This chapter goes to Lollypops101 who has reviewed from chapter 1 to 32, twenty-two times.

Also, welcome to AnimePrincess07, arra-numair, acompletenerd and artemis101814 for following my crazy quest – may you stay until the end of this.

As always — proof read by Danaye

Chapter 33

Kahlan was taking it all in. She sat in front of the man she had claimed to be the father of her unborn child, with his large hand clamped around her waist, observing the company that followed after their commander.

They rode silently through the streets, causing the crowd to split in front of them only to reassemble in their wake. She relaxed against him, with his strongly built frame behind her back. She knew with every nerve in her body that if this man wished, he could easily flip her from the saddle and toss her to the hard ground. However, the firmness of his palm pressed against the fabric that parted them told her otherwise.

He was careful not to touch the lower part of her slightly swollen stomach, but had nevertheless done it the first time he corrected her position in the saddle. She had smiled brightly then, but only on the inside. Her outer expression had remained a carefully maintained scowl, as befitted the circumstances.

If the timing was different and her life in a different place, she could easily fall for the man behind her. As it was, it wasn't something she had the right to do. Kahlan was not blind to what lay precisely in front of her, she was calculating and reflective. Therefore, the small quarrel that had taken place between the Commander of The Own and the Commander of the Queen's Riders hadn't gone unnoticed. Kahlan could easily see what the blind eye could not. There was tension between the two, the man and the woman. Not an angry tension, but a tension born of insecurity.

She had wondered why their friends hadn't just crashed their heads together, but seeing how they had acted towards each other, she could understand their reasoning very well. One could not force someone to see what lay just beneath their nose. However, she was going to do what their friends would not or could not. By claiming that he was the father to her unborn child, she would be stirring up some kind of reaction. Hopefully, it would be a reaction that would push the two of them together. She desperately needed someone to take care of her child — she needed them.

It had taken another firm scolding from the Lioness to get the Knight Commander to act properly towards Kahlan. Now, as the horses trudged into the courtyard at the back of an inn, Kahlan sat comfortably observing her surroundings with interest.

The ground was swept clean for leaves and was full of shifting hooves as the horses were maneuvered into place. Turning her head to the side, as the gates behind them closed soundly, she looked up to see a five-story building looming in front of them.

This particular neighborhood didn't contain the crowd that filled the streets wearing only their ragged clothes. This was where well-associated men came and went as they pleased. Some stayed longer than others and some even stayed the night behind the brown curtains that draped over the windows.

Kahlan wasn't fooled by the disguise of the building. She knew very well that in every town there would likely be a place where men could enjoy themselves away from their wife's watchful eyes. Brown clad hostlers came and took hold of the reins of the mounts. Kahlan frowned. She was puzzled not only over their party's lack of disguises, but even more so why they had come to a place like this.

Everyone could see that the only woman apart from Kahlan was the Lioness herself. Her flaming red hair couldn't be disguised perfectly, not when the owner was a woman of short stature and carried a sword with more ease than almost any man could. The fact that her companion was the Black Robed Mage was more difficult to see, as gray dust covered his hair, clothes and face.

Turning her head around to where the stable was located, Kahlan felt the large hand move from where it had stayed firmly pressed against her belly, only grip her hips. She was lifted from the saddle and lowered slowly to the ground.

Kahlan tried her best not to look up into the black eyes that she knew stared at her accusingly. With the palms of her hands pressed against his upper arms, she steadied herself as her feet reached the ground. This hadn't been her original plan, the one she had made up during the ride here, but she was excellent at improvising and it was at least a very good start.

Standing with her boots on the uneven stones, she watched as Raoul looked down at her with a perfectly blank expression. For a single moment, she noticed a flicker of accusation cross his features, but he quickly turned his back to her. She found herself standing alone amongst the few soldiers they had brought along as they dismounted beside her.

When the others had reached the door, a clear noise reached her ears. Kahlan found that Alanna stood well within the corridor leading into the inn. The woman looked oddly at Kahlan before turning her head to where Raoul stood not far from her.

Alanna cleared her throat again, looking up at the man accusingly. "Didn't you forget something?" she asked and pointed over at Kahlan, who merely stood there calmly.

Raoul looked back over his shoulder and sighed loudly.

Before Kahlan knew what was happening, Raoul's large hand gripped her upper arm and dragged her along rather roughly. Biting the inside of her mouth, she suppressed the moan that was eager to escape her lips. She wouldn't complain, but she knew that he was leaving bruising imprints of fingers on her skin.

Maintaing the pressure on her arm, Raoul glanced down at her, "Once we are inside, you keep your mouth closed. Unless you are dying, I don't want to hear a single thing from you. Do you understand?" Kahlan looked up at Raoul's face only to find that his gaze was focused on the others walking in front of her. When she didn't reply, he rounded on her and gripped her chin hard. Lifting her face, he locked eyes with her, "Have I made myself clear?"

Kahlan nodded slowly, pressing her lips together. Without saying another word to her, Raoul pulled her through the door and they entered a large room filled with men.

Giving the room only a single glance, she quickly lowered her gaze to the ground and kept it there. This, she decided, was like walking into a lion's den — with her acting as the bait.

Men sat, lingering around the tables and stood nonchalantly by the bar. She felt more than saw the stares they directed at her body, and she began to be uncomfortable and disturbed. She felt as if their minds were undressing her, as if her clothes could be undone with only a single glance. Kahlan kept her eyes lowered to the floor, fearful that if she looked up, they would begin to find her presence very interesting.

Coming to rest in the middle of the tavern, a large man came towards them. His apron was stretched tightly over his beer gut, and he cleaned his hands on a used cloth. Kahlan determinedly focused on his large feet as the man looked them over. After a moment, he seemed to come to some sort of silent conclusion.

Taking in his new guests' appearances, he voiced the only possible reason for their presence in a tavern such as his, "You lot don't seem to be the type to seek certain pleasures, so there must only be one explanation." He turned around and called over his left shoulder to the woman standing behind the bar, "They're thirsty, Len."

Kahlan didn't glance up at the name, but kept her eyes firmly on the floor. There were unsettling movements from the men already present around them, but when the voice of the woman came, she began to lift her gaze. Suddenly, a hand was placed around her arm and she only heard half of the reply.

"O' course they are thirsty, Bryon! This lot doesn't look like they want a bed to rest in, do they?"

The man's feet moved out of Kahlan's field of vision as he replied loudly, "Oh, shut up, woman! I don't pay you to insult my customers. Bring out my best ale — and keep your opinions to yourself."

The response that came from the woman held amusement, something Kahlan was sure matched by the smirk the woman had on her lips. "I suppose it's fortunate that my payment doesn't come in money then."

Kahlan was suddenly being pulled along yet again, only to be roughly seated on a crafted bench near the wall. Around her, her companions were silent. When she looked up, she noticed that firm glances were being exchanged between them as if they were waiting for something to happen.

A commotion erupted as one of the men slammed his mug of ale down on the table in front of him, demanding another refill from one of the three young barmaids.

Kahlan jerked her head quickly, only to look directly into the cold, blue eyes of the man who was waiting for more to drink. Immediately, she regretted the movement as his eyes opened wide and he slowly rose from his seat. He pushed away the woman who had come to refill his cup, causing her to trip and nearly lose the pitcher she held in her hands.

Kahlan suddenly shuddered, feeling small goosebumps erupt over her skin at the reminder of the real father to her unborn child. Kahlan didn't like the way that the man stared at her, his teeth flashing in a silent, mocking grin.

Unselfconsciously, she pressed herself against the man beside her, feeling his warmth penetrating her clothes.

If there was one thing she knew about being an Untouchable, it was that there was an undeniable attraction caused by the curse. It was a common side effect. Some men were immune, but others were not. Once they laid eyes upon an Untouchable, they could think of nothing else but having the woman in question.

Unfortunately, the man who had pushed himself from his seat was not immune.

Raoul placed himself at Kahlan's side and leaned forth. Trying to duck his head down, his vision swam for a moment as a strong headache began to erupt inside him. Glancing to the side, he looked at the woman who was claiming to be carrying his child, noticing the way she kept her eyes on the floor.

He frowned when he caught sight of the peculiar expression lingering on her features. He was well acquainted with this tavern and hadn't been particularly happy about the decision to come here, but he couldn't do anything about that. However, he did keep his eyes alert for any clue as to why Kahlan was suddenly reluctant pay attention to her surroundings.

They waited for what seemed like forever for the cups of ale to be brought forth. As he looked over the tavern's occupants, he took note of the hardcore thieves mingling amongst the wealthy men that were merely there waiting to spend money. The Dark Fox was known as the place where certain needs could be fulfilled, but it wasn't until nightfall that those particular services could be bought. During the day, the tavern was used mostly for drinking and gambling, a common interest for both thieves and nobles alike.

Raoul was in the middle of sizing up a man who was nearing the table at a steady pace when his attention was caught by the sound of Alanna's voice.

"Raoul? Have you listened to anything we have discussed?" Alanna's voice held a note of frustration and he turned his attention away from the man, but soon found it was an extremely bad idea.

With Raoul's attention diverted, the man he had been watching began walking with purpose. When someone got in his way, he merely pushed them out of his path. Meanwhile, Raoul was trying to pay attention to what Alanna was saying, ignorant of the man's continued approach. Suddenly, the pressure at his hip from Kahlan's presence disappeared and Raoul turned to find the reason why.

It took only a moment for him to understand that the man had lifted Kahlan forcefully from the bench, his hands firmly gripping her upper arms and causing her to wince from the pain. Raoul reacted by instinct, his mind cursing the fact that another man was being rough with his woman. No, he corrected himself hurriedly, this was not his woman. She was only the woman who claimed to bear his child. However, that fact alone got his temper to rise.

How dare another man be rough with Kahlan, hurting her like he had mistakenly just hurt her out in the courtyard? Anger over the other man's actions and his own caused Raoul to rise from his seat, forcing the table to topple over as Alanna and Numair rose along with him.

Raoul grabbed hold of the man's arm trying to gain his attention, only to find that the man's eyes wouldn't move from Kahlan's face. The man's mist-colored blue eyes were cold and obviously transfixed on Kahlan's own blue ones.

"Let go of her," Raoul growled low, forcing the words out between gritted teeth. If he had only had the space to move, he would have punched the man square in the face for his rough handling of Kahlan. However, if he tried anything in these close quarters, Raoul could easily hurt her in the process.

Suddenly, a knife appeared from nowhere and settled at the throat of the man, underneath his unshaven chin. It forced his head slightly upwards and a stranger spoke, "If you, Sir, do her any harm, I will make use of this to cut your throat."

Despite this threat, the man's hands remained firmly around Kahlan's upper arms. When it was obvious that he wouldn't step down, the stranger put pressure on the knife, bringing forth blood as the sharp edge of the blade that was pressed into the man's skin. "Am I to take it that you want your throat sliced this evening, Sir Jeffries?"

The man gulped as his surname was announced, but was still enthralled by Kahlan's blue eyes. He made no indication that he was about to back down or release the woman he was hurting.

Another man suddenly appeared, placing a second knife underneath the first one. The newcomer then moved his knife closer to the man's ear, whispering quietly so the crowd that had gathered wouldn't hear his words, "Unless you wish to go home to your wife in pieces tonight, you better do as the Rogue commands."

The man's eyes displayed a myriad of emotions, changing from lustful to frightened in the span of a few blinks. The first stranger smiled widely. He locked eyes with Raoul, who finally recognized Liam, but kept his hands placed firmly around the troublemaker's arms.

"You should know better than to try to get involved with a woman who is clearly taken. Unless, of course, the Commander of the King's Own has consented to sharing her," Liam stated mockingly, only to become serious as anger filled Raoul's black eyes. "Now," he continued, eyeing Raoul's expression, "it doesn't seem that the commander has agreed to anything of the sort. So, I encourage you to let go of her before you're on the receiving end of both the Commander's and the Lioness's wrath. Or did you not recognize his companion?"

The man's grip suddenly loosened and he took two large steps back, eyeing the two knives that were following every movement he made. Liam and his man didn't sway from their task for a moment. Grabbing the man's arms, they roughly guided him to the front door and shoved him out.

Raoul's fingers itched to follow the man and give him what he deserved, but he was held back by Alanna's firm hand around his elbow. Caught up in his anger, he had forgotten the woman that had been at the center of this ordeal. Once he had calmed himself down, he took a moment to really look at her for the very first time. He realized that beside him stood a small, not so tall, shaking woman who was obviously worn to the bone and close to collapsing.

Raoul suddenly felt only compassion for the woman and guided her back to the bench. "Sit," he commanded gently and gestured to one of the serving girls. Despite the fact that he didn't know anything about her, he had no right to neglect the state she was in. Examining her body, he found that she was the skinny type, with a long, but petite body and tousled, blonde hair that fell past her shoulders.

Kahlan didn't seem to want to move, so he brought himself to stand front of her. Placing finger underneath her chin, Raoul lifted her face and looked down into her blue eyes. He saw the clear exhaustion that shone through, along with tears.

The silence that had blanketed the tavern during the confrontation had been broken. The room was now filled with muffled and quiet conversation. It was a well known fact that this tavern was under the protection of the Rogue and that anyone who crossed a line was bound to receive some sort of punishment. Therefore, no one was bothered by the fact that the men had yet to come in from outside.

Raoul ignored the questioning glances from his two friends and continued to hold Kahlan's chin up. "Please," he continued in a low voice, "even though I can't for the Goddess remember who you are, I can see that you are unwell. Are you hungry?"

He loosened his soft grip on her chin as she nodded her head, following the movement of her eyes. She confirmed his suspicion. "Then I will order something for you to eat."

Kahlan could barely look up. Her actions at the moment were far from pretend. She couldn't fake this level of weariness or even the hunger she was feeling. Unfortunately, the nausea was another thing that she wasn't faking.

She was hungry beyond comparison, but it was the smell of this place that really got to her. The strong odor of liquor that filled her nostrils was starting to make her head spin. Suddenly, Kahlan found that her stomach was rebelling, bile rising to her throat. Before she knew it, she was bent over and emptying herself of her stomach's contents.

Finally lifting herself upright, she found that the contents of her stomach were splashed all over Raoul's shirt and breeches. A handkerchief entered her line of vision and she took it gladly, wiping her mouth. As she glanced up, she was faced with a horrified facial expression.

"I'm so sorry..." she began, trying to apologize, but Raoul only lifted his hand and she fell silent at the gesture. Without saying anything, Raoul turned around and left her standing alone, looking after him with an apologetic expression in her eyes. She turned around, desperately looking for anything that could make the situation right and caught the knowing glance of the Lady Knight and the tanned man beside her.

She was still standing when one of the men that had rescued her came back inside the tavern. With only one look at the mess on the floor, he turned around and gestured at one of the serving women. After they exchanged words in a silent conversation, he turned back again. "If you all will please follow me, I will bring you to where the Rogue is waiting."

Beside her, Alanna nodded sharply along with Numair. They followed the man for few steps when Kahlan suddenly found that her voice worked. "What about Raoul?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Alanna turned around with a smile. "He'll find us," she replied and took another step. When Kahlan didn't make a pass to move, she turned back once again. "In the meantime, you could follow us or you could stay down here," she gestured at the crowded tavern room, "which do you prefer?"

"I'll follow," Kahlan replied without hesitation and stepped over the mess on the floor as the serving woman came forth bearing a bucketful of water and a cloth. She stopped short. "Maybe I should help with the clean-up," she offered, but again she was silenced by a gesture.

A gesture that came from an unexpected front — a person Kahlan already knew.

The serving woman shook her head, causing her long, blonde braid to sway over her shoulder. She placed the full bucket down on the floor and lifted the corners of her mouth into a smile that Kahlan knew very well. However, before she could say anything, she was dismissed by a rough voice.

"Oh, don't worry about that, lass. Everyone gets an upset stomach now and again. I keep telling him that it might be good idea to air out the place once in a while, but he's too stubborn to do it," the woman informed her, throwing her thumb back to where the large man with the apron lingered.

Kahlan saw the clear warning in Lenore's eyes, silently pleading with her. 'Do not blow my cover,' it said. She was still slightly startled over the fact that yet another Untouchable, or former Untouchable, was present in Corus. Kahlan had known Lenore for years, but for the past four of them, she had seen nothing of the older woman.

Glancing past Lenore, Kahlan found the man that had welcomed them looking at them with interest. No words came to her lips. She only nodded in gratitude, relieved over being recognized. It turned out, she was not utterly alone.

Lenore continued, undisturbed by Kahlan's silence, "Now, when I'm finished, I'll come up and fetch you." She allowed her blue-green eyes to slide down Kahlan's form, pausing as she looked at the bile stuck to the fabric of her clothes. "I'm sure that I have a dress that will fit you," she said. However, Kahlan knew that underneath those innocent words was a clear message, 'You and I need to talk.'

"Thank you," Kahlan replied, noticing that her companions still waited for her. "I'd better go with them," she said and stepped around Lenore, following Alanna and Numair up the stairs.

Liam wiped the small bloodstains from his hands as he walked calmly up the stairs that would lead him to the room above the crowded area of the tavern. The other man, one of his most trusted, had been ordered to fetch those who wanted to see him.

As he pocketed the handkerchief inside his breeches, he tried yet again to push away the metallic smell of the blood. The man who had assaulted the woman had started bleeding after a few well-placed blows to the stomach. Now, he laid on the street where they had left him in the alley and with a note ensuring that the he would be brought back to his wife so she could tend to his wounds.

It was unlikely that he would ever set foot inside the Dark Fox ever again, but just in case, he had been given a permanent reminder of his banishment from the tavern. Liam had cut off a part of the man's upper ear. It was a clear warning to everyone that this man had crossed paths with the Rogue. If he ever did so again, Liam would take more than just his upper ear.

Stopping abruptly on the stairs, he looked out of the small window and was greeted by a disturbing sight. The hair on his arms rose and he was overcome by a peculiar sensation. Gripping the small sill of the window, Liam leaned forth. He watched as the hostlers stood over several horses lying immobile on the ground while their owners yelled at the poor animals. Just as suddenly as the sensation came, it was gone. The horses quickly rose on their front hooves to lift themselves up, their hindquarters following suit.

Shaking away the remnants of the sensation, Liam counted to ten as he silently opened the door and stood behind his visitors. Once he had closed the door, he waited for a few minutes before he cleared his throat and found that everyone except himself was startled.

"Ah, Mithros! Liam, don't you believe in footsteps?" Alanna questioned sharply, a firm scowl upon her face.

Liam crossed his arms in front of himself. "Now, that's not a very nice way to greet the man who is helping you," he replied, giving his aunt a broad smile. He then turned to the tall man standing calmly beside Alanna, who was looking at him with assessing eyes.

"Aye, Master Salmalin. Please, do not give me that look," Liam said, smiling knowingly as Numair raised his eyebrows in a silent question. "One does know who one's employer is and what to look for when taking on an assignment."

Numair inclined his head slightly, smiling back at the young man. "I see that the gift has skipped a generation," he stated calmly.

"The gift is unpredictable, as I'm sure you're well informed of," Liam replied before he continuing, "such as in the case of the woman you brought from a northern country?"

Narrowing his eyes, Numair's calm mask changed into a slight scowl. "She is not part of this discussion, Rogue," Numair stated calmly, but underneath his words was a slight warning.

Suddenly, a movement caught Liam's attention and he turned to the young woman standing just behind Alanna, attempting blend in with her surroundings. Smiling broadly when her blue eyes met his, Liam couldn't help the next words that came past his lips. "I see," he concluded. Kahlan's eyes widened. Upon seeing her startled expression, he began to elaborate. However, before he could speak, a soft knock sounded at the door. Annoyed by the interruption, Liam closed his mouth firmly, a scowl set upon his face as he called for the person to enter.

A woman poked her head inside, smiling before she allowed a larger man to enter. "Pardon me, but I found a stray dog below," she said with a wide smile, allowing her eyes to slide over Alanna's and Numair's frames and then coming to a halt at Kahlan, "I thought that he might belong to one of you?"

Alanna rolled her eyes as Raoul pushed himself inside the room, clearly not amused over the woman's words. He had found some spare clothes somewhere and now came to stand beside Numair. "Have I missed anything?"

Three people shook their heads. Kahlan, on the other hand, stared at the Rogue. She was worried that he had seen right through her and knew exactly what she was.

"Good," Raoul stated, rubbing his hands together and lifting his eyebrows. "Then shall we move on? I, for one, would like to have this done and over with."

"So would we all," Alanna growled, but didn't continue. Her violet eyes remained firmly on the woman remained lingering at the door as if waiting for something.

Liam turned slowly, following Alanna's gaze, "Yes, Lenore, is there anything else or have you forgotten that this is to be a private conversation?"

Lenore shook her head, smiling still, but her eyes moved over to where Kahlan stood frozen to the floor. "No," she replied. "Although, I have clothes for her," she pointed at Kahlan, "and I just thought that you'd be pleased if she were able to wear something more fitting for her."

Liam glanced back at the young woman. He had an odd feeling she was withholding something of great importance. Despite that, his Sight told him that this wasn't the right time to get this 'information' out into the open. He only nodded and gestured at the young woman, "Please, Miss Kahlan, I'm sure Lenore will take perfect care of you." He turned to his aunt and the King's Commander. "Where is she to be brought afterward?" he questioned, wanting to know to which of them the young woman belonged to.

Both Alanna and Raoul opened their mouth, but Alanna was quicker then her friend. "Bring her to Zofia," she said calmly, adjusting the sword at her side, "she'll know what to do."

Lenore clapped her hands eagerly, almost in joy, while she smiled broadly. "Perfect," she said, gesturing Kahlan towards her. She pushed her out the door, pausing only to say to the younger woman, "Our sort don't interfere with such business. We, ladies, need to look perfect for the men and right now you are anything but that." Then, with a wicked and knowing smile, she closed the door behind them.

Alanna turned to Liam frowning, "Keeping secrets isn't something your people are very good at."

Liam laughed loudly, "And that, coming from you?" He gestured towards the door through which Kahlan and Lenore had vanished. "Do you even know that the girl you picked up from the streets has not told you the truth about the secret she carries?"

Narrowing her violet eyes, Alanna scowled, "That's why she's being kept near."

Liam nodded, seemingly accepting Alanna's explanation. He then rounded on Numair, "And you, Black Robed Mage, it seems to me that you are getting yourself and everyone else into a lot of trouble. However, I think you already know that. Don't you?"

Numair only nodded, glancing at his companions before replying calmly, "One cannot escape the path the Gods set for us. The only thing we can do is try to prevent further progress."