The Forgotten: Chapter 14
***
I am not sure whether my boots are thumping loudly on the freshly polished palace floor, or it is my heart that is thumping loudly. Roland and I agreed to start on the west side of the palace, which contained Darken Rahl’s more private libraries. We failed to discuss what we would do if we were caught. I am blindly hoping everyone is too concerned with the forgotten to notice a Mord’Sith and a D’Haran guard.
Walking, well thumping, down these hallways brings back fresh waves of memories of my time spent here. A time where I was a slightly different person. Now I am here to steal a book to save the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. Not that long ago I wanted nothing more to bring their lifeless bodies to the foot of Darken Rahl. I shiver at those past desires.
“I know,” Roland whispers behind me. I look at him, puzzled. “I shiver too remembering what I thought as I walked down these hallways.” How the hell did he know I was shivering at my past thoughts and desires?
“We are slightly different people now,” I quietly respond as we pass a corridor I remember first meeting Dahlia in. I scowl at the memory. She betrayed me in every way possible. Zedd explained to me what he had done to undue a spell that was done to me by Darken Rahl. My anger flushed forward as I think of what Darken Rahl did to me and what I almost did to Richard and Kahlan. I still have nightmares sometimes.
“We’re here,” Roland’s quiet voice interrupts my thoughts. I slowly walk to the door to listen to hear if someone is inside. I hear nothing as I slowly push the door with my foot and peer in. The library is dark with a candle casting a small glow as it was reaching its end. I reach down and pull out the small paper that Zedd scribbled on. Roland and I both stare at the strange ancient D’Haran written. I memorize the symbols and begin looking at the walls of books. “This seems impossible,” Roland sighs.
“Don’t start that yet, we have at least four more libraries to go,” I remind him, studying a line of books.
“I said it seemed impossible. It is not impossible for us,” he smiles at me before returning to the wall of books he was studying.
“I will have to agree with you. Mord’Sith never return from an assignment unsuccessful,” I point out to him.
“Or a D’Haran solider,” he counters. I suppress a smile and focus on the books in front of me. I never truly thought about how similar Roland and I were. He also left behind the darkness that is Darken Rahl and became a guard for the true Lord Rahl and Seeker. If only we could get the whole D’Haran army and all of my Sisters of the Agiel to see that, we could save this world and remove all of Darken Rahl. However, I currently want to rid the world of the forgotten.
“It’s not here,” I tell him as we both finish the last wall of books. I tuck the small paper back inside my boot and begin to walk to the door. Roland quietly follows me as we make our way back down the hallway onto the next library.
My breath catches in my throat as two Mord’Sith walk towards us, staring directly at me. I glare at them as we reach each other.
“Sister,” the taller one says to me.
“Sister,” I coolly respond.
“Where are you going?” the shorter one asks me.
“No concern of you what orders Lord Rahl gave me,” I snap. Neither of us move a leather covered muscle. I glare at them one last time before continuing my walk down the hallway, with a very serious looking Roland behind me.
“I do not like her,” the smaller one whispers to the taller one, thinking I am out of ear shot. I come to a stop and turn to them.
“If you were true Mord’Sith you would not be standing their gossiping when our Lord is in danger!” I yell and stomp away, my anger seething at the brim. I am not sure where that anger came from but it was worth the dark frown that crossed their faces after I said the words to them.
***
We reach the second library, discovering another dying candle on the table. It appears even the palace servants were slacking on their duties with the fear of the forgotten looming over everyone.
I once again remove the paper from my boot checking the recent memory of its strange letters. I notice Roland already hovering over a shelf, his eyes desperately searching for the book we both long to have. I return the paper to its place in my boot and begin my search for the book.
Silence engulfs the room, except for the slight creaking of my leather and my occasional huff in frustration. I would not return to Zedd, Richard, and Kahlan until I had this damn book in my gloved hands. I had to save them. They saved me. Now it was my turn, although saving their life would not even return the debt I had to them.
“It’s strange isn’t it?” Roland’s smooth voice fills the silence. “Being in this palace and dressed like this.”
“Yes,” I respond, not truly wanting to think about that particular fact.
“I am glad you are here to ground me,” he tells me.
“What?” I turn and look at him with a raised eyebrow.
“I think being here alone would confuse me. It was not that long ago I was here hunting for the Seeker and Mother Confessor. Now all I want to do is assist in saving them.
“I understand,” I sigh. I truly did understand. “But even if you were alone you would not revert to the old ways. Your mind knows the truth.”
“Thank you, Cara,” Roland smiles at me. A smile that makes me smile in return. I quickly turn around, hoping he did not see the smile, knowing that he did. What was wrong with me? Focus, Cara, focus. I am thankful this library is small and we will be done soon, because being this close to him was getting harder. At least no one was questioning us as we walked down the hallways. Although I secretly knew my glares would turn them off to us. Even Darken Rahl told me once I had a glare that could kill. The one true compliment that I ever truly received from him.
We both turn at the same time, knowing the book was not here. With our luck it will be in the last library we look in, even if it is in any library at all. No, I would not think that way. This damn book was in the palace and I was going to find it, even if I had to kill every Sister of the Agiel in my path.
I gently shut the door as we check the hallways before being another walk to the third library. This one was a bit farther, as it was in the south wing of the palace. This made me a bit nervous as I am sure we will have to pass others in the palace.
“Keep your helmet on,” I whisper to Roland, as he was holding it in his hand. He quickly puts it on. The last event we needed was to have Roland recognized.
We walk for quite a bit in silence, our thoughts occupying our minds as well as the several individuals we avoided contact with as we walked. The third library was close and I was becoming relieved. Being in the open like this was not a choice I would make. The less we are seen the better.
“Almost there,” Roland whispers. I am not sure it was for his benefit or mine. I am about to respond as I hear many footsteps coming towards us, and a voice I would recognize anywhere. I freeze- my mind racing for a plan.
***
I am not sure whether my boots are thumping loudly on the freshly polished palace floor, or it is my heart that is thumping loudly. Roland and I agreed to start on the west side of the palace, which contained Darken Rahl’s more private libraries. We failed to discuss what we would do if we were caught. I am blindly hoping everyone is too concerned with the forgotten to notice a Mord’Sith and a D’Haran guard.
Walking, well thumping, down these hallways brings back fresh waves of memories of my time spent here. A time where I was a slightly different person. Now I am here to steal a book to save the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. Not that long ago I wanted nothing more to bring their lifeless bodies to the foot of Darken Rahl. I shiver at those past desires.
“I know,” Roland whispers behind me. I look at him, puzzled. “I shiver too remembering what I thought as I walked down these hallways.” How the hell did he know I was shivering at my past thoughts and desires?
“We are slightly different people now,” I quietly respond as we pass a corridor I remember first meeting Dahlia in. I scowl at the memory. She betrayed me in every way possible. Zedd explained to me what he had done to undue a spell that was done to me by Darken Rahl. My anger flushed forward as I think of what Darken Rahl did to me and what I almost did to Richard and Kahlan. I still have nightmares sometimes.
“We’re here,” Roland’s quiet voice interrupts my thoughts. I slowly walk to the door to listen to hear if someone is inside. I hear nothing as I slowly push the door with my foot and peer in. The library is dark with a candle casting a small glow as it was reaching its end. I reach down and pull out the small paper that Zedd scribbled on. Roland and I both stare at the strange ancient D’Haran written. I memorize the symbols and begin looking at the walls of books. “This seems impossible,” Roland sighs.
“Don’t start that yet, we have at least four more libraries to go,” I remind him, studying a line of books.
“I said it seemed impossible. It is not impossible for us,” he smiles at me before returning to the wall of books he was studying.
“I will have to agree with you. Mord’Sith never return from an assignment unsuccessful,” I point out to him.
“Or a D’Haran solider,” he counters. I suppress a smile and focus on the books in front of me. I never truly thought about how similar Roland and I were. He also left behind the darkness that is Darken Rahl and became a guard for the true Lord Rahl and Seeker. If only we could get the whole D’Haran army and all of my Sisters of the Agiel to see that, we could save this world and remove all of Darken Rahl. However, I currently want to rid the world of the forgotten.
“It’s not here,” I tell him as we both finish the last wall of books. I tuck the small paper back inside my boot and begin to walk to the door. Roland quietly follows me as we make our way back down the hallway onto the next library.
My breath catches in my throat as two Mord’Sith walk towards us, staring directly at me. I glare at them as we reach each other.
“Sister,” the taller one says to me.
“Sister,” I coolly respond.
“Where are you going?” the shorter one asks me.
“No concern of you what orders Lord Rahl gave me,” I snap. Neither of us move a leather covered muscle. I glare at them one last time before continuing my walk down the hallway, with a very serious looking Roland behind me.
“I do not like her,” the smaller one whispers to the taller one, thinking I am out of ear shot. I come to a stop and turn to them.
“If you were true Mord’Sith you would not be standing their gossiping when our Lord is in danger!” I yell and stomp away, my anger seething at the brim. I am not sure where that anger came from but it was worth the dark frown that crossed their faces after I said the words to them.
***
We reach the second library, discovering another dying candle on the table. It appears even the palace servants were slacking on their duties with the fear of the forgotten looming over everyone.
I once again remove the paper from my boot checking the recent memory of its strange letters. I notice Roland already hovering over a shelf, his eyes desperately searching for the book we both long to have. I return the paper to its place in my boot and begin my search for the book.
Silence engulfs the room, except for the slight creaking of my leather and my occasional huff in frustration. I would not return to Zedd, Richard, and Kahlan until I had this damn book in my gloved hands. I had to save them. They saved me. Now it was my turn, although saving their life would not even return the debt I had to them.
“It’s strange isn’t it?” Roland’s smooth voice fills the silence. “Being in this palace and dressed like this.”
“Yes,” I respond, not truly wanting to think about that particular fact.
“I am glad you are here to ground me,” he tells me.
“What?” I turn and look at him with a raised eyebrow.
“I think being here alone would confuse me. It was not that long ago I was here hunting for the Seeker and Mother Confessor. Now all I want to do is assist in saving them.
“I understand,” I sigh. I truly did understand. “But even if you were alone you would not revert to the old ways. Your mind knows the truth.”
“Thank you, Cara,” Roland smiles at me. A smile that makes me smile in return. I quickly turn around, hoping he did not see the smile, knowing that he did. What was wrong with me? Focus, Cara, focus. I am thankful this library is small and we will be done soon, because being this close to him was getting harder. At least no one was questioning us as we walked down the hallways. Although I secretly knew my glares would turn them off to us. Even Darken Rahl told me once I had a glare that could kill. The one true compliment that I ever truly received from him.
We both turn at the same time, knowing the book was not here. With our luck it will be in the last library we look in, even if it is in any library at all. No, I would not think that way. This damn book was in the palace and I was going to find it, even if I had to kill every Sister of the Agiel in my path.
I gently shut the door as we check the hallways before being another walk to the third library. This one was a bit farther, as it was in the south wing of the palace. This made me a bit nervous as I am sure we will have to pass others in the palace.
“Keep your helmet on,” I whisper to Roland, as he was holding it in his hand. He quickly puts it on. The last event we needed was to have Roland recognized.
We walk for quite a bit in silence, our thoughts occupying our minds as well as the several individuals we avoided contact with as we walked. The third library was close and I was becoming relieved. Being in the open like this was not a choice I would make. The less we are seen the better.
“Almost there,” Roland whispers. I am not sure it was for his benefit or mine. I am about to respond as I hear many footsteps coming towards us, and a voice I would recognize anywhere. I freeze- my mind racing for a plan.
***