"Move it along, Seeker." Vivian hissed, pushing his back and forcing him to walk at a faster pace. Richard's body ached from his beatings, the three women escorting him doing nothing to help ease his pain.
They had been walking for three days, the women reluctant to allow him to stop and rest. The first night in the woods, Richard became very aware of Denna's statement about Amelia giving Richard 'benefits.' Lily and Vivian had fallen asleep, Amelia left to stand on watch. Richard couldn't fall asleep despite his best efforts, constantly tossed and turned. The dark haired woman took note of his restlessness and moved to straddle him, causing Richard to stiffen under her. She coyly smiled as she whispered promises of pleasure in his ear.
Richard had pushed her off. Since then, Amelia was the most foul of the women. Richard assumed that she had never been denied before.
Vivian was quite tempermental, just as Denna had warned. Her green eyes were always harsh, causing Richard to shudder whenever he glanced her way. She was also the most violent, quick to swing her powerless agiel into her hand. Despite her tough exterior, he saw pain flash across her eyes each time she realized that the magic behind the weapon was dead. That the Lord Rahl was dead.
Lily, as Richard had expected, was the easiest to get along with. She barely lifted a hand to threaten him, only doing so when the other two women chimed in and told her she was being too soft. She would often cast sympathetic glances his way, reminding him of the way Kahlan's blue eyes had once done the same. Lily was a comforting presence, reminding him much of his former love. She was the most kind to him, engaging in conversation with him when she was the one who was given watch.
Richard trusted her. She didn't command him to do meaningless tasks like Vivian and Amelia did. She never acted out of spite, which the other two were quite good at. Amelia was still angry at his refusal of her advances, while Vivian was bitter for reasons he did not know. All he knew was that he was the source of the green eyed woman's outbursts.
Although Lily didn't speak against the other two Mord'Sith, Richard knew of her distaste in the whole ordeal. The second night, when she had watch, she spoke with him about how she had became a Mord'Sith. The tale was heart-wrenching.
Darken Rahl had sent a quad after her sister, who apparently had the seed of Rahl's child deep in her womb. The men ransacked her house, raping her mother before killing her. Lily's father had been out checking traps, seeing if any unlucky animal and managed to be captured. The men found him and butchered him, dropping his body in the lake nearby, the water filling with blood. Lily had stumbled upon her father's floating corpse on the way home from the market. She frantically looked for her mother, finding her dead in their house. Lily went on to say that she heard the scream of her sister, and she ran as fast as she could towards the cry. Lily's sister, Miranda, was very much with child. The quad beat her, Lily arriving just after her sister took her last breath. Denna was with them, directing their every move. Lily said she didn't know exactly what had happened, just that her blood boiled with rage and soon enough, she was standing among the dead D'Harans, glaring at the Mord'Sith.
Richard's heart broke for her. Soon after, Vivian woke up and made a snide remark towards Richard, causing Lily to put her emotional barriers back up. They hadn't talked deeply since then.
In all honesty, Vivian and Amelia were slowly driving Richard insane.
Amelia hummed as she walked, spinning her agiel in her hands. Richard noticed how she didn't seem to care that Rahl was now dead. "High time the Mother Confessor dies. Her constant evasion of death is quite annoying." Richard clenched his jaw as he glanced at Lily, her eyes apologizing for the woman's words.
"Yes," Vivian sighed. "She has caused us quite the trouble."
"That whore killed Lord Rahl," Amelia snapped, her hand gripping her agiel tightly. Richard cringed every time one of the women called Kahlan a whore. She most definitely was not a whore. The only one who refrained from talking about her was Lily. Amelia turned her head towards Richard, a devious smile creeping onto her face. "Are you prepared to bleed your love dry, Seeker? Her screams will haunt your memory for the rest of your pathetic life." Richard stared at the ground, keeping his eyes away from the dark haired woman. Vivian laughed.
"Amelia, you are going to make the poor Seeker cry." She eyed him up and down before walking once again, laughing all the more. Richard sighed as he slightly shook his head.
The two women walked in front of him, Lily to his side. Feeling such a non-threatening presence near him was comforting and calming. She smiled sadly at him.
xx
"Zedd, this is Cara." Kahlan cautiously approached, gesturing towards the beaten blonde. She had refused to change out of her leather, and her blonde hair was a mess. The old man glanced at her, lifting a hand as if to dismiss her.
"A Mord'Sith in Aydindril, who would have thought," he glanced towards Kahlan. "That is not the foremost matter of importance right now, though. My dear, how could you just leave Aydindril and give yourself over to the hands of a broken Seeker?" Kahlan sighed as she slightly shrugged her shoulders. Zedd had been worried about her, and quickly greeted her with a hug before she announced that she had someone to introduce to him.
"Old man," Cara stepped forward, her body seductively swaying. "She killed Lord Rahl. Her leave wasn't entirely unproductive." She lifted an eyebrow at him as his eyes grew wide with shock.
"Child, you killed Lord Rahl?" Kahlan nodded weakly, the memories all too vivid.
"Besides," Cara sighed, redirecting Zedd's attentions towards her. "If she hadn't have left, then she wouldn't have found me." She smiled and Zedd laughed.
"Well, Cara, if you have befriended the Mother Confessor, then you are a friend of mine."
Cara scoffed, lifting her hand and waving it about. "I am no friend to the Mother Confessor."
Kahlan smiled as she brushed hair away from her face. Since the night in the wayward pine, the two had struck an odd friendship. Cara would never admit to the companionship, but it was all too evident to Kahlan that the blonde didn't mind her company. To a Mord'Sith, that was the makings of a powerful friendship.
"Regardless," Zedd laughed. "You are welcome here." He opened his arms, Cara raising an eyebrow in his direction as she pursed her lips. Zedd returned his gaze towards Kahlan. "How is Richard, my dear?"
Kahlan sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Still broken, I'm afraid." Zedd nodded, squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.
"Richard Cypher?" Cara questioned, her brows furrowing as her eyes darted between the two. Kahlan nodded numbly, her eyes already threatening to fill with tears. "You will be acquainted with him shortly, then."
"What do you mean?" Kahlan asked, stepping forward. Cara eyed her suspiciously. In a second, Kahlan's demeanor had changed and Cara second guessed her trusting the Mother Confessor.
"He's on a mission to come and kill you, Kahlan." She slowly drew out, Kahlan sighing and shaking her head as if it had been expected. "Three of the finest Mord'Sith are with him." Kahlan's attentions were brought back to Cara, her body quickly pivoting and repositioning in front of the blonde.
"What?" Kahlan croaked, Zedd standing behind her and resting a hand on her shoulder.
"He's with Vivian, Amelia, and Lily. They are escorting him here to ensure that he fulfills his task and doesn't fail again. He's under orders by Denna to bleed you dry." Cara watched Kahlan closely, observing how her body tensed up and her voice faltered.
"Don't worry, my dear." Zedd attempted to sooth her, but Kahlan felt her whole world was crashing down. She was naive to think that it was over, that he would stay with Denna and leave her be. "I will not ask you to lay a hand against Richard, if it comes down to it, I will still his heart myself." Kahlan nodded slowly, feeling Zedd tense up behind her. Killing his grandson would be the most difficult thing he would ever have to do.
"I may have a solution." Cara's voice sounded like a beacon among the fiercest storm.