Calloused Part 9
When they reached the crest of the hill, and Cara got a good eyeful of her surroundings, she was stunned to silence. It was different seeing Aydindril from this angle--the front entrance. It was the way the city was supposed to be seen, with all it's glory and shining magnificence. The first time she was there it was in the pretext of war; to maim and to kill every last one of the remaining Confessors. It was done in the darkest of night, where the beautiful view was squandered by murder and suffering. In this view, not nearly a candle mark past the sun rise, it was a sight to behold.
"Why didn't you tell me we were here?" Cara managed to mutter to Kahlan, who's smile was as big as her face.
"I wanted it to be a surprise." She replied giddily before starting her horse at a light gallop. "Come, Cara! Let's get to the gates!" Cara paused momentarily, before shaking her head and following Kahlan's white steed.
As they approached the Home guard standing watch near the gate entrance, Kahlan slowed down to speak to Cara quietly before they were seen.
"Once you get here you need to know a few things about... our customs." Kahlan said in hushed tones.
"First of all, I ride ahead of you, but keep close behind. Secondly, be sure to keep a level head around the other palace's kings and queens; they can be quite... judgmental and I don't want you killing anyone." Cara simply nodded.
"Third thing, remember to bow." Kahlan quickly added, knowing it was going to be the hardest thing for Cara to listen to.
"Mord-Sith bow to no one." Cara said automatically. Kahlan smiled tightly, expecting that response.
"Try? For me." Kahlan pleaded gently. Cara grunted and waved her hand forward. Kahlan sped up a little and came to the front as soon as the Home Guard saw that it was the Mother Confessor approaching. The two young men quickly dropped to a knee with a clattering of armor.
"Mother Confessor!" The shorter guard yelled with surprise. He looked no older than eighteen, at Cara's estimate. "We-we will let everyone know of your arrival!" Cara looked to Kahlan, who's face was expressionless and almost cold.
"Thank you...." Kahlan said open endedly, searching for a name.
"Keith! It's Keith." The young kid said nervously. He had obviously been in this position for a short period of time, yet had the nerve to speak to the Mother Confessor. Cara was slightly impressed, and yet a little annoyed. Kahlan simply nodded.
"Keith, please hurry." He quickly got to his feet, and scurried away, clanking metal as he ran. The other guard was still kneeling, refusing to look up.
"You may stand." He stood quietly, his face not showing fear, but respect and obedience. Kahlan slid off her horse, and Cara did the same. When she looked back at the man, he was staring her dead in the eye.
"Problem?" Cara said menacingly. Kahlan touched her arm and started to speak to the man.
"She's with us. She's not the Mord-Sith you know." The man stared unblinkingly at Cara, and Cara watched the man's adam's apple bounce as he swallowed back his disgust.
"They came in quads, and slaughtered women in the streets." He said through clenched teeth. Kahlan reached out an arm, and touched the man gently on the shoulder.
"That was the past. What good are we if we cannot look forward? There is peace now, and that's what matters." The man spit on the ground in front of Cara.
"I will never bow to Mord-Sith." He growled, and Cara simply stood there, seething with anger that she couldn't express. Kahlan felt a smidge of pride at that moment, watching Cara hold herself back like that. It wasn't customary for her at all, yet she did it with ease for Kahlan. It wasn't a few seconds later that both of them heard metal clanging toward them. Cara couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sound.
"Mother Confessor! They are ready for you inside!" Keith yelped as he approached. Kahlan looked at Cara with hope in her eyes, to which Cara smiled at despite herself and the mood she was in. The large gates cranked open slowly, revealing what was inside.
Cara felt the outside did no justice, though she'd never admit it out loud to anyone. The palaces glimmered with ivory stone, and the streets were lined with every single citizen of the city of Aydindril. Children, women, and men stood by gaping as Kahlan slowly walked down the street, face once again impassive and without any emotion. It was her Confessor's face Cara realized, and as she obediently followed a few steps behind Kahlan, she couldn't help but feel the eyes that were on her, both curious and fearful of what the red leather she wore represented. Kahlan stopped in front of each palace, making sure to thank the lowest servants before the King and Queen, which from what Cara could tell, didn't please them very much. Cara simply nodded to them, which Kahlan glared at her for.
"Fine." She grumbled, and Cara proceeded to bow like a gentleman, which got strange looks from the royalty. Kahlan raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, as it was technically what she had asked, and beggars couldn't be choosers with Cara. Kahlan smiled a bit at the thought in her head. She was far from a beggar, especially now. Kahlan was impressed with Cara's behavior, as it took a very long time to get from the gate to the Confessor's palace. As if Cara could read her thoughts, Cara sighed a large sigh of relief when they stood before the steps of her palace. It was very obviously Kahlan's, because it was the largest and grandest of them all.
"What do you think of our new home?" Kahlan remarked as the flood of servants and maids came rushing at them.
"It's no People's Palace." Cara said flatly. Kahlan laughed, and Cara cracked a smile.
"Kahlan!" Came the sound of a woman's voice from behind them. Kahlan smiled wide to Cara, and turned around with a whirl.
"Mistress Sanderholt!" She shrieked, and hugged the older woman tightly. The woman was dressed in a servant's clothes, which Cara wasn't surprised at, knowing Kahlan.
"Cara," Kahlan said happily, "this is my friend Mistress Sanderholt. She works in the kitchen." Cara crossed her arms, unfamiliar with warm welcomes and hugs and kisses. The woman smiled at Cara, not bothering to notice the leather and the agiels strapped to her.
"Miss Sanderholt, this is Cara." Kahlan laid a slight emphasis on Cara's name, which Cara noted curiously. Suddenly the woman's eyes lit up with recognition, and she held out an arm excitedly.
"Come, dears. First you get your baths, and then we'll have something special made for you when you're done." Mistress Sanderholt put her hands on both of their backs, not quite pushing but urging them up the steps. Cara had to admit she was looking forward to a bath.
"I told you, nobody bathes me except my sisters!" Cara yelled once again to the young woman servant in the bath.
"But miss," the woman began again. "it's customary. You're a guest." Cara growled at the woman, and the young maid slowly backed out of the room.
"Good. Bye." Cara said before slamming the door in her face. Kahlan was curiously absent from the quarters she had been escorted to, and the room with the bath was large and vacant. Cara looked at the warm vapors as they floated enchantingly above the water. With a sigh, the blonde began to undo her leathers.
After weeks of sleeping on hard forest dirt under the stars and sun, the water felt delicious on Cara's skin. With a deep stress filled sigh she slipped under the water, wetting her long tresses as she dipped into the water. For a second she lay under the water, staring with bleary eyes at the ceiling lit by natural light. Out she breathed through her nose, feeling the air in her lungs deplete until she couldn't stop herself from plunging out of the water for breath. It was little respite for the stress she felt, but for a second she felt at least she was literally drowning in water, instead of just feeling it metaphorically. A gentle knock came at the door.
"I told you, I don't need help!" Cara practically screamed. There was a light laugh, and Kahlan pushed open the door.
"Not taking well to servants, are you?" Kahlan said with a smile. She was freshly bathed, her hair brushed down her shoulders in loose ringlets. She looked beautiful and fresh, and Cara felt her breath trap in her chest.
"They're a little pushy." Cara said defensively. Kahlan took a step stool, and carried it over to the bath tub that lay in the center of the room.
"But you do need someone to wash your back, Cara." She said lightly, with a false sense of innocense. Cara smiled smugly, and the Mother Confessor noticed that she looked no older than a teenager with her hair wet and the kohl gone from her eyes. She fought the shudder that tried to overtake her body, and picked up a rag instead.
"May I?" Kahlan asked. Cara leaned forward, brushing her hair onto her left shoulder. Kahlan gently rubbed the cloth over Cara's shoulders, the steam from the cooling bath still circling lazily over the water's edge. Cara closed her eyes and relished the simplicity of the moment; the silence between them. Slowly, Kahlan dragged the rag down the Mord-Sith's back, and once she got to Cara's lower back, she quickly raised her hand back up, careful not to get her sleeve wet in the process.
"Mmm, I love that." Cara said before she could stop herself. Kahlan breathed out a little shakily, and smiled at Cara's admission. Soon she stopped, and placed the rag back on the edge of the bath.
"Unfortunately, I don't have time to finish. I promise however, after matters are attended to, I will be back." Cara opened her eyes and turned to look at Kahlan quizzically. Kahlan's face was soft but insistent, and Cara just leaned back. Kahlan slowly shook her head to herself.
"You really are too beautiful." Kahlan muttered to herself, before standing and heading towards the door.
"Oh," Kahlan added, "I had someone bring you up some suitable clothes for you while you're in Aydindril. I know it's not your usual leather, but really, you're scaring the townsfolk and most of the staff." Cara huffed and raised to grab at her leathers, but before she could even stand Kahlan had whisked them away and was out the door.
"Dammit, woman!" Cara yelled, splashing water on the floor as she did so.
After a few minutes sulking in the bath, Cara eventually stepped out into her quarters, still shivering from the cold. She saw, laid upon her large bed, a pair of red leather trousers and a red, long-sleeved, silk tunic. Cara smiled a little at the sight, before begrudgingly putting them on. It wasn't her leathers, but it was as close as she could get for now. Thankfully she saw her old red boots laying near the door, and pulled them on quickly.
"Now for something to do..." Cara mused to herself. Before she could finish her thought, the mousey haired maidservant from before appeared from behind the door.
"Miss..." she said hesitantly. Cara was in a much better mood now (although a little sexually frustrated), and she tried not to scream at the girl who wasn't much more than fourteen years old. Cara waved her hand in a circle indicating that the girl continue.
"I am to take you on a tour of the palace." She said quickly, not daring to look Cara in the eye. Cara walked over to the window and looked out. There were people darting around inside the palace gates. At least it would be something to do.
"Fine. Take me on this tour."
"Why didn't you tell me we were here?" Cara managed to mutter to Kahlan, who's smile was as big as her face.
"I wanted it to be a surprise." She replied giddily before starting her horse at a light gallop. "Come, Cara! Let's get to the gates!" Cara paused momentarily, before shaking her head and following Kahlan's white steed.
As they approached the Home guard standing watch near the gate entrance, Kahlan slowed down to speak to Cara quietly before they were seen.
"Once you get here you need to know a few things about... our customs." Kahlan said in hushed tones.
"First of all, I ride ahead of you, but keep close behind. Secondly, be sure to keep a level head around the other palace's kings and queens; they can be quite... judgmental and I don't want you killing anyone." Cara simply nodded.
"Third thing, remember to bow." Kahlan quickly added, knowing it was going to be the hardest thing for Cara to listen to.
"Mord-Sith bow to no one." Cara said automatically. Kahlan smiled tightly, expecting that response.
"Try? For me." Kahlan pleaded gently. Cara grunted and waved her hand forward. Kahlan sped up a little and came to the front as soon as the Home Guard saw that it was the Mother Confessor approaching. The two young men quickly dropped to a knee with a clattering of armor.
"Mother Confessor!" The shorter guard yelled with surprise. He looked no older than eighteen, at Cara's estimate. "We-we will let everyone know of your arrival!" Cara looked to Kahlan, who's face was expressionless and almost cold.
"Thank you...." Kahlan said open endedly, searching for a name.
"Keith! It's Keith." The young kid said nervously. He had obviously been in this position for a short period of time, yet had the nerve to speak to the Mother Confessor. Cara was slightly impressed, and yet a little annoyed. Kahlan simply nodded.
"Keith, please hurry." He quickly got to his feet, and scurried away, clanking metal as he ran. The other guard was still kneeling, refusing to look up.
"You may stand." He stood quietly, his face not showing fear, but respect and obedience. Kahlan slid off her horse, and Cara did the same. When she looked back at the man, he was staring her dead in the eye.
"Problem?" Cara said menacingly. Kahlan touched her arm and started to speak to the man.
"She's with us. She's not the Mord-Sith you know." The man stared unblinkingly at Cara, and Cara watched the man's adam's apple bounce as he swallowed back his disgust.
"They came in quads, and slaughtered women in the streets." He said through clenched teeth. Kahlan reached out an arm, and touched the man gently on the shoulder.
"That was the past. What good are we if we cannot look forward? There is peace now, and that's what matters." The man spit on the ground in front of Cara.
"I will never bow to Mord-Sith." He growled, and Cara simply stood there, seething with anger that she couldn't express. Kahlan felt a smidge of pride at that moment, watching Cara hold herself back like that. It wasn't customary for her at all, yet she did it with ease for Kahlan. It wasn't a few seconds later that both of them heard metal clanging toward them. Cara couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sound.
"Mother Confessor! They are ready for you inside!" Keith yelped as he approached. Kahlan looked at Cara with hope in her eyes, to which Cara smiled at despite herself and the mood she was in. The large gates cranked open slowly, revealing what was inside.
Cara felt the outside did no justice, though she'd never admit it out loud to anyone. The palaces glimmered with ivory stone, and the streets were lined with every single citizen of the city of Aydindril. Children, women, and men stood by gaping as Kahlan slowly walked down the street, face once again impassive and without any emotion. It was her Confessor's face Cara realized, and as she obediently followed a few steps behind Kahlan, she couldn't help but feel the eyes that were on her, both curious and fearful of what the red leather she wore represented. Kahlan stopped in front of each palace, making sure to thank the lowest servants before the King and Queen, which from what Cara could tell, didn't please them very much. Cara simply nodded to them, which Kahlan glared at her for.
"Fine." She grumbled, and Cara proceeded to bow like a gentleman, which got strange looks from the royalty. Kahlan raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, as it was technically what she had asked, and beggars couldn't be choosers with Cara. Kahlan smiled a bit at the thought in her head. She was far from a beggar, especially now. Kahlan was impressed with Cara's behavior, as it took a very long time to get from the gate to the Confessor's palace. As if Cara could read her thoughts, Cara sighed a large sigh of relief when they stood before the steps of her palace. It was very obviously Kahlan's, because it was the largest and grandest of them all.
"What do you think of our new home?" Kahlan remarked as the flood of servants and maids came rushing at them.
"It's no People's Palace." Cara said flatly. Kahlan laughed, and Cara cracked a smile.
"Kahlan!" Came the sound of a woman's voice from behind them. Kahlan smiled wide to Cara, and turned around with a whirl.
"Mistress Sanderholt!" She shrieked, and hugged the older woman tightly. The woman was dressed in a servant's clothes, which Cara wasn't surprised at, knowing Kahlan.
"Cara," Kahlan said happily, "this is my friend Mistress Sanderholt. She works in the kitchen." Cara crossed her arms, unfamiliar with warm welcomes and hugs and kisses. The woman smiled at Cara, not bothering to notice the leather and the agiels strapped to her.
"Miss Sanderholt, this is Cara." Kahlan laid a slight emphasis on Cara's name, which Cara noted curiously. Suddenly the woman's eyes lit up with recognition, and she held out an arm excitedly.
"Come, dears. First you get your baths, and then we'll have something special made for you when you're done." Mistress Sanderholt put her hands on both of their backs, not quite pushing but urging them up the steps. Cara had to admit she was looking forward to a bath.
"I told you, nobody bathes me except my sisters!" Cara yelled once again to the young woman servant in the bath.
"But miss," the woman began again. "it's customary. You're a guest." Cara growled at the woman, and the young maid slowly backed out of the room.
"Good. Bye." Cara said before slamming the door in her face. Kahlan was curiously absent from the quarters she had been escorted to, and the room with the bath was large and vacant. Cara looked at the warm vapors as they floated enchantingly above the water. With a sigh, the blonde began to undo her leathers.
After weeks of sleeping on hard forest dirt under the stars and sun, the water felt delicious on Cara's skin. With a deep stress filled sigh she slipped under the water, wetting her long tresses as she dipped into the water. For a second she lay under the water, staring with bleary eyes at the ceiling lit by natural light. Out she breathed through her nose, feeling the air in her lungs deplete until she couldn't stop herself from plunging out of the water for breath. It was little respite for the stress she felt, but for a second she felt at least she was literally drowning in water, instead of just feeling it metaphorically. A gentle knock came at the door.
"I told you, I don't need help!" Cara practically screamed. There was a light laugh, and Kahlan pushed open the door.
"Not taking well to servants, are you?" Kahlan said with a smile. She was freshly bathed, her hair brushed down her shoulders in loose ringlets. She looked beautiful and fresh, and Cara felt her breath trap in her chest.
"They're a little pushy." Cara said defensively. Kahlan took a step stool, and carried it over to the bath tub that lay in the center of the room.
"But you do need someone to wash your back, Cara." She said lightly, with a false sense of innocense. Cara smiled smugly, and the Mother Confessor noticed that she looked no older than a teenager with her hair wet and the kohl gone from her eyes. She fought the shudder that tried to overtake her body, and picked up a rag instead.
"May I?" Kahlan asked. Cara leaned forward, brushing her hair onto her left shoulder. Kahlan gently rubbed the cloth over Cara's shoulders, the steam from the cooling bath still circling lazily over the water's edge. Cara closed her eyes and relished the simplicity of the moment; the silence between them. Slowly, Kahlan dragged the rag down the Mord-Sith's back, and once she got to Cara's lower back, she quickly raised her hand back up, careful not to get her sleeve wet in the process.
"Mmm, I love that." Cara said before she could stop herself. Kahlan breathed out a little shakily, and smiled at Cara's admission. Soon she stopped, and placed the rag back on the edge of the bath.
"Unfortunately, I don't have time to finish. I promise however, after matters are attended to, I will be back." Cara opened her eyes and turned to look at Kahlan quizzically. Kahlan's face was soft but insistent, and Cara just leaned back. Kahlan slowly shook her head to herself.
"You really are too beautiful." Kahlan muttered to herself, before standing and heading towards the door.
"Oh," Kahlan added, "I had someone bring you up some suitable clothes for you while you're in Aydindril. I know it's not your usual leather, but really, you're scaring the townsfolk and most of the staff." Cara huffed and raised to grab at her leathers, but before she could even stand Kahlan had whisked them away and was out the door.
"Dammit, woman!" Cara yelled, splashing water on the floor as she did so.
After a few minutes sulking in the bath, Cara eventually stepped out into her quarters, still shivering from the cold. She saw, laid upon her large bed, a pair of red leather trousers and a red, long-sleeved, silk tunic. Cara smiled a little at the sight, before begrudgingly putting them on. It wasn't her leathers, but it was as close as she could get for now. Thankfully she saw her old red boots laying near the door, and pulled them on quickly.
"Now for something to do..." Cara mused to herself. Before she could finish her thought, the mousey haired maidservant from before appeared from behind the door.
"Miss..." she said hesitantly. Cara was in a much better mood now (although a little sexually frustrated), and she tried not to scream at the girl who wasn't much more than fourteen years old. Cara waved her hand in a circle indicating that the girl continue.
"I am to take you on a tour of the palace." She said quickly, not daring to look Cara in the eye. Cara walked over to the window and looked out. There were people darting around inside the palace gates. At least it would be something to do.
"Fine. Take me on this tour."