Richard woke to hear a persistent banging on the door. He glanced to the window - it was just before dawn, light faintly covering the sky. He yawned and stretched, realizing his arm was no longer tucked neatly around Kahlan. He blinked a few times before his eyes focused to the darkness, the candles long ago burnt out. He saw slight motion in the corner of his eye, and turned his head to the left to see Kahlan sleeping peacefully on her stomach, her back exposed to the air while the rest of her body was wrapped in the sheets. Richard smiled before he heard the knock again.

He wasn't sure exactly where his pants were and quickly fumbled to remove a part of the bedding without waking Kahlan up. He wrapped it around his waist as he made his way for the door, feeling around the room to make sure not to knock into anything. He sighed in relief when his hand made contact with the cool metal of the door handle. He slowly drew the door open to see a very angry blonde Mord'Sith on the other side.

"Yes, Cara?" Richard's voice was irritable. He didn't like the fact he woke up from the knocking, and thanked the spirits Kahlan hadn't been stirred by it. He looked over his shoulder to see her slightly shift, murmuring something before drifting off to sleep again.

"Has she let you off your leash long enough to answer the door?" Cara snapped, pressing her hand on the door to swing it open. Richard caught it before it slammed against the stone wall. He glared at her.

"Cara," his voice was stern and harsh, "what do you want?" Richard had to remove his hand from the door to grab the cloth around his waist, stretching out his other arm to keep Cara from barreling into the room. He looked over his shoulder again to see if Kahlan had awoken. She hadn't.

"I want Lord Rahl back!" She practically screamed it in his face and in the background he heard the sheets of the bed rustling. Cara tried to advance forward, but Richard wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her into the hallway, quietly shutting the door behind them.

"Cara, I'm right here." Despite the yelling and the aggravation, he could tell that she really cared about what they all thought had happened to him. He also noted the way her body was positioned. He didn't put it past her to want to get in the room to kill Kahlan.

Cara scoffed. "I'm not quite sure how this confession works, but I do know that you bedding the Mother Confessor means you are forever subjected to her will." Her eyes narrowed. "As long as she lives, that is."

Richard rested a hand on her shoulder, slightly shaking her. "Cara, look at me." Her blue orbs rested on his. "You saw Kahlan was asleep, correct?" She rolled her eyes. "How could she command me to come to the door if she wasn't even awake?" Cara furrowed her eyebrows and took a step back, crossing her arms.

"I don't believe you. You couldn't be with the Mother Confessor without being confessed." Her eyes were hard, but filled with emotion. Richard opened his mouth to speak when he heard the door open behind him.

Kahlan had a robe covering her form and her hair was disheveled from the prior nights activities. She leaned her forearm against the door frame and the sleeve of her robe fell down to her elbow. She looked Cara from head to toe, lips pursing. Richard had an idea.

"Kahlan," her eyes didn't leave Cara, "command me to do something." Kahlan furrowed her brows as she moved her head to look at him. Cara tapped her foot impatiently. Kahlan smiled.

"Kill Cara." Richard had to stifle a laugh and when he looked at Cara, her jaw had fallen and her eyes were wide. He took Kahlan's hand in his as he looked down at her, trying to keep himself from smiling.

"Now, Kahlan, isn't that a bit overboard?" Kahlan pouted and shook her head as she retracted her hand. Instead of placing it around her stomach like she had before, she was now playing along his hip, teasing the fabric and slightly pulling it down. Cara didn't seem to notice the action.

"You .. you aren't confessed?" Cara's voice cracked. Before Richard could answer her, Kahlan took a fist full of the sheet in her hand as she tugged him towards her.

"Now that that's cleared up," Kahlan shot an icy glare at the Mord'Sith, "Richard and I have some business to attend to." Before Richard could say anything to Cara, Kahlan was already ushering him back into the room and closing the door. She pushed him forward and his hands tried desperately to keep the bedding around his waist. He had no idea why he was being so modest. When he turned to look at her, her arms were crossed as her back leaned against the closed door.

Richard wasn't sure where this was going. He didn't know whether to apologize for the Mord'Sith's actions or, well, he didn't know anything else he could do other than that. His mind was racing for something to say, her eyes seeming to burn on him.

"That was quite a bold command." He finally managed to choke out, figuring it was the safest thing for him to say. She shrugged, part of her robe falling over her shoulder as it did. He'd never seen her in black before, and the robe seemed to fit her body perfectly. He tightened his hold on the sheets.

"I suppose. I figured it was worth a shot." She lightly flicked her hand, bringing it up to smooth a strand of her tangled hair through her fingers. "She interrupted my sleep." Kahlan raised an eyebrow at him. "The best sleep I've ever had."

Richard could feel is cheeks burn. He swallowed. She seemed rather concentrated on her hair, variously picking out random strands and smoothing then between her fingers. After a few attempts she gave up and her arms crossed beneath her breasts. A thought occurred to him.

"Kahlan, was I," he felt his face burn and suddenly felt like he shouldn't have even opened his mouth. He saw her eyebrow raise up in questioning. "Was I your first? I mean .. if you've never taken a mate before .." Richard's voice started to trail off and he looked to the ground, shuffling his feet. His attention was brought back to her by the sound of her laughter ringing through the room.

"Of course you were!" She laughed some more, resting her hand above her brows. Her laughing subsided. Her eyes narrowed as they rose to meet his, her mouth parted slightly as her tongue ran along her upper lip. "Are you trying to tell me something, Cypher?"

Richard cursed himself. Now she was going to think she was inadequate, and she most definitely was not. Kahlan tilted her head and her lips pursed. She was very aware she had him in a precarious situation. He sighed as he slumped his head forward.

"I mean, if you weren't satisfied," his eyes manically sought out hers as he heard her voice, "then maybe I should just bring Ryan up here. I'm sure he would be more than satisfied." Richard knew she was joking, he heard the playful demeanor in her voice - but it didn't deter away from the fact that the thought of Ryan touching her made his blood boil. The thought of her even joking around about it made him incredibly angry and jealous.

"No." Richard's voice sounded huskier than he intended it to. Now that mention of Ryan came up, he felt he had to reclaim her as his own. Kahlan detected the tone of his voice.

"So, you were satisfied then?" She was doing this to tease him, he could tell it in her voice. She was still leaning her back against the door, now slightly twirling the tie of her robe as she awaited his answer.

"Very."

"Very?" She smiled, shaking her head slightly and seeming to bask in her victory.

"Very." He repeated again, taking a step closer to her.

"Good. Because I was thinking," she took a forward as she removed the tie of her robe. the fabric opening slightly in the front. Richard felt his pulse rise.

"Thinking what?" He could barely get the words out. She closed the distance and gave a tug at the bedding wrapped around him. He wasn't aware how loose his grip had gotten until the fabric had fallen on the floor. In a single moment she shrugged off her robe as she started walking back towards the bed.

"Practice does make perfect." Richard smiled at her words before moving to join her on the bed.