Chapter 11

John thought he and Richard had had pretty good time. When they returned from the livery two maids were walking up the stairs with their orders. They'd each taken a tray from them, thanked them and headed back to their women.

When he walked into his room Aeryn let out a loud snore which startled her awake.

"I've got good timing." John set the tray on the small table that was by the two chairs.

She shot up, letting the covers fall exposing her breasts to him, while reaching for her pulse pistol.

"Freeze!" Aeryn kneeled up on the mattress pointing her gun at him.

"Baby, it's me, put the gun down. You know I don't like gun play in bed. Only on enemy ships, that's when it's the hottest." John knew she was startled and would be fine when her mind realized it was him.

"I must have been dead asleep when you woke me up banging through the door…" She put the gun back under her pillow and rubbed her eyes clear of the sleep that had gathered there.

"I didn't wake you up."

"Yes you did. Tromping through the door like a frellin' luxon." Aeryn slid out of bed and sat on his lap next to the delicious smelling food.

"Nope. You woke yourself up. I've never heard a louder snore." He chuckled at her as he lifted a forkful of meat to her mouth. "So loud it even woke you up."

Before she could argue her mouth was full of lamb and she was chewing the food so she didn't choke. He was going to pay for that little trick later.

He fed himself a forkful quickly so he had more food ready when she was done with that bite. He knew he was in trouble. He just had to pray the food took her mind off of his punishment.

"Good isn't it?" He stuffed a forkful of potatoes into her mouth as she opened to answer. All she could do was nod and chew. His hand rubbed her back and hip as she leaned her head on his shoulder, pressing into his body more closely. "Richard and I got the horses all set up, we'll be on our way to their capitol tomorrow."

He tried to fill her mouth again but she grabbed his wrist to make him pause.

"Aren't you a little worried about getting home?" She let him continue feeding her after getting her question out.

"Yes." John picked up some bread to chew on. "It's strange isn't it?"

"What? To be concerned about getting home? No not at all."

"No to think that now when you say the word home to me, I'm picturing the same thing as you are." He kissed her temple and watched the smile tint her lips. "Home is wherever you are, baby."

He took another bite of bread and offered her some. He could see the moisture in her eyes as she tried to blink it away.

"What if we can't get the module off the ground again?"

"Then home will be here."

"You'd be happy with that?" Aeryn didn't know how she felt about being stranded on a single planet for the rest of her life.

"I'd be with you. That makes me the happiest guy on any planet, in any solar system."

"Me too." She lifted her lips to his and he complied with her silent request by placing a soft kiss against her mouth.

"Eat up so we can get back to sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be our last night of good rest for a while, at least until we get to the palace."

She picked up her own fork to make dinner go by faster. Se was still very tired. After she filled her belly she knew she'd sleep well, next to John, all night long.

Morning came too quickly for Kahlan. She stretched and yawned as the dawn light filtered across their bed. She turned onto her back and Richard was already awake, propped up on and elbow, stroking his fingertips across her skin.

"Morning my love." He bent his head and kissed her brow. "We need to get going."

"Our first morning together and you already want to leave my bed."

He kissed her lips before scurrying out of the covers. He tossed her clothes at her before starting to dress himself.

"There is not one thing I want more than to stay in that bed with you all day making love." He flashed her his smile that melted her heart every time.

"Lets do that." Kahlan spread her arms over the mattress and rubbed the spot that he had just vacated. "Come back to bed, Richard."

"You know we can't. Someday, I promise, we'll get our time together. Just us. No interruptions." He pulled his shirt on and started packing their things.

"I'm going to hold you to that." She reluctantly got up and put her traveling dress on. He'd gathered everything by the time she'd righted all the laces and flaps. He was looking over at her as she primped in front of the vanity mirror. She liked that he seemed to be enjoying watching her. When her hair was fixed she joined him at the door. He started to push it open when she stopped him. "When can we…" her eyes flickered back and forth from him to the bed. "Again."

"Well we have a little problem of not being alone tonight…" He ushered her out the door before he need up tossing her back on the bed and they were stuck there for hours. They couldn't afford to miss the time working on getting the ship moveable.

Richard jogged down the hall to knock on the door for John and Aeryn's room when it opened right as he was going to hit the wood.

"You have good timing." John complimented as he held the door opened for her. "Just don't hit her on accident, you'll never hear the end of it and you'll end up on your ass as retaliation."

"Good advice." Aeryn nodded her agreement and walked up to greet Kahlan.

He saw his fiancée blush furiously as Aeryn got close to her and Richard knew exactly what she'd opened the conversation with and that her bright red cheeks had answered the questions affirmatively.

John witnessed the exchange between the two women and slapped Richard on the back.

"You gave in then?" He gave him a slight tip of his chin and his cheek flamed. "No need to be shy. It's good that you did. I don't know if I could take all that sexual tension on this long trip we're all about to take."

"Yeah, I'm glad I let her have her way."

"You know anytime you can let them have what they want and you end up getting laid, it's never a bad thing."

"Getting laid?" Richard was again confused by his conversation.

"Yeah you know… sex, making love. It's good when that's the end result and it makes them happy."

"Oh, I see… yes it was good."

"Well now that everyone's lust has been sated, for now at least, let's get to the blacksmith and borrow some tools." John let Richard lead the way. They caught up with the women who were not speaking just sharing a secret look that said that they were going to have a lot to say later, out of hearing range of them. He was glad that Richard didn't seem to understand girl talk and gossip at all. It might have embarrassed him to know that Kahlan was going to be telling Aeryn all about last night later.

As soon as the Mother Confessor made the request the large brute of a blacksmith had bent over backwards to help them. He let john use all is equipment to fashion the wheels, even offering helpful suggestions that only a man of his trade would know. He taught him how to best bend and shape the iron and steel to get the maximum strength and reliability. It took much less time than John had calculated thanks to the man. They left with a couple hours to spare.

"You sure do pull a lot of weight around here, Kahlan." John commented as they walked back toward the module.

"Well, it's not something that I like to use all the time, but it's useful."

"It's like no one would ever think to cross you."

"You'd be surprised, really…" Richard commented with a chuckle causing her to smile at him.

"In the midlands we have many different lands. All of them are allowed to rule as they see fit... up to a point. To help the kings and queens and other sovereign leaders employ fair terms we have a central council. The council oversees the rule and law that pertains to the good of all the midlands. They don't bother with smaller orders, just the important things."

"Sounds like a fair system. So where do you fit in?" John was curious to the exact extent of power that this woman could wield. Her future husband seemed to be some sort of legend or hero around these parts.

"I oversee the council."

His mouth dropped. This woman might be the highest authority figure in the land.

"Queens bow to the Mother Confessor." Richard added gleefully. He'd been the same way once, unbelieving that she could have that much influence. Now he couldn't imagine people not reacting how they did to her. She was very good at her job. Kahlan's compassion and fair-mindedness would be a huge benefit to everyone when he returned her to her seat in Aydindril.

"I had no idea…"

"I hope it doesn't change anything…" Kahlan always worried about revealing her true self to people. "I'm still just a woman. A friend."

Aeryn set her hand on her shoulder. She could tell that Kahlan carried a weight around because of who she was. She could understand. She'd been burdened by many things. Sometimes she thought that people couldn't see that she, too, was just a woman under her Peacekeeper facade. John knew. In the end he was the only one that mattered.

"Of course not. This is good to know though." A thought just hit him. "So that's why you can just go in and get what you want and I've never seen you pay for anything."

"It's considered impolite to charge the Mother Confessor and the Seeker for accommodations. It is really quite convenient on the road." Richard smirked and pointed to the place in the woods that marked their path to the spaceship. "Here we are."

The special wheels fit to perfection and the four of them were able to maneuver the module out and into the path so the horses would have an easier time being attached to it. It wasn't long until the driver came along with his team of eight large draft animals. The hitching took mere minutes as the Richard, Kahlan and the driver attached the tugs to the evener that John had fashioned.

Kahlan spoke to the man and made sure that he knew to deliver the spaceship to the Confessor Palace. Then she handed him a note signed with her hand and marked with the Mother Confessors seal. She addressed it to Zedd, he'd know what to do when it arrived. he might have an idea about how to develop fuel for it before they got there.

They sent the man off with money to stop for fresh horses a couple times even with eight sharing the burden it was a long distance and there would be a need to switch teams. The man seemed set so they waved him off and then started on their way.

The silence was comfortable as they pushed through the trail. All of them just enjoyed the day. The sun was sparkling along the trees, leaves reflecting light down to the path. The birds all sang happy songs as the clouds rolled along the bright blue sky. There was a contentment that seemed to permeate the group.

The whistling of the arrow surprised them as did the cry that came from Aeryn's mouth. Kahlan and Richard pulled their weapons free as John grabbed her and pulled her into his protective embrace.

The arrow was piercing her arm, the head had made a clean cut through and the wooden shaft was embedded in her bicep.

The battle cry came next as the D'Haran's charged in.

Kahlan took one side as Richard protected the other. The clanging of metal plagued their ears and the two of them fought to give John time to remove the arrow.

"Hurry! Break the wood, as close to her arm as you can, and pull it through." Richard called the instructions to John without looking back. He couldn't take his focus from the battle in front of him.

He ducked as an axe came at his head and deeded with an upthrust of his sword. It buzzed with the rage as it sliced the enemy's belly open. Using his foot, he kicked him off the blade and sent the steel into the next attacker. One after another Richard cut them down.

John looked at Aeryn and wished that he didn't have to be the one to do this. He saw Richard in front of him fighting furiously against the hordes racing towards them and he could hear Kahlan as his back doing the same. Her dress would brush against him as she spun and danced her deadly waltz with the men who'd ambushed them. He knew he needed to hurry so he could help.

"This is going to hurt, baby." He grimaced imaging the pain.

"Just do it." Aeryn needed to regain her arm, she couldn't do anything with the arrow sticking out of it. At least immobilized she'd be able to fight with her other hand. "Now!"

The crack of wood made her scream as it sent a blaze of pain up her shoulder.

"Give me that piece!" Aeryn yelled at John. He looked confused at her and she demanded the end he'd just torn off. He handed it to her finally and she put it between her teeth. Then she shouted at him to pull. He must have heard her because he didn't hesitate and she struggled to stay conscious.

"God, Aeryn, stay with me, baby, fight for it. I need you to fight it!" He tapped her cheek with his palm trying to draw her focus back to him and off the extreme pain in her arm.

"Let me down, use Winona…" She was gasping for her breath and she pulled his pulse pistol from the holster, handing him something that would put a quick end to the violence.

"Ah Winona!" John kissed her forehead and looked up to aim. He found his first target trying to get through the barrier that Richard and Kahlan were protecting. His aim was decent and his fired hitting the man in the shoulder.

Suddenly everyone was frozen. The soldier that he hit was smoldering where the pulse had hit him and he looked at the entry wound then back at John before falling over dead.

"There's plenty more where that came from." She panted with pain, her arm held tight against her belly as her other one held her weapon pointing it at the other side of the D'Harans. Aeryn was ready to take anyone down who tried to hurt them. "I suggest you all just retreat."

"You are all fighting a war that's over." Kahlan used her sternest Mother Confessor tone with them all. "Not only that, you're attacking your Lord Rahl. You should be letting him lead you into a new time. Letting him help your people with his wisdom, fairness, and the love he has for all people."

"Kahlan, it's okay…"

"No, Richard, it's not okay. They are your men. They should respect what you've accomplished and not continue to ambush us. They should be protecting you not trying to kill you."

"It takes time." He didn't know how to explain to her that he needed the men to come to him on their own. He didn't mean to take the throne like Darken Rahl had. He wanted them to know that he'd earned the right to be their leader.

"We don't have time." They'd had this conversation over and over. Kahlan wanted him to stand up and become the leader of the D'Haran people. She wanted their wedding to join the lands. But he was being so difficult. She knew that being with her was part of the reason he refused. They'd have to live apart some of the time. As of now D'Harans and the people of the Midlands wouldn't be cohesive. They'd fight a ruler that didn't live in their palace. She wanted to make him see that this was more important, taking the throne of D'Hara, than being with her. Her own selfish heart wouldn't allow her to press the issue. She too just wanted him. Only him.

"They need to get it. They need to know that I won't rule with tyranny. I won't rule with injustice and fear. I want them to know that I'll lead them to a time where the people don't have to fear that their opinions, bloodlines, religious practices, and anything else that might offend me won't get them killed. It's important that I don't just take something. I want it to be offered."

John watched them argue and then fired his gun into the air.

"Can you two talk about this later? We're still surrounded…" He waved the pistol around them pointing out the soldiers with their weapons still at the ready.

"I suggest you all go home." Aeryn thought that idea sounded marvelous. "Before John and I decide that we need some extra target practice between here and Aydindril…" She took aim at the nearest man and went to squeeze her trigger. "Now would be a good time to leave. My fingers aren't that steady after being shot with an arrow…"

They all put their weapons away and began to retreat.

"So they aren't as dumb as they look?" John smiled at the group and they all watched the last of their attackers disappear into the woods.

"You guys ever get a day without something going down?" Aeryn winced as she holstered her weapon. Then she covered the wound on her arm. "It's like we never left. We can't even call this a vacation…"

"We need to get that arm wrapped and looked at." Richard tugged her hand that covered her bicep. The blood had covered that arm and the side of her body was becoming red from the bleeding. "Let me see it."

She removed her hand and hissed as the pressure release caused another throb of pain to shoot through her.

"It's not as bad as it looks, right?" John sounded hopeful.

"It's always as bad as it looks where I'm concerned, you know that…" She tried to joke about it but she was feeling faint from the blood loss and the intense ache that subsided in her upper arm. "Did we bring the kit?"

They all looked up as they heard a ripping sound. Kahlan had pulled her confessor dress from the backpack and was tearing off strips of cloth from one of the sleeves.

"We need to get it wrapped. This is clean." As if that's the only explanation that was required. She pulled her water skein from the bag and handed it to Richard. "Clean the wound, make sure there isn't any wood slivers left. If Zedd were here he could heal her, but he's not, so we'll have to do the best we can until we get to the next town."

Richard poured the water gently over the wound. He saw her grit her teeth but tried to ignore that he was the one aggravating her injury. Carefully, he pulled at the edges trying to see if there were any small wood pieces left in the small hole. It was hard to see with the blood that kept returning. He motioned for John to rinse the wound while he examined it and he saw a bit of wood.

"This is going to hurt, but i need to get the pice out." Richard felt awful, but he saw her nod. His finger slowly pushed into the hole and she screamed but didn't struggle. He worked at the sliver with his finger nail until it finally slipped free.

"Thanks." Her words were a mumble as she lost her battle with the pain and slipped into blackness.

"Oh baby…" John was holding her still and sat down on the ground to prop her against him while Richard worked on the injury.

"Here's a salve to apply." Kahlan handed a crushed mixer of herbs that she'd just prepared.

"I'll pack it in the wound and then we can bandage it." Richard began applying the paste Kahlan had made. When it was sufficiently covered he held his hand out and she placed the strips of fabric in them. The wrapping was easy, he'd done it enough times for them on the trail. It looked like the bleeding had been tempered by the packing of the hole and very little blood seemed to be staining the bandage.

"Looks good, Seeker."

"I learned by doctoring the best, Mother Confessor."

"Are you saying I'm injury prone?" She smiled at him and packed everything back up. "We just need to wake her now."

"I can just carry her, Let her rest a bit." John stood and took her into his arms. He held her uninjured arm closest to his chest and Richard placed her injured arm across her belly so there wasn't danger of it dangling and hitting something that he couldn't see. "Alright, lets get on with this."