Here's the new chapter! I couldn't have made it without klynnrhiannon for this end of this chapter! Hope you'll like it as much I as do! Read, enjoy and maybe review?
"Come in." She said as a response to the knock on the door of the Mother Confessor's office.
She heard the door opened but she was too busy reading the various reports on her desk to notice who was walking in.
"Hey." Richard said walking towards her desk.
"Hey." She replied, still focused on her paperwork although she was glad it was him and not someone from the council.
"I haven't seen you all day." He told her as he sat on a chair.
"I have a lot to do." She said, gesturing at the various sheets on her desk.
"It's almost sundown." He said with a sigh.
"Really?" She asked, finally looking up at him.
He nodded at her, he knew why she had locked herself in her office and got busy with papers because she had to confess Tim and she didn't want to. It was what was best for the Midlands but not what was best for her.
"Okay then." She said as she got up and walked to the door, trying to maintain her Confessor face as best as she could.
Richard stopped her by grabbing her elbow. He pressed his body against hers and kissed her passionately, taking her by surprise.
When they pulled apart she asked breathlessly: "Are you sure it's the only way?"
"I don't know if it's the only way… but it's the only one I see now." He replied, resting his forehead against hers.
"Once I confess him, there is no turning back." She said with sadness in her voice.
"But if you don't… there is no turning back either." He told her, tenderly running his hand through her hair.
He kissed her once more and said: "You are going to confess him but I'll be the one spending the night holding you."
She nodded and took a long breath to give herself some strength.
"Let's go." She said, grabbing his hand and intertwining her fingers with his.
They walked silently in the hallways of the Confessor Palace until they reach Tim's cell. Prince Travis didn't talk when he saw them, he knew that the time of his death had come and he was resolved to die. Richard grabbed the Sword of Truth, ready to protect Kahlan or himself in case of emergency, he still didn't trust Tim who fell on his knees in front of him. After all, it would only be fair that the Seeker wanted revenge and would be getting it by cutting off the head of the man who hurt the one he loved.
"I've decided to spare your life." Kahlan stated.
Tim looked up at her and said: "No, Mother Confessor, please, don't send me back to Tractan, end my life now. I'm begging you."
"I'm not sending you anywhere, you are to stay here. You will be confessed and stay in the Palace." Kahlan explained.
"I… I don't understand…" Tim said, shaking his head.
"If I end your life, a war will start and our fight against the Keeper is already costing too many lives. But if I confess you and pretend that you are my mate to your people, they will believe that Tractan and the Midlands are united." Kahlan explained.
"As you wish, Mother Confessor. I'm glad to know that our people will live in peace." Tim replied.
Kahlan nodded and said: "Raise on your feet."
Tim stood up and she grabbed him by the throat with her right hand like she had done many times before. When she released her powers, she felt Richard grabbing her left hand. It was too late for her to stop her powers from taking Tim and maybe Richard too. She turned her face to Richard and saw his eyes becoming black. She gasped and let go of Tim who fell on his knees and said: "Command me Mistress."
Her own knees gave away but Richard caught her, letting his sword drop on the floor and wrapping an arm around her waist, she looked in his eyes, searching for proofs of his confession, fear written all over her face.
"I'm okay." Richard said with a smile on his face.
She dropped her head on his shoulder, relieved that he was still himself as exhaustion of using her powers took the best of her.
"Mistress, are you alright?" Tim asked.
"Leave us alone." She ordered, not even looking at him.
"As you wish, Mistress." The confessed man replied leaving them in the cell.
Bringing one of her hand on Richard's cheek, Kahlan asked: "Why did you do this? You scared me! My powers are not a game Richard."
"I just wanted to show you that your powers can't hurt me. I wanted you to see it so you wouldn't doubt it anymore." He replied, placing his hand over hers.
He kissed the palm of her hand and added: "Plus, I love to feel your powers running through me, it's pure bliss."
"I still can't believe it's true." She told him.
Richard shrugged and said: "You'll get used to it."
She smiled at him in return and pushed herself away from him as he picked up his sword from the floor and sheathed it. He didn't get the time to look up at her that her lips were on his. He couldn't remember the last time she had kissed him like that. She leaned her body on him, his back hitting the cell's bars. Her hands ran from his chest to his neck making him moan in delight. When she reluctantly pulled away for much needed air, he said breathlessly: "I know I could get used to you kissing me like that."
"I love you Richard even if you are the craziest man alive for testing my powers." She told him with a wide smile on her face.
"I'm crazy about you Kahlan Amnell." He told her before kissing her again.
"Come on, I have a surprise for you." He told her, taking her hand and getting out of the cell.
"Wait!" She said, tugging at his hand to stop him. He turned to face her and she smiled at him, her special smile.
"What's wrong?" He asked, smiling back at her.
She put a hand on his cheek and said: "Let me take a look at your eyes again."
He opened his eyes wide and she looked at him. She smiled even more and kissed him again.
"Are you ready to go now?" He asked, giving her one last kiss.
She nodded in reply and they left the cell to go back to Kahlan's room. As they crossed path with some maids, Kahlan noticed that they were all smiling at Richard, some of them even winking at him and she caught him smiling back.
"What's wrong with them?" She muttered under her breath, her jealousy rising.
"Is there something you'd like to share my love?" He whispered in her ear, sending shiver down her spine.
"Why are they all smiling at you like that? What's going on?" She asked him as they reached her door room.
"You're about to find out." He replied opening the door and letting her in first.
She gasped at the view of her room, it was beautiful. There were white petals of roses on the floor and red on her white bed. Candles were lighted everywhere, food was served on the small dining table.
She turned to face him as he closed the door.
"You did all this?" She asked.
"Not everything, your maids helped me, hence all the smiles." He explained.
"Do you like it?" He added, worrying that it was too much or that she didn't like it. He had never done this for her, pull out a romantic dinner with candles. During their travels for his quest, the best he could do was to find the less dirty tavern and allow her to sleep in an uncomfortable bed which didn't happen very often. He always thought that she deserved more than sleeping in the woods or eating berries.
"I... Richard it's… It's…" She struggled to find her words.
"It's too much right? I know it's silly but… I wanted to do something nice for you. I should have bought you a present instead and..." He said, regretting his actions.
"I love it Richard." She cut him in the middle of his sentence.
"Thank you." She added, kissing him on the cheek.
"Really?" He asked.
She smiled and said: "Yes, I love the candles and the roses, it's perfect. But most of all, I love you for all the hard work you've done for me."
"It's not hard work if it's for you my love." He said before kissing her.
He pulled her against him as his tongue teased her lower lip, begging her for entrance which she allowed happily. Their tongues did not battle this time, it was more intimate than that. When he couldn't hold his breath any longer, he broke the kiss but didn't lose any time and started a kissing trail from her jaw to her neck. She titled her head and moaned when he sucked at her pulse point.
"Richard…" She tried to say but he silenced her with a deep kiss as his hands started to undo the laces of her dress.
Suddenly she pulled apart and walked away from him and she said: "Richard, we can't."
She walked to the window, admiring the city. She knew she was breaking his heart but she just couldn't do it, even if she was dying to. Tears pooled in her eyes as she thought that she had just disappointed him again. She felt like a failure to him.
"You don't want to?" He asked, his voice strangled with pain.
She turn from the window to face him and said: "You know I do, more than anything. But if you were to get me with child…"
She looked in his eyes and saw his pain and it broke her heart.
"Would it be so bad Kahlan? This is what we've wanted for so long… to have a family together." He said as he shook his head and slumped down on the bed, crashing the red petals of roses in the process. The candlelight around him made him look even more desirable but the sadness in his expression made her aches even more.
He ran his hand through his hair and looked down at the floor, contemplating if he should stay or leave, if he should talk or not. It hurt him more than anything to have her deny him now that they knew that her powers couldn't hurt him.
"I want a family with you too Richard. But what if you need me in battle? What if you need my powers to get information? The Seeker won't have his Confessor by his side to protect him. I can't risk your safety." She argued, making a few step to the bed.
"And I can't risk your safety either Kahlan. If you were with child there would be no way that you could continue our quest and then I would have to leave you alone. I can't do that Kahlan. Spirits we've been through this already and I thought we agreed on what was best for everyone." He said with a long sigh.
"It's what's best for everyone but not for me!" She exclaimed before looking down ashamed of her own selfishness.
"If having a daughter with me isn't what is best for you Kahlan, if it's not enough, if it's not what you want, I can understand but I have no reason to be in this room anymore." He told her, looking straight in her eyes
She made her way to him and kneeled on the floor in front of him, taking his hands in hers and said: "I know what we said… but Richard… we don't know how long you will be gone, Spirits we don't know if you will ever come back! I want this child but I'm afraid of what's going to happen. Afraid to lose you..."