Her eyes slowly began to open as a wave of fear and panic flowed through her. Someone was touching her. Lifting herself up, she pushed away from the other person laying beside her on the bed. The movement sent pain to every inch of her, causing her to cry out. A hand came to her shoulder, she tried to pull away, but she couldn't get her body to move. "Kahlan, its okay." his voice came from behind her. She turned her head to look around the room, slowly, being sure to take in everything.
Someone was standing next to the window on the other side of the room. Kahlan wondered why they were there. The window was covered, the area was too dark for them to do anything. There was a light pull on her shoulder as her head made its way to look behind her. His brown eyes were filled with concern as she starred at him. For a moment her face was covered in terror, before her eyes shut and she fell backwards next to Richard.
"I told you it was a bad idea." Cara said walking over to the large bed. Richard starred down at kahlan "Why would she be scared of me?" he said as Cara reached the bed. "Because you are a man." she said flatly, "Who do you think played with her?" Richard looked up at the Mord-Sith, she was starring down at Kahlan and he could swear she looked concerned. "Cara, how am I to comfort her if she is afraid of me?" her eyes met his, "The Mother Confessor is not afraid of you." she said returning her eyes to Kahlan, "You didn't see the way she looked at me." Cara looked up to Richard. "She was just raped by those men, and then rescued only to wake up in an unfamiliar place with someone holding her."
"Then I shouldn't hold her." he said as he gently lifted himself from the bed "I can't bare to have her afraid of me." he said starting to stand. "Richard?" came a soft voice behind him. He turned quickly, her eyes were still closed "Richard, stay?" he looked to Cara in question "The Mother Confessor requests that you stay, Lord Rahl." he smiled as she turned and walked back to the chair next to the window. Richard moved slowly as he laid back on the bed, "I'm here Kahlan." he whispered as he inched closer to her. She turned to his voice, moving closer, she curled into his arms, laying her right arm over his stomach. "Thank you." she said softly as tears slowly escaped her eyes.
He held her as she cried softly, her tears soaking his shirt. She had no idea how long she cried before she was finally taken by sleep.
She could feel their hands on her, their tongues pushing their way into her mouth as the pleasured themselves. She could hear them laughing as they pulled their pants down. Her eyes flew open, panicked as she looked around. Richard wanted so badly to pull her back to him and hold her, but was afraid that he would frighten her. Her eyes immediately fell upon Cara, who was asleep in the chair, that was now sitting closer to the bed in the light. Relief flowed through her as she realized she was safe. "I'm sorry Richard." she said softly just before she turned her head to look at him. "You have nothing to be sorry for." he said softly.
"I didn't realize it was you." she said turning her body to face him. She crossed her legs in front of herself and starred at the pillows. Reaching for one, she pulled it to her and held it tightly to her chest. "When did I- How long have we been here?" "Two days." his voice was soft as he fought back the urge to pull her into his arms. She nodded and looked to Cara, who appeared to be sleeping in the chair. "Both of you?" Richard followed her gaze. "Yes. Cara wanted to be sure you were alright." Warmth flooded through her as the thought that Cara cared came across her mind. "Zedd and Leo?" "Downstairs, now. Must have left a few minutes ago. We've all been here."
She looked down at her wrists, running her fingers of the now lightly scarred skin. "Zedd said that was the best he could do." she looked back to him, the look in her eyes broke his heart. He hated seeing the hurt, but he didn't know what to do. "The men... What happened to them?" Kahlan saw a heavy flare of fury flash through his eyes. "Cara and I killed them." he spoke softly, but she could hear his anger. She looked back to the pillow and squeezed it tighter against her.
"They were holding me for someone." Richard nodded "The Sisters of the Dark."Kahlan looked to him confused. "You didn't know?" he asked leaning forward. "He didn't tell me." "Who?" Kahlan shook her head "One of the men..." The anger returned to his eyes. "He came after the others had... He warned me." "Warned you?" she nodded and rubbed her palms over the pillow "What did he say to you?" he asked as he scooted closer to her. "Nothing." she said, trying to turn away. "Kahlan." he took her hands in his, she closed her eyes. She couldn't look at him.
He waited a few moments, watching her, waiting for her to find the strength to tell him. "He told me that it was going to get worse." she didn't open her eyes as she spoke, she just squeezed them tighter as she recalled the event. "He said that he hoped you got to me soon, because he didn't know how long I could survive." Her eyes opened and she looked to the door "He was the only one who didn't..."As he watched her, his mind flooded with images of what they had done to her. The way her body would have been hanging there as they touched her.
She looked at him, she could see where his mind was. Tears fell from her eyes as she turned away from him. "I'm sorry Richard." her words jolted him from his thoughts, making him shake his head on confusion. "What? Kahlan, you have done nothing to apologize for." He tried to pull her into his arms, but she moved out of his reach. "Every time you look at me, you're going to think about what they did to me." the pain in her voice crushed him. "I didn't want you to see me like that." she said softly as the tears flowed freely from her eyes.
"I can't bare for you to think of me like that." "Kahlan, I don't/" she turned to him "I saw it on your face, Richard." he thought for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. "When we found you... Kahlan, the way they had you hanging there, the way they all were watching as he..." she closed her eyes, trying not to cry harder as she remembered what the man was doing when Richard and Cara came through the doors. "That's not something I can just forget, but it's not how I'll think of you." He waited until she opened her eyes before continuing. "Kahlan-" "Why are the Sister of the Dark trying to kill me?" Her eyes were filled with confusion as she looked into his soft eyes. "The Prophecy." he said looking away from her. He knew that she believed in prophecy, but he wished she didn't. "As long as the Mother Confessor's pure heart beats, the Keeper is doomed to fail." He turned to see her mouth open and her eyes wide with fear. "I'm not going to let them hurt you." he said firmly, leaning forward and taking her hands away from the pillow she was digging her nails into.
For the first time, she smiled. It was small, but it was a smile. "I know Richard. But now we know." "Know what?" her smile grew "That Shota was wrong. Just as we thought. You will not fail." he looked away from her, letting his eyes wonder to the door. "Kahlan, I'm not the seeker anymore, Leo is. This means Leo will not fail."The smile fell from her face as she watched him. "Richard?" he looked back to her, "Thank you.." she said softly, reaching out to him, she laid her hand over his and looked to Cara and then back to him. "For coming for me." he smiled, pulling her into his arms. "I will always come for you." "I know." she pushed on him until his back was against the pillows behind him. Moving slowly, she lifted herself over him. She moved a hand to his face, softly caressing his face.
"Thank you." she repeated before lowering herself down and kissing him. Her kiss surprised him, but he wrapped his arms around her, trying to hold her. She pulled away and looked down at him. "I love you." she said softly as she laid herself down in his arms. "And I'm starting to love you too, Cara." she said louder. Richard looked up and saw Cara starting to sit up. He smiled as Cara rolled her eyes. "And why wouldn't you?"Cara said standing and walking to the door. "I'll go tell the others you're awake." Kahlan lifted her head from Richard's chest. "No, Cara stay please." Cara stopped right in front of the door. Kahlan looked up to Richard, who nodded and gently moved out from under her.
The door closed softly behind him as he left, leaving Cara standing at the side of the bed. "You're not going to try and hug me are you?" Cara said as Kahlan sat forward. "No. You wouldn't let me." Cara almost smiled. "Thank you." Kahlan said after a moment of silence. "I had to save you. Richard was going to go crazy." Kahlan nodded as Cara gave her the response she was expecting. "Cara," "You're up!" Zedd's voice rang in as the door flew open and they stepped through. "Kahlan, we need to discuss something." Zedd said as Sister Verna walked through the door.
"The Sisters of the Dark are not going to stop until you are dead. We have a plan."
