"Tell me about the Mother Confessor." Lily sat across from Richard, the fire slowly burning in front of them. Vivian and Amelia had long ago fallen asleep, claiming that Richard was too tiring a man - and in all the wrong ways. The two had laughed about their sexual joke, snickering to each other before finally laying down and letting sleep drift over them.
Richard stared openly at her, shock on his features. Although she was more caring than the others, he hadn't assumed she would take personal investment in his emotions. He cleared his throat, glad to finally be able to speak freely about the woman he loved without feeling searing pain.
"Her name is Kahlan Amnell. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. She has bright blue eyes, much like your own." Richard laughed lightly when he saw Lily smile. "Her hair is long and dark, it cascades down her back. She is highly intelligent in both political matters and fighting. Kahlan is most definitely the deadliest woman I have ever met." Richard glanced up at the blonde. She nodded slightly, noticing the implication of what he said. Kahlan was the deadliest, and he was surrounded by Mord'Sith. That alone spoke volumes about her. "Everything about her makes my heart beat faster. I want nothing more than to love her." He spoke sadly, realizing that soon enough he'd be face to face with her. Normally, he'd be unbelievably happy at being reunited with her, but not when he was ordered to kill her. "Killing-"
"Don't kill her." Lily cut him off, her eyes full of emotion. Richard tilted his head, staring at her dumbly. "You were ordered by Denna to treat us as your superiors, to follow our orders. I'm ordering you not to kill her."
"But, why?" Richard choked out, shocked at her statement.
"I don't believe in this," Lily raised her hands and flung them in the air in a dramatic fashion. "You shouldn't be forced to kill the woman you love. The Mord'Sith are vile, vile creatures. Just as I shouldn't be forced into this life, you shouldn't be forced to kill Kahlan."
Richard's heart jumped in his throat. Perhaps there was hope. "Surely the others will notice-"
"These women are ignorant." Lily's tone was harsh and Richard almost flinched, even though it wasn't directed towards him. "They think they blindly have you under their control. They are too stupid to see that I don't agree with what's being done. Vivian and Amelia are vain and over confident. They will never suspect that I have ordered you otherwise."
Richard swallowed past the lump in his throat, his mouth suddenly very dry. A plan so simple could never work, but it still gave him the slightest glimmer of hope. "What happens when I don't kill her? When they realize that you've given me opposing orders?"
Lily smiled, looking intently at the fire before returning her gaze to him. "I will handle it all, Richard. All you need to worry about is getting Kahlan to safety." Her smile was warm and inviting, her eyes seeming to promise him her word.
"Will that even work?" Richard questioned, his mind racing.
"There's only one way to find out." Lily responded, glancing over at the sleeping forms of Amelia and Vivian before smiling and standing, walking around the woods as Richard finally let sleep take him.
xx
"It's quite simple," Cara explained, her tone showing obvious signs of irritation.
"It is not quite simple." Kahlan retorted, narrowing her eyes at the Mord'Sith.
Zedd sat back in his chair, his hand scratching at his chin. "Perhaps it is."
"Zedd!" Kahlan yelled as Cara smiled at her triumph. This was ridiculous. Her plan was full of loopholes, costly loopholes.
"See, Mother Confessor," the Mord'Sith pointed a hand towards Zedd. "Even the old man can comprehend it. And yet, you," Cara reached her hand up and knocked Kahlan in her head with a leather clad finger. "Find it so incredibly difficult. The ruler of the Midlands and you can't even wrap your head around the concept!" She harrumphed, slamming her fists on her hips as Kahlan scowled at her.
Zedd laughed. Kahlan glared at him.
Cara smiled as she took a step forward, gesturing for Kahlan to take a seat as Zedd had. She slowly did so, lowering herself as she stared at the blonde. Cara leaned over the table.
"Vivian is over confident in her abilities. She's quick to strike without thinking." Cara pounded her fist on the wooden table to get Kahlan's attention. "Mother Confessor, if you aren't going to listen, this will never work."
"It won't work to begin with!" Kahlan snapped, her jaw clenching as Zedd cast a sidelong glance at her.
"Go on, Cara," the old man spoke, disregarding Kahlan's outburst. She slumped in her chair, crossing her arms and looking at Cara through furrowed brows.
"Like I was saying, Vivian will be easy to take down. A simple trick will cause her downfall." She glanced between the two. "Amelia has a larger build than Vivian. Her moves are more exact and forceful. She doesn't have as much technique as Vivian, but her brute strength causes many of her victims to cower before her." Kahlan nodded.
"Lily will be the most difficult to kill." Cara straightened, crossing her arms as she pursed her lips. "She is the strongest and has the most technique. She is small and can maneuver well. She killed a D'Haran quad without so much as receiving a scratch. However, she is new. Unlike all other Mord'Sith, she was brought in only a year ago. Her training was hard and tedious, but most still aren't sure if she has broken fully." Cara sighed as she leaned down and rested her elbows on the table. "Quite frankly, she's a wild card. Questions of her loyalty have been circulating around. For all we know, she may be on our side."
"We can't take any chances," Kahlan said with a wave of her hand. Yet another loophole in Cara's all too 'simple' plan. Cara moved closer to her.
"Kahlan, she would be quite the addition to our merry band of companions." Cara's eyes narrowed. "After all, I was a wild card as well." Kahlan sighed and rolled her eyes, glancing at Zedd.
"Child, it seems you have everything in order."
"She does not!" Kahlan made another outburst, which seemed common within the last hour. "This plan is full of holes. It will do more harm than good!"
"My dear, you are blind to see the pure brilliance of this plan." Cara smiled and Kahlan wanted to flip the table over. Zedd looked at her with ageless eyes, offering reassurance. She was sure she wasn't about to like what she was going to hear. "You are only skeptical because so much is at stake, so much that you aren't willing to lose."
"Are you willing to lose?"
"We will lose if we don't, my child."
Kahlan sighed as she stood up, glancing at Cara and nodding her agreement.