Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kahlan followed Richard, intrigued by his sudden exclamation. She still didn't really know how she felt about him taking Leo's sword, but the way it looked in Richard's hand somehow made her think twice about protesting again.

She had also seen the look on his face when he had killed all of the men in the village. Benjamin, Cara, and her hadn't killed a single man. She had never seen anyone look more graceful while killing someone. The way he had moved his sword – she caught herself thinking of it as Richard's sword. He hadn't been named as the Seeker of Truth, yet he seemed more like a Seeker than Leo ever had.

She followed him back to the camp Cara and Benjamin had set up, astounded that he had been able to find it without knowing where it was. She didn't Rahl could have done that; in fact she didn't know anyone who could have done that. Richard continued to amaze her.

Benjamin stood up at their arrival, but Kahlan was surprised to see how relaxed Cara looked. She sat by the fire; skinning rabbits that Benjamin had caught while Richard and Kahlan were talking.

"Lord Rahl, it's good to see that you are alright." He said. Cara looked up at him with an amused look on her face. "When you started killing those men with the Sword of Truth – I mean, I've heard what the sword does to . . . to people who haven't been named."

"Really Benjamin?" Cara said, and he looked surprised that she had used his name. Kahlan was also surprised. "After seeing him wielding that sword, I thought you would realize who the true Seeker was."

"Well, I . . ." He continued, but Kahlan stopped listening after seeing Richard's smile.

"What happened during your 'heartfelt moment?" She asked and he turned to look at her, the light reflecting in his grey eyes. She was stunned by how handsome he was.

"What always happens in 'heartfelt moments'? We bonded." He said, smirking.

"You and Cara . . . Bonded?" She said, trying not to laugh.

Richard did laugh. "That's what happens when . . ." He trailed off, his smile suddenly gone.

"What?" She said softly, "What happened?"'

"He died." Cara answered for him.

Kahlan looked at him stunned. "You died?" She whispered, and she wasn't sure if he had even heard her.

He looked over at Cara, and Kahlan thought Richard was glaring. He looked back to her and sighed. "I wasn't dead for very long. I've been dead for longer than that. I mean, I didn't even make it to the Underworld before – "

"Wait, wait, wait. You 'didn't even make it to the Underworld'? Meaning that you've been to the Underworld before?" Kahlan interrupted.

"Well, - " Richard started.

"Oh, and what do you mean, you've 'been dead longer than that'? Does that mean you've been dead before?" Kahlan was so angry. She had never heard of his multiple deaths. She didn't realize she had take a step away from him until he moved forward and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Kahlan, calm down. I was trained by Denna. That's . . . just a part of what happens." He said, looking to Cara.

"Yes, Mother Confessor. It's difficult to keep pets alive, so we use the Breath of Life to keep them from being dead for too long." Cara said.

Kahlan still had a stunned look on her face. "I thought you didn't believe he was trained by Denna?" She accused.

"I didn't believe that Lord Rahl was trained by Denna, he is not Lord Rahl." Cara said, pointing to Richard. Benjamin looked down at Cara liked she had just spoken blasphemy, which she sort of had. Kahlan was surprised that Richard wasn't even looking at Cara after she had accused him of not being Lord Rahl.

"He's not the . . . Lord Rahl?" She said. "What are you talking about Cara? He defiantly looks like Richard Rahl."

"I am." Richard said quickly. "I'm just not your Lord Rahl." Kahlan just stared at him, speechless. "See, where I come from, I was raised by George and Mary Cypher, and Zedd, who is my grandfather, named me the Seeker of Truth after you came across the barrier to find him."

"You're trying to tell us that you're not from our world?" Meiffert asked.

"Well – "

"Benjamin, you really believe that that man," she pointed to Richard, "is the same man who declared me a traitor, and threw me into a dungeon because I tried to save Darken Rahl's life?"

"You did what!" Richard exclaimed. Kahlan was surprised by his anger, and the look of hurt and betrayal on his face. Cara looked surprised too. "You tried to save Darken Rahl's life! Cara, why would you do that?"

"Well, I – I was being a loyal Mord – Sith." She was suddenly indignant and Kahlan was surprised that she was talking to Richard like that while he was so angry. "You weren't the Lord Rahl at the time. You weren't even there! You don't know how Lord Rahl was!" There was something in Cara's eye that told Kahlan there was more to this story than what she was saying.

Richard seemed to know what that was. "Did I kill your son?" He asked quietly. Cara was silently fuming, and Benjamin looked about as shocked as Kahlan felt, and she had never been more shocked in her life.

"You had a son?" Kahlan barely heard Benjamin ask the question because of his soft tone.

"Yes!" She exploded, and then she was stalking off into the woods. Kahlan didn't remember her getting up off the log.

"She never told me that." Kahlan whispered to Richard. "How did you know?"

"I . . . it's hard to explain." He was staring off into the direction Cara had gone. He turned to her suddenly intense. "When I get back, I'll do what I was going to. Just wait here." He said, giving her a kiss on the forehead, and then walked after Cara.

Kahlan stood at the edge of the clearing for a few minutes after Cara left. Benjamin had sunken to the ground after he left, and if he wasn't a D' Haran soldier, Kahlan thought he might have cried.

She went over to him and sat down, putting an arm around him. "Are you all right?" She knew it was a stupid question. He looked over to her, and she gave him a hug. "She'll be fine . . . and so will you." She whispered.