Thank you so so so much for the nice reviews from last chapter! I'm glad that some of you are reading these words I put down (often poorly). As a thank you, I decided to write my a** off and update as soon as I could. Thank you again! Can't wait for your next comments!
When Kahlan woke up, she didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to have to face the day but most of all, she was feeling good, warm and relaxed in her bed. She remembered that the last time she slept so well was when she and Richard shared a bed in a tavern in Tractan.
Richard. She sighed and reluctantly opened her eyes. Lying on her side, she was facing the window but when her eyes travelled on the mattress, she saw an arm. His arm. It was slipped under her neck and she soon realized that his other arm was resting on her waist.
As much as she liked this feeling, she was in Aydindrill, in the palace, she was the Mother Confessor and Spirits only knew what could happen if a man was caught in her room if he wasn't her mate.
"Richard!" She said, sitting up.
Waking up with a start, the Seeker sat up as well.
"What?" He exclaimed before realizing where he was.
"You cannot be here." She said, not looking at him.
He quickly got up and said: "I'm sorry." He quickly grabbed his shirt on a chair on top of Kahlan's Confessor dress. That's when she realized that he was only wearing his pants. She allowed her eyes to wander on his perfectly fit body, wishing her hands could enjoy the warmth of his skin.
She quit her day dreaming when she noticed he was walking to the door of her room.
"Richard, stop!" She exclaimed, rushing off her bed to chase after him.
He turned to her, his shirt and boots in his hands.
"You can't leave. Someone might see you." She exclaimed. "Why did you even get here in the first place?" She asked coldly.
"I couldn't sleep and your nightmares... I didn't want it to come back." He explained with a sad tone.
"Thank you." She whispered. "I'm sorry I reacted that way. It's just that you could get in so many troubles for being here. I told the guards not to let you in my quarters." She explained.
"Why?" He asked.
"I was scared that you would come here and that I would never be able to let you leave this place... that we would... huh... and that you... would be... confessed." She explained.
"You should go back to bed." He told her, understanding what she meant.
When she didn't move, he added: "I asked Sylvia to send for a healer and told her you would love a hot bath. Just wait for her in bed, you should rest more."
She was staring at him but lost in her thoughts.
"Kahlan?" He asked softly. "Kahlan?" He tried again, taking her hand in his.
"Hmm?" She mumbled, coming back to reality.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and smiled.
"What is it?" He asked again, coming closer to her and cupping her cheeks.
"I want to be weak." She said, smiling again.
He smiled back at her and she added: "I want to be weak and kiss you."
Richard smiled even more and gave her a small kiss on the lips and he whispered: "You can never be weak Kahlan Amnell, you can only be yourself."
She closed her eyes and nodded, wishing he would kiss her again. She felt his fingers brushing a strand of hair out of her face and then she felt his lips on her forehead.
"We are slipping." She said with her eyes still closed.
"I know." He replied, kissing the top of her head and pulling her close to him into a hug. She instinctually wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest, inhaling his scent, enjoying the warmth of his body and listening to his heart beating.
"I don't want to have to say goodbye to you again." She mumbled.
"Then I'll leave without saying goodbye." He replied.
"Stay." She blurted out.
He chuckled and said: "You know that I can't Kahlan, you've been trying to convince me to continue my quest for days now."
"It's my moment of weakness, I can beg you to stay." She told him, pressing her body against him even tighter.
"Don't leave me. I can't do it without you, I'm not strong enough." She whispered. "Please, please, please stay." She added before kissing his chest above his heart.
A knock on the door interrupted their moment. Kahlan groaned and reluctantly pulled away from Richard.
"I guess my moment of weakness is over." She said.
"I guess it is." Richard replied sadly, brushing a strand of hair being her ear.
"You have to hide, you can't be here." Kahlan told him.
"Hide? Are you serious?" He asked.
"Richard, I'm the Mother Confessor, I'm young and I haven't a mate yet, you being here is like dishonoring my virtue." She explained. "You could be executed. It's the law." She added on a stern tone.
"You are the law." Richard replied.
"Can we talk about this later? Just go and hide, please." She said.
Richard sighed but hid in the closet that Kahlan was pointing to him.
"Yes." She said, in reply to the knock at the door.
Sylvia opened the door and came in with a tray in her hands. It was breakfast. Kahlan noticed that the tray held two cups when the maid put it on the table.
"Good morning Mother Confessor." Sylvia said, bowing in front of Kahlan.
"Good morning." She replied.
"Richard requested a hot bath and a healer for you Mother Confessor. The hot water is ready and the healer should be on his way." The maid explained.
Kahlan nodded and Sylvia continued: "The council is eager to see you, so is Prince Travis."
"Prince Travis?" Kahlan asked.
"He is here, he says that he has an important request and he wants to talk to you before you see the council." Sylvia explained.
Kahlan nodded, allowing Sylvia to continue: "Also, it seems that The Seeker is still sleeping in his room because he's not answering his door."
Kahlan's heart started to race but managed to keep her Confessor face.
"I suggest that we should let him sleep." Sylvia added before Kahlan could come up with any good lie.
"Yes, it's a wise choice." Kahlan replied, not really knowing what to say.
"Mother Confessor, you should have asked for a nightdress" Sylvia stated. "You are wearing a man's shirt."
Kahlan couldn't help but blush. She had totally forgotten that she had chosen to wear Richard's shirt for the night.
"I find it to be more comfortable." Kahlan tried.
"Very well, Mother Confessor." Sylvia said. "If you don't need me, I can order for the water to be brought here for your bath."
"Alright, but make it quick." Kahlan said even if she hated to use that tone and be so cold.
Sylvia bowed and left the room but more maids were waiting behind the doors with water to fill in the tub that was in Kahlan's room.
Once they were done preparing the bath, Kahlan closed the door behind the last of them and locked it.
"Breakfast's ready Richard." She called.
Quickly getting out of the closet, he looked at her and smiled.
"What makes you smile like that?" Kahlan asked.
"I don't know, maybe the fact that it's wise to let the Seeker sleep or maybe it's that you find my shirt more comfortable." He replied.
"You are the one making me lie, do not laugh at me Seeker or I'll call the guards and they'll throw you in the cells with rats." She told him, trying not to grin.
"Alright, no making fun of the Mother Confessor. I beg your pardon Mother Confessor." He said, bowing exaggeratedly in front of her.
She sighed in fake exasperation and turned away: "I'm going to take my bath before the water turns cold."
"I can't join you, can't I?" He asked, well knowing her answer but wanting to tease her a little more.
"I wish you could." She told him with a smile before setting the folding screen next to the tub so Richard would only see her head.
"So, who is this Prince Travis that wants to see you?" Richard asked, hoping to sound curious and not jealous.
Kahlan smiled as she undressed behind the screen. "He's an old friend I grew up with. He probably just wants to say hello."
"His request sounded urgent." Richard said, sitting on the bed, watching her shadow dance on the screen.
"It feels so good." Kahlan said as she entered the water.
"I'm glad one of us is enjoying the situation." Richard said with a smile.
Kahlan smiled back at him and said: "Thank you for asking Sylvia for this hot bath."
"You are welcome." He replied.
Kahlan lied in the tub, closing her eyes, she sighed in contentment.
"I could rub your back you know." Richard proposed.
Kahlan smiled but kept her eyes closed and said: "Hmm, very tempting."
There was a long silent and Kahlan heard Richard growled.
"What is it?" She asked, opening her eyes to look at him. He was now lying on her bed, on his back, his feet touching the ground.
"You are terribly naked and terribly close to me, it's driving me crazy." He explained without looking at her.
Kahlan couldn't help but smiled, she closed her eyes again, enjoying the warmth of her bath. She intended to relax before she had to meet with the council, this day would be long and Richard could leave at any moment. All she wanted was to feel good and enjoy his presence as long as she could.
Lost in her thoughts, she jumped when she felt his lips on hers, her mind wanted to object but her heart made her wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closed to her. She let out a soft moan when their tongues collided. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the moment, she knew that if she opened them, reality would hit her and it meant leaving the man she loved.
She heard his hand plunging into the hot water and gasped when she felt him caressing her side. She had forgotten how very naked she was.
As he was still stripped from the waist, she let her hands roam on his chest, making him moan in return. His hand was now drawing circles on her stomach, going higher until it finally stopped and rested above her breast.
Kahlan moan and felt her power trying to take the best of her. She grasped the side of the tub for support, trying to push down her magic. She didn't want this moment to end, she knew she had to control her power to make it last.