Richard couldn't sleep. The fight with Kahlan kept weighing on his mind. He understood her stance, he really did - he shouldn't have reacted the way he did. He definitely shouldn't have said he would destroy the whole Midlands before he left her, even if it was the truth. He knew there was a death warrant on his head now. He threatened the Midlands, and despite Kahlan's feelings for him, she wouldn't allow him to say such a thing without repercussions.

He was taking refuge in the small forest beside the courtyard, watching the sunlight trickle through the trees. Richard was exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to face Kahlan again, and that's considering if she left the door unlocked. All he wanted to do was apologize, but everything he said was what he felt. Apologizing would only insult her - you never apologize for the truth.

Richard heard shuffling behind him but didn't react. He didn't care who it was, in a moment he would just tell them to leave him be. The steps didn't stop coming and Richard was becoming aggravated.

"Look, I don't want to-" He stood up and turned around, preparing to yell at a soldier, or possibly Cara, but stopped when he saw Kahlan standing in front of him. Her eyes were red and it looked like she didn't get much sleep either. She fidgeted with the ties of her dress.

"Perhaps I overreacted." Her voice was meek, and Richard felt horrible for making her feel she was in the wrong. She wasn't, she just wanted to protect her people. But Richard wasn't in the wrong either.

"No, no." He approached her but stopped short, not wanting to overcrowd her or make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already was. "I should apologize for what I said." She looked up at him with glassy eyes. "But I can't."

Kahlan nodded and took a step back, preparing to turn away.

"I love you, Kahlan." Richard wanted more than anything for her to stay, not to leave him behind. "And because I love you, I'm not going to insult you and apologize for what I said, because it was the truth." Kahlan looked at him over her shoulder. She sighed as she turned to him again, closing the distance.

"I know. Regardless if it's what I wanted to hear, I know the words you spoke were the truth." She clumsily grabbed at his pendent, offering herself a distraction from looking into his eyes. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, placing a light kiss on her hair.

"I don't want the Midlands to view you as the enemy, Richard." He felt tears leak into his shirt. "You're right, it isn't fair of them to compare you to Darken Rahl - but they do. I don't necessarily blame them. I just want to protect them, Richard. I want them to feel safe, that the Mother Confessor can keep them safe." She was gripping tighter at his shirt, her head now buried in the crook of his neck. Her tears were falling onto his skin and his heart broke for her. He began rubbing his hands along her back, trying to sooth her. He was happy he could still wrap his arms around her without the pregnancy making it difficult. Richard was surprised she wasn't bigger than what she was.

Kahlan pulled her head from his neck, placing it only an inch away from Richard's. He could feel her hot breath on his face and wanted to melt into her. He leaned in and closed the small distance, kissing her as if it were the last time he could ever do so. She pulled away after a few moments, resting her forehead on his, her left arm wrapped around his neck and her right hand grasped tightly to his pendent. Richard leaned in to kiss her again, but she hopped backwards, smiling and laughing while waving her finger at him. He chuckled as he took a step forward, only to have her take two steps back.

She was playing a game, and Richard was the opponent.

He took a step to the left, she took a step to the right. He moved forward, she moved backward. Soon Richard had cornered her against a wall of trees, and she cursed when her back met the wood. She scowled at him and when he approached her, ducking under his arm and running off to the other side of the opening, smiling in triumph.

Despite her pregnancy, she could still move rather swiftly.

Instead of continuing along with his tactic, he went straight towards her at a dead run. Kahlan's jaw dropped and he swooped in, quickly gathering her in his arms. She started batting her hands at him.

"Richard Cypher, put me down!" He laughed as he cradled the woman in his arms, the swell of her stomach larger when held at an angle. She was scowling up at him and her hands were furiously trying to loosen his grip on her.

"I win." He kissed her forehead as she shook it.

"This is not over, Cypher."

"Oh, but I believe it is."

"You believe incorrectly." She pouted, blowing strands of hair out of her face as she crossed her arms. He chuckled as he put her down, watching her scurry to a distance that was a considerable amount away from him. "You only win because we are not actually fighting." She huffed, crossing her arms yet again and sticking her nose in the air, causing Richard to laugh.

"And what do you propose we do, Mother Confessor?"

She beamed as she leaned down and grabbed her daggers.

"No, no, no. Not while you're with child." He shook his head vigorously, taking a few steps forward. "I am not going to be the cause of you losing another baby."

She scowled at him and placed one hand on her hip, her other hand waving the dagger around. "Do you think that because I'm pregnant, fights won't occur?"

"Not with my army."

She pursed her lips as she paced in little circles. "You know," she glanced over at him, "I was pregnant when the Sisters attacked." Richard sighed as he leaned his head back.

"Kahlan Amnell, I am not doing this."

"Scared?" She was baiting him and he knew it. He was not going to fight her when she was pregnant with his child. He shook his head again, his face stern. "Despite what you want to believe Richard, your army isn't invincible. The Sisters were able to get past them with very little effort, and if you think that will be the only attempt to kill the last Confessor when she is with child, then you are devastatingly wrong. A simple beggar from the street could easily overtake me if I don't remain sharp. I heard what you had to say, pay me the same respect."

Richard hated this. She was right. Although he tried his hardest to surround her with protection, there were many times when she managed to wander off by herself. She needed to stay sharp in her technique if she were to fend off people attempting to kill her. Confession wasn't always an option. If there was a large group trying to kill her, then she couldn't confess every one before being injured in the process. Richard sighed and hung his head in defeat. If he offered to use wooden sticks, she would scowl at him and say that her killers wouldn't be using such primitive weapons. He clenched his eyes as he pulled his sword out of the scabbard.

He shook his head when she smiled at him. "I do not like this. At all."

Kahlan shrugged and flipped her daggers in her hands, not concerned with his worry. "I wouldn't like being attacked and not being prepared." She grinned at him, basking in glory.

As was the same in the courtyard so many months ago, she gave him the first move. He was hesitant, but quickly started sparring her. The familiar clang of sword against dagger rang through the forest. Their moves were quick and precise, Richard taking extra care not to swing near her stomach, as hard as it was.

Kahlan, however, held no boundaries. She was fighting with just as much strength and tactic as she had done at the People's Palace, and each round she continued to annihilate him.

"You aren't even trying, Cypher." She crossed her arms, her daggers hanging limply in them.

Richard was out of breath from the fights, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to inhale air. "How are you not even the slightest bit exhausted from this? How can you fight this well pregnant?" She started chuckling and Richard looked up at her, his face drenched in sweat while hers was flawless. "I am trying. And failing." She laughed more as she ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it.

"I'll be easier next round." He lifted his eyebrows at her as she laughed and shook her head. "Promise." Richard nodded and gathered strength to stand up, fully aware he should not be fighting her when he was this worn out. Kahlan hadn't even broken a sweat. The pregnancy only seemed to make her even more fierce when fighting. Spirits help whoever had an altercation with this woman.

Richard straightened his back and nodded at her, taking in deep breaths and readjusting his hold on his sword. Next thing he knew, his back made hard contact with the ground and he was gasping. She settled herself on top of him and smiled, repositioning her daggers at his throat and heart.

"Repeat performance?" She snickered, raising an eyebrow at him as he laughed under the light pressure of the knife. Just as before, she lifted it so the could take in breaths without having the blade bite into his flesh. He dropped his sword, resting his hands on her hips.

"Maybe this time we won't get interrupted." He breathed, rubbing circles into her hips with his thumbs. She chuckled. During the fight, her hair had fallen out of it's restraints, and now it curtained the sun from his view, her face the only thing visible. He smiled up at her. She leaned in and placed a light kiss on his lips, still holding the daggers in place.

Richard flicked her hands, as he had done before, and rolled her over onto her back.

This time, he didn't manage to release the weapons fully.

Kahlan's eyes went wide with shock as Richard felt the knife slice into his flesh, his blood pooling onto her white gown.