TITLE: Marked

AUTHOR: LOTSlove®

CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan / Cara / Zedd / Original Characters

RATING: PG-16 / R later

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

TIMELINE: Anything up through S2

DISCLAIMER: I'm completely obsessed with the show Legend of the Seeker and all things Richard and Kahlan. I love to write about them even though they cancelled my show and now I'm fighting to get it back!

SUMMARY: Sequel to my fic Revenge, Richard finally has Kahlan safely back with him, but does he really?

Chapter 3

Coming to a stop at the edge of the tranquil lake silently awaiting her arrival, Kahlan allowed her pack to slip from her fingers, landing with a soft thud in the thick grass. Despite her best efforts, the tears had continued to fall against her will. She felt so out of control, so confused.

She hung her head, her dark hair falling around her face like a black shroud signifying her sorrow. Richard's words resounded in her ears, her skin still tingling with a warm glow from the heated passion behind his kisses and his touch. His taste lingered on her tongue; could still feel the roughness of his stubble against her face.

The feel of his hand on her breast had been electric, igniting her need for him like only Richard could ever do. His touch had been so gentle and yet so erotic. She could only imagine how much better it would be without her clothes separating her from his heated touch.

She choked back a sob as her knees finally gave out on her, her tears flowing freely now as she knelt in the grass. She covered her face with her hands, cursing who she was as well as the magic that flowed through her veins like a mighty torrent. She cursed herself for hurting the only man who had ever loved her so unconditionally, so fully.

Richard didn't know what he was doing; fully understand the consequences of what her magic could really do to him. He would no longer be Richard. His thoughts, his will, his life would no longer be his own, but hers.

Every single action, every thought that passed through his mind, every breath that he drew would fully revolve around her, be wholly devoted to her. No other thought but her would ever again enter his mind.

Everything that she loved so much about him would be completely wiped away, forever gone. She couldn't bear the thought of looking into his eyes and seeing that soulless devotion to her residing there instead of the deep abiding love that she always saw now.

She couldn't do that to him; steal away everything that she ever loved about him, all the little things that so uniquely made him Richard. How could he ask her to do this? Didn't he see how hard this was for her? How devastating it was to repeatedly deny him what they both so desperately wanted?

Her anger began to rise, hot bitter tears escaping as she tried to gain control of her fragmented emotions. She slowly began removing her jacket, wishing more than anything that it was Richard's hands that were removing it instead of her.

An icy shudder shivered through her as memories of Darken Rahl's hands sliding over her body suddenly pushed their way to the surface of her mind, remembering how he had touched her, groped and fondled her. Bile rose up in the back of her throat with the terrifying memories. She turned to vomit in the grass, emptying what little she had in her stomach.

If Richard hadn't saved her when he had…she shuddered again to think what would have happened next.

She ran her fingers through her hair, shoving those memories back into the dark recesses of her mind. She knew she was going to have to bury them deep to keep them from resurfacing. She couldn't allow Darken Rahl to dwell in her subconscious, forcing his way back into her life at any given moment.

Slipping out of the rest of her clothes, Kahlan rubbed her arms as she stepped into the clear blue water. Turning her arm, she suddenly noticed a strange red mark on her forearm that hadn't been there before. She gently ran her fingertips over it, trying to remember how she could've gotten it, not recalling being bitten by anything.

It was probably connected in some way to what Darken Rahl had done to her. She still felt the lingering effects of her visit to the Underworld even now. The chill that had settled into her bones after the Keeper had spelled her soul had yet to fully leave her body, seizing hold of her at any given moment.

Dipping beneath the cool water, Kahlan tried to wash away her fears and worries in the lake, the exhaustion and chill that clung to every fiber of her being, Rahl's vile touch from her body. She wanted to leave it all behind her in the water, but she knew it was no use. She was going to have to face them one way or another.

She was going to have to face Richard.

She knew he wasn't going to give up until he had convinced her that they could make love without being affected by her magic. Even though she wanted to be with him more than anything, confessing him was too high of a price to pay in her mind. She also knew that when it came to Richard, she wasn't that strong, her resolve always weakening whenever she was near him.

She wasn't going to be able to fight him forever, fight her love for him.

XXX

"Where's Kahlan?" Zedd asked with furrowed brow, finding Richard sitting all alone by the campfire picking the bark off of a stick. He could tell by the agitated look on his face that something had happened between the Seeker and Mother Confessor.

"She went to the lake to wash up," he absentmindedly told him without looking up, his focus solely on the mindless task at hand.

"Well, there's still no sign of soldiers anywhere," the Wizard sighed as he sat down next to his grandson, grabbing a persimmon from his pack. "But that doesn't mean that we should risk hang around here any longer than necessary."

"What do you think he's up to, Zedd?" the Seeker asked with a heavy sigh.

"I wish I knew, my boy, but I'm afraid we won't find out until he strikes again."

"And by then it could be too late," he frowned, suddenly breaking the stick in his hands. "I can't seem to stop either of my brothers."

"What do you mean?"

"Demos will be coming after Kahlan at any moment and Darken is continually haunting her dreams," he bit out, his anger brewing. "Sometimes I think it would have been better for her if she'd never met me that day."

Stunned by his words, Zedd stared at him for a long moment before responding. "You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

Richard clenched his jaw, his chest tightening with the thought of never knowing Kahlan. He wanted nothing more than to love her and all he had done was brought her more danger, scaring her away with his love in the process. "If she had never found me, she never would have jumped in the path of that arrow, would have never been in the Underworld enduring Spirits only knows what from Darken Rahl, wouldn't have Demos wanting her for himself. She wouldn't be suffering like she is right now, Zedd."

"And she never would have fallen in love with her Seeker, would never have known what it was like to have a true friend or be loved for the amazing woman that she is by someone who is not afraid of her or her magic," Zedd continued. "She would be all alone, lost with no one to help her.

"And if truth be told, she'd most likely be dead by now, massacred long ago with all of her sisters because she never found the Seeker that we all needed to save the world from Darken Rahl."

Richard internally cringed with Zedd's words, his heart in his throat for the future that had been laying in wait for his Confessor had she not found him. It hurt him that if it had not been for him, she never would've known love or real friendship. The thought of never knowing her was the worst possible fate he could imagine next to losing her.

"I'm sorry," the Seeker shook his head in regret. "I just never wanted her to know anything but happiness and love, but instead she's surrounded by constant danger, her life always at risk."

"But at least she has you, Richard…and us of course," Zedd told him. "That's so much more than she had before."

Richard smiled softly in response to his grandfather. "I just love her so much, Zedd. I know that we will be together someday."

"If anyone can find a way, it will be you, my boy," he smiled in return, patting his grandson's knee. "Of that, I am certain."

XXX

Kahlan lightly ran her fingers over her arms, frowning at how red her skin was from trying to scrub away Darken Rahl's filthy fingerprints from her body. While it had felt good to get cleaned up, it had done little to erase the dreadful feelings storming inside of her after what that monster had tried to do to her.

There was no amount of soap or water that could ever wash away the heartache, the feelings of disgust or the guilt that she felt inside. She should have tried harder to stop him, fought harder against his depraved touch, but there had been no way to escape it. She had been at his mercy with no magic and nowhere to run or hide from him.

She reached for her jacket with a heavy sigh of frustration. How could she ever tell Richard what Darken Rahl had done to her? He was already struggling after everything that had happened to her, always looking at her with such fear and worry in his eyes. How much harder it would be for him to control his rage if he found out his own brother had assaulted her, almost raped her?

If he knew, he would no longer look at her with love and desire in his eyes. Gone would be the pride and respect for her that always seemed to warm his brown orbs whenever he stared at her. It would be replaced with nothing but disgust and shame.

Kahlan leaned over, pulling on one boot then the other. Her wet hair fell over her shoulder, partially blocking his view of her as she slid her daggers into her boots. She knew without seeing that he was there secretly waiting, watching her from afar.

She still felt such a conflicted battle raging inside of her, her desire for her Seeker growing stronger every day, her love for him deepening. He was so willing to risk his soul for her. It warred with logic, with the things that she'd been taught as well as her desire for him that continually simmered like warm embers in her core.

She couldn't let that happen and yet she wanted him so fiercely it had created a horrible ache inside of her, one that only he could ever ease.

Straightening up, she smoothed a hand over her jacket, her fingers brushing against the hole the arrow had created. She needed to have Zedd fix the tear as soon as she got back to camp. She didn't want to be reminded anymore of what had happened to her.

She just wanted to move on, to find the Stone of Tears, and defeat the Keeper before he could take over the world of the living. The thought of Darken Rahl set lose again nearly took her legs out from under her. She couldn't bear the thought of having to deal with him again, his wickedness being unleashed upon the world once more.

"I know you're there," she finally said as she turned to face the line of trees that stood directly behind her, her hands finding her lips. "You can come out now."

He sheepishly emerged from the secure shadows of the woods, a shy lop-sided grin lighting his handsome face. "I didn't see anything…I promise," he immediately told her, his hands held up in defense in front of him as he came to a stop before her.

"It's not like you haven't seen me without my clothes on anyway I guess," she reminded him with a shy upturn of her lips.

"That doesn't count," he frowned in sudden irritation with the reminder. "You weren't really you. Besides, you have no memory of that night. I want to wait to see you again until I am finally able to make love to the real you."

Kahlan felt her cheeks suddenly grow warm with his words, her desire for him awakening all over again. "Is it time to leave yet?" she asked, quickly changing the subject. She was not ready to fight him on it again. She was too emotionally drained after everything that had happened over the last week.

"Not yet," he shook his head. "I just wanted to make sure that you were alright. I don't like the idea of you being alone out here, Kahlan. There's no telling when Demos will strike again or what he'll do next. I won't let him get to you."

Kahlan watched as his expression shifted from one of longing to true worry. She couldn't bear to see the fear that permeated his brown eyes every time he looked at her now. It had become a permanent resident reflected there in those chocolate depths that she loved so much, swimming there along with the love that always shined so brightly for her.

"I'm fine," she replied, her hand coming to rest affectionately against his cheek. "I just need a little time is all."

"Kahlan, you'd tell me you were fine even if you were dying…"

Richard's voice abruptly broke off, the full meaning of what he was actually saying crashing down on him, his heart suddenly in his throat.

"Richard, it's alright," she heatedly insisted, suddenly clutching the collar of his shirt in a fierce grip to get his full attention. "I did die! I was in the Underworld with…with Darken Rahl…and the Keeper.

"But I'm alive because of you. You saved me, Richard. You never gave up on me and because of that I'm here with you now, by your side where I should be."

He saw terror flash through her blue eyes like a streak of lightning when she spoke of the Underworld. Something horrifying had happened to her while she had been trapped there and his brother had been the cause of it. His stomach twisted painfully with the very thought.

Before he could stop himself, he heard the words tumbling from his lips. "What did Darken Rahl do to you, Kahlan?" he softly asked, his voice a painful whisper as his hands came to rest on her waist.

He felt her suddenly tremble beneath his touch, her face turning a ghostly shade of pale that only served to heighten his worst fears. Tears instantly welled in her blue eyes before abruptly breaking free to slowly roll down her cheeks.

She quickly averted her eyes, wanting more than anything to run away at that moment than to have to tell him. It would only add to his smoldering rage. The wounds were too raw for both of them right now. There was no need to drudge up something that she was doing her best to just leave buried deep inside of her, an ugly thing that felt like a stain on her soul.

"Please, Richard…don't…" she whispered as she shook her head, her voice faltering. "Don't ask me…"

He tightened his hold on her waist; anguish mixed with anger causing his fingers to press almost painfully into her flesh but he couldn't stop himself. Dread was in full control now, furious over what he feared that she had truly endured. The night terrors that haunted her now, the things that she had cried out in her sleep last night were tearing relentlessly at his soul.

"Kahlan…please…" he softly pleaded, his heart beginning to hammer against his chest wall in anxious anticipation. "The horrible things that I'm imagining you went through are eating away inside of me. Please, I just…I have to know what they did to you…what Darken Rahl did to you."

Kahlan bit her bottom lip, forcing back the cry that suddenly stuck in her throat making it difficult to breathe. How could she tell him that his very own brother had touched her in places she had only dreamed of Richard touching her? That Rahl had beat her, inflicting unimaginable pain on her?

Steeling herself, she finally forced herself to meet his intense gaze, her resolve hardening. His brown eyes were twin pillars of burning fury suddenly making her knees weak. She feared he'd end up hating her if he truly knew what Rahl had done to her, for not being able to stop him. She couldn't bear that.

"Please…don't worry, Richard," she firmly said, her Confessor's mask swiftly slipping into place as she swallowed back her tears, resolve hardening her heart.

"Kahlan…" he began as he watched her shut down right before his eyes, that damn emotionless mask falling carefully into place again.

He knew that she needed to display an air of impassivity and complete control in times of diplomacy or when her duty required it, but this was not a part of her responsibility. He was not her duty. This was him…her Seeker, her friend, her would-be lover and husband.

They loved each other, had shared more in the past year and a half together than most had shared in an entire lifetime. He needed her and she was suddenly shutting him out and pushing him away as if he meant nothing to her.

Richard attempted to calm the raging storm in his heart, the thirst for revenge that was begging for release. He didn't want to push her and yet he had to know. He silently prayed that what he was imagining was nothing like what she had been forced to endure, but her silence was making it very hard to know what to think anymore.

Kahlan bit her lip again, fighting back the tears that were bound and determined to fall despite her best efforts. She couldn't tell him. It would hurt him too much and she couldn't do that to him. She would deal with it on her own, burying it deep inside where it would never see the light of day.

She could see in his eyes the intense emotional battle being waged inside of him. "It doesn't matter now anyway, Richard," she heatedly said, suddenly pulling out of his hold on her and putting distance between them. "I'm with you now and that's all that matters. We need to move on and finish our quest."

Swallowing hard, Richard slowly nodded his head as he stared into her eyes, doing his best to keep his anger and fear contained when all he wanted was to let it all go. "You can talk to me, Kahlan…about anything," he stiffly told her, fighting back the hurt that stung his heart. "Nothing could ever diminish my love for you. Nothing."

Kahlan slowly nodded, feeling her anger stirring once more with what Darken Rahl had done, the way that he and the Keeper had once again come between them. There was always something trying to keep them apart, keeping them from sharing their love for one another.

"Come…we should head back to camp," he said in a clipped tone.

She watched as he quickly turned and walked away, the heaviness that pervaded his heart evident in the way that he carried himself, the fact that he didn't try to hold her hand to walk back to camp with him. Her eyes fell closed, swallowing back her heart.

She had hurt him deeply and she knew it, but she was only doing it to protect him. They would soon be on their way in search of the Stone of Tears and Richard would forget all about what Darken Rahl had done to her. Then things between her and Richard would be like it had been before all of this had happened.

She just had to hold herself together now and hope that she would be able to forget with time as well.