Kahlan held him steady until his heart beat slowed, running her fingers through his matted, bloody hair. His face was nestled into the crook of her neck, and even though his skin was making contact with the open wound that resided there, she sucked her breaths in and continued to rock him. One of his arms circled around her waist while his left hand gripped her arm tightly. The contact soothed Kahlan. When she heard his breaths even out, she pulled away slightly, taking his face in her hands as she turned it from side to side, inspecting the wounds. Kahlan's eyes diverted to his wrists, which were deeply cut. She pulled away fully and reached for the blanket, only feet away.

Richard watched as she tore a two large pieces from the blanket, crawling back to him and wrapping them around his wrists. She looked as if she wasn't hindered at all by the fight, even though her body was covered in wounds. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to crawl up on the hard, cold floor and sleep. Her touch was soft, her hands running over his body and testing his reactions to certain wounds - seeing which ones were the most serious. He smiled each time she looked at him. She just saved his life and almost died, yet, she was concerned about his well being. She didn't rip any of the blanket for herself, leaving her wounds exposed, the blood staining her flesh.

Kahlan wrapped an arm around the Seeker's waist as gently as she could, noticing that his ribs were the most damaged. He winced as she hauled him up, but didn't complain. She slowly began leading them out of the cellar, trying desperately to remember exactly where she had come from. The marble floor was freezing, causing her body to immediately want to rush through the passageways. She cursed herself for not remembering to gather her slippers. When they were fully in the hallway, Kahlan turned to him and wrapped the blanket around his torso, hoping to keep him warm. He looked at her with questioning before she waved her finger at him and declared that he needed it more than she did.

She slowly led them up various stairs and along cold halls, finally reaching her room. Kahlan pushed the door open with her free hand, guiding the man into her quarters. Along the way, she noticed he began gaining strength, his weight becoming less and less of a hinder to her as she supported him. Kahlan had never thought she'd bring a strange, unknown man into her room. She blushed slightly and the man noticed, Kahlan quickly trying to make the red from her cheeks disappear. She set him on the bed in front of the mirror, leaving herself to lean on the dresser that was positioned before the mirror. The room was bare and her clothing, as expected, had not returned. Her gaze began racing over various objects, unsure of what she was supposed to do now.

"Thank you," His voice was low, barely above a whisper - his throat hoarse. His brown eyes met hers and she felt as though she could melt under that gaze. So much compassion, and he didn't even know her. She nodded, crossing her arms under her breasts and finding refuge in staring at the chair that was at the side of the bed.

"What's your name?" She managed to say, her mind clouded. She felt the pain of her wounds creeping back, her neck, arm, thigh, and ribs suddenly throbbing. She blinked a few times and clenched her eyes shut to try and rid the pain. When she opened them, she saw the man with a sad and concerned look on his face. She smiled at him and he looked down at his wrists.

"Richard Cypher." She smiled. Kahlan wasn't sure why, but she adored that name. It fit him so incredibly well. He looked up at her, smiling when he saw her doing the same. "Mind if I ask your name, Mother Confessor?"

Kahlan sighed as she felt the loneliness of her title being slammed back into her. Mother Confessor. That's all she was and all she ever could be. She shouldn't be getting attached to a man she barely knew, but she couldn't help herself. He wanted to know her name. Richard knew who she was and still wanted to engage in conversation with her. She grinned to herself.

"Kahlan Amnell." She saw his eyes lighten, his facial full of happiness. Kahlan laughed as she reached her right hand up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

"My grandfather warned me about women like you." He said, chuckling. Kahlan's joyful demeanor fell instantly, pain and sorrow now plastered over her features. She wanted to cry. Her body stiffened and she wanted desperately to get out of this situation, to find an excuse to leave the man alone. When Richard noticed she wasn't responding, he looked up at her and Kahlan saw grief flash across his face. "I didn't mean it like-"

"No, it's fine." She rushed out, not wanting to hear his explanation. She looked around the room before returning her gaze to him. "I should go find a healer." She scurried out of the room before Richard could say anything more.

xx

It took Kahlan a considerable amount of time to find a healer, seeing as everyone who could help her was asleep. To her surprise, there wasn't a healer residing in the castle, and she had to wander out into the streets. When the full force of the night air had hit her flesh, she realized she was still in her night gown, which was even more revealing than it originally had been. She still wasn't wearing shoes. She cursed herself for being so careless, just because Richard had said something she had known all too well.

All men were warned about Confessors. She shouldn't be shocked, or hurt, for that matter.

In fact, he hadn't said it in a malicious manner. He laughed when he had said it. Richard never shied away from her touch, either. Now Kahlan wasn't sure what to think, trying to read the signs outside shops in the black of night. She finally stumbled across the healer, knocking on the door lightly. She was pleased with how shortly it took the old woman to come to the door.

"Are you the healer here?" Kahlan asked, trying to cover up her body but failing. The old woman nodded, eying her up and down and giving her a suspicious look.

"Do you need to rid of the child?" Kahlan stared at her dumbstruck a moment, but then realized that she did, in fact, look like a common whore. She sighed as she shook her head vigorously. The old woman held her outstretched arm towards the inside of the building, candles variously placed along the walls. Kahlan thanked her as she wandered into the small structure.

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess." The old woman gestured with her hands to have Kahlan sit down, which she did so graciously. The healer gave her a cup of warm tea and a thick blanket. Kahlan nodded her appreciation. She froze when the woman began poking and prodding at her, realizing that she was covered in blood. Kahlan pushed the woman's arms away.

"What do you need if not that, child?" The healer looked confused.

"A man I know has been injured greatly, I need you to come to the palace and heal him." The woman nodded and approached her, continuing to observe her wounds. Kahlan pushed her away again. "He needs more help than I do." The old woman nodded as she gathered a bag full of supplies, listening to Kahlan's description of his wounds. As the woman hurried her to the door, wrapping a blanket around Kahlan's shoulders and giving her slippers to wear, Kahlan turned to her.

"Thank you," She choked out, wrapping the blanket around her tightly. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Ester." The old woman smiled, nearly pushing Kahlan out the door.

xx

Richard hadn't moved from where Kahlan had set him. He wallowed away in his thoughts. He vaguely understood why she shut down when he had joked with her, but for the most part, he was still clueless. He knew little about Confessors, only the effect of their touch. There was only one thing that tugged at him.

He had upset her.

The woman who had saved him twice now, the one he had been searching for - he had upset within their introductions. Richard cursed himself as he took in his surroundings. For a room given to the Mother Confessor, it was quite plain. He had only seen Queen Victoria when he had been dragged into the palace, but he knew enough to know she was vindictive and cruel to those who were more attractive than her.

Kahlan definitely was.

Richard jerked his head towards the door when he heard approaching footsteps. He faintly wondered if he would be punished for being in the Mother Confessor's room. He was relieved when he saw Kahlan walk in, accompanied by an old woman who called herself Ester. He looked at Kahlan, who was still covered in blood and wounds. When Ester came towards him, he shook his head and gestured towards Kahlan.

"Heal her first."

"I tried," The old woman chuckled, pushing Richard's hand away. "She insisted I tend to you before even glancing at her." Richard met Kahlan's eyes, noticing how her face was void of emotions - much like many of the other Confessors he had come across. He winced when the old woman pushed on his ribs, finding out exactly where they were cracked. He felt dizzy, but soon the old woman was applying pastes and ointments that soothed him, shoving a warm substance towards him to drink. He choked it down, the liquid burning his throat. She insisted that it would help him. Despite what he had originally thought, the potion did, and soon his throat didn't feel hindered at all. He looked up at Kahlan while the woman wrapped new tourniquets around his wrists.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Mother Confessor." He saw a look of confusion run across Kahlan's eyes. Richard didn't feel he deserved to call her by her name, he wasn't even aware if he was allowed to. He noticed how Ester stopped wrapping the cloth around him, her head turning to glare at Kahlan, who wrinkled her eyebrows at the old woman's reaction.

"You are the Mother Confessor?" Ester questioned, Kahlan nodding. "This is blasphemy! I should be healing you, you are the most powerful of all in the Midlands!" She exclaimed, wrapping the fabric tighter around Richard's wrists. He felt the circulation cut off and scrunched his nose.

"Ester, as Mother Confessor, I am telling you to heal him first." Her voice was full of authority and Ester huffed as she returned her attentions to Richard, loosening the tourniquet, allowing blood to flow back into his limb. Despite how he had hurt her, she still was concerned for him first and foremost. The thought made him smile.

"And I thought you a whore," Ester muttered, rummaging through her bag for more elixirs. Kahlan shook her head and wrapped the blanket tighter around her. She needed her clothing back. She glanced at Richard as Ester began finishing her treatments.

"I'm going to find a maidservant so I can acquire my proper clothing." Ester chuckled at her, wagging a finger in her face before allowing Kahlan to leave the room.

"You must come back, Mother Confessor. I need to heal you as well." Kahlan nodded, informing the old woman she would be back soon after she was done tending to Richard.

Richard watched her leave, his body becoming exhausted. When Ester finished wrapping his last wound, she gestured for him to relax and sleep on the bed.

His last thoughts when he closed his eyes were of Kahlan.