Until You Invite Me, 1/?
Title: Until You Invite Me - Chapter 1
Beta: hrhrionastar
Pairing: Darken/Kahlan
Length: 690
Rating: R
Spoilers: Reckoning
Summary: The things she does for love...
Author's Note: Yes, yet another Reckoning AU. Inspired by hrhrionastar's "Princess Rahl", 16beckyb's "Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth" and vorquellyn's "Fulcrum". And many, many thanks to hrhrionastar, 16beckyb and meridian_rose! You helped me find my courage.
Until You Invite Me - Chapter 1
This was it. The moment of choice.
She was so beautiful in her white wedding dress; her hair held back by small white flower hairpins, dark curls resting on her shoulders.
They were in the royal bedchamber Darken had ordered prepared for her. He would not start their married life in the traditional royal apartments-the ones that had belonged to his father.
She had invited him. Not the way he would have liked, but nonetheless…here they were, he and his stubborn bride. And now he could pretend it was real. That the look of disdain on her face would change in time, that the ice in her glare would melt and maybe after the birth of their child she would-
"No, " he heard himself saying quietly.
Kahlan flinched as if he had slapped her, and Darken smiled softly.
"You are the image of beauty," he moved to stand behind her. "But, alas, I must decline. You see, that's not how I want this," he bent forward to whisper in her ear, "I want you to want me." And you will, he thought, but didn't say. He could be patient.
Kahlan turned around so swiftly she almost tripped on her dress. The horror in her eyes was quite delightful.
Darken smirked.
"And now," he bowed his head in a mockingly polite manner, "let me bid you goodnight, my Queen."
The door closed almost silently behind her husband, but the sound was like a thunderclap to Kahlan's ears. She crumpled to the floor, all life gone from her body. She cried, relief and despair strangely mixed up in her tears.
This was it. This was the end-what was she going to do?
She had been preparing herself so hard for this moment - to sacrifice herself, her body, for Richard. To endure what had to be endured to bring him back to her, to save the world. But it all had been in vain. Rahl didn't want her body. He wanted more than that. Now she could never have a child to help Richard - she would never want Rahl. And Rahl would never allow her to live if she found another man to father a child-a Confessor, so that Richard might return-and if she died now, all would be lost. But all was already lost, now that Rahl demanded not only her body, but her soul! She couldn't bear this-
She would never get Richard back. Never! Unless…
Kahlan wiped away her tears as her despair turned into anger, and anger set her mind into motion. Rahl wanted her to want him. Sick, perverted bastard! How could she ever feel something for him besides disgust and hatred? No, she would never want him.
But she could fool him.
Rahl was smart. But she would be smarter. It would be difficult, but she would be patient and careful. Rahl would never know about her plan. Rahl would help her bring Richard back. Rahl… Kahlan made an effort. Darken. Darken would help her set things right.
She had to get used to call him that in her mind. Darken. It would be the first step. She needed it to sound natural when she let it "slip" from her tongue in… four or maybe five weeks - depended on how "successful" he would be in his inevitable attempts at manipulating her. Or was it too rash? He would suspect her if she was rash. She couldn't allow his suspicion. She had time - Kahlan reminded herself. She had nothing but time-and Rahl-Darken-would want her to succumb. And she would-at just the right moment.
Kahlan got up on her feet. She wasn't going anywhere - Where could she go? - so she might as well make herself comfortable. Heedless of her dress, she climbed up onto a huge royal bed, which from now on would be hers. The bed was soft and nice and she hated it. But she needed rest, she needed to be strong and her mind to be sharp.
There was no room for mistakes.
Tomorrow would be a very long day.
Just like any day would be from now on.
Chapter 2