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Reunion (Chapter 6)

"Rise and shine; time to get moving my lovely daughter," Phillip grinned as he approached Kahlan. He had left her tied to a tree all night just like he had done for the last three nights.

Phillip began untying the ropes that had held her bound to the large tree. Seeing her sleeping form, he felt unthreatened by her, her hands still bound tightly together. He was once again rattled by her appearance, reminding him of her mother every time he looked at her. He had been a good man before he had been confessed; making an honest living as he tried desperately to impress the woman he loved.

It wasn't until after the spell of confession had been broken that Phillip began to change; bitterness, resentment, and hatred began to permeate his heart, twisting it and making it hard as rock.

As Phillip finished untying his daughter, he was taken by surprise when Kahlan suddenly swept her leg out, taking his out from under him. Phillip was temporarily dazed from having the wind knocked out of his lungs and stunned at finding himself on the ground.

Sending her father sprawling to the ground, Kahlan took off in a dead run in an attempt to escape. She had no idea how she was going to be able to do much with her hands bound so tightly together, but she had to try something. They had been travelling for four days and she knew they were going to reach their destination today.

As she ran, she felt a shock race through her shoulder like fire, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground in agonizing pain. She suddenly felt a boot on her back, crushing her into the ground and driving the air out of her lungs. Trying desperately to catch her breath, she sucked in dirt causing her to cough violently.

Grinding his boot in her back, Phillip stood over her, clenching his teeth in fury as he leaned down, yanking her dagger from her back. Leaning over, he grabbed her hair, dragging Kahlan to her feet. Kahlan cried out in pain as blood began to soak her clothes and run down her arm.

"Don't try that again!" Phillip bellowed at her as he pulled her face close to his, panting with rage.

Kahlan began to tremble involuntarily from his painful grasp on her arms, from the fury she saw blazing in his eyes. She frantically tried to stay calm, to not allow him to have so much control over her, but it was a battle she was rapidly losing. Tears stung her eyes, escaping down her cheeks. She was beginning to feel lightheaded from the loss of blood.

Waving her dagger in front of her face, Phillip seethed, "Now if you're done playing game, we'll be on our way. We'll be at the Tabethia Caverns later today. You get me my treasure and I will let you go."

Dropping her bloody dagger, Phillip dragged Kahlan over to her horse. They needed to keep moving. They were so close to his treasure he could almost feel it in his hands. Soon it would be his…as long as he managed to keep it from Grayson.

XXX

"We need to keep moving!"

"Richard, pushing ourselves to the point of exhaustion won't do Kahlan any good," Zedd exclaimed.

"I'm afraid Zedd is right, Lord Rahl," Cara interrupted. "Besides, how will you be able to make love to the Mother Confessor once we get her back if you drop from exhaustion?"

"Cara, I'm fine; it's Kahlan I'm worried about," he stated through gritted teeth. He could tell this was a battle he wasn't going to win. "We've been traveling for three days and still we haven't found her yet."

"Yes but today is the closest we've come and tomorrow we'll be even closer yet," Zedd interjected. "Their tracks were less than a day old."

Zedd could see the exhaustion in his grandson's face. He knew his worry over Kahlan was weighing heavily on his mind, but he hadn't realized just how heavily until now.

Richard rubbed his face before throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "Fine, you win. We'll camp here tonight, but we leave at first light tomorrow," he sighed in heated frustration. "I'm going to look for supper."

Taking his bow and arrows, Richard headed out of the clearing and into the thick canopy of the woods in search of food. Being immersed in the dense forest was somewhat comforting to his disquieted soul but not as soothing as having Kahlan with him.

Richard had told Zedd what little he knew, that Phillip had a map and a stone and that it lead to a treasure but that he needed Kahlan to get it. Zedd immediately recognized that Phillip was after the mythical treasure buried in the Tabethia Caverns.

It was rumored to hold riches beyond imagine, but could only be obtained by one with a pure heart, holding the pink Tabethia stone. The stone worked like some sort of key unlocking the treasure that the caverns held hidden deep within it numerous caves. It was also rumored that the caverns held many dangerous traps and treacherous pitfalls as many had tried in search of the treasure, but never made it back out alive.

Richard was absentmindedly looking for food, seeing it but not really looking for it as his thoughts were swimming with anguish. Feeling frustrated and helpless, Richard trudged through the woods, praying he'd find Kahlan before they got to the caverns. Richard came to a sudden halt when his foot hit something. Looking around, the sunlight that filtered through the trees began to flicker off something shiny.

Bending over, Richard was stunned to find Kahlan's dagger. Richard's own blood ran cold as ice at the site of her bloody dagger. He could hardly catch his breath as terror had a deathlike grip on his heart. He just prayed it was Phillip's blood and not Kahlan's.

Swallowing hard, Richard's heart and stomach dropped into his boots as he frantically began scanning the area for any more signs of Kahlan. The blood on the dagger was dry so whatever happened here took place hours ago.

Walking several yards ahead of him, Richard discovered the cold remains of a campfire. Searching the area, Richard found rope lying on the ground around a large tree trunk. Grief swept through him like a wildfire, causing him to drop to the ground. Leaning his back against the trunk of the large tree, Richard tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

"Where are you Kahlan?" he whispered to no one but the trees as a tear trailed down his cheek.

Rubbing a hand over his face, he attempted to push away the barrage of fears and tormenting thoughts that kept him awake most nights. Richard knew that if he didn't find her soon, he was going to lose his mind.

Slowly running his fingers over her dagger, Richard's tenuous grip finally broke as he released the tears he'd been holding in for days. The hollowness he felt in his heart was consuming him and swallowing him into the black abyss of despair. He had tasted what it was like to love Kahlan and he craved more. His body and heart was starved for her. He had to find her before he lost her forever.

Richard attempted to reign in his emotions, knowing that he had to stay focused. He couldn't allow himself to be consumed with irrational fears and thoughts. They wouldn't help him get to Kahlan.

XXX

Kahlan fought to stay upright as her horse followed closely behind Phillip's. Still feeling lightheaded from her injury, being bound to the saddle was the only thing helping her stay upright. She squinted her eyes against the intrusive glare of the sun that was beating down on them from above, her mouth dry from thirst. She just wanted to be able to lie down and close her eyes.

Kahlan's hopes that Richard was alright were beginning to fade with each day that passed by and no site of him. While she prayed that he wouldn't attempt to rescue her, Kahlan knew that nothing would stop him from getting to her, not even the Keeper himself. She knew the things her father was capable of and didn't want Richard to be on the receiving end of her father's wrath. She had been unfortunate enough to have been on that receiving end in order to protect Dennee. And she would endure it all over again in a heartbeat in order to protect Richard.

She begged the spirits that this nightmare would be over soon. She wanted nothing more than to lay down with Richard, to feel his arms wrapped around her, his lips setting her flesh on fire, once again igniting the passion that burned so hotly for him. She knew if she didn't get help soon, she'd never make it back to Richard.

Scanning the area around her, Kahlan noticed that they had left the protective cover of the woods and entered rocky terrain. She knew the Tabethia Caverns must be close. Kahlan tried to remember everything that Richard had taught her over their months of travelling together. Know your surroundings and always be aware of the direction you're going. There were many other things but she couldn't remember.

Her head was pounding as she tried to focus on Richard's attempts to teach her his skills as a woods guide. She had to admit with a small smile that she hadn't always paid close attention to his lessons. She was paying more attention to his warm brown eyes that practically glowed when he talked about the woods, his smile that warmed her heart and soul, his well-toned muscles that flexed and relaxed under his blue shirt, the way his pants fit so nicely over his…

"We're here," Phillip said over his shoulder, jolting Kahlan from her thoughts.

Kahlan couldn't stop the shudder that washed over her body seeing the caverns that lay before her. Phillip was suddenly at her side, untying her ropes that held her bound to the saddle.

"Kahlan, just help me get what I want and I promise I'll let you go. You'll never have to see me again," Phillip calmly said, stopping to stare up into his daughter's sad blue eyes. He felt a pang of regret for the grief he was causing Kahlan, but he was quickly able to rationalize the guilt away as he promised she would never have to see him again once he got his treasure. She would be free from him once and for all.

With a renewed sense of resolve, he helped Kahlan dismount from her horse. Setting her on the ground, he took hold of the ropes that bound his daughter's hands. Stopping by his horse, he pulled out two torches and began their walk towards the cavern entrance.

Standing at the entrance, Kahlan was stunned when Phillip turned and began untying the ropes that bound her hands. "I'm going to loosen your hands now, but I still have your other dagger. You know I will use it if I have to. Don't make me use it, Kahlan," he adamantly told her. "Don't force me to hurt you."

She could tell by the devious look in his eye that he was serious. She had learned long ago that her father always meant what he said, always was good to his word. Kahlan just kept telling herself that if she just helped him now, she'd be rid of him for good. She was not doing this for him, but for Richard and for her – for their future.

Kahlan gingerly touched her wrists that were now badly bruised and bloody. Rubbed raw by the ropes, it was a nightmarish reminder of her childhood that was now a physical reality again on her skin. She took the lit torch that Phillip handed to her, noticing her other dagger tightly gripped in his hand.

As they entered the dimness of the cavern, Kahlan's senses were immediately assaulted by the musty smells, the air that hung heavy like a blanket, cobwebs that brushed against her face. Bugs skittered and screeched their discontent as their boots struck the ground, invading their privacy.

Brushing the think cobwebs from her face with her good arm, Kahlan's focus finally began to adjust to the inky blackness that was swallowing them whole the deeper into the cave they went. Her shoulder throbbed and ached, the bleeding having finally stopped. The lightheadedness continued to keep her feeling off-balanced, exhaustion was threatening to overtake her, but thoughts of Richard kept her pressing forward despite the terror.

Pulling the map and stone from his cloak pocket, Phillip directed Kahlan deeper into the tunnels that forked and wound its way extending into darkness. Moving deeper within the vastness of the caverns, Phillip and Kahlan were unaware of what was happening just outside the cave entrance…