TITLE: Paradise Found

AUTHOR: LOTSlove®

CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan / Zedd / Cara/ Darken Rahl / Other Seeker Characters (Surprise Appearances)

RATING: R/M

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

TIMELINE: Alternative Universe

DISCLAIMER: I'm completely obsessed with the show Legend of the Seeker and all things Richard and Kahlan. I love to write about them even though they cancelled my show and now I'm fighting to get it back!

SUMMARY: My very first AU fic! Team Seeker and gang set in the Wild Wild West. Hope you enjoy the adventure!

Chapter 6

Richard was oblivious to his surroundings, barely even aware of the man silently riding at his side as they made their way to his brother's ranch. While he was worried about what he would find once he finally saw Michael again, his thoughts kept taking him back to Kahlan. He could still scarcely believe that she had come to his room last night, that she too felt that spark of something for him in her heart.

Just remembering how she had looked standing so nervously by the door, the way her nightdress had so perfectly accentuated her feminine curves, the look of uncertainty and longing that had veiled her face made his pulse race. And then he was suddenly kissing her, tasting what had been so forbidden, holding in his arms what he had wanted most.

It had been so magical that he had hated for it to end so quickly, but he knew that she could not have stayed. It would have only put her in more danger than she was already in. He could hardly wait until she could be with him always.

Chase cast a glance to his friend riding beside him, chuckling softly at the younger man. He could tell by the wistful expression on his face that he'd seen Kahlan again. He was already different from the man he had met just two days ago, his eyes losing a measure of the hard anger that had been there before when he had first met him.

"You kissed her, didn't you?"

Taken aback, Richard looked to the sheriff riding to his left, noticing the smirk that now played on his lips, the amusement glinting in his dark eyes. He suddenly found it difficult keeping a smile from his own face.

"Maybe," Richard casually shrugged a shoulder, turning his focus back to the road before them. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."

"I can tell you did," Chase chuckled in response. "It's as obvious as the nose on your face."

Richard's brow furrowed with the sheriff's words. "Really? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of hiding it."

"There is no hiding it when a man is in love like you are, Richard."

"I have to save her, Chase," he said, his smile quickly fading. "I can't let her marry Rahl."

"You must have a death wish," the sheriff shook his head in amazement.

"Could you've just sat back and allowed Emma to marry another man?"

Chase scowled with the thought, his gaze swiftly darkening like a violent storm rolling in. "Never," he growled. "I never would've let Emma marry someone else. She belongs to me."

"Exactly," Richard triumphantly replied.

"And just how do you plan on stopping Darken Rahl to save the woman you love?"

Richard's mood suddenly darkened as well. "I'm not sure yet, but there has to be a way. I'm not going to give up until I find it."

"The wedding is tomorrow, you know," he reminded his friend. "Rahl won't let you get half way out of D'Hara before he'd have you strung up. Besides, there's no way that Kahlan would escape an attempt at freedom like that without being punished as well. Are you willing to put her through that?"

Richard's shoulders sank as he considered his friend's words. He knew in his heart that Chase was right, but he couldn't condemn her to the life that he knew laid in store for her if he didn't do something to stop it.

He shuddered to think of what the future held for her, the things that Darken Rahl would do to her, force her into doing for him.

"And Kahlan won't be in danger by marrying that monster? She's in trouble no matter what I do or don't do," he told him. "If I can get her away from him, then we at least have a chance at the life that we want together. If I do nothing, she's as good as dead."

"You got that right," Chase agreed with a heavy sigh. "You don't want to know what happened to the other women who spent any length of time in Darken Rahl's company. It's not a pretty sight."

"Why don't you do something about it? Try and stop him?" Richard asked, his frustration mounting.

"Don't you think I've tried?" he bit out. "When I first became sheriff, I made Rahl's business my business. I followed him everywhere he went, tracked his every move. I became his shadow, just trying to catch him in the act of something that I could use to put him behind bars.

"Unfortunately, he's very crafty, always covering his tracks and allowing his thugs to take the heat for his illegal dealings. He'll never see the inside of a jail until we can come up with something that will stick to that slippery weasel."

"His men are willing to take the blame for him?"

"They would rather go to jail for the rest of their lives or be hung from the gallows than to have to face Rahl for turning on him," he told him. "I came close to catching him once a long time ago, but he made a veiled threat against my family so I was forced to back down.

"I decided then and there that it was better to be alive and keep my family safe, to help keep some level of peace around here to counter the evil that Rahl spreads like a deadly virus. I have never given up hope, though, that one day I would be able to put him away forever, to rid D'Hara of Darken Rahl."

"It takes a very special kind of man to be able to stay here and fight despite the odds against you," Richard thoughtfully replied, sobered by the things that he had learned. "You're a good man, Chase."

"I don't know about that, but I try to do what I can around here," he softly said. "If there's a way to stop Darken Rahl and this wedding, I will help you find it, Richard. You have my word."

"I appreciate that, but I don't want to put you or your family in any more danger. I couldn't live with myself if you or your family got hurt because of me."

"We're in danger every day of our lives here. One day is no different from the next here in D'Hara."

Richard nodded his head in understanding, knowing that Rahl had to be stopped one way or another. His heart demanded revenge against those who had murdered his father, but he suddenly found that saving Kahlan was just as important to him…maybe even a little more so.

He already knew that if it came down to choosing between revenge or escaping with Kahlan, he would choose Kahlan. While he loved and missed his father deeply, he had to focus on the future now, the life that he wanted to share with the woman who had so unexpectedly stolen his heart.

"How do you feel about seeing your brother after all this time?" Chase suddenly asked.

"Not sure I'm looking forward to it," Richard shook his head. "Having to see him after all this time, delivering terrible news like this…I wish things hadn't turned out like they had."

"But if you hadn't come to D'Hara, you never would've met Kahlan," he reminded him. "Sometimes the sun can shine through the darkest of skies."

Richard smiled softly with the sheriff's reminder. "Yes, I guess it can," he murmured more to himself, knowing the truth of his words.

A dark cloud of gloom and despair had been following him for weeks since his father's death. Meeting Kahlan had brought the sun shining through in a dazzling rush of brilliant light, almost blinding him in her radiance. He never wanted to lose her, lose the warm light that she had shed on his dark and lonely life.

But Richard had to admit he was a little apprehensive about seeing his brother after so long. They had never been very close, each wrapped up in their different interests. Richard would've liked having a closer relationship with his brother, but Michael had always seemed so distant, more interested in money and making friends with influential people than things going on at home.

And now it seemed that those interests of his had gotten him into more trouble than he could handle.

Richard didn't know how he was going to be able to keep from tearing his brother apart with his bare hands if Michael's greed had gotten him tangled up with Darken Rahl or had led to their father's murder.

He just hoped that it wasn't true, but his heart was telling him otherwise.

XXX

Richard could scarcely believe his eyes as he dismounted his horse. Michael's ranch was enormous, at least more than five times the size that his father's ranch had been. His anger blazed anew, furious that his brother's appetite for wealth had been more important to him than his own family had been.

"Over there," Chase softly said with a nod of his head.

Turning, Richard spotted his brother coming out of a large barn. He was sharply dressed in black, the silver tips on his cowboy boots glinting brightly in the hot afternoon sun. His cowboy hat hung from his neck and rested against his back.

Looking up, Michael suddenly froze at the site of his unexpected visitors, his face immediately falling. It was not the reaction that Richard had been expecting, but he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. It wasn't like Michael to run and greet him, welcoming him with open arms. It just wasn't in his nature.

Now, though, he appeared very guarded, fearful almost.

He had never seen that nervous expression directed at him before. He almost seemed afraid of him in a way. Was he fearful of being caught in something he shouldn't be involved in or was he afraid of the reason behind Richard's visit here?

If he was somehow responsible for their father's death, Richard wasn't actually sure what he would do or how he would react. He would have to force himself to listen to what Michael had to say first before reacting.

Michael abruptly turned then, swiftly closing the barn door behind him before securing it with the lock. Turning back towards them again, he straightened his black jacket before coming to meet them. Try as he might to hide his fear, it was dancing vividly in his eyes at that moment.

"Richard!" he cordially greeted him with a smile. "This is quite a surprise. It's been far too long. It's good to see you."

Richard fought back a sudden rush of tears as Michael suddenly pulled him into a fierce embrace. Memories of all the times they had spent together as children playing cowboys and building forts came rushing to the surface. Despite the differences in personalities and interests, they'd still had some good times together. This was still his brother.

"It's good to see you too, Michael," Richard softly replied, returning his brother's embrace in full despite the questions and suspicions that stormed through his mind.

After several moments, Michael finally pulled back to look at his brother. "Richard, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked, his forehead creasing in sudden concern. "Are you alright?"

Whether feigned or real, his brother's worry meant something to him at that moment. He'd been alone for so very long now. He'd had to cut his father down from that tree, burying him all alone. It had been the hardest thing that he'd ever had to do.

"It's…father," he managed to choke out. "He's dead, Michael."

"What?" he shook his head. "What happened to him?"

"I came home from bringing the cattle in from the valley to find him hanging from a tree. He'd been brutally beaten," Richard informed him, his eyes suddenly brimming with tears now that he finally had his brother to share his heartache with.

"Who did this, Richard? Who would kill our father?" he demanded to know, his face twisting into a sneer.

"I was hoping that you could tell me," he snapped, the fire of his anger suddenly banishing his tears and hardening his heart once more.

Michael took a subconscious step back, his eyes growing cold. "Why would I have anything to do with the murder of our father?" he gasped.

"I don't know, Michael," Richard bit out, his hands clenching into fists as he fought to control his anger. "Maybe it has to do with all of this fortune that you seem to have suddenly acquired."

"What would my success have to do with father's death?" he angrily ground out. "Your jealousy over my wealth is clouding your thinking."

"I don't care what you have or don't have," he growled. "You could own all of D'Hara and I couldn't care less. I just want to know who killed our father."

"Richard, I just found out that he had been murdered. How could I possible know who did it?"

"You had to have gotten yourself caught up in something illegal to have accumulated so much wealth so quickly."

Michael took a threatening step closer to his brother, his anger flaring in return to Richard's insinuations. "I have worked hard for everything that I have," he hissed, pointing at his large house. "It was not just handed to me."

"Are you sure about that, Michael?" Richard stepped closer. "Darken Rahl didn't have a hand any of this?"

"How dare you show up here, tell me my father is dead and then accuse me of having illegal dealings with Darken Rahl!" Michel shouted. "You don't know anything, Richard!"

"I didn't just show up here without searching for answers first," Richard seethed. "Everything that I have come across, every bit of information I have found has pointed me here, to Darken Rahl. Is it just a coincidence that you just happen to live here too and that it was our father who was killed? Is it just by accident that you have come into so much wealth in such a short amount of time?

"Tell me, Michael! Tell me you have nothing to do with Darken Rahl, that you didn't inadvertently get our father killed because your greed got in the way!"

Michael watched as Richard's chest rose and fell with fury and hurt, his eyes hard and dangerous. He had never seen his brother like this, a new-found respect for him suddenly taking root. "I am telling you the truth, Richard," he calmly replied. "I had nothing to do with our father's death."

Richard stared at him for a long moment, weighing his words and trying to decide whether they were the truth or not. He finally relaxed his grip, unclenching his fists as he fought to rein in the anger that was pounding through his veins.

"That still doesn't mean that you're not involved with Darken Rahl in some way," Richard finally responded, his voice sharper than a knife.

Michael looked past his brother to the imposing sheriff standing behind him. The look on Chase's face told him that he believed the same as Richard. "And what do you think, Chase?"

"You already know what I think of Darken Rahl, Michael."

"I heard a rumor that Rahl sent his men out here to your ranch last night to pick something up," Richard informed him. "Any idea what that could've been?"

"If you must know, it was one of my cows from my herd," Michael finally relented. "Rahl wanted it butchered for his wedding tomorrow. He's planning an elaborate feast."

Richard stared at him long and hard, knowing what Chase had told him about one of the crate of guns he and his deputy had confiscated last night. Michael was standing here lying straight to his face and he wasn't the least bit guilt-ridden about it. It was like he'd been lying his whole life, the words dancing off his tongue as smoothly as if it were the truth. It made Richard's stomach churn.

Michael suddenly stepped forward, his hand coming to rest on Richard's shoulder. He squeezed it affectionately as he stared into his brother's dark brown eyes. "If Rahl is involved, I promise I will do everything in my power to make him pay."

Richard pulled away, unable to stand being near his brother any longer. He turned to leave, wanting to just get back to his room at the Inn, to hopefully have Kahlan visit him again like she had last night. Tonight, she would not be leaving his room.

"Michael, you and Richard leave Rahl to me," Chase stepped in. "I can't have the two of you bringing your own brand of justice whether it's justified or not."

Michael only nodded his head as he watched his brother make his way to his horse. "Where are you staying?" he called after him.

"The Keeper's Inn," Richard told him as he mounted his horse.

"You're more than welcome to stay here with me if you want," he replied, coming to stand beside him. "I have more than enough room for you to stay as long as you'd like."

"I'll think about it," he told him before turning his horse and riding away.

"Keep your nose clean, Michael," Chase warned him before taking his leave as well.

"Thank you for your concern, sheriff, but I can handle myself," he called after him.

Michael watched as Richard and Chase rode away, his dark gaze narrowing. His brother's sudden appearance couldn't have come at a worse time, the news of his father's death causing fear to strike deep in his heart.

He knew it was far too late to keep his nose clean like Chase had said. He was already in deep over his head, so much so that he didn't think he'd ever see the light of day again. And there was no escaping once Darken Rahl sunk his claws into a person's soul.