Chapter 2

Entering their room, she found him sitting at the desk in the greeting room pouring feverishly over some books, no doubt continuing his research. He lifted his head at the sound of the door, jumping to his feet at the sight of her.

"Find what you were looking for?" he greeted her as he smoothed the front of his jacket.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did," Sangria smiled pleasantly as she unfastened her gold cloak from around her neck, draping it over the back of a chair.

"I still wish you wouldn't go out in public alone like that," he reprimanded her. "It's not safe here and you know it. We can't draw too much attention to ourselves just yet."

"I'm completely safe and you know it, Sabinus," she reminded him with a sigh of agitation. He always worried far too much. It was unhealthy and unnecessary.

"Someone has to worry about you," he frowned as he folded his arms against his chest in indignation. "Creator knows that you don't worry about your own welfare nearly enough."

"You fret more than an old woman, Sabinus," she scowled as she dropped into a nearby chair.

Ignoring her comment, Sabinus made his way to the chair directly across from her. "So what did you find out?"

"You were right," she reluctantly admitted with a sigh.

"I told you," he triumphantly replied, sitting up a little straighter with sudden pride. "You should always believe me."

"Always?" she questioned him with a raised eyebrow. "The last time you told me to believe you things didn't turn out so well now did they?"

Sabinus averted his eyes, avoiding that penetrating gaze of hers that made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. They seemed to sear straight through him, painfully peeling back each layer like an onion until she finally found his soul…or what was left of it. He quickly dismissed it with a nervous wave of his hand.

"That was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding," he shook his head in disagreement. "Could've happened to anybody."

"Have I reminded you lately that you are disposable to me? I don't have to keep you around, you know," she responded with a heated glare that could've instantly melted a glacier.

"You can't! You need me!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet in stunned disbelief, balling his hands into fists. "Besides, we…we're…"

"Sit down, Sabinus," she huffed in annoyance at his outburst, interrupting his tirade. "Don't be a fool. I can't just get rid of you no matter how much I would love to sometimes."

Sabinus slowly sank back down into his chair, pouting with her words. "Really, Sangria," he frowned. "You should be nicer to me. You need to appreciate what you have in life."

"I do appreciate you," she sighed heavily with a roll of her eyes, attempting to stroke his bruised ego. It was times like these that she began to wonder why exactly she did keep him around.

"So did you see her?" he asked, brightening somewhat with her words.

"Yes, I saw her, but I made sure to keep our meeting brief," she replied as she absentmindedly clicked her fingernails. "I think she may know something about our plans. I didn't want to draw any suspicion or unwanted attention. We'll have to keep a close eye on her, though."

"We're getting close, Sangria," Sabinus practically squealed with anticipation.

"Don't get overly excited on me now," she sternly scolded him. "There is still much we have to do. We're not even close to realizing our dream yet."

"No, but we're closer than what we were," he shrugged indifferently to her lack of enthusiasm. She always had been the cool logical one, keeping her emotions in constant check.

"Just don't let your excited anticipation get in the way of what we need to do," she reminded him with a severe look as she pulled her silver hair back behind her shoulder. "Don't lose focus on our end goal or all of this will be in vain."

"Well, I heard something today that will make you happy," he told her, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"What would that be?"

"The Wizard is gone."

"What do you mean he's gone? Where did he go?"

"Exactly that," he huffed. "The Wizard left yesterday for the Lo'Gaire Mountains."

"Why would he go there?"

"I don't know," Sabinus shook his head. "I overhead some of the staff saying that he went to find some wizard who lives up there. Something about needing to find a cure for some child or something like that. I'm not exactly certain, but it can't help but be to our advantage that he is gone."

Sangria tapped her bottom lip with her finger as she thought over the unexpected information. This was indeed good news, better than she had hoped for. Whatever had happened that had caused the Wizard of the First Order to leave was of no consequence to them, but it would definitely help their cause in the end.

"That is good news indeed," she softly muttered to herself, her mind racing with the significance of it. Now, there was one less person who stood in their way.

XXX

Sitting quietly by his bed, Richard couldn't help staring at Michael as he slept. His long eyelashes brushed against his cheeks, his dark chestnut hair disheveled from his restless slumber. He had woken for a little while, eating some soup before quickly falling asleep again.

Richard was still having a difficult time grasping the fact that this child was his son, one who was conceived against his will and without his knowledge. He still didn't quite know how he felt about the whole situation.

Of course, he was furious that Ann had tampered with his life, manipulating his future like she had. At the same time, it was unfair of him to take out his anger on Michael. None of this was his fault. He was just a little boy who didn't even know yet who his father truly was.

Could he really turn his back on this little boy just because his mother wasn't Kahlan?

Richard already knew the answer without thinking twice. He couldn't just ignore his own child no matter how he came to exist or who his mother was. His blood flowed through that little boy's veins.

He would do whatever it took to make all of this work out even going so far as welcoming Deryn into their lives if necessary. He smiled softly to himself, knowing that Kahlan would completely support his decision, even treating Michael like her own son even though he was not.

He loved Kahlan so completely, her compassion and love never ceasing to astound him. He found himself falling deeper in love with her every day, more than he had ever imagined possible feeling for a woman. Every time he dwelled on it, he found it difficult to breathe as if his heart was expanding within his chest just thinking about her.

They were bonded, sharing something so very special that went far beyond the boundaries of simple love. To think that she had been created solely for him to love was inconceivable and yet true.

"Mama…"

The soft whimpering voice drew his attention back to the little boy lying in the bed beside him. He gently reached out his hand, stroking his son's hair. "It's alright, Michael," he softly said. "It's your…it's Richard."

"Mama?"

"I'm sorry," he gently replied. "She isn't here right now, but I promise that she'll be back soon. She went to find something to help you feel better."

Coughing and nodding in response, Michael settled back into a restless sleep. Richard continued to gently run his fingers through his son's hair, keeping watch over him. He felt so guilty for forcing Michael's mother to go instead of going himself, but how could he have gone when he had a war to prevent?

Sighing heavily, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he watched Michael sleep. What kind of a father was he? He would give anything in this world, even his own life for his son and daughters. Would he do the same for this little one?

He sat back in his chair, rubbing his face with his hands in frustration. He hated himself for not immediately feeling connected to Michael like a father should feel for his son, but it had been more than difficult accepting it all.

"How's he doing?"

Richard turned to see Nicci standing in the doorway, her long blond hair falling over one shoulder, her arms folded against her chest studying him. The expression on her face was one of sadness mixed with…regret maybe? He could tell by that look that she wanted more than anything to fix it all, but all of this was beyond repair even for the most powerful sorceress who had ever lived.

"He woke up long enough to eat a little," he replied, turning his attention back to Michael. "Otherwise, there's been no change."

Nicci had thought that her heart couldn't possibly feel any heavier with all that was going on until this moment. Seeing Richard sitting there at the bedside of his dying son seemed to make her heart sink even further.

She didn't think that she had ever felt so helpless as she did at that moment.

Entering the room, she silently settled into a chair beside him, not knowing what she could possibly do or say that would help make things better for either of them. It didn't help that Zedd had had to leave to help find a cure for Frederick and Michael. She knew how much he looked to his grandfather for wisdom and guidance especially at times like these.

She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder, squeezing it affectionately. "We won't give up, Richard," she softly reassured him. "We'll find a way to save him."

"I know," he replied, turning to look at her. "I just feel…guilty…I guess."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want him to die."

"Why do you feel guilty for not wanting him to die?" she asked, confused.

"It's not for the reasons that it should be. I don't want him to die because he's a little boy with so much of his life to look forward to, because he had no say in his creation, not because he's my son."

"I don't understand," she shook her head. "Why does that make you feel guilty?"

"I should want him to live because he's my son, but I'm having a hard time feeling that connection to him. I keep telling myself that he's my son, I can see that he is every time I look at him, but I'm still having a very hard time believing all of this."

"Richard, over a week ago you didn't even know that Michael was alive," she pointed out. "You can't possibly expect to immediately love your child when you had no idea that he even existed or were even a part of his creation."

"I know, but I feel as though Michael deserves a better father than me," he insisted, his muscles tensing with his brewing frustration.

"You are the most amazing father I have ever seen," Nicci told him. "Paige, Priya, and Aiden adore you, Richard. The girls' faces light up every time you enter a room. You just need to give it some time with Michael. You haven't even had a chance to get to know him yet.

"This was all thrust upon you out of nowhere at the same time that Kahlan gave birth to Aiden. You've had to adjust to all of this under extremely difficult circumstances. No one can blame you for being confused about how you feel."

"I can't help but feel terrible for how all of this has turned out," he admitted. "It could've destroyed my marriage, my family. It just seems like it has hurt so many people."

"Richard, none of this is your fault," Nicci pursed her lips, shaking her head in adamant disagreement. "This lies solely on Ann's shoulders. She is the one who must take the blame for all of this."

"I know that Ann thought that what she was doing was for the best, but if she hadn't interfered in my life, then Michael would've never been created and we wouldn't be in the mess that we're in now," he said. "Michael wouldn't be fighting for his life."

Nicci could hear the bitterness and anger in his every word, the muscles in his face flexing and relaxing as he clenched his jaw. "Michael is a creature of magic, Richard," she soothed. "He never should've existed. It's a wonder that his magic didn't start breaking down sooner. Ann never should've attempted it."

"It still doesn't make any of this easier," he softly replied, reaching out to adjust the blanket around Michael's shoulders.

"I'll sit with him for a while until Ann returns," Nicci offered. "You look like you could use a break."

"Thank you, Nicci, I appreciate that," he said with a forced smile. "Have you been able to find anything yet?"

"No, nothing yet," she frowned in mutual frustration. "I've been searching for any prophecies that talk about the serpent or refer to you and your heirs. There are so many books though. Darken Rahl's collection of books is massive. It's going to take some time to sort through it all."

"And there's no telling how much time we really have," the Seeker sighed. "It's already been two years since the prophecy first appeared on the walls of the Palace of the Prophets. If it is true, it could be two days or two more years before it begins for all we know."

Nicci's gaze suddenly grew distant as something struck her. "Maybe it already has."

Richard's eyes narrowed with her words. "What do you mean?"

"The first part of the prophecy says 'regions will unite under a new wickedness'," she thoughtfully replied as she absentmindedly played with a strand of blond hair.

Richard felt a sick roiling in the pit of his stomach as he waited for her to continue. "Yes…and?"

"What if the sudden uprising in the southern part of the Midlands reflects the part of the prophecy that says 'regions will unite'?"

"You think the prophecy could already be coming true?" he scowled at the thought. "This is partly why I hate prophecy. Events are taken and pieced together to try and make it fit the way a prophecy should sound."

"You have to admit, Richard, regions are uniting against you right now," she insisted, sitting forward a bit. "I'm not saying that what you and Kahlan are trying to accomplish is wrong in any way. I'm just saying that it could very easily fit with the prophecy."

Richard stood to his feet, walking past her to the other side of the room. He raked his fingers back through his hair, releasing a deep breath as he considered her words. "Alright, let's say for just one moment that what you say is true. Who, then, represents the 'new wickedness' that they unite under?"

"I don't know for certain," she replied, her lips twisting in frustrated thought. "I'm just saying that we can't ignore the fact that there are regions in the Midlands who are uniting against you right now."

Richard crossed his arms as he leaned his back against the wall. "I know, but what about the rest of the prophecy? I don't see anything coming close to representing the serpent and there's been no real threat against me or my family."

"Not that we know of," she pointed out. "That's not to say that something couldn't be happening right at this moment as we speak."

Richard could feel the hair rise on his forearms and neck with her ominous words. The thought of someone threatening Kahlan or their children caused his rage to sharply spike deep in his core. Whoever this so-called serpent was, they would have to get past him and his sword first before coming near his family.

Nicci felt gooseflesh ripple up her arms at the sudden rage that flashed through his once warm brown eyes. Now, they were twin thunderstorms, filled with a fierce need to protect. This wasn't just the righteous rage of the Seeker, but the fury of a father and a husband.

She could also see his mind working, processing what she was saying. His tongue snuck out to wet his lips as his eyes fell on the sleeping form of the little boy in the bed before him.

"You don't think Deryn or Ann could be wrapped up somehow in this prophecy do you?" he finally asked after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know what to believe right now," she replied. "All I know is that we can't ignore anything that happens, no matter how trivial we think that it may seem."

"Have I told you lately how much I hate prophecy?" he scowled, attempting to lighten the foreboding mood that had infiltrated the room.

Nicci couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "No, at least not today I don't think you have."

Tilting his head back against the wall, Richard stared up at the ceiling. "Prophecy is going to haunt my life until the day I die."

"I'm afraid it will, Lord Rahl," she told him, using his title to emphasize why prophecy clung to him like a deadly virus that he could not shake.

"I have to go meet with Holland," he said, making his way to the door. "Another large contingent of soldiers is leaving today for the Midlands to force them into submission."

"I know this isn't easy for you, Richard," she gently replied. "But you're doing the right thing."

"They have left me with no choice. Now, I have to do what must be done or every other region in the territories will suddenly think they can freely do as they please. It'll only lead to utter chaos and more trouble in the end."

"Don't worry about Michael. I'll stay with him until Ann returns."

Richard smiled softly, his gaze returning to his sleeping son. "Thank you, Nicci," he said. "I'll check back on him later."

Watching him leave, Nicci could still feel the immense burden that he carried lingering in the air. Even though he carried it with him everywhere he went, it was almost palpable now as she pulled a small book from the pocket of her dress.

Settling back in her chair, she began to read a book that she had stumbled across that had been wedged between two larger books on a shelf in the library. She didn't know why, but she had a nagging feeling that this little book just might prove to be useful to them somehow.