Stop The World
Title: Stop The World
Chapter: 3
Characters: Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, Cara, Others (Originals)
Rating: NC17/R
Timeline: During season 2
Summary: After waking up in an unfamiliar place, Richard must fight to save not only himself, but the life and honor of the Mother Confessor, facing a bigger challenge than he ever imagined.
Paring: Kahlan/Richard; Richard/Other; Kahlan/Other
Story Type: Drama/Romance
Word Count: 2,880
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I simply play with them as toys. *Evil Laughter*
Author's Note: HUGE thanks to @StinaJane and @ConfessedByBR for being awesome BETAs!! *hugs*
Comments are awesome folks!
She sat close to the fire, eating the pieces of rabbit that Richard had prepared before he had gone into the water after her. The dress kept her warmer than she had thought, but she didn't want to break their silence to thank him for laying it beside the fire. He was sitting on the other side, his pants on the rock her dress had been on while his shirt laid across his legs. She fought the urge to look at him, to whisper his name and beg him to hold her the way he had done behind the waterfall. She would get no sleep tonight.
He caught her looking at him, but said nothing. When it appeared that she was going to say something, she ended up pushing a piece of meat into her mouth to keep quiet. He couldn't stop imagining her against him, the thought filling his mind completely. He had never known that side of her existed; she had looked up from the water, her eyes locked on his as she took him in her hand. She had teased his lips, running her tongue over them before allowing his to capture hers. He whispered her name.
Their eyes locked and she knew what he was thinking. He had balled up part of his shirt in his hand, his knuckles white from squeezing so hard. His mouth was open as he panted; the feel of her hands around him fresh in his mind. Her body began to respond to the look in his eyes, making her heart pound as it had before.
Standing up, he let the shirt fall to the ground without a care. Her eyes fell instantly, looking at his manhood for a moment before forcing herself to look away. He was beside her within moments, dropping to his knees and taking her face in his hands. She leaned into him, returning his kiss in full as he pushed the dress from her shoulders. Pushing forward, he laid over her, easing her to the ground as his hands explored her once again.
******
She lay against him, her head resting on his chest as she struggled to find her breath. He was holding her tightly, afraid that somehow she would vanish from his arms. They both glistened in sweat, their bodies exhausted and unable to move as they came down from their highs. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer, finding that she could never be close enough. Her right leg was laying over his, making it possible for him to hold her as close as he could.
The heat of the fire warmed her back, protecting her from the cooling winds that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. She smiled widely, lost in the happiness of the moment. He traced his fingers along her spine, enjoying the subtle way she pushed into him. Remembering that they were out in the open, he pulled her dress over them, covering her in the best way that he could.
He stared up at the sky as her breathing slowed, her body drifting into sleep. The color of the sky was different than usual, lighter than he had ever seen it as though it wasn't as late as he thought. The water still glowed and the trees seemed to sing with the wind. This was like nothing he had ever known. He blinked and for a moment, they were back in the stone cell.
She lifted her head as he jumped, the fear of being back taking over his body. He was squeezing his eyes shut while tightening his hold on her, trying to make himself believe that it hadn't been real.
"What's wrong?" He shook his head and forced a small smile, opening his eyes to meet hers. "Did you see it too?"
"What?"
"That room," she whispered. "Every time I close my eyes, I'm back there again and then... I'm here."
"It's not real," he told her tenderly. Pulling her back down against him, he began running his fingers through her hair to comfort them both. "It can't be."
"Can't it? Everything about this is different. Everything about that place was-"
"I killed him."
"I know, but it didn't hurt you. If you killed him, the pain of his magic would have killed you."
Shaking his head, he sighed. It had been on his mind since they left, but he didn't want to believe it. "I don't think he thought I would hurt him."
"He couldn't have known, he-"
"I think that he wanted you to fight him," he said quietly. "He knew that you didn't want him to touch you. He knew what I know. Kahlan if he got any closer to you, you would have fought him with everything you had. The pain wouldn't have stopped you."
"Why would he want me to fight him?"
"Because he would feel more power in taking you."
Closing her eyes, she remembered that moment. "I wouldn't have fought him. I knew that I didn't have to. You wouldn't let him- and then I saw you over his shoulder."
"I don't know how you can have such faith in me."
He felt her smile against his chest, his heart now racing rapidly all over again. "You have never let me down."
"Yes, I have. Kahlan, I have let you down in so many ways."
Once again, she lifted her head from his chest and looked down at him. "You're only thinking about what happened in that room, aren't you?"
"I never wanted to hurt you."
Nodding, she gave him a small smile. "I know."
Rubbing his thumb across her cheek, he sighed. "I wish that I could take it back."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"I betrayed you. You had to sit there and watch as I-"
"You didn't have a choice."
"Yes I did."
She lifted herself a little higher, making sure that he was looking at her as she spoke. "I was there, remember? I saw it all and I know that you didn't have a choice. And I saw the way you kissed her when she looked like me."
"Kahlan, I-"
"You wanted to be with me and I'm- When you kissed her, I realized how much I wished it was me."
His hand was still resting against her cheek, his thumb lightly touching her lips. Slowly, he traced over her bottom lip, watching as she parted her lips. Her breath was warm, hitting his thumb as he let it linger in the center. They were still red and slightly puffy from the passionate kiss they had shared over and over again as they made love. They were soft, beckoning him to come closer.
"I won't betray you again."
She nodded, knowing that he meant it more than almost anything he had ever said. Her Confessor's magic was never needed with him; he didn't hide anything from her.
"Before, when we were in the water- When you looked at me... What did you think?"
He smiled widely. "You're beautiful, Kahlan." Brushing his hand down her arm, he brought her closer to him. "You're the most beautiful woman created. You're perfect."
Leaning down, she gave him a quick kiss and returned her head to his chest. Even though they both knew something was wrong, she didn't want to waste another moment thinking when she could slip into the peace of his arms.
******
Opening her eyes, Kahlan froze. She was still in Richard's arms, naked, but they were no longer outside. The chilling sight of the gray stone filled her with a sickness. From the slow and steady pounding beneath his chest, she knew he was still asleep and she was afraid to wake him. Carefully, she shifted her body in an attempt to look around without waking him.
Sam was sitting on a high stool, his arms crossed across his chest with a smile on his face. He was still alive. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and folded his fingers together. "You didn't truly believe you had escaped did you? I could never allow you to leave before I had my fun."
She sat up, moving to cover herself from his view. "What fun?" she whispered, not yet wanting to wake the man beside her.
"I have to admit, I didn't think that you had it in you. The things you let him do to you; that you did to him. He's going awaken a very happy man."
"What do you want from us?"
He laughed, loudly and it echoed even louder throughout the stone room. Richard woke instantly. "You are my toys. You see, you both believe that you spent the night together-"
"We did," Richard stated, pulling her closer to him for protection.
"I had the Confessor."
His jaw clenched in anger, "You're lying."
"You've seen what I am capable of. I think we all know that what I said is true. You should be thanking me, Seeker. I pleased her in ways you have only been able to imagine."
"You didn't touch her!" he shouted him anger.
Sam's smile grew wider at his reaction, pleased. Looking to Kahlan, he moved his eyes over her. "You're the most beautiful woman created. You're perfect."
She stared at him in disbelief, her heart now pounding in her ears as she began to doubt what had happened. She looked at Richard, who stared at her the way he did the night before. "No..."
"You see?"
"You're lying," she said after a moment. "You never touched me."
"How can you be sure?"
Straightening her back, she lifted her head and locked eyes with their captor. "You could never touch me the way he does. You don't have the equipment to make love to a woman."
He was angry with her now, his game spoiled by her refusal to believe his lie. Her insult was the last of his patience. Standing, he stepped forward and slammed the back of his hand against her cheek, sending her sideways into the wall before falling into Richards awaiting arms. His voice whispering her name was the last thing she heard.
******
"Kahlan?" He said her name quietly, hoping that if she was to now wake up, Sam wouldn't hear.
She opened her eyes and then closed them quickly until they were ready to adjust to the light. "Where is he?"
"I don't know. He left right after- He hasn't been back in hours." Helping her to sit up, Richard wrapped his arm around her shoulder to help keep her still naked body warm. "How did you know- Before, when he said that you hadn't been with me, how did you know he was lying?"
The small smile on her face was almost surprising. "I knew because I saw into your eyes."
"Yes, but that's not how you knew."
Taking his left hand in both of hers, and brought his thumb up to her lips. "Because you did this." She traced his thumb across her bottom lip and then smiled. "Before we were here, you used to do that when you thought I was asleep."
"You knew? Why didn't you say anything?"
Her smile widened for a moment before fading completely. "Because talking wasn't what came to my mind."
He grinned and pulled her closer, resting his head against hers as she laid it against his shoulder. "How's your head?"
"It hurts," she said softly, not wanting to tell him that the sight in one of her eyes was nearly black. "I must have hit the wall harder than I thought." She smiled, pushing the thought from her mind. "How long was I unconscious?"
"A few hours. He looked in on you a few times."
"What do you mean?"
"He came by, made sure you were alive and then left. I think he was afraid that he had hurt you."
She shook her head against his shoulder in confusion. "I don't understand. He didn't seem to care before."
Richard gave a light laugh and pulled her closer. "I think he cares for you."
"He couldn't."
"I think you underestimate your effect on men." She pulled back and looked at him in disbelief. "You don't need your magic to make men care about you." The smile on his face widened as he watched her think about what he said. "You're much more than that."
From the look on her face, he knew that she didn't believe him. "Why would he care for me?" she questioned softly, willing to play along with his theory. "He's holding us captive."
Richard nodded and turned his waist, now almost facing her completely. "I can't remember him asking me any questions."
"She said that she was your reward," Kahlan told him quietly. "He must have asked-"
"I know, but I don't remember anything after they pulled me away from you. One minute I was in the hall, calling your name and the next, I was naked on the floor."
Tilting her head, she inched closer to him. "You were gone for a day."
"What happened to you?" He had wanted to ask before, his mind assuming what he feared to learn. He noticed the way Sam looked at her; there was no doubt in his mind on how he felt about her.
"After you left, he just stood there and stared at me like he had done before."
"Before?"
She looked away, realizing that he didn't know what had happened before he first awoke and found himself in that cold, stone room. "After we first arrived, when he would question me... He never touched me, his men did... He would lean against the wall and watch."
Richard followed her gaze to the wall across from them. The way she stared at it made him believe that she could still imagine him leaning against it, watching as his men touched her. "What did they do to you?"
She put his mind at ease instantly. "Not that. He wouldn't let them. He said that when the time came, I wasn't to be touched." And just as quickly, the thought returned to his mind. "He hasn't touched me, Richard."
"He almost did."
Looking back to him, she wrapped her arms around his. "And you stopped him."
"If I had stopped him, we wouldn't be here." He was still staring at the wall, his mind unable to forget what had happened. "I failed you again."
Resting her head against his shoulder, Kahlan tightened his arms around his and sighed. "No, you didn't." It was all she could think to say and she knew that it would mean nothing to him.
Grabbing her hand, he swallowed and let out the breath he had been holding. "How can you say that? After everything you've gone through, how can you say that I haven't failed you?"
"After everything that I've gone through? Richard, I haven't gone through anything that you should be blamed for."
"You're here because of me."
She wanted to laugh, to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but she knew that her words wouldn't change the way he felt. "Did you bring me here?"
"No."
"It's not your fault," she replied simply, closing her eyes. Her head was pounding and the sight in her right eye was now completely gone. "It's not your fault."
Drawling her in closer, he shifted his body to shield her from the next person who came through the door. Her breathing slowed as he tightened his hold on her, knowing that she was safest in his arms. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the door opened and Sam walked in. Kahlan didn't move, her eyes still closed in the hope that he would believe that she was still unconscious.
"She's wrong, you know," he stated loudly. "It is your fault. Everything that we have done to her and will do is all because of you."
Lifting her head, Kahlan stared at the other man coldly. "Why? What has he done to you?"
"Me?" Sam laughed. "This is not a vengeance I am acting upon. This is my..." He rolled his hand at the wrist as though he wanted her to finish his sentence for him. "game. Yes, game. You see, I sent my men out to find me someone and they bring you to me. The Mother Confessor, herself! The woman who took my kingdom from me and gave it to my brother." He stepped in close to them and knelt down before them. "You think that what you have gone through is anything? I have not yet begun what I have planned. You are going to regret your every breath."
Reaching out, he brushed his fingers across her cheek and looked at Richard, who was unable to move. "This time has allowed me to know what will hurt her most. She has feelings for you and the one thing she will not be able to stand is hurting you." He smiled, pulled his hand back and slapped her across the face. "And hurting her hurts you." He hit her again, laughing as Richard tried to stop him. Standing, he pulled Kahlan to the center of the room by her hair. "Let's begin, shall we?"
Chapter: 3
Characters: Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, Cara, Others (Originals)
Rating: NC17/R
Timeline: During season 2
Summary: After waking up in an unfamiliar place, Richard must fight to save not only himself, but the life and honor of the Mother Confessor, facing a bigger challenge than he ever imagined.
Paring: Kahlan/Richard; Richard/Other; Kahlan/Other
Story Type: Drama/Romance
Word Count: 2,880
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I simply play with them as toys. *Evil Laughter*
Author's Note: HUGE thanks to @StinaJane and @ConfessedByBR for being awesome BETAs!! *hugs*
Comments are awesome folks!
She sat close to the fire, eating the pieces of rabbit that Richard had prepared before he had gone into the water after her. The dress kept her warmer than she had thought, but she didn't want to break their silence to thank him for laying it beside the fire. He was sitting on the other side, his pants on the rock her dress had been on while his shirt laid across his legs. She fought the urge to look at him, to whisper his name and beg him to hold her the way he had done behind the waterfall. She would get no sleep tonight.
He caught her looking at him, but said nothing. When it appeared that she was going to say something, she ended up pushing a piece of meat into her mouth to keep quiet. He couldn't stop imagining her against him, the thought filling his mind completely. He had never known that side of her existed; she had looked up from the water, her eyes locked on his as she took him in her hand. She had teased his lips, running her tongue over them before allowing his to capture hers. He whispered her name.
Their eyes locked and she knew what he was thinking. He had balled up part of his shirt in his hand, his knuckles white from squeezing so hard. His mouth was open as he panted; the feel of her hands around him fresh in his mind. Her body began to respond to the look in his eyes, making her heart pound as it had before.
Standing up, he let the shirt fall to the ground without a care. Her eyes fell instantly, looking at his manhood for a moment before forcing herself to look away. He was beside her within moments, dropping to his knees and taking her face in his hands. She leaned into him, returning his kiss in full as he pushed the dress from her shoulders. Pushing forward, he laid over her, easing her to the ground as his hands explored her once again.
******
She lay against him, her head resting on his chest as she struggled to find her breath. He was holding her tightly, afraid that somehow she would vanish from his arms. They both glistened in sweat, their bodies exhausted and unable to move as they came down from their highs. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer, finding that she could never be close enough. Her right leg was laying over his, making it possible for him to hold her as close as he could.
The heat of the fire warmed her back, protecting her from the cooling winds that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. She smiled widely, lost in the happiness of the moment. He traced his fingers along her spine, enjoying the subtle way she pushed into him. Remembering that they were out in the open, he pulled her dress over them, covering her in the best way that he could.
He stared up at the sky as her breathing slowed, her body drifting into sleep. The color of the sky was different than usual, lighter than he had ever seen it as though it wasn't as late as he thought. The water still glowed and the trees seemed to sing with the wind. This was like nothing he had ever known. He blinked and for a moment, they were back in the stone cell.
She lifted her head as he jumped, the fear of being back taking over his body. He was squeezing his eyes shut while tightening his hold on her, trying to make himself believe that it hadn't been real.
"What's wrong?" He shook his head and forced a small smile, opening his eyes to meet hers. "Did you see it too?"
"What?"
"That room," she whispered. "Every time I close my eyes, I'm back there again and then... I'm here."
"It's not real," he told her tenderly. Pulling her back down against him, he began running his fingers through her hair to comfort them both. "It can't be."
"Can't it? Everything about this is different. Everything about that place was-"
"I killed him."
"I know, but it didn't hurt you. If you killed him, the pain of his magic would have killed you."
Shaking his head, he sighed. It had been on his mind since they left, but he didn't want to believe it. "I don't think he thought I would hurt him."
"He couldn't have known, he-"
"I think that he wanted you to fight him," he said quietly. "He knew that you didn't want him to touch you. He knew what I know. Kahlan if he got any closer to you, you would have fought him with everything you had. The pain wouldn't have stopped you."
"Why would he want me to fight him?"
"Because he would feel more power in taking you."
Closing her eyes, she remembered that moment. "I wouldn't have fought him. I knew that I didn't have to. You wouldn't let him- and then I saw you over his shoulder."
"I don't know how you can have such faith in me."
He felt her smile against his chest, his heart now racing rapidly all over again. "You have never let me down."
"Yes, I have. Kahlan, I have let you down in so many ways."
Once again, she lifted her head from his chest and looked down at him. "You're only thinking about what happened in that room, aren't you?"
"I never wanted to hurt you."
Nodding, she gave him a small smile. "I know."
Rubbing his thumb across her cheek, he sighed. "I wish that I could take it back."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"I betrayed you. You had to sit there and watch as I-"
"You didn't have a choice."
"Yes I did."
She lifted herself a little higher, making sure that he was looking at her as she spoke. "I was there, remember? I saw it all and I know that you didn't have a choice. And I saw the way you kissed her when she looked like me."
"Kahlan, I-"
"You wanted to be with me and I'm- When you kissed her, I realized how much I wished it was me."
His hand was still resting against her cheek, his thumb lightly touching her lips. Slowly, he traced over her bottom lip, watching as she parted her lips. Her breath was warm, hitting his thumb as he let it linger in the center. They were still red and slightly puffy from the passionate kiss they had shared over and over again as they made love. They were soft, beckoning him to come closer.
"I won't betray you again."
She nodded, knowing that he meant it more than almost anything he had ever said. Her Confessor's magic was never needed with him; he didn't hide anything from her.
"Before, when we were in the water- When you looked at me... What did you think?"
He smiled widely. "You're beautiful, Kahlan." Brushing his hand down her arm, he brought her closer to him. "You're the most beautiful woman created. You're perfect."
Leaning down, she gave him a quick kiss and returned her head to his chest. Even though they both knew something was wrong, she didn't want to waste another moment thinking when she could slip into the peace of his arms.
******
Opening her eyes, Kahlan froze. She was still in Richard's arms, naked, but they were no longer outside. The chilling sight of the gray stone filled her with a sickness. From the slow and steady pounding beneath his chest, she knew he was still asleep and she was afraid to wake him. Carefully, she shifted her body in an attempt to look around without waking him.
Sam was sitting on a high stool, his arms crossed across his chest with a smile on his face. He was still alive. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and folded his fingers together. "You didn't truly believe you had escaped did you? I could never allow you to leave before I had my fun."
She sat up, moving to cover herself from his view. "What fun?" she whispered, not yet wanting to wake the man beside her.
"I have to admit, I didn't think that you had it in you. The things you let him do to you; that you did to him. He's going awaken a very happy man."
"What do you want from us?"
He laughed, loudly and it echoed even louder throughout the stone room. Richard woke instantly. "You are my toys. You see, you both believe that you spent the night together-"
"We did," Richard stated, pulling her closer to him for protection.
"I had the Confessor."
His jaw clenched in anger, "You're lying."
"You've seen what I am capable of. I think we all know that what I said is true. You should be thanking me, Seeker. I pleased her in ways you have only been able to imagine."
"You didn't touch her!" he shouted him anger.
Sam's smile grew wider at his reaction, pleased. Looking to Kahlan, he moved his eyes over her. "You're the most beautiful woman created. You're perfect."
She stared at him in disbelief, her heart now pounding in her ears as she began to doubt what had happened. She looked at Richard, who stared at her the way he did the night before. "No..."
"You see?"
"You're lying," she said after a moment. "You never touched me."
"How can you be sure?"
Straightening her back, she lifted her head and locked eyes with their captor. "You could never touch me the way he does. You don't have the equipment to make love to a woman."
He was angry with her now, his game spoiled by her refusal to believe his lie. Her insult was the last of his patience. Standing, he stepped forward and slammed the back of his hand against her cheek, sending her sideways into the wall before falling into Richards awaiting arms. His voice whispering her name was the last thing she heard.
******
"Kahlan?" He said her name quietly, hoping that if she was to now wake up, Sam wouldn't hear.
She opened her eyes and then closed them quickly until they were ready to adjust to the light. "Where is he?"
"I don't know. He left right after- He hasn't been back in hours." Helping her to sit up, Richard wrapped his arm around her shoulder to help keep her still naked body warm. "How did you know- Before, when he said that you hadn't been with me, how did you know he was lying?"
The small smile on her face was almost surprising. "I knew because I saw into your eyes."
"Yes, but that's not how you knew."
Taking his left hand in both of hers, and brought his thumb up to her lips. "Because you did this." She traced his thumb across her bottom lip and then smiled. "Before we were here, you used to do that when you thought I was asleep."
"You knew? Why didn't you say anything?"
Her smile widened for a moment before fading completely. "Because talking wasn't what came to my mind."
He grinned and pulled her closer, resting his head against hers as she laid it against his shoulder. "How's your head?"
"It hurts," she said softly, not wanting to tell him that the sight in one of her eyes was nearly black. "I must have hit the wall harder than I thought." She smiled, pushing the thought from her mind. "How long was I unconscious?"
"A few hours. He looked in on you a few times."
"What do you mean?"
"He came by, made sure you were alive and then left. I think he was afraid that he had hurt you."
She shook her head against his shoulder in confusion. "I don't understand. He didn't seem to care before."
Richard gave a light laugh and pulled her closer. "I think he cares for you."
"He couldn't."
"I think you underestimate your effect on men." She pulled back and looked at him in disbelief. "You don't need your magic to make men care about you." The smile on his face widened as he watched her think about what he said. "You're much more than that."
From the look on her face, he knew that she didn't believe him. "Why would he care for me?" she questioned softly, willing to play along with his theory. "He's holding us captive."
Richard nodded and turned his waist, now almost facing her completely. "I can't remember him asking me any questions."
"She said that she was your reward," Kahlan told him quietly. "He must have asked-"
"I know, but I don't remember anything after they pulled me away from you. One minute I was in the hall, calling your name and the next, I was naked on the floor."
Tilting her head, she inched closer to him. "You were gone for a day."
"What happened to you?" He had wanted to ask before, his mind assuming what he feared to learn. He noticed the way Sam looked at her; there was no doubt in his mind on how he felt about her.
"After you left, he just stood there and stared at me like he had done before."
"Before?"
She looked away, realizing that he didn't know what had happened before he first awoke and found himself in that cold, stone room. "After we first arrived, when he would question me... He never touched me, his men did... He would lean against the wall and watch."
Richard followed her gaze to the wall across from them. The way she stared at it made him believe that she could still imagine him leaning against it, watching as his men touched her. "What did they do to you?"
She put his mind at ease instantly. "Not that. He wouldn't let them. He said that when the time came, I wasn't to be touched." And just as quickly, the thought returned to his mind. "He hasn't touched me, Richard."
"He almost did."
Looking back to him, she wrapped her arms around his. "And you stopped him."
"If I had stopped him, we wouldn't be here." He was still staring at the wall, his mind unable to forget what had happened. "I failed you again."
Resting her head against his shoulder, Kahlan tightened his arms around his and sighed. "No, you didn't." It was all she could think to say and she knew that it would mean nothing to him.
Grabbing her hand, he swallowed and let out the breath he had been holding. "How can you say that? After everything you've gone through, how can you say that I haven't failed you?"
"After everything that I've gone through? Richard, I haven't gone through anything that you should be blamed for."
"You're here because of me."
She wanted to laugh, to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but she knew that her words wouldn't change the way he felt. "Did you bring me here?"
"No."
"It's not your fault," she replied simply, closing her eyes. Her head was pounding and the sight in her right eye was now completely gone. "It's not your fault."
Drawling her in closer, he shifted his body to shield her from the next person who came through the door. Her breathing slowed as he tightened his hold on her, knowing that she was safest in his arms. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the door opened and Sam walked in. Kahlan didn't move, her eyes still closed in the hope that he would believe that she was still unconscious.
"She's wrong, you know," he stated loudly. "It is your fault. Everything that we have done to her and will do is all because of you."
Lifting her head, Kahlan stared at the other man coldly. "Why? What has he done to you?"
"Me?" Sam laughed. "This is not a vengeance I am acting upon. This is my..." He rolled his hand at the wrist as though he wanted her to finish his sentence for him. "game. Yes, game. You see, I sent my men out to find me someone and they bring you to me. The Mother Confessor, herself! The woman who took my kingdom from me and gave it to my brother." He stepped in close to them and knelt down before them. "You think that what you have gone through is anything? I have not yet begun what I have planned. You are going to regret your every breath."
Reaching out, he brushed his fingers across her cheek and looked at Richard, who was unable to move. "This time has allowed me to know what will hurt her most. She has feelings for you and the one thing she will not be able to stand is hurting you." He smiled, pulled his hand back and slapped her across the face. "And hurting her hurts you." He hit her again, laughing as Richard tried to stop him. Standing, he pulled Kahlan to the center of the room by her hair. "Let's begin, shall we?"