Inspiration: 'Richard is ticklish' from a drabble by alyse for a challenge on legendland.
Characters: Richard, Kahlan, Cara, Zedd
Length: 624
A Powerful Ally
"Give it to me!" Cara grabbed for the map, but Richard held it high over her head, laughing.
Cara stepped back a pace and glared. She was too short to reach the map, but she had to see for herself—it couldn't really say they had to tramp through the entire Fyell Swamp just to get to the jewel that would save the villagers from the magical plague. Going through the swamp would take days, and there was nowhere they'd be able to sleep (Cara wasn't letting any of the nasty, creepy-crawly creatures from the swamp find a home in her leathers.)
Richard grinned unrepentantly at her.
"This is all your fault," Cara complained. "You and your saving-people-thing."
"We're going through the Swamp," Richard said, his voice serious but his eyes dancing. "You swore to serve me as your Lord Rahl, remember?"
Cara wasn't about to go down without a fight. Kahlan and Zedd, watching interestedly, refused to help her. They were no doubt enamored of the idea of wading through the swamp. Anything to help poor defenseless people, who would be better served if Richard stopped wasting time and found the Stone of Tears. So Cara launched herself at Richard, tackling him to the ground.
"Hey!" Richard protested. "Cara! Watch it, you're—protect me, Kahlan!" his eyes rolled comically in her direction, but Cara wasn't going to be distracted by the Mother Confessor. Not this time.
(Kahlan, of all people, ought to be especially thankful to escape the swamp—her hair, not to mention her Confessor's dress, would never survive the trip.)
Kahlan took the map from Richard's hands and peered at it, making no other move to intercede. "Oh, Cara," she added offhandedly. "Richard is ticklish."
"Kahlan!" Richard protested, at this betrayal. Cara, grinning, started tickling him unmercifully. So he thought he could make her walk through the swamp, did he?
"Never anger a Mord'Sith," Zedd said pompously, when Cara finally let Richard to his feet.
Richard glared at his grandfather. "Kind of figured that out for myself, thanks."
Cara let two fingers just barely touch Richard's side. He flinched and laughed, saying, "Cara, have mercy!"
"I know we can't go around the swamp," Kahlan said, looking up from the map. "But why don't we just use this pass, in the middle?"
"What pass?" Richard demanded, snatching the map back and peering at it short-sightedly. Cara wondered if, in addition to being ticklish, her Lord Rahl was half-blind...and sighed.
"Wizard's Pass, guaranteed warm and dry," Zedd read, over Richard's shoulder. "I suppose..."
Cara had her doubts—wizards were notoriously tricky. But anything was better than wading through the wet swamp with no hope at all.
"Let's do it," she said firmly. "That plaguebane jewel isn't going to find itself...Seeker."
"I suppose if it's a trap, we can still always go through the swamp," Zedd said, as though trying to reassure himself and the others. "We won't be entirely dependent on this strange magic."
Cara raised her eyebrows at Kahlan, but Kahlan shook her head sadly. "No, Zedd's not ticklish," she said. "Just perpetually hungry. I'm sure you can work out how to punish him most effectively."
"I like the way you think, Mother Confessor," Cara purred, and Zedd looked alarmed.
"Never anger a Mord'Sith," Richard mused. "You know, that's actually some pretty good advice..."
Zedd disdained to answer, but there was no denying he looked apprehensive. As he should. Cara was used to getting her way, and besides, she had a powerful ally to her cause in the Mother Confessor.
Tossing her loose hair over her shoulder, Cara let her fingertips brush her agiels. One way or another, it was going to be an interesting—and dry—journey through the Fyell Swamp.