The next month of travel went smoother than they imagined, Hannah adjusting to it all seamlessly. She loved the feel of being on a horse, held tightly by one of her parents. She slept peacefully most of the day, feeling safe in the arms of whoever held her. At night, she slept between the couple, kept safe as Cara took watch and what quickly drove the blonde mad was every time Kahlan was done feeding their daughter, Richard would pull her away and spend no less than an hour in the privacy of the trees.

When they arrived in Aydindril Kahlan insisted he carry her through the city. If there was another attempt on her life, she wanted to make sure her daughter was safe. Zedd was at the palace gates waiting to greet them, eager to meet his granddaughter. Climbing down from their horses, Richard handed the Confessor their daughter and looked around, making sure they were safe as he escorted her to the wizard. There were people all around them, all hoping to get a look at the first Confessor fathered by a wizard.

"Zedd, this is Hannah," Kahlan said to the older man with a smile. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course, dear one!" he exclaimed. "I've waited years for a grandchild."

"A Confessor granddaughter?"

The wizard met her eyes and paused for a moment. "I never thought I would be so lucky."

"Thank you, Zedd."

"What happened?" Richard asked once he was finished speaking with the Mord'Sith he left to guard the council members.

"I was telling Kahlan how beautiful your daughter is."

The Seeker beamed proudly, nodding his head as he came closer. "She is, isn't she." Stopping beside her, he grabbed her hand and leaned close. "I need to speak with you."

"Can you watch her for a few minutes?"

"Of course."

The couple walked a few paces away, until they were alone. "What's wrong?"

"Darken Rahl killed Brenda."

She darted her eyes to the ground, fighting her emotions. Part of her felt sick for the loss of something she had known for so long and the other was glad the woman who wanted her killed was dead. "When?"

"Last night. He must have grown tired of her."

"And the other council members?"

"They watched in silence as he beat her to death with a rock."

Closing her eyes, Kahlan took in a slow breath. "What do I do?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Beat him with my own hands," she answered quickly and without thought. When she heard the words out loud, she chuckled. "I don't know, Richard. After everything we've been through, all of the things he's done... I don't want Hannah to ever know this kind of man."

"Neither do I."

"But I can't kill him. Not when it is my fault he killed her."

"Her death is not your fault." Taking hold of both of her hands, Richard stepped closer. "You confessed her, giving her another chance at her life. Darken Rahl killed her, you did not."

"Then why do I feel guilty?"

"Because of your heart. You cared about her, even after learning what she'd done. She didn't deserve to die like that, that's why you're upset. It wasn't true justice for her."

Pulling her hands from his, she wrapped her arms around him and pushed her face into his neck, letting loose the few tears that she had held back. "How do you do that?"

"What?"

"You always know what to say to make me feel better."

He grinned, holding back a chuckle. "It's my voice, you just need to hear how wonderful you are in my voice."

She laughed, hugging him tighter for a moment. "No, that's not it, but..." Kahlan pulled back and looked at his lips. "I do enjoy the sound of your voice."

"You do?" he asked after a quick kiss.

"It's comforting."

"I'm glad." Kissing her again, he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, stopping them from blowing in the cool breeze that flowed past them. "What are you going to do with Darken Rahl?"

"I'm going to see him and demand to be told what happened."

He waited a moment before he responded, doing his best to find the right solution to the thoughts in his mind. "I don't want him to know about Hannah."

Laying her right hand on his cheek, she nodded in agreement. "Neither do I."

"What are you going to do?"

"Use his desire for a woman against him."

Confused, the Seeker tightened his hold on her. "What?"

"I want to make him believe that he is something I need and then, when all he can think about is having me, I'm going to leave him in that cell alone until he dies."

Moving back, she looked over to Zedd and grinned. The wizard was lifting their daughter into the air and returning her to his chest over and over again, laughing as the baby Confessor giggled. "He's good with her."

"I don't think he thought I would ever have a child," he admitted quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because I never would have settled down with any of the women I had been with."

Turning back toward him, she tilted her head slightly. "Why?"

"They weren't you."

"You didn't know me," she countered.

Richard smiled and kept his eyes on his daughter and grandfather. "I knew the type of woman I wanted a family with. I knew the kind of mother that she would have to be and every girl I met failed to come close to the woman I wanted. Then I met you." Looking to her, he took hold of her hand. "You held your knife to my throat and as I stared into your eyes, I felt like I knew you. In that simple moment, I saw everything I've ever desired and more. My whole life, I was waiting for a certain Confessor to come through the boundary and hand me a book."

"You burned the book," she teased seductively.

"But I kept what was important. I held onto the Confessor." The words barely left his lips when a laugh followed from them both. "Now there is only two things left for us to do."

"Two?"

"You agreed to marry me and fill our home with our daughters."

"It wasn't too long ago, you thought it would be best to wait before-" She stopped herself and smiled. "You're referring to the first one, aren't you?"

"I am."

"I don't know how."

The Seeker hugged her to him and sighed. He understood what was going through her mind, knowing that no other Confessor had ever been married and the people she would have gone to for it all were locked in the dungeons. "I'll help you."

******

When Kahlan descended the stairs into the dungeon, one of the council members threw himself at the bars of the cell. "Mother Confessor! Thank the spirits, you must help us!"

Ignoring the man's words, she looked to Darken Rahl, who stared at her in surprise. "My brother has allowed you to come down here alone?"

"Richard allows me to do as I please," she answered coolly. Stepping closer to the bars, she seductively traced her fingers up and down the cold metal. "He has no complaints about my actions."

Sucking in a deep breath, Darken Rahl watched her movements, his body responding at once. "I'm sure he doesn't."

Wrapping her fingers around one of the bars, she slowly pulled downward and twisted her hand, her eyes watching him closely. "Does the thought of us together still enter your mind?"

"Yes," he answered without thought of hesitation, his mind focused on the movement of her hand.

"Come here," she whispered heatedly, knowing he would come instantly. When he was close to the bars, she reached out and touched his chest, letting her eyes linger on his as he parted his lips in surprise and arousal. "What if I was to agree to your offer?"

"Lift your dress and I will give you a child."

Pulling her hand back from him, she grabbed the lower half of her Confessor's dress and lifted slowly. "Take off your clothes."

The older man paused for a moment, looking around at the confused faces of the High Council, who watched in silence. When he looked back to Kahlan, she had her dress bunched nearly all the way up her thighs and he could no longer resist. Pulling off his clothes, he watched as inch by inch of her skin was reviled, a sight that was almost too much to bear.

"Come closer," she panted warmly.

"Let me see you," he demanded, his mind telling him it was a trick.

Pressing herself against the bars, Kahlan moaned softly and pushed harder, letting her breasts nearly free of her dress. "Would you rather see, or feel?"

Dropping his pants to the ground, Darken Rahl rushed the last few inches and tried to grab her, his arms flying through the bars for one touch. She was gone at once, her dress returning to place as he stood naked before her in complete arousal.

"What are you doing?" he demanded roughly. "Spread your legs!" The Mother Confessor remained still, watching him. "You can't do this to me!" he shouted.

"I am the Mother Confessor, I can do as I please." Turning away, Kahlan motioned ahead of her, making sure the other man looked. Richard was standing in the middle of the stairs, his shadow casting down onto the ground at her feet. Taking a single step back to the prisoner, she titled her head. "As I told you before, I already have a Rahl who more than satisfies me. Why would I want you?" Her eyes dropped to his manhood and she surprised herself by grinning. "He has much more to offer a woman."

As the older man shook the bars of his cell, she walked away, taking Richard's hand as she reached the stairway, disappearing together. When they exited the dungeons, he gave a throaty laugh that sweetened the air around them.

"I never saw you as that kind of a woman."

Returning his smile, she shook her head. "Me either." Slowing her pace, she looked down at the ground. "I don't think I like her very much."

"I didn't think that you would," he told her quietly. "That is not who you are and you never need to pretend to be again."

Meeting his eyes, she frowned. "That's not why I didn't like her, Richard. The way he looked at me, I..."

Wrapping his left arm around her waist, he pulled her against him as they continued walking. "You felt desired and there's nothing wrong with wanting to feel that way."

"I felt like I was betraying you."

"You're a desirable woman, Kahlan. Every man, if he was being honest, would tell you so."

"You're not upset with me?"

"No," he chuckled. "It was quite the performance though. I don't think I'll forget the look on his face." As they returned to the palace, he pulled back some and looked at her. "How were you able to do that?"

Smiling, Kahlan wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed into him. "I imagined it was you on the other side."

"I wouldn't have taken so long to come to you."

"No? We've been walking for minutes and you haven't done anything to help with the constraint of your pants." Her voice had gone back to the quiet, seductive murmur that made him quake. "Zedd and Cara are watching Hannah, we have some time before they come looking for us."

"Spirits, Kahlan..."

Walking past him, she entered her home and looked over her should. "Better hurry, Lord Rahl, our daughter will be hungry soon."

******

Kahlan lay against him, her right arm lying over his chest, holding up her chin as she watched him sleep. She awoke half an hour before and hadn't been able to take her eyes off of him. It wouldn't be long before their six month old daughter awoke and she hoped he would open his eyes before she did. The sun was shining in through their windows, lighting the room with its soft fire and warming the room just a little more. They were both fully clothed, having fallen asleep exhausted after spending four nights trying to sooth their daughter into sleep.

Hannah had become sick and they spent all of their time trying to make her better. The first night she was ill, Richard held her to his chest through the night, comforting her with the steady beat of his heart. It worked for the night alone, but each one after, she needed more. Kahlan had held her closely as she paced the room, the movement soothing her until she was sleep. Afraid that she would awake when laid into her crib, the Mother Confessor sat in the rocking chair beside the fire rocked until the sun came up. The third night, they found it nearly impossible to calm her down, both panicked as she cried, but then suddenly she grew quiet. Lying in their bed between them, Hannah held both of their hands in hers and slept peacefully.

The night before, she went to sleep without effort and didn't wake during the night, allowing the couple to rest in the arms of the other. Staring down at Richard's face, she smiled at his expression. It reminded her of the one he had when he was awake and holding their daughter.

"You're staring," he said without opening his eyes, his smile spreading across his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. You looked so peaceful."

Bringing his eyes to hers, he brushed back some of her hair. "I was dreaming about my family." Kahlan's face lit up with a smile of her own, eager to hear more. He loved seeing her this way, excited for the life she was only now able to have. He had the chance to see more of it as they planned their wedding, quickly finding it fascinating to watch her wrap her head around some of the details. "We were walking through Aydindril with our six daughters and you looked so beautiful as you carried our seventh."

Dropping her head back to his chest, she stared into his deep brown eyes. "What did they look like?"

"They were beautiful."

"I think you may be biased."

"I know that I am," he grinned. "They all looked like you."

They shared a moment of silence, their eyes locked and body's touching. Richard continued to run his fingers through her hair, still admiring the way it was always so soft and silky while she tapped her fingers against his chest, matching the thump, thump, thump of her own heart.

"We're getting married today," she said when she could no longer control herself.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I didn't think it was possible for anyone to be so happy."

Rolling them onto their sides, he pulled her against him, wiping the small set of tears that escaped her eyes. "I love you, Kahlan."

Instead of replying, she leaned forward and connected their lips, instantly hooking one of her legs over his to bring him closer. It had been months since they made love and she wasn't sure she could wait much longer. He shared her urgency and desire, pulling her closer as his hands roamed over her. Her body was almost the same as before she became pregnant, the only difference was the size of her breasts. Through the many nights they laid in bed together, he made she knew just how much he appreciated them.

He rolled over her and pushed forward, providing some of the pressure she desperately needed, bringing her to release a hot moan that nearly ended the moment. Breaking their kiss, Richard rocked his hips against hers and watched as she pushed her head back into her pillow. She was on the edge, waiting almost patiently for him to allow her to fall free, knowing the pleasure it gave him to take his time. When he stopped, she opened her eyes and met his, surprised and concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I thought I heard Hannah."

Grinning, Kahlan nodded, adoring the way he listened for any sound from their daughter. "She rolled over a few minutes ago."

Giving a soft sigh of relief, he lowered his head to her neck. "I was worried about her."

Shifting her body beneath him, she stroked her fingers through the hair around his ears. "I know, me too."

He lifted his head and looked over to the crib across from the bed. "I didn't think she would sleep through the night."

"She must feel better." Rolling off of her, he sat forward and held out a hand for her to join him. She followed and wrapped her arms around his chest, pressing her lips against the back of his shoulder.

Turning his head, he smiled at her. "She knows how important today is."

Grinning, she hid her face behind his shoulder and nodded. "It feels strange that today's arrived."

"Do you still want to marry me?"

She could hear a small amount of fear in his voice, his eyes, locked on hers as she lifted her head. "More than anything."

Sharing a kiss, she began to pull him back to her when suddenly the soft coo came from across the room. Breaking apart, Kahlan gave a quiet sigh and began to crawl out of their bed.

He watched her walk gracefully to the crib and peek inside. Hannah giggled at the sight of her mother, stretching out her arms in her direction eager to be picked up. Lifting the small child in her arms, Kahlan brought her to her chest and hugged her, grinning as the baby grabbed a few strands of her hair and pulled.

Turning to the man who would be her husband before nightfall, she beamed. "Her fever's gone." Coming to his feet, he met her in the center of the room and looked down at their daughter. "She has color back in her cheeks, too."

Hannah smiled up at her father, reaching out for his fingers as he wiggled them in front of her face. "You scared us," he whispered to her. "Please don't do that again." Grabbing his index finger, she pulled it to her mouth and gummed at the skin. "I don't think that's what you're hungry for." Reaching to the front of Kahlan's dress, he began unlacing the white fabric with a smile. His eyes remained locked on hers as the dress fell from her shoulders, his body already fighting its desire for hers. As their daughter began to feed, Richard brought his mouth to the Mother Confessor's ear and whispered, "Tonight you're only mine."