"Stop staring at me," Richard ordered his friend. They had been riding for nearly for two hours and they had already left the city and his mood hadn't improved. "It's already done, Cara. She wanted me to go, she- I can't hurt her anymore."
"To keep from hurting her, you left?"
"I looked her in the eyes and I lied to her. I hoped that it would be true, but when I said it, I knew that it wasn't. We both knew. I've never seen that look in her eyes before. I hurt her and I can't do that to her again."
Rolling her eyes, the Mord'Sith slowed her horse. "You've lied to her before-"
"I told her she was my home." His friend now understood why he was so upset. "When I'm with her, I- It's not the way it was before."
"Richard!" Her voice grabbed his attention at once, bringing a smile to his face as he looked for her in the crowd around them. "They said I would be able to find you here."
Dropping to the ground, he pulled her into his arms with a soft laugh. "Anna." Pulling back, he grinned widely. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. You never came back home."
The sound of the word "home" was comforting when she said it, easing him further into comfort. "I have been needed here," he said as motioned to the Mord'Sith. "Cara, this is Anna, an old friend of mine."
His blonde friend smirked. "I'm sure."
"I'm going to stay with her for a while, you can go ahead and-"
"I can't leave you without protection."
"I'll be fine, we're going to stay in the city."
"And if Kahlan comes looking for you?"
"She won't." Cara raised an eyebrow and remained still. "That's an order." Rolling her eyes, she gave a quick nod and rode away. Once she was out of sight, she would double back to keep an eye on him. Turning his attention back to his other friend, he motioned out arm to the right. "There's a tavern over here, we'll be able to talk there."
***
He had gone through four mugs in an hour, laughing as they recounted events from their past. It had been a while since he had felt this way and he didn't want it end. Raising his hand for another drink, he leaned forward with a widening smile.
"He chased us to the creek before he realized he wouldn't be able to catch us," Richard said before reaching for his fresh mead. "How long are you staying?"
"I hadn't decided. I've always wanted to see new places, so I thought now would be the perfect time."
Nodding his head, he looked around them. "The city's great, but you should see some of the outer towns."
Tilting her head, she leaned forward, twirling a few strands of hair around the index finger of her right hand. "You can show me where you live."
Coming to his feet, he held out his arm for her to take, grinning widely. "We're going to need to get you a horse."
***
"You live here?" Anna asked as they entered the People's Palace.
Nodding, Richard hurried out ahead of her and stretched out his arms. "I do."
Coming in close to him, she brought her hands to his chest and smiled seductively. "Care to give me a tour?"
"I think we can manage a quick one."
The brunette clung to his arm as they walked down each hall, leaning on him as a way to get closer to him. Her hands constantly moved over his back and chest, finding small reasons to touch him for longer periods of time until they reached the door of his bedroom. As he reached for the doorknob, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his. He hesitated for a moment, his mind going blank as she caressed his chest and pulled at his shirt. Pushing against her, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her small body off of the ground as he kicked the door closed. Her tongue pushed past his lips quickly as he gave no defense against her.
Anna yanked his shirt over his head as he brought her to the bed, her hands instantly covering his bare skin. Moving up to the head of the bed, she lifted her shirt to give him a slow show before she threw it onto the floor. His eyes moved over her, her skin flawless and uninjured, completely different than that of his wife. She beckoned for his touch and new experiences, it thrilled him. Kahlan's face flashed through his mind, bringing back the last moments of passion he shared with her. There were things he would never be able to do with her.
Crawling onto his bed, he began to unlace his pants, his body suddenly craving all the comfort of the world. Kissing her stomach, he pushed at top of her pants in desperation. His instinct took over, his hands grabbing her breasts as his tongue rushing to the scar that should have been there. Pulling back, he shook his head and hurried away from her. How could he have gone this far? His body had been pressed against another who wasn't his wife and he had been eager for more.
"We can't," he said quietly, retying his pants.
Sitting forward, Anna reached out for him, taking hold of his arm. "We're just having a little fun, that's all. There's nothing wrong with-"
"I'm married," he replied. It was the first time he had mentioned it to her.
"She's not here," he offered. "She'll never know."
Meeting her eyes, Richard felt his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest. "She'll know the moment she looks at me."
Rolling her eyes, the brunette pulled on his arm, bringing his hand to her breast once more. "Then you don't have to stop. You're not happy with her," she said with a smile. "If you were, you wouldn't have crawled onto me so easily. I can see it in your eyes, you want something she can't give you. You want a woman who can please you in ways you can't even imagine."
He pushed back onto the bed, connecting their lips once more as their bodies crashed against each other's. She moaned at once, rolling over him to keep him from pulling away again. Sitting up, she slid down onto him, scratching her long nails into his chest as he closed his eyes with a low grunt. Rocking her body against his, she let out a loud cry of pleasure, one he had never heard from his wife's lips. Sliding his hands over her sides, he reached up to her breasts and squeezed, looking for another sound from her lips. He was rewarded at once as she held them to her and quickened her pace.
Her moans became persistent and his hold on her tightened, his body handing onto a thin thread that kept him going. Leaning back, she grabbed his legs to steady herself as she gave in to her desire completely. Richard moaned at the change of position, the angle changing the pressure of their bodies. Unable to take any more, he pulled her against him and rolled them over, thrusting roughly as he fought images of his wife from his mind. Her smile filled his thoughts, the sound of her moans as he made love to her after months of being apart. The sound of his name leaving her lips in a soft pant as she climbed higher and higher echoed around him, bringing his eyes to open and look at the unfamiliar woman beneath him.
Anna bucked against him, her hands holding onto his hips to increase the force between them as she pushed her chest against his. She was panting between moans, her body beginning to shake beneath his as she began to reach her peak. Her cry of ecstasy filled the room, echoing off of the walls loudly as her body tightened its hold on his. He waited for his favorite part, her magic ripping through him, but it never came. Opening his eyes, he looked down at her in horror of what he had done. Throwing himself backward, he growled in release, his seed spilling out onto the bed as he stumbled away from her.
"Spirits what have I done?" he said breathlessly before falling onto the floor. Moving as quickly as he could, he began redressing himself, praying that Kahlan would forgive his foolishness. The other brunette laid grinning on his bed, ignoring his movement as she soaked in her own pleasure. Walking to the door, he turned back to her and sighed. "When you are ready, get dressed and see yourself out."
Moving as quickly as he could, he tried to calm his pounding heart, his actions making him sick with each step. She would never betray him, even after one of their fights. She was his constant, true and faithful, his to love forever and he had just destroyed everything that they had ever had. How would she ever be able to trust him again, to look at him the way she always had. He feared the loss of love in her eyes. Terror filled him at the thought of the look that would be there when he told her what he had done.
Turning the first corner after his room, he slowed at the angry look on his blonde friend's face. She knew what he had done. The moment he opened his mouth to give an excuse, she turned and walked away. If she wasn't willing to listen to him, how could he expect his wife to? Rushing after his friend, he walked along beside her, pretending that he had done nothing wrong. It was the only way he could continue on.
******
The usual week it would have taken for them to return to Aydindril had been shortened by the Seeker's need to see his wife. Three days had passed and he still felt Anna's skin against his and no matter how many times he grew sick, the taste of her never left his tongue. The event played over in his mind, seeing the difference with his time with Kahlan. Everything had been different from the feel of her skin to the taste of her lips. The sound of her moans to the way she held him; it was incomparable. He had made the biggest mistake of his life and he was never going to be able to undo it.
Walking through the gates of the Confessor's Palace, he was greeted by Kahlan's closest servant, terror in her, usually friendly, green eyes. "I was just sent to find you."
"What's wrong?" he asked as he jumped down from his horse.
Shaking her head, the woman motioned for him to follow her. "She hadn't said anything; none of us knew-"
"Knew what?" Before the woman could answer, they turned the corner to see the wizard leaving her room with a frown. Rushing to the door, he looked in and instantly fell to his knees in tears. Blood soaked towels and rags laid around on the floor and side of the bed, her servants rushing to clean it all. Kahlan was laying in the bed, her back facing the door and from the way the blankets were hugging her, he knew something terrible had taken place. "What happened?"
"I've given her something to help her rest," Zedd said quietly, keeping his eyes on his grandson. "I believe the child survived."
Looking up, he met his eyes in confusion. "Child?"
"Kahlan has been carrying your child for nearly five months, had she not told you?"
His mind rushed through every conversation they had over the past months, the few days he had actually spent time with her. Even if she wanted to tell him, he never gave her the opportunity. "No." For a moment, he wondered if the child was his. Maybe she had been with Ari and what he had done with Anna was nothing to be ashamed of. Bringing his eyes back to her, he tossed the thoughts from his mind, there could be no truth to it. She was the only person he could ever trust. "Zedd, what happened to her?"
"Almost four days ago, she collapsed in the middle of a meeting. I'm still unable to be sure of what took place. I've never seen anyone in such pain."
Coming to his feet, he slowly began walking toward her. "Is it all right if I stay alone with her?"
"She may not awaken for some time."
"I just want to sit with her," he lied.
He waited until they were alone before he walked around to the other side of the bed. She looked exhausted, she had heavy, dark circles under her eyes and there was a small amount of blood coming from her nose. As he continued to examine her, he noticed a large gash on the side of her head. When she had collapsed, she must have hit her head. Gently, he reached out and laid his hand gently against her cheek and blinked out a few tears. He had been with another woman while his wife and their daughter's life were in danger, betrayal at its deepest.
Her eyes fluttered opened and he pulled back, knowing that it was then that he would have to tell her. Staring at the dark blankets, he took a deep breath to prepare himself. "I've- Kahlan, I've done something terrible. When I left, I saw Anna and we talked- I took her back to the People's Palace and then I- I betrayed you. I was with her." All color drained from her face, her heart ceasing to beat as she watched his eyes continue to fill with tears. Parting her lips, she let out a cry and began moving backward, away from him. "Kahlan, please," he whispered as he reached for her. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to-"
She could no longer hear his words, her mind spinning in horror as she tried to get away from him. She pushed him away, trying to keep distance between them as she struggled to get air. Her cry grew louder and then, within an instant, she was on the floor. He grabbed her arms gently, trying to get her back onto the bed but she wouldn't allow him to. With each moment, she cried louder, the pain now almost too much to bear. Giving him a rough shove, she begged him to leave her alone, her words barely able to form through her cries.
Zedd rushed into the room as she began to crawl, desperately trying to get away from her husband. "Kahlan!" Grabbing his robes, she pulled herself against his legs and sobbed, begging him to protect her. He didn't understand what was happening, why she flinched when Richard touched her, tears in his own eyes as he asked her to forgive him. "Richard, perhaps it would be best if you left."
Keeping his eyes on her, he licked his lips and leaned forward. "Kahlan, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you and I- It didn't mean anything to me."
Suddenly everything made sense to the wizard, but he remained quiet, waiting to see what happened next. Kahlan turned her head back to him and swallowed back her pain and anger. "Please..."
Quickly, he got to his feet and rushed out of their room, carrying another wave of her sobs with him.
******
"How could you do that to her?!" the wizard shouted, closing the door to one of the palace's spare rooms. "After everything you two have been through, you do this?"
"I didn't mean for it to happen, Zedd. One minute we were sitting in the tavern on the edge of the city, talking and the next I couldn't stop thinking about being with her." Richard was pacing the length of the room quickly, his mind on fire as he tried to explain. "I don't know when this started. I love Kahlan, I do, but Zedd I- How could I have done this to her?" Turning his grandfather he stopped walking and stared into his eyes, helplessly. "The entire time I was with Anna, I wanted Kahlan. I could see her face; hear her voice, but I didn't stop. I knew it was wrong, but I continued anyway. Why didn't I stop?" Walking to the wall, he slammed his fist into the light stone with all his strength.
The sound of bone cracking hit their ears but only one cared at all. Dropping to his knees, Richard started to hit the wall again, only to be stopped by the older man. "Come here, my boy. We'll fix this."
"No," he said breathlessly. "I should feel a small portion of the pain I've caused her."
It was in that moment, his gray eyes saw something in his grandson's that screamed out to him. "How often have you gone to the tavern?"
"I don't know. Cara and I stopped by on our way here a few months ago. I- I had never gone inside before, but now I go every-time I pass by."
The wizard sighed in sorrow. "Kimberly."
"How did you-"
"I need you to think, Richard. When you were there, how many drinks did you have?"
"I don't know," he whispered. "Five, maybe."
"And Anna?"
"I don't know, I wasn't focused on-"
"Think, Richard!"
"Two. Zedd what does that have to do with-"
"I saw Anna there months ago with your new friend Kimberly. I think this was planned."
Fury raged through the Seeker, setting him on a fire of hatred. "She said she had just arrived. She said she- Why would she want to- Spirits I... Zedd I've lost the only person I've ever loved."
"She still loves you, Richard."
"How could she? I was doing unspeakable things with another woman while my wife was fighting for not only her life, but that of our child. It doesn't matter why I did it, what matters is that I did. I betrayed her; I betrayed our love." Looking down to the floor, he focused his mind on the pain of his broken and bloody hand. "Before I left, she told me that she had wondered if the council had been right about Cara and I. I told her that there was only her and that I would never..."
"The night I returned, it had been the first time I had entered that tavern and I remember walking into our room so clearly. She was facing the door; I was afraid I had woken her. I looked around the room and I thought I was seeing it for the first time. I started to think about everything she was, the life she had and how different it was from mine." A small smile came to his lips as he continued to recount that night. "I wondered why she chose me. Sometimes when she sleeps, she has this smile on her face. This beautiful smile that makes you forget everything and I stood beside her, staring at that smile and I couldn't believe that she loved me."
"The seed of doubt had already begun to take plant."
"I don't understand."
Releasing a heavy sigh, the older man crossed his arms. "From what you have described, I believe you have been under the effects of an old elixir. It has been some time since I have heard of its use, but I do not believe there is another reason you would have done as you have. Kimberly would know it very well, she has been learning exceptionally fast." Coming to his feet, Zedd took a few steps to the door and paused. "There is a way we can be sure, but first I must know the truth." He took another moment to prepare himself for saying what needed to be said. "Did you complete with Anna?" Richard remained silent, ashamed of the truth. Turning back to his grandson, he held a firm frown. "There is no undoing what you have done."
The Seeker swallowed hard, the pain of his hand failing to compare to the pain in his heart. "I know, but I don't understand why Anna would do this to me."
"Because you only see the good in people. She is not the small girl you used to play with; she's dangerous."
As his grandfather moved to leave, Richard jumped to his feet. "I love Kahlan, Zedd."
Looking over his right shoulder, he nodded. "I know. Her magic had gone through you that day, there is no doubt in your heart of your love for her."
