Chapter Thirteen

Kahlan didn't know what to do. Benjamin Meiffert who had promised Berdine that they would see her outside the palace in two hours had taken Cara. This left Kahlan alone with the Mord – Sith and she didn't know what to do. The only Mord – Sith that she had much contact with was Cara and the woman.

"So" Berdine said casually. "You're the Mother Confessor?" Kahlan didn't look from the doorway, still trying to forget the way Rahl had screamed when he hit his head. "I thought you would be . . . No, your exactly how I thought you would be." Berdine's babbling didn't even register in Kahlan's head, until she intruded on her mental image of Rahl and the doorway.

"Well," Berdine said. "Aren't you coming?"

"Of course." Kahlan said and followed her out the door.

"So were do you sleep?" Berdine asked without looking at her.

"I'll show you. Don't you need to go to your room?" Kahlan wanted to be alone. She didn't want to go on this suicide trip with Rahl. He always took at least a Dragon Corps unit when he went places and he usually left her with the woman.

They walked for a little while in silence until Kahlan got up the courage to ask a question.

"Are you okay?" Berdine looked over at her confused. "I mean, he didn't . . . hurt you or anything right?" Kahlan asked cautiously.

Berdine laughed, but it quickly died. "I thought he was going to. I had heard the stories about Lord Rahl. What he does when you're alone with him." Kahlan shivered, trying not to remember those times. "When he appeared in my room I didn't know what to do. He doesn't normally choose another person. That's what I had heard, anyways." Kahlan nodded. "Cara was there, and I knew what had happened. He had forced her to tell her something and it had led to me.

"He sent you away, and I was so scared. I'm not usually scared, Mother Confessor, but when he turned to look at me after you left, and he closed the door" She sighed. "I haven't been scared like that since I was a little girl." Kahlan knew she was talking about being trained.

"He asked me to sit down, and I did, because he is the Lord Rahl. He sat down next to me, and . . . we just talked. He told me things that I still don't really believe, and thing that I know are true. Then he asked me to help him translate the headboard of his bed." Kahlan thought that she must have been scared, but mostly she thought that this didn't sound like Rahl. "I said yes without a second's thought, and I didn't even say, Lord Rahl. He smiled at me, and I wasn't afraid anymore."

"I . . . I don't know what to say, Berdine. I have never had an experience like that with him." Berdine nodded, and Kahlan slowed down as they neared her office.

"He explained everything to me, gave me an answer to every question that I asked." Kahlan opened the door.

"It doesn't make sense though – " Kahlan screamed as an Agiel pressed into her side. She thought it was Berdine, but it was coming from inside the doorway, and Berdine's hands pushed her out of the way.

"What are you doing, Denna?" Berdine growled. Their Agiels were crossed in front of them. Kahlan could hear the Agiels whining as the two Mord – Sith struggled to make the other back down. Kahlan knew who would win this fight though.

"Berdine, how nice to see you again." The woman spoke quietly in her silken voice. Kahlan was disquieted by how calmly she talked while holding the Agiel and pushing it against another.

Berdine didn't respond to the other woman. Her face was masked in concentration, as she tried to keep the woman from moving breaking her Agiel away. Kahlan could see the two Agiels slowly moving closer to Berdine.

"Come on Berdine. It's time to give up now. You don't want to do this with me." The woman stated it as a fact, and Berdine seemed to know that it was.

"Mother Confessor," Berdine said in a quiet voice. "I think you should run."

"I – " Kahlan tried to protest.

"Now!" Berdine's voice was no longer quiet.

Kahlan turned around and ran right into someone. She looked up to see who it was.

"Richard."