Calloused Part 5
A little ficlet for part five, mainly to advance the story line. Sorry it's so short, I just thought it would be appropriate to end this part there!
As Kahlan and Cara approached Agaden Reach, Cara fought back the urge to gasp at it's beauty. The mountains reached up to the heavens, and as they rode into the valley, her vision was surrounded by the beauty of an endless canopy of trees. The light streamed in between the leaves in the fog of the morning, letting little rays of light hit the ground that they rode on.
"Don't be fooled," Kahlan warned, "It's beauty is only on the surface." Cara nodded, and forced herself not to admire what was around her. Cara laid her left hand on her agiel, feeling it's comforting pain bring warmth to her limbs. They rode further into the valley and came to a cave. Suddenly Cara found that her limbs were numb, and without any warning, her horse came to a sudden stop, and powerless, she slumped forward on her horse against her will.
"What are you doing here?" Came a voice from behind them. Kahlan turned, and saw Cara, gasping.
"What have you done to her?" Kahlan said with a shriek.
"Just taking insurance. She will be done no harm." Shota walked toward her, a strange curious smile on her face.
"She won't hurt you." Kahlan said through her teeth, restraining her anger. Shota looked at her for a long moment, her smile disappearing.
"Something is different about you. I sense your confusion." Shota said with an almost teasing tone. Kahlan said nothing, knowing that Shota was trying to rile her into action.
"We need your help." Cara said, gasping for air. She still lay motionless on her horse, arms and legs leaden as if they were filled with sand.
"Help?" Shota said imploringly, "From me? How can I help a Mord-Sith and her Mother Confessor?" Kahlan started as her use of words. Shota smiled.
"Do you think me stupid? I am a sorceress. I knew you two were coming weeks ago."
"My powers." Kahlan said silently. Shota nodded, and motioned for Kahlan to get off her horse. Kahlan dismounted, and walked over to Cara immediately, taking her gently off her horse and laying her down on the ground with her head in her lap. Shota watched this with an eyebrow raised.
"In all my years." She said with a shake of her head. Kahlan looked up, and grimaced.
"Just help us. Please." Shota threw her hands up in the air.
"Well it's all very simple," Shota said exasperated, "Didn't the wizard ever tell you?" Kahlan looked at her confused. Shota smiled as if answering her own question.
"Very good of him. You cannot confess this Mord-Sith, because she desired the confession." Kahlan's eyes shone with shock, and she looked down to Cara, who looked up at her helplessly. Shota continued.
"When a confession takes place, your powers grab hold of the tiniest spark of love, no matter how large, in the confessed. You expand on that love, until all the unwillingness, the hate, is overcome and suffocated. Your power depends on the hate for the love to grow." Shota pointed at Cara. "This woman, has completely surrendered to all the love she feels for you, leaving no hate and unwillingness behind. So you see, there is no room for your power to expand, to conquer. Your Mord-Sith," She said with a leer, "Is unable to be confessed."
Kahlan looked down at Cara again, brushing back a few stray hairs that blew into her face with a gentle breeze. Shota laughed.
"This is all quite comical. I only wish I could see the look on Zeddicus' face." Shota replied with a laugh.
"This is all I need to know. Cara and I will be leaving now." Shota waved her arm, and Cara suddenly took a large gulp of air, feeling coming back into her limbs.
"You stupid woman!" Cara yelled, jumping to her feet. Cara grabbed her agiels and charged, but Shota was gone. Cara fell to the ground, exhausted. As she sat on her knees, she began to weep.
"Cara!" Kahlan gasped, running to her. Cara turned away from her, her hand gripping her agiels as hard as she possibly could. Cara could only mumble Richard's name through her tears. Kahlan tried not to think of what he would do when he found out, and suddenly a strike of fear went through her body. What if Shota told Zed? She grabbed Cara by the shoulders and pulled her towards her. Cara gulped back a few breaths. Through feelings that she couldn't control, she had betrayed the Lord Rahl.
After a few minutes, Cara became silent, and as Kahlan stood with her to walk toward the horses, she silently mounted her horse, and began riding slowly toward the west. Kahlan sighed, and mounted, riding after her. The sun rose to the middle of the sky, looming above them, and as they rode, not a word was said between them. Kahlan realized that what made her eyes go black during her dream was her grip on her powers loosening. She had become so comfortable being around Cara, that she didn't hold things in check as much, and because of this, she could very possibly put other people in danger. The chill of fear ran through her as she though what could have happened in that town had someone angered her. She was being too lax. With grit teeth, she forced up walls around her power, willing herself to be more alert in the future. This slip would not happen again.
As Kahlan and Cara approached Agaden Reach, Cara fought back the urge to gasp at it's beauty. The mountains reached up to the heavens, and as they rode into the valley, her vision was surrounded by the beauty of an endless canopy of trees. The light streamed in between the leaves in the fog of the morning, letting little rays of light hit the ground that they rode on.
"Don't be fooled," Kahlan warned, "It's beauty is only on the surface." Cara nodded, and forced herself not to admire what was around her. Cara laid her left hand on her agiel, feeling it's comforting pain bring warmth to her limbs. They rode further into the valley and came to a cave. Suddenly Cara found that her limbs were numb, and without any warning, her horse came to a sudden stop, and powerless, she slumped forward on her horse against her will.
"What are you doing here?" Came a voice from behind them. Kahlan turned, and saw Cara, gasping.
"What have you done to her?" Kahlan said with a shriek.
"Just taking insurance. She will be done no harm." Shota walked toward her, a strange curious smile on her face.
"She won't hurt you." Kahlan said through her teeth, restraining her anger. Shota looked at her for a long moment, her smile disappearing.
"Something is different about you. I sense your confusion." Shota said with an almost teasing tone. Kahlan said nothing, knowing that Shota was trying to rile her into action.
"We need your help." Cara said, gasping for air. She still lay motionless on her horse, arms and legs leaden as if they were filled with sand.
"Help?" Shota said imploringly, "From me? How can I help a Mord-Sith and her Mother Confessor?" Kahlan started as her use of words. Shota smiled.
"Do you think me stupid? I am a sorceress. I knew you two were coming weeks ago."
"My powers." Kahlan said silently. Shota nodded, and motioned for Kahlan to get off her horse. Kahlan dismounted, and walked over to Cara immediately, taking her gently off her horse and laying her down on the ground with her head in her lap. Shota watched this with an eyebrow raised.
"In all my years." She said with a shake of her head. Kahlan looked up, and grimaced.
"Just help us. Please." Shota threw her hands up in the air.
"Well it's all very simple," Shota said exasperated, "Didn't the wizard ever tell you?" Kahlan looked at her confused. Shota smiled as if answering her own question.
"Very good of him. You cannot confess this Mord-Sith, because she desired the confession." Kahlan's eyes shone with shock, and she looked down to Cara, who looked up at her helplessly. Shota continued.
"When a confession takes place, your powers grab hold of the tiniest spark of love, no matter how large, in the confessed. You expand on that love, until all the unwillingness, the hate, is overcome and suffocated. Your power depends on the hate for the love to grow." Shota pointed at Cara. "This woman, has completely surrendered to all the love she feels for you, leaving no hate and unwillingness behind. So you see, there is no room for your power to expand, to conquer. Your Mord-Sith," She said with a leer, "Is unable to be confessed."
Kahlan looked down at Cara again, brushing back a few stray hairs that blew into her face with a gentle breeze. Shota laughed.
"This is all quite comical. I only wish I could see the look on Zeddicus' face." Shota replied with a laugh.
"This is all I need to know. Cara and I will be leaving now." Shota waved her arm, and Cara suddenly took a large gulp of air, feeling coming back into her limbs.
"You stupid woman!" Cara yelled, jumping to her feet. Cara grabbed her agiels and charged, but Shota was gone. Cara fell to the ground, exhausted. As she sat on her knees, she began to weep.
"Cara!" Kahlan gasped, running to her. Cara turned away from her, her hand gripping her agiels as hard as she possibly could. Cara could only mumble Richard's name through her tears. Kahlan tried not to think of what he would do when he found out, and suddenly a strike of fear went through her body. What if Shota told Zed? She grabbed Cara by the shoulders and pulled her towards her. Cara gulped back a few breaths. Through feelings that she couldn't control, she had betrayed the Lord Rahl.
After a few minutes, Cara became silent, and as Kahlan stood with her to walk toward the horses, she silently mounted her horse, and began riding slowly toward the west. Kahlan sighed, and mounted, riding after her. The sun rose to the middle of the sky, looming above them, and as they rode, not a word was said between them. Kahlan realized that what made her eyes go black during her dream was her grip on her powers loosening. She had become so comfortable being around Cara, that she didn't hold things in check as much, and because of this, she could very possibly put other people in danger. The chill of fear ran through her as she though what could have happened in that town had someone angered her. She was being too lax. With grit teeth, she forced up walls around her power, willing herself to be more alert in the future. This slip would not happen again.