Chapter 3 Richard's Return

Richard and Chase crashed through the trees of the resistance camp in the darkness before dawn. It had been two weeks since Richard had rode out to Tamarang. The box of Orden was tied securely at his back and Richard was eager to get rid of the haunting weight he felt from its magic.

The sounds of swords being drawn filled the dark morning and shouts of alarm drew near as the resistance forces surrounded them. Richard pushed back his hood and met their hostile welcome with a beaming grin.

"Fall back, its Richard and Chase!" Cheers arose with the chorus of the morning forest as they lowered their swords.

"Welcome back, Seeker" said Lucan, grasping wrists with Richard. "We were beginning to worry." Lucan beamed humorously, clapping him on the back. Richard stumbled slightly at the large man's friendly blow but returned Lucan's smile.

"Great to see you too, Lucan. Chase and I are glad to be back" said Richard rubbing his hands together and breathing into his palms to try and warm them. "It's a long story, but we got the box of Ordden" he said pointing to his pack indicating where it was. "I would be glad to get rid of this and give it over to Zedd as soon as I can."

"Richard" said Lena as she came up with Grenden, a boy of 15 who had joined the resistance from Heartland, "here's something to warm you up" she said handing him a mug of streaming hot apple cider."

My thanks, Lena" smiled Richard "you seem to always know just what I need." He winked and warmed his hands on the mug. Lena blushed and said "I'm just glad to have you back. Chase too" she quickly added. She continued to smile as she approached Chase who was being greeted by some of his family who had joined the resistance, and handed him a mug of cider as well.

"She's in love with you Richard" teased Grenden. They all laughed, even Richard as he watched her walk away. Lucan and Grenden thought he was admiring Lena, but Richard's mind was elsewhere. Every woman made him think of Kahlan. He missed her fiercely and had been unable to quench the feelings he had for her. Being apart from her had been torture. Every night that he had been gone, he had laid awake thinking of how he had made her cry and regretted that he had not told her that he loved her, even though he could never be hers and she could never be his. The reality of it felt as though a thousand knives were being stabbed into him repeatedly. There had never been anyone else he had loved like he loved her, and there never would be. Ever. He vowed to find a way for them, even if it took his whole life searching.

In Tamarang when he thought that he might never escape with his life, much less the last box of Orden, it was his love for Kahlan that had made him find the strength within himself and the courage to slip past the drunken revelers through the winding, twisting hallways that led to the box of Orden. It was her smile he had envisioned when the blood pounded loudly in his head from the fear of being discovered. It was her spirit that always gave him the will to fight and go on even when the task at hand seemed impossible.

A strong hand on his shoulder stunned him out of his reverie. "You look exhausted" said Lucan, his brows knit together with concern "you should get some rest." Nodding slightly in response, he was only vaguely aware of Lucan and Grenden pulling him away from the crowd. Richard was still thinking of Kahlan when he suddenly grew worried. Something wasn't right. Why had she not come to greet him with everyone else? He frantically scanned the camp, apprehension gripping in the pit of his stomach.

"Where's Kahlan?" he asked. Grenden and Lucan exchanged nervous glances with each other and wouldn't meet his gaze.

"She's…" began Grenden.

"Ugh…Richard…she um…" stuttered Lucan.
"You should talk to Zedd, Richard" said Chase who had overheard. His eyes were laced with sorrow as he gripped Richards shoulder sympathetically.
"What's going on?" Richard demanded. "Tell me where Kahlan is. She's alright isn't she?"

Chase exchanged parting nods with Lucan and Grenden and pulled Richard towards the tents.

They walked in silence while Richard tried to quell his rising sense of panic. Chase didn't say a word but kept his face emotionless as he led them toward Zedd's tent. The fact that Zedd had not shown up to greet them caused Richard's state of unease to boil even more. It seemed as though everyone knew something that he didn't. As they passed the first cluster of tents, he noticed the rest of the camp avoided eye contact when greeting them. Something was definitely not right. He started to wonder if he even wanted to know what everyone was hiding.

They reached Zedd's quarters just as the first rays of dawn streamed through the thick forest trees. Zedd was seated on an overturned log stirring a steaming pot of oats and occasionally adding blackberries.

"Just in time to steal some of my breakfast, my boy?" he looked up with a large grin spreading all the way to his eyes.

Richard didn't hesitate with pleasant smiles and greetings. Zedd's apparent ease angered Richard. He felt somehow betrayed but he didn't know why. "Where's Kahlan?" he asked.

Zedd hesitated at first but then his smile faded becoming a look of sorrow and sympathy "There's time enough to speak of Kahlan, Richard. You should eat something and rest first." He held up a bowl in offering toward him but he shook his head and looked at Chase for help.

"Why is everyone trying to hide something from me? Just tell me where she is." He pleaded, panic raising his voice.

Instead of answering, Zedd pulled out a scroll from under his robes and handed it to Richard.

"What's this?" he asked as he turned it over in his hands noticing the eagle of the D'Haran seal staring back at him.

"Read it first, Richard. Then we will talk."

The seal was already broken so he easily unrolled the document and smoothed it out on his lap before picking it up to read. The entire document faded away and only a section jumped out and nearly knocked him off the rock in which he was sitting. It said:

An agreement of peace with the Midlands has been granted in exchange

For the submission of the Mother Confessor

by the bonding of her hand in marriage to Darken Rahl.

Refusal to comply will result in the enslavement of all the Midlands

After he read the section over and over willing it to change the document slipped from his shacking hands to the ground of frozen mud.

"Zedd?" said Richard. His voice cracked with emotion as he nervously ran his hand through his hair "Did she… did she agree to this?" tears were threatening to break loose as he held Zedd's gaze.

Zedd stood and came over to kneel by Richard. He pulled Richard into a strong hug and answered "I'm so sorry my boy. I tried to find another way and I even tried to talk her out of it. But, you know Kahlan better than anyone. She would rather die than let her Midlands suffer."

"No. She would rather marry Raul. I don't know what's worse." Tears of anger had seeped out the corners of Richard's eyes as he tried to breathe around the crushing feel of her betrayal. " When did she…?"

"Shortly after you and Chase left a small regimen of D'Haran's rode into our camp unarmed to give us Raul's demands. Kahlan left with them the same night. She would have made it to D'Hara by now. Before she left, she promised to send word when she reached the People's Palace, but we haven't heard anything."

Richard pushed away from Zedd and fell to the ground retching the contents of his stomach. His body shook violently as he tried to comprehend what he had just heard. Kahlan, the woman he loved, had agreed to be the wife of his greatest enemy.