Chapter 6

Kahlan awoke to the comforting feel of a hand gently rubbing her back, her name a soothing melody prodding her senses awake. She didn't want to wake up and yet she didn't want to sleep any longer for fear of the haunting dreams that constantly plagued her every time she closed her eyes.

Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into the chocolate orbs that gave her heart wings, a sweet smile on his lips and a tentative expression on his handsome face. She fought against the irresistible urge to reach out and touch his cheek, to pull him in for a kiss, but she couldn't give into her feelings for him no matter how much it hurt.

"I'm sorry to have to wake you, but we need to get moving soon," Richard softly told her.

She stared at him for a long moment, allowing herself the luxury of drowning in his warm gaze filled with such incredible love for her that she could barely breathe sometimes. She permitted herself to momentarily believe that the tension between them was gone, that they were able to share the same bed, and life was normal for once…or as normal as life ever got for them. She imagined how amazing it would be to wake to those eyes as well as his kisses every morning, to know the sweet thrill of his touch, his passion every night.

Folding his hands in his lap, Richard sat back on his heels as he waited for the groggy haze of sleep to fade away from her blue eyes, wanting more than anything to be holding her close to him, kissing her awake. But she needed time more than anything and he would give her all the time in the world if that was what she needed from him right now. For her, he would do anything.

He hoped that she had slept better last night, her sleep free from his wicked brother's ghostly presence. Despite his best efforts to stay awake in case she needed him, exhaustion had ultimately won out, dragging him against his will into its welcoming depths.

Kahlan lay on her side just relishing the feel of his nearness, bringing her more peace than anything in this world ever could. She wished that they could just stay here together forever, alone and away from all the chaos that seemed to relentlessly follow them everywhere they went.

She was relieved to find the headache had finally subsided some during the night, allowing her to sleep at least for a little while. Unfortunately, Darken Rahl had had other plans, paralyzing her once again in a never-ending nightmare that continued to torment her with things that she'd sooner bury and forget then relive every night.

Richard noticed a thoughtful look filling her eyes, a curious contemplation of sorts that sparked his own curiosity as to what she was thinking about. There was an element of longing swimming there as well that heated his blood, but he forcefully shoved those feelings aside.

"You seemed to have slept better last night," he finally said, breaking the silence. "Is your headache any better?"

"Somewhat," she sleepily murmured as she forced herself to sit up, hoping he wouldn't ask her about the dreams again. Things were already somewhat difficult between them without adding to it with his malicious brother's continual reappearance in her sleep.

Kahlan momentarily held her head in her hands as she fought to banish the cobwebs lingering in her brain. She was so exhausted, her mind so fuzzy making it difficult to think straight sometimes. Her head continued to throb, but it was nothing compared to the horrific headache that had suddenly gripped her in the middle of the night nearly causing her to pass-out.

"Here…I saved you some breakfast," he told her as he handed her a bowl of leftover rabbit stew, resisting the urge to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Zedd and Cara are all ready to go?" she asked as she quickly looked about her, suddenly anxious with the thought that she was holding everyone up. She hated being the one to slow them down.

Zedd and Cara's packs sat ready by a tree on the far side of the camp, but the Wizard and Mord'Sith were nowhere in sight. "Zedd and Cara are out scouting the area one last time before we leave," he told her as if reading her mind. "Don't worry…take your time. We all agreed that you needed to sleep as long as possible."

"You still shouldn't have let me sleep so long," she frowned as she took a bite of stew.

"Kahlan, you need it," he insisted, his forehead creased as he studied her face. Instead of looking better, she was looking more fatigued than before, dark shadows beginning to form beneath her eyes. "I just wish I could've let you sleep longer."

"I'll rest after we find the Stone and stop your brother and the Keeper."

"Here, let me check your arm before we go," he said, gently taking her hand and pushing her sleeve up.

Richard frowned at the sight of the mark on her forearm. It didn't appear to be any better than it did last night after applying the poultice to it. In fact, it looked a little worse. It had spread some, taking on an unusual shape that he'd never seen before.

"We're going to have to have Zedd take a look at this when they get back," he muttered more to himself than to his Confessor.

"I'm sure it's just a bug bite of some kind," she attempted to brush off as nothing. "It'll go away on its own."

"Kahlan, I've never in all my years as a woods' guide seen a mark like this before," he insisted. "Something's not right about this. It could the cause of your headache."

She didn't feel like arguing with him, not when she wanted nothing more than to be held by him, to be buried deep in his warm embrace, for him to be buried deep within her. She stared at her breakfast, wanting to tell him what he so desperately wanted to know about what had happened to her in the Underworld, but she just couldn't. She couldn't bear to see the pain and fury that would fill his eyes, the humiliation of what had happened. She had enough shame for the both of them right now without talking about it and dragging him into her hell.

The tension between them still hung like a dark smothering shroud separating them and piercing his heart. It was difficult knowing that something horrifying had happened to her and not be able to help her through it, to hold her and share in her pain. He just wished that she would talk to him, let him in so they could deal with everything that had happened to her together instead of trying to cope with it alone.

Kahlan finally looked up to meet his intense gaze, shaken by the depths of his sorrow that she saw residing there. He was hurting just as much as she was if not more. She had died twice on him only to pull away from him now. She couldn't begin to imagine surviving losing him once let alone twice.

There was an awkward strain that had enveloped them both and yet separated them as far and as deep as a stormy sea. She hated it. She just wanted things to be like they had been before. She hoped that resuming the search for the Stone of Tears would help put things back to normal, back to the way that it had been.

Richard suddenly drew a deep breath as he took her hand in his, his frustrations simmering just below the surface. He could feel her tense for a moment, causing his heart to sink like a stone in his chest. He wanted her to trust him with all of her hurts, to willingly come to him with all of her joy as well as her pain.

"Kahlan, I'm sor…" he began before suddenly stopping with a ragged frustrated sigh, searching for the right words that would help her see that she could tell him anything and he'd never love her any less.

A loud rumble abruptly began to shake the ground causing both of them to leap to their feet, their hands going for their weapons. The earth suddenly began to split and crumble right before their eyes, giving way to a rift that seemed to erupt out of nowhere, tearing through the earth as easily as a knife through butter.

Losing their balance, Richard immediately grabbed hold of Kahlan's hand, pulling her back as the rift split right down the center of their campsite. Zedd and Cara raced into the clearing at that moment from the other side. They were brought to an abrupt halt by the great divide that now separated them from the Seeker and Mother Confessor, the Wizard grabbing hold of Cara to keep her from falling over the rocky edge.

"Stay back!" Richard shouted to them over the loud rumble that rolled like violent thunder as the Underworld attempted to drag them all in.

"Now what are we going to do?" Cara growled. "There's no telling how long this stretches."

"There's no way across this thing!" Richard yelled to them. "It's too wide!"

"We'll have to find another way around," Zedd called back. "Which way is the compass pointing?"

"It's still pointing towards that valley to the west," Richard told them, turning briefly to look behind him.

"There's a primitive tribe called the Aku that lives in that valley," Cara yelled. "Be careful. I don't think they're very welcoming to strangers."

"We'll meet up with you down in that valley then," Zedd said.

"You spelled my boots again, didn't you?"

"You know me too well, my boy," Zedd grinned.

"Be careful!" Cara yelled. "D'Haran Quads could be showing up at any time. I don't want to have to rescue you again."

"You be careful too," Richard called back. "Catch up as soon as you can."

Richard and Kahlan watched as Zedd and Cara gradually disappeared behind a screen of green smoke and ash that suddenly spewed forth from the giant crack in the earth that stretched both ways as far as the eye could see. The Seeker stared at the gaping rift before him, his hands balling into furious fists. Kahlan could see the worry that filled his eyes, sense his ever-growing panic.

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention back to her. "Richard, it's alright," she reassured him. "We'll find the Stone and stop this. I promise."

Richard silently nodded his head in response, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Every time another rift suddenly appears, it just reminds me of how this is all my fault. I'm responsible for all of this destruction, Kahlan. It's because of me."

"This is not your fault, Richard," she adamantly stated, taking his hand firmly in his. "There's no way that you could've known that destroying the Boxes of Orden would tear the veil."

"Good intentions or not, I still caused this," he angrily shook his head, his other hand sweeping out over the rift before them. "If Darken Rahl and the Keeper escape…it'll all be because of me."

"You can't think like that," she said, tightening her hold on his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "I believe in you, Richard. I know that you will fix this. We won't stop until we find the Stone."

Richard turned to gaze into her blue eyes filled with such conviction that he couldn't help but believe her. He softly brushed his thumb across the back of her hand as he just absorbed her strength, her faith in him. Spirits, she meant everything in this world to him.

"Thank you, Kahlan," he replied. "I couldn't do this without you."

"You won't have to," she reassured him, giving him his special smile. "I'm not going anywhere except where you lead."

Peace seemed to drift over both of them, temporarily washing away the strain between them. She wished it would last forever, but she knew deep down that unless they finally dealt with the things they were both struggling with, the tension would follow them like a hopeless haunting shadow everywhere they went.

XXX

"I don't like this one bit," Cara spat out, pulling a strand of blond hair behind her ear as they began to pick their way back through the woods.

"Oh come, come, my dear Cara," Zedd replied with a glint in his eye. "I'm not that bad to keep company with. In fact, some women find my company quite pleasurable."

"No, not you," she huffed in irritation, adjusting her pack on her shoulder. "I don't like being separated from Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor like this. I can't protect them if I'm not with them."

Zedd smiled at the Mord'Sith's concern for their friends. "I'm sure they are more than capable of taking care of themselves. They aren't the Seeker and Mother Confessor for no good reason at all."

"You know as well as I do that those two are more capable of getting into trouble than actually staying out of it."

"I'm sure that we'll catch up with them in no time at all," Zedd reassured her. "Besides, I think those two could use some time alone right now."

"Why?"

"Things have been pretty tense between them since Demos brought Kahlan back from the dead," he told her. "I think it will be good for them to be without us hanging around them."

"They just need to get around her magic so they can finally be together," she suddenly smirked. "That would solve a lot of their problems."

"It's not just that kind of tension although I'm sure that's a part of it," Zedd replied with a heavy sigh. "They've been through so much lately. It's going to take some time for them to heal after what they went through."

"And we don't have the luxury of time with Demos planning only Creator knows what," she scowled as she ducked beneath a low-lying branch.

"They'll find their way through this," the Wizard smiled knowingly to himself. "Their love is too powerful to break over something like what they're going through now. This will only make their love stronger in the end."

"Now, if only Richard can find a way around Kahlan's magic," she rolled her eyes.

"I have a very good feeling that they will find a way to be together in time," he told her.

"You sound pretty confident," she replied, pulling him to a sudden stop, her gaze narrowing suspiciously at him. "What do you know about this, Wizard? What aren't you telling me?"

"Who? Me?" he asked, feigning innocence, his hand coming to rest against his chest. "Why I wouldn't have the faintest clue as to what you could possibly be referring to."

"I'm sure you don't," she muttered, pursing her lips as she studied him. "If you know something, you best be sharing it with Richard before they both go crazy."

Zedd chuckled softly at the Mord'Sith as he turned to follow her. He would love more than anything to be able to share the special secret to loving a Confessor, but his grandson was going to have to figure it out on his own if it was going to work for them.

And he had a very good feeling that his grandson was very close to figuring it out for himself.

XXX

General Egremont fought the overwhelming urge to clear his throat or tap his foot against the marble floor to get his Lord Rahl's attention. He had been patiently standing there waiting for the better part of an hour as Demos skimmed through his book.

He knew full well that the General was there waiting to deliver news, but refused to acknowledge his presence. It was an ever-infuriating quirk that his twin Darken Rahl had never done. Egremont found himself missing his former master.

Although unpredictable at times, he knew for the most part what to expect. With Demos, however, his behavior was erratic at best and highly peculiar, leaving the General feeling very unnerved at times.

These long, drawn-out periods of time where Egremont was made to wait like an insolent child being punished was degrading and more than a little humiliating. And he was certain that was why Demos did it.

He thrived on humiliating and crushing the spirit of those that were beneath him which was pretty much everyone. He took great delight in their pain and suffering, a wicked sense of satisfaction. It was probably for that very reason he loved taking virgins to his bed, defiling them in the most obscene demonstration of humiliation and disgrace.

Egremont had for so long believed that no one could have ever been more wretched then Darken Rahl. Demos had proven him wrong over and over again with every young woman or Mord'Sith that he took to his bedchambers, breaking them sometimes beyond repair.

The General cast a glance at the statuesque Mord'Sith standing in the corner. Mistress Lucinda had recently become Demos's favorite, his ever-present shadow accompanying him almost everywhere he went.

Her mahogany braid hung over her shoulder, the deep red of her hair standing out brilliantly in the sunlight streaming in the nearby window she stood before. Her dark brown eyes were fixed solely on Demos, her face expressionless, revealing nothing about what was going on inside that head of hers.

She was one the strongest Mord'Sith he'd ever met, rivaling only Denna and Cara in abilities. It was actually quite surprising that Demos had chosen her as his favorite. She was the complete opposite of the women that he typically took to his bed.

As much as he thrived breaking people, especially virgins, Egremont had a sneaking suspicion that he liked to be broken and dominated himself as well at times.

"Alright, General Egremont," Demos suddenly spoke, raising his hand to summon his first in command closer, his eyes still fixed on the book lying open on the pedestal before him. "What news have you brought?"

The General took several steps closer to Demos, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "My Lord, the scouts have returned from Aydindril," he informed him.

"And?" he snapped.

"And they feel it may be too risky to launch an attack on Aydindril right now."

"I sent those scouts out weeks ago before I cast a spell on the Mother Confessor," Demos replied, unruffled about the report. "Once the change has occurred and Kahlan finally belongs to me, we will be unstoppable. Not even Aydindril will be able to keep me from taking over."

"Yes, my Lord," Egremont dipped his head. "Any further orders?"

"Just prepare the army and await my orders," Demos instructed him. "Once Kahlan arrives at the Palace and I have had a chance to break her, then she can be the one to lead our army in a war on her own city. Aydindril won't know what to do when their very own Mother Confessor attacks them. They will crumble and bow at my feet before they even know what hit them."