Wrong in All the Right Ways (2/?)

[confessorlove]

Title: Wrong in All the Right Ways
Author:confessorlove 
Pairings: Emo!Kahlan/Richard and HBIC!Kahlan/Darken Rahl
Rating: PG-16
Summary: What happens when Zedd fails to reunite the two halves of Kahlan and HBIC!Kahlan makes an alliance with Darken Rahl?
Author's Notes: For the purpose of this fic, the episode 'Torn' takes place IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING the episode 'Extinction', however Renn isn't there to tell Richard what was in Darken's mind.  This fic follows canon up until 'Extinction' with the exception that 'Torn' is no longer episode eleven. I owe a LOT of inspiration for this fic to confessorlove  who helped me with plot points and was encouraging me to write. 
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to make them do my bidding.

 

The compass led them south for nearly a fortnight, everyone was tense, the mistrust and suspicion keeping them on edge not to mention numerous baneling attacks they had faced.  Darken had been impressed with Kahlan’s skills in battle and when she ordered one of the men she had confessed in a battle with bandits to drop dead at her feet he had to keep from staring.  The power that woman commanded interested him more than anything.  He was sure he could make her his, he just needed a plan.  Perhaps they could join their kingdoms.  After all she was in need of a new mate.  He had learned Richard had killed her last mate in some sort of battle.  He didn’t really care about the details.

As they approached a solid wall of rock he stood transfixed as Richard stepped right through the wall with that other version of Kahlan.  When they tried to follow they couldn’t.  Even Zedd’s magic kept them from going on with them. 

Cara watched as Zedd tired with little success to make it through the solid wall.  She knew it would be awhile before Richard and Kahlan returned.  “We should set up camp.  Who knows how long it will be before Richard and Kahlan come back through that wall.”

Zedd briefly stopped his attempt to magically get through the wall long enough to nod his agreement before turning back to the task at hand.  Darken watched as Cara marched off into the forest in search of firewood.  Grabbing his pack he took a seat on a log next to Kahlan who had been staring at the stretch of wall before them for nearly a quarter hour.  “What’s on your mind, Kahlan?”

She shook her head as she continued to watch Zedd try every incantation he knew to allow them to pass through the rock wall.  Why would he care anyway?  “I’m growing tired of this.  The compass seems to be leading us in circles and if it is Richard will not find the Stone.”

“You have no reason to worry about that.  I know my little brother.  He will succeed and then our alliance will be sealed.  Our Kingdoms bound by our treaty.”  He smirked as he spoke, his hand resting lightly on her forearm.

She both hated and loved when he would smirk like that.  The look he gave her making her itch to teach him his place in this alliance but they were equals.  It would be unwise to do anything to jeopardize this before Richard sealed the rift.  Besides, the way he smirked, so condescending and full of himself, which made her, want him more than anything.  The more time she spent with him the more she wanted to make him her mate.  He was the perfect candidate even if he was arrogant and self important.  “I’m not worried,” she said as she stood, needing to get away from him.  She couldn’t take his looks and smirks, the way his eyes lingered on her body when he thought she wasn’t looking.   All his hints and innuendo had her more hot and bothered than she would ever admit.  He couldn’t know the effect he had on her.  What purpose would that serve?

“You seem worried,” he said causally.

“I’m not worried,” she practically snapped.  “I just need to return to Aydindril.  Who knows what the state of things will be once I return.”

“No one does but it doesn’t matter.  You will crush any opposition just like you do your opponents in battle.”

Kahlan smirked and rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to Zedd and the wall totally aware of his attempts of winning her affection.  The only problem was she was not that kind of person.  She didn’t love.  She couldn’t love.  She was sure he knew that.

XXX

Richard and Kahlan made their way through the cave alone, the glowing blue light of the compass the only thing leading them.  “Where are the others?”  Kahlan whispered, her grip on his arm tightening as they moved deeper into the cave.

He shook his head but kept moving.  “They probably couldn’t get through the wall.  I’m sure they will be waiting for us when we come back.”  She murmured her agreement and walked with him silently, clutching his arm until suddenly he stopped.  “We should rest for the night.  We don’t know what we will face once we get out of here and should be prepared.”  Kahlan nodded and set to pulling blankets from their packs while Richard went looking for something to light for a fire. 

He returned a short while later and had a fire blazing in no time.  Kahlan was grateful for the warmth but despite the fire she sat close to him, her head resting against his shoulder.

“This is nice,” he murmured, his hand lovingly stroking up and down her arm.  “I can’t remember the last time we were alone together.”

She shook her head and smiled sadly.  “Neither can I.”

Richard turned towards her, cupping her face in his strong hands, his thumb brushing along her cheekbone.  “I love you,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her softly.  It had been too long since they kissed, constantly surrounded by people who were watching them.  The more time that passed the more he could forget about everything that happened and live in the moment.  She was his life now, there was no changing that.

Their kisses grew in passion until clothes were being shed, her hands moving all over his body, savoring the feel of his bare flesh against his.  She wanted nothing more than to be one with him once more.  It had been so long.  He hadn’t touched her since that night before they returned to Aydindril.  She was craving him.  They were alone and nothing was stopping them.

In a blink he was over her, pressing her to lie back against the blankets she had laid out for them as he blazed a trail of hot kisses over her flesh.  He hadn’t realized how much he needed this until now.  They were alone and it was perfect.  He groaned as she wrapped her legs around him, her nails on his shoulder biting his flesh but he didn’t mind, the sweet sting of it only increasing his pleasure as she marked him as hers.

They moved together in the glow of the firelight, their passion mounting with each move they made.  They fit so perfectly together, the bliss they always brought each other amazing.  The rocketed higher and higher into untold levels of bliss before their releases claimed them.  The sounds of their ecstasy echoing through the cave

Spent, Richard collapsed atop her, panting as he caught his breath.  He nuzzled her neck and kissed it softly whilst coming back from his bliss.  He felt her fingers twine in his hair, lightly massaging his scalp and he smiled against her neck.  Both of them too exhausted to do anything but lay there listening to the sounds of the other’s heartbeat.

“I love you.” He whispered after several long minutes before rolling off her.  He propped himself up on his elbow and smiled down at her, taking a lock of her hair and twirling it around his finger.  This was a perfect moment and he wanted it to last forever.

“I love you too,” she said, completely captivated by the love and devotion in his warm brown eyes.  It would never cease to amaze her how even a simple look would make her heart beat faster.  He really was the man of her dreams and she never wanted to let him go.

Together they fell asleep wrapped in the warm embrace of the one they loved.  Nothing could be more perfect.

XXX

When they woke, Richard and Kahlan made good time making their way out of the cave and down into a beautiful valley.  It was breathtaking and Kahlan seemed happy.  It didn’t take them long to make their way into the heart of the valley, following the compass as it lead them into a temple, where they were greeted by a small group of people.

“You must be the Seeker,” the man in the center of the group said.

Richard had no idea how these people knew who he was.  He couldn’t understand it but nodded just the same.  “Yes.”  Immediately the group looked towards the heavens and held their arms out whist praying to the Creator.  Richard and Kahlan watched the sight before them unfold before he finally spoke again.  “Who are you?”

“My name is Asa,” the man in the center said, Richard assumed him to be their leader.  “We have been waiting for you for a very long time.” 

Asa stepped aside, the whole group with him doing the same as they made a path for Richard and Kahlan.   The compass glowed brighter and they stepped closer hardly believing that they were so close to their goal.  They could see it sitting in the center of a basin filled with water, the Stone of Tears was within their grasp. 

Richard’s eyes were wide as Kahlan reverently spoke the very thing he had been thinking.   “It’s the Stone of Tears.”  Carefully he picked up the small teardrop shaped stone as the glowing light of the compass went out.  This was their salvation.  With this they could seal the Rift.

Richard tucked the Stone inside his vest as they turned around and faced the small group of people waiting to speak with them.  They listened as Asa told them the history of the Stone of Tears and how the Creator knew that someday it would be needed to seal the veil.  Though when he told them the Stone was supposed to stay in the Valley while the outside world was destroyed, neither one of them could believe what they were hearing.  They needed to know what to do with the Stone.  They needed to get back to Rahl.

They couldn’t let all those innocent people die just so they could live.  It wasn’t right.  Taking Kahlan’s hand they made their way out of the temple, away from Asa and the rest of them as they tried desperately to find a way out of the Valley.  

Reaching the cliff they were disappointed when the compass would no longer allow them to pass through the solid rock.   He couldn’t believe their luck.  They needed to get out of this valley.  “Maybe the compass no longer works now that we have found the Stone.”  He mused aloud.  “There has to be another way out.”

Together they searched the valley in vain, trying everything they could think of to make their way out and back to the others.  Finally they decided to climb the cliff.  If that was the only way out then so be it.  They had to get out of the valley.

Leaving their packs on the ground they began to slowly scale the cliff side.  They were nearly at the top when Kahlan slipped, losing her grip on the rock and falling.  Grabbing Richard’s foot in a last ditch effort to save herself, she just hung there, terrified of falling, of losing Richard forever. 

He tried to help her but it was no use.  Tears sprung to his eyes as her grip slipped and she fell.  The sound of her crying out her love for him as she plummeted to her death the only thing he could hear.

It took time but eventually he made it to the top of the cliff, collapsing on his back and staring up at the sky where he knew she was watching over him.  It took all his willpower not to throw himself off the cliff and be with her forever.  He blinked and he was staring up at the cliff once more not just the sky.  He didn’t understand.  Quickly scrabbling to his feet his breath caught at what he saw.  It didn’t seem possible but she was standing there before him, alive.

Pulling her into his arms, he held her tight as if he was afraid of losing her again.  “How?” he whispered, his cheek pressed to the top of her head.

“I don’t know.  Once minute I was going to hit the ground and then I was standing right there.”  She clung to him, the fall having shaken her to her very core.  She needed his comfort to calm her nerves.