Aydindril, The Early Years

[confessorlove]

Title: Aydindril, The Early Years
Author: confessorlove
Pairing: Richard and Kahlan
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Richard and Kahlan grow up together in Aydindril and have to deal with developing feelings and all kinds of trouble.
Author's Notes:  Kinda AU what could have happened. Written for lotsbigbang  and BETA'd by my one and only braintwin theonlyspl Also this is the first long fic that I have written so I hope it turned out ok.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to make them do my bidding.

 

 

CHAPTER NINE

When Kahlan and Leo stopped hugging, Richard finally regained control of his brain, crossing the garden until he was right in front of them. “Cara has been captured,” he said bluntly.

“What?” Leo and Kahlan asked in unison.

“She’s been captured by the Mord’Sith.  They took her back to their temple, to finish her training.”

“Oh no.”

“We have to save her.”

“No.  I’ll save her.  I should have done a better job of protecting her.  It’s my fault she was captured.”

“I’m sure you did everything that you could to protect her.”

“It wasn’t enough Kahlan.  I’m going after her and I just wanted to tell someone where I was going, and what had happened.  I have to save her, I care about her, and she is my responsibility.”

Hearing Richard say those things about Cara made any thoughts of Leo being right fly right out of her head.  She was sure that Richard loved Cara. “Richard, I’m coming with you.  You’re not the only one who cares for Cara.”

“I know Leo but you should stay here with Kahlan, she needs you.”

“She doesn’t need me! You’re the one she needs. Tell him Kahlan.”

“Umm…Leo go with Richard.  He is going to need help rescuing her.  Please don’t argue with me about this.”

“Alright Kahlan,” he said with a sigh.  “Leo can help me.  Come on Leo we need to go now if we wanna save her.”

“You’re right, let’s go.” With that they left together to save Cara, leaving Kahlan to cry once again at the loss of Richard’s affection.  Thinking he was on his way to save his love and be her prince charming.

They road their horses fast back to where the Mord’Sith had taken Cara from, and started following the tracks back toward the Mord’Sith temple. “Richard,” Leo said breaking the silence. “You need to talk to Kahlan.”

“What? Leo this really isn’t the time to discuss Kahlan.”

“I know but you need to talk to her.  The problems between you are totally unnecessary.  She loves you; you have no reason to worry about anything.”

“Leo I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“She is concerned that your affections have moved on to Cara.  I’m sure what you said to her about caring for her didn’t help dissuade the thought.”

“Well…she…she doesn’t care about me anymore.  I see the way she was looking at you the other day.”

“Me,” he said with a laugh, “you think she is interested in me?  Trust me you have nothing to worry about.  Not only is she not interested in me, I’m not interested in her either.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Richard, I’d never lie to you.”

“Well I guess I gotta talk to Kahlan then.”

“You do.”

As they approached the Mord’Sith temple they stopped talking. Observing the perimeter and trying to find their way in to rescue her.  Spotting a weakness in the defense of the temple they made their advance, sneaking closer and closer until they got inside, moving through the shadows of the hallways trying to avoid the Mord’Sith and D’Haran guards who were patrolling the passageways.

“Where do you think she is?” Leo asked in a whisper.

“I’m not sure, maybe the dungeon.”

They kept moving through the halls until they heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from behind a door a little bit down the hall.  “I bet that’s Cara,” Richard said.

“I hope you’re wrong but I know that you’re not.”

“Are you ready?  This might get exciting.”

“Yeah, nothing will stop me from getting her back.”

“Good, let’s go.”

They quickly moved the remaining distance down the hallway until they reached the door the screams were coming from.  With a nod to Leo, Richard yanked the door open and they rushed inside.  The sight they were met with was something they weren’t prepared for.  Cara was hanging from her wrists bound in chains, attached to the ceiling and Garen and Dahlia were torturing her with their agiels.  The sound of them entering the room drew them from their fun, looking up just in time to see Leo coming at them with an axe and Richard swinging a sword he had borrowed from one of the guards back at the Confessor’s Palace.

They were only momentarily surprised by the sudden attack.  Turning to face the attack, each Mord’Sith took on one of the guys, Leo swinging his axe at Garen and Richard blocking Dahlia’s advances with his sword.  Dahlia lunged at Richard and missed, giving him the opportunity to knock her unconscious with the flat of his sword.

As she fell to the ground in a heap, Richard turned to help Leo take Garen down.  Richard knocked her off her feet by sweeping his leg behind her knees.  Leo took advantage of the situation and hit Garen over the head with his axe, knocking her out.  “We should hurry.  I don’t know how long they will be out for.”

“You’re right, help me get Cara down.”

Richard nodded and went to help Leo get her down.  She was barely conscious and had obviously been beaten horribly.  She was bleeding and bruised, Garen and Dahlia had apparently taken Cara’s escape personally.

They carefully carried her through the halls and out to the horses, surprised that they had gotten away so easily.  Leo mounted his horse and then Richard hoisted Cara up onto the horse with Leo.  Once Richard was sure Leo had her he mounted up and they took off back for Aydindril.

They took her to the palace when they reached Aydindril, carrying her up the steps and to her room.  Leo took her to her room while Richard went in search of a healer for her.

Richard found the healer and was taking her back to Cara’s room when he ran into Kahlan. “Go on ahead;” he said to the healer, “I’ll catch up with you.”  With a nod the healer continued toward Cara’s room.

“I take it you rescued Cara.”

“Yes we did.  Kahlan I think you and I need to talk.”

“What about Richard?  We have nothing to talk about.”

“Yes we do.  What is going on between us?  You know how I feel about you yet you are acting cold towards me like you don’t care anymore.”

“That’s not it.  I do care.  I just…don’t want my heart to get broken.”

“Kahlan,” he said as he grasped her shoulders lightly.  “I will never break your heart.  I can promise you that.  I love you, even though we can never be.”

“But…but Cara.”

“Cara is like my sister.  I love her but not the way I love you.  The way I love you is something special that is just for you.”

“That’s how I feel too Richard.  I love you and I will never feel this way about anyone ever again.”

He smiled when she said that and it warmed her heart to see it.  Against her better judgment she put her hands behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss.  He was surprised by her sudden behavior but enjoyed it none the less, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. Someone clearing their throat followed by the sound of Kahlan’s name drew them out of their passion.  Looking around they quickly spotted the source of the sounds, Kahlan’s mother was standing there, watching them.