TITLE: Falls of Aldermant

AUTHOR: LOTSlove®

CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan

RATING: R / M

TIMELINE: Anything up through S2 Torn.

DISCLAIMER: I'm completely obsessed with Richard and Kahlan and love to write about them even though they cancelled my show and now I'm fighting to get it back!

SUMMARY: PART TWO of my tag to Torn prompted by Deacon. Explores Richard and Kahlan's experience at the Falls of Aldermant. Happens right after PART ONE of this fic.

Falls of Aldermant (PART TWO)

Richard was completely mesmerized as Kahlan entered the lake, her lithe form slowly being swallowed up by the crimson water. Having just made love, he was desperate to be with her again, to feel the body that had been made just for him and the passion that dwelt inside of it.

The knowledge that he could finally be with his Confessor overwhelmed him. He couldn't help the happiness that filled him, the elation that touched his face and reached his eyes. It was a smile that nothing could ever erase. They could finally be together and he was not about to let anyone ever get in the way of that.

He waited with baited breath as Kahlan finally rose to the surface. Rivulets of water trickled over her body, accenting every delicious curve of her perfect form, her wet hair clinging to her shoulders and breasts.

A beautiful smile spread across her face as she slowly made her way towards him. He felt his pulse begin to race the closer she drew, knowing that he was going to have the supreme privilege of loving her once more.

The sound of water rushing over the falls behind him filled the air, his blood beginning to pound in his ears. He was growing more anxious to feel her kisses with every passing moment.

Kahlan could not take her eyes off of her Seeker, the realization of what they had just done, what they had just shared together without reaping the most devastating of consequences still held her mystified in its grasp.

Richard should be confessed to her right now, pleading on bended knee for her next command with those telltale soulless eyes of confession that always stared so hauntingly back at her. Instead, he was wading in the water, waiting for her to draw near to him so that they could share in that most intimate dance once more.

It was beyond comprehension, warming her heart that someone as amazing as Richard could not only love her, but have a love so strong and so sacrificial that her magic could not even begin to touch it. It made her head spin. It went against thousands of years of history, against everything that she had ever known, had ever learned about Confessors. It was illogical.

And yet, here he was, staring at her with those dark brown eyes that stirred her blood with a need so great that she thought for certain she should be consumed by its power. She felt her heart begin to pound a little harder, a little quicker the longer he gazed at her with that same longing in his eyes that she felt burning in her core.

Feeling playful as she drew near to him, Kahlan unexpectedly flicked her wrist across the surface, dispersing a large spray of water at her Seeker, taking him completely off guard. While anxious to be wrapped in his embrace once more, she was equally anxious to have a little fun with him as well.

It wasn't every day that they were free to just be themselves. All the boundaries that had been put in place in order to keep their passion in check had been removed. There was no more fear; their love had set them free.

Surprised by the sudden attack, Richard instantly closed his eyes, holding his hands up before him in a futile attempt to keep the wall of water from hitting him. Failing miserably, he sputtered, wiping his eyes as he plotted his retaliation.

He'd been fully intent on making love with her beneath the cascading waters at that moment, the fiery passion in her eyes causing his own arousal to pound through his body. He hadn't expected his beautiful Confessor to be quite so playful, but he was fully intent on savoring every minute of it. It wasn't every day that he got to spend the evening with the woman he loved in a lake without clothes on.

Kahlan's self-satisfied laughter quickly changed into a cry of surprise as Richard began splashing her relentlessly, creating large waves of water that washed over her. Trying to fend off her attacker, she cried his name in protest, spraying water back at him but was unable to tell from which direction the attack was actually coming from.

Before she knew it, powerful hands gripped her wrists, attempting to pull her close against him in order to take control over her. She squealed with glee by his sudden appearance so close to her, enjoying this little battle of domination. As much as she wanted to be taken by him at that moment, she also wanted to prolong this battle.

Laughing, Kahlan squirmed in an attempt to disengage herself from her capture, hoping to escape so she could start the encounter all over again. She found this little game of cat and mouse to be quite arousing. She could tell that he felt the same way as well as he attempted to press himself against her, his hardening form brushing against her.

Water splashed around them as they continued to struggle against each other. Her eyes were squeezed shut in an effort to keep the water out, but she could still feel his breath warm and pulsating against her face. It made her throat grow dry feeling him this close, knowing that he was as aroused as she was.

Richard had been taken aback when Kahlan kept fighting him after he had grabbed hold of her wrists. He had expected her to willfully surrender once she had discovered that he had the upper hand. Instead, she had increased her struggle against him while at the same time intensifying his fierce hunger for her.

This was his Confessor…his Kahlan, free to be who she truly was without fear of hurting him or stealing his soul and it made his heart soar. He knew this side lived within her, hidden behind a thick wall of fear. He would sometimes get to see a glimpse of it and it always left him in awe, wanting so very much more.

And now that he had proven himself incapable of confession, Richard would be free to fully enjoy every bit of what made her his Kahlan.

He couldn't help the laughter that spilled from his lips as Kahlan giggled and wrestled against his hold on her, fighting for another chance at retaliation as her legs tangled with his for better leverage. He would willingly give her anything she wanted and so much more. If she asked for the moon, he would work until his last breath to make it hers.

Twisting her arms, Kahlan's wrists finally slipped free from her Seeker's grasp. She could never be completely sure, but she was fairly certain that he had allowed her this minor victory. Taking the given opportunity, she quickly began to swim towards the cascading waters, more than anxious for him to follow so they could continue this battle.

Running his hands back through his hair, Richard smiles broadly as he watched his lover swim towards the crimson waterfall. She looked almost ethereal as the setting sun highlighted her porcelain skin as she swam through the flaming red water. It was almost if a world of fantasy had opened up right before them and swallowed them whole.

Allowing her a head start, he began to swim towards her, his need to completely lose himself within her again making his heart race. His desire for her was like a gnawing ache that was growing deeper by the minute. Kahlan would always be his only hope of tempering it.

Richard watched her disappear from view as she swam beneath the rushing waterfall. Making his way towards her, he suddenly found himself unable to reach her quick enough. He wanted his hands in her hair, his lips on her throat, her legs wrapped so tightly around his waist. He desperately wanted to know every inch of her perfect body in the most intimate of ways once again, to discover everything he had yet to learn about his lover.

He felt as though he already knew her so well and yet he wanted to know the very distinct beating of her heart – what made it flutter, what made it beat faster and harder, what brought it peace.

Richard already knew that he was the one that caused those changes and it warmed him to his very core, but he wanted to know her even more intimately than that. He wanted to be able to detect even the subtlest changes in the rhythm of her heart. If he was going to own it, he wanted to know it, to protect it, to cherish it as his most prized possession. He loved her too much to give her anything less than his all.

Peering over her shoulder, Kahlan saw him swimming towards her, his focus solely on her. It sent shivers racing through her knowing that he was coming for her, wanting to take her again. She could hardly wait until he caught her.

She would've already been making love with him right now if she hadn't toyed with him like she had, but it had been too tempting seeing him wading in the water like that, wanton desire burning in his eyes. It was her that he wanted, her that he needed, her that he wanted to make love to. Prolonging their union like this had only made her want him that much more, intensifying the sexual tension between them that caused the very air around them to become thick and humming with anticipation.

Kahlan's thoughts stirred the flames of desire within her, remembering where his lips and hands had been not so long ago, imagining them being there once more, touching her and stroking her as he built her pleasure.

Turning, she waited impatiently for him to finally find her behind the wall of water that would seclude them. It was like a secret sanctuary hidden behind a veil of water, their own private refuge where they could momentarily forget about who they were and just be what they were – a man and a woman in love.

Kahlan bit her bottom lip, her brow furrowing as she scanned the waterfalls for any sign of her Seeker. She was growing more anxious by the moment, desperate to be with him again. There was a hollow aching deep within her hot depths that begged to be filled by him.

Just as she was about to swim back to look for him, Kahlan felt a powerful hand grasp hold of her ankle. With a cry of surprise, she began kicking, but was swiftly pulled down into the watery depths by her attacker.

Feeling the hand unexpectedly release its hold almost as quickly as it had grabbed her, she quickly rose to the surface, gasping for air as she wiped the water from her eyes. She immediately began scanning the area for any signs of her attacker.

Spinning around, Kahlan found herself staring into the dark penetrating gaze of her Seeker. A proud smirk danced on his lips as he playfully inched ever closer to her, his fingers raking back through his wet hair.

Kahlan warily circled around him, keeping him in front of her in case of another surprise attack. She watched with growing anticipation as Richard continued to move towards her, cornering her and keeping her trapped between him and the rocks behind her. Fine spray from the cascading falls filled the air in the secret alcove, creating a hazy mist that only added to the mystery of the Falls and the thrill of her Seeker's pursuit of her.

"Did you really think I'd let you escape that easily?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

She felt her stomach tighten as he grew closer, the misting spray creating tiny rivers of water to trickle over and around every defined curve of his muscles. Finding a footing in the smooth ledge beneath their feet, she stared as the water now barely covered his abdomen.

His eyes were so dark and intense with heated longing. He was like the predator and she his prey, except that she was only too anxious to be caught in his embrace, fully devoured by him.

Richard watched as the water lapped gently just below her breasts, relishing the way her chest still rose and fell as she breathed deeply from his surprise attack. He didn't know how much longer he could prolong this. His body was screaming out for her, begging for release.

"Maybe I wanted to be caught," she breathlessly replied, passion dancing in her blue eyes.

"Oh, I know what you want," he murmured as he suddenly grabbed hold of her.

Kahlan felt her insides tremble with the sound of his voice, the feel of his powerful arms holding her, his hardened form pressed flush against her and setting her body on fire.

"I can tell you want it too," she whispered as she leaned in and tilted her head, her lips just a breath away from his.

Richard ground his hips against hers, his need to be completely surrounded within her taking control of his entire body. He was quickly losing what little self-control he had left, their playful game of seduction swiftly pushing him closer to the edge.

Without a second thought, Kahlan quickly wrapped her long legs around his waist, lifting her and securing herself around him. Richard felt his heart begin to thunder wildly in his chest with the feel of her pressed against him, the heat of her body pleading for him to take her.

His hands slid up her back, stroking her wet skin. Their mouths danced before each other, seeking and teasing, lips barely brushing before finally connecting with a rush of passion. A moan rose from her throat and filled his mouth as his tongue filled hers, desperation in their every touch.

Unwilling and unable to hold back any longer, they at last gave themselves over to their mutually understood need, their deep-seated necessity to be with the one who owned their heart. This was their moment to enjoy each other, to fully give themselves to each other, knowing that this night would only end all too soon and their quest would resume in the morning.

Their love, however, would never end.

This moment held none of the tentativeness or tenderness that had come with their first time together. There was a fierce desperation in their touch, an urgency in their kisses. They couldn't get enough of each other as they set each other aflame.

Sliding over him, her breath hitched as she crushed her lips against his. The gasping pant that came with the sudden union hummed deep in Richard's chest and vibrated straight through her. This was love in its purest form and it was beyond imagining, better than any fantasy concocted from the throes of unmet desires all those nights spent sleeping alone on separate bedrolls.

Richard stroked over her back, his hands sliding up her neck and into her wet hair, twisting the long strands in his grasp as she moved against him. He was determined to hold on for as long as he could, already feeling the need to come undone right there.

Being with Kahlan was unlike anything he'd ever dreamed of. What happened between them before in his dreams was like a fleeting thought compared to the passionate reality of this. Trailing kisses down her neck, he revered her for everything that she meant to him. She had created a firestorm within him from the first moment that he had seen her. It was fed by her and only she could ever tame it.

The feel of him filling her so completely, giving his all to her was swiftly propelling her to that blissful state that she relished to share with him once more. The feel of him connecting deep within her as she moved over him was building a sweet ecstasy that she had wanted for so very long.

And then they both came, her vision tunneling to black with a cry of his name, his voice calling out to her as he gave her everything he had.

Panting against each other's shoulders, Richard held her tight, loving the feel of her so content in his arms. Turning his head, he nudged her cheek with his nose, needing to taste her once more. Turning towards him, she smiled softly, her head still pressed against his shoulder.

His lips found hers, kissing her tenderly as they floated in the water. This place had been more than magical, had became more than special to them. It had brought them together, reaffirming something that Richard had long ago come to believe.

He and Kahlan had been meant for each other long before they had even met, before they had even been born. He had been meant to love this woman beyond any other man's capacity to love her and it touched him deeply.

"Do you ever think we'll get to pass this way again?" Kahlan softly asked, her head resting against his shoulder as her fingers caressed his wet skin.

"I plan on bringing you back her every chance I get," he promised her as he held her. "This is a special place. It's where we first discovered that I couldn't be harmed by your magic, the place we first made love."

"It definitely won't be the last place we make love," Kahlan chuckled lightly, gazing into his eyes as she stroked the side of his face.

"I'm going to get you alone every chance I get," he told her, hooking a stand of hair behind her ear before leaning in and placing a trail of kisses along her throat.

"I would love nothing more," she sighed in contentment.

"Are you going to make me chase you every time?" he asked with a lop-sided grin as he pulled back to look at her.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "You definitely seemed to enjoy the pursuit."

"Then I plan on pursuing you every day of your life, Confessor," he swore to her.

Kahlan felt her heart constrict with his words, knowing that this was just the beginning of an even greater journey with her Seeker, one that she was more than anxious to experience. Leaning in, she kissed him deeply, thrilled that she had been able to experience the Falls of Aldermant with the man that she loved, the man who had won her heart, the one who had stood fearlessly in the face of her magic and had won.

THE END