Powerless Chapter 12
Author's note: Here's the next chapter. some of you asked why I was posting these chapters even though they are up at CSS and Fanfiction.net. Some people asked that I start posting chapters on LJ again so here I am :) I hope you all enjoy, you're almost all caught up. and please leave me a comment, I love 'em!
CHAPTER 12
Richard’s gaze automatically fell on the door as an audible click signaled he would soon have company. His fingers gripped the hilt, flexing anxiously. He was caught off guard when a figure went flying into the floor with a loud thud. He couldn’t see the woman’s face, but he would know her anywhere and from any angle. Her unkempt brown locks draped over her unmoving body. His mouth reacted before he could even think, gasping for air. “Kahlan…” he whispered. Her blue orbs immediately locked onto his. His heart froze. Richard had been waiting for this moment for weeks, imagining how he would eventually find her. None of his scenarios included the one being presented to him.
Kahlan’s face crashed hard into the marble floor, causing a small rivlet of blood to flow from one nostril. She moaned, but stayed down. Her previous experiences told her it was easier and less painful if she didn’t get back up. She hadn’t even planned on turning her head to the side, but all of her previous thoughts flew out the window when she heard his soft voice. Without a thought, her eyes met his. Her breath caught in her throat. It was him. A flood of emotions crossed her face: shock, love, hope, and finally fear.
The Seeker quickly sheathed his sword. His feet instinctively began running towards his confessor. “Ah ah Seeker. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Rahl stepped inside the doorway, coming to a stop by Kahlan’s head. The door closed behind him. His smirk grew upon seeing Richard’s furious face. “Surprised to see me? This is my palace after all,” he gestured with his arms.
Richard’s teeth clenched together, “Let her go. I’m the one you want.” His hand easily found the hilt once more. One wrong move by Rahl and it would easily slide out of its sheath. His eyes traced over Kahlan’s injured body, taking in the bruises, cuts, and scabs covering her. He worked hard to keep his anger under control. Losing it now wouldn’t help him save Kahlan; he couldn’t afford to be reckless while her life hung in the balance.
Darken chuckled, “You really think all of this was about you? Don’t be so conceded. She played her part,” his eyes roamed over her body hungrily, his voice taking on a seductive tone, “and she played it well might I add.”
At his insinuation, the familiar metallic ring of the Sword of the Truth echoed across the walls. Richard began panting, his chest heaving. “You bastard! If you laid even one finger on her-”
“Oh I can guarantee you I laid more than one finger, more than one hand even.” Rahl’s eyes danced in the light, fully enjoying watching the Seeker suffer at his words.
A guttural growl resonated deep in Richard’s throat. His knuckles turned white from gripping the hilt so tightly. His eyes were drawn back to Kahlan, who was still staring at him in a trance. Staring into her eyes helped to keep him centered. “Kahlan, are you alright?” he asked.
The confessor looked up into the rugged features of the man she loves. His face had been the one thing that had gotten her through it all. But now that he was here, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or horrified. She couldn’t bring herself to respond to his question. Her eyes locked on his, silently conveying to him more than she had intended. Weeks worth of pain were visible, as much as she had tried to hide it. Richard’s heart stopped at seeing that look coming from her. She was the strongest person he knew; what could have happened to her to make her appear so vulnerable? More importantly, what had Rahl done to her?
Darken’s gaze turned down to the woman at his feet. He swiftly grasped her hair, dragging her to her feet. She gritted her teeth against the pain, “I believe the man asked you a question Kahlan. It might be best to just answer him.” Richard took a step forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He took deep breaths to calm himself before doing something rash. Rahl smiled at his bastard child. He shook the confessor, “I said answer him!” She couldn’t stop the yelp that came from her mouth.
She opened her eyes slowly, afraid to see the Seeker standing there facing death just for her. She wasn’t worth it, she wasn’t worth his life. “Richard…” she whispered, her eyes glossing over. “Run,” a rogue tear ran down the length of her cheek.
Richard’s heart shattered into a million pieces at her words. She sounded so scared, but it wasn’t fear for her own life, it was for his. Her latent confession made the pain welling up inside of him even greater. With everything she had been through, she was still only worried about him. He cursed the spirits for letting any harm come to such a special woman. Obviously they were not in his corner any longer. The spirits had abandoned them both. “I can’t leave you. I’ll never abandon you.” He watched as she closed her eyes, letting tears fall freely. Her worst nightmare was coming to life, and there was nothing she could do about it.
“Aw how sweet, but that’s not what he asked you Kahlan. Now answer the question,” Rahl demanded, wrenching her injured wrist behind her back. Her scream pierced through the air, the immense pain brought her to her knees.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Richard pointed the sword at his enemy. It glowed faintly, which didn’t go unnoticed by the lord.
Kahlan panted, exhaustion wracking her body. “I’m okay Richard. Don’t worry about me,” she responded hoarsely. She refused to meet his eyes, dreading to see the disappoint she was sure was there. What else would Richard think at seeing her obediently answering to Lord Rahl? She was disappointed in her own self.
Darken placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face to his own. “Now don’t lie to him Kahlan, tell him the truth.” Her body stiffened. “Tell him about all the fun we’ve had.” A devious grin crept into his features. He pulled her back up onto her feet, leaning in close to her ear while whispering, “If you try anything at all, I will kill him. Now kiss me.” His hot breath moved back around to the front of her face, his lips crashing down hard onto hers. She was taken aback, but was helpless to do anything to stop his advances on her. His hand moved to the small of her back, forcing her body to mold against his own. She shut her eyes tight, willing this moment to be over.
Richard gritted his teeth hard, his fingers clenching around the hilt tightly. He fought against the bile rising in throat. “RAHL!” he screamed, desperate to get the ruler’s attention away from Kahlan. His desire to hack the dictator into an unrecognizable mess was becoming almost irresistible. Only one thing stopped him: the fact that he would most likely hurt Kahlan in the process. Rahl was only doing this to see how far he could push the two lovers. He was waiting for Richard to snap and attack him. No, Richard had to think this one through, too much depended on him. Still, the sight of his arch enemy kissing the only person he ever truly loved brought out emotions in him he had never experienced before. Richard could still remember the feel of her soft lips against his own. He would never forget that night in the woods, the night she kissed him back and discovered she returned his feelings.
The older man pulled away suddenly, leaving Kahlan gasping for breath. Her gaze immediately dropped to the ground, ashamed; there was now way she could even look at Richard after what she had just done. She was sure it was killing him on the inside. She couldn’t stand the fact that it her who was now causing him pain. She spit on the ground, disgusted with herself. The taste of Rahl’s mouth still lingered in her own. She could feel Richard’s eyes boring into her. Stray locks of hair fell in front of her face as she turned her head away from him.
Rahl wiped his mouth on the back of his robe’s sleeve, “I’ve had better.”
The Seeker’s blood was boiling; even after defiling her, Rahl still found a way to insult her. “Enough of your games. You obviously were expecting me, so let’s just get this over with.”
A smile graced the lord’s features, “You have no idea how many times your confessor said those same words to me.”
Images of Kahlan begging Rahl to stop while he continued to have his way with her assaulted Richard’s mind, shredding his last strand of self-restraint. With a loud growl, he charged. Kahlan looked up in time to see Richard headed straight for them. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but some small part of her deep down inside wished he would end her life. If she was going down, she didn’t want to bring Richard with her. At least this way Rahl couldn’t use her as leverage in battle. She squinted her eyes shut as the tip of the Sword of Truth drew closer at a rapid speed, awaiting a stab she knew would never come.
Rahl’s face grew serious. His free hand rose, fire erupting out of his palm. Richard braced himself against the flames. With the Sword of Truth held firmly out in front, the embers licked at his skin as they split, passing by his body in a V-formation. The D’Haran closed his fist, “You’re at a serious disadvantage boy. What’s the matter? Can’t control your impulses?” Kahlan held her breath until the flames subsided and she could clearly see the Seeker was relatively unharmed.
Sweat dripped off of Richard’s eyebrow. His eyes wandered to Kahlan for a moment, glad that she was at least looking at him now. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t get the image of her while he was running at them out of his mind. She had braced herself for an impact; had she honestly thought Richard could ever hurt her? He placed himself in her shoes for a moment, instantly regretting his decision. Of course she would think that, who wouldn’t be scared of someone pointing a sword at them? He had hoped Rahl would push Kahlan aside in order to draw his sword and fight, therefore removing her from any immediate danger. He cursed himself for forgetting Rahl’s wizard heritage . Despite the logic, his heart physically hurt at knowing Kahlan didn’t trust him. Maybe her whole ordeal had affected her more than she was letting on. He tried to remember what it was like being torture by Denna and how jumbled his thoughts had become during that time. Had Kahlan felt the touch of an agiel since being taken captive? He shuddered at the idea. There were so many possibilities. He just hoped that her faith in him hadn’t been lost forever.
He needed to change tactics. Richard lowered his sword slightly to get a better of Rahl. “We both know you could easily win by using your powers. And we both know if that is how you wanted this to end up, I would be dead by now.” Rahl grinned. “You want to prove yourself better than me? Then fight me fair. Draw your sword.” The seeker twisted the Sword of Truth around in his hands, to emphasize his point. The metal tip was aimed in Rahl’s direction.
The lord laughed, shoving Kahlan to the side. Her body hit one of the desks which prevented her from face planting on the floor again. Rahl slowly drew his own weapon, letting the light glisten off of it for effect. “Then let’s begin.”
CHAPTER 12
Richard’s gaze automatically fell on the door as an audible click signaled he would soon have company. His fingers gripped the hilt, flexing anxiously. He was caught off guard when a figure went flying into the floor with a loud thud. He couldn’t see the woman’s face, but he would know her anywhere and from any angle. Her unkempt brown locks draped over her unmoving body. His mouth reacted before he could even think, gasping for air. “Kahlan…” he whispered. Her blue orbs immediately locked onto his. His heart froze. Richard had been waiting for this moment for weeks, imagining how he would eventually find her. None of his scenarios included the one being presented to him.
Kahlan’s face crashed hard into the marble floor, causing a small rivlet of blood to flow from one nostril. She moaned, but stayed down. Her previous experiences told her it was easier and less painful if she didn’t get back up. She hadn’t even planned on turning her head to the side, but all of her previous thoughts flew out the window when she heard his soft voice. Without a thought, her eyes met his. Her breath caught in her throat. It was him. A flood of emotions crossed her face: shock, love, hope, and finally fear.
The Seeker quickly sheathed his sword. His feet instinctively began running towards his confessor. “Ah ah Seeker. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Rahl stepped inside the doorway, coming to a stop by Kahlan’s head. The door closed behind him. His smirk grew upon seeing Richard’s furious face. “Surprised to see me? This is my palace after all,” he gestured with his arms.
Richard’s teeth clenched together, “Let her go. I’m the one you want.” His hand easily found the hilt once more. One wrong move by Rahl and it would easily slide out of its sheath. His eyes traced over Kahlan’s injured body, taking in the bruises, cuts, and scabs covering her. He worked hard to keep his anger under control. Losing it now wouldn’t help him save Kahlan; he couldn’t afford to be reckless while her life hung in the balance.
Darken chuckled, “You really think all of this was about you? Don’t be so conceded. She played her part,” his eyes roamed over her body hungrily, his voice taking on a seductive tone, “and she played it well might I add.”
At his insinuation, the familiar metallic ring of the Sword of the Truth echoed across the walls. Richard began panting, his chest heaving. “You bastard! If you laid even one finger on her-”
“Oh I can guarantee you I laid more than one finger, more than one hand even.” Rahl’s eyes danced in the light, fully enjoying watching the Seeker suffer at his words.
A guttural growl resonated deep in Richard’s throat. His knuckles turned white from gripping the hilt so tightly. His eyes were drawn back to Kahlan, who was still staring at him in a trance. Staring into her eyes helped to keep him centered. “Kahlan, are you alright?” he asked.
The confessor looked up into the rugged features of the man she loves. His face had been the one thing that had gotten her through it all. But now that he was here, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or horrified. She couldn’t bring herself to respond to his question. Her eyes locked on his, silently conveying to him more than she had intended. Weeks worth of pain were visible, as much as she had tried to hide it. Richard’s heart stopped at seeing that look coming from her. She was the strongest person he knew; what could have happened to her to make her appear so vulnerable? More importantly, what had Rahl done to her?
Darken’s gaze turned down to the woman at his feet. He swiftly grasped her hair, dragging her to her feet. She gritted her teeth against the pain, “I believe the man asked you a question Kahlan. It might be best to just answer him.” Richard took a step forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He took deep breaths to calm himself before doing something rash. Rahl smiled at his bastard child. He shook the confessor, “I said answer him!” She couldn’t stop the yelp that came from her mouth.
She opened her eyes slowly, afraid to see the Seeker standing there facing death just for her. She wasn’t worth it, she wasn’t worth his life. “Richard…” she whispered, her eyes glossing over. “Run,” a rogue tear ran down the length of her cheek.
Richard’s heart shattered into a million pieces at her words. She sounded so scared, but it wasn’t fear for her own life, it was for his. Her latent confession made the pain welling up inside of him even greater. With everything she had been through, she was still only worried about him. He cursed the spirits for letting any harm come to such a special woman. Obviously they were not in his corner any longer. The spirits had abandoned them both. “I can’t leave you. I’ll never abandon you.” He watched as she closed her eyes, letting tears fall freely. Her worst nightmare was coming to life, and there was nothing she could do about it.
“Aw how sweet, but that’s not what he asked you Kahlan. Now answer the question,” Rahl demanded, wrenching her injured wrist behind her back. Her scream pierced through the air, the immense pain brought her to her knees.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Richard pointed the sword at his enemy. It glowed faintly, which didn’t go unnoticed by the lord.
Kahlan panted, exhaustion wracking her body. “I’m okay Richard. Don’t worry about me,” she responded hoarsely. She refused to meet his eyes, dreading to see the disappoint she was sure was there. What else would Richard think at seeing her obediently answering to Lord Rahl? She was disappointed in her own self.
Darken placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face to his own. “Now don’t lie to him Kahlan, tell him the truth.” Her body stiffened. “Tell him about all the fun we’ve had.” A devious grin crept into his features. He pulled her back up onto her feet, leaning in close to her ear while whispering, “If you try anything at all, I will kill him. Now kiss me.” His hot breath moved back around to the front of her face, his lips crashing down hard onto hers. She was taken aback, but was helpless to do anything to stop his advances on her. His hand moved to the small of her back, forcing her body to mold against his own. She shut her eyes tight, willing this moment to be over.
Richard gritted his teeth hard, his fingers clenching around the hilt tightly. He fought against the bile rising in throat. “RAHL!” he screamed, desperate to get the ruler’s attention away from Kahlan. His desire to hack the dictator into an unrecognizable mess was becoming almost irresistible. Only one thing stopped him: the fact that he would most likely hurt Kahlan in the process. Rahl was only doing this to see how far he could push the two lovers. He was waiting for Richard to snap and attack him. No, Richard had to think this one through, too much depended on him. Still, the sight of his arch enemy kissing the only person he ever truly loved brought out emotions in him he had never experienced before. Richard could still remember the feel of her soft lips against his own. He would never forget that night in the woods, the night she kissed him back and discovered she returned his feelings.
The older man pulled away suddenly, leaving Kahlan gasping for breath. Her gaze immediately dropped to the ground, ashamed; there was now way she could even look at Richard after what she had just done. She was sure it was killing him on the inside. She couldn’t stand the fact that it her who was now causing him pain. She spit on the ground, disgusted with herself. The taste of Rahl’s mouth still lingered in her own. She could feel Richard’s eyes boring into her. Stray locks of hair fell in front of her face as she turned her head away from him.
Rahl wiped his mouth on the back of his robe’s sleeve, “I’ve had better.”
The Seeker’s blood was boiling; even after defiling her, Rahl still found a way to insult her. “Enough of your games. You obviously were expecting me, so let’s just get this over with.”
A smile graced the lord’s features, “You have no idea how many times your confessor said those same words to me.”
Images of Kahlan begging Rahl to stop while he continued to have his way with her assaulted Richard’s mind, shredding his last strand of self-restraint. With a loud growl, he charged. Kahlan looked up in time to see Richard headed straight for them. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but some small part of her deep down inside wished he would end her life. If she was going down, she didn’t want to bring Richard with her. At least this way Rahl couldn’t use her as leverage in battle. She squinted her eyes shut as the tip of the Sword of Truth drew closer at a rapid speed, awaiting a stab she knew would never come.
Rahl’s face grew serious. His free hand rose, fire erupting out of his palm. Richard braced himself against the flames. With the Sword of Truth held firmly out in front, the embers licked at his skin as they split, passing by his body in a V-formation. The D’Haran closed his fist, “You’re at a serious disadvantage boy. What’s the matter? Can’t control your impulses?” Kahlan held her breath until the flames subsided and she could clearly see the Seeker was relatively unharmed.
Sweat dripped off of Richard’s eyebrow. His eyes wandered to Kahlan for a moment, glad that she was at least looking at him now. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t get the image of her while he was running at them out of his mind. She had braced herself for an impact; had she honestly thought Richard could ever hurt her? He placed himself in her shoes for a moment, instantly regretting his decision. Of course she would think that, who wouldn’t be scared of someone pointing a sword at them? He had hoped Rahl would push Kahlan aside in order to draw his sword and fight, therefore removing her from any immediate danger. He cursed himself for forgetting Rahl’s wizard heritage . Despite the logic, his heart physically hurt at knowing Kahlan didn’t trust him. Maybe her whole ordeal had affected her more than she was letting on. He tried to remember what it was like being torture by Denna and how jumbled his thoughts had become during that time. Had Kahlan felt the touch of an agiel since being taken captive? He shuddered at the idea. There were so many possibilities. He just hoped that her faith in him hadn’t been lost forever.
He needed to change tactics. Richard lowered his sword slightly to get a better of Rahl. “We both know you could easily win by using your powers. And we both know if that is how you wanted this to end up, I would be dead by now.” Rahl grinned. “You want to prove yourself better than me? Then fight me fair. Draw your sword.” The seeker twisted the Sword of Truth around in his hands, to emphasize his point. The metal tip was aimed in Rahl’s direction.
The lord laughed, shoving Kahlan to the side. Her body hit one of the desks which prevented her from face planting on the floor again. Rahl slowly drew his own weapon, letting the light glisten off of it for effect. “Then let’s begin.”