Chapter 3

Frederick shivered against the cold wind that unexpectedly whipped through the cave opening, causing the small fire that he had built to flicker and wane. He quickly placed his hands around it in an attempt to shield it from the wind and snowflakes that drifted inside their little sanctuary.

Within a few minutes, he had the fire steadily burning, the soft crackling of the wood filling the cave as shadows chased each other across the rocky walls that surrounded and protected them from the snow storm.

They were definitely not going any further today and only with luck would they be able to leave in the morning. Disheartened, Frederick pulled a heavy wool blanket from his pack and wrapped it around his shoulders. He had hoped that they would've been able to make better time than this, but the sudden snow was preventing them from getting to Wizard Caelinus.

He was anxious to find the cure that he needed so he could return to his new home. He had been spoiled with the time that he had been able to spend so far with his daughter and her family. He found himself growing more than anxious to return to them.

He had never dreamt that life could be like this, that he would be accepted into their lives as if nothing had ever happened. They had let go of the past. Now, if only he could do the same.

Sister Deryn suddenly entered their shelter with some small branches in her arms, a heavy dusting of snow covering her cloak. Setting down the wood, she brushed the flakes off before pulling her hood back, her wavy light brown hair tumbling down her shoulders.

Her nose was pink, her cheeks flushed from the cold as she silently settled in by the fire across from Frederick. She quickly reached out her hands before her, allowing the heat of the fire to warm her and thaw her frozen fingers.

She kept her pale green gaze focused on the fire, avoiding having to make conversation with Frederick. Being Kahlan's father, he was the last person she wanted to be forced into talking to. She wasn't here to make pleasantries with anyone or to become their friend. She only wanted to find the cure for her son so she could return home and fight to reclaim Richard as hers.

She didn't care what the Prelate had said about Richard having never made love to her. Deryn knew in her heart that she and Richard had shared a special connection during his stay at the Palace of the Prophets. Even if Ann hadn't interfered, she knew that he would have eventually come to her in his own time.

Michael was their child, not Kahlan's. Their son connected them whether he liked it or not and she was not going anywhere. Richard would have to come to accept them in time and she'd wait for him no matter how long it took. Kahlan was going to have to acknowledge that Richard had another woman in his life, one that shared a child with him.

Deryn suddenly realized that maybe it was a good idea for her to accompany the Wizard to see Caelinus after all. It had required Richard to help take care of his son, forcing him to spend time with him and get to know him. In the end, it could be to her advantage.

Hopefully when she returned, Richard would see her again the way that he had come to know her at the Palace of the Prophets, remembering the times they had shared together during his training. She couldn't help smiling to herself with the thought. It lightened her heart to think of having Richard with her instead of the Mother Confessor.

Looking up, Frederick noticed a sudden softening in Sister Deryn's expression as she stared into the fire. The anger and bitterness had unexpectedly vanished from her pale green eyes, a small smile lighting her face. Whatever it was, it was good to see the young woman looking happier.

Kahlan had told him everything that had happened, how Michael came to be and the Prelate's involvement. Deryn had been just as much a victim in this as Richard had been. Ann had used the Sister's feelings for the Seeker to her advantage, manipulating things to accomplish her end goal of averting prophecy.

He didn't hold any resentment towards Deryn for what had happened, but at the same time, he wasn't so blind to see that the woman still wanted Richard for herself. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure she didn't do anything to ruin Richard and Kahlan's marriage.

"You probably aren't used to this much snow at the Palace of the Prophets?" he suddenly asked, breaking the frosty silence.

"No, but I grew up in the Midlands where we had a lot of snow in the winter," Deryn replied with a shrug. "I'm used to it."

"How long have you been at the Palace?"

"Since I was fifteen."

"And how old are you now?" he asked, his brow creasing in thought.

"Twenty eight," she simply stated.

"You look mighty young for twenty eight," he said in surprise.

"There's a special magical spell that surrounds the Palace and protects those who live there," she told him, her eyes flickering up to meet his intent gaze. "It slows the aging process."

"I see," he nodded, his eyes returning to the fire. "And how ancient would that make the Prelate then?"

"Well, the horses are hobbled and settled in for the night," Zedd announced as he suddenly swept into the cave, a flurry of snowflakes following behind him. "Hopefully, the storm will pass before morning so we can be on our way at first light."

"I hope you're right," Frederick sighed. "I'd hate for the snow to delay us any further than it already has."

"We'll be fine, Frederick," Zedd smiled, patting him reassuringly on the shoulder as he passed by him. Settling down with his back against the cave wall, he pulled his pack into his lap. "Now, let's see what else Kahlan sent along for us to eat. I'm starving."

Frederick chuckled with the Wizard's words, shaking his head in amusement. "Kahlan warned me about your appetite. She told me to keep my pack of food safely away from you."

"Well, I have no idea what she could possibly be talking about," Zedd replied in mock indignation as he pulled out a small brown paper package. He smiled in delight as he unwrapped it. "Ah, dried venison. My favorite!"

Deryn cast a furtive glance at the Wizard as he eagerly bit into the dried meat, his enthusiasm for his food causing her to stare in amazement. Last night, the first night they had left, she had pretty much stayed to herself, not talking or looking at either one of them. She had eaten little as well, preferring to just go right to sleep to avoid any conversation with them.

She felt awkward travelling with two men she didn't even know and yet at the same time, she felt very safe for some reason and it wasn't just because Zedd was a Wizard of the First Order. They both reminded her of her grandfather in a way, bringing her an odd sense of comfort that she hadn't expected.

Watching Zedd as he ate now, she had to admit that she was starving as well. Digging into the supply pack that had been given to her, she found a small brown paper package wrapped much like Zedd's. Opening it, she took a piece of the dried meat and took a small bite, savoring the salty taste. She allowed herself to relax a bit, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the food.

"Kahlan did a fine job of packing our supplies," Zedd happily said as he searched his pack for some bread. "Now, if she was only here to cook for us."

Deryn frowned as she continued to eat. She didn't want to hear that woman's name or be forced into listening to the two of them sing her constant praises about how wonderful she was. If she was going to have to hear about Kahlan every time one of them opened their mouths, this was going to be the most miserable trip of her life.

XXX

Kahlan knocked before entering Garren and Cara's suite, anxious to see how her friend was fairing so far. She was impressed at how well the Mord'Sith had been holding up being stuck inside of her suite, ordered to stay in her bed. She also knew that Cara was strong, determined to do anything to protect the life of her unborn baby. It was that tenacity and strength that would get her through the next couple of weeks.

"Cara?" Kahlan called as she peeked her head inside, not wanting to interrupt anything.

"Where else would I be?" an annoyed voice responded.

"Thought I'd bring you lunch," she chuckled at her response.

Carrying a tray of food, the Mother Confessor found Cara in her bedchamber sitting propped up in bed with a stack of books her only companion. The silence that filled the room as she took a seat next to her bed suddenly struck the Mother Confessor as unusual.

She guessed that she had grown accustomed to the sounds of her children, the girls playing and jabbering or her infant son's crying and cooing. Being in a suite filled with such tranquility suddenly seemed so very strange to her, almost unsettling in a strange way. It wouldn't be like this for long for Cara and Garren. Once the baby was born, the peacefulness would come to an abrupt end.

Noticing the sudden curious expression on the Mother Confessor's face, Cara put her book aside. "What is it?"

"Oh nothing," Kahlan smiled thoughtfully as she set the tray down beside the bed. "I was just startled by how quiet it is in here."

"Why wouldn't it be quiet?" Cara questioned her with a confused expression.

"I guess I'm just used to the children constantly creating chaos of some sort," Kahlan replied. "Just wait till the baby comes. You'll know exactly what I mean."

"I'm just ready for this to all be over."

"I don't blame you," she sympathized. "I can't imagine how difficult this has been for you."

"It will be worth it all once the baby finally comes. I don't think Garren is going to be able to wait much longer."

"Richard was a wreck waiting for the girls and Aiden to come," Kahlan grinned at the fond memories. "He was so anxious I didn't think that he was going to make it the whole nine months. He would lie in bed and talk to them as he rubbed my stomach."

"Garren's not much better," the Mord'Sith admitted with a roll of her green eyes.

"It just means they're good fathers."

"Ok, tell me what's going on?" Cara impatiently asked. "I'm going stir-crazy in here. Now that Zedd's gone, I'm not getting as much information as I had before."

"What?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Zedd was the one who told us to be careful about how much we told you because he didn't want you to be stressed. Here he's been the one filling you in on everything all along?"

"Afraid so," Cara smirked triumphantly. "You know how much that old Wizard loves to talk. All I had to do was get him started and then everything just came pouring right out. Whatever he didn't tell me, Garren filled in the rest."

"Wonderful," Kahlan sighed, her brow furrowing in thought. "Well, there's been no change in Michael's condition so far. Nicci has been searching for any information on the prophecy that Ann told us about that appeared at the Palace of the Prophets."

"Has she found anything yet?"

"No, not that I know of," she grimly replied, hooking her hair behind her ear. "Hopefully she'll be able to find something soon. You know how much Richard loves prophecy especially when it's hanging over our heads like this."

"I'd still love to get my hands on that Prelate," Cara scowled. "I don't care what prophecy says. She had no right interfering in Lord Rahl's life like that."

"I agree, but there's not much we can do about it now except try to find a way out of this."

Cara could tell by her friend's expression that she was still having great difficulty with all of this. "We'll find a way through this, Kahlan. We always manage to find a way."

"I know," she nodded, forcing a small smile. "I'm just afraid there will come a time that we won't be able to find a way through it."

"You know Lord Rahl won't let that happen. He always manages to find the right path."

Kahlan knew she was right, choosing not to give voice to her worries any more. "Have you been able to find much from your reading?"

"I've been jotting down some notes for Zedd," she said. "Hopefully some of this will be helpful."

"I appreciate what you're doing for my father and Michael."

"I appreciate having something to do," Cara grimaced as she took a plate from the Mother Confessor. "I wouldn't have been able to last this long without something to keep me occupied."

"Well, I hope you're up for a party," Kahlan told her, popping a grape into her mouth. "Paige and Priya turn one year old in a few more days. Lyla thinks we need to have a large party. In fact, the entire city is getting involved in the celebration. We're going to have a smaller party when Frederick and Zedd return. Richard thought it was best to give D'Hara something to celebrate for once."

"It'll give me something to look forward to," Cara perked up with the news. "One year old already."

"I know it's hard to believe," she wistfully said. "Paige and Priya are getting so big. Before long I'll have to start training them to be Confessors."

"I think you still have a few years yet."

"It goes a lot faster than you think," she softly replied, suddenly sad.

All too soon, they would know the heavy burden of responsibility that they carried because of the powerful magic that flowed through their veins. While proud that they would carry on the line of Confessors, she feared for them, worried about all of the difficulties and obstacles that stood in their path.

Their lives would not be easy, but hopefully she and Richard would be able to ensure peace and safety for their futures before they had to take over the responsibilities and duties of their parents.

Kahlan felt tears beginning to swim in her eyes and quickly averted her gaze. Clearing her throat, she forced her thoughts in another direction.

"Have you and Garren decided on names yet for the baby?"

"We've discussed many, but haven't decided on one yet," Cara admitted with a sigh, shifting onto her side so she could face Kahlan. "Garren keeps throwing out these ridiculous names that I wouldn't wish on my enemy let alone my own child."

Kahlan softly chuckled at the Mord'Sith's exasperated expression. "That sounds like Garren."

"Have you and Lord Rahl been able to avert war with the Midlands?" Cara asked, her brow furrowing at the thought.

"Richard sent an army to the Midlands yesterday," Kahlan explained as she took one of Cara's books from the bedside table. She turned it to read the title on the spine of the ancient looking tome. "I believe there are some representatives of some sort here to discuss their interests. I think Richard was meeting with someone this afternoon, but I'm not sure who."

"Why is Lord Rahl even giving them the time of day?" Cara scowled in irritation. "They knew the consequences of their decision and yet they chose to side against the D'Haran Empire. Now it's time to pay for that choice."

"I agree, but we still need to at least listen to what they have to say," the Mother Confessor replied. "Richard won't recall the army. They will still be occupied by our forces for some time even if they do chose to join us. We can't trust that they are sincere in their loyalty even if they do change their minds now. They will have to prove their allegiance to us."

"I still wouldn't give them the time to discuss something that's already been decided."

"I think they are trying to buy some time before being invaded by our army, but little do they know that Richard isn't backing down on this. He may be the Seeker, compassionate and kind-hearted, but he is also the Lord Rahl and has the responsibility of leading two territories. He takes that very seriously."

"I still don't like it," the Mord'Sith frowned. "I think you should just confess them all and order their surrender."

"It's not that easy and you know it," Kahlan shook her head, amused by the Mord'Sith's black and white way of looking at things all the time.

Cara smirked. "I know, but I still like my way the best."

"We still have to adhere to diplomacy," she chuckled softly in amazement. "I can't start confessing every single person who doesn't agree with what we're doing. We'd just have a bunch of mindless slaves to rule over, void of individualized thinking and ideas."

"And what's so wrong with that?" Cara asked, her green eyes sparkling with delight at the idea.

Kahlan stared at her for a long moment, suddenly noticing the glow that enveloped her. "It's good to see you smiling again. You look…I don't know…happier, more relaxed for some reason."

"I'm feeling much better," Cara replied, not divulging the fact that she had spent a very passionate night with Garren for the first time in what had felt like an eternity. It had been intensely sensual and erotic, taking their time exploring and exiting one another.

"I'm glad," she said, taking another bite of her lunch. "I've been worried about you."

"I'm hoping that Nicci will start letting me get up at times now."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Kahlan frowned at the thought. "I don't like the idea of you or the baby being put at risk again."

"You sound like Lord Rahl," Cara huffed in annoyance, picking at her food with her fork.

"I think it's best if you just stick to your bed and the assignment Zedd gave you," Kahlan told her, giving her the book she still held in her hand. "We don't want to lose you, Cara."

Cara sighed heavily in resignation as she took the offered book, rolling her eyes as she did. "Hopefully I can find the key to this whole mess with Michael."

"Anything you can find would be most helpful," Kahlan replied, worry lacing her voice. She hated watching what all of this was doing to Richard, how deeply it was affecting him despite his insistence otherwise.

The sooner this was all resolved, the better it would be.