Chapter Six

"This is your fault, Mother Confessor."

"Cara, if you hadn't told him, he probably would have punished you, and then asked Denna. He would have found out about Berdine either way. At least my way you didn't get hurt."

"It has been a week Mother Confessor. Only the Creator knows what Lord Rahl has been doing in there with her." Cara was pacing in the little room. She took two steps and had to turn around. It was making Kahlan dizzy.

"Cara," She said trying to get her attention. "Cara, sit down." Cara stopped pacing, but refused to sit down.

"Now, you do not know what has been going on in that room. They could just be trying to translate the High D'Haran on his bed." Kahlan replied, not really believing it was true. Cara glared at her, she felt like she had just been scolded by one of her teachers at the Confessor's Palace.

"Mother Confessor, I know you don't believe that. I can't believe I did this to Berdine. He said, 'don't worry. I won't hurt her.' You know what that means, Mother Confessor. He's probably torturing her, or – "

Kahlan stopped her from helping Kahlan visualize her fears for Berdine. "Cara, everything will be alright. He has to get bored a some point." Cara gripped her Agiel and gave her a glare that didn't seem at all reprimanding. It seemed dangerous.

Kahlan felt bad after she said it, and tried to apologize, "Cara . . . I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I know that this is hard for you." Kahlan said, remembering the times that she had been put in the same situation. It always felt like a betrayal, no matter how many times you tried to reconcile it in your mind.

The door smashed open.

A black haired Mord – Sith burst through the door, her dark eyes looked wild. Cara backed as far a she could to the wall; her hands were open in front of her. She didn't look scared, but sad, like she had expected this. Kahlan moved to get up.

"Raina I –"

The Mord – Sith, Raina punched Cara on the jaw. Cara didn't make a sound as it landed. Kahlan thought that it had to have broken her jaw, but Cara didn't seem to notice it.

Raina punched Cara again in the stomach, then again and again. She slowly broke down into tears and Cara took her in her arms to comfort her. Kahlan had no idea what was going on.

"I'm sorry." Cara whispered, "I'm sorry." She said into the sobbing Raina's hair over and over again.

Kahlan had never seen Cara have so much emotion. Her face was hard, but Kahlan could see the tears threatening to surface in her eyes. Raina was still crying, but she had calmed down a little. The Mord – Sith was the first Kahlan had seen cry.

"Cara," the Mord – Sith reluctantly turned from Raina to look at Kahlan. "Who is this?"

Raina had stopped crying now. She looked up at Cara who was still holding her. Cara sighed. "This is Raina. She and Berdine, well."

"Oh," Kahlan said. "I see."

There was a bruise forming on Cara's jaw, and Kahlan knew there would be others that you couldn't see. Kahlan knew why Raina was frustrated, but she had never experience love and could not empathize with the woman.

"Raina," Kahlan said after seeing the haunted look in Cara's eyes. "I'm sure that Berdine will be fine. Lord Rahl just needed some help translating something."

"They're in his bedroom." Raina sounded like she might break into tears again.

"Yes," Cara jumped in, "but the Mother Confessor and I both saw D'Haran writing on his head board. They are probably just working on the translation." Kahlan thought Cara was a convincing liar, seeing as how she had adamantly denied this theory a few minutes ago when Kahlan had voiced it.

Raina looked to Kahlan for assurance. "Yes, I'm sure they are just working on the translation." Cara's glare reinforced Kahlan's belief that she was a horrible liar, but Raina seemed to buy the lie.

Cara helped Raina to her feet as Kahlan looked over to the two papers on her desk. Rahl didn't even let her run the entire staff of the devotion maintenance team. It always depressed her to think of it.

Just as the Mord – Sith regained their composure, a soldier appeared at the door. "Mistress Cara," He said, his fist jumped to his heart in salute. "I have news from the scouts."

Cara gave Kahlan a discrete look and walked out of the room, it took a lot of effort with three people in the room, to talk to the scout. Kahlan was surprised she didn't know what this was about. Cara usually told her everything.

Raina still looked incredibly sad. "I'm sure that she's fine." Kahlan said, trying to make her feel better.

"I hope so. She doesn't deserve to go through that again." Raina said.

"Go through what?" Kahlan had a feeling she knew.

"When, Lord Rahl's brother was in power. He . . . found out about our . . . relationship and called us to his bed, to humiliate us. He called Berdine more than me. He needed her help more." Raina looked at a red pillow with her eyes watery. Lost in thought.

"I'm sorry that you went through that Raina." Kahlan said. She couldn't imagine what it would be like. Darken Rahl had been a worse tyrant than Richard Rahl. Richard had just started his reign, however.

Cara came back into the room. She looked like she wasn't seeing anything.

"I . . . I'll have to talk to you later, Mother Confessor. I must go. I'm sorry Raina." Cara said fear coloring her voice.

"Cara," she stopped, "Where are you going?"

"I have to see Lord Rahl."