Chapter Three: Rahl's return
Rahl had been placed successfully into Walter's body, the man who was once his double. Yet now he was wondering around with Richard and his merry band of friends. (A/N: I will be straying from the story line of the series here a bit.)
Cara had been debating whether or not to tell Rahl about Rowen. She walked ahead with Richard but she couldn't help but look back at Rahl. He wasn't smirking, in fact his face held no emotions at all, except she could see a slight hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Why so sad my lord?" Rowen asked softly.
"Why do you call me that?"
He smiled slightly at the memory, what else should I address the great Lord Rahl as? She asked with a smile, causing Rahl to smile. "Call me Dark, just like you used to."
"Very well, Dark whatever you wish."
He missed the sound of Rowen's happy voice, the sound of her voice saying his name.
Richard looked back to see his brother with a solemn look on his face. "Cara," he asked softly "Does Rahl look…sad to you?"
She nodded in response, "He is misses Rowen."
"How exactly did they meet?" Kahlan asked, causing Cara to remember the tale.
"They met when they were children. Rowen is an Elemental who can control fire. And as far as I know, she is the only one who holds the power to bring people and things back from the dead without a body or the breath of life." This caught Zed's attention, "How is that possible?"
Cara shrugged "No one knows."
"Tell us the story Cara." Richard asked as he was egger to here the tale of His brother and his love.
"It was many years ago,"
Rowen ran through the forest, she was being chased by monsters. "Help me!" She screamed, as she ran her hair now resembled a wild flame as the wind caught it.
A raging Shadren was chasing her, drool and blood dripped from its mouth. "Please, some one!"
She was too frightened to even use her powers.
Rowen screamed as she fell down a dark hole soon hitting the hard stone floor.
The Shadren looked down at her and roared, he could smell the fresh blood that now poured through the now open wound in the side of her head.
"Fire!"
She heard a voice shout, as soon the Shadren had hundreds of arrows penetrating its flesh. It roared and ran away.
"Are you alright," she heard a soft and tender voice. She looked up and saw a boy looking at her; he had thick wavy dark brown hair, tan skin and a pair of beautiful blue eyes.
He lowered his hand to her, "Take my hand." Rowen reached up and took it, and he lifted her up out of the hole.
Rowen saw a dozen D'Haran solders, "Did that creature hurt you?" The boy asked only to receive a soft no in reply.
"My name is Darken Rahl," she looked at him wide eyed. Causing him to laugh softly, "What is your name?"
"R-Rowen, Ahexil" Darken Rahl smiled, "Pretty name."
"My lord, look out!"
Shouted a solder as the Shadren appeared behind the two children, about to kill Darken.
"NO!" Rowen shouted as a red hot flame shot out from her hand, shielding Darken Rahl from the creature's claws. The Shadren screamed as it died.
Darken Rahl looked at the red haired girl next to him her eyes, once silver were now completely black.
"My lord, are you alright?"
Rahl did not respond, he only continued to stare at the girl before him. Who soon fell forward into his arms as she lost all consciousness.
"And that's the whole story." Cara finished, leaving the group stunned. "That day Darken Rahl and Rowen Ahexil became the closest of friends."
Rahl chuckled, "You did leave one part out Cara." The group flinched at the sudden sound of his voice. "The Shadren did indeed attack me and that Rowen saved my butt as it were.
He said from his place at the base of the tree; "You let a Shadren attack you?" Richard said in somewhat shock.
"I was 13, and my powers were still developing. But, I was so distracted by Rowen's beauty." He paused, "her eyes captured me the moment I looked into them. They were the color of the purist silver."
"They aren't any more," Cara said with sadness lingering in her voice. "All the life is gone from her eyes. They are but a dull gray now."
Rahl's eyes closed and a single tear was shed.
Richard looked over at Rahl just in time to see the tear drop fall from his brother's face. He sheds tears for her? Richard thought he must truly love her.
A loud bang echoed through the forest causing every one to flinch.
Cara looked into the sky, and saw a black cloud of smoke. Her heart raced when she realized where the explosion had come from. "ZED" She screamed as she turned to look at the group.
The look on her face was one of terror. "Teleport us NOW!" she yelled in an almost begging voice. Something she never had done before.
"Gather around quickly and hang onto me!" Cara pulled Rahl into the now tight group as Zed began to chant.
In a flash they were back in the small village. Cara immediately went off running, "Cara!"
Richard shouted, as they ran after her. Suddenly it all hit Rahl; Cara never acted this worried or fearful unless it was Rowen that was in danger.
"No," he whispered loudly as he gained in speed catching up to Cara.
They burst through the clearing to see Rowen's cabin on fire.
Rahl took Kahlan's dagger and cut the ropes around his wrists and shed his cloak before he ran into the burning cabin.
"(Coughing) Rowen (Coughing) where are you! Answer me!"
He ran up the set of stairs to find her on the ground under a beam "Rowen!"
He ran to her and began to lift the heavy beam, "Zed! Put out the fire," Cara screamed
Another set of hands appeared and Rahl looked up and saw his brother. "Lift!" with some effort the beam lifted off of Rowen and then Rahl picked her up in his arms and carried her out.
"Zed, you have to heal her now!"
Rowen was covered in soot and blood filled her mouth. "Move!" Zed shouted as he kneeled down and slammed his hand on Rowen's chest. Causing an electrical surge to run throughout her body; she her back arched as Zed began the spell.
Rahl watched, hoping, praying that she would live. When the spell was finished Rowen's body fell back down.
"Rowen?"
He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to her, "Rowen? Please wake up."
He then leaned further down till his lips were next to her ear. The group could hear him whispering something but they couldn't make out what it was.
Then Rahl kissed her, and he pulled away just as Rowen began to gasp for air. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, "You're safe now." The rest of the group looked on in awe at how loving a gentle the once great tyrant was with this fiery-haired woman.