Inspiration: "Our planes of existence merged at this point for a moment..." from a drabble by fox_in_time for a challenge on legendland.
Characters: Show!Richard, Show!Kahlan, Show!Zedd, Book!Kahlan
Length: 676
Warning: Not for book fans!

Other Worlds

"So then," the woman who looked like Kahlan sobbed, "I realized I'd Confessed Richard, not Darken Rahl, and the whole time he recited the Book of Counted Shadows I couldn't stop thinking about how I'd doomed him forever. But then somehow Darken Rahl picked the wrong Box of Orden to open, and he sort of shimmered and burned, but it took a long time so I went to find a nice quiet place to kill myself, so Richard would be free. And then I ended up here!"

Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor of the Midlands, stared down at her alternate self in some disbelief. If she and Richard had not just seen Darken Rahl burned by the fires of the Underworld before their very eyes when he unwisely interrupted the magical ritual that would leave Richard Confessed to Kahlan but Master of the Power of Orden, she would have believed this some trick of his for her discomfiture.

But Darken Rahl was dead, and the Boxes of Orden didn't open—Kahlan shuddered to think what they might contain, if they did.

"You Confessed Richard?" Kahlan demanded of the woman weeping on the ground. "How could you?"

Richard was all right—he had to be. This Alternate Kahlan must be talking about some Alternate Richard, who knew the Book of Counted Shadows by heart—Kahlan couldn't imagine her Richard memorizing the whole tedious thing. It had held crucial information, but, from what Richard had told her, it was hopelessly overwritten.

"It was a spell!" Alternate Kahlan wailed. "And if I don't kill myself, he'll be my slave forever! I have to get back to him!"

Kahlan felt exasperated. Didn't her alternate self ever do anything except cry?

"What's the matter?" Thank the Creator—Richard and Zedd came up behind Kahlan, and stared at Alternate Kahlan with her.

"Kahlan?" Richard said, confused.

"Richard!" Alternate Kahlan leapt to her feet and embraced Richard, while Kahlan frowned.

Alternate Kahlan pulled back and said in puzzlement, "But where's Denna's agiel? You carry it around with you everywhere."

Richard recoiled. "Why would I do that?" he demanded, shocked. "And who are you?"

"I'm Kahlan, the love of your life," Alternate Kahlan explained. "And I Confessed you, so now our lives are ruined and I have to kill myself, even though I'm the last Confessor and my line will die with me!"

"She just appeared out of nowhere, and—" Kahlan said. Then she frowned. "Wait—last Confessor? I'm not the last Confessor! And if I was, it would be my duty to take a mate and continue our line, not kill myself!"

"Ah," Zedd said, in a tone of satisfied understanding. "Clearly, this Kahlan is from another world. Our planes of existence merged at this point for a moment, and she appeared here."

"Send her back!" Kahlan demanded at once. "That is not me, Zedd. All she does is cry and talk about killing herself! And she Confessed Richard!"

At that, Richard stepped away from Alternate Kahlan and closer to his own Kahlan, frowning. "Who are you, really?" he asked suspiciously.

"My Richard will kill you for kidnapping me!" Alternate Kahlan cried. "You'll see—he always defends me from insult! Even against ten-year-old girls! He'll make Princess Violet's fate look merciful!"

As Richard, Kahlan and Zedd exchanged looks, suddenly wondering just what, exactly, Princess Violet's fate had been, Alternate Kahlan glowered at Richard. "And you're nothing like my Richard!" she yelled. "You never would've let all those Mud People die just to protect me from Darken Rahl!"

With an angry flounce, Alternate Kahlan sank down on the grass again, and Zedd waved his hands, quickly, sending her back to whatever strange world she belonged in.

"Let's get out of here," Richard said fervently. "If that was you from another universe, I don't think we want to meet me."

Kahlan gave the now-bare patch of grass one last look, and shuddered. She took Richard's hand in hers, and said dryly, "When you said I loved you across time...I hope this isn't what you meant."