Four days passed as Richard fought, using everything he had to beat the magic, to reverse the damage he had caused upon his wife. His eyes switched from completely dark to a bright white, changing as the magic moved within him. Many times, Kahlan had to jump from the chair, rush to him and hold him down to the bed as he levitated, only to then be lifted herself as the bed lifted from the floor. He would scream out in anger, the Rahl side of the magic trying to break free as he fought to push it down. He set parts of the room on fire, before screaming her name in agony, his body trying to release the pressure within it. It seemed to grow worse during the night, preventing anyone inside the wing of the palace to sleep through the screams, cries and explosions.

Staring at him, she fiddled with the cloth of her dress, needing to do something to free her thoughts as she waited. Leaning forward, she abandoned her dress and grabbed the dry washcloth from his forehead and replaced it with a damp one. It seemed to make him feel better, making him a little more comfortable. She began talking to him as she had every day, telling him about the color of the sky and how beautiful it was. She told him how much she missed the feel of his arms around her and that the moment he was able to hold her again; she wouldn't allow him to let her go.

Now that the worst seemed to be over, Ren would come in every few hours and sit with her; hearing that she needed the company. He would sit at her feet beside the bed, reading aloud so that she and Richard could hear. It was the most comforting thing Kahlan experienced though the days. Cara even, at times, stopped by and stood in the doorway, listening for a few minutes until she was called away to help Verna with preparations. The palace was filled with talk of how the Seeker and Lord Rahl was fighting the power of the magic and winning. They believed him to be indestructible.

When he opened his eyes, they were alone. Kahlan sat sideways in the chair, wrapped in a thick blanket with her legs hanging over one of the chair arms as she turned the pages of an old book. She looked exhausted, her eyes dark from lack of sleep and her lips formed in a frown, but he still couldn't tear his eyes off of her. Glancing over to him, she gasped in shock as the realization that he was awake came to her. Moving from the chair, she leaned over him and grabbed his face in her hands. She kissed him, roughly, passionately and slowly; lost in the moment.

"How long was I...?"

Pressing her forehead to his, she breathed deeply, feeling, at last, like she could. "Nearly five days. You scared us, Richard."

The glimmer in her eyes, the shining amount of fear that still lingered within her told him something had happened other than he first assumed. "What?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Kahlan shook her head. "The magic, it- it looked like it was going to rip you apart." She looked around the room and smiled as he followed her gaze. "We're going to have to rebuild most of it."

The once light blue walls were now burned to a deep charcoal, leaving a burnt smell to the room. The curtains that had hung around the windows were shredded and a different color than he remembered. Their dressers were now, from what he could tell, piles of ash. The two mirrors that stood on the other side of the room were shattered, the glass spread around the room and piercing through part of the walls. The bed he laid on, the blanket above him was the only thing that wasn't burned. He knew she must have replaced it several times. It was then that he realized that he was naked.

"I did all of this?" He asked her quietly, part of him praying that it wasn't true.

"It wasn't your fault. You seemed to be trying to stop it." She laughed, "There were a few times you made something beautiful."

"Like what?"

Leaning down, she picked up the bowl of water she had been using for washcloths and grinned as she reached inside. Lifting her hand, she slowly sprinkled out little white flakes back into the bowl. "It snowed for almost an hour. It put out the fires nicely."

He didn't understand what had happened, why she had laughed or why his head no longer hurt. He felt as though he had slept for months, he longed to get out of the bed, but he didn't move. He knew that one move could turn it around and he didn't want to scare her again. "What happened over there?" He questioned as he pointed to the right back corner of the room.

The wall was black, scorched with a clear blue silhouette of a person in the center. Kahlan bit her lip for a moment, holding back a laugh. "Cara was standing there when you threw a wave of fire over there. She's fine," she added quickly as concern filled his eyes. "She thinks you will be an excellent warrior with your magic." Looking to the door, she pushed back the smile and thanked the spirits that he survived.

"And what do you think?" Her opinion was all that mattered.

Taking one of his hands, she held it in both of hers, gently stroking the back with one of her thumbs as she brought her eyes to his. "I think that you are strong enough to do anything. How's your head?"

"No headache. Did I lose it?"

"The magic?" She asked with a smile. "No. It's still a part of you. Sister Verna says that the headaches should be gone now that you have proven yourself to the magic."

Confused, Richard attempted to sit up, failing as she pushed his shoulders down against the half burned bed. "She's here?"

"You're going to need someone to help you." Her smile was wide as she stared down at him; she seemed to be waiting for him to do something.

"What?" he asked unable to keep from smiling as well. Her smile was always contagious, spreading to anyone around her.

Shaking her head, Kahlan tried to hide the grin. "Nothing, it's just that before, you uh, you levitated the bed and I-" She looked away embarrassed for a moment and then brought her eyes back to his. "Do you think you could do it again?"

His mouth opened in shock. "I did?"

"You did some amazing things. Like this." She looked up to the ceiling and waited for him to look as well. "It's still there, but you can't see it."

He was amazed by the sight. The ceiling looked exactly like the sky. Clouds, sunlight and for a moment, he was certain he could feel the sun shine down against him. Looking to the window, he saw the darkness of the night. "How long has it been like that?"

She was still looking up, smiling as she closed her eyes. "A few hours. Before, you could feel the wind and smell the trees." Looking back to him, she tightened her hold on his hands as the ceiling returned to normal as he tried to think about it. "You should rest. You begin training in the morning."

"I don't think I'll be able to rest. Kahlan, I feel like I have been asleep for months. I don't want to miss anything else."

"You haven't missed anything," she reassured him quietly.

"I've missed days with you."

A smile, once again, came to her lips. "We will have many more."

Pulling his hands from hers, he wrapped them around her and brought her chest down against his. Hugging her tightly, he rolled toward the center of the bed and pulled her with him, making her now lay on the bed. "Will you stay here?"

"I'll have to. If I roll the other way, I'll fall through the bed." He was surprised to hear her laugh as she pulled herself closer to him, making sure that she was farther away from the hole in their bed. "I wouldn't leave you."

******

Kahlan and Ren walked through the palace garden, laughing as they jumped over the small plants to get to another path. The sun warmed their skin as they pulled at some of the flowers and picked a few berries. He stuffed his mouth with a smile as she filled a small pouch.

"He'll eat them all before you've told him."

Looking down at the small boy, she smiled. "Probably, but it will give me a few moments to find the words.

Swallowing another handful, he grinned up at her. "Why? He's going to be happy about it."

"I know, but I-"

"You're afraid that it could be wrong," he told her quietly, abandoning his hunger to help her fill the pouch. "You could always try to make a child again first."

She looked away, embarrassed, instantly trying to hide her thoughts from him, but it was no use. She could already feel his touch, taste his lips and hear his voice. "I'm sorry, maybe we should talk about something else."

"No, it's all right. It is all you're thinking about." He returned his attention to the berries and smiled as he began once again tossing them into his mouth. His lips and fingers stained with their juices as he continued.

Kahlan watched him as her mind went to Richard and how he had somehow reversed what the agiel had done to her without any training or even trying. She had to be wrong, it wasn't possible. "Do you want to go inside? I believe the kitchen staff has prepared a few pies for dinner."

"Yes!" He jumped to his feet and began running toward the palace. He hadn't gone very far when he turned around and held out his hand for her. "Aren't you coming?"

As they came closer to the room Richard was in, Ren stopped and turned around to face the Confessor. "What's wrong?"

"You should go in there."

Kahlan smiled, "I can't. He shouldn't be disturbed."

He closed his eyes and leaned toward the door, letting her know what he was doing. "They're not working. They don't need to."

"What do you mean?"

Shaking his head, he looked back at her. "I don't know. Something about the blonde woman. He knows what she knew."

She wanted to know more, but she didn't want to use her son to find out. "Let's go to the kitchen."

"He wants to see you."

Smiling Kahlan took a step away from the door and began walking down the hall toward the kitchen. "Then he will come find me."

Ren didn't move; he waited for her to turn around. He knew she would. "He really wants to see you."

"All right, I will knock, but that doesn't mean that they will let me in."

"He will."

For a moment, she was certain she saw a smile on his face, but it disappeared too fast for her to be sure. Once she knocked once on the door, he ran down the hall, leaving her standing alone at the door. "Ren!" She was just about to run after him when the door opened and she met his eyes.

"Hi."

"Hi. I'm sorry; Ren seemed to think that-"

Grabbing her shoulders, Richard pulled her through the door. She looked around for Verna, but she wasn't there. He had changed the room completely. In only a few hours, he had recreated their bedroom perfectly. Before she had a moment longer to take in the sight, he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his chest against her back as his lips found her neck.
Grabbing his arm, she let out a soft moan and closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy the pleasure of his actions.

His hands moved over her stomach and chest as she leaned back against him. The instant he began untying her white dress she pulled away. He looked at her in confusion as she turned around to face him. "Last night- that's why you wanted me to lay with you. How did you know it would work?"

He smiled, "It worked?"

"I don't know. I didn't see Helen, because I was afraid to get my hopes up."

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "I can try again."

"No- I mean- I think that it worked, I feel like it did and I do not know how to explain it, but I- I think that you did it."

Pressing her lips to his, she pulled at his shirt, desperately trying to feel his skin against her. He untied her dress quickly, pushing it from her shoulders as she unlaced his pants. Richard inched her back to the bed as he removed his shoes, his body desperate for a connection with hers. He fumbled with her corset, unable to skillfully remove it as he had done her dress as his mind lost thought to the feel of her beneath him. He tossed it to the floor just as her back hit the bed. Her breasts gave a slight bounce before settling beneath his touch as he began kissing his way down her neck.

With her fingers winding into his hair, Kahlan pushed her chest against him, brining out a low moan that vibrated her throat has his tongue slid along it. He kissed over her chest, sucking and licking his way to her stomach. Pulling his face back to hers, she wrapped her legs around him, trying to bring him closer. The gasp that fled her lips mingled with the moan that left his as he entered her, freeing them both at long last. She couldn't get enough of him, it seemed to be too long since she had felt his touch and tasted his lips. He returned her hungry kisses in full, feeling the same desperation within himself.

Rolling over him, she pushed her hands against his chest, holding herself steady as she settled over him. Her hair fell over her shoulders, covering her breasts until she began to move. Richard reached up, touching her anywhere and everywhere he was able, thriving off of the feel of her skin. He watched her above him, the way she moved smoothly with her head back as she dug her fingers into his chest. Sitting up, he reconnected their lips and pulled her against him.

As her head fell back, her eyes opened for a moment and she gasped, pulling him even closer for safety. "Richard!"

She heard him laugh against her chest as his lips continued exploring. He had done it for her. Looking around the room for a moment with a smile, Kahlan tried to concentrate, but his touch stole the thoughts from her mind. The bed was floating in the air, their heads near the ceiling as he ran his hands over her back, making sure she was as close to him as possible. She continued to move with him, falling back slightly as her magic rose inside of her. His name began to leave her lips, growing louder as they moved faster and faster. She came undone in an instant, her magic ripping through the air, tearing through him as he spilled himself within her.

Their door flew open, making them pull their lips apart and turn to see who it was just as the bed fell to the floor with a loud crash. Richard quickly pulled the blankets around them, covering their naked bodies as two maids and three guards stared at them. Moving backward slowly, the women gave a small bow and adverted their eyes.

"Forgive us Mother Confessor, we heard cries and-"

"It's all right," Kahlan said softly, her cheeks red with embarrassment. "Could you please lock the door?" Once the door was closed, she looked down at the bed and laughed. "We're going to need a sturdier bed."

******

They sat in the dining all, eating breakfast as Zedd told them all a story about he learned to make spice soup. Ren sat beside him, pretending to listen as he stared at the Mord'Sith who sat across from him with her arms folded, complaining that he had already told them the story. Richard sat beside him, paying no attention to the wizard as he stared at his wife. Kahlan sat at the head of the table, trying to focus her attention on Zedd as she ate one of the sausages on her plate. Richard raised his eyebrows, trying to convince her to say something, but she remained quiet.

"You should tell them," Ren said softly, interrupting the older man's story and bringing everyone's eyes to him. "I know," he replied to Kahlan's unspoken words of not wanting him to think that the news made them want him any less.

Their eyes moved to Kahlan, waiting for her to say something. Looking down to her plate for a moment, she took in a deep breath, still unable to believe what was happening. "I'm- I am pregnant."

Richard beamed at the rest of the table, pleased with the announcement that he would soon have a daughter to play with their son. Cara stared at them both blankly, unable to see why they were so happy. Zedd dropped his fork and grinned with pride as slapped his thin hand on Ren's shoulder as he swallowed the large bite in his mouth.

"To be sure, we saw Helen yesterday," Richard said with a smile as he continued to stare at Kahlan. He had done it. He reversed his mistake and now they were going to have a baby. He couldn't be happier to add to their new family.

"What are you going to name her?" Ren asked as he pushed out of the chair and walked between the couple.

Grinning, she shook her head slowly. "We haven't been able to decide yet."

"But we've narrowed it down to a few," Richard informed them all as he took Kahlan's hand. "I think we'll have to have a child for each of them."

"You want us to have six more?"

"Why not? Ren will need a few sisters to play with. Won't you?"

The boy grinned widely and nodded. "I always wanted sisters."

Richard leaned back in his chair, his smile widening even wider. "Then it settles it. We will have many more!"

Standing up, Cara pushed her chair and sighed. "Once you give birth, you won't have time to make another."

Kahlan's face turned red as Richard beamed at his friend. "I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding the time."

"I'm sure..."

As Cara walked out, Ren turned to the wizard with wide eyes as he listened to the happy couple's thoughts. "We should go."

******The End******