Once Again
Title: Once Again
Author: Valeria Anne
Rating: K
Genre: Romance/Family
Pairings: Darken/Cara, Kahlan/Richard.
Summary: Darken Rahl -the advisor not the lord- meets Cara -the widow not the mordsith- in the episode "Unbroken". Will the spark lit.....again?
I DO NOT own "The legend of The Seeker" TV series or "The Sword of Truth" Novel Series. The novel series is owned by Terry Goodkind. GOD BLESS HIM :-)
Chapter 2: Where is he?
Darken left Cara's house, heading back to the People's palace, but this time, with a clear mind. On his way back, he kept thinking about all what happened; the children, especially Johnny, the "authoritative" mother, the axe, even the glass of water. Although that wasn't the kind of walk he expected, he really enjoyed it. It's been years since he walked among the people without guards, since he could talk to people without feeling their fear. He enjoyed that feeling of talking to normal people other than the governors and the mord-siths, but what he enjoyed most was that bravery of the young boy, Johnny. He reminded him of himself when he was a child although he didn't look like him; Johnny had brown hair and brown eyes, but he couldn't prevent himself from admiring him.
It was night when he reached the palace's main gate. He walked through it, and headed towards the stable. He let his horse in, and then he turned around to leave. He walked a few steps, and then he turned back and looked at his horse for a few moments before he smiled. He walked towards the horse and put some food in front of it even though the horse did not show the slightest desire to eat. Darken kept looking at his horse while it started eating and he sat on the ground and rested his back on the wooden wall, and he closed his eyes. At first, he could think of nothing, and then suddenly, he saw before his eyes a lot of pictures from his past; pictures of his father playing with him when he was a child, picture of his first victim, the last "debate" between him and his father, killing himself and his agreement with the Keeper, that fear that he felt for the first time when he knew that his brother -the seeker- was still alive, that innocent kiss that Jennsen printed on his cheek, that strange feeling that overwhelmed him when he looked into his brother's eyes after Richard released the power of Orden, that undefined feeling that remained till that moment.
It was early morning when Richard was wandering in the bedchambers. "For the Creator's sake, where did he go?" he shouted. Kahlan looked at him suspiciously and said, "What's wrong with you, Richard? You are talking about him like he is a lost child. He is a grown-up man and he can take care of himself. Didn't you tell me that he went for a walk?" Richard turned to face her, "Yes, a walk for a few hours then he would come back. He refused to have a vacation and travel for a few days". Kahlan smiled and said, "Maybe he decided to accept your offer while he was walking". Richard yelled, "And he didn't have time to come back and tell me? And how could he leave without taking anything with him?" Kahlan approached Richard and said, smiling, "I see that you are developing a very strong relationship with your brother, you look worried". Richard looked at her, puzzled, "YES....NO....It's not what you think. I am just worried because my first advisor is missing and I may need him at any moment".
Kahlan laughed a short laugh before saying, "How many times should I tell you that you are a very bad liar?" Richard was about to protest when she touched his face with her fingers and said with a serious look in her eyes, "Richard, It's not a crime to feel that you care for your brother as much as he cares for you".
"Darken doesn't care for me. It is the effect of the boxes".
"Well, the boxes are also the reason why we are together now, and they are also the reason of that peace that we have now".
"I never expected to hear that from you. Would you forgive Darken Rahl for all what he did in the past?"
"No, Richard, I don't forgive him, but there is something that you miss; Lord Darken Rahl doesn't exist anymore, he is gone. We can't blame him now for what happened before. Besides, do you think that he is not blaming himself for everything he did? Don't you see that look of remorse in his eyes every time he goes to visit your father's grave? Every time he sees a child? It reminds him of all those babies who were killed in Brinnedon. Every time he sees a girl, it reminds him of the mord-siths who were once innocent girls. If you are worried about punishing him, then I am telling you; he is already punishing himself in the worst ways".
"But you......How could you say that?"
"I am a confessor, Richard. I can read people even if they can't be confessed", she smiled.
"I don't mean that. I mean how can you say that about Darken Rahl?" Kahlan sighed and she said nothing.
Richard looked at the ground for a few moments before Kahlan raised his head up, "If you want to punish him, and then return him back to what he was first, then punish him".
Richard sighed and kissed Kahlan on her cheek, "I will be in the court room", and then he left their bedchambers.
Richard walked to the court room but he suddenly stopped at the hallway. He was thinking about what Kahlan said. He has been denying his contradicting feelings towards his brother for a very long time and he never dared to express them to anyone even Kahlan. He confessed to himself that after he used the power of Orden, he has been grateful to Darken for helping him with the ruling, but sometimes he felt that "Lord" Rahl should be punished for all what he did, but he never tried to -actually- hurt him, especially that he -sometimes- felt sympathy for him; that he was the abandoned son who was meant to be killed by his young brother, and what made things worse was when Darken told Richard about his secret; it was about eight months ago when the two brothers were talking about a lot of irrelevant things when suddenly Richard asked Darken, "What did you kill all these people, Darken? Did it really please you?".
Darken sighed and smiled sadly, "I am going to tell you a secret that I have never told to any living person". That's when Darken told Richard that he was a baneling and that he made a deal with the Keeper to give him ultimate powers in exchange to a soul delivered everyday to the master of death. Sometimes, Richard felt sick for sympathizing with Darken but he couldn't help it, and he definitely couldn't hate him even if he wanted to.
Richard was lost in his thoughts when a guard approached him and said, "My lord?"
Richard turned around, "Yes?"
The guard said, "We found Advisor Rahl's horse".
Richard shouted, "Where? And where is Darken?"
The guard tried so hard not to smile when he said, "In the stable, my lord".
"And Darken?"
"...In The stable, my lord".
Richard narrowed his eyes, "The stable....what is he doing in the stable?", and he rushed to the stable.
Once Richard entered the stable, he burst out into laughing when he saw his brother asleep. He walked towards him and pushed him gently, "Darken....Darken, wake up, big brother. Wake up". Slowly, Darken opened his eyes and said, "Richard, what are you......" He stopped when he looked around and realized that he was in the stable. "What am I doing here?" Richard laughed and said, "I think I should ask that question. What are you doing here, Darken?" Darken kept gazing at Richard, puzzled, before they suddenly burst into laughing together.
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