Chapter 11

A haze trapped Richard's mind that he couldn't shake free. He lay on his back on the hard ground fighting to hold the images swirling in his head – they quickly faded. Bound in iron shackles, long chains kept him leashed. He felt a sharp pain in his side and put a hand to his ribs. Warm blood oozed over his fingers. He remembered the arrow now and the feeling of flying as he fell from his horse. He remembered hearing Cara call his name. Everything was black after that.

He was desperate for a drink and needed to find water. His body hurt from more than just his wounds…the very marrow of his bones ached with fire. As the fog cleared from his mind, he realized it was an all too familiar pain. It was the pain of an Agiel. He shuddered with realization. He was in a Mord-Sith temple. He managed to roll himself onto his side. He could breathe easier now though his head was still swimming.

He heard a noise in the far off corner. "Cara?" he asked, his voice hopeful, though dry and hoarse. No one answered. Waves of hot and cold washed over him. He finally pushed himself to sitting, and squinted into the darkness. He was in a cell much like the one he shared with Benjamin when Denna had held him captive. Its dirt floor and walls, but mostly the stench of it, flooded him with the memory. A single small window on the distant wall let in a hint of light. Just beneath it he could make out the faint shadow of a person, one with blond hair. He called again for Cara. When she looked up, he saw it wasn't his trusted friend. Richard was astonished. "Nicci?"

xxx

Tall and lithe, Mistress Tabitha was strikingly beautiful. She reached with a supple arm to dab a cool cloth on Cara's brow. Wounded, she had arrived at their temple in the dead of night, soaked to the bone with rain and blood. Tabitha and her sisters had cared for her, always on the ready to give her the breath of life. The sisters of Eamon knew Cara well. This was where she had spent much of her time during her early years as a Mord-Sith. Cara had still been in her teens, the youngest ever to teach the more experienced sisters, not only in the ways of pain, but of duty and pride. Word of Cara's expertise had quickly spread. That's when Darken Rahl himself had plucked her from her sisters, bringing her to the People's Palace to serve him directly. It was a privilege for her to have been chosen. It was what Mord-Sith lived for and they were honored to have her back among them. Tabitha turned to another who stood at the ready, "Ryalin, bring more water."

Just as tall but much broader, Mistress Ryalin was also picturesque, as were all of the Mord-Sith at Eamon. She moved quickly to bring the requested water, tipping a glass to Cara's lips.

xxx

With no word from Richard in over a month, Kahlan grew anxious, checking daily with her sentries for news. They assured her they would come straight away with any messages. After a long Council meeting, she was on her way to see Zedd, looking forward to his friendly face. "Mother Confessor!" One of the palace guards strode toward her. "Word from the Seeker. You're requested in the palace study at once."

xxx

"Unless you have a fist of soldiers to shackle me in chains, you can't stop me." Kahlan resumed her pacing, her tone with the wizard, adamant. Mistress Ryalin of Eamon, having delivered her message, waited just outside. She had told them of Cara's arrival in the dark of night, wounded and near death, how they had sent for a healer and that the moment she was able to speak Cara had given her an urgent message: The Seeker needed help.

Tabitha had sent her at once to deliver that message. She informed them that as soon as Cara had her strength, she would go with the remaining sisters to the temple in Tothraine, where they believed Darken Rahl to be. He did not yet hold the throne and was thought to be encamped there with sympathetic Mord-Sith as he plotted his return. He must have used them to help gather a company of men, sending them to patrol the outskirts of the People's Palace, anticipating the Seeker's arrival.

Zedd worked to dissuade her, "Kahlan, what if this is some sort of trick? You know you can't read a Mord-Sith. I will go after Richard. You need to stay here and protect Aydindril." He didn't want her in harm's way and neither option was safe, but keeping the Mother Confessor in Aydindril seemed a better idea.

"We don't even know if Aydindril needs protecting" she argued. "Shota could be wrong."

"And she could be right" he said sternly. He seemed to consider for just a moment if he should acquiesce then shook his head. "Richard would demand someone's head if I let you go off after him."

"You are a wizard…the Keep is your charge" she countered.

His voice suddenly bellowed with anger, "And you are the Mother Confessor – the Midlands is yours."

She didn't need Zedd to tell her of the Mother Confessor's responsibility to the people. She cared for them deeply, but there was no immediate danger to them. Richard was her life. He was her home. Without him…"I'm sworn to protect the Seeker."

Zedd stopped Kahlan's pacing with a firm hand to her shoulder, holding her tight in his grip. Knowing eyes bored into hers. There was no gentleness to his voice; he was speaking to her as First Wizard, with all the authority it allowed. "Mother Confessor, you are with child. I cannot allow you to go." Kahlan was stunned but hid her shock at him knowing. Steely eyes flashed with anger, ready to unleash her vehement protest. But before she could he spoke in the familiar soft voice of her friend, "If you won't listen to reason, dear one, will you at least listen to Richard? What would he say about you going to D'Hara now – when you carry his child?"

Kahlan had no argument for that. She knew she could quarrel with Richard over her own safety in going, but he would be very angry if she knowingly put their unborn child in such peril. Her shoulders slumped in resignation. She could barely speak, "How did you…?"

"I'm a Wizard of the First Order, Kahlan." He had known at least as long as she had. His tone was gentle, but firm. "This child you carry is not only the next Confessor…this child is his daughter…your daughter. Surly you know he would want you here."

Tears filled her eyes. She knew he was right, but her heart didn't want to listen. It was tearing her apart. "He needs me, Zedd."

The old wizard wrapped her in a tender embrace, his arms warm and comforting. "He needs you here, protecting what is most important to him. I will go. I suspect Cara and her sisters will have him barking orders from his new throne by the time I reach them."

Kahlan's eyes pleaded with him to protect Richard and bring him home. He smiled knowingly at her, "I will ensure all is put to right. And don't you get any foolish ideas…you are not to come. Aydindril would be left vulnerable and you would be putting you and that unborn child of yours in great danger." Zedd shivered with another thought, "Who knows what Richard would do!"

Kahlan managed a small smile. "You think he would have my head, wizard?"

Zedd did not appreciate her attempt at humor. "Never! He would have mine!"

xxx

Mistress Katrina stepped into the cell, Liliana following close behind. They had tortured Nicci everyday since Richard's arrival, but thankfully, after his initial torment when he'd first been dragged in, they had left him alone. Wrists and legs shackled, he could only watch in horror as they each in turn, did to Nicci what Denna had done to him. This particular morning, the Mord-Sith entered the cell and stood to either side of the door. Darken Rahl stepped through between them. The Sword of Truth hanging at his side glinted in the torch light. Richard's anger flickered to life.

Rahl strolled past him without so much as a glance, locking cold blue eyes on Nicci. "I thought you should have the company of my woman, brother, since I will soon have yours."

Richard's jaw clenched as the flicker became fire, burning within. He savagely eyed Rahl's back. He didn't believe him but the very thought had ignited his wrath. Kahlan was safe in Aydindril, awaiting an attack from Nicci. One Richard knew now would never come. "You're lying. You have no power anymore. You're nothing but a sheep in wolf's clothing."

Anger flared in Rahl's eyes and for the first time he turned them on Richard. "I will soon be a dragon in wolf's clothing!" he hissed. He strode to stand before him, just out of reach. "It is your Kahlan who will pay for your insolence, brother." Richard glared back with hate in his eyes. Rahl leaned closer. "I have been with the Keeper himself. Do you understand what the means?" He tapped an index finger to his head. "I have knowledge beyond belief just waiting to be unleashed…all I need is the magic to feed it." Nicci's magic.

Richard stayed like stone on the outside, his insides raging at the thought of Rahl harnessing all that power. Nicci was a mighty sorceress by any means…coupled with Rahls newfound knowledge, he would be far more deadly than he had been before. "Kahlan is well protected" he asserted.

"Yes." Rahl stroked a finger over his lips seeming to contemplate Richard's words. "The men who brought you here told me you were without your Confessor. I knew dragging her from the confines of the Keep would prove difficult." He leveled his eyes on Richard's. That's why you're alive. "Do you think your Mord-Sith lives by her cunning? No. When my men saw you traveled without your precious Kahlan, they sent word to me by journey book. I instructed my commander that if he could not bring me both the Seeker and his Confessor, to let Cara live. She will do my work for me, getting word to the Mother Confessor that her beloved needs her." Richard now knew Cara was alive. He hadn't known until that moment. He was relieved for that much. "I expect our Kahlan's arrival soon, brother, very soon." Rahl went back to Nicci and swept a long finger down her cheek, leaning in close with a seductive whisper, "Until then, I have you." He forced his mouth on hers, pressing hard against her. As Nicci struggled, his hands slid down to roughly squeeze her breasts, making sure Richard understood the implication.

He understood. Seething with every breath, Richard's wrath stormed though him, raging with the sword's magic even as it hung at the waist of Darken Rahl.

###