Only A Child
Title: Only a Child
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Anytime after season two
*Ficlet written for a challenge in Legandland.*
~Word limit was met. Perhaps I will continue it one day? ;) ~
Richard found himself slowly walking down the dark hallway of a catacomb Zedd had discovered on their way to the People’s Palace. Kahlan was right behind him followed by Cara and Zedd. Richard heard a noise and released his sword. Kahlan grabbed her daggers, while Cara spun her agiels into her fists. They were all on guard. Zedd had felt a strong magic when they passed the catacombs, hoping the sacred book they were looking for was in there.
Kahlan grabbed Richard’s arm when she heard soft crying coming from the room they were about to enter.
“Do you hear that?” Kahlan asked concerned for whoever was crying.
“Yes,” Richard replied as he tightened his grip on the sword.
“I think I should go in first,” Cara moved her way in front of Richard and Kahlan. Richard was about to protest, but there was no arguing with a Mord Sith, especially Cara. Cara kicked the door open. They entered the small stone room right behind her. They expected something awful to greet them, but instead a small boy was in the corner crying. The four heroes exchanged confused glances. The boy was sitting on the floor in red robes with his knees to his chest, crying at the sight of the four of them with their weapons drawn. He could not have been more than five years old with black hair and dark eyes. Richard, feeling no harm, put his sword away and bent down next to the boy. The boy squirmed a little in fright and looked up at Richard through tear filled eyes.
“I promise I will not hurt you,” Richard told the boy softly. The boy stopped crying and looked at him. “My name is Richard, this is my wife Kahlan, and our friends Cara and Zedd.” Richard told the boy and smiled. Kahlan bent down next to Richard, her white dress flowing out around her. The boy stared at her.
“What is your name?” Kahlan smiled at him. The boy wiped his nose, uncertain if he should answer.
“You should answer the Mother Confessor or you’ll have to deal with me,” Cara glared at him. Zedd put a hand on her shoulder.
“He is just a boy Cara,” Zedd told her.
“You said you felt powerful magic, I am just remaining alert. The rest of you seem to have gone soft because he is a child,” Cara growled back.
“Darken Rahl,” the boy looked at Kahlan and Richard as he spoke.
“What?” Richard was confused.
“That is all I remember. I don’t know how I got here or who I am. I just know my name,” Darken told them. He began to cry again.
“This has to be a trick!” Cara tightened her hold on her agiels, ready to pounce.
“I think he is telling the truth,” Zedd gestured to a body on the floor. “That is Wizard Taren,” Zedd told them as he bent down and pried a book from the dead man’s hands. “And this is a book of changes. Not the book we are looking for, but a powerful book in itself. I believe this wizard changed Darken Rahl back into a child, hoping to stop any further destruction.”
“Do you know what this could mean?” Kahlan looked at her husband with wide eyes. “We could make him different. Raise him to be good.”
“Do you think that is possible?” Richard asked her.
“I say we kill him,” Cara added. The boy cried out and hugged Richard.
“No! Please don’t let her kill me! I’ll be good and go with you! I promise!” Darken sobbed into Richard’s shirt, wetting it with his tears. Richard wrapped his arms around the small boy and stood up. Kahlan stood and rubbed Darken’s back.
“Don’t worry, you are coming with us. Everything will be okay,” Kahaln told him softy, looking at Cara. Cara sighed and put her agiels away.
“This may just work,” Zedd thought aloud. “With us around, we could change him. Teach him good, not evil.” Zedd looked at the others, who seemed to agree with him.
They made their way back outside, where the sun was setting. Richard and Cara set up camp, as Zedd and Kahlan occupied the worried boy.
After their meal, Zedd helped the boy fall asleep. Darken would not let go of his robes as he slept.
“Do you really think this could work?” Kahlan squeezed Richard’s hand.
“I am not sure. I want to believe,” Richard looked at her and wrapped his arms around her.
“If it doesn’t, we’ll be close enough to kill him,” Cara told them as she looked at the sleeping boy.
“Only time will tell,” Zedd replied. They all nodded in agreement, hoping their decision to keep the child Darken Rahl was the right one.
***
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Anytime after season two
*Ficlet written for a challenge in Legandland.*
~Word limit was met. Perhaps I will continue it one day? ;) ~
Richard found himself slowly walking down the dark hallway of a catacomb Zedd had discovered on their way to the People’s Palace. Kahlan was right behind him followed by Cara and Zedd. Richard heard a noise and released his sword. Kahlan grabbed her daggers, while Cara spun her agiels into her fists. They were all on guard. Zedd had felt a strong magic when they passed the catacombs, hoping the sacred book they were looking for was in there.
Kahlan grabbed Richard’s arm when she heard soft crying coming from the room they were about to enter.
“Do you hear that?” Kahlan asked concerned for whoever was crying.
“Yes,” Richard replied as he tightened his grip on the sword.
“I think I should go in first,” Cara moved her way in front of Richard and Kahlan. Richard was about to protest, but there was no arguing with a Mord Sith, especially Cara. Cara kicked the door open. They entered the small stone room right behind her. They expected something awful to greet them, but instead a small boy was in the corner crying. The four heroes exchanged confused glances. The boy was sitting on the floor in red robes with his knees to his chest, crying at the sight of the four of them with their weapons drawn. He could not have been more than five years old with black hair and dark eyes. Richard, feeling no harm, put his sword away and bent down next to the boy. The boy squirmed a little in fright and looked up at Richard through tear filled eyes.
“I promise I will not hurt you,” Richard told the boy softly. The boy stopped crying and looked at him. “My name is Richard, this is my wife Kahlan, and our friends Cara and Zedd.” Richard told the boy and smiled. Kahlan bent down next to Richard, her white dress flowing out around her. The boy stared at her.
“What is your name?” Kahlan smiled at him. The boy wiped his nose, uncertain if he should answer.
“You should answer the Mother Confessor or you’ll have to deal with me,” Cara glared at him. Zedd put a hand on her shoulder.
“He is just a boy Cara,” Zedd told her.
“You said you felt powerful magic, I am just remaining alert. The rest of you seem to have gone soft because he is a child,” Cara growled back.
“Darken Rahl,” the boy looked at Kahlan and Richard as he spoke.
“What?” Richard was confused.
“That is all I remember. I don’t know how I got here or who I am. I just know my name,” Darken told them. He began to cry again.
“This has to be a trick!” Cara tightened her hold on her agiels, ready to pounce.
“I think he is telling the truth,” Zedd gestured to a body on the floor. “That is Wizard Taren,” Zedd told them as he bent down and pried a book from the dead man’s hands. “And this is a book of changes. Not the book we are looking for, but a powerful book in itself. I believe this wizard changed Darken Rahl back into a child, hoping to stop any further destruction.”
“Do you know what this could mean?” Kahlan looked at her husband with wide eyes. “We could make him different. Raise him to be good.”
“Do you think that is possible?” Richard asked her.
“I say we kill him,” Cara added. The boy cried out and hugged Richard.
“No! Please don’t let her kill me! I’ll be good and go with you! I promise!” Darken sobbed into Richard’s shirt, wetting it with his tears. Richard wrapped his arms around the small boy and stood up. Kahlan stood and rubbed Darken’s back.
“Don’t worry, you are coming with us. Everything will be okay,” Kahaln told him softy, looking at Cara. Cara sighed and put her agiels away.
“This may just work,” Zedd thought aloud. “With us around, we could change him. Teach him good, not evil.” Zedd looked at the others, who seemed to agree with him.
They made their way back outside, where the sun was setting. Richard and Cara set up camp, as Zedd and Kahlan occupied the worried boy.
After their meal, Zedd helped the boy fall asleep. Darken would not let go of his robes as he slept.
“Do you really think this could work?” Kahlan squeezed Richard’s hand.
“I am not sure. I want to believe,” Richard looked at her and wrapped his arms around her.
“If it doesn’t, we’ll be close enough to kill him,” Cara told them as she looked at the sleeping boy.
“Only time will tell,” Zedd replied. They all nodded in agreement, hoping their decision to keep the child Darken Rahl was the right one.
***