Chapter 6

3 days later

She'd bathed herself thoroughly and taken the herb fertility supplements that Elinda had sent to her. She knew that Richard was meeting with Zedd over contracts and land agreements that had magical properties and she wasn't sure when he'd be back. Kahlan had dried her hair by the fire and then climbed into bed, nude, to read a book. The nervous energy that surrounded her made it very hard to concentrate on the pages. She read some of the sentences three times. All she could think about was her husband, having him again, the way he felt inside her. A shiver ran up her spine and wetness pooled between her legs. She'd be ready for him when he arrived.

It felt like many hours had passed when she heard the door click open and saw Richard walk in and carefully close it behind him. She smiled at his consideration that she might be asleep. When he turned to look at her he smiled.

"You're awake?"

"I've been waiting for you."

"If I'd have known that, I could have dismissed Zedd much earlier." He started stripping as he walked over to the bed to join her.

Kahlan let the sheet that was tucked under her arms, covering her breasts, fall free, exposing herself to him.

"If I knew you were waiting naked I'd have gotten everything done a lot faster… Does this mean we can…" He tried to calm his excitement in case she was still on her moon flow, but he felt the twitching at his groin. His hands were quickly unlacing his pants now. He could feel himself responding to just the possibility that they could make love again.

"Yes." It was all so simple to her. The one word was delivered with so much hope and so much passion that she didn't know if he'd make it to bed without hurting himself; he was yanking his clothes off so quickly. She pushed all the covers down kicking them to the base of the bed.

Richard was finally nude and he leapt onto the bed and lowered his body over hers. He lined them up and settled between her legs.

"I've missed this so much. All this skin contact, its electric feeling."

"Richard. I want you inside me. I want us to make another baby." Kahlan pulled his head down and took his mouth with hers.

He kissed her hard, angling his mouth and plunging his tongue between her lips. Her legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer, his cock settling between her moist folds. His hips rolled, rubbing his erection against her clit as it slipped along her. The wet heat of her sex felt like coming home and he was hoping that he could last long enough to make this good for her too. He'd gone so long without her that his body already felt like it could explode any second.

Kahlan's hands caressed his shoulders; the muscles under her fingers were tense and tight, and she knew he was struggling to control his desire. If he came quickly, she needed the seed inside her. She reached one hand between them and grasped him. He was covered in her juices and hard to hold onto. When he pulled up from her body, she expertly changed her angle and his so when he pressed back down to her he slipped inside.

Her tunnel was tight from the weeks of being unused but the amount of moisture made him slide in fairly easily. In only a few strokes he was buried deeply inside her and Kahlan let out a moan. Even if she didn't reach completion with him, this connection that they shared when they were one, it was enough to make her happy.

He broke the kiss and changed the angle of his thrusting. The way she'd placed him inside her had caught him off guard and now he was teetering on the edge of climax. The way he was pounding into her over and over was driving him mad with desire to let himself come. His need to see her reach her pleasure was all that held his body in check.

"Are you…" He could barely speak as the concentration he needed to hold himself back was too great.

"I'm not close." Her voice held no disappointment in it. "Come, Richard, I'm fine."

"Not…" He breathed heavily, struggling to find words. ""Without you. Elinda said..." His panting increased as he huffed out the final words. "You have to come too..."

One of her hands cupped his cheek while the other made room between them searching out her small nub.

He felt the movement of her finger and it made him more desperate to let go. He sped up his rhythm and heard her gasp in delight. Her muscles began fluttering around him and he prayed to the spirits for the will to hold on a little bit longer.

"Richard." She gasped his name as her fingertips caressed his cheek. "Let go. I'll follow you over."

His thrust was hard and deep and she knew that was exactly what she needed. Her magic surged to the surface as she felt him filling her with his seed, implanting it directly against the opening to her womb. She moaned as she let her orgasm flow through her body in the wake of her power.

Richard felt immense pleasure along with relief. Her body was squeezing him for every last drop. He knew when he felt her magic soak his body uselessly that he'd succeeded in holding off, just barely. He was sure that he wouldn't be successful; he was so overcome with desire just being able to be with her again.

He collapsed on top of her, unable to hold himself up on limbs that were shaking from the violence of his orgasm. Her hands stroked his back and her thighs still gripped him tightly to her, even if he could find the strength to move, he knew she'd have none of it. She often told him how much she loved holding him afterwards. She said it was the only time he was so vulnerable that he needed her protection. He stayed mostly for her, but he also loved the feel of her holding his weight and how she was pressed deeper into the mattress, their bodies still one and everything smashed together by his weight.

When he tried to roll away, after his breathing had slowed and his heart rate was normal, she didn't let him.

"Stay, just a little longer?"

He kissed her in agreement then, as if he could deny her anything. He was still inside her, but completely soft now and he knew she didn't want to lose him yet. The longer he stayed inside her, the longer the seed was held in. He understood and let her have whatever time she needed. While he waited his lips danced over her neck and ear. He kissed everything within reach, anything he could get to without disturbing their lower halves.

"Ready?" He asked her before moving, not wanting to break the connection without her consent. He knew she needed this after everything that had happened out of her control. He let her control this.

She nodded and released her hold on him. She knew she was being silly. She was sure they'd be engaging in this activity many times over the next month in hopes of creating a child again. This first reunion, the first chance to start again, had healed her soul more than she could have thought possible and letting him go seemed like an end to the beginning. She wanted to hold on to the start of it for as long as she could. She was so glad he seemed to understand. He always gave her everything she needed.

As he rolled off her, she followed him, settling her body against his side. He hugged her to him and pulled the blankets over them.

"We're going to be alright, Kahlan. No matter what the council says, no matter how many children we have or don't have, we'll have each other and that, for me, is enough." He kissed her forehead and settled in to sleep.

"You're more than I deserve, Richard."

"You deserve so much more than me, but I'll be damned if I let you have it now."

She kissed his chest and snuggled into him deeper.

"I don't want it. I only want you."

Then they slept.

bEpilogue/b

The cry from the end of the bed made his heart soar and his face hurt already from smiling. His wife was cradled against him, her brow sweaty and red from exertion. Her labor hadn't been easy, but it had been smooth. Nothing had gone wrong but it had gone on for hours. She was exhausted but her expression only showed joy.

Richard wiped her forehead with the cool towel that he grabbed from the basin on the table by their bed as both of them waited for Elinda to bring them their daughter.

"I think she's got my eyes. I don't know how you pulled that off." Elinda chuckled as she walked over to them with a bundle of newborn in her withered arms. She stopped at the side of the bed and handed Kahlan her little girl. "She's healthy as a horse and has quite the set of lungs. I'm sure she'll be demanding all sorts of nonsensical things from her father in no time."

"I'm sure he won't bat an eye about killing a thousand men to give her what she wants as well." Kahlan smiled at her husband. She saw the look on his face as he watched her hold their baby and knew that she was right. The little child had him completely confessed already.

"She looks like you." He kissed Kahlan's temple and reached out to stroke the soft hair on the baby's head. "What do you want to name her?"

"Elinda is a wonderful, strong name." The witch doctor suggested from over where she was cleaning up her supplies, giving the new family some time to themselves.

"I was thinking Eirian." She looked up at him searching for his approval. "It means 'splendid' in the old language."

"She is definitely that. It also pays enough homage to Elinda that she should be quite happy that the heir of D'hara and the Midlands bear her that much recognition." He glanced over at the old woman and she gave him a wink, which made him laugh.

He settled his arms around his small family and watched as Kahlan coaxed the baby to drink from her. He was going to love fatherhood almost as much as being a husband.

He'll remember this day until he died and he hoped for many more just like it in the future. Kahlan looked at him in delight when Eirian began suckling and he smiled proudly back. So began another journey that the two of them embarked on together. He just hoped parenthood was a little less dangerous then killing Darken Rahl or finding the Stone of Tears. Somehow, he was wary that it wouldn't be the case. But at least he'd have Kahlan to smile with about it all.

He'd always have her.

The End