Taking A Break

[confessorlove]

Title: Taking A Break
Author: confessorlove
Pairing: Richard and Kahlan
Rating: PG
Summary: Richard and Kahlan have some quiet time.
Author's Notes: Written for my kissbingo  square Body: Top of Head. Not beta'd so all mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to make them do my bidding.

 

Richard hated that Kahlan’s pregnancy was making her sick but there was nothing they could do about it.  All he could do was hold her hair while she emptied her stomach onto the ground.  They had been going for a walk through the small orchard behind the Confessors Palace, the apple trees all in bloom, their branches heavy with the tiny flower blossoms.  Richard had hoped that the walk in the warm spring air would settle her stomach, he was obviously wrong.  For the third time that day she was bent over as her stomach rebelled.  He held her hair back, his other hand rubbing loving circles over her back.  When she finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and took his proffered water skein.  “Thanks.”  She said after taking a small sip and swishing it around her mouth to clear away the taste of vomit before spitting it out.

Richard continued to rub her back while giving her a halfhearted smile. “Are you sure you’re alright?  Do you want to go home and rest?”

She smiled a little, resting her head against his chest when he pulled her into his arms.  “I don’t want to go home.  It’s such a beautiful day.”

“Alright.”  He held her close to him as he helped her up.  Together they slowly walked a short way towards the small stream that ran through the orchard.  When they reached it, Richard sat with Kahlan under a tree where they could watch the water glistening in the sunlight.  He let her rest against him as he stroked her hair, planting a light kiss to her hairline and soaking in this peaceful moment with his wife.

“I love you, Kahlan.”

She smiled as he rested his cheek on the top of her head as they watched the water flow over the rocks and listening to the birds chirp nearby.  He let the hand that wasn’t stroking her hair drift to her abdomen, setting it their lightly in an attempt to hold their daughter before she was even born.  “I love you too.  You know,” she said as she watched his hand form lazy circles over her belly and their child, “she doesn’t have a name yet.”

Richard continued to let his fingers trail through her hair as he thought about what she had said.  He knew their daughter needed a name but he had no idea and it would still be months until the birth.   He gently nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head, her silken locks tickling his face as he did so.  “We have plenty of time to think of a name of her.  There is no need to rush into a decision.”

She nodded, her hand moving to join his over their child as she watched two squirrels chase each other around the base of a nearby tree before finally scaling it. “You have a point.  We have about six months before she gets here.  No need to rush, but maybe we could think of some.”

Richard laughed, the vibrations coursing through his chest and into Kahlan as she leaned against him.  “We may not need to hurry but those six months will fly by.  Trust me; we’ll be holding her before we know it.”

Kahlan smiled softly at that.  She couldn’t wait to hold their daughter in her arms.   She wondered if she would have his eyes or hers; if she would have dark hair or light like Dennee or maybe red like Jennsen.  She was just so curious.  She couldn’t wait to see her features melded with Richard’s into their perfect child.

They sat together in the shade of the apple blossom tree, listening to the stream burble and the birds chirp.  Kahlan was getting tired.  She had been getting tired more and more frequently due to the pregnancy and the peaceful sounds all around them started to lull her to sleep.  Her head resting against Richard’s chest, inhaling his scent and letting it warm her heart, just having him near made her happier than she had ever been.

Richard noticed her starting to drift off so he kissed the top of her head, his nose buried in her hair and taking in that beautiful scent of vanilla, lavender and something else that was just Kahlan.  She murmured something he couldn’t understand and nuzzled against his chest.  He took that as a sign.  Kahlan needed her rest.  “Kahlan?”  She murmured something that sounded like his name in response, not bothering to open her eyes as she snuggled against him.  “We should go inside.  You need to rest.”

She didn’t say anything; she just stayed there and soaked in that perfect moment with him as she drifted off.  When she didn’t respond he shifted, moving so he could stand and carry her as well.  It took Richard a moment with the way she was leaning against him to manage to get up and lift her into his arms but it wasn’t a struggle he wasn’t happy to have.

He situated her in his arms and carried her into through the orchard and back to their chambers.  He backed into their room, closing the door with his foot behind them before laying her down on their bed.  Her raven hair splayed out on the pillow in a beautiful contrast.  It took his breath away.  He could never believe that someone like her loved him, a simple woods guide from Heartland but she did and he was thankful for that every day.

He had some work to finish as long as she was resting peacefully so he pulled the blanket over her and kissed her forehead, whispering his love for her before turning to leave.  He was living the life he wanted with the woman he loved and now they were starting a family, nothing made him happier than that.  Every day he thanked the Spirits for the perfect life he had with Kahlan; and soon would have with their daughter.

Richard let his mind wander to Kahlan and the future they were going to have together as he walked the short distance to his study, completely oblivious of the servants smiling brightly at the look on his face.  Everything in his life was perfect and only getting better.  Now that he had taken the throne and the world seemed to be at peace, he couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for them.  He wasn’t sure but the one thing he did know was that he and Kahlan could get through anything if they did it together.