She sat upright in her saddle despite the pain in her side. Why her patience was so short with Richard proved a mystery to her, but she attributed at least part of it to him acting as if she couldn't handle a lot of things. Some of it was sweet and appropriate, but a lot of it nagged at her. In the beginning, she'd pushed the feeling to the side. She'd never been helpless, but no one had ever opened up to her like Richard had. Sometimes she caught the fear in him, fear of her, but it wasn't like anyone else's. But the nagging feeling persisted, festered inside of her like an agitated wound. She was the Mother Confessor, a queen in her own right. A queen well-versed in the ways of battle, no less. His constant rushing to her for fear of her well-being had long lost its charm. If the Mother Confessor wanted such attention, she could reach out and touch someone. That's all she had to do. A simple touch. But she always tried breaking those she confessed from that behavior, so why would she want it from Richard?
She exhaled slowly, pushing the matter from her mind. She had more pressing concerns. Blue eyes trained themselves on a particular person. Someone that made her heart beat faster in their presence and she couldn't help but seek them out. She just couldn't get the Mord'Sith off her mind, couldn't trust her. And it didn't make sense to the Confessor that the Mord'Sith would voluntarily ride with the girl and vice versa. Neither did the way she seemed somewhat protective of her.
Someone tapped Kahlan's shoulder. "What?" she snapped before whipping her head around.
Richard met her angry expression with one of hurt surprise. "I was only trying to see if you were alright," he said softly.
Her face and voice softened. "I'm sorry, Richard." She heard a quiet yet distinctly disgusted noise from Cara's direction. Kahlan's eyes flicked to her direction but she continued talking to Richard. "It's just that I'm still in pain."
"We can stop to rest if you need."
Kahlan knew Cara was listening. "I'm the Mother Confessor. I can take much more."
Cara unknowingly proved Kahlan right by saying to the girl, "You can only share your pain with certain people."
Richard was talking again but Kahlan only registered his words toward the end of his sentence. When he finished, she forced a smile and replied, "I appreciate everything, Richard, but I'm very tired and would simply like peace." The way Richard looked like a lost puppy as he maneuvered his horse a bit farther away from hers poked at her conscience, but she brushed it off. She wasn't fragile. She closed her eyes in hopes of calming her hot blood. Cara's voice drifted over.
"I'd bet my agiels that she doesn't know what he said."
Choosing not to say anything, since lying went against her nature if it could be helped, Kahlan returned to her musings of the child and her odd protector.
"I can't use them and I'd lose."
Upon hearing Cara's chuckle, Kahlan's eyes snapped open. The girl was smart, strong and amused the Mord'Sith. Kahlan again found herself questioning the Mord'Sith's intentions. Making a noise, her horse shook its head when she pulled too hard on the reins.
Soldiers dismounted to water their horses and do a headcount of the children as well as take a break. A bloody battleground covered in bodies wasn't exactly the place to check the well-being of terrified children. Though the sun hung at its zenith, clouds prevented what would've otherwise been an even hotter day for the tired group. Last to dismount, Kahlan searched the crowd for an odd pair. It didn't take too long, considering they were given a wide berth. The Mord'Sith stood against a tree, arms crossed as she watched the girl. There wasn't an exchange of words, but they appeared to have some sort of understanding.
Green eyes flicked up to Kahlan for a moment as she approached, but Cara only addressed the girl. "I believe the Confessor would like to ask if I'm holding you captive."
The girl sat, eyeing Kahlan.
Taken aback, she blinked before regaining her composure. A warm smile graced Kahlan's face as she knelt in front of the girl. "What's your name?"
"Girl that she's responsible for." She nodded in Cara's direction, earning a snort from the woman.
She sent a quick prayer to the Creator for understanding and patience. "Are you alright?"
"Yes."
When it became clear nothing would be achieved, Kahlan straightened. "We'll be riding out soon." The only response was a shrug from the blonde.
Riding proved to only worsen her mood. Thankfully, Richard kept a small distance away, but he kept peeking in her direction and she tried not to notice. Kahlan settled for trying to focus solely on her horse after giving up on figuring out Cara's relationship with the girl. They couldn't just ride off and the party was almost at the town so it didn't matter. She caught Richard looking at her. She definitely had enough on her mind without the aid of the Mord'Sith.
A loud cheer rang through the air when members of the town spotted them. Fathers and mothers ran toward them as girls yelled for their parents. Kahlan smiled at the display, but her brow furrowed at the sight of Cara walking with the girl by her side toward the town. The chaos prevented the Confessor from navigating her horse so she dismounted swiftly, weaving her way through the crowd. Kahlan stopped in her tracks. The last thing she expected was to find Cara leaning against a building while the girl hugged a dark-haired woman.
"You're welcome, Mother Confessor," the woman said when she noticed her.
Kahlan blinked a moment, entirely thrown off by the situation. The woman was bold but respectful. A strong woman indeed. "And whom am I thanking?"
"Icela." She nodded to Cara. "And her."
When blue eyes turned on her, Cara shrugged indifferently. Her gaze returned to Icela, waiting.
"I patched her up and sent her your way, though I didn't know you were here, Mother Confessor," she chuckled, hugging the girl.
"Then I thank you not just for myself, but on behalf of the entire town." Icela nodded and made to leave but Kahlan remembered something. "What's her
name?"
Icela squeezed the girl's shoulder. "Made a nuisance of yourself, did you?"
"A little." When the woman looked at her pointedly, the girl had the decency to give an apologetic smile, even if she didn't wholly mean it. "Neyla."
Kahlan felt herself smile. "Well it was nice to meet you, Neyla."
"Thank you, Mother Confessor," she said politely.
Icela thanked Kahlan again and wandered away. Somewhere in the distance, Neyla called to Cara, "Don't lose your agiels."
Blue eyes wandered to Cara's form, discovering two agiels attached to her instead of one. To her irritation, the Mord'Sith smirked in her direction.
"You must've been too busy dying from your small wound to notice when I acquired these agiels." A frown crossed her face. "Too bad I didn't get to kill her with it."
"Excuse me?"
"A certain Mord'Sith fled the cave while I saved you," she growled. "This is hers and I intend to kill her with it."
Kahlan's eyes narrowed. "You helped save the children." She closed the distance between them, feeling her power dance inside of her at the sight of Cara's returning smirk. The damned, knowing smirk, even as Kahlan gripped her neck. "Otherwise, you would be in pain like you've never known. So I'll allow you to go. This time."
"Allow?" She gave an arrogant laugh. "You're alive because I allowed it." Cara slapped her hand away, rather forcefully given Kahlan's grip, and walked away to her horse. "I'll be off, just as the Confessor allows. Oh, and Confessor?"
Unable to say anything lest she speak her mind, she just stood there. If she spoke her mind, her control might slip and her power was eager, pressing against its confines. She had to hold onto it, she was too close to innocents. Innocents she wouldn't take notice of. Finally, blue eyes found green.
"I'm pain's mistress, Confessor."
A fist formed at her side as she all but yelled, "Mother Confessor." The Mord'Sith's form on her horse soon disappeared, but she stared after the empty space, focused on the rage that filled her, focused on settling the excited power within. Leaves crunched off to her left and she whipped around, hand moving of its own accord.
Richard froze and swallowed with effort, trying not to focus on the near-death grip on his neck. "It's… it's just me."
Disappointment seeped into her as she regarded him, but something called to her. She cocked her head, trying to discern it for a moment before realizing what she was doing. "Sorry," she murmured as she relinquished her hold and stepped away.
"Staying on your toes," he joked halfheartedly, clearing his throat. When Kahlan made no reply, he looked around for the first time. His tone became soft, serious. "Cara upset you?"
Kahlan stared at him, eyes narrowed slightly. "I am the Mother Confessor. Of course a Mord'Sith upset me. Did you think we'd just be friends, Richard?"
He shifted. Then, he stepped close to her, embracing her despite her cold posture. "I didn't mean that." At her mild return of the hug, Richard pulled back to look at her. "She's gone now and the children are safe." He squeezed her shoulders gently. "We've done a great thing today."
A forced smile came to her face. "You're right, Richard. Let's go."
They returned to their horses and the wall between them was gone, largely out of Kahlan's effort and the fact she ignored the desperate feel of his cheer. She'd seen that fear in him again, blatant and momentarily stunning him, but he'd pushed past it. For the most part. He still looked at her as if she might will the sky to rain fire. Kahlan couldn't blame him. That thing that called to her, she had identified it out as they rode. Her power wanted to rush out and prove itself, prove its owner's worth. But, was she its owner, or did it own her? And the absolute rage. Kahlan shook herself, she was being ridiculous. So she thought of more practical things and one day, she'd make sure there was one less blonde Mord'Sith. With forced smiles and laughs, Kahlan made light conversation with Richard during their ride.
"Do you think Zedd's already at the village?"
An affectionate smile accompanied Richard's laugh, but neither of them fully reached his eyes. "He's probably eating everything they have by now."
The ghost of a smile crossed Kahlan's face at the thought. "He really can't pass up a good meal."
"He can't pass up a bad meal."
A genuine laugh escaped Kahlan. "How else to perform such great magics?" She smiled in the silence, looking to the sky. Apparently, Richard's gaze followed hers.
"We should make camp soon."
"We should have stayed at the town for the night," she corrected with a raised eyebrow.
Richard shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't want the attention and I worry about Zedd."
"Ah, silence in place of a speech about him not being a frail old man," she said, causing her companion to grin.
"That's our wizard."
In much higher spirits than the past few days, Kahlan smiled when the village became visible. To her right, Richard mumbled something about wanting a good meal. She shook her head. "You're just like your grandfather."
Talk turned to their favorite wizard as the approached the village, making the time pass easily. The pair dismounted, stretched and looked around. Instead of being a thriving village of friendly people like it was a few months ago, it seemed off. The people were still there, but haunted looks plagued them and the sparse cheer seemed forced, bitter.
Richard shrugged when Kahlan looked to him and the two wandered into a nearby store. Silence filled the room, bringing back the nagging feeling that bothered Kahlan days ago. She watched as her companion cheerily greeted the shopkeeper, getting a hardly polite hello in return. Kahlan noted the sound return to the room slowly and jumped when Richard touched her arm.
"He saw a 'hungry, frail man' leave the tavern this morning, heading east of here."
Blue eyes swept over the village as they walked back to their horses. "There is something wrong here, Richard."
He looked troubled but determined. "I know. Maybe Zedd can help us figure it out when we find him. I don't like not having our wizard—it leaves us weaker."
Kahlan gripped the reins, urging her horse after Richard. "Why would Zedd leave this place for the forest?"
"I'm sure he had his reasons." He sounded as if the words were to convince himself more than her.
Being faced with the suspicious nature of the village brought all of Kahlan's worries to the surface, but there wasn't much she could do about any of it. With a sigh and no other choice, she kept her horse in pace with Richard's.