The next few days seemed unending.

Kahlan had stopped coughing up blood, but her body temperature didn't improve. She often drifted off to unconsciousness, sleeping for elongated periods of time. Zedd told Richard it was good she was sleeping, that her body was trying to fight off the magic.

Richard wasn't stupid.

Zedd had finally explained, after Richard's constant questioning grated on his nerves, what subtractive magic was and why he couldn't heal it. Richard came to the conclusion very quickly that they would only be able to heal her if they forced a Sister to do it. The possibility of that was slim to none, especially considering that he didn't want to leave Kahlan's side. For anything.

His days blurred together and the lack of sleep was taking a large toll on him. Zedd's exhaustion was apparent, but Cara still held herself steady, not showing any sign of her lack of sleep. Kahlan's litter worked well, leaving her ride on the ground as smooth as humanly possible. She never stirred. Richard wondered if that was because of the litter, or the poison running through her veins. Through their child's veins.

Richard couldn't stand knowing that Kahlan was being dragged behind them like a dead body. It only made his heart ache more - the possibility of her death more real than imaginary. Zedd hadn't spoken it, always giving Richard hope she would recover. He, however, held no false illusions. The thought of her dying ran through his mind at every moment of the day, every time he looked into her shockingly blue eyes - when they managed to open, that is.

When they first started, Richard wouldn't ride his horse. He'd hand the reigns to Cara and she'd guide the horse along while Richard would walk beside Kahlan's litter. Sometimes, Richard would pick her up and carry her if he knew they were coming across rough terrain. He wouldn't let her down until his arms were about to give out, then laying her in the litter and walking beside it again. It didn't take long for Richard's body to start giving out on him and he had to resort to riding the horse.

"There it is." Zedd said, his voice groggy and slurred. He was blinking his eyes vigorously. Richard wasn't paying attention, his thoughts focused in on Kahlan. He looked up and grunted. He then returned his gaze to his loose grip on the reigns, knowing Kahlan was trailing behind him. He sighed.

"The Wizard's Keep!" Zedd exclaimed, now full of energy. Cara cast him a side long glance, her eyebrows shooting up. Richard finally looked at where Zedd was now pointing. The city was immense, the hill they were perched on gave them a bird's eye view of it. Zedd started waving his finger, describing what certain large buildings were. Richard only chimed in on what he thought was most important.

The Confessor's Palace.

Zedd turned to Richard, ecstatic. "I must get to the Wizard's Keep!" Richard nodded slightly, his body ready to give out and his mind ready to give up. "My boy, listen to me!" He cast his gaze towards the old man. "The Wizard's Keep is a place of much magic. It offers books and magical objects that could possibly heal Kahlan." Richard's ears perked up, and he held his reigns a little tighter. He nodded more reassuringly this time, speeding his horse up as much as he could without hurting Kahlan in the process. He was now full of life, like he had just woken from a year long sleep.

The palace was huge and Richard felt as if he would get swallowed whole. Zedd had ushered them into the palace, directing a maidservant to show Richard and Cara to the Mother Confessor's room and place them in rooms nearby. The old man was then running off to the Wizard's Keep, leaving the two alone to take care of Kahlan.

Cara had been rather insistent that he should get some rest, now that they were as safe as they could be. She assured him Kahlan's condition wouldn't worsen, but Richard felt the moment he closed his eyes and took a moment for himself, he would lose her forever. He wasn't willing to take that chance. Instead, he told Cara to go to her room, soliciting a glare as she stormed through the hall.

Kahlan's room was simple yet elegant. The bed she was now resting on was large and had bedding of pure white. If she were to wear her dress while on the bed, he was certain she would blend right in, leaving only her face, chest, arms, and boots to distinguish she was even there. Richard was always curious about the Confessor's Palace, about the Mother Confessor's room. He wished he didn't have to see it under these circumstances, with Kahlan virtually lifeless.

Richard took a chair from the small sitting area at the front of the room, dragging it to the side of Kahlan's bed. He took her hand in his, grimacing at how limp it was. Her skin was cold, but her breathing was steady and slow. He had started noticing that her veins were darkening, a sickly black color enveloping them. Richard knew they would cover her whole body soon, but they currently only resided on the sides of her neck and her wrists. He sighed as he slumped his head against his hands, breathing lightly on Kahlan's skin.

This was the only time he had been left alone with Kahlan in the past two weeks, and she couldn't even move. He could tell breathing was difficult for her, her chest heaving in a great effort to make the steady breaths come. He placed her hand down gently on the bed before moving to sit beside her, the shift in weight made her sink slightly towards him. He rested his right hand on her stomach, rubbing in little circles. Richard clenched his eyes shut as he felt the tears leak out of his eyes. The liquid started coming faster and in more abundance, his body unable to hold back his sorrow.

He knew she was going to die.

His tears were falling on his hand, sliding off and gathering at the fabric of Kahlan's dress. He removed his hand, wiping the back of it across his face. He picked up her hand again, lightly squeezing and applying pressure. He placed a kiss on her skin, which was stark of all color, the poison creeping it's way up her wrist.

"I love you, Kahlan Amnell." He whispered into her hand, the tears resuming and coating her flesh. "I love you." He murmured again, his voice failing him to say anything more resound. He set her limb down and stood up, making his way to walk out of the room.

He knew she was going to die, but he wasn't about to give up on her. Surely Zedd could use his help.