Chapter 4
Richard sat in his private council chambers, absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the table as he waited for Commander Holland to arrive with the representatives from the southern regions of the Midlands. They had evidently elected someone to represent their interests and give voice to their concerns about the formation of the D'Haran Empire in an effort to avoid punishment for their decision.
Unfortunately it was far too late for talk. They should have been here weeks ago if they wanted to avoid this. A large contingent of D'Haran soldiers had already been sent to occupy the three regions that had chosen to unite and defy the Lord Rahl, separating from the alliance and forming their own. There would have to be consequences for their choice regardless of their sudden decision to work towards a peaceable solution.
He couldn't risk having other provinces and regions suddenly deciding to do this, wanting special considerations made for them as well. He'd spend his whole life making concessions and revisiting old ones when they were suddenly deemed unsatisfactory to them.
No, it had to be equal rules for everyone, no compromises or special indulgences made. It would only lead to bickering and fighting between regions.
Standing to his feet, Richard began to wonder what was taking so long. He had other business that he needed to see too. Not to mention, he wanted to see Kahlan and their children. He had purposefully set aside this time after the birth of his son to be able to spend time with them without duties interrupting them.
Unfortunately, this new threat of war was doing just that.
Coming to stand behind his chair, he rested his forearms on the high backrest as he stared out over the enormous oak table that stretched towards the other side of the room. Many deliberations had taken place already since he had come here and assumed the throne, far more than he was sure ever had in the past. He had a hard time picturing his brother as being someone too keen on deliberations when he could just rule with an iron fist and terrify everyone into doing his bidding.
He just hoped that the formation of the D'Haran Empire wasn't following in his brother's footsteps. He felt in his heart that he was doing the only right thing that he could do. He had to trust himself, his instincts and his judgment. They had never failed him in the past. He couldn't allow doubts now to enter into his mind and make the waters murky.
Knowing that Kahlan was fully with him on this, standing at his side helped to suddenly banish those irritating uncertainties. Without her, he knew that he would never be able to do this.
The door suddenly opened causing Richard to look up. Commander Holland poked his head inside before fully opening the large double doors. Four men followed behind the tall Commander, one of them of medium build and blond hair that was nearly white. He stood out from the three men that followed behind him. He walked with an air of arrogance that immediately set Richard off.
"Sorry for the delay, my Lord," Holland began as he came to a stop before Richard. "The representatives are here now."
"I don't appreciate being made to wait," Richard crossly said, folding his arms against his chest as his razor sharp gaze came to rest on the four men following behind Holland.
"I'm sorry, my…" Holland quickly apologized.
"It's my fault entirely," one of the men interrupted with a bow. "I'm afraid that something came up that I needed to tend to before we could meet with you, Lord Rahl."
"I have important things that need tending to as well," Richard coolly stated.
"Indeed, I'm sure you do," the man apologetically replied with a small smile. "I appreciate you taking the time to see us."
"I will not change my mind about having my soldiers occupy your regions," he informed them, taking his seat once more. "You were given a choice and I'm afraid you've made the wrong one."
"Please, call me Sabinus," the man with the very fair hair told him. "My name is Sabinus Dorst. I have been elected to be the Emissary for these three regions, putting voice to their numerous concerns."
With a hand, Richard directed the Ambassador and the representatives to take their seats at the table as Commander Holland moved to stand guard by the double doors. "Your regions made a very foolish decision by choosing to side against the D'Haran Empire, Sabinus," Richard flatly stated, leveling each man in turn with a deadly glare that caused each one to wither beneath his heated stare.
"I am merely here to represent the interests of my regions in the Midlands," Sabinus attempted to explain as he settled into a chair, completely unaffected by the Lord Rahl's irritation. "It is with great regret that we humbly decline your offer to become part of your little Empire."
Richard cocked an eyebrow at the Ambassador's choice of words, tilting his head in surprise. There was an underlying flippant tone in everything that he said despite the pleasant smile that remained plastered on his narrow face. He didn't like it one bit.
"Little Empire?" Richard repeated his words with growing annoyance. "There is nothing little about the D'Haran Empire, Ambassador. You will see that first hand when you return home and find D'Haran soldiers roaming your streets and forcing your people to comply."
"Please, my Lord," one of the other men suddenly piped up. "I wish that you would reconsider your decision. Girisha has always been a very peaceful region."
"It's too late," the Seeker told him with little regret, his voice hard like the steel of his sword. "I've already sent two large contingents of soldiers to occupy your three regions. They should be arriving there in a little over a week."
Hands facing each other, Sabinus tapped his fingertips together in thought before finally responding. "I'm sorry to hear that, my Lord. I do wish that we could find an amicable way to come to some sort of resolution over this disagreement on terms."
"There are no terms to discuss," Richard heatedly replied. "You either accept our terms or you reject it. It's that simple. You're either with us or against us. There is no middle ground here. You are all going to be charged with treason against the D'Haran throne."
"But…but you can't!" another man from Urien leapt to his feet in rage. "I thought you were supposed to be a compassionate and peaceable man! I see that rumors about you are untrue!"
Richard sat forward, resting his forearms on the table. "I'm afraid that the time to discuss has come and gone. You were given plenty of time to make your choice and voice your concerns. It appears to me that that it's already been made."
"Yes, well, that was before we knew that we were going to be occupied by your army," Sabinus Dorst calmly said, leaning back in his chair.
"You can discuss it all you want. I'm not recalling my men or changing my mind."
"And what about the Mother Confessor? I'm sure that she is not the least bit happy about having the Midlands just swallowed up by D'Hara," the representative from Narcissa fumed, folding his arms defiantly against his chest. "I want to talk to her."
"The Mother Confessor and I are in complete agreement and stand firm on this," Richard bit out, his expression darkening to match his mood. "She will tell you no different than I have."
"She's been corrupted in her thinking by a Rahl," the Narcissian representative muttered under his breath, using Richard's last name as if it were a profanity.
Richard stood to his feet, anger pulsating through his veins. "The Mother Confessor has been influenced by no one. We rule together as equals and stand together in agreement that this is the best decision for all involved. It will allow us to rule both territories without being separated."
"So it's for your convenience and comfort, not the best interests of those involved, the people that this alliance will affect?" the man from Urien snapped.
Sabinus could tell that he was quickly losing control of the situation. He hadn't meant for this to turn into an antagonizing face off. He needed to regain control, calm the heated tension that hung thickly in the air.
"May I please beg of you to meet again tomorrow regarding this? There are certain things that we would like some clarification on in terms of our surrendering our rights and loyalties to you," Sabinus coolly inquired. "Perhaps the Mother Confessor could join us as well?"
"I have already given you more of my time than I had intended," Richard stated. "There is no need for discussion. You are either with us or you will be considered our enemy."
"I think you need to know that the three regions have already amassed a very large army of their own in preparation to defend themselves if necessary against a D'Haran army invasion. They are prepared to go to war over this."
He watched as a sly smile slowly crept across the Ambassador's lips. It made Richard want to wipe it off his face for him. "They will not win," he calmly replied. "Every last one of your men who go to war against my army will be slaughtered."
"I know how much you value life. I would've thought that you would be more than willing to go to any lengths to preserve it. You don't want a war breaking out, Lord Rahl. Please, allow me a little more time to discuss with my companions."
Richard considered his words for a moment. "Fine," he frowned. "I'll meet with you tomorrow, but it will be my final word. There will be no more discussion about it after tomorrow."
"As you wish, my Lord," Sabinus replied, bowing as he quickly stood to his feet. "May I also congratulate you on the birth of your son? I hear the Mother Confessor is doing well."
The Seeker froze as he studied Sabinus. Something about this man made the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle with suspicion. "Both my wife and our son are well. Thank you for inquiring about them."
"It's always a blessed, joyous occasion when the Lord Rahl finally gains a true heir."
Richard's hand fell to the hilt of his sword, a sudden uneasiness washing through him with the Ambassador's choice of words. It reminded him a little too much of the prophecy that Ann had told them about.
"My daughters are heirs as well, not just my son," he replied with a narrowed glare. He loved his children equally, daughter or son made no difference to him. They were his and Kahlan's and that was all that mattered in this world to him.
"I'm sorry," Sabinus apologized with the Lord Rahl's obvious agitation. "I didn't mean to dishonor your twin daughters. It's just that a son would be better suited to rule the throne of D'Hara someday. Don't you agree?"
Richard straightened his shoulders, standing tall before the smaller Ambassador. He was irritated by his insinuation that his daughters were incapable of being rulers. "My daughters are Confessors who possess my magic as well. I believe that makes them more than capable of ruling an Empire."
"Again, I apologize," the man clasped his hands before him. "I seem to only be saying the wrong things to you. I did not mean to anger or offend you in anyway. I merely wished to express my best wishes to you and your family."
"Thank you," Richard coolly stated. "Now, if you excuse me, I have other matters that I need to see to."
"Yes, of course," Sabinus bowed his head once more. "I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us. I know that you are a very busy man with many responsibilities resting on your shoulders."
Richard gave a curt nodded before leaving them to their private discussions. He didn't appreciate vain flattery or empty words meant to placate him. He didn't trust this man. There was something sinister about him, something that he didn't like. He didn't know whether it was the fact that he represented regions that had banned together against them and the D'Haran Empire or the insincerity that he detected behind his words.
Either way, Sabinus Dorst was not somebody they could afford to trust.
XXX
"I don't know why you insist on roaming about the market place when you could have everything brought to you. You shouldn't be out in the open all the time like this."
Kahlan smiled to herself at the Mord'Sith's words, her annoyance evident in her tone. "What would be the fun in that, Rachel?"
"And you think this is fun?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"I traipsed through the Midlands and D'Hara for two years before resuming rule and I was just fine," she explained as she made her way through the streets of the market place. "Besides, I want to personally pick out my daughters' birthday gifts. I don't want to sit in my suite while someone else shops for my girls nor do I want to have everything just brought to me. I won't stop being who I am or doing what I enjoy just because of the titles I hold."
Mistress Rachel heaved a sigh as she walked beside the Lady Rahl. She had never known someone of such prestigious standing to be so unassuming. While refreshing, it made her a little nervous how fearless the Mother Confessor was about being out among the common people. There could be assassins anywhere, enemies lurking in the shadows ready to take out the Lady Rahl of D'Hara.
Rachel's fingers circled the top of her agiel hanging at her waist, her blue-eyed gaze searching out every face they passed, every gray shadow, every dark alley. She wasn't about to let anything happen to the Lady Rahl, first and foremost because she knew what it would do to Lord Rahl and second of all because she was her friend. She had grown very protective of her and Lord Rahl much like Mistress Cara.
Kahlan took her time as she peered through windows of stores she passed by, wanting to find exactly the right gifts for her daughters. They were getting so big already, her babies becoming little girls. Soon they would be young women, trained to be what they were destined to become.
While pride filled her heart, worry lingered within her as well. She knew the life that her daughters would have to live would be dangerous and lonely at times. It continually weighed heavily on her heart, always lingering in the back of her mind.
While having children with Richard had always been a dream of hers, what kind of a life had she sentenced her daughters and son to? A life carrying the difficult burdens and responsibilities that their parents carried didn't seem fair to them and yet she knew that it was meant to be. Someone had to continue what she and Richard had started, take up the cause for peace.
Pausing before a store window, she gently pressed her hand against the glass as she peered inside. Not seeing what she was looking for, Kahlan frowned to herself before moving on.
Despite the cold touch of winter still in the air, the afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky above making it feel warmer than it actually was. She hoped that Zedd and Frederick were alright. She feared for their safety despite Zedd's powerful magic. She prayed that Caelinus would have the cure for her father. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him now that she finally had him back in her life, finally had the father that she remembered and loved before her mother had died.
She felt bad that the city would be celebrating the girls' birthday while they were gone, but she guessed that it couldn't be helped. Richard had been right. Paige and Priya deserved to have a birthday celebration and once Frederick and Michael were healed, they would have something else to celebrate.
That thought brought a flicker of happiness to the bleak situation that they found themselves in once again. She began to wonder how Richard's meeting with the representatives from the Midlands went. She knew how difficult it was going to be for him. She wished he would've let her be there for him, but he had insisted that she worry about other things instead like finding presents for the girls.
She knew how he would have loved to come with her, how much he loved finding gifts for the children, but once again duty had called him away. She found herself suddenly missing him, wanting to see the longing for her that always simmered in his warm brown eyes, the smile that lit his face whenever he saw her.
Kahlan quickened her step with the thought, wanting to return to their suite so she could see her husband, to find out how his meeting went. She could feel Rachel quickening her steps to keep up with her as they turned down another street.
The Mother Confessor was suddenly struck by the site of a beautiful woman standing on the other side of the street opposite of her. The woman was intently watching her, an unusual expression on her face. She was dressed in a golden cloak, her straight silver hair hanging down about her shoulders.
Kahlan remembered seeing her before, here in the market place a couple of days ago. The woman's unique beauty had instantly struck her then as it did now. There was something about her that she couldn't quite put her finger on, something that was unusual, important somehow. There was a stately air about her that reached out to her even from where she stood.
Perhaps she was the wife of one of the dignitaries or ambassadors that were still staying here at the People's Palace. Whatever it was, Kahlan wasn't certain, but it left her with an uneasy feeling as she looked away from the woman's dark penetrating gaze that seemed to bore straight through her.
Kahlan felt a chill shiver up her spine as she continued on her way, her brow furrowing in thought. Whatever the reason the woman had for being here, she hoped it didn't have anything do with the war that they were attempting to avert.
"What is it?" Rachel suddenly asked, noticing the change in the Lady Rahl's demeanor.
"Do you recognize that woman across the street?" Kahlan questioned her, turning back to suddenly find her gone.
"What woman?"
"Shewas just there…across the street," Kahlan said, confused. "I saw her a couple of days ago and now again."
"I don't know who she is, but I can check into it if you wish."
"No, it's alright," she shook her head absentmindedly as she continued on her way, deciding that she was just being overly suspicious. "It's probably nothing."