Fic: Cry Wolf
April Fools Day was the one holiday where the entire point was to get revenge for having to tolerate all other holidays so, of course, it was the one holiday Kahlan wanted nothing to do with. Cara didn’t think this was fair. Their resulting argument ensured that the entire town knew that neither woman would be celebrating the holiday. Actually, the argument was fairly short but Cara’s threat to the gathered townsfolk about what would happen to them if they upset the Mother Confessor, aka if she couldn’t play then no one could, caused it to stick in everyone’s minds. And haunt quite a few dreams.
It was, perhaps, for this reason that the day started out fairly tamely; a few door knobs were smeared with honey, a few people ended up on the wrong side of a bucket of water, and all the chickens were turned pink. This last was though to be the work of Zeddicus, whose own chickens seemed curiously unaffected and who was sporting a large grin and snickering to himself at odd moments.
His grin vanished when he showed up to the inn for lunch and found someone had switched the cook’s sugar and salt. It seems in their eagerness to avoid upsetting the Mord’Sith, Kahlan could cook even if Cara could not, the townsfolk had forgotten about the dangers of upsetting a Wizard of the First Order, who was no longer concealing his identity. Things took a dramatic turn after that.
After the fifth small explosion once again distracted the wardens with whom she was “training” (to put it charitably) Cara’s lips were pressed together in a thin, displeased line. “Go,” she told them shortly, with a quick jerk of her head, ending practice. Clearly nothing could be done today. She wondered if Kahlan was having the same problem.
With that thought in mind, she set out for the council chambers.
Frustratingly, not only was Cara right, but Kahlan had given up long before Cara got there. Michael was on his way out and told Cara she had missed Kahlan by a good candle mark. Grumbling to herself, Cara turned back the way she had come, this time heading for their house at the far edge of town. She was halfway there when she ran into Emma, who informed her that Kahlan had been heading to Richard’s. Changing direction once again, Cara was spectacularly unamused when she got to Richard’s and found him alone. She had a sneaking suspicion it wasn’t just a run of bad luck either. “Kahlan’s told people to make me run around town hasn’t she,” Cara accused before Richard could offer yet another spot for her to fruitlessly check.
His denial didn’t convince Cara at all; he was terrible at lying.
“Fine,” She sighed. “Where did Kahlan theoretically go this time?”
Richard looked a little too relived. “Stables.”
Cara sighed again. “Come on.”
“What?”
She glared at him. “If I have to wander around, you have to come with me; this is your stupid holiday.”
They ran into Zedd on the way. He gave them a brisk nod, intent on a teenager on the other side of the street. Cara skin began to itch as he gathered magic for another spell. She shot out a hand and grabbed him by the wrist. “Wizard,” she growled. “Don’t you have something else to be doing.”
“Ah,” Zedd took a good look at the expression on her face. The feeling of magic dissipated at once. “Of course, Cara, I’ll go get right on, uh, minding my own business.”
“Do,” Cara let him go, and gestured with a jerk of her head for Richard to continue. Richard exchanged a rueful look with his grandfather as he hurried away with Cara.
Kahlan was not in the stable. Cara cut off the hostler with a look. “Where?” she demanded, turning to Richard.
“Um.”
“She made you promise not to tell, I suppose?” Cara rolled her eyes “Fine. Whatever. Take me to her then!”
Richard looked relieved. “I can do that.”
As he led her out of the village proper, up onto a game trail, Cara began to wonder why she was even bothering. If Kahlan didn’t want to be found…. Cara paused as a break in the trees let her look back down at the village below them. Maybe she should just… she started to turn around when she caught sight of the opposite ridge line. Her annoyance vanished in an instant. “Richard!” She grabbed his shoulder and pointed at the dark plume rising out of a nearby peak.
His eyes widened. “Do you think someone…?”
“I think the mountain’s exploding; forget the stupid holiday, we need to get to Kahlan. NOW!”
“She’s at the bluff. Go. I’m going to go back and warn the village.”
“I’m not letting you go back down there,” Cara planted herself firmly between him and danger. She glanced passed him, an expression of longing passing over her face. “You go get Kahlan. I’ll get the villagers and meet you.”
“Cara-”
“We’re wasting time.” She met his eyes and refused to let her expression soften.
His hand gripped her arm, squeezing tightly. “Hurry.”
Richard had a last glimpse of her, blonde hair flowing out behind her as she raced for the village. Then he turned and ran too.
He found Kahlan quickly, cutting off her surprise with a rushed explanation. As they climbed up to relatively safe heights and found an overlook where they could keep watch for Cara, neither spoke. Then began the waiting, which was both boring and simultaneously terrifying.
The sun sunk an hour and there was still no sigh of her. Or anyone else.
Kahlan stood, staring at the mountain still belching black smoke into the sky. “I’m going back for her.”
“It hasn’t been that long.”
“Then I’ll meet her on the way.”
Richard nodded, expecting her to say something like that. “I’m going with you.”
“She’s never forgive me if I let you do that,” Kahlan said with a small smile. “Give me an hour.”
He scowled.
“Richard, please.”
He knew he had lost the argument when he made the mistake of looking at her eyes. “An hour. Then I’m coming after both of you.”
Kahlan barely remembered the trip back to the village; she was standing with Richard, then her cheeks where red with exertion as she came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the village where life continued on, uninterrupted.
She found Cara whittling a practice blade for Chase’s youngest outside then inn.
She looked up when she saw Kahlan and raised an eyebrow. “I’ll tell Zedd to stop the smoke then?”
“Please do,” Kahlan used her confessor’s voice and was pleased with how neutral she sounded, even if her breathing was still a little heavy from her run.
Richard showed up an hour and a half later, leaves in his hair and a fresh cut in his sleeve.
“What happened to you?” Cara asked, disinterest.
“A Gar attacked me, it had young, I couldn’t kill it so I’m getting dinner for it from the butcher.”
Kahlan and Cara exchange a look as he hurried away. “Sure he did.”
It was, perhaps, for this reason that the day started out fairly tamely; a few door knobs were smeared with honey, a few people ended up on the wrong side of a bucket of water, and all the chickens were turned pink. This last was though to be the work of Zeddicus, whose own chickens seemed curiously unaffected and who was sporting a large grin and snickering to himself at odd moments.
His grin vanished when he showed up to the inn for lunch and found someone had switched the cook’s sugar and salt. It seems in their eagerness to avoid upsetting the Mord’Sith, Kahlan could cook even if Cara could not, the townsfolk had forgotten about the dangers of upsetting a Wizard of the First Order, who was no longer concealing his identity. Things took a dramatic turn after that.
After the fifth small explosion once again distracted the wardens with whom she was “training” (to put it charitably) Cara’s lips were pressed together in a thin, displeased line. “Go,” she told them shortly, with a quick jerk of her head, ending practice. Clearly nothing could be done today. She wondered if Kahlan was having the same problem.
With that thought in mind, she set out for the council chambers.
Frustratingly, not only was Cara right, but Kahlan had given up long before Cara got there. Michael was on his way out and told Cara she had missed Kahlan by a good candle mark. Grumbling to herself, Cara turned back the way she had come, this time heading for their house at the far edge of town. She was halfway there when she ran into Emma, who informed her that Kahlan had been heading to Richard’s. Changing direction once again, Cara was spectacularly unamused when she got to Richard’s and found him alone. She had a sneaking suspicion it wasn’t just a run of bad luck either. “Kahlan’s told people to make me run around town hasn’t she,” Cara accused before Richard could offer yet another spot for her to fruitlessly check.
His denial didn’t convince Cara at all; he was terrible at lying.
“Fine,” She sighed. “Where did Kahlan theoretically go this time?”
Richard looked a little too relived. “Stables.”
Cara sighed again. “Come on.”
“What?”
She glared at him. “If I have to wander around, you have to come with me; this is your stupid holiday.”
They ran into Zedd on the way. He gave them a brisk nod, intent on a teenager on the other side of the street. Cara skin began to itch as he gathered magic for another spell. She shot out a hand and grabbed him by the wrist. “Wizard,” she growled. “Don’t you have something else to be doing.”
“Ah,” Zedd took a good look at the expression on her face. The feeling of magic dissipated at once. “Of course, Cara, I’ll go get right on, uh, minding my own business.”
“Do,” Cara let him go, and gestured with a jerk of her head for Richard to continue. Richard exchanged a rueful look with his grandfather as he hurried away with Cara.
Kahlan was not in the stable. Cara cut off the hostler with a look. “Where?” she demanded, turning to Richard.
“Um.”
“She made you promise not to tell, I suppose?” Cara rolled her eyes “Fine. Whatever. Take me to her then!”
Richard looked relieved. “I can do that.”
As he led her out of the village proper, up onto a game trail, Cara began to wonder why she was even bothering. If Kahlan didn’t want to be found…. Cara paused as a break in the trees let her look back down at the village below them. Maybe she should just… she started to turn around when she caught sight of the opposite ridge line. Her annoyance vanished in an instant. “Richard!” She grabbed his shoulder and pointed at the dark plume rising out of a nearby peak.
His eyes widened. “Do you think someone…?”
“I think the mountain’s exploding; forget the stupid holiday, we need to get to Kahlan. NOW!”
“She’s at the bluff. Go. I’m going to go back and warn the village.”
“I’m not letting you go back down there,” Cara planted herself firmly between him and danger. She glanced passed him, an expression of longing passing over her face. “You go get Kahlan. I’ll get the villagers and meet you.”
“Cara-”
“We’re wasting time.” She met his eyes and refused to let her expression soften.
His hand gripped her arm, squeezing tightly. “Hurry.”
Richard had a last glimpse of her, blonde hair flowing out behind her as she raced for the village. Then he turned and ran too.
He found Kahlan quickly, cutting off her surprise with a rushed explanation. As they climbed up to relatively safe heights and found an overlook where they could keep watch for Cara, neither spoke. Then began the waiting, which was both boring and simultaneously terrifying.
The sun sunk an hour and there was still no sigh of her. Or anyone else.
Kahlan stood, staring at the mountain still belching black smoke into the sky. “I’m going back for her.”
“It hasn’t been that long.”
“Then I’ll meet her on the way.”
Richard nodded, expecting her to say something like that. “I’m going with you.”
“She’s never forgive me if I let you do that,” Kahlan said with a small smile. “Give me an hour.”
He scowled.
“Richard, please.”
He knew he had lost the argument when he made the mistake of looking at her eyes. “An hour. Then I’m coming after both of you.”
Kahlan barely remembered the trip back to the village; she was standing with Richard, then her cheeks where red with exertion as she came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the village where life continued on, uninterrupted.
She found Cara whittling a practice blade for Chase’s youngest outside then inn.
She looked up when she saw Kahlan and raised an eyebrow. “I’ll tell Zedd to stop the smoke then?”
“Please do,” Kahlan used her confessor’s voice and was pleased with how neutral she sounded, even if her breathing was still a little heavy from her run.
Richard showed up an hour and a half later, leaves in his hair and a fresh cut in his sleeve.
“What happened to you?” Cara asked, disinterest.
“A Gar attacked me, it had young, I couldn’t kill it so I’m getting dinner for it from the butcher.”
Kahlan and Cara exchange a look as he hurried away. “Sure he did.”