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Chapter VI
The moment Kahlan opened her eyes, she could tell something was wrong. The weight of Cara's head was no longer on her legs and the Confessor's first reaction was panic. She shot to her feet, pausing momentarily as a bout of vertigo overcame her, and rushed to the door. Pressing her face against the bars, Kahlan strained her neck to get a glance down the hall. Instead of seeing Cara being dragged down the hallway, all she caught a glimpse of was red leather as one of the Mord'Sith leaned against the wall beside her cell.
"She's been gone a while, Confessor." The Mord'Sith said nonchalantly. "Seems like you're becoming neglectful of your oh-so-precious family."
"Where is she?" Kahlan asked the woman who was obviously not Ava.
"Are you really going to ask that every time?" The figure in red turned, coming face to face with Kahlan. The Confessor almost frowned at the look on Lauren's face. Had she been crying?
"I was talking about Ava." At the mention of the woman's name, Lauren glared. Kahlan could hear the woman fumbling with the keys at her hip, undoubtedly intending on shutting her up. The door swung open but Kahlan remained unmoving, stone-faced in front of a fuming Mord'Sith.
"Mistress Ava is currently unable to fulfill her duties." Lauren took a step in, forcing Kahlan back. The Confessor couldn't help the comment that escaped her lips.
"Is one of those duties taking the blame- and the ensuing beating- for your mistakes?" The blonde was quick to whip out her Agiel and press it violently against Kahlan's stomach. Although she didn't make a sound, Kahlan's malnourished and weakened body couldn't help but fall to the ground. Lauren was down on one knee instantly, taking a handful of Kahlan's hair into a gloved fist and pulling it back so that their eyes could meet.
"I know what you're trying to do." She growled. "To Ava- to all of my sisters eventually. But you will not succeed."
"Really?" Kahlan raised an eyebrow as she groaned. "And why is that?"
"Because we don't need your help." Lauren's grip tightened and Kahlan couldn't help but wince. "We're not some battered housewife that you can save nor are we Midlanders who need to be protected by a witch who thinks she's better than everyone."
"The Midlanders don't seem to be complaining." Kahlan narrowed her gaze at the woman who dared question her authority. Lauren merely chuckled in response.
"Their leader has been a prisoner of Lord Rahl for months. Their territory has been ravaged, not only by war, but by the Keeper and his rifts. Do you really think that the people of the Midlands are singing your praises, Confessor?"
"No." Kahlan admitted. "But at least I fight for my people. I helped the Seeker defeat the tyrant they hated. I helped get the Seeker close enough to the Stone of Tears to obviously seal the tear or we wouldn't still be here. I will continue to help them after this is over. What have you done for your people besides kidnap and torture them?"
"'After this is over'?" Lauren was amused enough to release Kahlan's hair and stand up straight, arms folded across her chest. "You really have no idea, do you?"
"I have some idea." The brunette rubbed her head to soothe the ache as she stood. "But regardless of what that master of yours is planning, it won't work…and I know a part of you doesn't want it to."
"You couldn't be more wrong." Lauren tilted her head. "Maybe some of my sisters are redeemable, I'll give you that, but don't make the assumption that we're all so quick to turn. I would rather die than betray Lord Rahl and I guarantee that most of them feel the same way."
"How would you know? Have you ever asked?" Kahlan mirrored the woman's action, noting the restraint it took for the blonde not to hit her again. "You can be free, Lauren. Free to do anything or go anywhere that you like."
"Don't you get it, Confessor?" She approached her slowly, the look on her face almost predatory. "There's no place else I'd rather be." With a swift strike, Lauren struck Kahlan between the ribs with her Agiel once more. Kahlan was sent to the ground again, hand pressed against her chest as she struggled to draw breath.
"Has Ava not suffered enough because of you already?" Kahlan knew it was an idle bluff but couldn't help getting one last rise out of the woman. Lauren grabbed her by the collar of the rag she wore and forced her up against the wall.
"Speak to Ava of this stupidity again and I will show you pain like you never even knew existed." Kahlan knew the threat was sincere. Lauren was afraid of two things: Darken Rahl and losing Ava. Losing her didn't necessarily have to mean to death. "Besides, Rahl won't be seeing that part of you…not yet anyway."
"I could kill you with little more than a thought." Kahlan ground her teeth, both in pain and in anger. Lauren grinned.
"If you were willing to risk it, you would've confessed me the moment I opened the door." She concluded. "There's still four other Mord'Sith in this temple plus Rahl himself and you're not exactly in your prime. Not to mention the fact that Cara can barely stand without help. You wouldn't even make it to the front door."
"Perhaps." Kahlan held the woman's callous gaze. "But at least you'd be dead."
"Ah, your true colors." Lauren let go of her abruptly and smirked when Kahlan went straight to the floor. "Make sure to show those to Ava the next time you see her."
"You mean the next time she can stand without help?" Kahlan could almost see the internal debate in Lauren's mind as the Mord'Sith paused at the door. She surprised the Confessor by choosing to leave instead of beat her senseless. Kahlan was left alone with her thoughts for quite a while. She assumed that Lauren wanted to continue punishing her by withholding the "meal" she and Cara usually shared. It didn't matter. Kahlan's concerns went far beyond that stale lump of bread. However, much sooner than she had anticipated, Kahlan heard the familiar sound of someone being dragged accompanied with footsteps. She rose immediately, steeling herself against what would come through the door. It opened quickly and Cara was roughly shoved inside as she always was. Kahlan caught her, trying her best to ease them to the ground as gently as she could. It didn't escape her notice that each time became increasingly more difficult as she continued to grow weaker.
"Back so soon?" she heard Lauren ask her sisters. One of them merely scoffed while the other said,
"She couldn't even last a few hours without dying." Kahlan turned to face them at the news. They obviously knew she was listening.
"Pathetic." Lauren shot the Confessor a wicked grin as she took in the brunette's furious expression.
"I'd love to see any one of you survive what she has." Kahlan, with little regard to her own well-being, spat at the group. "We can disagree on everything else but the one thing you all know, without exception, is that Cara is the strongest out of all of us. Now take your self-righteous judgement elsewhere and leave us alone." Two of the three Mord'Sith were quick to disregard her, rolling their eyes and walking away as if she had told them that the sky was red. The third, one Kahlan had yet to learn the name of, stared at her for a while longer. Kahlan tried to ignore her as she righted Cara's prone body to a more comfortable position. However, it was hard to ignore the frown that made its way onto the woman's face at the sight of Kahlan caring for her friend.
"Sehra!" Lauren's aggravated voice snapped the woman out of her daze. She closed the door quickly, locking it as she continued to look at Kahlan with nothing short of bewilderment, and raced to catch up with her sisters.
Cara had never really thought of pain as a hindrance. It served as a distraction, an alarm, and even as a precursor to pleasure but never an impediment. Cara had also never experienced pain like this before. Before her body was even fully awake, she felt the sharpness of it radiating in every nerve in her body. She could still feel that cursed Agiel on her skin, almost screaming at the mere thought of it touching her again. Reminding herself that it was no longer near her, Cara bit her tongue. She could taste the blood in her mouth but couldn't tell if it was because she had bit too hard or if it was just another new constant in her life. The next sense that returned to her was hearing and the only sound she could detect was of someone sobbing. Cara tried hard to remember who it could be or why they were crying. Only when her eyes began to open and the woman in question appeared, blurry but intact, did Cara remember.
"Kahlan." The name felt foreign on her lips and Cara frowned at the notion. She felt the woman take her hand and couldn't help but flinch. The Confessor looked at her with wide eyes, more tears appearing as she realized she had startled her friend.
"I'm sorry, Cara." Kahlan watched her blink slowly, trying to take in the room. "Lauren didn't bring any food. I kind of…threatened her." Cara tried to frown, unable to recall why Kahlan was even here let alone who Lauren was. The only thing she could see or hear was him. Kahlan sensed her confusion and squeezed her hand.
"It's alright, Cara." She told her, quickly wiping another tear away. "That's what you told me, remember? That everything's going to be alright." It was more of a question than a statement. When Cara remained still and silent, Kahlan's sense of urgency increased exponentially. She reached out and tucked a few strands of hair behind the blonde's ear. Cara merely frowned at her. "Everything's going to be alright, right?" Cara could sense the woman's desperation and worry. Although she struggled to determine what it was directed at, she knew that she should say something. Steeling herself for the physical trial of speech, Cara breathed,
"No." The truth hit Kahlan like a crumbling building. The Confessor froze, swallowing hard as she tried to convince herself that Cara just didn't know what she was saying. "I'm losing." The sense of clarity that washed over the blonde was fleeting- they both knew that. Taking advantage of the situation, Kahlan brought herself closer, lowering her voice to almost a whisper.
"Then tell me what to do." Kahlan pressed. "You said you had a plan for this, Cara. Tell me what it is so I can help you." Cara remembered the answer. She knew it was extreme and would, for some reason, agitate the brunette. She just couldn't remember why.
"You have to confess me."