A/N: Sorry for the late update. My laptop had to be sent away for repairs. The good news is it's working better than ever and I'm on my school holidays so updates should be quicker. This is the penultimate chapter. I hope you all enjoy it and it would be really nice to see some more reviews or there'll be no sequel. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!


"Well?" Zedd repeated, growing restless in his want for an explanation.

Sighing, and glancing sidelong in exasperation at Kahlan, Richard launched into the story, "Julian was an assassin paid to kill me. The Council of Aydindril, well, actually just Bryce Johnson, didn't agree with a Rahl marrying to Mother Confessor, the last confessor, no less. Nor did they like the fact that I would never be confessed. So they hired an assassin. The idea was that Julian would meet us and wait before killing me, so as to gain our trust and also so he wouldn't be suspected once he'd done it. The only trouble was Julian began to have doubts. After getting to know us, he didn't feel like he could do. Bryce killed him to avoid us finding out and then planned to get rid of me by framing me."

"I still don't understand how you didn't know he was lying about his daughter, Kahlan. Only Mord'Sith are able to accomplish such a thing and he was no Mord'Sith," Cara drawled.

"It's because he wasn't lying," Kahlan replied quietly. "Bryce chose someone who would easily be able to gain Richard's sympathy and then bullied the rest of the Council into accepting his decision."

Cara fell silent, carefully avoiding meeting the watchful eyes of everyone else. Her own eyes which felt strangely wet were looking at a squirrel up in the trees, reminding her of Leo.

Clearing his throat, Richard turned to Kahlan. "You know what this means, don't you? We're getting married tomorrow!" The excitement in his voice made the beautiful Mother Confessor smile widely and squeeze the hand that held hers. Kahlan would not even have to preside over the execution of Bryce. The other Councillors would be doing that for her before the wedding began.

Zedd laughed at the smitten pair and left for the library to find something to read. He had far too much unoccupied time on his hands without Richard's quests. Cara excused herself for her quarters, feeling unsteady after her thoughts of Leo.

Before long the time had come for Richard and Kahlan to retire too. As it was the night before their wedding, they slept in separate rooms, as they should have been every night. Neither of them slept much, both too keen for the morning to arrive. Eventually morning dawned in a beautiful ray of white sunlight illuminating Kahlan Amnell's bedroom. A lazily smile spread across her face and she threw the covers from her body in eagerness. On her way to the wardrobe she stretched, yawned and wiped the sleep from her eyes. She pulled her pale blue wedding dress from the dresser and laid it lovingly across her bed. She was still admiring its beauty when the door opened, admitting her maidservants.

The maids whitened her face and rouged her lips. They dressed her in the gown and did her hair in an ornate knot at the nape of her neck, whence they attached the veil.

Then they led her from the room and to the great hall where Richard stood in his finest garments. A pale gold shirt was tucked into his black breeches and the sword of truth hung on his hip.

With trembling lips, Kahlan whispered, "I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the new head of the Council said reverently, his hands held heavenward towards the Creator.

A great feast was held for Richard and Kahlan Rahl. The sat side by side at the centre of the table, surrounded by their friends and family. Even Chase had managed to arrive in time with Emma, Rachel and his other children in tow. It was a joyous occasion, and neither Richard nor Kahlan could supress their grins or laughter. When at last the night was over, the walked hand in hand to Kahlan's chambers, quietly talking.

Richard held the door open for Kahlan and then surprised her by picking her up altogether and pushing to door closed with his booted foot. He deposited her gently on the bed and knelt before her, running his hands up and down her bare arms which were outstretched above her head and around his neck. Everywhere his fingers touched, slight goose-bumps appeared on her skin. Growing tired of the teasing, Kahlan fisted her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled his head towards herself, her lips melding with his. His hands moved to her hips and in response Kahlan's fingers removed themselves from his dark hair to begin unbuttoning his shirt. Stopping to draw breath, Kahlan laid her head on Richard's shoulder and he lifted her once more and moved onto the bed so they were lying beside each other. He trailed a hand over her cheekbone and Kahlan caught it holding it to her face, staring into his eyes.

"I love you, Kahlan Rahl," he murmured.

"It's going to take a while to get used to having a different name," she replied in equally hushed tones. "But I guess we've got a lot of time together now. For instance my maids are under orders not to even open the door at all tomorrow. Who knows what they might see if they did. I for one hope to be not wearing any clothes."

The suggestive tone she employed had Richard undoing the laces at the back of dress in seconds.