Invictus: Part II - Bloody, but Unbowed -

[pristineungift]

Comments

[hrhrionastar]

Wow, again :D

Darken's thoughts about Denna, that they're so alike, the scene with Cara and the baby, the Darken/Kahlan scene, Darken's jealousy of Richard and plan to change his appearance...this is all so good :D

Except no, he didn’t. This was his body now. His Agiel scar was on his abdomen, and it wasn’t from sexual play unless Richard had taken to sneaking into the woods with one of Cara’s Agiels to pleasure himself.

Darken supposed it was possible. The boy was a Rahl, after all.

Heh - this reminds me of your fanfic icon - Richard is that kind of Rahl ;D

“What is it, Kahlan?” he asked, hoping that she had seen what she needed, that now she would give in and let him do things to her Richard had never done, and she would start to love him in ways that she had never loved Richard.

I like this - it's important that it's not just about sex, even though that's part of it.

“I can’t read you,” she said in clipped tones layered in disbelief. Ah, a Mother Confessor moment! Kahlan really comes through here, even though it's all Darken's point of view, which I think is just so well done.

*goes to read next part*

[brontefanatic]

Denna had learned the lessons Darken had to teach all too well, and become more like him than any other he had ever known, living or dead.

As much as he loved her, he also despised her. Spot on!!! Darken and Denna are so much alike it's rather scary. And of course, his feelings for her say much about Darken's feelings about himself.

It was odd, seeing Richard’s face when he studied his reflection in the water. He would get used to it, he knew, but the sight of it now still evoked a visceral reaction.

Envy.

Hatred.

Betrayal.

Those were the things he associated with this face. This was epic. If Darken wants to lead Richard's life, there is so much to. And I love how he stubbornly takes the risk of making his physical appearance as much like his old self as he can get away with.

And his attempt to seduce Kahlan:

You don’t understand,” he whispered harshly. “Time there, in the underworld… it isn’t like time here. I was gone… how long was I gone? It doesn’t matter. I was there for years. Centuries. Kahlan, I burned for centuries.”

He didn’t have to feign the brightness of unshed tears in his eyes. The lie of the pretense of being Richard overlapping with the truth of his own torment. When Darken lies, he's never able to prevent some truth from leaking out.

The poignancy of Darken's realization that in Kahlan he wants her willing surrender, her love, not just sex. And that is something, of course, he can never have.

Even Renn had trouble reading all of Darken's thoughts, and we never really see Kahlan try in canon, so it makes sense to me that she really can't.

[pristineungift]

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the Darken/Denna moments! I'd had these thoughts about them for a while, but I think this is the first time I've really articulated them through a narrative.

And I love how he stubbornly takes the risk of making his physical appearance as much like his old self as he can get away with.

Totally! He tells himself he's just improving the appearance of his new body, so he won't look so young, but the truth he won't acknowledge is that he wants to look more familiar to himself.

Thanks for the lovely comments bb! I'm so glad to see you enjoying it! XD

[pristineungift]

I'm glad you think Kahlan comes through here! I have to admit, limiting myself to just Darken and Richard's POVs, I did feel sort of like a fail!feminist. I tried to show that Kahlan and Cara are still strong, even though we don't get as much of them in this story.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments bb. <3