Legendland Bingo Fills Post 1/3
Okay since I did all my legendland bingo fills and waited to post until the very end once I had them all done, here they are. The first two posts will be drabbles and the third will be friends only banners. I cannot believe I waited until the last minute to get this stuff again but alas some things never change. All of these have the prompt used as the title since I am apparently completely unoriginal. Also most of these are really short and completely pointless. I have just been rushing to finish since the holidays isn't the greatest time of year for a challenge this big.
Mistletoe
With Creatormas drawing closer, Kahlan couldn’t help but smile as she started putting up the holiday decorations. The fresh boughs of evergreen and garlands hung along the walls, Kahlan finally felt as though she was getting in the holiday spirit. It was a wonderful feeling to even be able to enjoy these things. The past few holidays she had been on the road with Richard, Cara and Zedd. Now that the Veil was sealed they had a chance to have a real holiday and she was thrilled about that. The holidays were always something Kahlan always loved even if her childhood had not made for the most wonderful holidays.
“You realize what you’re standing under?”
Richard’s voice caught her off guard and she jumped slightly before turning back to smile at him. “No, what? It’s just garland.” Kahlan tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and sighed before brushing her hands off on the skirt of her Mother Confessor dress. He shook his head and that made her interest peak. Richard walked towards her and she smiled softly at him. “What are you up to?”
Without saying a word, Richard lifted his gaze to the garland she was standing beneath a pointing at the little clump of berries. “Mistletoe.” That was his only explanation as if she should have known exactly what that meant.
“Mistletoe?” She didn’t know what was so special about the plant. It looked very similar to holly and there was nothing special about that. Kahlan couldn’t understand why he would be so fascinated with the berries hanging from the garland over her head.
Richard chuckled and reached out to cup her cheek. “You’ve never been kissed under the mistletoe?” When she shook her head, Richard smiled. “Well that just isn’t even right.” Before she could even protest he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was sweet and Kahlan felt all the love that they had for each other warm in that kiss
After a moment or two, Richard pulled back and Kahlan’s eyes fluttered open. “I love you.” She smiled up at him and brushed her nose against his. “So that’s what is special about mistletoe?”
He leaned in and kissed her again chastely before nodding. “Exactly.” He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I love you too.” Richard kissed her again then, more love and passion pouring into this kiss than either of their previous and Kahlan felt herself getting lost in the moment. Now that they had saved the world it was finally their turn to be happy. It was their first real holiday together and she was not going to waste a moment.
Cocoa Around the Campfire
The air was chilly as they sat around the campfire, huddled in a little cave while waiting for the snow storm to pass. Going up into the mountains at this time of year had been foolish but they had not had a choice. It was the fastest way to get where they needed to go and reaching their destination as quickly as possible was vital
“Here Kahlan,” Richard said as he came back over from feeding the fire with a few more sticks and wrapped her green blanket over her shoulders.
Smiling up at him, Kahlan pulled the blanket close around her. “Thank you, Richard. Are you warm enough?” She really hoped he would be. The last thing they needed was for one of them to freeze while on the quest to defeat Darken Rahl.
“I’m fine,” he said with a quick glance over at Zedd’s sleeping form. Quickly he moved over towards the old man’s bag and pulled out something in a pouch. Kahlan couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows. “Don’t worry it’s not dangerous,” he replied to her judgmental look before chuckling.
“Are you sure about that?” Richard had already gotten into too many tight spots because he was messing with magic that he did not completely understand. She didn’t want that to happen again, especially since they were temporarily trapped in this cave until the storm passed.
Richard moved around through the cave while putting a pot over the fire and filling it with some snow from the mouth of the cave. “I’m positive. Just trust me.” Kahlan didn’t exactly believe him but she brushed it off. Whenever Richard got things in his head like this it was usually impossible to change his mind.
She nodded while waiting a few minutes as he moved around the pot and stirred the contents. Eventually he poured the contents of the pouch into the pot and stirred it. She watched him curiously as he did so but soon he was pouring the warm liquid into two cups and handing one of them over to her. “What is it?” Kahlan’s tone was questioning as she and Richard sat together near the fire and he moved beneath the blanket with her
“It’s cocoa,” Richard replied. “Zedd told me about it and I don’t think he’ll mind that we had some.” Kahlan watched as he took a sip of the warm drink before looking down into her own cup. The liquid was dark but it was warm enough to heat her hands even through the cup. That alone was a relief since her fingers had been slowly starting to freeze.
Tentatively she took a small sip of the drink, careful not to burn her mouth. It was sweet and warm, exactly what they needed while they were huddled around the fire. “It’s delicious,” she said with a smile before taking another small sip. Richard was really sweet to have made this for her and she was grateful.
“It’s exactly what we needed,” he replied and she couldn’t have agreed more. Nodding slightly she let him know that before leaning against his shoulder. They were cold but being there together near the warm fire was a relief. She loved it and it gave her hope deep down that maybe someday things would really work out. Until then she would just be happy having cocoa with him and enjoying their moments together.
Illusion and Dream
His wish and hope for the future often visited him during his dreams. Richard could easily see Kahlan as she brushed their daughter’s hair, her belly swollen with another child after he came inside from tending the horses. It was a perfect life. They lived in Westland in a tiny cottage just like he had always dreamed of even as a child. He had Kahlan and their children. It was all he really wanted and despite the fact that deep down he knew it was only a fantasy, during his dreams he was truly happy.
The world around them was cruel and violent. With the Keeper waging war on the land of the living, Richard knew that his dream was even less likely than he would have thought before. In his mind he stood against the doorframe and watched the scene in front of him play out. It made his heart swell with both joy and overwhelming sadness but there was nothing he could do about that. It wasn’t real. This wasn’t his life.
Almost as if she sensed his presence, Kahlan raised her head and her gaze locked on his. “There you are,” she said sweetly while smiling. Her rhythm of the brush strokes through their daughter’s hair did not stop even though her focus was elsewhere.
“I’m here,” he replied with a hint of sadness before crossing the room and kissing the top of their daughter’s dark curls. Richard’s hand fell to the swell of Kahlan’s belly while basking in this moment for only a few seconds longer. Looking down into her blue eyes, Richard nearly drowned in the love he felt for this woman. “And I love you,” he murmured softly before kissing her sweetly. He knew that when he opened his eyes he’d be in his bedroll on the forest floor but maybe he could hang on to this illusion for only a moment longer; at least until the next time he found himself in dreaming of what could never be.
A Chance Dance
The melodic tones of the night wisps was magical. Being there with Kahlan made it even more so. It had taken years but finally the Forest of the Night Wisps was regaining it’s former glory. Thanks to Cara the balance of life had been restored and the wisps had lived on. During their journey from D’Hara to the Midlands as part of the schedule they had set up to rule both kingdoms, Richard, Kahlan and their daughters had set up camp not far from the forest. Richard knew the girls would have loved to chase the wisps like fireflies through the night sky but that was something he didn’t think would end well. Instead he decided that Kahlan was the one only one who needed to finally see that things were getting better for the wisps.
Quietly he took his wife’s hand and led her away from camp and through the woods. “Richard where are we going?” Kahlan’s curious tone made him smile but he wouldn’t tell her anything. It was a surprise and he hoped that she would enjoy it.
He came to a stop before her and raised his finger to her lips. “It’s a secret. Just trust me, Kahlan.” Richard took her hand and led her through the forest then even as she shook her head in disbelief.
Only a few more steps through the underbrush and trees quickly led them into the heart of the forest. There was new growth everywhere even though it was still possible to see scars of the damage done here before. “The Forest of the Night Wisps,” Kahlan whispered as she looked around the small clearing. Almost instinctively she began to sing the tone she’d learned as a child to summon the little wisps. Richard hoped that the creatures would not be too nervous around them to show themselves.
It didn’t take long before the little flickers of light appeared around them which brought a smile to both of their faces. As the wisps chirped in such a melodic way, Richard came up beside Kahlan and placed his hand on the small of her back. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered before placing a kiss to his wife’s temple. When she nodded he took her hand and brought her close to him. With the beautiful humming filling their ears it seemed almost impossible for them not to take this chance.
“Richard?” There was curiosity in Kahlan’s voice as she looked up into his eyes while they swayed in time with the night wisp song.
As they slowly danced in the clearing, Richard looked down into her eyes. “What is it?” Whenever they had a chance for moments like this they needed to take them. It was special and they needed to treasure each little moment together.
Kahlan smiled softly up at him as she brought her hand up to cup his stubble covered cheek. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you but I couldn’t be happier that we have each other.” She kissed him then and Richard couldn’t help but hold her a little tighter. This evening together was more than either of them could have wished for.
After a moment or two, Richard broke the kiss. “I love you,” he murmured against her lips. The words felt so right when he spoke them. There was no one else he could love. She was special, his one and only. Once more he kissed her before they started to dance again. Tonight was simple pleasure and they wanted to live in the moment. All too soon they would be called on by their children or their people to do something. Until then they just needed to take this chance. After all, things like this only happen once in a lifetime.
Leather and Lace
The white dress of the Confessors was a burden that Kahlan had carried for a long time. Her powers were always there as an ever present reminder of her duty. The people of the Midlands were counting on her. She couldn’t let them down no matter what happened. It was her duty to keep them safe. That was why when Mother Confessor Serena came to her to ask if she wanted to flee like the others, Kahlan rejected the very idea. It went against everything Confessors believed in to abandon people when they were most needed. Kahlan was not willing to do such a thing.
Richard’s idea to save Dennee from the D’Haran prison had been crazy but she went along with it because she loved her sister. When Zedd fashioned her the Mord’Sith leathers she took them behind dome ferns to change. As she unlaced her white Confessor’s dress, Kahlan felt the burden of her power lift. The symbol of that authority fell to the ground once the laces were pulled loose one by one. Once bare of that burden she slipped on the leathers of her sworn enemy. It was a strange feeling but Kahlan felt free. She was just a girl in a disguise. She was not a Sister of the Agiel with all the burdens they carried but despite removing the dress, she was still a Confessor. That would never change. She realized then that even though they were different, the burdens on them were the same. Leather and lace, two sides of power, two sides of the same coin and although she had been taught otherwise, they were not too different than they first appeared.
First Snowfall Together
There was a chill in the air as she woke that it seemed almost impossible for Kahlan to shake. Opening her eyes slowly she looked up into the branches of the wayward pine they had used for shelter the night before. The weather had seemed to be taking a turn for the worst and Richard had been careful to find them somewhere safe from any foul weather that might come their way. As she looked around the small space inside the wayward pine, Kahlan frowned and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Richard was nowhere to be seen.
Quickly and quietly Kahlan parted the evergreen branches out of the way before peeking her head out. What she saw there surprised her. The ground was blanketed with snow and it brought a smile to her face. Winter was finally here although this would make traveling all the more difficult for them. If the D’Haran’s were skilled, and she knew that they were, they would have to be careful about leaving tracks in the snow. Thankfully, Richard’s experience as a woods guide would come in handy there. Kahlan had no doubt about that. The snap of a twig and the crunch of snow beneath a boot drew her attention and she turned slightly, a smile forming on her lips when she saw Richard coming towards her with his hair dusted by snowflakes. “There you are. I was wondering where you’d run off to without me,” she teased with a smile.
Richard shook his head, causing a few of the little snowflakes to fall from his hair. “I didn’t go anywhere. I just thought I’d find us some breakfast,” he replied before lifting up a little pouch he’d fashioned out of fabric which presumably held something for them to eat.
Kahlan’s smile grew as she pushed the branched even farther out of the way so he could easily slip inside the wayward pine. “Come in out of the cold.” As he did she shifted back inside the branches while watching the snow fall outside. This was the first winter they would spend together but she knew they would manage it. They were a team and with Richard’s skills they could manage anything.
Dying to be Alive
The pain of the agiel was worse than anything he had ever felt before but at the same time it gave him a new sense of purpose. The pain made him feel alive. Each time Denna touched him with the agiel’s painful magic and a scream tore from his throat, Richard felt alive. The pain woke up a dormant part of him that he had never known existed until he met her. She was the mistress of pain and it was something he never knew that he craved. Before Denna pain like this would be unimaginable but now he relied upon it. The pain helped him channel the rage he felt whenever he picked up the Sword of Truth. The pain made his inability to love Kahlan in the ways that he wanted all the more bearable.
After he escaped Denna he couldn’t escape the dead feeling inside him. Without the pain of the agiel filling that void, Richard felt empty. It was as if he relied on the excruciating magic to bring him to life over and over again. That was why he was so relieved when Cara joined their quest. He might not have been certain if he could trust the Mord’Sith but he needed her. He needed her agiel to help wake up that dead part of himself. It was his darkest secret, the one thing he could never truly admit to Kahlan. She would never understand but it was who he had become now. There was no changing that.
In All Her Glory
Whenever she was in Aydindril, Kahlan seemed different. It might not have been something everyone could have noticed but Richard did. He was the one who knew her better than anyone and he understood what this city meant to her. It meant the same to her as Hartland did to him. Whenever she was here at her ancestral home, Kahlan practically radiated power and authority. It made her seem even more impressive than she already was which never ceased to amaze him. Watching as she oversaw council meetings or when she was out among the people, Richard seemed in awe of the woman he’d fallen in love with. Whenever she stepped into the role of Mother Confessor and did her job to bring justice to the Midlands, Richard would watch with rapt attention.
Standing there in all her glory above the people of Aydindril, Richard couldn’t have been prouder. She was his love and his betrothed. Someday soon he hoped she would be his wife. This was the life she was born and bred for. Richard never asked for it but he would accept it willingly if it meant spending a lifetime with her. Being by her side was better than being alone. Ruling as the heir to the throne of D’Hara would be so much easier with her there; guiding him and helping him understand the ways of political alliances. She was the leader and Richard was more than willing to follow her. That might not have been how things were supposed to be but for him that was what would happen. Together they were a team but he could still step back and look with awe upon the woman who held his heart and kept a kingdom together all at once. It was amazing and he would never truly understand how she managed it.
Secret Santa
“Richard you shouldn’t have,” Kahlan said with a grin before coming over to kiss his cheek in thanks. When she found the small package resting on her bedroll and wrapped in a bow, she had known instantly where it had come from. The fact that a new hairbrush, even better than her last one, lay inside the wrapping was only further proof that he had to have been the one to do this. After all, everyone knew how much he loved her hair.
He smiled a little before looking up at her. “I shouldn’t have what?” Confusion was written on his face and that surprised her. Maybe she’d been wrong but how often did that happen?
Kahlan held up the pretty silver hairbrush and smiled. “You shouldn’t have gotten this for me.”
“I didn’t,” he replied with a shake of his head
She frowned then and looked into his eyes. Even though she hated reading Richard, it didn’t take long before she knew for certain that he was telling the truth. He had not gotten her the beautiful hairbrush. Turning towards Zedd she raised an eyebrow. “Zedd was it you?”
The wizard shook his head. “It wasn’t me, Dear One.” She didn’t even need her powers to know that Zedd wasn’t lying to her. Why would he have gotten her the brush anyway? Her birthday wasn’t until spring and Creatormas was a few weeks away still
“If it wasn’t you two than who was it?” It seemed to slip past Kahlan’s notice that their Mord’Sith companion was just as likely a suspect as anyone.
Thankfully that small detail did not escape Richard’s notice. “Maybe it was Cara.”
The Mord’Sith shot him a glare that could have killed which caused Kahlan to chuckle. “Somehow I doubt that. Was it you, Cara?&rdquo
“No it wasn’t,” the blonde replied in a flat tone.
Once Cara confirmed that it was not her, Kahlan smiled and turned back to Richard. “I told you it wasn’t Cara either. It seems like we need to be keeping a closer watch on the campsite then.” She shrugged it off then and tucked the brush away in her bag, the mystery remaining unsolved. However, had she not been so insistent that it had been Richard, Kahlan might have remembered one crucial detail; she can’t read Mord’Sith.
Don't Stop Me Now
When her magic overwhelmed her, Kahlan felt like she finally had a purpose. She needed to find the Seeker and nothing would ever get in the way of that. Not Cara, Zedd, or the Keeper himself would keep Kahlan from completing the quest her mistress had charged her with. She needed the Stone of Tears. Once Nicci died and the Con’Dar overtook her, Kahlan lost control. It was as if an animal inside her was threatening to escape
She wouldn’t let anything get in her way, so when she realized her mission had failed and the Keeper had the Stone of Tears, Kahlan lashed out. In a moment of rage she plunged her dagger into the heart of the man she had once loved. When he spoke with his dying breath it was nearly enough to pull her out of her trans and stop herself but it was too late. Kahlan had gotten her wish and nothing had stopped her. That was exactly what she had wanted
Falling to her knees she cried and regretted the situation she had been thrown into. Cara and Zedd had failed to stop her. Richard had failed too and it cost him his life. She should have been in control. She should have been able to stop herself but it was impossible. Nothing could stop confession and she understood that now more than ever.
Generating Body Heat
As the blizzard raged on outside, Kahlan snuggled closer to her husband within the confides of their bed. Winter had attacked with fierceness this year and she had not been expecting it. Tugging the blankets up higher around her, Richard stirred from his slumber and sleepily opened his eyes. “Are you alright?” Kahlan nodded in response but even as she did so, her feet were chilled like blocks of ice and she slipped them beneath his for warmth. He jumped slightly when he felt her cold feet but still pulled her closer. “Well that answers that question,” he said with a sigh before lovingly running his hands up and down her arms in the hopes of warming her.
“That’s a little better,” she murmured before nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck. Just being in his arms was a huge help. Already she felt as though he had the ability to ward off the chill of winter by just being there. It was a foolish thought and she knew it but that didn’t change anything. Kahlan just liked being there with him no matter what the circumstances were.
Richard kissed her temple and arched his eyebrow. “Only a little?” When she nodded a smirk grew on his face as he tilted her chin up to look at him. “I have an idea how we can change that.” As understanding washed over her, Richard leaned down and caught her lips in a searing kiss. This was what she loved about him and she knew that he would be doing his best to keep her warm all through the night. Personally, Kahlan felt as though this was why she enjoyed snowstorms so much more since they got married. Hopefully Richard felt the same way.
Pure White, Blood Red
They were opposites, enemies and it seemed like nothing would have ever changed that. It was just the way things were for Mord’Sith and Confessors. They had been on opposites sides of the war for generations and the hatred felt by both was deep seated. For the longest time Kahlan thought she would hate Mord’Sith forever. It was what she’d been trained to do. Her touch was deadly to those women and it was something that gave Kahlan an edge above them. It made her feel more powerful than they could ever dream of truly being.
However Richard made her see things differently. If he hadn’t made her open her eyes, Kahlan never would have seen how similar they were. Confessors represented all that was good and pure in the Midlands where Mord’Sith were broken in the most cruel ways a kingdom away, Kahlan was slowly beginning to realize the similarities between the two types of women. It was duty, honor and loyalty that they all built their lives upon. That was something neither side ever seemed to notice before Richard made it plain as day. She couldn’t help but wonder if they would have ever managed to see the truth without his help.
Becoming friends with the enemy was something she never expected but once it happened, Kahlan was glad to have experienced it. Now that they understood each other it would be easier to put the differences behind them along with the old prejudice that had been passed down for generations. Then maybe someday white and red would finally be able to see eye to eye.
Wildcard
Ever since she first arrived at Thandor Kahlan had known that someday she would need to take a mate. Her mate would need to be strong and able to protect their children. More than that she wanted a mate with a good heart. When she found Richard he was everything she wanted in a mate and yet he was off limits. She could never allow herself to take him despite the fact that he was everything she wanted in the father of her future children. Richard was strong, brave, loyal and above all he had a good heart. It was that heart that she couldn’t beat to destroy with the touch of confession. It was that heart, and his position as Seeker of Truth, that truly kept him safe from her touch.
However, things were different now. Now he had proven that his love for her was stronger than any magic, just as hers was for him. Now they had a chance to live the dreams that Kahlan had long since tried to banish from her mind. It was a miracle and she couldn’t have been happier. Once again she was proven wrong when she realized that she carried his child within her. It was another miracle. The man who was so well suited to be the father of the next generation of Confessors was actually getting that chance. Kahlan couldn’t wait to see Richard with their daughter. She knew already, by seeing him with Renn and Rachel, that he would be an amazing father. There was no other possibility so when his face lit up as she told him the truth, Kahlan knew this was finally where she was supposed to be.
Part 2 Part 3