fic: through this night - epilogue
Title: Through This Night
Author: Morgen
Summary: When life and love hang in the balance.
Disclaimer: I don't own LOTS or profit from it in any way. Just worship it from afar.
Rating: PG
“It’s no use, Zedd. I can’t even manage a spark of Wizard’s Fire,” said Richard with a frustrated sigh. He’d been practicing again for over an hour while Kahlan was tucked away in her bridal suite, being laced into her gown. She’d turned away all her attendants, and taken with her only Dennee.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure should Kahlan need you to, you’ll find a way,” said Zedd. In the month since leaving the People’s Palace, he’d struggled to reproduce the magic he’d done that day. It had been no use. He failed at the simplest of lessons even a Wizard of the Third Order could handle. The magic seemed impossible to him, and yet the headaches didn’t return. The best Zedd could make of it was that having two lines of magical blood had changed the way the magic worked in him. It responded to his need, and to his need alone. He remembered what Nicci had said about his Han doing remarkable things, and wished he’d pressed her further.
But then he looked out the palace window again at the courtyard below, and it was hard to care about anything except his coming wedding. The white stone courtyard was adorned with flowers, and nightwisps flitted from bloom to bloom like drifting starlight. They had come because of the long friendship between their kind and the Confessors, and yet they seemed to be getting on particularly well with Cara. She stood beside the altar, struggling to keep a smile from her face. He’d made no mention of the dress he’d first threatened her with, but that morning, she’d silently shown up in an exquisite uniform of white leather.
Milling about the courtyard was a small group of those they cared for best. Chase and his family were there, along with Rachel and Martha, and a squirming, fidgeting Renn was being held in check by Jennsen. There were a few of the palace staff there as well, people who had known Kahlan from when she was first a young Confessor at the palace. Later there was to be an enormous feast and a presentation of them to all of Aydindril - the people were not to be denied their celebration - but this, they had both wanted this to be only among those they loved, and who loved them back.
There was a knock at the door, and his heart skipped a beat. Zedd went and opened it a crack, speaking in a muffled voice with a woman who sounded like Dennee. A moment later, the door was shut again, and Zedd crossed the room, placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “I want to bounce at least four great-granddaughters on my knee before I die,” he said. “It’s time you get started.”
Richard chuckled and nodded, clapping a hand over his grandfather’s old, wrinkled one. “Kahlan and I will see what we can do about that.”
The courtyard was aglow with afternoon sunlight when Richard went down, his heart in his throat, and waited for his bride. It was her sister who brought her out, her hair dark as night against the dress of cream and brightest blue Dennee had sewn for her. She had flowers in her hair, her mother’s jewels at her throat, and when Kahlan took his hands in hers, he felt a joy that far surpassed words. His grandfather wed them there in the courtyard, and their friends cheered, but he saw only her.
“My love,” said Kahlan, tears in her eyes. “My only love.” And in the golden light in Aydindril, Richard kissed his wife.
Author: Morgen
Summary: When life and love hang in the balance.
Disclaimer: I don't own LOTS or profit from it in any way. Just worship it from afar.
Rating: PG
“It’s no use, Zedd. I can’t even manage a spark of Wizard’s Fire,” said Richard with a frustrated sigh. He’d been practicing again for over an hour while Kahlan was tucked away in her bridal suite, being laced into her gown. She’d turned away all her attendants, and taken with her only Dennee.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure should Kahlan need you to, you’ll find a way,” said Zedd. In the month since leaving the People’s Palace, he’d struggled to reproduce the magic he’d done that day. It had been no use. He failed at the simplest of lessons even a Wizard of the Third Order could handle. The magic seemed impossible to him, and yet the headaches didn’t return. The best Zedd could make of it was that having two lines of magical blood had changed the way the magic worked in him. It responded to his need, and to his need alone. He remembered what Nicci had said about his Han doing remarkable things, and wished he’d pressed her further.
But then he looked out the palace window again at the courtyard below, and it was hard to care about anything except his coming wedding. The white stone courtyard was adorned with flowers, and nightwisps flitted from bloom to bloom like drifting starlight. They had come because of the long friendship between their kind and the Confessors, and yet they seemed to be getting on particularly well with Cara. She stood beside the altar, struggling to keep a smile from her face. He’d made no mention of the dress he’d first threatened her with, but that morning, she’d silently shown up in an exquisite uniform of white leather.
Milling about the courtyard was a small group of those they cared for best. Chase and his family were there, along with Rachel and Martha, and a squirming, fidgeting Renn was being held in check by Jennsen. There were a few of the palace staff there as well, people who had known Kahlan from when she was first a young Confessor at the palace. Later there was to be an enormous feast and a presentation of them to all of Aydindril - the people were not to be denied their celebration - but this, they had both wanted this to be only among those they loved, and who loved them back.
There was a knock at the door, and his heart skipped a beat. Zedd went and opened it a crack, speaking in a muffled voice with a woman who sounded like Dennee. A moment later, the door was shut again, and Zedd crossed the room, placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “I want to bounce at least four great-granddaughters on my knee before I die,” he said. “It’s time you get started.”
Richard chuckled and nodded, clapping a hand over his grandfather’s old, wrinkled one. “Kahlan and I will see what we can do about that.”
The courtyard was aglow with afternoon sunlight when Richard went down, his heart in his throat, and waited for his bride. It was her sister who brought her out, her hair dark as night against the dress of cream and brightest blue Dennee had sewn for her. She had flowers in her hair, her mother’s jewels at her throat, and when Kahlan took his hands in hers, he felt a joy that far surpassed words. His grandfather wed them there in the courtyard, and their friends cheered, but he saw only her.
“My love,” said Kahlan, tears in her eyes. “My only love.” And in the golden light in Aydindril, Richard kissed his wife.