When Richard's unharmed eye fluttered open and saw the woman with dark locks and bright blue eyes, his heart stopped in his chest. She didn't look as regal as she had when he first saw her, a blanket loosely wrapped around her. Her hair was slightly wavy, her long legs exposed to the chill of the night air. It took all Richard had not to let his eyes drift from her face. She was shocked, and did nothing to attempt to hide it.
She recognized him.
Richard watched her every move as she took small steps forward, her slippers lightly scraping across the dried blood on the floor of his dungeon. Her hips swayed slightly, her body showing every sign of nervousness. He tried with all his might to keep his eye open, but the pain that was shooting through his limbs was almost too much. She was only a few feet away when his eye involuntarily shut, refusing to open again. He heard her steps pause, and prayed to the spirits to allow her to come closer. He took a breath and she began moving again, even slower.
This must be the Mother Confessor. The woman Darken Rahl wanted. Richard regretted ever not wanting to meet her. He now had a mission that flamed through his chest and into his heart - he must do everything he can to protect this woman, to keep her safe. His thoughts raced, trying to find a way to escape Denna, to save this woman. She had saved him so long ago, he owed her. Richard owed her his life.
He gasped when her hand lightly touched his side, brushing the pads of her fingers along his ribs. She jerked her hand back quickly, stammering and apologizing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Her voice sounded so broken and distressed, so concerned. Richard managed to lift his lid, settling his eye on her face, which had lost much of it's color. She was holding the blanket tightly around her, the hand she used to touch him tucked away under the fabric. He became upset with himself for making her feel as though she had hurt him. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and slowly shook his head, her countenance relaxing for a moment. She pulled her hand out from underneath her blanket - which she seemed to be using as a protective barrier - and placed it on the center of his chest, moving it gingerly along his flesh until it was residing right over his heart. She breathed out and smiled slightly.
"Your heart is beating strongly." Richard felt his lips curl up, her eyes sparkling a little at the interaction. "I remember you," Her voice was barely above a whisper but Richard heard it as though she had shouted. She seemed lost in her thoughts, staring down at her hand, her eyes tracing over his torso - taking in all his wounds. She looked up at him with glassy eyes. "I'm going to get you out of here." He felt himself smile again, the overwhelming joy consuming his body seeming to dominate the pain he had been feeling.
He rested his lid as she looked around the room, desperately trying to find something that could free him. Kahlan became frustrated quickly, realizing the room was bare of anything except a lone chair and his blood. She sighed as her hands fell from her blanket, the fabric falling to the floor as she dragged the chair in front of the man. He hadn't opened his eyes again, his chest slowly expanding and deflating.
Kahlan knew she was going to have to exterminate the Mord'Sith, but she never thought she'd be attached to the man Denna was training. She wasn't quite sure why she was. Kahlan remembered very vividly the day she had saved him, the connection she felt when she saw him - the pull he had on her. She offered him a hand just so she would be able to touch him, fully aware that he knew nothing of her and wouldn't react strangely to her touch. His skin was warm and soft, much like it was now. Even bruised and torn, his flesh was still smooth to the touch, still warm. She wanted so desperately to save him, to help him escape and heal.
She set the chair in front of him, his eye reopening at the new silence. Richard's eye grew in shock, not being able to resist taking in the sight of her. The light silk clung to her curves, the material quite sheer and weightless. He thought the night gown looked odd on her. Although she looked breathtaking in the piece, he felt as though she would never wear such a thing. Her cheeks reddened when she looked down, becoming aware of what he was so intently staring at.
"Spirits! I'm so sorry," She clenched her eyes shut as she made feeble efforts to try and cover herself with the blanket, which she had clumsily pulled back into her hands. "I let the maidservant take my clothes to wash and this was all the Queen provided me. I didn't think anyone would see me in it .." She trailed off, her face reddening at her explanation. Richard smiled, letting out a soft chuckle that he didn't know he had the energy for. Suddenly, he reclaimed his voice.
"No need to apologize," He managed to choke out, his breaths short and ragged. The effort to speak was tremendous, but he never wanted to stop talking with her. Her face reddened again as she wrapped the blanket more tightly around her. She glanced to the chair and exhaled, her brows furrowing together. She looked up at him with embarrassed eyes, a thin lipped smile on her face.
Kahlan climbed up the chair, balancing herself. She needed to reach the chains that held him to see if she could possibly help him. Her face was directly in front of his, his hot breath spilling onto her skin. She couldn't inspect the restraints when she was so concerned about her modesty. Kahlan swallowed and dropped the blanket, letting it pool around her feet. His gaze didn't falter this time and Kahlan felt a surge of relief. She reached her arms up and began slipping her fingers through the links of the chain, hoping to find a weakness. Her eyebrows wrinkled together as she leaned forward.
Her hair was brushing Richard's face, the soft feel causing him to relax. When she leaned in to get a better look at the chains, she stood on the tips of her feet, causing her neck to be in his line of sight. He breathed in her scent as her hair began to curtain his face. He saw her chest redden when he was forced to breathe on her flesh, making him chuckle lightly before the pain in his side took over and he had to clench his eyes shut. He saw her jump slightly, a squeal escaping her throat.
Kahlan had found a weak point in one of the links. All she had to do was slip a dagger through and use her strength to break it. However, her daggers were in her room, levels above where they currently were. She needed to find something to break the chain with. She allowed her feet to rest back on the chair, coming face to face with the man before her. She placed her hands on the side of his face, cupping his cheeks. Kahlan smiled at him and she felt his lips twitch under her palms.
"Oh my," Kahlan froze when she heard the voice, hands still resting on the man's skin, rubbing her thumbs softly across the warmth. She didn't move, still looking the man in the face as she gave him a sad smile - a look of horror spreading across his features. Kahlan sucked in a breath when she heard the voice continue behind her. "I would never believe it if someone had told me the Mother Confessor would be prancing about in the uniform of a common whore," Kahlan clenched her jaw as her eyes grew a bit wider. The man watched her reactions change. "And to be soliciting business from a Mord'Sith's pet - a man who can barely breathe, let alone perform tedious labor." Kahlan pursed her lips as she continued to look into the man's eyes, surprised at the amount of emotion she saw in his chocolate eyes.
His right eye had managed to open during their meeting, the lid residing significantly lower than on his left. He tried with much effort to keep both eyes open and focused on her. Right now, the brown orbs shone with concern and worry - for her. She felt her heart hammer against her breast as she tried to figure out exactly what to do.
She reluctantly pulled her hands from his flesh, turning her head to peer at the Mord'Sith over her shoulder. "I'm going to be taking this man."
Denna scoffed as she stepped forward. "Mother Confessor, you will be doing no such thing."