name in a pant leaving hers. There was a way about him, somehow taking the despair and turning it into a wildfire of passion. She lived on the edge when he was near, so close to losing control that it took all of her strength to keep from jumping off into the abyss. He didn't stop and she didn't make him. Instead, she pushed up, quietly asking for more, indulging the feel of his tongue running down her stomach.

Richard glided his hands up her sides, roaming to her breasts as he continued to kiss over her body, working off of the sounds she let loose. Her hips lifted to meet his lips, desperate for the freedom they were about to give her and the trap he was going to lock her into. He would bring her to the edge, the line she wouldn't cross, the one she silently begged for. His head disappeared before she closed her eyes, a loud moan escaping her. She moved instinctively, reaching down in a cross between stopping him and encouraging the action. He surprised her with a low growl, sending a vibrated wave through her, bringing her body to tighten instantly.

He held himself firmly as she grabbed at whatever laid at her sides, using it to focus on to keep her in control. Her magic sat on her fingertips, screaming to be heard and the man who called to it gave no sign of giving in. She was afraid to take in her next breath, scared it would flow free and then he was gone and it followed.

Her back lifted from the wave of passion, the force her magic ripping through and claiming the air that hugged her as he longed to. The view was more beautiful than he thought it could be, fully captivating and as she gasped for her own breath, he realized she had taken his. She reached out for him within an instant, pulling his chest back to hers and allowing him to see the darkness of her magic fade. He knew what she was doing, what she needed to do, so he held still and let her search. Her eyes moved rapidly, looking into his for something, anything that told her if he had been taken, if she had done the very thing she feared and destroyed him. Her face was so close to his that their breaths warmed the others face and he couldn't stop himself from letting his lips graze hers.

She seemed to be thrilled by the action, because she returned the kiss, her hands pulling him closer while losing her fingers in his hair. She was crying, he could taste the sale of her tears, but she didn't stop him, instead, she held him closer.

The door flew open with force, but she gave no effort to stop or shield her naked body, an action Richard rushed to do. She was in his lap, a view the Seeker knew his grandfather would hate, but even still, she remained. Her forehead was resting against his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his and their chests pressed firmly together. Tears continued to fall and she whispered in his ear, but he couldn't make sense of it as the wizard and Mord'Sith stood a foot away from them.

Cara watched him carefully, looking at him the way she did Kahlan, when she was trying to understand how she could be as kind as she was. He held her eyes, never letting to of the woman in his arms, the one who now dug her nails into his skin. The blonde crossed her arms with an annoyed sigh, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Have you two gone mad?!" Zedd asked angrily.

"It appears we have," Kahlan replied in a breathless tone. She remained close to Richard, but he wasn't sure if it was to shield herself from the eyes of the others. "I remember our conversation, Wizard and I assure you this will not happen again." There was something in her voice that lingered around the room, a sadness that couldn't be described and when the Seeker met his grandfather's eyes, he knew there was something going on.

"We will discuss this once you are dressed," the older man said sternly as his eyes shifted to the blonde at his side. "We will wait outside."