I'm afraid the updates will come on an irregular basis from now on. Life's crazy.

"Is there something bothering you, Cara ?"

"No. Why do you ask ?"

"You haven't said a word since we left Aydindril three hours ago. Is something wrong with Kahlan ?"

Cara stiffened at the mention of the Mother Confessor but her face betrayed nothing.

"Absolutely not, Wizard. We're fine."

For a moment he looked like he was going to add something but he didn't and they continued their journey in silence.

Kahlan was resting in her room when someone knocked on the door. She invited them inside and smiled when Dennee entered the room.

"Hi. Were you sleeping ?"

"No, just resting my eyes."

"I can come back later, if you want."

"It's alright, I'm fine. What brings you here ?"

"I just wanted to check in on you, to make sure you were alright."

"Oh, well, yes."

Her sister leaned against the door and watched her silently. She pondered on what to say for a minute and finally let out a sigh.

"She came to see me. Last night."

Kahlan's raised eyebrows forced her to elaborate.

"The Mord'Sith."

"You mean Cara ?"

"Yes. She asked to see me."

Dennee finally held her sister's interest. She went to sit by her side, on the edge of the bed.

"I was surprised; I didn't expect her. It was quite daring of her. But I was curious about what she had to say. So I let her in."

"She came to your chambers ?"

"She came to my bedroom."

Kahlan frowned. Cara had not mentioned that the previous night. Was it before she got drunk, or after ?

"What did she say to you ?"

"She apologized. Again."

Definitely after.

"She said that if she had known you before, she'd never have laid a finger on me. She was sorry for my son. She told me about her own son."

"Her… What ? Her what ?!"

"You didn't know ? Cara, as you call her, had a son fathomed by Darken Rahl. She told me she didn't know what happened to him after he was born. She never got to see him."

A heavy silence embraced them. Kahlan couldn't believe what she was hearing. Cara had had a son, and she had never told her. She was pretty sure that neither Richard nor Zedd knew. But surprisingly enough, she had told Dennee, a woman who hated and despised her.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything." Dennee finally stated.

"No, no… It's okay. What else did she say ?"

"Well, she said she understood how difficult it was for me to see her in my home after what she had done to me. That it wasn't easy for her either. She… added that she'd do her best to stay out of my sight. Then she talked about you."

"Me ?"

"Cara explained to me that you were the strongest, fiercest, brightest woman she had ever known. She said she'd give her life for you in a heartbeat. Those were her words. I think you have a great power over her, whether you like it or not."

"We're friends. We've spent the major part of the year traveling together, fighting side by side. I think the same about her."

"You'd give your life for her ?"

Kahlan paused.

"Yes. Then she'd revive me with the Breath of Life."

Dennee wanted to suggest the possibility where Cara would not be able to revive her, but she kept her mouth shut. She had not come for this.

"What else did she say ?"

"Nothing. It was my turn to speak."

"Then what did you tell her ?"

"That I would never forgive her for killing me and my son, but that eventually I'd learn to accept her presence. That if she wasn't so dear to you she'd already be dead. But because of my respect and my love for you, I agreed to give her a chance to prove herself to me and to the people of Aydindril."

"Thank you, Dennee."

"That's not all. I also told her, that at the first wrong move, the first mistake that she makes, she'll be banned. She said she'd leave Aydindril when you'd tell her to. I expect you to take into account my wishes. I granted her a chance, Kahlan, for you. I hope we'll never come to this, but if we ever do, remember that : she'll leave only if you tell her to."

Kahlan nodded, too shaken to speak. She would never have guessed that Cara had been to her sister to apologize. The Mord'Sith hadn't said a word about it, nor had she insinuated anything. For a moment she was glad that she had sent two men after Zedd and Cara to back them up in case of trouble. She suddenly wished to see her blonde friend very soon. They had a lot to talk about.

They met with Thaddicus the evening of the next day. He was escorted by two soldiers of the Home Guard. Zedd hugged him and they sat down on a rock to catch up for a while. The horses needed to rest, and Cara didn't mind stopping for a moment. She wondered how she would manage to get away from the group without raising suspicions. She didn't need to have Zedd and Kahlan on her back. She walked toward Zedd and his brother and stopped before them. They looked up questioningly.

"Wizard ? Can I trust you to go back to Aydindril in one piece ?"

"Of course, Cara, but why would y—"

"I have personal business to attend to. I'll return to Aydindril later."

"Don't you want one of us to go with you ?" He asked, concerned.

"That won't be necessary. No need to worry Kahlan. Tell her I went to seek an old friend."

Zedd knew better than to object. Cara had this look of determination in her eyes that meant she'd take no contestation.

"I'll leave now. The sooner the better. Be careful. The roads are not safe."

"I'm more worried about you; you'll be on your own."

"It won't be the first time, nor will it be the last."

With a nod, she walked up to her horse. The two old men and the soldiers watched her leave until she was no more than a small point in the horizon. Zedd narrowed his eyes. Something was bothering him but he couldn't quite say what.

Cara traveled night and day to get to Agaden Reach. Only when she found herself in front of the thick woods did she pause. She needed to rest before going into the forest that contained so many dangers. She made a small fire and spread her bedroll on the floor. Nearby was a small stream and she used water to drink and to clean herself. She tended to her horse and finally allowed herself a few minutes of sleep. No one ever ventured here and she'd hear an animal coming her way. Still, she only slept for a very short while before getting up again. The sun was about to set when she left her small camp behind.

"I take it your trip was uneventful ?"

Cara stopped and turned round, her eyes narrowed. She had reached Shota's living place but no one was here.

"Where are you ? Show yourself !"

"Always so grumpy ! I thought that making sure you were surrounded by no danger while coming here would put you in a good mood, Mord'Sith. Obviously I was wrong."

The sorceress finally appeared before Cara. The blonde immediately reached for her Agiels, but Shota's laugh stopped her.

"I've learned my lesson, Cara Mason. This time you will not touch me."

Cara gritted her teeth and stepped forward menacingly.

"You knew I was coming."

"Of course I did. I've been waiting for you."

"Then you must know what I've come for."

"You are looking for answers."

"That's right. And I don't have any time to lose."

Shota grinned a mischievous grin and asked :

"The men that were following you, why aren't they here with us ?"

"There's no one else."

"If you say so." Shota raised an eyebrow and smirked, then turned her back to Cara.

The blonde wanted nothing more than to put her Agiels against the other woman's heart, but she knew it couldn't happen. Shota was protected somehow.

"The Lord Rahl is dead."

"I know that."

"He told me about a prophecy. He did not believe in prophecies ! How did you do to convince him otherwise ?"

Shota took a little time before giving a simple answer :

"I told him the truth."

"And what was this truth ?" Cara pressed, getting angrier every second.

A big plate—or something that looked like it—appeared in the sorceress' hands and she closed her eyes, and whispered a few words that Cara couldn't hear distinctly. Then she looked back at Cara and the Mord'Sith stepped closer.

"Look at this and you will understand why the Seeker had no choice."

And Cara watched the display of images before her. Never once did she blink. Her eyes remained focused on the water filling the plate; her brains trying to make sense of what she was seeing. It couldn't be possible. She didn't know the exact words of the prophecy but the scene before her seemed so real and made so much sense that she wasn't sure she even needed to hear it. When, finally, it stopped, Cara stepped back, clearly shaken. She regained her composure quickly but Shota had seen her reaction. Surprisingly though, she wasn't smiling.

"What was that ? It wasn't the prophecy !"

"It was meant to show you what would've happened if Richard had ignored the prophecy."

"This is nonsense. Your magic is flawed. Richard died for nothing because of you."

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner, Mord'Sith ! The prophecies come to me directly and I don't have a say in what they bring with them ! I appeared to the Seeker a while ago and I showed him what I just showed you. For once he took my words seriously. It was necessary for him to die otherwise the Keeper would have won."

Cara remained silent for a good while, pondering on Shota's words. She didn't believe that Richard's death couldn't have been avoided.

"There had to be another way."

"No. I have searched for another way, and it was the only one."

Another silence.

"Kahlan can never know."

"I am not planning to see the Mother Confessor anytime soon. However, the men following you are probably on their way back to Aydindril now."

"What are you talking about ?"

It was the second time Shota said that there were men following her but Cara was sure she would've noticed them. There was no one.

"I've been waiting for you, Cara Mason, and I knew that eventually you would come. And I saw two men—soldiers—trailing behind you, at a good distance. They know where you are. It wouldn't surprise me that the Mother Confessor sent them."

"Kahlan would never do that."

"Are you sure ?"

Cara didn't like the questions and doubts the sorceress was putting into her mind. She really was itching for a good fight and her hands flew to her Agiels once more. Shota gave her a disapproving look.

"You might be able to deflect the magic I throw your way, but you can't undo the spell of protection I've cast upon me."

"I'll come back. And this time you will not be expecting me." She threatened.

Shota just smirked and turned her back to her.

"I have no more answers to give you. Just know that the Seeker died to allow the rest of the world to live. He died, knowing what he was doing."

The Mord'Sith didn't say anything. She stared at the sorceress for another minute and then walked back from where she came. She didn't know if what that wench said about men going after her was true, but it happened to be then she hoped she'd catch up with them and torture them a little. Maybe even kill them. She was in a very bad mood.

Don't hate me, I know some of you expected Cara to beat the crap out of Shota, but it just couldn't happen, for the sake of the story. What did you think of the chapter ?

I promise I'll try to write as soon as I can have a moment of peace.

OTH-FOQ