A/N: Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy it :D Let me know what you think.
Chapter 6
Everyone was still standing motionless in a stunned silence. Kahlan could not take her eyes off Norman. The man had the adoring look on his face that only came from confession; from being bare of free will and chained with a forced love for another. Kahlan Amnel was the only Confessor alive, so the logical conclusion was that she had done it, even though she had no memory of it; she had confessed him. But how? Kahlan wondered.
Interpreting the Mother Confessor's surprised silence as guilt; Tyran's confidence in his accusations was renewed. "You don't want to say anything in your defense, Mother Confessor?" Tyran asked, "Then I assume you are to blame," he said triumphantly, taking a menacing step in Kahlan's direction. His hand was twitching on the handle of his sword.
"The only thing you can assume if you don't back off, is that I'll glue my agiel to your gut," Cara said harshly, putting herself more directly in front of Kahlan and effectively blocking Tyran's path. The man halted his steps, but the fury in his eyes never diminished.
Even with all the tension surrounding them, Kahlan couldn't help the fluttering of her heart at Cara's protective words. But she didn't want the blonde to have to follow through on her threats; there was no need for the situation to escalate. However impossible it seemed, Kahlan hadn't confessed this man's son. Nevertheless in her continuing state of shock, she was unable to identify a different cause for the confession than the one Tyran was proposing.
"Kahlan would never confess a man unjustifiably," Richard said, trying to defend her. "If she did, he must have done something," the Seeker said decidedly.
"I didn't do it Richard," Kahlan snapped, her head turning in Richard's direction.
"The Mother Confessor says she didn't do it," Zedd said, stressing Kahlan's title while he looked in Richard's eyes. The boy forgets that Kahlan is the ruler of all the Midlands. She has authority over all of us here; she must be respected and addressed as such when these situations arise. Zedd thought to himself, somewhat disappointed at his grandchild's lack of understanding that he needed to still address Kahlan with respect as he defended her. "And I believe her. Let's try to find out what happened to your son," the wizard said addressing Tyran, hoping that the man would calm down.
"Well, I don't believe her," Tyran retorted angrily. "My son is confessed and she's the only Confessor alive. There's no doubt here." He shouted at the wizard. The rest of the men on horseback dismounted when they sensed their leader's rising anger. Every one of them was ready to strike on his command.
Sensing their increasing danger, Kahlan tried to avoid the looming blood shed. "I understand your reasoning, but that is not what happened," she said calmly to Tyran. "Let us help you find out what really happened to him. But be advised, if you try to attack me or my friends, you'll regret it," Kahlan finished with a cold voice, standing tall in her Mother Confessor's regalia.
Hearing these words, Cara tilted her head and let a predatory smirk spread her lips. Her eagerness to fight was clear on her features and her stance.
Just by seeing that tilt of Cara's head, Kahlan could perfectly picture the expression on the blonde's face. She was sure that if the man accusing her decided to attack her, he wouldn't be able to get passed the fierce Mord'Sith in order to do it.
But not even a Mord'Sith, a wizard of the First Order, the Seeker and the Mother Confessor could scare the man into ending his tirade. He was blinded with rage and his thirst for vengeance. "That is the truth," Tyran yelled. "Yesterday, when he arrived at our camp, my son told me that you reprimanded him," the man continued angrily, "You did more than that, didn't you?" He spat out.
"Father she-" Noran tried to speak but was quickly cut off by his father.
"Be quite boy," he ordered without even glancing in his son's direction.
"You met him before?" Richard asked, turning to his left to look at Kahlan.
"Yes, I did. Yesterday at dusk." Kahlan said, without letting her Confessor's mask falter, although inside she was wondering if she could have possibly confessed him the day before. She was certainly angry and her emotions were out of control, but that was not enough for her to confess him without touch. That only happened when she entered the Con Dar and she had not been that angry. Or had she?
"Why did you reprimand him?" Richard asked curiously.
At this Kahlan's cheeks colored slightly. Kahlan didn't have the slightest desire to explain why exactly she had reprimanded Noran so gravely. She risked a look at Cara's back. She couldn't see the Mord'Sith's face, but she saw the grip on her agiels go tighter. Evidently Cara didn't want to revisit the incident either.
"He was being impolite," Kahlan vaguely explained. "I just told him to back off," she added, somewhat defensibly. Confessing him had never crossed her mind.
Richard was about to open her mouth to speak, but Tyran beat him to it.
"You didn't just tell him," the man contradicted her. "From what he said to me, you almost ripped his head off, probably would have if he hadn't been being so obedient," Tyran said, looking at Kahlan with disgust. He was clearly not giving up his idea of blaming Kahlan for the state his son was obviously in. "And that trouble-free submissiveness was probably because you confessed him," he finished bitterly. He couldn't imagine his brave and bold son, sometimes stupidly fearless, kneeling at a woman's feet readily, not without putting up a fight.
"Could you have entered the Con Dar and confess him even without touch?" Zedd asked Kahlan. The wizard doubted that was the case, he was sure they would have noticed if Kahlan entered the Con Dar. But he asked anyway, just to make sure they covered every possibility.
"She did nothing of the sort," Cara said, sounding bored. "If she had, I wouldn't be standing here, alive, would I?" she pointed out with a raised brow, rotating her head to look at Zedd.
"Why did you tell him to back off?" Richard asked Kahlan what he had intended to ask before he got interrupted.
Kahlan didn't want to share with everyone the reason why she got so furious the night before. She had already discussed it with Cara and they had buried the issue.
Seeing the discomfort in the Confessor's face, Cara intervened, saving Kahlan from having to tell what had happened; the blonde knew Kahlan was not one to be at ease talking about these matters. She, on the other hand, had no such problem.
"He was trying to get into my leathers," Cara interjected, turning to Zedd and Richard. "The Mother Confessor noticed that he was being inappropriate and told him to try to behave like an adult," the blonde said unapologetically.
Kahlan was thankful to Cara for intervening. She was aware that she overreacted the night before and sharing that with others made her feel somewhat vulnerable.
"So you confessed my son because you were defending a harlot?" Tyran said disbelievingly.
A blink after he finished that sentence he felt a sharp pain in his jaw and his back hitting hard on the ground. The next thing he was aware of was a screeching scream and a blinding pain in his stomach. When he opened his eyes he saw the Mord'Sith applying the end of her weapon to his belly. The blonde was hovering over him with a look of both rage and satisfaction in her eyes.
"I don't need anyone to defend me," Cara said between her teeth. "And as you can see, I'm a lot more dangerous than a harlot," she stated, fixing the Tyran with a murderous look.
Seeing their leader sprawled on the ground, the rest of the men unsheathed their swords to attack. They'd taken the first step when they heard the Mother Confessor's voice roaring with authority and menace.
"That is enough," Kahlan said, stepping in front of Cara. "Order your men to lower their weap-" she was interrupted by Cara's solid form colliding with her body and knocking her to the ground. They fell with a thump; unfortunately a medium sized rock that was protruding from the ground bore itself into Kahlan's lower back. She looked up into Cara's worried eyes. The Mord'Sith heard her gasp in pain and immediately checked her out for wounds.
"It's nothing, I hit my back on a rock," Kahlan informed the blonde in a whisper. "It's just a bruise," she reassured Cara after passing her hand over the area and not feeling blood.
Cara got up and saw the archer with his bow still raised in their direction. The arrow had only missed by a few inches, ending up deflected by Richard's sword; it's trajectory guided it in the Seeker's direction, after passing the spot where the Mother Confessor was supposed to be.
Kahlan also noticed this. Without even getting up completely, she took one of her daggers and threw it at her attacker. The man was struck dead as the dagger plunged into his chest an instant later.
Richard jumped forward with his sword ready to strike any men who dared to even look at Kahlan. He was about to speak his mind when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him to see his grandfather with a slightly admonished face.
"Quiet my boy," Zedd said. "This one is for the Mother Confessor to handle, not the Seeker of Truth," he squeezed Richard's strong shoulder to emphasize his words and make sure his grandson followed his advice.
"I've tolerated this more than I should," Kahlan said. She winced imperceptibly when she got up, but her voice came out in a cool and unquestionable tone. "All of you put down your weapons if you don't want to end up like your friend," she warned, nodding in the dead man's direction.
Cara's gaze focused on the disoriented Tyran. Poor excuse for a man… can't even handle a little pain. The blonde thought, attributing his disorientation to the pain her agiels provoked. Cara leaned down and poked the still prone Tyran with her agiel. The man yelped and ordered his men to stand down.
"You have no right or authority to come here and accuse me of anything," Kahlan said. "I am the Mother Confessor, do not forget yourself," she said with a threatening voice.
"I only seek justice for my son Mother Confessor," Tyran said lowering his voice, while he got up from the ground.
"Father-" Noran tried to speak again.
"Shut up boy," he said hastily. "I can barely stand to ear you speak with that whine in your voice."
Noran had a stricken look on his face, while he looked between his father and the Mother Confessor.
"What you are doing here is not justice," Kahlan continue with ice in her voice. "It's vengeance, probably aimed at the wrong person," she said looking directly into Tyran's eyes, her gaze conveying only command. "You'll answer my questions or you'll go to trial for defying me, the highest authority of the Midlands. Do you understand?"
Tyran nodded rapidly, now with fear in his eyes. Once the adrenaline passed, he finally comprehended the gravity of his actions. He was so mad about his only son's state, that he had forgotten who he was talking to. Seeing the Mother Confessor regally standing before him, calmly prepared to pass judgment over his life, he suddenly understood a lot better why his son had show submission to her, with or without confession. Maybe she was telling the truth. Tyran's knees started to tremble. This woman's commanding posture could no longer be ignored. She was, without a shadow of a doubt, the rightful ruler of the Midlands. She could judge him for his defiance and condemn him as she saw fit. He prayed that it wouldn't be the Mord'Sith to punish him. He certainly didn't want to experience the excruciating pain of an agiel again.
Kahlan turned to Noran and assessed his stance. When he noticed her attention on him, he immediately bowed his head. But now, that the initial shock at the news had passed and she could afford to shift her attention from father to son, she could see an important detail. This man was not showing submission to her because he was confessed by her. He was showing the same submission he had showed the night before, although without the drunken slur in his voice. He was bowing his head to the Mother Confessor of the Midlands, not to his Mistress. With this in mind, although she was filled with incredulity, her next question was direct:
"Who confessed you?" Kahlan asked Noran.
"My Mistress, Mother Confessor," he said, a radiant and adoration filled smile lifting his whole face. It was a smile that would normally incite admiration in Kahlan, but knowing the reason behind it, instead, only incited disgust.
"You don't say," Cara muttered sarcastically under her breath. She had moved to stand a step behind Kahlan, and was watching every movement like a hawk.
Kahlan could hear the Mord'Sith's dry comment and had to control an amused smile that was struggling to show on her lips. A warm, calming feeling flooded her chest. Even in a stressful situation such as this, Cara could make her feel grounded and calm with something as simple as a sarcastic remark.
"What's your Mistress's name?" Kahlan insistingly inquired of the confessed man, thinking that maybe it had been her sister. Although it was highly unlikely, since Dennee was living far away from here, it was not impossible. After all, Kahlan and Dennee were the only two Confessor's alive. Kahlan had to know.
"Forgive me Mother Confessor, but I can't answer that," he said apologetically, but without any guilt.
"What does she look like then?" Kahlan asked, thinking that maybe he didn't know the name of the woman who confessed him. "Did she have brown hair and blue eyes?" the brunette specified, giving the description of her sister's new body.
"She didn't have brown hair," he said, which meant Kahlan's suspicion that it could have been her sister who confessed this man was incorrect. "I can't tell you more than that," he said resolutely. But this time, Kahlan noticed he had a small smile on his lips when he refused to reveal his Mistress's identity or looks.
Cara saw the smile too and immediately found it suspicious. "Is he lying?" the Mord'Sith pondered. "I could make him tell the truth," she said, a menacing smirk on her lips. Cara lifted her right arm and pointed an agiel at his chin; her intentions perfectly clear.
"No, he isn't lying," Kahlan responded beside her, reading the truth of his words with her powers. She grabbed Cara's forearm softly, in order to compel the blonde to lower her weapon. The moment her fingers closed around the taunt muscles of Cara's forearm, she felt herself tremble inside. Her Confessor's mask never faltered, she was sure no one picked up on her momentary shift of focus; but when she glanced at Cara and saw the Mord'Sith return her look, she knew that those green eyes could make out the turmoil wrecking havoc inside her.
Cara could feel the heat from Kahlan's hand even through her leather. Feeling the heat from Kahlan's skin transported her immediately to the moment she had woke up this morning. Cara felt a shiver travel down her spine just at the memory. When she felt the brunette's hand twitch slightly around her arm, she glanced at Kahlan. What she saw in the confessor's eyes was the reflection of her own thoughts.
Since this was not the time to be indulging in distractions, Cara lowered her arm and broke her eye connection with Kahlan. The Confessor cleared her throat quietly and addressed Noran again.
"Why do you look so pleased in hiding her identity?" the Mother Confessor inquired.
"Because my Mistress told me not to give that information to anyone," he said, the adoration unwavering on his features. "She told me to be good and not to tell anyone anything about her. That's why I was trying to stop my father from harming you. I was trying to be good, make things right. But he wouldn't hear me and I have to respect him because he's my father just as I have to respect you because you are the Mother Confessor.
"When did she confess you?" Kahlan tried to collect more information, wondering why his Mistress had made such a request. It was exceptionally clear what had happened to Noran; if she wanted to remain undetected, why had she not ordered him to conceal that fact as well?
"Last night, Mother Confessor, when I returned from the inn," he answered. "I am so sorry, I was going to do terrible things to her," he said starting to weep. "I'm so sorry, so sorry," he sniffled. "But my Mistress forgave me, she just told me to never do it again," he finished with a grateful look on his dark eyes.
"You had someone with you in the tent?" Tyran asked his son, a disbelieving look on his face.
"Forgive me father, I was going to sell her and keep the profits to myself," Noran revealed, with fresh tears flowing down his cheeks.
"You captured a Confessor on your own?" Cara asked doubtfully. She knew the man was confessed and that Kahlan would be able to tell if he was lying, but that sounded more than a little unbelievable. How could a man like him successfully capture a Confessor? He should have been confessed on the spot.
"No, I was with Harus," he said, referring to the burly man that was with him on the inn the night before. "We came upon her, she was confused and freighted. We didn't know she was a Confessor. She tried to escape, but she didn't put much of a fight. She looked very tired, almost drained," he recalled his Mistress state when he and Harus found her. "We took her and hided her in my tent. We were going to sell her in the next town without my father's knowing; share the profits and spend it on women and wine," he finished retelling his plans.
"What a surprise," Cara spoke again in her extremely sarcastic tone. This time Kahlan glanced at the blonde and pursed her lips, silently conveying her agreement with the Mord'Sith's words.
"Where is Harus?" Kahlan asked looking around the men. If Harus was not confessed too, he could tell more about this mysterious woman.
"I killed him," Noran said unapologetically. "She escaped the camp after confessing me. Harus came inside my tent and said he was going to kill her for confessing me," he revealed, shattering Kahlan's hopes. "I had to protect my Mistress," he said determinedly.
"Where did you find her?" Zedd asked, his eyes showing that he already suspected something and wanted confirmation from the man.
"In the woods, the ones we passed before getting here," Noran answered the wizard.
"How long ago?" Richard asked, aware of his grandfather's line of thought. In Cara and Kahaln's faces a spark of recognition could also be seen.
"Three days ago," Noran said to the Seeker.
Zedd and Richard traded knowing glances with each other. Cara furrowed her brow in thought at this new found knowledge and looked to Kahlan to see her reaction. The Confessor had her brown furrowed too and looked at Zedd questioningly. The wizard caught her eye and nodded at the strong possibility that this Confessor was most likely to be their mysterious magic caster from the woods.
Kahlan turned to Tyran. "Get up," said in a steel voice. "You know now what happened to your son. It is my judgment that he deserved to be confessed if he was going to harm this woman," she practically spat at him.
"Mother Confess-"
"I'm not finished," she interrupted him. "You will compensate this town and its inhabitants for any and every one of the problems you and your men have caused. You will repair everything you have broken and will leave the majority of the gold I'm certain you carry with you as a compensation for the rest," she ordered.
"Then you will leave this area, permanently. Since you are so eager to use your weapons, go to Aydindril and join the Midland's army. Tell the commander I sent you there and share with him any information you have about the slave traders to whom you have been selling. Help the army to stop them," she finished. "Did I make myself clear?" She asked, taking an extra step in Tyran's direction, her assertive voice leaving no room for her commands to be questioned.
The man immediately took a step back. "Yes, Mother Confessor," he said exhaling the breath he was holding and bowing his head. It seemed that after figuring out his mistake, the man was trembling at the thought of what would be the consequences to his reckless actions. He truly thought that the Mother Confessor was going to kill him right here, but she didn't. His consideration for the highest authority of the Midlands increased ten fold. She was ruthless, as his dead subaltern could tell. But she also was fair and tempered her judgments with mercy; allowing him and his men to leave here alive, with the penance of helping this people, testified to that.
To make sure the slave dealers would fulfill their penance, Zedd spelled the whole band. The spell would warn him if anything or anyone was harmed by the slave dealers. He told the leader that if that came to pass the Mother Confessor would personally track them down to bring them to justice.
After learning about the existence of another Confessor, Kahlan informed her companions that it was her duty to investigate this surprising event. Richard readily made himself available to help her find the new Confessor. The brunette thanked him, but reminded the Seeker that he had a quest to complete. Surprisingly, Richard didn't argue and offered his tracking abilities to help Kahlan pick up the Confessor's trail at the slave dealer's camp. Zedd and Cara followed Richard and Kahlan in the direction of the camp.
Once there, Richard easily picked up a trail leaving Noran's tent. They followed it for a while and the small footsteps directed them to the road that connected this town to the next. Richard opened the compass on his hand and saw that it pointed in the same direction of the Confessor's trail. The Seeker smiled triumphantly at Kahlan. When she saw his expression, the brunette realized that he didn't argue with her before because he was hoping the compass would point in the same direction of the unknown Confessor's footsteps. They would be traveling in the same direction after all.
The group of four walked down the road, following the compass and the mysterious Confessor's trail. After only a dozen of steps Richard noticed that the Confessor's trail disappeared. But his keen eye caught the end of the trail next to a wagon's marks on the road. The Seeker deduced that the Confessor must have had gotten inside a wagon, probably belonging to a merchant. The other three approved his assessment and they continued walking in the same direction.
Richard and Kahlan were walking side by side at the front. Zedd was behind them and Cara was a couple of paces behind the wizard, her senses highly tuned to her surroundings. Richard brought up the thing all of them were thinking about.
"A Confessor?" he started, with a surprised expression. "How is that possible? Did the Mord'Sith leave someone alive back in Valeria?" he asked offhandedly, turning around to look at Cara.
The Mord'Sith gave him a warning stare, shifting her eyes to look pointedly at Kahlan's back and then looking back at Richard intensely. "I already told you what happened in Valeria," she said curtly, hoping Richard would understand her hint and shut up.
Richard was taken aback by the blonde's intense stare, but her words made him instantly realize that his question would trigger bad memories for Kahlan. He was further surprised as he noticed that Cara didn't chastise him for questioning her sister's efficacy in killing the Confessors. Instead, the blonde was worried with what the mention of that incident could do to the brunette. Kahlan sure is rubbing off on her, Richard thought. Aware of his mistake, Richard turned his attention to Kahlan.
"Kahlan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" he said apologetically, with soft expression.
"I know Richard; it's okay, don't worry," Kahlan said with a small smile that didn't quite reach eyes, putting the Seeker at ease. The truth was she didn't feel upset with Cara now, when she thought about what happened in Valeria. Of course she would always be sad thinking about the death of her fellow Confessors. Of course she hated that her sister had to kill her son and die at the end of an agiel; Cara's agiel. But she tempered her rage with the knowledge that the blonde had been just a weapon wielded by Darken Rahl. And when she thought about what Cara told her, that she had killed her sister swiftly, she believe that; she believe that even back then Cara found ways to do her master's biding with a small personal twist. The Mord'Sith had been proud of fulfilling her missions, but she still could have recognized honor in Dennee's actions and how Kahlan's sister didn't deserve an exceptionally painful death after killing her only son to save him from Darken's claws. Cara had been merciful, in her way; as much as she could have been under than monster's rule.
"So how is it possible that another Confessor exists?" Kahlan turned the conversation away from those memories. "The Night Wisps looked all over for any Confessor that might be alive, they only found Annabelle," she recalled what had happened after she had that warning dream. "We drained her power with the Quillion; she's not a Confessor anymore" she added.
"Could someone create a new Confessor?" Richard asked Zedd.
"It's possible, but it would take extremely powerful magic," Zedd said. "Only someone with great power could attempt something like that. And even then, it would probably take more than one wizard or sorceress," he mused.
"Could Nicci do it?" Richard asked, remembering that Nicci was in possession of an incredible powerful Han.
"Why would Nicci want a Confessor?" asked Cara.
"To steal her power maybe," said Richard thoughtfully. "From what Noran said, this Confessor looked like she was on the run," he theorized from the information he had.
"Or running towards something," Zedd hypothesized. "I don't think Nicci did it, my boy. It would have been easier to bestow that power directly on herself," the wizard said with certainty.
"What if someone stole the Quillion holding Annabelle's power?" asked Cara nonchalantly.
The other three stopped and turned to look at her. Their faces showed that this was a strong possibility for what may have happened.
"That could be possible," Zedd was the first to voice his thoughts. "But with what intention?" he pondered.
Richard raised his brown and sighed. Without more information they were unable to come up with a plausible justification for what they had figured out. If they were right.
Cara just started to walk again. Being rooted to one spot was not going to solve the riddle for them; they had a quest to get back to. When she passed Kahlan she noticed how lost in thought the Confessor looked. "No use on melting our brains looking for an answer now," Cara said without turning around, bringing the rest of them out of their thoughts. "Let's continue to look for the stone and see if some other clues appear," she said.
A small smile appeared on Kahlan's lips. She nodded her head and started walking again. Zedd and Richard right behind her. The Confessor recognized Cara's words for what they really were; a way of cheering her up. She was absolutely right about what she had said to Richard the day before: to truly listen to Cara, you had to pay attention to what the Mord'Sith didn't say.
That night they made camp off the road, as always. Dinner was uneventful and everyone was asleep for a while now.
Everyone except Cara, that is, she had first watch. The blonde was sitting on her bedroll, her back resting on a log in front of the fire. She was keenly aware of the world around her. Especially if a possibly dangerous Confessor was on the loose, she thought.
There was also an annoying sound she had been hearing from Kahlan's bedroll for a while now which hadn't stop yet, as Cara had been expecting. It looked like she was going to need to do something to make it stop; so she did.
"That doesn't sound like just a bruise," Cara noted, knowing that Kahlan would hear her. The Confessor was turning this way and that on the bedroll; trying to find a comfortable position. She had hurt her back when she fell to the ground earlier, pushed by Cara. The cold air of the night wasn't helping her sore muscles to relax and as a result, she was having a hard time falling asleep.
Kahlan stopped her pitiful movements and sighed loudly. "Maybe I misjudged the gravity of the injury," Kahlan admitted reluctantly. "But don't worry, I'll be fine," she said dismissively.
"Your little dance on the bedroll is extremely annoying. I'll wake up Zedd to help you with the pain," Cara said, getting up from her warm spot in front of the fire.
Kahlan thought about telling Cara to stop and don't wake up the wizard. But the word stop would not even reach Cara's ears, so she opted for a more effective and fun way.
"Are you feeling guilty for pushing me to the ground like a sack of flour, so I ended up hitting my back on a rock?" she asked innocently, her voice not much louder than a whisper.
As predicted Cara halted straight away. The Mord'Sith took two steps in Kahlan's direction and stopped with her back to the fire. She put her hands on her hips and raised a single unimpressed eyebrow before speaking to Kahlan.
"You are not seriously suggesting that I feel guilty for saving your life, again, are you Confessor?" she asked smugly, sucking in one of her cheeks. The volume of her voice equaling Kahlan's, in order to avoid waking up the two men.
"Well, when you put it that way," Kahlan said smiling, raising herself on her elbows. She couldn't hold the whimper that left her lips at the movement. She cautiously raised her gaze to Cara to see if the blonde had noticed.
"There's no other way to put it," Cara stated dryly. "And I heard that, I'm going to wake up Zedd," she turned around, intending to wake up the snoring wizard.
Kahlan huffed. Of course she noticed, she thought. It was really hard to fool the Mord'Sith; even more if she was on to something. "There's no need for that Cara," she said a little more forceful to the blonde.
"Yes, there is. You've been whining for a while now," Cara stubbornly retorted, gesturing with one hand in the Confessor's direction.
"I was not whining," Kahlan whispered indignantly.
"Oh, yes you were Confessor," Cara contradicted her tauntingly. "But since you insist in not waking the wizard, you're coming with me," she said simply, retreating to her spot at the fire.
When she didn't heard Kahlan get up, she looked over her shoulder, "Do you need help?" the blonde asked.
"No, I can get up by myself," the brunette responded, watching as Cara sat down on her bedroll. The blonde made herself comfortable on her previous spot; back against the log, facing the glowing fire. Kahlan got up, wincing at the pain on her lower back, picked up her own bedroll and walked towards the Mord'Sith.
"You can be really bossy," she told the blonde once she was standing next to her.
Cara raised her eyes to look at her. "That's one of my many qualities," the blonde said with a teasing smirk.
Kahlan just raised an eyebrow and chuckled quietly. The brunette had her bedroll in her arms and her back was really starting to hurt. She looked at Cara with a questioning look. "So, what is your plan?" the Confessor asked, hesitantly looking around the fire area.
Cara didn't answer, she just leaned back and motioned for Kahlan to sit between her legs.
"You want me to sit… there," Kahlan said, stuttering slightly and pointing to the small space between Cara's strong legs.
"Yes Confessor, you guessed right, congratulations," the blonde said in a flat tone, but a spark of mischievous was perfectly clear in her eyes for Kahlan to see. "Come on, I promise you'll be more comfortable and warm. It'll be good for your back," Cara said, explaining her motives to Kahlan. The brunette still was somewhat unsure. "I don't bite Confessor," Cara added huskily, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow and tilting her head in a teasing manner.
"Don't get so smug Mord'Sith," Kahlan said cleverly, shaking her head. "I'm not afraid of your bites," she whispered in a husky tone that could rival Cara's, while she seated herself between the blonde's leather covered legs.
Cara was a little surprised with Kahlan's response. Not so much at the words, but at the tone they were delivered in. The Mother Confessor was definitely a woman full of surprises. Instead of replying verbally, she smirked. The blonde took Kahlan's bedroll from her hands and put it around the Confessor's body; effectively covering the brunette and the lower half of herself. After making sure Kahlan was covered, Cara pulled the Confessor's back flush against her front.
Kahlan let herself be pulled backwards into the Mord'Sith's warm body and rested her head in Cara's left shoulder. The blonde took off her gloves and put her hands on Kahlan's tense shoulders, starting a light and soothing massage. The brunette's muscles were tense from the strain of her back hurting and quite possibly from the stress of the day's events. Cara knew that in order to help lessen the Confessor's pain she had to do something to relax her muscles; a massage was the first thing that came to her mind. Kahlan let out a deep moan and buried her nose on the nook between the blonde's shoulder and neck, inhaling Cara's calming scent.
"That feels so good," Kahlan whispered breathily, instinctively arching her back and moaning again. "I didn't realize I was hurting so much," she whispered, her lips grazing the soft skin of Cara's neck. Her hands, which had been on her lap, moved to Cara's toned thighs. The movement of Kahlan's back gave Cara's right hand more freedom to move and start to knead the Confessor's bruised muscles in the middle of her back. The blonde's left arm moved around Kahlan's stomach.
Cara just gave a noncommittal sound and swallowed hard. If she had been surprised at the suggestive way Kahlan delivered her teasing words moments ago, now she was speechless by the primal display of pleasure from the brunette. Cara was starting to wonder if she thought this through. When she proposed that the Confessor sit in front of her in this position, it was to relieve Kahlan of the constant pain that was preventing her from resting. But now, the persistent pressure of the Confessor's hands on her thighs was becoming an increasing distraction. Every time Cara kneaded Kahlan's muscles, the brunette would squeeze both her thighs in sync.
Cara swallowed, not ceasing her movements. She struggled to keep her reason for doing this at the front of her mind, using the arm she had around the Confessor's stomach to counteract Kahlan's arching tendencies as she methodically forced the tension in the confessor's muscles to relax. After what felt like an eternity, the Mord'Sith risked a glance down Kahlan's body, but immediately regretted it. From her position, Cara could see the brunette's tempting cleavage taunting her. The front laces on the white dress become impossibly taut over Kahlan's breasts every time the Mother Confessor inhaled. Kahlan's breath was raising goosebumps on the skin of Cara's neck, something that didn't happen often. Cara bit her lower lip; making a colossal effort to keep her hips still. She focused her gaze back on the fire and slowed her movements, hoping Kahlan wouldn't ask her to continue because she couldn't take this sweet torture anymore.
"Thank you Cara. I'm feeling a lot better now," the Confessor said, while resting all her weight onto Cara's body. The back of her head was resting comfortably on Cara's shoulder. The brunette was completely unaware of the effect she was having on Cara. "Are you okay in this position?" Kahlan asked distractedly. She had her eyes closed and an expression of pure delight on her face.
"Yes," Cara said throatily, moving the hand at the brunettes back to join the other across the Confessor's stomach. Kahlan's response to her touch was enthralling. The way the brunette's body had undulated at every rub from Cara's fingers made the blonde catch her breath every time it had happened.
"But your back will hurt," Kahlan insisted; her worry for the Mord'Sith's comfort returning some of her focus. "I'm not exactly light as a feather," she commented.
"I'm not exactly weak as a chicken," Cara replied automatically, still staring at the flames.
Kahlan blurted out a deep laugh. She immediately covered her mouth with her left hand, trying to muffle the sudden loud sound. The effort of holding her laugh made her entire frame shook and consequently it made her back hurt. "Don't make laugh Cara, it hurts my back," she admonished the Mord'Sith once her laughter calmed down.
"I wasn't making you laugh Confessor," Cara said, struggling to keep a straight face, but letting a small smile escape due to the wonderful image of Kahlan laughing so lightheartedly. "I was just following your metaphor," the blonde justified herself, looking sideways at Kahlan.
Kahlan turned her head on Cara's shoulder to squint her eyes good-naturedly at the blonde. "Are you really okay, though?" she insisted softly, resting her arm on top of the bedroll.
Cara rolled her eyes and huffed. "You know why you can't sleep?" the blonde asked, looking at Kahlan with a raised eyebrow. "Because you keep talking," Cara whispered confidently. Kahlan just raised her brow, sensing that the striking woman had something more to say. "Try this, shut up, lean on me and close your eyes. Let's just give it a try, maybe it will work," Cara said seriously. Kahlan needed to rest; hopefully this accommodation improvement would help her achieve that.
"Maybe you're right," Kahlan whispered, a contented smile painting her rosy lips.
"I am," Cara asserted, giving a curt nod. She turned her head to look back at the fire.
Kahlan returned her left arm to the warmth beneath the bedroll, generated by their combined body heat. But this time, she rested her hand on top of Cara's, intertwining their fingers together. The brunette turned her head to look at Cara's face, lifting her right hand from Cara's thigh and cupping the blonde's right cheek. The Mord'Sith skin was so velvet like, so warm; touching it was a thrilling experience. That morning she had experienced a large expanse of her skin in contact with Cara's. But this soft and simple touch, just holding Cara's cheek on her palm, was equally intense.
Cara was staring fixedly at the fire. The ferocious flames reflected in her beautiful green eyes contrasting with the peaceful expression on her stunning face. Kahlan felt as if her chest couldn't contain her happiness; here, encased in this woman's shielding arms. The brunette felt like nothing could harm her inside this embrace. When Cara leaned into Kahlan's palm, the Confessor felt a rush of tenderness for this woman. Letting that feeling guide her, she moved her lips a couple of inches and kissed Cara in the sweet spot below her ear. Kahlan let her lips linger for a brief moment, long enough to be considered more than a friendly peck. The Confessor closed her eyes and let herself relax into the warmth that had nothing to do with the fire, but everything to do with being this intimate with Cara.
Eyes still shut Kahlan felt Cara swallow under the lips she still had pressed against the Mord'Sith's throat and ended her languid kiss. When she again let her eyes open and roam Cara's face, she saw the blonde's tongue peak out of her mouth and wet her full lips. In that moment Kahlan could swear her heart was going to jump out of her chest.
Cara felt a heart thump between their bodies. She wasn't sure if it was hers or Kahlan's that was source of this fast and powerful beat. She could see, from the corner of her eye, Kahlan's stare locked on her mouth. After wetting her lips, she bit softly on her lower lip, holding the supple flesh for a second between her teeth. At this, she felt more than heard Kahlan's gasp on her neck. Cara turned her head in the brunette's direction and the sight took her breath away. Kahlan looked simply angelic. Her bright blue eyes, looking at her so openly. Her soft lips, parted as if thirsty for something unknown. Her dark, long and wavy hair, framing her face perfectly and shining with the fire's reflection. The freckles that kissed her face, inviting Cara to do the same thing. All those details where burned in her memory. All except one; the taste of those enchanting lips.
Cara's intense gaze, roaming her face reverently, made Kahlan's chest stricken with emotion. She couldn't deny anymore the attraction between them. It was practically palpable right now. In the back of her mind, Kahlan heard a voice telling her this was wrong. Whispering to her that this was a horrible betraying to Richard. But right here and now, she didn't have the strength to resist this; to separate herself from the only person in her life, man or woman, that made her feel like she could fly. Her mouth was already on course to meet the one belonging to this exquisite woman, when they both heard an unsure voice.
"Kahlan?" Richard asked in a tremulous voice.
The brunette froze. She only had the presence of mind to remove her hand from Cara's face and tuck it beneath her bedroll. The rest of her body was completely paralyzed. Cara assigned herself the task of looking into Richard's eyes. Surely he had seen them and was less than trilled about it. But when she glanced his way, she noticed that he was looking at the spot where Kahlan's bedroll had previously been.
"Oh, there you are," the Seeker said happily after turning to look at them, finally spotting Kahlan's whereabouts. His voice was still uneven and rough due to having just wake up.
Cara remained unmoving for a second, assessing Richard's body language to make sure the Seeker hadn't looked at them before now. Kahlan had her eyes close and didn't move an inch. The only sign that the brunette was awake and extremely nervous, was the deathly grip she had on Cara's ungloved hands under the blankets. Wanting to put Kahlan at ease, the blonde spoke to Richard.
"She's sleeping," the Mord'Sith said at last, her voice not transpiring any emotion. Her training was very useful. "Her back was hurting, I let her lean on me to support her weight and thus alleviate the pain," Cara explained, apparently without any interest; but this close, Kahlan could feel the effort it took the Mord'Sith to control her breathing.
"Oh, that was a good idea," Richard said approvingly. "Are you okay there, Cara?" the Seeker asked smirking. He obviously thought that Cara must be hating to be this close to someone else. "You want me to pick her up and lay her next to me?" he suggested, his voice carrying a hint of hope.
When Kahlan heard the Seeker's last sentence, she squeezed Cara's hands tighter and carefully buried her face deeper in the blonde's warm neck. Making sure the Mord'Sith understood that she had no desire to leave Cara's arms.
"I'm perfectly fine," Cara said hastily, understanding Kahlan's silent plea. "It's best not to move her, now that she found a comfortable enough position to fall asleep." Cara explained to the Seeker. "You should rest too, Lord Rahl," she suggested, trying to end this conversation. Cara used Richard's title purposefully; to remind herself that she swore to serve him. Desiring Lord Rahl's future mate was an act of treason. One she wasn't capable of not committing, apparently.
Richard frowned at the use of the title; it had been a while since Cara used it to address him. "Yes, I should. Wake me in a while for my watch," he reminded the blonde and lay down again.
The Mord'Sith just turned her head back to the fire, not bothering to reply.
Kahlan shifted almost imperceptibly and continued to hold tightly to Cara's hands. She realized that she had to seriously think about all the new powerful emotions surging in her. Keeping things as they were now was not an option anymore. Her attraction to Cara was becoming more evident with every moment the two shared. And what did Cara think about their exchanges? Were these moments as meaningful to the blonde as they obviously were for the brunette? How could she tell Richard about her change of heart? The Seeker would surely be devastated. Kahlan was in no condition to think about all this right now; but she will have to do it very soon.
The Confessor was aware that the conversation had ended, but her feelings remained as they had during the entire talk. She felt herself spinning and her breath was coming erratically. When the sensation was becoming almost too much for her to handle, she felt strong arms surrounding her more firmly and reassuringly. Cara's arms. The Mord'Sith had a way of speaking with her body that always left Kahlan mesmerized. That comforting touch calmed her progressively, until she was languidly sprawled on the blonde's front. One of her hands still entwined with Cara's; the other going to rest on top of Cara's other arm, encircling Kahlan's waist. Her face was buried on Cara's neck, inhaling that sweet familiar scent and feeling the softness of the blonde's tanned skin.
"Are you okay?" Cara asked, her voice softer than Kahlan had ever heard it.
The Confessor couldn't speak, she just nodded her agreement.
"Get some sleep, Kahlan," Cara whispered, hugging the brunette more securely.
Right before she fell asleep, Kahlan realized that Cara's heart beat sounded like a soothing lullaby.
Richard slept through the night like he hadn't done in a long time, because Cara didn't wake him up. She didn't move an inch until dawn came, her cargo too precious to be disturbed.