DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Legend of The Seeker. All I own is my imagination and the freedom to write.

Bound Love

Confessor? Wizard? Hey guys I've been talking to you for the past hour and neither one of you have answered. Also my vision is flaming, or at least melting, maybe I am still drunk. Anyways I found the Confessor so let's get back on the road.
Wait where did everyone go? My Agiels are missing. Well shit. Can I get them back? Potty break? Why sudden silence? Someone should be talking. Hello is anybody out there? Ah good more talking, at least Zedd hasn't died yet. What was that? Hollering? Sounds like a crowd or a fight, I can't see anything except squiggly portraits of forest. Oh people are quiet now? The fuck is wrong with everyone, the sound of silence is fucking annoying. Wait was that Sorceress Shota? No no only more quiet ass silence. HELLOOOOO? What the hell is going on?!

Zedd sipped his drink slowly, it was an old herbal tea the host of the house provided for him and Shota. Bitter for the most part, but refreshing nonetheless. He and Shota sat in silence, waiting on Kahlan and Richard to be done with whatever they were doing. Zedd imagined that she was cleaning him up, or tending to his wounds. Maybe trying to calm his anger or resolve whatever was going on between them. He didn't mind though, the time he spent resting was time well spent. Shota sipped her tea with a blank face. Apparently when the two arrived in town and took refuge at the local inn, a man had insulted Shota. Richard took offense and thus the whole caboodle between them commenced.

"The damn fool could have gotten himself killed, or me for that matter. People in this place are not very nice."

Zedd glanced quickly around him, then turned to Shota. He squeezed her hand briefly before she cocked her head questioningly.

"What did they boy say to make Richard fight him?"

Shota withdrew her hand from Zedd's embrace, she didn't want to say. Zedd cleared his throat awkwardly, he understood but he still felt bad. The woman before him sighed and laid her head on the table. She was tired, yet they couldn't retire to their room until Kahlan and Richard returned. He took another sip of his tea, ahh refreshing.

"How. Could. You. Be. So. Stupid?!"

Richard flinched away as Kahlan tried her best to whack him with the cloth she had brought him. She groaned and threw it at him. He caught it and dipped the fabric into the bucket of water he just drew. He would probably need several more.
Kahlan was upset, and continued trying to whack Richard with something, anything.

"You are supposed to be a Seeker! Not a mud bathing dirty scoundrel who beats people up!"

Richard ducked as she swatted at him with a twig. He knocked it out of her hand irritated.

"Hey! Who is the one beating people up here? Quit throwing things! I was defending Shota's honor!"

Kahlan dropped her armload of pine cones she accumulated. She brushed off her dress and came closer to Richard and the well.

"Defending Shota's honor?"

"Yeah, that guy that I was 'beating up' said something very rude to Shota. She couldn't defend herself so I did."

"What did the man say?"

Richard was quiet for a minute, most of the mud and whatever else was on him was off of him, but he still was dirty.

"Shota is old-looking now so people don't recognize her. This guy did, and he called her names, said she deserved whatever she was going through, then he spat on her."

Kahlan sat on the edge of the well and wiped her sweaty brow. He was right to retaliate but he did it in the wrong way.

"Anyway you need to hurry up, we need to get back to Zedd, Cara and Shota."

Richard continued to clean himself up while Kahlan waited. He glanced at her then returned to cleaning himself. He repeated the strange quick looks until Kahlan cleared her throat, loudly.

"What?!"

"Uh erm, good thing you were okay in the woods. I suppose you're um... well it's about time for ... the um..."

Richard softly mumbled something to himself, but Kahlan heard it. She could not believe he would suggest that, even if she was. He knew why she ran off! Yet he blames her? Even though she was the one who ran, Oh no, this was not going to be put on her.

"Excuse me? You know exactly why I ran from that stupid inn."

She was the defense, but so was he.

"No I don't, you ran off. I was... I don't know where I was. I didn't even know you had gone, so how am I at fault."

He was drunk, good point... nah Kahlan didn't care at this point.

"You are at fault because you told Cara you were in love with someone besides me! A-and you wanted to m-marry her?! What's wrong with you? Why would you say those things?"

Hmm yes memories are coming back from the alcoholic stupor... but it was only Cara and him in the room. Was she eavesdropping?

"I guess there is no point in hiding it no more. I don't feel for you in the way I used to. I am in live with another woman, and her name is Fi-"

"DON'T SPEAK!"

Richard scoffed, don't speak? He was already talking. What was wrong with this woman? It was like he hardly knew her at all. Her back was towards him so he couldn't see her face but he knew she was crying. He rubbed her forehead, couldn't this be over already?

Kahlan's emotions were going haywire, she needed to calm down.

Calm down...
Calm down...
Calm...
Down...

"Hey where is Cara anyway?"

Shh, you must keep calm. Slow breathing, in and out. In and out.
Eyes shut.

"Um Kahlan?"

"What Richard?!"

"You okay?"

NO I AM NOT OKAY...

"I'm fine, let's just go to the inn."

Kahlan opened her eyes to see Richard waltzing away to the inn, something was off, and she didn't want to care.
But who was she kidding? All she did was care.

Pecan brittle, pecan pie, pecan casserole, pecans raw, pecan this pecan that. SO FREAKING TIRED OF PECANS!

"What is it dear?"

She could only smile and shrug, a giggle here, gentle caress there. She was becoming quite the con artist. This man, who had an unnatural love for pecans was filthy rich, and she needed money. Killing him would be so freaking easy, snap her fingers and his blood could boil out of any opening on his body.

But then she would die... because of that stupid sorceress Shota. Stealing her magic was soooooo easy, and now with the Blood amulet she had blended the magic to her soul. Only the witch had put a fail safe in the way of using the juju, if she uses it to do anything bad, it would happen to her. So that sucked big time. The whole purpose of taking the magic was to kill the ones who wronged her, and now she can't. On top of that she was broke, and hungry. So she did whatever she had to do, to get what she wanted.

"Dear child, try some of the butter pecan ice cream, tis so delicious you'll never eat plain ice cream again."

The pish posh money man was about to shove a humongous spoon down her throat, she swallowed her pride opened her mouth and took it all in. It was actually pretty good. Oh shit another spoonful.

"Say ahhh!"

Oh Creator please send help, anything just get me out of here...

Shota frowned, the fool had bound her magic to them. She could feel the ownership leaving her soul, soon she would no longer own the power and she would shrivel up and die. She would become a pile of ash the Creator would use to fertilize trees. What a bright future she had. Zeddicus wouldn't help, he could save her if he wanted to. Sure he would risk his life a wee bit but Shota liked the odds.
Her existence in the living realm was needed, she had purpose. Her visions from the Creator helped people... okay maybe not Shota's actions but the visions were true and absolute! Usually whatever Shota saw would come to pass... boy she hated seeing the future. Maybe she ought to be dead, and no one would be able to alter the future like she had tried to so many times. Ugh it wasn't up to her to decide other people's fate, her actions in the past were wrong and she must apologise to the people closest to her before she dies.
Cara was on one of the beds before her, a beautiful scary woman, she had so much pain and so much passion swiveling around inside her Shota couldn't see how the girl remained as she did. Sure she was Mord'sith, but still there was more than meets the eye with her.
The conversation between Zeddicus and the other two was growing longer than Shota had expected. Talking of what needed to be done between her and Cara. If she had her magic she could help Cara out, even if it was something so complicated. Richard's voice was raising, Zeddicus had just told him of Kahlan's attacker. Kahlan seemed a bit distant from Richard.
She coughed a few times trying to get their attention, but never succeeded. She was tired, so she crawled on the extra bed and closed her eyes. Maybe tomorrow they would find the solution to their problems.

Kahlan closed the door after Zedd and Richard left. Shota was sound asleep on a bed, her soft snores was making Kahlan sleepy. She changed her clothes and put on the sleepwear she had. Cara was still in her leathers, and it made Kahlan wonder if she was comfortable.
Probably not, due to the fact she was asleep... in a magical spell that made your nightmares and dreams become your reality.

She brushed Cara's blonde hair, it was dirty, a few leaves were still in it from her misadventure in the forest. She wanted to clean her up, but Zedd had told her to not do anything out of the ordinary. Sighing she lay her head next to Cara's.

"Don't fret, of course you don't worry at all apparently but I know you. Zedd and I will be taking you to Aydindril. The resources he needs will most likely be there, and the other wizards can help him." She glanced at Cara's face searching for a scowl or eyebrow twitch, but it was still, no movement at all.
"Richard will continue to help Shota, and once she gets her magic back they will come to Aydindril."
A twitch caught Kahlan's eye and she beamed, not that it was a response, but she liked to think it was so.

"Oh don't be bothered with Him going alone with her, it's not like you could go, being asleep that is. Besides he probably needs to be alone for awhile... You were telling the truth and I am so sorry for not believing you..."

She stopped talking, the snoring had stopped replaced with almost silent breathing. The room was dark and the moonlight peeking through the window made no shadows. She couldn't shake a feeling overcoming her, it scared her and she had no idea how to handle it. She felt this before a long time ago, when she feared for her life as she did now. Her sister had supposedly been caught or killed and she left Kahlan. Tears slowly filled her eyes and slipped down her cheeks.
She felt alone.

It was dark, smelled like death, and had the cutest little window that you could barely see out of, since it was twelve feet from the floor. The whole dungeon was amazing, honestly Darken was surprised to know the lovely king he just disemboweled had such a morbid place beneath his seat. This kingdom was perfect and his brother would be captured and put in this exact cell very soon, which made Darken tremble with delight.
He clapped his hands.

"My lord." Indebtedness was heavy in the young Mord'sith's response.

Darken whirled himself around to see that it was her, the one he had personally saved from a horde of banelings, Violet. He liked her, she was young but her body screamed that she was much older. She was fully developed, no kidding she was almost bursting from her leathers. Which reminded him, he needed to get some cattle...

"Violet, can you please get me my diary?"

The girl nodded and was gone with a flash. He grinned with glee, he had no way of communication with his loyal soldiers out in the lands since every last one of his books were destroyed, thanks to a certain Mistress that assumed leadership while he was gone. Who had also lost the woman whom he needed to use for his plan. It was quite alright though, he got what he needed from her and now she was gone, forever.
He wrote in the diaries out of habit and had messages sent via Mord'sith. The girl returned carrying his diary, she set it before him then waited at attention. He opened it slowly allowing the pages to turn at will till he found where he wanted to write. He plopped the griffin feather into the blood ink then slowly began writing his devious thoughts.

Aydindril was southeast of their current location, which was good for Kahlan and Zedd. The time of year was turning autumn and there would be no more summer storms. It would be much easier to move with an unconscious Cara. Richard and Shota however was headed North, into unknown conditions. The situation with Shota's well-being was getting worse and Cara was having nightmares. During the night while Kahlan was asleep Cara's body tried to strangle her, if Shota hadn't beat the pulp out of her with a broom Kahlan would've died. She was bruised badly from her hands, but Zedd said she would be fine. So they bound Cara's arms and legs making sure she couldn't harm herself or others. Zedd had examined the mark over her sternum that morning, it had grown larger, he said that indicated she was swept up in the alternate reality in her mind. If she fought against it the mark would shrink.
Shota and Richard had already left, she had spoken with Zedd about something, it bugged Kahlan that they left her and Richard out of it. He brushed it off as something personal, but she could tell. When they said their goodbyes Kahlan tried reaching out to Richard, tried to peer into his heart through his eyes but they were clouded. She could not see his true feelings any longer, and he didn't seem to want her feeling no more. Simple goodbyes sufficed him, it broke her heart even more to watch him leave knowing he no longer loved her. It ached and hurt and she couldn't take it no more, but she wiped her tears away. Her thoughts needed to be on other things. Cara's condition and her own situation would be enough for her to keep from falling into total despair. Zedd had returned from buying the supplies they needed, with concern he asked if everything was alright. She sighed and nodded slowly, her throat ached to much to speak.

"We'll reach Aydindril within four days if we only stop for a nights rest. Which is what I advise." He said with a determined look in his eyes. Kahlan agreed. She situated Cara in the small wagon they had bought then hopped up on the front to grab the reigns. Zedd put the things in the wagon,he had bought then sat next to her, hugged her and smiled. She returned the smile weakly and clicked her tongue to get the horses moving onward.
The next four days would be supposedly smooth riding, or would something happen, she could only speculate and hope for the best.