AN- I would like to thank Moon Goddesss for the review, I wasn't sure if I was going to have Kahlan and Zed meet, but when you said that I got a good idea for this story that will be reveled in the next chapter.
Last nights dream had made today a bad day, Kahlan wanted to do nothing more then to curl up alone and cry she just wanted to feel Richard again, instead she just had to relive his death that even Cara couldn't bring him back from. She thought of the weeks that followed the killing of her family, of her finding her powers were gone, realizing she was alone and ignoring those around her. Zed and Cara tried to brake through to her. It felt like the end she had no place to go she just wanted to give in, but Cara and Zed wanted her to hold on they said she would make it through as long as she stayed strong. They tried to tell her they were there for her, but no matter what they said even if it was the truth she couldn't hold on to the life she had. She was so far away from Richard, she wished he was there with her, with him by her side she could fight and defend people, but without him she couldn't even lift a blade. She couldn't hold on to who she had been, no longer a confessor she knew she wasn't important no matter what everyone told her she couldn't hold on to everything she once had. How could she keep on the fight when she didn't see the point? Without Richard she couldn't fight, she couldn't defend and why should she? Her and Richard gave up so much and in the end they still had to give up everything. Richard his life, their son his, and Kahlan for a time her sanity. She didn't think she could live without them. If it hadn't been for Cara and Zed Kahlan knew she wouldn't be in this world.
Richard. Her mind went back to him; she had pretended for so long that she didn't need him. She remembered when she first met him, she had thought him nothing more then a bother, but he ended up being exactly who she was looking for. She had been the hero she had needed for so long, that the people had needed. She never thought when she first met him that so much of her life could have been about him. She never thought that she would be the woman who was reminded of the man she lost, she never thought everything she did would remind her of him. She pulled her necklace that was hidden under her shit out and held it in her hand. It had belonged to Richard, he had worn it always and when he died Kahlan put it around her neck, never parting with it. As she stared at the fire she couldn't help but think of Richard. They were meant for each other. She needed him more then anything, with him gone her heart was gone it was empty. She wanted to see the face of the man she missed when she felt like giving up he was always the voice of reason no matter any problem she had he always knew exactly what to say. All she ever wanted was to be with him heart and soul.
"Kahlan are you alright?" Kate asked as she looked at the women who hadn't moved in a while. Kate could tell she was deep in thought and knew right away the dream last night had been more then what Kahlan had let on. She had been near Robin many nights to know when the dreams awoke him, Much as well, dreams of the holy land, dreams of death and war. Kate wondered how much this girl had actually seen, where was she from after all?
"I'm fine Kate." Kahlan said standing up, "But I really should get going my husband is going to be upset I let him with are daughter for so long."
"Alright" Kate said still worried for the women who seemed shaken up by what ever she saw last night.
Kahlan stood packing her wagon as she got ready to leave she hoped for no more distractions, but she never was really lucky.
"Leaving so soon?" Ask a voice from behind her she turned to see Archer standing near her, he wasn't looking straight at her, but he did speak to her.
"Yes" Kahlan said as she put more of the blankets she made back into the wagon
"And why is that?" Archer asked his head moved to look at her when she spoke as he located where she was.
"My business here is done, the people can't afford to buy my goods so why stay?" Kahlan turned to look at him. He was a good-looking man, a strong looking man it was just to bad he lost his sight
"So I hear you are some kind of hero." Kahlan said to the man she watched the smile on his face fade.
"No" he said "not really" he paused and Kahlan thought he was going to leave it at that, but then he continued, "I really am just a hired fighter, I go where I can find the money selling my weapons and tricks to those better off then me." He smirked "Even used them on Robin Hood and got the better of him."
"Kate was telling me that you didn't always fight on the side of good."
"That's because I didn't see the world as good or bad I saw it simply as looking out for yourself. I never thought I should put my life on the line for anyone, but Robin and even Guy taught me that there was more to life then living only for yourself."
The words he spoke seemed so much like Richard she couldn't look away. "Be safe" Archer continued on, "the outlaws aren't what they used to be they will take from anyone, they will hurt anyone."
"Don't worry I can take care of myself." Kahlan told him with a smile, she could see he was far from a hired hand, at least now. Here he was caring that she stayed safe and he didn't know her "Why are you being so kind?" Kahlan asked with the smile still on her lips. As she spoke Much walked up,
"Kate made you some stew for your travels." He said placing it in the cart.
"Because something about me tells me that you are important very important." He told her. Kahlan couldn't shake the feeling she had met this man before, but where? How?
"Thank-you Much and tell Kate I say thanks as well." As much turned to leave he sniffed the air
"Lavender?" he said confused as he smelled it
"Rose petals" Kahlan said, "My husband has a think washing in rose petals as if we were noble, it just has become a habit."
"Rose Petals." Much repeated, "My master used to do that as well." Then Much walked away with a sad look on his face, being reminded of his dear friend.
"He really took Robin's Death hard." Archer said "I tried to convince him that Robin would be so ashamed of him now if he saw him standing by and letting bad things happen, but its no use I'm not the leader Robin was. I can't find the right words to inspire the men, I couldn't keep them convinced in the fact Robin was only the face, but it was the gang that made his actions a possibility. Yes Robin was the only one that went in with half plans or no plan at all and just found a way to make things work, but it was the gang that made his dreams a reality, they had a saying they would all say together, We Are Robin Hood," Archer said "But without him they couldn't stay on the path, they faltered, some went back to leading normal lives like Kate, Much, and I, but some stayed as outlaws, but unorganized taking anything they want and hurting anyone they want." Archer took a step forward "So be careful." With him standing so close Kahlan felt her heart flutter, for the first time since Richard it felt as if for a moment she could only hear her heart beat, with him so close she almost couldn't speak. He seemed so much like Richard, but why?
"I will be like I said I can take care of myself." She told him taking a step back, she couldn't let herself think of this man, she had a husband, a husband she had to be loyal to. A husband she didn't love.
"I know you can." Archer said to her sending the feeling to Kahlan once again that they had met once, but where? Surly she would remember his face? A face that was so much like Richards.
"How do you know?" she asked unsure of who he was or what really was going on. Perhaps she was just being paranoid that this man knew of her.
"You just seem like a fighter to me." He said with a smile on his face. Kahlan smiled a sigh of relief as he seemed to just think she could fend off someone herself and that he didn't know who she really was, "and by the fact I have seen you fight along the side of your seeker, you are one of the strongest women I've seen."
Kahlan froze, he did know who she was, they had met before, but how could he tell it was her even after he was blinded.
"How do you-" she went to ask but he spoke before she had a chance to speak more
"Remember when Zed had you and the seeker go free men from the Mord'sith?" Archer asked, "One of those men was me."
"The only one to broken yet, the only one we could save." Kahlan said as the memories of the man came back to her, but more came back as she realized whom he really was, "But then you are, you must be the seekers' half cousin." She remembered the day that Zed had her and Richard go to the Mord'Sith all to save this one man, the man that was the son to Zed's son, or in other words Zed's other grandson, Richard's cousin. Back then he wasn't like how he was now, she remembered what Kate said of how Archer used to be and realized it was true. Even though he hadn't been broken he wasn't kind to Richard, Kahlan, or even Zed for rescuing him, he simple ended up stealing from them and leaving in the night.
"I remember you now." She said frowning at him,
"Yes and I am sorry how I acted confessor." He told her, "I truly am."
Even without her powers Kahlan could tell that he was sorry she simple sighed, "The past is the past." She told him "And I am no longer the confessor, I'm sorry to say your Cousin is dead, he died shortly after we rescued you."
"I'm sorry I could tell you loved him very much." Archer said to her softly
"Yes well that is in the past now, I have a new husband I good man, an honest good man." She got into the seat of her wagon. "I must go to him, good bye Archer, stay safe." She said as she urged the horse forward not waiting for him to answer. She wanted to get as far away form her past as she could.
"Stop!" Came voice from the trees, but Kahlan didn't listen she rolled her eyes and continued forward until a huge man stood in front of her.
"You do not want to test me today!" Kahlan said she wanted to leave, she wanted to get away from Archer since he knew who she was being reminded so much of her past had put her in a bad mood.
"Give us the wagon, the horse, and everything in it." A small little man said who had nothing to him. He looked exactly like every outlaw she saw, if not less.
"And you are the famous outlaws of Sherwood?" Kahlan asked with a smile, "Are any of you the lot that used to fight with Robin Hood? Or are you all cowards?"
The little man didn't speak at first, but anger flew to his face. "You will regret saying that women."
"Will I? I'm really not afraid of little men." Kahlan said after fighting along side Richard these simple men didn't scare her, they seemed more like children trying to act tough.
"Lilly huh?" said the short man, "Look at the man in front of you tell me he is a little man.
Kahlan looked a the man before her standing now in front of her horse, he wasn't little of any kind. He was a big man, a strong man. She knew if it came down to a fight she would have a hard time with him, but she still didn't back down. The big man hadn't said a word yet, he simple just looked at her. When she had first been stopped the man's look had been different, glaring at her, but now he seemed to just be looking at her, looking her over.
"That's John, there is no way you can fight him off so just give us what we want." The short one said with a laugh.
"No, perhaps if you were still Robin Hood's men I would happily give you all I have, but here you are pathetic taking from a women traveling on her own, I will give you nothing."
As she spoke John looked at the women on the wagon, his mind flashed to Marian the strong willed women who had stood up to those stronger then her. The women before him had long brown hair, just as Marian had. He could also tell by the sound of her voice and the way she spoke she had the same will that Marian had. Something felt wrong taking from her, like perhaps it was a bad idea. He didn't want to be the man that stole from a single woman who was traveling alone. He had once been part of something more; he had been part of Robin Hood's gang. Then his life meant something he was helping people. Now here he was working with men like Robert and his life meant nothing. Stealing from those less off then him, those that needed the things that they had.
"Well miss I was never part of Robin Hood's gang I came here long after he was gone, after all no one dared enter these woods on his turf, but with him gone these woods were up for someone to take and that was me."
"We Go." Came John's strong voice as he began to walk away from the horse's head. "We go now." He said again his voice demanded that the men follow him. The short man looked at Kahlan then at John he frowned and ran off after the big man, clearly confused at why they hadn't robbed the girl.
Kahlan watched the big man leave, she had seen the look on his face as she spoke, he clearly took something from what she said, perhaps he had been part of the old gang. Perhaps he was ashamed of what he had become.
Robin hoped his wife would return soon, he just wanted everything to go back to normal. So far today the old man that claimed to be hind grandfather hadn't bothered him. He hoped the man had left town, he hoped everything the man spoke of wasn't true. Perhaps he was mad in his old age, Robin didn't know. Yet he spoke of a darkness after his daughter, a darkness that only a fighter of the light could stop. Those words seemed to play over in his head, even though he knew it was crazy something deep down told him that maybe something was after the little girl, but why? Because she was the daughter of Robin Hood? Because she was the rightful heir to the land of Locksley? That couldn't be it, no one knew he was alive, and even if someone had found out they had to know that Robin had given up his lands, it was either in Archer's rule or another lords. Robin was no longer the Lord, so his daughter was no longer the heir. He knew though that if the lands weren't in Archer's control and instead in another's his daughter or he himself could return to claim the lands, it was a birthright he had gotten from his father, and his daughter from him. The only other person with a true right to the land was Archer.
Ariana was still asleep when Robin went outside to work on the farm, he tended to the crops and the few animals they had. He had just about finished his morning chores when he heard the wagon and horse coming close. He looked up to see his wife coming on to their land. She unhitched her horse and put it away and began to unpack her wagon. Robin walked over, nothing seemed to be sold, as he had predicted her trip had been a waste of time, yet he knew it would be when she said she was going to Nottingham.
"As I predicted, you wasted our time and money on these things." He walked away from her without hugging her or even kissing her.
Kahlan just sighed, being away for the past few days had made her realize how empty her life was. In the past when she traveled she traveled with their daughter, she never really had time to really thing, but this time traveling alone she was really able to see how much was missing from her life.
"Do that later and get some food on the table." Robin said as he walked away. He didn't wait for her answer, just kept walking. She never said no to him and never would.
After being around Kate and Much who made a marriage seem like a partnership Kahlan couldn't help but feel anger flair up inside her. In the few days she was gone she had seen Much do many things for his wife, even offer to cook. Yet here her husband was treating her like a slave.
"Do it yourself, I'm busy." Kahlan said before she even thought it through. Her words brought Robin to a halt he hadn't expected her to say no, she never said no. Kahlan's anger over dreaming of Richard, over Archer knowing who she was, over everything she hated in her life came boiling over. She held a blanket in her arm as she walked up to Robin.
"Yes" she told him "do it yourself, I am your wife not your servant, I am not here to cater to your every need every time you need or want something." She pushed the blanket into his arms, hitting him hard in the chest. "I've had a long journey, I was harassed by outlaws, I was stuck in a town where I couldn't sell a thing due to weather and I bumped into people I rather not to of." She said speaking of Archer. "Don't test my patients Robin, I'm not in the mood to deal with you pathetic behavior." Then she stormed into the house leaving her husband stunned looking after her. He had never once on his life heard her stand up to him, stand up to anyone. He knew he should get mad at her for her out burst as most husbands would be, but instead he felt relief.
"And unpack the cart!" Kahlan yelled from inside the house still angry at her husband and her situation in general.
Robin still didn't say a word, but he quietly unpacked his wife's belongings. He thought of his wife and wondered what had changed her, how was she this way after almost ten years of being the other.
Kahlan had stormed up to her room, by the time she calmed down she realized she had over stepped her boundaries. She wasn't Kahlan the confessor anymore; she wasn't Richards wife or even the mother confessor, who was she to yell at her husband. She expected him to be either at the pub or getting ready to yell at her as she walked back down stairs, yet to her surprise she smelled food and saw their daughter sitting at the table eating some toast and eggs. Robin stood with his back to her, but she could tell there was a smile on Robin's face.
"You should be happy this isn't squirrel, my good friend Much used to try and pass off squirrel as beef or chicken in stew." Robin told the little girl.
"Is your friend Much like the Much in the Robin Hood stories?" the little girl asked.
"Oh yes." He told her "You see just like the Much in the stories my friend was always there for Robin Hood, and Robin Hood even said that Much was a better man then even he. For no matter what the one man that never faltered from the path of helping others was Much. Sure he would rather live in Bonchurch, but he gave that up to help the people and to follow his dear friend to make sure nothing bad happened. Even after Robin was unkind to him Much still stayed true."
"Daddy I just don't want eggs I want other food." The little girl said.
"Don't make me send for Much and make him cook you his famous stew." Robin laughed as the little girl made a face at his comment, but it worked she began eating her food without complaint. Robin turned to see Kahlan on the stairs he walked over to her, Kahlan awaited to hear him yell at her, but it never came.
"I'm sorry, I should have asked how you were traveling alone can be hard." Robin told her, "All you things are unpacked and put away, there is a plate of food on the table for you." He took a step up on to the stair she stood on, "I shouldn't demand things of you." He kissed her lightly on the lips then walked upstairs leaving Marian more then confused. Had yelling at her husband really made him do everything he had just done. She looked outside and saw her cart and horse were away, her food still warm was on the table next to her daughter.
"Mama" the little girl said happily "come eat Papa is a really good cook." The little girl smiled "he said his best friend Much taught him everything he knows." Kahlan sat down next to her daughter and began to eat. Robin soon joined them sitting across of Kahlan with a plate of his own.
"Mama we met an old man." The little girl said in between bites. "He was really weird."
Robin looked up as he remembered the old man, "Yes" Robin said as he took some food into his mouth. "He said he knew you."
"Did he?" Kahlan asked, not sure of whom they could be speaking. All the old men she knew they knew as well.
"Yes, what was is his name?" Robin asked himself as he thought back to the man.
"Zed." The little girl reminded her dad "remember it was a really big name, but he said to me call him Zed."
"Zed." Kahlan said as she felt her apatite leave her, why now was her past coming to haunt her. He had promised to leave her alone, why was he back now?
"Do you know him?" Robin asked, maybe his wife could explain why this man seemed so interested in their daughter, and claiming to be Robin's Grandfather.
"No" Kahlan lied, "I don't believe I do." She took a bite of her food forcing herself to eat. "What did he want?"
"He told me he knew you and that he was my grandfather." Robin told her causing Kahlan to almost choke on her food.
"What?" she asked not sure of how to take the news
"Yes, he said he was my grandfather and that he knew you he was very odd." Robin left out the part that the man had said darkness was after their daughter, he didn't want to worry his wife with a crazed old man's words.
Kahlan looked at her husband, if Zed was Robin's grandfather then she had married a man related to Richard, how had that happened?
"Very odd, did he say anything else?" Kahlan asked
"No not really" Robin lied "He's probably some mad old man I wouldn't really listen to his words.
"How did he claim to be your grandfather?" Kahlan asked, she knew that Archer was Zed's grandson on his fathers side, and Richard on his mother's side, but as Kahlan thought Zed only had those two children.
"My father, apparently he kept more from me other then the fact I have a brother." Robin said, he didn't see the harm in mentioning Archer, after all even though Kahlan had traveled to his hometown he doubted she knew of Archer.
"You have a brother?" Kahlan asked Archer couldn't be his brother could he? Did Archer have more then one brother?
"Yes, met him once, my father had an affair with some women and they sent my brother away, they meant to get him later on, but they both died, in a fire."
"I'm sorry." Kahlan said she tried to remember Archer's story, she tried to remember what Zed said about him, but she couldn't.
"It's fine, he wasn't much of a brother anyways, all he cares about is money and taking what isn't his." Robin said as he ate some toast.
"Is this man still around?" Kahlan asked
"I haven't seen him since yesterday." Robin said as he stood and put his plate near the wash bin. "I must go tend to the farm, but you two have a good day." Robin kissed his daughter on the cheek, then surprised Kahlan by kissing her on the cheek as well.
Robin walked out of the house, he was surprised how natural it felt to show affection to his wife, when in the past ten years of living together he had shown her none. Yet his dream of Marian that seemed so real made him want to be better man. He wasn't going to go off and steal for those less off then him, he wasn't even going to help them, but he could treat his wife better, and maybe they could be happy. Maybe then he wouldn't have to be so lonely. He had almost forgotten about the dream until Kahlan yelled at him, when she had it was almost like it wasn't even her. When she yelled at him and stormed off he could have sworn he saw Marian. His wife standing up to him made him want to listen to her. After ten years of doing as he wanted it was nice to have someone tell him no, someone tell him his way of acting wasn't right. He knew it was wrong, he always had but a part of him just wanted to be told to stop, stop acting like a child and start being a man. Kahlan had done that today, but would she continue Robin wasn't sure. But he did know as long as she kept him in check he would be a good husband to her.
AN- the next Chapter I have a plan for Zed and Kahlan to finally meet up again after many years. Keep reading to see why he has shown back up after all these years, and why Robin and her daughter are so important to him.