Freedom in Love (Ch2)
Title: Freedom in Love
Chapter: 2
Rating: NC17/R
Pairing: Richard/Kahlan
Summary: In a short unplanned time of play, Richard and Kahlan lose themselves in a moment of passion that leads to horrific consequences that could destroy one or both of them.
Word Count: 2,241
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.
Author's Note: So I wrote this while I was in the hospital. So it is a bit uhh.. Well, let's just say that it may have it's moments of craziness, but I hope that you all still enjoy! [All mistakes are mine.. Oops =P]
Comments are awesome folks!
Blood splattered onto her face as her dagger cut across the throat of her enemy, the baneling falling to the ground at her feet. Looking up, she quickly searched the area, making sure that her friends were safe as she began to fight another. She could hear Richard grunt in anger as he pushed the sword through his opponent before spinning around to the next. The sound of Cara's agiels echoed through the air, drowning out the other sounds except for her breathing. The smell of burning flesh filled her nose as Zedd set his enemy into a fiery blaze, them men screaming in pain as they raced off trying to put themselves out. She felt sick; the world began to spin as someone wrapped their arms around her and lifted her from the ground. She couldn't control it, the surge building up within her, screaming to be free. Opening her eyes, she saw them all; they stared at her, confused and in fear.
She felt the warmth splash upon her, soaking her as she fell to the ground. Opening her eyes, she saw them running to her. Richard fell to his knees beside her, pulling her body into his arms as Cara and Zedd stayed a few paces away from her, afraid. They were each covered in blood, the ground now covered in dead banelings.
"Are you all right?"
His voice startled her, making her jump and crawl out of his arms. "What happened?"
"You killed them. You killed them all, Kahlan. How did you-"
Stepping forward, Zedd stared down at her. "She didn't," he said softly, his voice filled with disappointment. "How long have you been carrying the child?"
"Just over a month."
Richard looked at her in shock, she hadn't told him. "What? Why didn't you say anything?"
Pushing him away, he let loose her tears. "You told me not to. You told me to wait until I could no longer."
"No," he whispered softly bringing her back into his arms and wiping the blood that came from her nose. "Kahlan, we were to tell him together."
"What have you two done?" Zedd asked as he lifted Richard up by the shirt, making her fall to the ground with a light thump. "How could you have been so foolish?"
"Foolish?" Richard shouted, pushing his grandfather away from him. "It is not foolish to be with the woman that I love!"
The wizard gave a small smile as he returned to his place beside Kahlan. "How were you able-?"
"I didn't confess him," Kahlan answered softly. "I could never."
Kneeling down beside them, Zedd nodded knowingly. "I know, dear one. Here, lay back. I will check on the child."
"She's fine. I can feel her." Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. "She's so strong."
"It is not only your Confessor's magic that she carries, but also that of a Rahl. Richard's blood flows through her." Bringing his eyes to hers, he raised his eyebrows, insisting that she listen to him. "Carrying this child may kill you."
She nodded, "I know."
Confused, Richard grabbed her face and made her look at him. "What? Why?"
"The amount of power one can hold, it's different with everyone. I do not believe that it will kill me. She has already protected me, more than once."
"You have used the child's magic before this day?" Zedd asked quietly. She nodded slowly, looking from Richard to him. "When?"
"I'm not sure, maybe a few weeks ago. When we were first attacked by the mountain wall. We had all been separated and she saved me."
"How?"
She returned her eyes to Richard and frowned. "I didn't even know they were surrounding me. I couldn't see them, but somehow I- One moment I was waiting for them to kill me and the next, they were screaming and falling to their knees, covered in blood."
Bringing his face to hers, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I didn't want to worry you. If I told you, you would never leave my side. You wouldn't be able to do what needed to be done."
"What if you needed someone? Kahlan, you both could have been hurt!" She jumped as he raised his voice. He had never yelled at her before. Pressing his forehead to hers, he closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths before continuing. "Spirits Kahlan, if I lost you..." He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs, a smile coming to his lips as he pulled back to look at her and then to Zedd. "Make sure they're both all right. Cara and I will make sure that we're alone." He kissed her quickly and stood up, grinning down at her as he walked backward with Cara toward the surrounding trees. "We'll be right back."
The moment they were out of sight, Zedd looked at her, disappointed. "Why didn't you tell him?"
Lying back, Kahlan closed her eyes, hiding herself from him. "I was going to leave before he found out."
"Why?"
"I can't do this. I can't be with him the way that he wants."
He laughed lightly, bringing her sad eyes to his. "You are carrying his child. I believe you have already been with him in the way that you both wanted."
"It wasn't like that," she said to defend herself. "Zedd, it wasn't like that."
"I know child," he told her tenderly as he helped her to stand, "You cannot leave him."
Looking away from him, she shook her head. "I have to. If I were to stay, he wouldn't be able to focus. We need the Seeker to find the Stone of Tears and not worry about us."
Nodding, Zedd frowned. "And he needs the mother of his child with him. If you leave, you will unleash his madness. Without you here, if he is unable to protect you, it will destroy him from within and he will never find the stone."
"But if I stay and something happens- I can't lose this child, Zedd. It's a part of us."
"Staying with Richard is the only way to remain safe. He will allow no harm to come to you."
She nodded, growing frustrated as she began to pace before him. "I know. He would give his life, but I- I don't want him to risk his own life for mine."
"He already does. Every decision he has made has been what he believed would keep you the safest. If you stay or if you go, he will give his life to save yours. It is who he is."
Tears had once again filled her eyes as she tried to think of something, of anything that would keep them both safe, but she could think of one. "If I stay, he will believe that there is hope for us. There is none."
Laying a thin hand on her shoulder, he slowed her to a stop. "It wasn't long ago; you believed that you would never have his child." A smile came to his lips, "Yet, you carry it now. I have come to believe that when it comes to the two of you, if there is a way, you will find it. Nothing can stop you from trying."
"I don't want to be with him, Zedd." Her words stunned him, freezing him in place as she stepped out of his reach. "If I am with him," she began to cry, unable to hold back her feelings, her desires and her fears. "I will only continue hurt him. If I stayed and we forgot for a moment and- My magic will destroy him and I couldn't live with myself. We were able to conceive this child, but that was luck. He believes we made love and we didn't. What if the next time, I don't remember how much of a monster I am and I destroy him? What will happen then?"
"I cannot tell you what to do. There is nothing I can say that will make this any easier on either of you. This is a hard position that you have jumped into. You are afraid that your magic will destroy him, but you will destroy him by leaving. There is no right here. You have a decision to make; you should speak to him about it."
"I can't- I will not stay with Richard. If I leave now, he can find the stone; he can move on. Maybe he will find someone, someone who can be the woman he needs; a woman he more than deserves. Zedd, Richard could be happy with someone. He could have the family, the quiet, peaceful life that he has always wanted. He can't have anything with me." Tears were streaming down her face, even as her words remained calm. "I am nothing and I love him too much to allow him to waste his life caring for me."
"You don't mean that," The wizard told her as he stepped in close and took her hands in his. "You love him too much."
"That's why I am doing it. I love Richard, but it's not enough. I'm going to leave tonight after he sleeps."
"How could you let her go?" Richard shouted, stuffing his blanket into his travel bag. "You should have told me!"
"What would you have done, tied her to the tree? She wanted to leave and there would have been no stopping her."
"She's not safe out there!"
Zedd reached out, handing his grandson a folded piece of paper. "She asked me to give you this."
He snatched the paper from his grandfather's hand and walked into the trees to read. He knew that nothing she wrote would stop him from going after her. He was not going to give up on her that easily. Her handwriting was beautiful, elegant in a way that he could never describe. As he stared at the words, his heart began to pound as they began to sink into his mind. She had chosen her words well, hiding meaning and love beneath the darkness of the letters.
Dearest Richard,
I need you to know that this was not an easy decision. I fear that by remaining at your side, I will become a distraction and you will be unable to focus on the important task in your hands. Do not believe that I do not love you. I do and that is why I must return to Aydindril. And I know you; you are packing your things in the hope that you will be able to stop me, so I ask you not to. We will never be able to have what we both want and this task is far greater than anything. You are the only one who can save us.
This child, our child, will be protected in every way available. I will not allow anything to happen to her. I will keep her safe the way you have always kept me safe. I ask the good spirits to protect you, to keep you safe as you continue on. I also ask that you try to find happiness, true life along your journey. You deserve someone who can be there for you. Someone who can love you the way that you should be. I will never be able to love you the way you deserve and for that, I am truly sorry. I love you. I will always love you.
I hope that you find your happiness,
Kahlan
He stared at her name, his heart in his throat as his mind reread the letter. Her meaning, her words were clear and he couldn't make himself believe that she meant them. At least not all of them. He could never find happiness with anyone else. His heart would be with her and their child for the rest of his life and he would spend every moment of it trying to get her back.
She wanted him to continue the quest, but without her there was no quest. He would tell her that he was doing this for the people, but it had been a lie. He did this for her, for a life with her and if he couldn't have it, he didn't want to continue. But she asked you to, his heart told him, arguing with his mind. He would do this, but not without her.
He looked up in an instant; he felt it clearly, ripping through his body, threatening to tear his flesh from his bones. The release of her magic, he could always feel it, but never like this before. Their child strengthened the ripple and he suddenly knew that it was meant for him to feel. Folding the letter neatly, Richard raced through the trees, screaming for his friends to follow him.
Blood covered parts of the ground, five men laid dead, against trees and over each other. Bending down, he pulled one of Kahlan's daggers from the bloodiest body of them all and looked around. "They're not banelings. Why would they attack her?"
Kicking over one of the bodies, Zedd looked over to his worried grandson. "Not everyone is loyal to the Mother Confessor."
Taking a few steps, Richard stared off trough the trees, straining his eyes to see her. "Kahlan!" The blood trail caught his eye, bringing his heart to a stop as he slowly followed it. The blood had been dragged through, making him wonder if it was her they were dragging. That would be the only way she would go with them, he thought to himself as he reached the end of the trail. Another man lay dead a few feet away, his body barely showing through the grass and bushes.
He could feel someone's eyes on him, watching him carefully from the trees. Turning around, he scanned the area, making sure that he missed nothing. "Kahlan!" He shouted again, praying to the spirits that she could hear him.
He saw her, running full speed in his direction, shocking him as she threw herself onto him and pushed him into the ground, taking the arrow that was meant for him. A loud cry left her lips as her body began to glow. He closed his eyes to the light as her magic ripped through him. Moving off of him quickly, she gasped in horror at what she had done. She had confessed him; everything was destroyed. She jumped at their footsteps before she fell to the ground and her world went black.
Richard opened his eyes slowly, taking a few moments to adjust to the bright sunlight around him. He was surrounded by more bodies; Kahlan had killed more than a dozen before he has awoken. Searching the area for her, he found his heart racing as he skimmed the ground for her. Zedd was tying a large man to a tree while Cara held him still. There was so sign of the woman he loved.
Running his fingers through his hair, he pulled then back and looked at the blood that now stained them. He had been knocked unconscious when she threw him to the ground. The last thing he could remember was the feel of her above him as she took the arrow that was meant for him. He smiled, remembering the way it felt when her magic went through him. As he had thought, it didn't harm him.
"What happened? Where's Kahlan?"
Zedd stood up and frowned, shaking his head as he walked over to his grandson. "She was taken by a few of the men. Once they managed to get the Rada'Han around her neck, she was unable to defend herself against them all."
"Where were you?" Richard shouted as he staggered to his feet. "How could you allow them to take her?"
Grabbing his shoulders, the wizard held him still. "She's confessed you."
"What? No! Zedd, I'm not confessed! Her magic didn't change me! We have to get her back!"
He stared into his grandson's eyes as Cara stepped beside him. "They will kill her within the day; he will be released before nightfall."
"I'm not confessed!" Richard shouted, pushing Cara away from him. "If they kill Kahlan they also kill our child!"
"She touched you with her magic. We both saw it!"
He grabbed his friend's shoulders and shook her. "I am not confessed! I don't know how to explain it, but her magic couldn't make me love her anymore than I always have! Now you can help me rescue her or I will kill you where you stand!"
Zedd pushed between them and looked into his eyes. "Your love for her protected you." He gave him a light smile. "I suspected it would."
"We need to save her!" Looking around him, he tried to see which way they had taken her. His head throbbed, his vision was blurry and his strength was almost completely gone, but he still rushed into the trees, desperate to find her. "Where would they take her?"
Chapter: 2
Rating: NC17/R
Pairing: Richard/Kahlan
Summary: In a short unplanned time of play, Richard and Kahlan lose themselves in a moment of passion that leads to horrific consequences that could destroy one or both of them.
Word Count: 2,241
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.
Author's Note: So I wrote this while I was in the hospital. So it is a bit uhh.. Well, let's just say that it may have it's moments of craziness, but I hope that you all still enjoy! [All mistakes are mine.. Oops =P]
Comments are awesome folks!
Blood splattered onto her face as her dagger cut across the throat of her enemy, the baneling falling to the ground at her feet. Looking up, she quickly searched the area, making sure that her friends were safe as she began to fight another. She could hear Richard grunt in anger as he pushed the sword through his opponent before spinning around to the next. The sound of Cara's agiels echoed through the air, drowning out the other sounds except for her breathing. The smell of burning flesh filled her nose as Zedd set his enemy into a fiery blaze, them men screaming in pain as they raced off trying to put themselves out. She felt sick; the world began to spin as someone wrapped their arms around her and lifted her from the ground. She couldn't control it, the surge building up within her, screaming to be free. Opening her eyes, she saw them all; they stared at her, confused and in fear.
She felt the warmth splash upon her, soaking her as she fell to the ground. Opening her eyes, she saw them running to her. Richard fell to his knees beside her, pulling her body into his arms as Cara and Zedd stayed a few paces away from her, afraid. They were each covered in blood, the ground now covered in dead banelings.
"Are you all right?"
His voice startled her, making her jump and crawl out of his arms. "What happened?"
"You killed them. You killed them all, Kahlan. How did you-"
Stepping forward, Zedd stared down at her. "She didn't," he said softly, his voice filled with disappointment. "How long have you been carrying the child?"
"Just over a month."
Richard looked at her in shock, she hadn't told him. "What? Why didn't you say anything?"
Pushing him away, he let loose her tears. "You told me not to. You told me to wait until I could no longer."
"No," he whispered softly bringing her back into his arms and wiping the blood that came from her nose. "Kahlan, we were to tell him together."
"What have you two done?" Zedd asked as he lifted Richard up by the shirt, making her fall to the ground with a light thump. "How could you have been so foolish?"
"Foolish?" Richard shouted, pushing his grandfather away from him. "It is not foolish to be with the woman that I love!"
The wizard gave a small smile as he returned to his place beside Kahlan. "How were you able-?"
"I didn't confess him," Kahlan answered softly. "I could never."
Kneeling down beside them, Zedd nodded knowingly. "I know, dear one. Here, lay back. I will check on the child."
"She's fine. I can feel her." Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. "She's so strong."
"It is not only your Confessor's magic that she carries, but also that of a Rahl. Richard's blood flows through her." Bringing his eyes to hers, he raised his eyebrows, insisting that she listen to him. "Carrying this child may kill you."
She nodded, "I know."
Confused, Richard grabbed her face and made her look at him. "What? Why?"
"The amount of power one can hold, it's different with everyone. I do not believe that it will kill me. She has already protected me, more than once."
"You have used the child's magic before this day?" Zedd asked quietly. She nodded slowly, looking from Richard to him. "When?"
"I'm not sure, maybe a few weeks ago. When we were first attacked by the mountain wall. We had all been separated and she saved me."
"How?"
She returned her eyes to Richard and frowned. "I didn't even know they were surrounding me. I couldn't see them, but somehow I- One moment I was waiting for them to kill me and the next, they were screaming and falling to their knees, covered in blood."
Bringing his face to hers, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I didn't want to worry you. If I told you, you would never leave my side. You wouldn't be able to do what needed to be done."
"What if you needed someone? Kahlan, you both could have been hurt!" She jumped as he raised his voice. He had never yelled at her before. Pressing his forehead to hers, he closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths before continuing. "Spirits Kahlan, if I lost you..." He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs, a smile coming to his lips as he pulled back to look at her and then to Zedd. "Make sure they're both all right. Cara and I will make sure that we're alone." He kissed her quickly and stood up, grinning down at her as he walked backward with Cara toward the surrounding trees. "We'll be right back."
The moment they were out of sight, Zedd looked at her, disappointed. "Why didn't you tell him?"
Lying back, Kahlan closed her eyes, hiding herself from him. "I was going to leave before he found out."
"Why?"
"I can't do this. I can't be with him the way that he wants."
He laughed lightly, bringing her sad eyes to his. "You are carrying his child. I believe you have already been with him in the way that you both wanted."
"It wasn't like that," she said to defend herself. "Zedd, it wasn't like that."
"I know child," he told her tenderly as he helped her to stand, "You cannot leave him."
Looking away from him, she shook her head. "I have to. If I were to stay, he wouldn't be able to focus. We need the Seeker to find the Stone of Tears and not worry about us."
Nodding, Zedd frowned. "And he needs the mother of his child with him. If you leave, you will unleash his madness. Without you here, if he is unable to protect you, it will destroy him from within and he will never find the stone."
"But if I stay and something happens- I can't lose this child, Zedd. It's a part of us."
"Staying with Richard is the only way to remain safe. He will allow no harm to come to you."
She nodded, growing frustrated as she began to pace before him. "I know. He would give his life, but I- I don't want him to risk his own life for mine."
"He already does. Every decision he has made has been what he believed would keep you the safest. If you stay or if you go, he will give his life to save yours. It is who he is."
Tears had once again filled her eyes as she tried to think of something, of anything that would keep them both safe, but she could think of one. "If I stay, he will believe that there is hope for us. There is none."
Laying a thin hand on her shoulder, he slowed her to a stop. "It wasn't long ago; you believed that you would never have his child." A smile came to his lips, "Yet, you carry it now. I have come to believe that when it comes to the two of you, if there is a way, you will find it. Nothing can stop you from trying."
"I don't want to be with him, Zedd." Her words stunned him, freezing him in place as she stepped out of his reach. "If I am with him," she began to cry, unable to hold back her feelings, her desires and her fears. "I will only continue hurt him. If I stayed and we forgot for a moment and- My magic will destroy him and I couldn't live with myself. We were able to conceive this child, but that was luck. He believes we made love and we didn't. What if the next time, I don't remember how much of a monster I am and I destroy him? What will happen then?"
"I cannot tell you what to do. There is nothing I can say that will make this any easier on either of you. This is a hard position that you have jumped into. You are afraid that your magic will destroy him, but you will destroy him by leaving. There is no right here. You have a decision to make; you should speak to him about it."
"I can't- I will not stay with Richard. If I leave now, he can find the stone; he can move on. Maybe he will find someone, someone who can be the woman he needs; a woman he more than deserves. Zedd, Richard could be happy with someone. He could have the family, the quiet, peaceful life that he has always wanted. He can't have anything with me." Tears were streaming down her face, even as her words remained calm. "I am nothing and I love him too much to allow him to waste his life caring for me."
"You don't mean that," The wizard told her as he stepped in close and took her hands in his. "You love him too much."
"That's why I am doing it. I love Richard, but it's not enough. I'm going to leave tonight after he sleeps."
"How could you let her go?" Richard shouted, stuffing his blanket into his travel bag. "You should have told me!"
"What would you have done, tied her to the tree? She wanted to leave and there would have been no stopping her."
"She's not safe out there!"
Zedd reached out, handing his grandson a folded piece of paper. "She asked me to give you this."
He snatched the paper from his grandfather's hand and walked into the trees to read. He knew that nothing she wrote would stop him from going after her. He was not going to give up on her that easily. Her handwriting was beautiful, elegant in a way that he could never describe. As he stared at the words, his heart began to pound as they began to sink into his mind. She had chosen her words well, hiding meaning and love beneath the darkness of the letters.
Dearest Richard,
I need you to know that this was not an easy decision. I fear that by remaining at your side, I will become a distraction and you will be unable to focus on the important task in your hands. Do not believe that I do not love you. I do and that is why I must return to Aydindril. And I know you; you are packing your things in the hope that you will be able to stop me, so I ask you not to. We will never be able to have what we both want and this task is far greater than anything. You are the only one who can save us.
This child, our child, will be protected in every way available. I will not allow anything to happen to her. I will keep her safe the way you have always kept me safe. I ask the good spirits to protect you, to keep you safe as you continue on. I also ask that you try to find happiness, true life along your journey. You deserve someone who can be there for you. Someone who can love you the way that you should be. I will never be able to love you the way you deserve and for that, I am truly sorry. I love you. I will always love you.
I hope that you find your happiness,
Kahlan
He stared at her name, his heart in his throat as his mind reread the letter. Her meaning, her words were clear and he couldn't make himself believe that she meant them. At least not all of them. He could never find happiness with anyone else. His heart would be with her and their child for the rest of his life and he would spend every moment of it trying to get her back.
She wanted him to continue the quest, but without her there was no quest. He would tell her that he was doing this for the people, but it had been a lie. He did this for her, for a life with her and if he couldn't have it, he didn't want to continue. But she asked you to, his heart told him, arguing with his mind. He would do this, but not without her.
He looked up in an instant; he felt it clearly, ripping through his body, threatening to tear his flesh from his bones. The release of her magic, he could always feel it, but never like this before. Their child strengthened the ripple and he suddenly knew that it was meant for him to feel. Folding the letter neatly, Richard raced through the trees, screaming for his friends to follow him.
Blood covered parts of the ground, five men laid dead, against trees and over each other. Bending down, he pulled one of Kahlan's daggers from the bloodiest body of them all and looked around. "They're not banelings. Why would they attack her?"
Kicking over one of the bodies, Zedd looked over to his worried grandson. "Not everyone is loyal to the Mother Confessor."
Taking a few steps, Richard stared off trough the trees, straining his eyes to see her. "Kahlan!" The blood trail caught his eye, bringing his heart to a stop as he slowly followed it. The blood had been dragged through, making him wonder if it was her they were dragging. That would be the only way she would go with them, he thought to himself as he reached the end of the trail. Another man lay dead a few feet away, his body barely showing through the grass and bushes.
He could feel someone's eyes on him, watching him carefully from the trees. Turning around, he scanned the area, making sure that he missed nothing. "Kahlan!" He shouted again, praying to the spirits that she could hear him.
He saw her, running full speed in his direction, shocking him as she threw herself onto him and pushed him into the ground, taking the arrow that was meant for him. A loud cry left her lips as her body began to glow. He closed his eyes to the light as her magic ripped through him. Moving off of him quickly, she gasped in horror at what she had done. She had confessed him; everything was destroyed. She jumped at their footsteps before she fell to the ground and her world went black.
Richard opened his eyes slowly, taking a few moments to adjust to the bright sunlight around him. He was surrounded by more bodies; Kahlan had killed more than a dozen before he has awoken. Searching the area for her, he found his heart racing as he skimmed the ground for her. Zedd was tying a large man to a tree while Cara held him still. There was so sign of the woman he loved.
Running his fingers through his hair, he pulled then back and looked at the blood that now stained them. He had been knocked unconscious when she threw him to the ground. The last thing he could remember was the feel of her above him as she took the arrow that was meant for him. He smiled, remembering the way it felt when her magic went through him. As he had thought, it didn't harm him.
"What happened? Where's Kahlan?"
Zedd stood up and frowned, shaking his head as he walked over to his grandson. "She was taken by a few of the men. Once they managed to get the Rada'Han around her neck, she was unable to defend herself against them all."
"Where were you?" Richard shouted as he staggered to his feet. "How could you allow them to take her?"
Grabbing his shoulders, the wizard held him still. "She's confessed you."
"What? No! Zedd, I'm not confessed! Her magic didn't change me! We have to get her back!"
He stared into his grandson's eyes as Cara stepped beside him. "They will kill her within the day; he will be released before nightfall."
"I'm not confessed!" Richard shouted, pushing Cara away from him. "If they kill Kahlan they also kill our child!"
"She touched you with her magic. We both saw it!"
He grabbed his friend's shoulders and shook her. "I am not confessed! I don't know how to explain it, but her magic couldn't make me love her anymore than I always have! Now you can help me rescue her or I will kill you where you stand!"
Zedd pushed between them and looked into his eyes. "Your love for her protected you." He gave him a light smile. "I suspected it would."
"We need to save her!" Looking around him, he tried to see which way they had taken her. His head throbbed, his vision was blurry and his strength was almost completely gone, but he still rushed into the trees, desperate to find her. "Where would they take her?"