When You Were Mine (18/?)
Title: When You Were Mine (18/?)
Author: fortunata13
Pairing: Cara/Kahlan
Rating: R
Warnings: None
Word Count: 4725
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Most certainly, I do not own these characters.
Summary: Since it's taken me the better part of a century to post, I'll skip the summaryand go straight to the chapter.
A/N: As always, much gratitude to statuepup for keeping me honest and to the wonderful laurilee59 for the free legal advice.
The doorbell rang at 6:36AM, rousing both Kahlan and Cara from a sound sleep. Kahlan had the presence of mind to throw on a robe before opening the door; Cara walked out of the bedroom and into the living room in nothing but her underwear. “Richard?” Kahlan asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “What are you doing here?” Richard didn’t answer; he was too busy admiring Cara’s pert breasts. “Will you stop staring at her like that?” she said, giving him a shove for good measure. “And you,” she said to Cara, “cover those things up.” Cara shrugged with a smirk as she glanced over at Richard before walking back toward the bedroom.
“I caught an early flight,” he said to Kahlan, as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, “it’s nice to see you, too.”
Kahlan rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she said, pulling him into a tight embrace. “We weren’t expecting you until this afternoon.”
“Hey, keep your paws off my woman, buddy,” Cara called out from the bedroom.
“‘Your woman’,” he echoed with a big grin on his face. “I take it you two have come to your senses?” Kahlan blushed a bit and nodded. “And since when do you wear flannel?” he said to Cara who walked out of the bedroom wearing the pajamas Kahlan had gifted her.
That’s when Cara noticed that he was no longer using the aluminum elbow crutches he’d used for support since regaining limited use of his legs. “Ricky,” she said, “are your legs…?” she trailed off, staring at him in disbelief.
“First of all, don’t call me Ricky, or you’ll be needing crutches.”
“Hey, don’t threaten my baby with violence,” Kahlan said, pulling Cara into her arms.
Richard rolled his eyes. “Fine, and yes, to answer your question - or whatever that was - it’s taken a lot of hard work but I’m down to a leg brace,” he said, pulling up his trouser to show off his accomplishment.
“That’s wonderful,” Kahlan said to him with a huge grin on her face. “I’ll make breakfast while you two catch up.”
“How are you holding up?” he asked Cara as they settled down on the sofa.
She thought for a long moment before answering. “I don’t know. If it weren’t for Kahlan, I think I would have jumped out a window by now. There’s been so many times when I just wanted to bail but I couldn’t do that to her, not after everything I’ve put her through. It blows my mind that we found our way back to each other.”
“She loves you, she always has. The trial is going to be rough for both of you. You have to stay strong, and be positive. Everything is going to work out, it has to.” Cara released a long breath and nodded.
As she walked out of the kitchen, Kahlan felt the palpable intensity between them. “Baby,” she said, “help me with the coffee.”
Cara jumped to her feet. “Is everything all right?” she asked Cara before pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear. “You and Richard seemed a bit tense.”
“Not at all. He was just giving me one of his Vince Lombardi pep talks.”
“Who’s Vince Lombardi?” she asked. “Never mind. Let’s have breakfast. I’m starving.”
After breakfast, Richard pulled out his iPad and showed them dozens of pictures of Nicholas. Every one of them came along with a story that inevitably ended with an explanation of all of the ways in which Nicky, as he called him, is a veritable genius. “He has Nicci’s eyes,” he said, “but everyone says he looks just like me.”
“He does,” Kahlan confirmed with a nod and a big grin on her face. Cara gazed over at Kahlan and Richard as she washed the dishes. They were chatting away as if they hadn’t a care in the world. It was nice to see them both happy, but at the same time it frightened her. Happiness, in her experience, served as harbinger for tragedy. She would have liked to stop time at that exact moment, with the three of them together, laughing and looking forward to the future.
“What’s with that look on your face?” Richard asked, glancing at Cara over his shoulder; she shrugged in response. “Whatever it is, stop it. You need to stay positive. This brooding thing you do isn’t going to help matters.” Cara nodded and released a deep sigh.
After finishing the dishes, she walked over to the window, staring out at the early morning fog; Richard quickly joined her. “It’s not even about me,” she said. “If I get convicted, Richard, I’ll be -”
“If you get convicted - which is not going to happen - we’ll appeal. Kahlan is a brilliant lawyer, Cara. She’s going to get you acquitted.”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Kahlan asked, waving Richard’s iPad in her hand.
“Cara was just telling me how devastatingly handsome I am, but now I have to head back to my hotel. I’ll see you two at the courthouse tomorrow morning.” As he was about to walk out the door, he looked back at Cara over his shoulder. “Stay strong,” he said to her.
“Not so fast, my dear. I want to go over your testimony again.”
Richard rolled his eyes. “Kahlan, I’ve got this. We’ve gone over it a thousand times. Just ask Nicci, I mumble it in my sleep.”
“Give the guy a break,” Cara said. “He looks exhausted.”
“Fine,” Kahlan said, “but get plenty of rest. I need you at a hundred percent tomorrow.”
“I’ll be at a thousand percent.” He paused for a moment and gave Cara a meaningful look. “I’m not going to let you down.” With that, he gave them each a hug and went on his way.
As soon as he left, Kahlan encircled Cara’s waist, pressing her front to Cara’s back. “I love you,” she said to her and turned her around in her arms. “When all of this is over, I’d like us to go out on a date. I’m thinking dinner and a movie. After the movie we’ll go for a walk. We’ll hold hands, of course, and you’ll be wearing that big rock I’m going to buy you. If we walk past a pet shop, we can buy our pet gecko.” Cara didn’t say a word. “I think we should watch one of those French films about trains, or maybe an Italian movie about movies.” She waited for Cara to say something but she didn’t. Kahlan looked into her eyes and released a deep sigh. “Baby, you have to have faith in me, otherwise I can’t do this. I need your strength and I need to know that you believe in me.”
Cara sat on the sofa with her elbows resting on her knees. “No matter what the outcome is, I’ll be fine. We found our way back to each other. That’s enough for me. It really is, but I know it won’t be enough for you. You have to promise me that you’ll find a way to make it enough, and you’ll move on with your life.”
“Baby,” she said, “I’m going to win this case. Mike Cypher is an incompetent hack, Richard and Paloma are dream witnesses, and Denna and Shota are going to put the fear of God in Mike. Yes, your prints are on the murder weapon but that video Paloma dug up gives us reasonable doubt. And besides, Maxine is still digging for potential evidence. We have a sympathetic judge who isn’t willing to take your life without being absolutely sure that all of the evidence points to your guilt.”
Cara tipped her head. “Wow, you’re a way better motivational speaker than Richard is. Let me at that courtroom!” Kahlan laughed and kissed her on the lips.
They spent the rest of the day lounging around the apartment. Kahlan insisted that Cara remove those ghastly pajamas so that she could have access to ‘the goods,’ as she called them. There was a lot of giggling and kissing but absolutely no further mention of the trial. Save for the unsightly device on Cara’s ankle, the theme of the day was normalcy. Kahlan had decided on both their outfits several days ago, and Cara had organized all of Kahlan’s trial notes and placed them in her briefcase.
It was as if they were sixteen again and their whole lives were ahead of them. Even then, it hadn’t been the carefree life they deserved. That their one shot at happiness came down to a murder trial was more than a little ironic but given their history, it was strangely appropriate. If the trial did work out in their favor, there would be a long moment of jubilation, but all that had been lost along the way - Cara’s entire family, Kahlan’s mother, the heartbreak they’d both endured, and even the son Cara bore - would never be returned to them. That is the reality of this harsh world, and while on this day they have chosen to turn away from that reality, they both know that there are no guarantees in life. The trial is one day away, so they will allow themselves this illusion of normalcy and hope for the best.
***
Neither of them was particularly talkative as they got ready to head for the courthouse. There were a lot of deep breaths taken, and even more longing looks, but words didn’t come easily for either of them. Kahlan had her game face on the moment she got out of bed; Cara suspected it would stay there until the trial ended.
If Kahlan was at all nervous, the confident smile on her face and her body language gave nothing away. She held her briefcase in one hand, and rested the other one on the small of Cara’s back. Cara looked every bit like a deer caught in the headlights but she did remember to breathe, which had been her main goal for the day. This time they entered the courthouse via the main entrance, swooshing past reporters and photographers along the way. Since Kahlan hadn’t had any contact with the press during her other visits to the courthouse, all the reporters flocked toward her, leaving Cypher standing on the sidewalk all by himself. Given his penchant for attention, and for spewing meaningless sound bites, he was visibly rattled from the get-go, just as Kahlan had intended. “This is a chess game, baby,” Kahlan whispered Cara, “and I just toppled over one of Mike’s rooks.” By way of response, Cara released a breath - which she counted as a major victory.
Upon entering the courtroom, Kahlan immediately spotted the Rimbauds. She didn’t like it one bit but she wasn’t about to let it bother her. Whether the Rimbauds were friends or foes depended upon how these proceedings affected their son. Kahlan empathized but her only concern was keeping Cara out of prison. If she ruffled the Rimbauds’ feathers along the way, so be it. Unlike Mike, Kahlan had no political aspirations - at least not at the moment. Therefore, making enemies out of Colette and Sabine didn’t bother her in the least. She said a polite hello and moved on. Seconds later Zedd walked into the courtroom - wearing a blue Hugo Boss suit no less, and shoes - real, actual shoes - not those hippie sandals he usually wore. Kahlan gave him a hug, and Cara offered an approving nod. Richard, no doubt, had served as his grandfather’s fashion consultant.
Minutes later, Denna and Shota made their grand entrance, just as Kahlan had hoped. They wore matching white Chanel pantsuits, and as a bonus, Denna was sporting a gigantic diamond on the ring finger of her left hand. Shota made a point of shooting Mike a look that was every bit a threat. Mike was fully aware that Shota could make or break his career which practically guaranteed he would treat Denna with kid gloves. In fact, he was probably regretting that he’d subpoenaed her in the first place.
“All rise for Judge Samuel D. Hammett,” the bailiff said, looking out at the gallery.
“Good morning, members of the jury,” the judge said. “Thank you for your punctuality. Our first order of business today is the opening statements. Mr. Cypher, please proceed.”
Cypher glared at Cara for a long moment before going into his opening statement. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we are here today because a prominent member of our community, along with two of his employees, was brutally murdered.” He punctuated the sentence by glaring at Cara a second time. “You are going to hear plenty of testimony as to what a bad man Darken Rahl was, and about all the monstrosities he committed. Really, the defense will attempt to convince you that the murder victims in this case are the ones who should be prosecuted. However, the only monstrosity here is the waste of taxpayer money that will be spent on this trial. You see, this is what we lawyers call an open and shut case.
“The defendant could save all of you a whole lot of time and money by simply confessing and taking responsibility for her crimes. You see, the defendant’s fingerprints were on the murder weapon, her hands were covered with gunpowder residue, and she was found at the scene of the crime.” He paused, allowing the jurors to take in his words. “Now, I could very well rest my case since all of you have already concluded that she’s guilty, because, let’s face it, it doesn’t take a genius to put together the facts of this case.” He walked to the jury box and rested his hands on the railing. “Yes, these are facts. They are not theories, they are not speculations. The facts of this are that the defendant’s prints are on the murder weapon and she was at the scene of the crime with said weapon. Unfortunately, our legal system demands that we allow the defense to attempt to convince you that your eyes are lying to you, to convince you to suspend disbelief long enough to ignore the facts which, I repeat, are that the defendant’s prints were on the murder weapon and the defendant was at the scene of the crime. That’s it, folks, nothing more to see here.”
Cypher shot Kahlan a smug look as he walked back to his seat.
“Ms. Amnell, smiling as always,” the judge said. “Are you ready to proceed?” Kahlan tipped her head and nodded.
She released a deep breath, and said, “Well, that was quite a speech the prosecution gave us, ladies and gentleman of the jury.” She slowly paced in front of them, making eye contact with each of them. “Mr. Cypher is encouraging all of you to ignore the principles of our legal system. He doesn’t want you to bother to consider the rest of the evidence in this case, and he doesn’t want any witnesses to be called to the stand. So why have a trial at all? Why not just toss people in jail or, in this case, take someone’s life?” She paused for a moment, gauging the jurors’ reactions. “I think by now all of you see the problem with his speech,” she said, raising her index finger for effect, “it violates not only the defendant’s rights but the rights of everyone in this nation.
“So let me pose a question to all of you: if this were your spouse, or your child, or even a random acquaintance, would you want them to have the right to present evidence of their innocence? Would you demand that their rights be upheld? Would you want every conceivable piece of evidence to come to light? Would you sentence a young woman to death without examining all of the evidence? Because that’s what Mr. Cypher is suggesting that you do. The fact is that Mr. Cypher would have all of you take the defendant’s life without allowing for the possibility of her innocence. Mr. Cypher is presuming her guilt, but that isn’t how our legal system works, ladies and gentleman of the jury. And I don’t believe that anyone in this courtroom would be willing to pass judgment without examining the evidence. Don’t allow Mr. Cypher, or anyone else, to take away this defendant’s rights because those are your rights, too. And shame on anyone who suggests that you do so. Mr. Cypher seems inclined to appoint himself as judge and executioner in this case, but you, the members of this jury, are better than that. Throughout the course of this trial the defense will present real evidence - not the meaningless sound bites and catchphrases Mr. Cypher offered in his opening argument.”
After Kahlan stopped talking, a deafening silence filled the courtroom but within seconds several people in the gallery applauded, including members of a human rights organization that had taken interest in the case. Cara’s arrest, and the press coverage that followed, had shone a light on judicial misconduct and corruption. The people of Aydindril had clearly taken notice. The tone of Mike’s opening statements did not sit well with the gallery - it reeked of the type of railroading that the general public was no longer willing to tolerate - especially since the image of Cara’s fourth-grade picture was seared into their psyches.
The judge banged his gavel and called for order in the court. “Given the spirited opening statements, I think this is a perfect opportunity to break for lunch.”
“This is going to be a doozy,” the judge said to the bailiff on the way out.
“We’re winning,” Cara said to Kahlan as they left the courtroom, “I think we’re winning.”
That remark put a big smile on Kahlan’s face. “You are beyond adorable,” she said to Cara.
“Yeah, I know, but are we winning, right?”
Kahlan chuckled and shook her head. “It’s too early to call it, but yes, I would say we’re winning.”
“I knew it,” Cara said with a small fist pump. “Let’s go eat something, you need your strength.”
Quite coincidentally, the Rimbauds chose the same café for lunch as Kahlan and Cara did. It was more than a little awkward for all of them but they exchanged polite greetings and sat at separate tables. Colette and Sabine made every effort to not stare at Cara but given her striking resemblance to their son, it wasn’t easy.
On their way out, Colette tapped Kahlan on her shoulder. “I know you’re still angry at me, Ms. Amnell, but I’d like to pass on a bit of wisdom that your mother shared with me once. She told me to never underestimate the power of a great face; your client has such a face. Her eyes are filled with emotion, and her gaze is pure feelings. Have her make eye contact with the jurors from time to time. It will pay dividends.”
“Thank you,” Kahlan said. She wanted to stay angry at them but it wasn’t easy. Much like Cara, Sabine had one of those faces that could melt the polar ice caps with a single glance. Kahlan realized that Sabine was Colette’s secret weapon, and hence never left her side.
“What did she say to you?”
Kahlan pursed her lips and tipped her head before answering. “She told me to take advantage of that beautiful mug of yours, and of those gorgeous eyes. She’s right, but I know that you’re nervous so only make eye contact with the jurors if it feels right to you.” Cara nodded.
***
The gallery was positively buzzing with anticipation as the judge calmly re-entered the courtroom.
“Mr. Cypher, call your first witness,” he said.
“I call Richard Cypher to the stand, Your Honor.” A collective gasp was heard from the gallery. Richard rose to his feet and walked toward the witness stand to be sworn in. By the look on Mike’s face, it was clear that he was under the impression that Richard was still wheelchair-bound. He blinked twice and his lips parted at the sight of his little brother standing on his own two feet; it took him a long moment to gather himself. Cara’s face lit up at the sight of Richard confidently walking to the witness stand. Kahlan quickly realized that Mike’s strategy had been to present Richard’s disability as emblematic of Cara’s crimes. The barely noticeable limp with which Richard walked to the stand would not serve his purpose in the least. Since his trousers concealed the brace on his leg, the limp could have easily been attributed to a pebble in his shoe.
“Mr. Cypher, do you a have a question for the witness, or are you just admiring his good looks?”
Mike clenched his jaw. “I apologize, Your Honor.”
He then turned to face Richard. “Mr. Cypher, please state your name for the record.”
“Richard Archibald Cypher.”
“And how did you come about that name, Mr. Cypher? Surely you weren’t born with it?”
Kahlan rose to her feet immediately, “Objection, Your Honor, baiting the witness.”
“Withdrawn, Your Honor. How long have you known the defendant, Mr. Cypher?”
“Since we were children. Cara had just turned ten when we met; I was a couple of days short of my thirteenth birthday.”
“And what were the circumstances of that first meeting?”
Richard paused for a moment before answering. “I was at the home of a childhood friend, Chase Montgomery. He was the first friend I made when my family moved to Aydindril. We’d only been here for a few months. Cara knocked on the back door. She was ten but she looked younger; she was tiny. Her arm was in a cast, and she had cuts and bruises all over.”
“And did she tell you how she got those injuries?”
“Darken Rahl beat her mercilessly,” Richard said.
“Mr. Cypher, isn’t it true that her injuries came about because she was a mentally disturbed child who jumped out of a window in an effort to harm herself?”
“No,” Richard said, emphatically, “that isn’t true. Cara was trying to get away from her abuser. And she would have if it were-”
“If it weren’t for what, Mr. Cypher?” Richard’s eyes were starting to tear up and he was struggling to form words. “May I remind you that you are under oath?”
“Answer the question, Mr. Cypher,” said the judge.
“If it weren’t for me,” Richard said, with tears streaking his cheeks. “This is all my fault,” he said, looking directly at Cara and then at the jury. “Cara would have gotten away from that monster if I hadn’t broken my promise, and kept her secret. But I did break my promise because I trusted you, Mike, and you swore you wouldn’t tell anyone. You were my big brother, Mike.”
“Isn’t it true that you were attempting to aid and abet a runaway and all I did was exercise my civic responsibility by informing the authorities?” Mike asked with smirk on his face.
“No, Mike, it’s not true. I was trying to help a little girl whose entire family was murdered by Darken Rahl’s goons get to safety. You were just using that little girl’s bad situation as a weapon to hurt me.”
“I move to strike that last statement from the record. It’s blatant slander.”
“I’ll allow it,” the judge said, “This witness’s take on the situation isn’t without merit.”
Mike clenched his fists, and the veins on his neck were throbbing. “Mr. Cypher, on April 10th, 2008 you were involved in a near-fatal car accident, is that correct?”
“Yes,” Richard answered.
“Please share the circumstances of that near-fatal accident with the jurors.”
“I was driving with some friends from Aydindril to Galea. Chase Montgomery was getting married a few days later. It was a reunion of old friends. Chase and Cara had known each other their whole lives. Darken forbade Cara from attending the wedding, but Chase refused to get married without her attending the ceremony. Cara defied Darken’s orders and drove to Galea.”
“Just as we were getting out of the car, a black Hummer with dark, tinted windows slammed into us at a high speed. Cara was just a few blocks away. She saw the whole thing. We’d be dead if it weren’t for her. She pulled me out of the burning car and gave me CPR, and she used a tourniquet to stop Dennee Amnell’s bleeding. She saved our lives.”
“So the heroic Ms. Mason,” Mike said, with air quotes around ‘heroic’, “knew she was putting people at risk by defying her father’s orders but she decided to go anyway.”
“Objection, Your Honor, my client can’t be held responsible for someone else’s actions, nor would any reasonable person assume that the adoptive father of a grown woman would attempt to kill innocent people as a means of disciplining said grown child.” She, too, resorted to air quotes to emphasize the word ‘disciplining’.
“Sustained.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.” Mike released a frustrated sigh and returned to his seat.
“Your witness,” the judge said.
“Mr. Cypher, you said that Ms. Mason had her arm in a cast on the day you met her, and that she had sustained injuries consistent with physical abuse. Can you elaborate on the nature of those injuries?”
“It was like nothing I’d ever seen. She had welts and belt marks on her arms and legs, and she had bruises on her neck that looked as if someone choked her. She also had scars and cigarette burns that had healed.”
“Mr. Cypher, in your opinion, could the injuries you saw have been self-inflicted?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Objection, Your Honor. Did Mr. Cypher suddenly become an expert on child abuse?”
“Sustained. Mr. Cypher isn’t qualified to answer that question, Ms. Amnell.”
“Withdrawn, Your Honor.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
“Court will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30AM,” the judge said, and swiftly left the courtroom.
***
When Cara and Kahlan got home, they found Richard sitting in the lobby. “So do you guys hate me?” Richard asked.
Cara and Kahlan looked at each other, and then at Richard. “Why would we hate you?”
“Because all of this is my fault. You would have made it to Kahlan’s boarding school had I not opened my big mouth.”
“Dude, you were just a kid. You trusted your big brother. How were you supposed to know he was such a dick?” Kahlan elbowed Cara in the ribs and shot her a look.
“No, she’s right; Mike is a dick,” Richard said with a shrug.
Kahlan chuckled. “Why don’t you stay for dinner?”
“Chase and his wife beat you to the punch. They’ve been cooking since this morning. I’m guessing that piece of jewelry on your ankle would explode if you drove across town to join us.”
“Something like that,” Cara said, “but when all of this is over, we’ll party like rock stars.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” he said, and went on his way.
***
Nothing that could lead to Cara’s acquittal had been revealed, but her heroic actions on the day of the accident certainly elevated her in the eyes of the jurors. Kahlan was certain that at least three of the jurors were already rooting for Cara - chief among them, Mr. Ames, the juror with the three little girls.
“Come here, baby,” Kahlan said guiding her onto the sofa. Cara promptly straddled her lap. “Let’s forget about the trial for a while. I just want to make out with my girlfriend - that would be you.”
“Good to know, I was worried for a second. Any chance I’ll get to, say, third base?”
“Hmm, it could happen,” she said, nibbling on Cara’s earlobe. “But you’re going to have to kiss me, and massage my shoulders. Oh, and your chance of getting to third base skyrockets if you take your shirt off.”
“Think I can live with that.”
“Good, now kiss me.”
Cara ended up rounding the bases more than once, which relieved most of Kahlan’s post-trial tension, but having to question Dennee in the morning weighed heavily on her. She tossed and turned for most of the night. By 3:00AM, she gave up on sleep and stared out the window. “Cara’s prints are on the murder weapon,” she mumbled, shaking her head.
Author: fortunata13
Pairing: Cara/Kahlan
Rating: R
Warnings: None
Word Count: 4725
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Most certainly, I do not own these characters.
Summary: Since it's taken me the better part of a century to post, I'll skip the summaryand go straight to the chapter.
A/N: As always, much gratitude to statuepup for keeping me honest and to the wonderful laurilee59 for the free legal advice.
The doorbell rang at 6:36AM, rousing both Kahlan and Cara from a sound sleep. Kahlan had the presence of mind to throw on a robe before opening the door; Cara walked out of the bedroom and into the living room in nothing but her underwear. “Richard?” Kahlan asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “What are you doing here?” Richard didn’t answer; he was too busy admiring Cara’s pert breasts. “Will you stop staring at her like that?” she said, giving him a shove for good measure. “And you,” she said to Cara, “cover those things up.” Cara shrugged with a smirk as she glanced over at Richard before walking back toward the bedroom.
“I caught an early flight,” he said to Kahlan, as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, “it’s nice to see you, too.”
Kahlan rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she said, pulling him into a tight embrace. “We weren’t expecting you until this afternoon.”
“Hey, keep your paws off my woman, buddy,” Cara called out from the bedroom.
“‘Your woman’,” he echoed with a big grin on his face. “I take it you two have come to your senses?” Kahlan blushed a bit and nodded. “And since when do you wear flannel?” he said to Cara who walked out of the bedroom wearing the pajamas Kahlan had gifted her.
That’s when Cara noticed that he was no longer using the aluminum elbow crutches he’d used for support since regaining limited use of his legs. “Ricky,” she said, “are your legs…?” she trailed off, staring at him in disbelief.
“First of all, don’t call me Ricky, or you’ll be needing crutches.”
“Hey, don’t threaten my baby with violence,” Kahlan said, pulling Cara into her arms.
Richard rolled his eyes. “Fine, and yes, to answer your question - or whatever that was - it’s taken a lot of hard work but I’m down to a leg brace,” he said, pulling up his trouser to show off his accomplishment.
“That’s wonderful,” Kahlan said to him with a huge grin on her face. “I’ll make breakfast while you two catch up.”
“How are you holding up?” he asked Cara as they settled down on the sofa.
She thought for a long moment before answering. “I don’t know. If it weren’t for Kahlan, I think I would have jumped out a window by now. There’s been so many times when I just wanted to bail but I couldn’t do that to her, not after everything I’ve put her through. It blows my mind that we found our way back to each other.”
“She loves you, she always has. The trial is going to be rough for both of you. You have to stay strong, and be positive. Everything is going to work out, it has to.” Cara released a long breath and nodded.
As she walked out of the kitchen, Kahlan felt the palpable intensity between them. “Baby,” she said, “help me with the coffee.”
Cara jumped to her feet. “Is everything all right?” she asked Cara before pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear. “You and Richard seemed a bit tense.”
“Not at all. He was just giving me one of his Vince Lombardi pep talks.”
“Who’s Vince Lombardi?” she asked. “Never mind. Let’s have breakfast. I’m starving.”
After breakfast, Richard pulled out his iPad and showed them dozens of pictures of Nicholas. Every one of them came along with a story that inevitably ended with an explanation of all of the ways in which Nicky, as he called him, is a veritable genius. “He has Nicci’s eyes,” he said, “but everyone says he looks just like me.”
“He does,” Kahlan confirmed with a nod and a big grin on her face. Cara gazed over at Kahlan and Richard as she washed the dishes. They were chatting away as if they hadn’t a care in the world. It was nice to see them both happy, but at the same time it frightened her. Happiness, in her experience, served as harbinger for tragedy. She would have liked to stop time at that exact moment, with the three of them together, laughing and looking forward to the future.
“What’s with that look on your face?” Richard asked, glancing at Cara over his shoulder; she shrugged in response. “Whatever it is, stop it. You need to stay positive. This brooding thing you do isn’t going to help matters.” Cara nodded and released a deep sigh.
After finishing the dishes, she walked over to the window, staring out at the early morning fog; Richard quickly joined her. “It’s not even about me,” she said. “If I get convicted, Richard, I’ll be -”
“If you get convicted - which is not going to happen - we’ll appeal. Kahlan is a brilliant lawyer, Cara. She’s going to get you acquitted.”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Kahlan asked, waving Richard’s iPad in her hand.
“Cara was just telling me how devastatingly handsome I am, but now I have to head back to my hotel. I’ll see you two at the courthouse tomorrow morning.” As he was about to walk out the door, he looked back at Cara over his shoulder. “Stay strong,” he said to her.
“Not so fast, my dear. I want to go over your testimony again.”
Richard rolled his eyes. “Kahlan, I’ve got this. We’ve gone over it a thousand times. Just ask Nicci, I mumble it in my sleep.”
“Give the guy a break,” Cara said. “He looks exhausted.”
“Fine,” Kahlan said, “but get plenty of rest. I need you at a hundred percent tomorrow.”
“I’ll be at a thousand percent.” He paused for a moment and gave Cara a meaningful look. “I’m not going to let you down.” With that, he gave them each a hug and went on his way.
As soon as he left, Kahlan encircled Cara’s waist, pressing her front to Cara’s back. “I love you,” she said to her and turned her around in her arms. “When all of this is over, I’d like us to go out on a date. I’m thinking dinner and a movie. After the movie we’ll go for a walk. We’ll hold hands, of course, and you’ll be wearing that big rock I’m going to buy you. If we walk past a pet shop, we can buy our pet gecko.” Cara didn’t say a word. “I think we should watch one of those French films about trains, or maybe an Italian movie about movies.” She waited for Cara to say something but she didn’t. Kahlan looked into her eyes and released a deep sigh. “Baby, you have to have faith in me, otherwise I can’t do this. I need your strength and I need to know that you believe in me.”
Cara sat on the sofa with her elbows resting on her knees. “No matter what the outcome is, I’ll be fine. We found our way back to each other. That’s enough for me. It really is, but I know it won’t be enough for you. You have to promise me that you’ll find a way to make it enough, and you’ll move on with your life.”
“Baby,” she said, “I’m going to win this case. Mike Cypher is an incompetent hack, Richard and Paloma are dream witnesses, and Denna and Shota are going to put the fear of God in Mike. Yes, your prints are on the murder weapon but that video Paloma dug up gives us reasonable doubt. And besides, Maxine is still digging for potential evidence. We have a sympathetic judge who isn’t willing to take your life without being absolutely sure that all of the evidence points to your guilt.”
Cara tipped her head. “Wow, you’re a way better motivational speaker than Richard is. Let me at that courtroom!” Kahlan laughed and kissed her on the lips.
They spent the rest of the day lounging around the apartment. Kahlan insisted that Cara remove those ghastly pajamas so that she could have access to ‘the goods,’ as she called them. There was a lot of giggling and kissing but absolutely no further mention of the trial. Save for the unsightly device on Cara’s ankle, the theme of the day was normalcy. Kahlan had decided on both their outfits several days ago, and Cara had organized all of Kahlan’s trial notes and placed them in her briefcase.
It was as if they were sixteen again and their whole lives were ahead of them. Even then, it hadn’t been the carefree life they deserved. That their one shot at happiness came down to a murder trial was more than a little ironic but given their history, it was strangely appropriate. If the trial did work out in their favor, there would be a long moment of jubilation, but all that had been lost along the way - Cara’s entire family, Kahlan’s mother, the heartbreak they’d both endured, and even the son Cara bore - would never be returned to them. That is the reality of this harsh world, and while on this day they have chosen to turn away from that reality, they both know that there are no guarantees in life. The trial is one day away, so they will allow themselves this illusion of normalcy and hope for the best.
***
Neither of them was particularly talkative as they got ready to head for the courthouse. There were a lot of deep breaths taken, and even more longing looks, but words didn’t come easily for either of them. Kahlan had her game face on the moment she got out of bed; Cara suspected it would stay there until the trial ended.
If Kahlan was at all nervous, the confident smile on her face and her body language gave nothing away. She held her briefcase in one hand, and rested the other one on the small of Cara’s back. Cara looked every bit like a deer caught in the headlights but she did remember to breathe, which had been her main goal for the day. This time they entered the courthouse via the main entrance, swooshing past reporters and photographers along the way. Since Kahlan hadn’t had any contact with the press during her other visits to the courthouse, all the reporters flocked toward her, leaving Cypher standing on the sidewalk all by himself. Given his penchant for attention, and for spewing meaningless sound bites, he was visibly rattled from the get-go, just as Kahlan had intended. “This is a chess game, baby,” Kahlan whispered Cara, “and I just toppled over one of Mike’s rooks.” By way of response, Cara released a breath - which she counted as a major victory.
Upon entering the courtroom, Kahlan immediately spotted the Rimbauds. She didn’t like it one bit but she wasn’t about to let it bother her. Whether the Rimbauds were friends or foes depended upon how these proceedings affected their son. Kahlan empathized but her only concern was keeping Cara out of prison. If she ruffled the Rimbauds’ feathers along the way, so be it. Unlike Mike, Kahlan had no political aspirations - at least not at the moment. Therefore, making enemies out of Colette and Sabine didn’t bother her in the least. She said a polite hello and moved on. Seconds later Zedd walked into the courtroom - wearing a blue Hugo Boss suit no less, and shoes - real, actual shoes - not those hippie sandals he usually wore. Kahlan gave him a hug, and Cara offered an approving nod. Richard, no doubt, had served as his grandfather’s fashion consultant.
Minutes later, Denna and Shota made their grand entrance, just as Kahlan had hoped. They wore matching white Chanel pantsuits, and as a bonus, Denna was sporting a gigantic diamond on the ring finger of her left hand. Shota made a point of shooting Mike a look that was every bit a threat. Mike was fully aware that Shota could make or break his career which practically guaranteed he would treat Denna with kid gloves. In fact, he was probably regretting that he’d subpoenaed her in the first place.
“All rise for Judge Samuel D. Hammett,” the bailiff said, looking out at the gallery.
“Good morning, members of the jury,” the judge said. “Thank you for your punctuality. Our first order of business today is the opening statements. Mr. Cypher, please proceed.”
Cypher glared at Cara for a long moment before going into his opening statement. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we are here today because a prominent member of our community, along with two of his employees, was brutally murdered.” He punctuated the sentence by glaring at Cara a second time. “You are going to hear plenty of testimony as to what a bad man Darken Rahl was, and about all the monstrosities he committed. Really, the defense will attempt to convince you that the murder victims in this case are the ones who should be prosecuted. However, the only monstrosity here is the waste of taxpayer money that will be spent on this trial. You see, this is what we lawyers call an open and shut case.
“The defendant could save all of you a whole lot of time and money by simply confessing and taking responsibility for her crimes. You see, the defendant’s fingerprints were on the murder weapon, her hands were covered with gunpowder residue, and she was found at the scene of the crime.” He paused, allowing the jurors to take in his words. “Now, I could very well rest my case since all of you have already concluded that she’s guilty, because, let’s face it, it doesn’t take a genius to put together the facts of this case.” He walked to the jury box and rested his hands on the railing. “Yes, these are facts. They are not theories, they are not speculations. The facts of this are that the defendant’s prints are on the murder weapon and she was at the scene of the crime with said weapon. Unfortunately, our legal system demands that we allow the defense to attempt to convince you that your eyes are lying to you, to convince you to suspend disbelief long enough to ignore the facts which, I repeat, are that the defendant’s prints were on the murder weapon and the defendant was at the scene of the crime. That’s it, folks, nothing more to see here.”
Cypher shot Kahlan a smug look as he walked back to his seat.
“Ms. Amnell, smiling as always,” the judge said. “Are you ready to proceed?” Kahlan tipped her head and nodded.
She released a deep breath, and said, “Well, that was quite a speech the prosecution gave us, ladies and gentleman of the jury.” She slowly paced in front of them, making eye contact with each of them. “Mr. Cypher is encouraging all of you to ignore the principles of our legal system. He doesn’t want you to bother to consider the rest of the evidence in this case, and he doesn’t want any witnesses to be called to the stand. So why have a trial at all? Why not just toss people in jail or, in this case, take someone’s life?” She paused for a moment, gauging the jurors’ reactions. “I think by now all of you see the problem with his speech,” she said, raising her index finger for effect, “it violates not only the defendant’s rights but the rights of everyone in this nation.
“So let me pose a question to all of you: if this were your spouse, or your child, or even a random acquaintance, would you want them to have the right to present evidence of their innocence? Would you demand that their rights be upheld? Would you want every conceivable piece of evidence to come to light? Would you sentence a young woman to death without examining all of the evidence? Because that’s what Mr. Cypher is suggesting that you do. The fact is that Mr. Cypher would have all of you take the defendant’s life without allowing for the possibility of her innocence. Mr. Cypher is presuming her guilt, but that isn’t how our legal system works, ladies and gentleman of the jury. And I don’t believe that anyone in this courtroom would be willing to pass judgment without examining the evidence. Don’t allow Mr. Cypher, or anyone else, to take away this defendant’s rights because those are your rights, too. And shame on anyone who suggests that you do so. Mr. Cypher seems inclined to appoint himself as judge and executioner in this case, but you, the members of this jury, are better than that. Throughout the course of this trial the defense will present real evidence - not the meaningless sound bites and catchphrases Mr. Cypher offered in his opening argument.”
After Kahlan stopped talking, a deafening silence filled the courtroom but within seconds several people in the gallery applauded, including members of a human rights organization that had taken interest in the case. Cara’s arrest, and the press coverage that followed, had shone a light on judicial misconduct and corruption. The people of Aydindril had clearly taken notice. The tone of Mike’s opening statements did not sit well with the gallery - it reeked of the type of railroading that the general public was no longer willing to tolerate - especially since the image of Cara’s fourth-grade picture was seared into their psyches.
The judge banged his gavel and called for order in the court. “Given the spirited opening statements, I think this is a perfect opportunity to break for lunch.”
“This is going to be a doozy,” the judge said to the bailiff on the way out.
“We’re winning,” Cara said to Kahlan as they left the courtroom, “I think we’re winning.”
That remark put a big smile on Kahlan’s face. “You are beyond adorable,” she said to Cara.
“Yeah, I know, but are we winning, right?”
Kahlan chuckled and shook her head. “It’s too early to call it, but yes, I would say we’re winning.”
“I knew it,” Cara said with a small fist pump. “Let’s go eat something, you need your strength.”
Quite coincidentally, the Rimbauds chose the same café for lunch as Kahlan and Cara did. It was more than a little awkward for all of them but they exchanged polite greetings and sat at separate tables. Colette and Sabine made every effort to not stare at Cara but given her striking resemblance to their son, it wasn’t easy.
On their way out, Colette tapped Kahlan on her shoulder. “I know you’re still angry at me, Ms. Amnell, but I’d like to pass on a bit of wisdom that your mother shared with me once. She told me to never underestimate the power of a great face; your client has such a face. Her eyes are filled with emotion, and her gaze is pure feelings. Have her make eye contact with the jurors from time to time. It will pay dividends.”
“Thank you,” Kahlan said. She wanted to stay angry at them but it wasn’t easy. Much like Cara, Sabine had one of those faces that could melt the polar ice caps with a single glance. Kahlan realized that Sabine was Colette’s secret weapon, and hence never left her side.
“What did she say to you?”
Kahlan pursed her lips and tipped her head before answering. “She told me to take advantage of that beautiful mug of yours, and of those gorgeous eyes. She’s right, but I know that you’re nervous so only make eye contact with the jurors if it feels right to you.” Cara nodded.
***
The gallery was positively buzzing with anticipation as the judge calmly re-entered the courtroom.
“Mr. Cypher, call your first witness,” he said.
“I call Richard Cypher to the stand, Your Honor.” A collective gasp was heard from the gallery. Richard rose to his feet and walked toward the witness stand to be sworn in. By the look on Mike’s face, it was clear that he was under the impression that Richard was still wheelchair-bound. He blinked twice and his lips parted at the sight of his little brother standing on his own two feet; it took him a long moment to gather himself. Cara’s face lit up at the sight of Richard confidently walking to the witness stand. Kahlan quickly realized that Mike’s strategy had been to present Richard’s disability as emblematic of Cara’s crimes. The barely noticeable limp with which Richard walked to the stand would not serve his purpose in the least. Since his trousers concealed the brace on his leg, the limp could have easily been attributed to a pebble in his shoe.
“Mr. Cypher, do you a have a question for the witness, or are you just admiring his good looks?”
Mike clenched his jaw. “I apologize, Your Honor.”
He then turned to face Richard. “Mr. Cypher, please state your name for the record.”
“Richard Archibald Cypher.”
“And how did you come about that name, Mr. Cypher? Surely you weren’t born with it?”
Kahlan rose to her feet immediately, “Objection, Your Honor, baiting the witness.”
“Withdrawn, Your Honor. How long have you known the defendant, Mr. Cypher?”
“Since we were children. Cara had just turned ten when we met; I was a couple of days short of my thirteenth birthday.”
“And what were the circumstances of that first meeting?”
Richard paused for a moment before answering. “I was at the home of a childhood friend, Chase Montgomery. He was the first friend I made when my family moved to Aydindril. We’d only been here for a few months. Cara knocked on the back door. She was ten but she looked younger; she was tiny. Her arm was in a cast, and she had cuts and bruises all over.”
“And did she tell you how she got those injuries?”
“Darken Rahl beat her mercilessly,” Richard said.
“Mr. Cypher, isn’t it true that her injuries came about because she was a mentally disturbed child who jumped out of a window in an effort to harm herself?”
“No,” Richard said, emphatically, “that isn’t true. Cara was trying to get away from her abuser. And she would have if it were-”
“If it weren’t for what, Mr. Cypher?” Richard’s eyes were starting to tear up and he was struggling to form words. “May I remind you that you are under oath?”
“Answer the question, Mr. Cypher,” said the judge.
“If it weren’t for me,” Richard said, with tears streaking his cheeks. “This is all my fault,” he said, looking directly at Cara and then at the jury. “Cara would have gotten away from that monster if I hadn’t broken my promise, and kept her secret. But I did break my promise because I trusted you, Mike, and you swore you wouldn’t tell anyone. You were my big brother, Mike.”
“Isn’t it true that you were attempting to aid and abet a runaway and all I did was exercise my civic responsibility by informing the authorities?” Mike asked with smirk on his face.
“No, Mike, it’s not true. I was trying to help a little girl whose entire family was murdered by Darken Rahl’s goons get to safety. You were just using that little girl’s bad situation as a weapon to hurt me.”
“I move to strike that last statement from the record. It’s blatant slander.”
“I’ll allow it,” the judge said, “This witness’s take on the situation isn’t without merit.”
Mike clenched his fists, and the veins on his neck were throbbing. “Mr. Cypher, on April 10th, 2008 you were involved in a near-fatal car accident, is that correct?”
“Yes,” Richard answered.
“Please share the circumstances of that near-fatal accident with the jurors.”
“I was driving with some friends from Aydindril to Galea. Chase Montgomery was getting married a few days later. It was a reunion of old friends. Chase and Cara had known each other their whole lives. Darken forbade Cara from attending the wedding, but Chase refused to get married without her attending the ceremony. Cara defied Darken’s orders and drove to Galea.”
“Just as we were getting out of the car, a black Hummer with dark, tinted windows slammed into us at a high speed. Cara was just a few blocks away. She saw the whole thing. We’d be dead if it weren’t for her. She pulled me out of the burning car and gave me CPR, and she used a tourniquet to stop Dennee Amnell’s bleeding. She saved our lives.”
“So the heroic Ms. Mason,” Mike said, with air quotes around ‘heroic’, “knew she was putting people at risk by defying her father’s orders but she decided to go anyway.”
“Objection, Your Honor, my client can’t be held responsible for someone else’s actions, nor would any reasonable person assume that the adoptive father of a grown woman would attempt to kill innocent people as a means of disciplining said grown child.” She, too, resorted to air quotes to emphasize the word ‘disciplining’.
“Sustained.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.” Mike released a frustrated sigh and returned to his seat.
“Your witness,” the judge said.
“Mr. Cypher, you said that Ms. Mason had her arm in a cast on the day you met her, and that she had sustained injuries consistent with physical abuse. Can you elaborate on the nature of those injuries?”
“It was like nothing I’d ever seen. She had welts and belt marks on her arms and legs, and she had bruises on her neck that looked as if someone choked her. She also had scars and cigarette burns that had healed.”
“Mr. Cypher, in your opinion, could the injuries you saw have been self-inflicted?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Objection, Your Honor. Did Mr. Cypher suddenly become an expert on child abuse?”
“Sustained. Mr. Cypher isn’t qualified to answer that question, Ms. Amnell.”
“Withdrawn, Your Honor.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
“Court will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30AM,” the judge said, and swiftly left the courtroom.
***
When Cara and Kahlan got home, they found Richard sitting in the lobby. “So do you guys hate me?” Richard asked.
Cara and Kahlan looked at each other, and then at Richard. “Why would we hate you?”
“Because all of this is my fault. You would have made it to Kahlan’s boarding school had I not opened my big mouth.”
“Dude, you were just a kid. You trusted your big brother. How were you supposed to know he was such a dick?” Kahlan elbowed Cara in the ribs and shot her a look.
“No, she’s right; Mike is a dick,” Richard said with a shrug.
Kahlan chuckled. “Why don’t you stay for dinner?”
“Chase and his wife beat you to the punch. They’ve been cooking since this morning. I’m guessing that piece of jewelry on your ankle would explode if you drove across town to join us.”
“Something like that,” Cara said, “but when all of this is over, we’ll party like rock stars.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” he said, and went on his way.
***
Nothing that could lead to Cara’s acquittal had been revealed, but her heroic actions on the day of the accident certainly elevated her in the eyes of the jurors. Kahlan was certain that at least three of the jurors were already rooting for Cara - chief among them, Mr. Ames, the juror with the three little girls.
“Come here, baby,” Kahlan said guiding her onto the sofa. Cara promptly straddled her lap. “Let’s forget about the trial for a while. I just want to make out with my girlfriend - that would be you.”
“Good to know, I was worried for a second. Any chance I’ll get to, say, third base?”
“Hmm, it could happen,” she said, nibbling on Cara’s earlobe. “But you’re going to have to kiss me, and massage my shoulders. Oh, and your chance of getting to third base skyrockets if you take your shirt off.”
“Think I can live with that.”
“Good, now kiss me.”
Cara ended up rounding the bases more than once, which relieved most of Kahlan’s post-trial tension, but having to question Dennee in the morning weighed heavily on her. She tossed and turned for most of the night. By 3:00AM, she gave up on sleep and stared out the window. “Cara’s prints are on the murder weapon,” she mumbled, shaking her head.