"Master Rahl," Mercy saluted with her fist over her heart.
"Mercy," he replied, dragging out the 'r' in her name.
He didn't look up to face her. Instead, he dipped his quill in the blood-filled inkwell and continued to write in his journeybook. There was no doubt whoever's blood filled it had failed him. Mercy swallowed imperceptibly as she considered her own failure. She saw where the battle was heading and she saved herself. She abandoned her own men to suffer their fate.
His profound, velvety baritone cut through her thoughts.
"It's been three days, how did the mission go?"
By the end of his inquiry, Mercy's eyes were cast downward. "Unsuccessful; the Confessor escaped."
"Which one would that be again?" Darken Rahl asked. There was a hint of acrimony in his tone. "I forget with so many still frolicking about."
"Those in Anatheema remain unharmed as they are under the protection of their king Luther Mortis." Mercy answered. "His daughter escaped."
"Daughter," he repeated as he absentmindedly ran his finger across his bottom lip. "How did she manage that? Better yet how did you let her escape?"
Internally, Mercy cringed. It was as she feared. Master Rahl thought she was a failure. She knew her blood was less likely to fill the inkstand sitting on his writing table but the implication still hurt deeply. She lived solely to serve her master, to gratify him and now, he wasn't pleased with her or her actions.
Setting her jaw and standing more erect to hide her injured feelings, she supplied an answer. "She wasn't alone. A Mord-Sith fought alongside her and she confessed many of the soldiers."
"Peculiar," it was the only comment Lord Rahl made on the subject.
She wished he would say something else, anything just as long as he spoke. But he didn't. He simply flipped to another page in his journeybook and scrawled down a brief message. For an instant, she entertained the thought of him writing to Cara. He'd stated once, to Mercy's dismay, she was his most prized Mord-Sith.
Then that conversation wasn't meant for her to have overheard. At the time, she brushed it off as pillow talk. Master Rahl did have the tendency to blather after sensual pleasure to express his appreciation for some of their remarkable bedchamber… flairs. Mercy never assumed that applied beyond Lord Rahl's bed but this episode had her mistrusting her theory.
"Mercy," Master Rahl did look up this time and her heart skittered when his raptor-like gaze pinned hers. "This Confessor, you said she confessed many of my men?"
"Yes,"
"And she simply kept fighting without rest?"
"Yes,"
"Hmm…"
"Is something the matter my lord?"
He paused. For a minute, Mercy believed he would reveal his thoughts to her. When those lovely cerulean eyes his became even more indecipherable than his norm, she gave up on the silly idea.
"No," said Lord Rahl indifferently. "It was mere curiosity. You are dismissed."
"My lord," Mercy saluted.
She had no illusions of what would become of her later. The punishment she would receive because of her failure. But what ran through her mind as she left Lord Rahl's study was the Confessor. It was the first time he'd sent her personally to capture her and she'd thought the others before her were merely imbeciles. Now she knew better. Next time she'd be less gentle because, after all, Master Rahl only said the Confessor was to be brought in alive with as minimal damage possible.
"My liege," Leigh drawled as she entered Darken Rahl's study in the People's Palace.
Leigh was a magnificent beauty to behold. Her body was an exquisite splendor of curves and she was fearless in flaunting it. As it happened, she was wearing an audacious dress of sheer fabric that clung to her body, its train brushing against the marble flooring as she neared him. Darken recalled her telling him that it was a waste to veil oneself from the world and she had nothing to conceal. Well, perhaps her true age. That remained a mystery to him.
Darken considered taking her as a bedmate once. He'd been young and foolish, blind to her conniving ways then. She wanted a place beside him on his throne. He could never give that indulgence her. He sought a queen who was willful, quick-witted, and able to provide him a legitimate, gifted heir. There'd never been a weak Rahl born into the lineage and that had to do with the women who married into the family.
Love meant little to him. Therefore, he didn't pursue it. The concept was one of a dreamer's. His views on the subject of marriage were singular. He simply needed a woman to fulfill her duties as a wife and queen to the people. As for Leigh, her gift of foresight was the only thing he truly needed from her.
Speaking of which…
Leigh swept her burgundy curls behind her shoulder. They cascaded past her waist and Darken had to wonder how it was that she managed it. However, he was beginning to deviate. With a lazy wave of his hand, he dismissed the excess guards in the study.
It was a luxurious room, decorated with arrases portraying gory battles and olden heroes. Countless books lined the walls and there was a window seat where one could observe the courtyard below. The wooden desk that dominated the center of it practically screamed of riches and power. Darken Rahl pushed his chair back and raised, his blood red robes cascading down onto the floor.
"I won't waste either of our times." He stated. "I've summoned you here to ask you of your guidance."
"Guidance?"
"Yes," Darken knew the oracle had heard him perfectly well; she wasn't that old yet. She simply wanted to drag out the scarce occurrence of him asking advice from another. If he didn't need this counsel, he'd have slit her throat for her games. Instead, he reined in his indomitable temper as much as he could and kept a void expression. "It's about the male Confessor Luther Mortis."
"What of him?"
"To spare his life, his child's, and all who Confessors under his reign we made a deal. He hasn't held up his end of the bargain."
"Which would be?"
"The hand of his firstborn daughter in exchange for peace between our lands."
"You wish to take a Confessor as a wife?"
"I'm not getting any younger and she's quite competent. Let's not forget their descent is also of very old, very powerful magic. With the magics of the House of Rahl and the Dynasty of Mortis combined, such an heir born as a Rahl… well, it's simply too promising of a prospect to pass up."
"Ah," Leigh remarked. "I see but I'm afraid I'm uncertain of exactly what you want from me. Do you require my guidance or my sight milord?"
"Both."
"Very well," she said, taking a breath.
Her dark eyes leisurely rolled back leaving the whites exposed. Darken Rahl stood motionless, rigid with anticipation as he watched her eyelids flutter. Her lips separated as she drew in a breath. The amount of time that passed as she was in her trance was incalculable. He waited.
Finally, Leigh's eyes shut and opened again. The scleras around her pupils were bloodshot. It was common practice when she had visions so Darken Rahl didn't pay it any mind. What was of concern to him was what she'd seen.
"Well?" he prompted.
"A demonstration is far worthier than mere words."
"I don't believe that's in order." Darken told her. He detested the feeling of being ensnared within one of Leigh's visions. It was too detaining, too intimate. "Just tell me what you've seen."
"I've seen numerous possibilities of your predicament." she whispered, her voice slightly hoarse. "If you grow impatient and begin to kill every Confessor in Anatheema then King Luther will flee. Capturing his daughter in order to force her into giving up her father's location will result in your anticlimax each and every time. Her resolve is strong and indissoluble. She will either murder you or aid in your demise. If you are to simply kill her as a means to lure her father then you will succeed."
Darken Rahl's lips began to curl into a slow smile at this.
"However, it is a miniature gain compared to your losses." Leigh continued. "He will be the death of you. A male Confessor's magic is mostly Subtractive and his anger will fuel him into a state of darkness that shall destroy all in its path. The amount of bloodshed he will cause in a month to reach D'Hara—to reach you— will be more than what you've caused in your entire lifetime."
"Then what am I to do?"
"In all honesty I would suggest you abandon this quest. There are several fine, subservient young women who would make lovelier compliments to the throne of D'Hara." Leigh replied. Then she added, "But I'm familiar with your reasoning. As a secondary suggestion I say sway the young Confessor into your good graces. She maybe powerful but she's still a woman. Even the wickedest of us think with our hearts. And you, you are quite capable of making any maiden swoon."
"What would that do for my cause?"
"It will make her rethink her decision about rejecting your nuptials. Perhaps she might come to think of D'Hara as a home rather than an imprisonment. Find some solitude here; after all she is a halfblooded D'Haran." Then Leigh inserted, "And even if she still despises it here it might make her hesitate in killing you—even if for a second. When she does… you can kill her and raise your child."
A/N:
Second chapter up! Woot woot! I know it's somewhat short but I don't plan on this being a freaking monologue . Besides the prelude and chapter 1 were long enough! In case you didn't catch it in the dialogue this is a fast-forward to 3 days later. I realize I didn't describe the oh-so-gorgeous (I'm envisioning Craig Parker as I say this) Darken Rahl but I'll do it soon.
For the book series fans: don't worry. I might weasel the original description in there somehow ;). As per his habits… well I'm still debating on whether I should go with the book's or the show's. Although in the show he only had one and he only did it like thrice. (Maybe it was a coincidence?) Perhaps I'll do a combo of them. (Yes, I realize I did one from the books in this chapter :P!)
CLARIFICATION- Leigh is one of those 'numerous sorcerers at Darken Rahl's disposal'. Her character is a work in progress and if my other stories are anything to go by she'll be undeniably intertwined in this story. I replaced Denna w/ Mercy. Deal w/ it XD.