Aydindril, The Early Years
CHAPTER SEVEN
Part of her was thrilled, she was finally going to see Richard again today, and the other part was heartbroken because she knew things wouldn’t be the same as before. She trotted her horse into Aydindril, with Alfron and her soldiers on either side of her. She rode closer and closer toward the pristine white palace, she could see several people waiting for her on the steps, though she couldn’t tell who they were, she assumed her mother and sister was there. But they weren’t the only people and she couldn’t figure out who else was there. Deep in her heart she secretly hoped that Richard was waiting on the steps for her but she didn’t want to get her hopes up.
Once she was close enough to really see who was waiting for her she let out a disappointed sigh, he wasn’t there. Her mother was. Her sister was, and Cara and a young man she had never seen before, but Richard wasn’t there. Inside she was dying, silently wondering if he even realized she returned today.
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He was asleep on the book he had been studying late into the night, exhausted from trying to distract his mind. Zedd knew Richard would be mad that he let him sleep but he also knew that Richard needed his rest. He could go see Kahlan when he woke up.
The late morning sun streaming through the window and splashing across his face awoke him. He yawned and stretched then glanced out the window realizing how high the sun was and knowing he was late to meet Kahlan when she rode into town. He ran through the Keep as fast as he could, hoping she wouldn’t be mad that he wasn’t there. He reached the stable and saddled his horse as fast as he could before galloping down to the palace.
Kahlan was on the palace steps speaking to her mother, delivering the report from Galea while trying not to cry at the fact that her heart had shattered into a million tiny pieces. Cara had introduced Leo to her when she arrived and even though she could see in their eyes the feelings they had for each other she couldn’t believe it. In her mind she had lost Richard. As the sound of an approaching horse drew her from her fog, she turned to see Richard riding faster than he should have been in the city walls barreling at a breakneck pace right toward her, a bright smile clearly evident on his face, even from this distance. She couldn’t stop herself; her heart was leaping at seeing him even though she knew it shouldn’t.
He jumped off his horse as it skidded to a halt at the base of the stairs. He ran up the stairs and stopped himself just short of hugging the life out of her. Instead he just stood there and smiled at her hoping that nothing had changed.
“Richard,” she said with her best confessor’s face hiding the way she was really feeling.
“Kahlan,” he said unable to control his joy at finally seeing her after so long. It was so much better than the dreams of her that had been plaguing his sleep since she left.
The way he was smiling at her made her forget everything. All the worries that had tormented her were gone as soon as she looked into his smiling eyes. “I’ve missed you Kahlan.”
She nodded as she replied, very aware of her mother standing not three feet away watching her to see what she would do next, if this time apart had cooled their feelings. “I’ve missed you too,” she said with a small smile not wanting her mother to see how truly happy she was to see Richard again.
Before either Richard or Kahlan could say another word her mother pulled her into her arms and said, “I have to go meet with the council. We can catch up more later.” And then she was gone and it was just Richard, Kahlan, Dennee, Cara and Leo on the steps. Once she was sure her mother was gone she broke into a wide grin, showing Richard how much she really missed him. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” she said as she eyed Cara suspiciously still unsure if she could trust her, or if she held Richard’s heart now.
He noticed her glancing in the direction of Cara and Leo and his heart sank. He was right; she was going to like Leo. He was going to lose her to him and there was nothing he could do except sit by quietly as she destroyed his heart.
She didn’t notice the pained look that crossed his face or the sigh of despair he exhaled. She was too concerned with the way Cara was watching him.
As Cara watched this she knew that something wasn’t right with her friends. “I don’t get it,” she said quietly to Leo. “They are acting so different.”
“What do you mean?”
“They are keeping distance between them and I don’t know why. After being apart for nine months you would think they would have at least hugged by now.”
“I don’t know but should they be? I mean she is a confessor.”
“You haven’t known them together. They are made for each other, even though they have to stay apart. Something is bothering them.”
“If you say so Cara, you know them better than I do.”
“I do know them better and something is wrong. We need to find out what it is.”
“Okay but are you sure you want to go nosing into their business?”
“Not really but I think it’s necessary.”
Leo sighed in agreement as they continued watching the awkward reunion of the star crossed lovers. You could tell they weren’t comfortable around each other, the way they had been before. They were just being polite.
With another glance at Cara, Kahlan decided that she needed to be alone for awhile. “Richard I’m sorry but I still have things to discuss with my mother. Can we get caught up some other time?”
He wasn’t too surprised. He knew that not only did she have more important duties; he no longer held her heart. “Of course Kahlan.”
She smiled at him politely before turning and racing up the steps, never looking back. She ignored Dennee when she tried to talk to her and just ran to her room, locking herself in before dissolving into tears, sobbing as she sunk to the floor and curled up in a ball in front of the door.
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He stared for a moment at the door she had disappeared behind. He wanted so badly just to hold her, but he knew it would never happen and that thought destroyed him. Trying to hold himself together he made his way back to the Keep, leaving Cara and Leo on the steps of the palace, he wanted to be alone. When Zedd asked him why he wasn’t with Kahlan he couldn’t decide if he wanted to yell at his grandfather or break down crying. So he did neither, telling him that he just wanted to be alone. Retreating into his room and breaking down, something he hadn’t done in years, but with this he couldn’t hold it together. He had lost the love of his life’s affection.