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At Last (Chapter 3)

Entering camp, Richard found Zedd kneeling before Kahlan with Brey sitting closely beside her, holding her hand. She had pulled her hair out of the ponytail, her long dark tresses falling over one of her shoulders as she leaned over to watch Zedd work. Richard anxiously watched Kahlan as she winced in pain with every movement Zedd attempted to make with the already swollen ankle. He hated it when Kahlan was injured no matter how insignificant the injury might seem.

Richard could barely contain the resentment he felt as he watched Brey taking care of his future wife. It should be him sitting there with her, holding her hand. He should be taking care of her; he was going to be her husband, not Brey.

"Well, it doesn't appear to be broken. It's just a bad sprain. I can fix you up in no time, my dear," Zedd informed her with a comforting pat of his boney hand on her knee. Closing his eyes, he held his hands around the injury, allowing his magic to flow through him and around her injured ankle, mending the damaged muscles and ligaments as he mumbled incoherent words.

Cara promptly entered the clearing from behind, coming to stand beside the Seeker. "What's going on? What happened to Kahlan?"

"Kahlan was with Brey fishing when she sprained her ankle. He used his magic to transport her here so Zedd could have a look at it," he said, his narrowed gaze locked on the pair sitting cozily on the log while his grandfather tended to her injury.

"Jealous, Lord Rahl?" Cara smirked, staring at him out of the corner of her eye.

"No!" Richard heatedly stated with a sneer, handing the fish to Cara. "Here, it's your turn to cook breakfast."

"I cooked dinner last night! It's Kahlan's turn," she indignantly reminded him.

"Well, Kahlan is injured and unable to do it so it's your turn again." He was in no mood to argue. He was worried about Kahlan and frustrated about the situation with Brey.

"No need to unload on me just because you're jealous," she muttered crossly under her breath as she irritably snatched the string of fish from his outstretched hand.

"Cara, I'm not jealous. I just don't trust Brey. I think he's up to something and I'm going to find out what it is," he murmured, never taking his eyes off of Kahlan.

XXX

Richard had been relieved that Kahlan's ankle hadn't been any worse than a sprain. Zedd had been able to fix her up rather quickly allowing them to soon enjoy fish for breakfast. Kahlan had quickly denied any lingering pain in her ankle, but Richard had soon noticed a mild limp to her walk.

Richard's initial relief with Kahlan's healed ankle had quickly spiraled into sullenness when Brey had announced that he too was heading for Aydindril. Kahlan had readily invited him to travel with them which Brey had just as eagerly accepted before Richard had the chance to pull Kahlan aside to voice his concerns. He could never deny Kahlan something that brought her happiness even if it caused him frustration and annoyance. At the same time, he was not about to sit back and watch this man incorporate himself into their lives and take whatever he wanted.

Richard had quickly packed up his things right after breakfast, allowing himself some time to talk to Brey. He was growing anxious to find out what the Bender was up to. While everyone was busily packing up their things to leave, Richard made his way to where he was idly waiting. Brey picked at the rough bark of a large fallen tree, his lanky frame resting against the trunk, his legs stretched out in front of him.

"Thank you for getting Kahlan back to camp so quickly so Zedd could take care of her ankle," Richard reluctantly thanked him as he turned to lean his back against the trunk as well. While his face kept a friendly smile in place, his insides were twitching with frustration and suspicion.

"No need to thank me; I'd do anything for KK," he warmly replied, a smile lighting his face, his eyes beginning to shine brightly as they came to rest on the Confessor.

The Seeker bristled at the sound of Brey's pet name for Kahlan, jealousy burning like an active volcano in his heart. Richard was sure Brey would do anything for Kahlan and that was what worried him. "As would I…she means everything to me," Richard firmly informed him, casting him a sideways glance.

Brey's sandy blonde hair fell in waves across his brow as he leaned forward to swat a pesky bug from his pant leg, his expression never flinching with the Seeker's words, not even a flicker of deviation in his entire countenance. It was as if he had never heard Richard speak as the Bender intently stared at Kahlan as she gathered her things.

Brey conveyed nothing but sincerity so far which only added to Richard's distrust of him. It was the one who appeared overly friendly that turned on you, driving a knife into your back when you least expected it.

Months ago, Richard would have never been so alarmed by Brey's presence, not that he wasn't already madly in love with Kahlan by then but because of how naïve he had been. As the Seeker of Truth, he had seen too many things, ended too many lives, had made too many mistakes because he had been so trusting of others. And at times, Kahlan had been the one to pay the price. In the end, he had learned the hard way to be more cautious and not so openly believe everyone he met.

And now that Brey was here with his sights obviously set on Kahlan, Richard was all the more wary of this man. Running the palm of his hand over the hilt of his sword, Richard continued to prod for more information. "So, what do you plan on doing in Aydindril?"

"Not sure yet. Hope to find some steady work, buy a little place of my own, find a wife and settle down," Brey casually replied, never taking his eyes off of Kahlan. "Man, it is so good to see KK again after all these years."

"Yes, I know she's glad to see you again too," he grudgingly admitted as he too watched the Confessor. Her movements were pure grace, her hair falling like a dark veil around her face as she poured water over the campfire. Standing to her feet, she began toeing dirt over the smoldering embers.

"I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her until I saw her again. Brings back a lot of good memories, feelings long forgotten…"

"How is that we happened to run into you here?" Richard abruptly interrupted, quickly changing the subject. He was in no mood to hear what this man felt for his future wife.

"I'd been travelling the Midlands for the last few years, taking odd jobs here and there, never settling down for more than a few months at a time. I just decided one day that it was time I made something of myself and that Aydindril would be the perfect place to do that. KK had always spoken so proudly of it and how wonderful it was so I decided I had to go see it for myself."

Richard listened intently, searching his every word, his overall expression for any hint of deceit or untruthfulness. Unfortunately, he could not detect any so far, at least anything that could provide him any clues as to what the Bender was really after besides his Confessor. "Aydindril has always held a special place in Kahlan's heart. Where are you originally from?"

"It's a place you've never heard of. It's very far away from here," he distractedly replied as he idly peeled the bark off of a twig he'd broken free from the fallen tree trunk. "In fact, it no longer exists."

Richard eyed him suspiciously, wondering just how much of what the man said was true and how much of it was a conjured tale. Crossing his arms over his chest, Richard decided on another tactic. "How long did you stay in Thandor after Kahlan left for Aydindril?"

As if pondering just how much to reveal, Brey finally spoke, his voice surprisingly full of emotion. "A year to the day," he stated as he stared into the distance, suddenly snapping the naked stick in his large hands.

Richard was taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. His voice as well as his posture both grew sad and yet at the same time furious. Richard didn't miss the sudden flash of emotion that momentarily passed through the Bender's eyes, his jaw clenching tightly as he threw the broken stick aside.

"It must have been hard to watch her leave as close as the two of you were," he pushed a little further.

"You have no idea…" he spat out in a deadly low voice, his eyes narrowing into a bitter glare as Kahlan approached them.

The storm of emotions that Richard saw brewing there just beneath the surface told him that he was going to have to keep an eye on Brey at all times. It startled the Seeker to see the intensity of emotion that was being held at bay. It was almost as if the Bender was two different people inhabiting the same body.

"Are you two ready?" Kahlan warmly smiled at them, eyes darting from her friend to the Seeker she loved and then back again. Richard appeared a combination of tenuously held anger and jealousy while Brey looked dark and brooding as if he were about to erupt in a torrent of fury. She had the sinking feeling that Richard and Brey were far from becoming friends any time soon.

Just as quickly as the ferocity had emerged, it suddenly dissipated. "I can't wait to see your Aydindril, KK," Brey excitedly replied as he immediately grabbed his bag and made his way towards her, his mood swiftly changing once again as he hooked an arm through Kahlan's, leading her away from Richard.

Staring as he walked away, Richard's blood suddenly ran cold with panic. In less than a heartbeat, Brey's entire countenance had surprisingly transformed right before his eyes. Grabbing his pack, Richard rushed to catch up with them, fear and concern consuming his soul. Now he was more certain than ever that Brey was far more dangerous than Richard had first believed. The difficult part would be convincing Kahlan and the others.

XXX

The day had been long and hot, the air and the landscape dry. Not a cloud spotted the bright blue sky, allowing the sun to burn in all its glorious brilliance without a reprieve. The air was almost stifling with not even a breeze to break the monotony of the heat.

Still concerned about her ankle, Richard had started out walking with Kahlan, but had soon fallen behind with Brey claiming position on Kahlan's other side and dominating her attention. He chattered endlessly about Thandor and all the things the two of them did together while she had been there.

Walking silently beside Zedd, Richard was still in the throes of a foul mood that had been there since earlier that day when he had seen Brey with Kahlan in the stream. His brooding disposition had been steadily worsening with every passing hour as he watched Brey and Kahlan walk ahead of them, talking constantly and breaking into frequent bouts of laughter.

He was exhausted from the months of searching, his nerves on edge from Brey's presence, and frustrated as hell that he hadn't been able to make love to Kahlan yet. The sweet anticipation of being completely united with Kahlan in body as well as heart and soul was rapidly building to frenzied levels. He also felt himself growing steadily more possessive of her the longer Brey was here. Jealousy was not something that was typical of his nature, but on the other hand he had never been so passionately in love with someone until Kahlan. It also wasn't every day that a man from Kahlan's past suddenly appeared.

This was to be his and Kahlan's chance together with no interruptions, no enemies bearing down on them attempting to kill them, no stone to find, no world to save. They were completely free to love each other with no barriers keeping them apart. It was supposed to be a blissful time for them to just be able to enjoy each other, expressing and experiencing each other's love. Now Kahlan was sharing that time with a man other than him.

Sensing his grandson's dark temperament, Zedd had remained silent most of the day, allowing Richard to deal with the whirlwind of emotions that he knew he was battling. Casting a sideways glance, Zedd noticed Richard was only growing more agitated as the day wore on. A scowl had become a permanent fixture on his face, the muscles of his jaw drawn tight, his gaze dark and sharp as razors. He kept a steady hand on his sword, either gliding his fingers absentmindedly in circles around the hilt or at times gripping it tightly when Brey laid a hand on Kahlan or wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Zedd could feel Richard's frustration and jealousy smoldering just beneath the surface, itching for a reason to be released. He watched as the Seeker released a troubled sigh, raking his hand back through his long hair in exasperation.

"You know you're going to burn a hole right through that young man if you keep glowering like that."

"I'm sorry, Zedd. I just can't seem to help it." Richard used the toe of his boot to irritably kick a stone out of his way on the road, creating small cyclones of dust to temporarily rise up around his feet.

"Jealousy is an ugly thing, my boy."

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm jealous? I'm not jealous, Zedd. There's just something about him that makes me uneasy," Richard quickly replied, frustration adding an edge to his voice. There was something more going on. He was beginning to think he was going mad. It wasn't like him to be so upset about something like this, but he'd had a sickening feeling of apprehension ever since Brey's initial dramatic arrival and had only continued to intensify after talking with him that morning. The erratic sudden changes in his temperament had been unnerving, causing Richard to grow even more alarmed about the Bender being around Kahlan.

"Well, Benders have a tendency to be unstable and unpredictable in their personality and nature," the old Wizard informed him with a great deal of disgust. "You never know, though. It seems that growing up in Thandor has made a positive difference in his life."

"Something tells me it hasn't," he muttered through gritted teeth, never taking his eyes off of his Confessor. Her head suddenly fell back in a fit of laughter, her long tresses flowing freely down her back like a dark silky waterfall. The melodious sound of laughter that erupted from her caused the corners of Richard's lips to momentarily turn up.

"Kahlan clearly feels comfortable around him. As a Confessor, she can detect when someone is lying so either he's a very good liar or Kahlan is unable to read him."

"Like how Confessors are unable to read Mord'Sith?"

"Could be, but it could also be that Kahlan doesn't want to read him. He's definitely a charmer, that one. So far, he's been nothing but courteous and pleasant. I like him; he seems very friendly. And Kahlan definitely seems to enjoy his company."

"Friendly except for the way that he chose to show up, endangering Kahlan in the process," Richard hissed with renewed annoyance at the memory. He hated seeing Kahlan put any sort of danger even if it was meant to be a joke.

"He just has a flair for the dramatic. Kahlan appears very happy to see him again. He seems to have a very close relationship with her."

"I agree and that's what worries me the most." Richard pinched the bridge of his nose, temporarily closing his eyes against the overwhelming panic that welled up inside of him with finally putting words to his fear. "I hate to do it, but I'm going to have to talk to her about him. She's just so happy to see a friend from Thandor. I don't want to upset her, but I can't just sit back and watch her get hurt."

"I'm not so sure that would be a very good idea, my boy. Kahlan isn't going to take too well to someone telling her a close friend is not what he appears to be. Because of her magic, Kahlan has hardly had any friends before the three of us. She's fiercely protective of the few friends that she does have. Don't let your jealousy get in the way of making good decisions."

"She's my best friend, Zedd. There could never be a better friend than Kahlan," he softly replied, his eyes growing tender with the love that consumed him. "I just don't want her to get hurt…or worse yet, lose her altogether." Richard swallowed hard against the sudden anguish that came with the unbearable thought.

"Well, there's one thing you definitely don't have to worry about, though."

"What's that?"

"That young woman's heart belongs to no one but you." With a broad smile, Zedd clapped his grandson on the back, leaving it there a moment longer to reassure him. "So, there's no need for the jealousy that you say isn't there."

Richard turned, flashing his grandfather a smile as well as a look that spoke volumes of the panic that swarmed in his heart. Zedd always knew how to make him feel better.

Just then, Kahlan looked over her shoulder, flashing the Seeker the most beautiful smile, her face glowing from laughter, her eyes bright with happiness. She somehow managed to make the very air in his lungs suddenly vanish. He unconsciously took a deep breath in an attempt to replenish his supply of air. Ever since that first day he saw her running through the woods in Hartland, she'd had a magical hold on him that had nothing to do with her Confessor's powers. It was a spell that had continued to develop and grow in intensity since then. It was something that he knew for himself could never be broken by anyone or anything.

Richard readily returned her smile with one of his own, mouthing the words 'I love you'. Kahlan smiled her special smile that silently told him she felt the same before she turned back to Brey's endless chatter. To his amazement, Kahlan had just managed in the briefest of moments to temporarily calm the jealous torment in his soul. Somehow, though, the fear of losing her forever still lingered…