Fic: Maestra (Part 7)
Title: Maestra
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Author: cakeandqpm1138
Rating/s | Content: PG-13
Word Count: 1072
Summary: Set immediately after 'Tears.' By performing the Spells of Undoing, Zedd grieviously altered the course of history. Now, Richard, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd must team up with Nicci and Rahl to find a way to appease the Maestra, the Goddess of Time, before she decides to correct the problem by destroying the entire universe, past, present and future. This, however, will be no easy task; Zedd's spells split the course of history into three paths. Which one, if any, will be saved?
Warnings: Spoilers through 'Tears'
Author's Notes: Written for the Legend of the Seeker Big Bang Challenge. Feedback is craved!
Richard found both Zedd and Kahlan in the tavern when he returned from pacing the streets of the village. He was still puzzled over what he’d seen earlier so he was relieved to see that Cara was nowhere in sight. Kahlan smiled sleepily at him as he sat down next to her, but her smile turned to a look of concern when she saw his face.
“Richard, what’s wrong?”
He put a hand on her knee to acknowledge he’d heard her, but he addressed Zedd urgently. “Something’s wrong with Cara.”
Zedd shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing’s wrong with Cara, boy. Calm down.”
Kahlan looked seriously from Richard to Zedd. “I think Richard may be right. Cara has been acting strangely recently. Ever since that day we got separated from Richard by that crack that opened up in front of us. I wasn’t sure of it before, but she’s become more and more agitated since we left the Pillars of Creation.”
“And this morning I tried to ask her to go hunting with me and I found her asleep next to some strange woman. I think she may be under a spell that’s making her confused,” Richard added earnestly.
For a moment, no one spoke. Kahlan tried and failed to hide a laugh as she took Richard’s hands. “Richard, I don’t think Cara’s confused about that. I think she was just having a little fun. After all she’d been through, I think she deserves to, don’t you?”
Richard remained unconvinced. “With a woman?”
“Of course with a woman. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“But I thought… what about Leo?”
“Cara cared about Leo, yes. But now it seems that she’s found someone else to have feelings for. What does it matter if that person is a man or a woman, so long as she’s happy?”
The way Kahlan spoke made everything make more sense. Richard looked down sheepishly, replaying the scene in Cara’s dimly lit room over in his head, filling in the details with his new understanding. “I didn’t know Cara was interested in women,” he said finally. “The topic’s never really come up before. How did you know?”
Kahlan blushed. “She doesn’t talk about it, but I just know.”
“I thought you couldn’t read Mord’Sith.”
“I can’t interpret the truth of a Mord’Sith’s words, no. But Cara is more than just Mord’Sith. She’s my friend. I’ve come to learn many things about her, some because she told me, others I simply observed. It has nothing to do with my powers as a Confessor.”
Richard looked both sheepish and bewildered. “I really had no idea. Why didn’t she say anything about it before?”
“You should know better than to expect Cara to talk about her feelings, my boy,” Zedd chuckled.
“Especially feelings like these,” Kahlan added. “It hasn’t been easy for her, Richard. First Leo’s death, and now she had to travel with us, knowing that you and I…” she trailed off, having caught sight of Zedd’s warning glare. Richard remained oblivious.
“Why would she be upset that we can finally be together?”
Kahlan blushed a little darker. “It can be hard to be in the company of lovers if one doesn’t have a love of one’s own,” Zedd answered before Kahlan could say anything. She knew all too well Cara’s feelings for her, but she couldn’t even begin to explain her own feelings to herself, much less convey them to Richard. She now had the opportunity to stop trying, she realized. If Cara had resumed seducing random strangers in taverns, maybe that meant she was finally moving on. It was probably best to encourage her. She returned her gaze to Richard.
“Richard, you don’t have to understand it, but you should try to accept it. Apologize for disturbing her and then let the matter drop. Don’t you dare embarrass her any more than you already have.”
Richard nodded and mumbled, “I didn’t mean to embarrass her.”
“Tell her that,” Zedd advised, tilting his head in the direction of the doorway. Richard looked over his shoulder to find Cara quickly approaching the table.
He swallowed hard. “Cara, I’m sorry I walked in on you this morning. I didn’t mean…”
“Forget it,” Cara interrupted, clearly taking pleasure seeing him so bashful. “You’ve learned your lesson, I assume?” Without waiting for a reply, she changed the subject. “I’ve procured another horse and enough supplies for one more person to accompany us to Aydendril. She should be here soon and then we can leave.”
Kahlan blinked at her. Could it be that Cara actually found someone, she wondered. That was better than going from stranger to stranger, but Kahlan still couldn’t explain to herself why she wasn’t happier for Cara.
At that moment, Cara waved to a woman across the room, coming as close to grinning as Kahlan had ever seen her. As the woman approached the table, Cara rose to meet her, then turned to introduce her to her companions. “This is…”
“Dahlia!” Zedd hissed. All eyes turned to him in surprise. His mind raced. This can’t be happening. She should be miles away in Stowcroft. She and Cara should never even have met. The Spell of Undoing was supposed to keep them apart. They don’t even know I performed the spell, for the Creator’s sake! Cara was right; something must be terribly wrong, he thought all at once. I can’t let them know what I’ve done. He felt their eyes on him.
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear,” he covered smoothly. “The innkeeper pointed you out to me yesterday. He speaks quite highly of you.” Richard, Kahlan and Cara seemed convinced by his explanation. Dahlia smiled at him.
“You must be Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander. I’m pleased to meet you.” Zedd bowed his head graciously, relieved that he’d managed to cover his mistake.
Dahlia turned to Richard and Kahlan. “And you two are the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. I’m honored that you’d let me travel with you.”
Richard was too red to meet Dahlia’s eyes, much less speak. Kahlan stomped on his foot under the table and covered for him. “I’m Kahlan. This is Richard. Welcome to the group, Dahlia.” She smiled. “Have you eaten? Join us for breakfast. We’ve a long ride ahead of us.”
Dahlia thanked her and pulled up a chair. Cara looked to Kahlan, her eyes full of gratitude. Kahlan turned her Confessor’s face pointedly the other direction.
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Author: cakeandqpm1138
Rating/s | Content: PG-13
Word Count: 1072
Summary: Set immediately after 'Tears.' By performing the Spells of Undoing, Zedd grieviously altered the course of history. Now, Richard, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd must team up with Nicci and Rahl to find a way to appease the Maestra, the Goddess of Time, before she decides to correct the problem by destroying the entire universe, past, present and future. This, however, will be no easy task; Zedd's spells split the course of history into three paths. Which one, if any, will be saved?
Warnings: Spoilers through 'Tears'
Author's Notes: Written for the Legend of the Seeker Big Bang Challenge. Feedback is craved!
Richard found both Zedd and Kahlan in the tavern when he returned from pacing the streets of the village. He was still puzzled over what he’d seen earlier so he was relieved to see that Cara was nowhere in sight. Kahlan smiled sleepily at him as he sat down next to her, but her smile turned to a look of concern when she saw his face.
“Richard, what’s wrong?”
He put a hand on her knee to acknowledge he’d heard her, but he addressed Zedd urgently. “Something’s wrong with Cara.”
Zedd shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing’s wrong with Cara, boy. Calm down.”
Kahlan looked seriously from Richard to Zedd. “I think Richard may be right. Cara has been acting strangely recently. Ever since that day we got separated from Richard by that crack that opened up in front of us. I wasn’t sure of it before, but she’s become more and more agitated since we left the Pillars of Creation.”
“And this morning I tried to ask her to go hunting with me and I found her asleep next to some strange woman. I think she may be under a spell that’s making her confused,” Richard added earnestly.
For a moment, no one spoke. Kahlan tried and failed to hide a laugh as she took Richard’s hands. “Richard, I don’t think Cara’s confused about that. I think she was just having a little fun. After all she’d been through, I think she deserves to, don’t you?”
Richard remained unconvinced. “With a woman?”
“Of course with a woman. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“But I thought… what about Leo?”
“Cara cared about Leo, yes. But now it seems that she’s found someone else to have feelings for. What does it matter if that person is a man or a woman, so long as she’s happy?”
The way Kahlan spoke made everything make more sense. Richard looked down sheepishly, replaying the scene in Cara’s dimly lit room over in his head, filling in the details with his new understanding. “I didn’t know Cara was interested in women,” he said finally. “The topic’s never really come up before. How did you know?”
Kahlan blushed. “She doesn’t talk about it, but I just know.”
“I thought you couldn’t read Mord’Sith.”
“I can’t interpret the truth of a Mord’Sith’s words, no. But Cara is more than just Mord’Sith. She’s my friend. I’ve come to learn many things about her, some because she told me, others I simply observed. It has nothing to do with my powers as a Confessor.”
Richard looked both sheepish and bewildered. “I really had no idea. Why didn’t she say anything about it before?”
“You should know better than to expect Cara to talk about her feelings, my boy,” Zedd chuckled.
“Especially feelings like these,” Kahlan added. “It hasn’t been easy for her, Richard. First Leo’s death, and now she had to travel with us, knowing that you and I…” she trailed off, having caught sight of Zedd’s warning glare. Richard remained oblivious.
“Why would she be upset that we can finally be together?”
Kahlan blushed a little darker. “It can be hard to be in the company of lovers if one doesn’t have a love of one’s own,” Zedd answered before Kahlan could say anything. She knew all too well Cara’s feelings for her, but she couldn’t even begin to explain her own feelings to herself, much less convey them to Richard. She now had the opportunity to stop trying, she realized. If Cara had resumed seducing random strangers in taverns, maybe that meant she was finally moving on. It was probably best to encourage her. She returned her gaze to Richard.
“Richard, you don’t have to understand it, but you should try to accept it. Apologize for disturbing her and then let the matter drop. Don’t you dare embarrass her any more than you already have.”
Richard nodded and mumbled, “I didn’t mean to embarrass her.”
“Tell her that,” Zedd advised, tilting his head in the direction of the doorway. Richard looked over his shoulder to find Cara quickly approaching the table.
He swallowed hard. “Cara, I’m sorry I walked in on you this morning. I didn’t mean…”
“Forget it,” Cara interrupted, clearly taking pleasure seeing him so bashful. “You’ve learned your lesson, I assume?” Without waiting for a reply, she changed the subject. “I’ve procured another horse and enough supplies for one more person to accompany us to Aydendril. She should be here soon and then we can leave.”
Kahlan blinked at her. Could it be that Cara actually found someone, she wondered. That was better than going from stranger to stranger, but Kahlan still couldn’t explain to herself why she wasn’t happier for Cara.
At that moment, Cara waved to a woman across the room, coming as close to grinning as Kahlan had ever seen her. As the woman approached the table, Cara rose to meet her, then turned to introduce her to her companions. “This is…”
“Dahlia!” Zedd hissed. All eyes turned to him in surprise. His mind raced. This can’t be happening. She should be miles away in Stowcroft. She and Cara should never even have met. The Spell of Undoing was supposed to keep them apart. They don’t even know I performed the spell, for the Creator’s sake! Cara was right; something must be terribly wrong, he thought all at once. I can’t let them know what I’ve done. He felt their eyes on him.
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear,” he covered smoothly. “The innkeeper pointed you out to me yesterday. He speaks quite highly of you.” Richard, Kahlan and Cara seemed convinced by his explanation. Dahlia smiled at him.
“You must be Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander. I’m pleased to meet you.” Zedd bowed his head graciously, relieved that he’d managed to cover his mistake.
Dahlia turned to Richard and Kahlan. “And you two are the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. I’m honored that you’d let me travel with you.”
Richard was too red to meet Dahlia’s eyes, much less speak. Kahlan stomped on his foot under the table and covered for him. “I’m Kahlan. This is Richard. Welcome to the group, Dahlia.” She smiled. “Have you eaten? Join us for breakfast. We’ve a long ride ahead of us.”
Dahlia thanked her and pulled up a chair. Cara looked to Kahlan, her eyes full of gratitude. Kahlan turned her Confessor’s face pointedly the other direction.