"The Sisters of the Dark are coming for you. They will not stop until you are dead." Sister Verna spoke slowly, trying to be sure she heard every word. "Several of the sisters left moments after the prophecy was carved." She took in a deep breath, "A new prophecy hasn't arrived in many, many years." she turned to Richard, who was standing beside the bed next to Kahlan. "I came as soon as I could get away. I know how important she is to you. And now to us all more than ever before." He nodded as he tried to listen. His head was spinning out of control with anger for anyone who tried to hurt Kahlan.

"I wish to take you back with me. You will be safe there, and-" "How can you suggest that?!" Richard said, stepping towards her. "You don't know who can trust! Half of your sisters are working for the Keeper! They want to kill her and you want to just bring her to them?!" Kahlan grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop, so he could get no closer to Verna. "Richard, please. We can protect her." He shook his head and turned to Zedd. "You can't possibly agree with her!" Zedd placed his hand on Richard's shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Richard, we don't have a choice. We can't protect her." Richard shook his head. "Out. All of you, out!" he said pushing Cara, Zedd, Leo and Verna through the door. As the door clicked shut, he turned to look at her.

"Richard, they're right.." "Not you too. Kahlan, how can you agree with that?" He walked quickly to the side of the bed. "Richard, how can you expect them to continue the quest, when they are having to watch me?" Sitting on the bed before her, he took her hands in his. "Then I am going with you." she looked up at him confused. "There is no point in arguing with you, you have already made up your mind." he said trying to smile. "I can't let you do that." she pulled her hands from his "You have to go with them." "Kahlan, I'm not the Seeker anymore, I don't have to go." she shook her head "It's more than that. It's your quest too. You have to go." Richard stood, facing her. "No. I'm not leaving your side. I won't let it happen again."

Suddenly it hit her, tears started to collect in her eyes as she stood. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she looked up at him. "It wasn't your fault, Richard." she cried softly into his chest. He held her tightly against him. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again." she tightened her hold on his waist, "I know, but Richard, there was nothing you could have done." He kissed the top of her head, and stared blankly at the wall.

"I don't see another way." Zedd said walking to a table. "I disagree. We can't just send her away." "We have to protect her, Leo." Zedd said sitting "I know I haven't known her very long, but I'm sure she can take care of herself." "She was just captured." Verna said softly, stepping beside Leo. "And then rescued." he huffed back. "You were the one that found her. What do you thi-" "I think Lord Rahl has a point. We can't send her off, without knowing who we can trust." Everyone starred at Cara. "Even if we did, he would never leave her." she continued, ignoring the stares.

"You don't need to take Richard. You have a new Seeker. He can continue just as he has been." Verna said turning o him. "No, we won't go without him." Verna turned back to Cara quickly. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Cara stepped closer to Verna, "Stop it. We don't have the right to decide for them." Leo said stepping in front of Cara, blocking her from Verna. "You have to. To keep her safe." Verna looked at Zedd, who was tossing a piece of bread into his mouth. "If you leave now, they won't be able to follow you. You three should go now." "I am not going. I have sworn to protect Lord Rahl, not the Seeker." They stood in silence, for a few minutes before Zedd stood. "We have no choice. This is what we are going to do."

"Lay with me?" He turned towards the bed. Kahlan laid, mostly covered, starring at him as paced. "I can't." he said coming to a stop. "How can you ask me to leave you? After what you just went through, Kahlan, how can you expect me to be okay with that?" she said nothing, only looked up at him. She was trying to put her thoughts into words. "You have been searching for the stone longer than Leo, Richard. You should be there when you find it." He shook his head and walked to the foot of the bed. "I only did it to save you. Kahlan, I would do anything to keep you safe." He turned away, not able to look at her as he spoke. "I failed you already, and I can't do it again."

"It wasn't your fault. You haven't failed me." she starred at his back, waiting for him to face her. "You have saved me more times than I deserve, you haven't failed me. You love me. You can't fail me." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath "Richard," his name left her mouth in a soft cry. He turned to her, watching her carefully. Moving slowly, he made his way to her side, laying on the bed next to her. He encircled his arms around her slowly. "I should have protected you." "Richard," she rolled into his embrace, facing him. "It's not your fault." she said firmly, looking up at him.

When he stared to reply, she pressed her lips against his to silence him. She didn't want to give him anymore time to blame himself. She needed him to understand, that she didn't blame him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him over her. Hesitantly, he leaned onto her as she moved to deepen their kiss. Her hands moved over his back, pulling him against her. She couldn't get him close enough. The feel of his body against hers, the love she felt flowing from him, her mind was spinning, being with him was intoxicating.

She needed it, she needed him. His hands moved over her side, moving to the hem of her shirt. Slowly running his hands along her flesh, his eyes flew open. "Richard?" he had pulled away, still laying over her, but their bodies were no longer touching. "I'm sorry." he said as he moved to the side of the bed, throwing his legs over the edge, facing away from her. "I can't." He ran his fingers through his hair, as he starred down at the floor. "How could you want to do... that, when they've done..." he sighed in confusion as he looked up to the wall in front of him. She didn't know what to say, her mind was racing. The look in his eyes as he had pulled away was burning into her memory. She pulled her shirt back down and sat forward slowly. "Because I love you." it was all she could think of to say. She didn't know how to explain her feelings. When she kissed him, al the events left her.

A hand came to his shoulder, shaking him from his imagination of the horrible things they had done to her. "Richard, what they did to me...It was to take pleasure from my pain. Being with you, it's about my love for you. About your love for me." she moved to sit beside him, her legs dangling next to his. "Thoughts of being with you, returning to you, was the only thing that kept my sanity." He looked at her, her blue eyes glistening with tears. "Richard please, don't do this." she looked to the floor. The look in his eyes, crushed her. "Don't think of me like that." The hand that laid on his shoulder fell to the bed beside her. As she turned to him. "It's not going to change anything is it?" she asked moving backwards to the head of the bed and pulling the covers to her. "Nothing I say will change anything." he stood up and turned, facing her he sighed "Kahlan, I-" "Please just... let me be alone for a while." she said laying her head back against the wooden headboard. He nodded as he walked to the door. Tears fell from her eyes as it clicked shut behind him.

"What's going on?" Everyone turned at the sound of Richard's voice behind them. "They are going along with her plan." Cara motioned with her head to Verna. Richard stared at them for a moment. "Okay." "Okay?" Cara said stepping towards him. "Richard, you already said you didn't want-" "I don't. It's not my decision to make. She doesn't want to risk the mission" Richard sat down at the nearest table, facing them. "So you will be joining us?" Leo asked sitting in front of him. "She wants me to." "But you're not going to." Cara said looking to Verna, who walked over to Richard "Richard, we are going to keep her alive. You can continue on the quest."

"Where's the Mother Confessor!?" Richard and Leo jumped to their feel as a small shaggy haired man stepped before them. "You must get her out of here! They have come!" Richard reached out and took hold of the smaller man "Who are you?!" The man stared blankly at him "Are you Richard? You must be Richard." Confused, Richard loosened his hold on the man "Yes, I'm Richard." "How did you know he was Richard?" Cara asked stepping closer, closing the distance between them. "She called his-your name." He looked to Richard "She knew you would come for her. You love her, so you attack me, so you must be Richard." He looked at the floor. "She cried your name. Over and over. They laughed." Gripping harder on the man's shirt Richard pushed him against the wall "You are one of them! You did that- How could you?!" "I didn't!" he said loudly, looking from Richard to Zedd, to Cara, all of them starring at him in disbelief. "I would never! I told her what the planned to do!"

The man fell to the ground as Richard released his iron hold. "You told her they were going to kill her. That what she had gone through was nothing compared to what was coming." The man nodded "She told you?" "Yes." The man straightened himself, and ran his hands over his clothes soothing a few wrinkles. "My name is Ronan. I am going to help her in any way I can." Leo stepped closer, "You said they have come-" "The Sisters. Four of them arrived a short time before I left to warn you. You must hide the Mother Confessor." Cara laughed "Why? We could take care of them now." Ronan grabbed Cara's shoulders, "No! You can't defeat them!" Cara pushed the man way from her "If we kill them now, we can all continue as before." "No, the sisters are too powerful. Before leaving the palace, the killed several of our sisters and took their Han. They are more powerful than you expect." Sister Verna finally spoke.

"You can hide her in my home." the tavern keeper said from behind the counter. "It's not far from here," he pointed towards the window across the room. "Through the trees." "You better hurry, they are probably almost here looking for her." Ronan said taking a full look around the room. "I'll go get her." Richard said turning and making his way to the stairs.

Richard came to a stop once he reached the door to her room. His heart was pounding against his chest as starred at it. Pushing the door open, Richard stepped into the room. Kahlan laid, covered in blankets, facing away from the door and towards the window. She didn't move as he entered and he was sure she heard him. Closing her eyes, she tried to stop the tears that were continuing to fall. "Kahlan," he spoke softly coming to the side of the bed behind her. He looked down, taking notice of her wet cheeks. He hated that he had hurt her, but he couldn't explain the feeling he got when he thought of what she had been through. "I'm sorry, but we have to go." "Go." she stated without opening her eyes. "No, We. You and I, Kahlan." she turned her head towards him "Why?" he grabbed the covers and pulled them from her body. He froze as he saw the way she was laying. Her knees were against her chest as she held them tightly against her. He forced himself to continue removing the blankets. "The Sisters of the Dark are coming for you. I need you to hide." Kahlan sat forward, "I can't just hide." "You must!" she was startled by his tone as she moved backwards away from him. "Richard," "No, I'm not going to risk your life!" she starred at him, watching his fear and panic pass onto his face. "Okay." she said barely loud enough for him to hear.

"Richard, they are coming from up the road!" Zedd called loudly up the stairs. Richard moving as quickly as he could, leaned forward and took Kahlan into his arms and carried her out of the room. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he hurried down the stairs to the others. "Take here through there, and follow the path, you won't miss it." The tavern keeper said pointing to the door behind them, "Hurry, so they don't see you."

The door closed behind them as they entered the tavern keeper's home. Quickly, Kahlan released her hold on his neck and moved out of his arms, her bare feet touching the cold ground. Richard watched her make her way to a chair next to the fireplace, on the other side of the room, and pull her knees up to her chest. She starred down at the floor as he turned and looked out the window to be sure they weren't followed. "What are they going to do?" she asked after a few moments of silence. "I'm not sure." he said turning around and scanning the room. It was small, the only furniture was a small table for two, the chair Kahlan was sitting in and a small rack holding the firewood. He let his eyes settle on Kahlan. Her knees were still close to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them, she rested her chin on her knees as she starred into the dead fireplace.

"You should help them." Richard's breath caught in his throat at her words. "I'm not going to leave you." she turned her head to face him "I'm safe here... They will need you." he walked to her, taking her hands in his and holding them firmly. "I know you're upset with me, but Kahlan, I'm trying to protect you." she drew in a deep breath "I'm not upset, Richard. I was, but mostly I'm hurt." he waited a moment before he reached up and gently brushed a few strands of her hair away from her eyes. The feel of his fingers touching her skin filled him with a frantic need. He could see her longing for him in her eyes as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, his hand pulling her face towards him.

Her feet left the chair, to remove anything between them, and made their way to the floor as she reached her arms around his neck, trying to pull herself closer to him. His body was providing a powerful heat that flowed through her as her hands made their way down his neck, over his shoulders and down his back. His free hand snaked its way around her waist, lightly pulling her to the edge of the chair. He took her into his arms, gently moving her to the floor. She went willingly, allowing him to control the moment. He held himself up with his left arm as he ignored her pull on his shoulders. Her silent request to be closer.

His right hand moved slowly down her side, coming to a stop at her waist for a moment before making its way back up under her shirt. She held his face to hers, desperately attempting to keep their kiss going as she thought about the look she had seen previously in his eyes that day. He showed no signs of stopping, so she relaxed her hold on him, allowing her hands to roam to his chest. Pulling his shirt over his head, he reached quickly for hers, unbuttoning as his lips moved over her chin and jaw, down her neck to her chest. His lips following his hands downward kissing the newly exposed skin. She arched her back, pressing her body to his lips, begging for more contact.

Removing the cloth from her shoulders, he tossed her shirt into the chair next to them as his lips continued to explore her body. Her hands held his head, her fingers tangling themselves into his hair, pulling lightly. A soft moan escaped her lips, and her hands fell to the floor as he slid his tongue over her stomach, tasting the saltiness of her sweat. His hand moved to the laced of her pants, moving quickly he pushed them from her waist, his tongue following their journey south. Her breaths were coming in pants as he moved his hands over her thighs.

Reaching up, she grabbed his hair, pulling him back to her lips. His chest flattened over hers as he allowed her tongue entrance to his mouth. She wrapped her legs around his, trying to keep him in one place long enough to roll herself over him. Her hair flowed down over him as she broke their kiss and looked down at him. Her eyes, almost completely back, starred into his. A smile crossed her lips as she pressed them to his once more, while her hands moved between them, caressing the muscles of his chest, feeling them contract against her touch.

When she found the hem of his pants, she pulled away from his mouth and began kissing his neck, shoulders and chest, anything she could reach while she tossed his belt away from them. She made quick work with the laces of his pants and she couldn't help but smile against him as his hands joined hers in removing the last of the clothing separating them. Richard could feel her heart pounding against him as he held her body against his.

He needed more contact with her flesh. He rolled them over, pressing his body against hers, while his hands moved over every piece of her body he could. His name flowed from his lips as his lips moved to her neck. Richard purposely found the red mark, left by someone else, and sucked it into his mouth. She knew he was making his claim, so she pulled his lips from her neck. "Richard, don't..." she said before pressing his lips to hers. He almost went back to it, desperate to make his mind forget the faces of the men, but her kiss comforted him. He finally came to realize what she had meant before, this was making "love".

Kahlan laid panting in Richard's arms as they both came down from their highs. "I forgive you." she said softly running her hand over his chest. A smile crossed his lips as he took the hand from his chest and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it gently. Instead of releasing her hand, he pulled it until her body followed, laying on top of him. She gladly pressed her lips to his, savoring the feel of his touch. "Do you think they're okay?" she asked looking to the door, mostly to be sure they were still alone. He turned her head back to him and kissed her. "They're fine. If something went wrong, they would have come to tell us." he said between kisses.

She smiled widely, sitting up on top of him. "How long do you think we have?" her eyes still flaming with hot desire. "Long enough." he said quickly flipping them over. "I was hoping we would." Kahlan said pulling his mouth to hers, her hands rediscovering his body and her body begging once again for release. Her power was resurfacing rapidly as she held him against her. His warm breath flowing across her skin was arousing her more with each breath. His eyes close as her power flows through him, his name leaving her lips in a loud raspy moan as his head falls in the crook of her neck and his body falls onto hers exhausted.

Richard lifted himself onto his forearms above her, trying not to crush her. Kahlan, not wanting to lose their connection, wrapped her arms firmly around him and brought his body right back down onto hers. "I'm going to crush you." he said softly into her ear "I don't mind." she replied as he laid his head on her chest. Her fingers ran through his hair, messaging his head as his hands began to travel along her body. She moaned softly as his hands made their way to her chest and came to a stop before running over her breasts. She arched her back slightly, trying to get his hand where she wanted it. He laughed, rolling off to the side, pulling her along to face him. "I don't think I have enough strength to go again." she laughed at his words as she pulled her body flush against his.

"Richard," "Mmm?" his hand was slowly tracing circles along her spine, sending chills through her body. He smiled against her shoulder as she shivered "You're cold." he said sitting up and reaching for the blanket that she hadn't noticed on the back of the chair. "Here" he said, wrapping it around them, but being sure not to get between them. "Thank you." she said, moving in close to him. A light knock at the door, cause Kahlan to jerk upright, pulling the blanket with her. Richard moved slowly, grabbing his pants and pulling them on as he walked slowly to the door, trying to look through the window without being seen. "I know you're in there with the Mother Confessor. Give her to me, and you can go on." The woman's voice stated in a tone that rose the hair on the back of his neck. Kahlan stood quietly, reaching for her corset as the door flew open, knocking Richard backwards. "You're going to come with me." The woman said stepping quickly into the room and over Richard.