Final Ruling

[confessorlove]

Title: Final Ruling
Author: confessorlove
Pairing: Richard and Kahlan
Rating: PG-13
Summary:  Richard and Kahlan have to face the council when they do not approve of Kahlan's choice of Richard.
Author's Notes: confessorlove  and written for mykissbingo square Other: To Shut Them Up. Not beta'd so all mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to make them do my bidding.

 

The meeting had gone on for much longer than Kahlan would have liked.  After arriving in Aydindril that morning she and Richard had been swept into a meeting with the council almost immediately, much to her disappointment.  She wanted nothing more than to take Richard back to her chambers and show him her big, fluffy bed.  She hated that the council was questioning her on this.  It was her decision.  She wanted to marry Richard and the council was trying to ruin it.  She wouldn’t stand for it.  It wasn’t up to them to approve of her choice yet they were trying to tell her she couldn’t be with him.  They didn’t want the Lord Rahl of D’Hara mating with the Mother Confessor and she couldn’t understand why.  That is what made her more upset than anything.

She was glaring at the council, staring each member down in turn.  Her hand that wasn’t drumming her nails on the hard wood of the desk was intertwined with Richard’s beneath the desk; her cool gaze finally settling on the short, balding man before her, the head of the council, the representative from Kelton, Councilman Fredrickson.

Councilman Fredrickson cleared his throat before speaking, his eyes shying away from the Mother Confessor’s gaze.  “Forgive us, Mother Confessor but we implore you to see reason.  You cannot take the Lord Rahl of D’Hara as your mate.  His –“

Kahlan’s fist slammed down on the desk, cutting him off for the time being.  “He will not be my mate.  He will be my husband.  There is a very big difference.”

Councilman Fredrickson had to swallow back the lump that had formed in his throat before he could speak again.  He knew this was a pointless argument and he had no chance of convincing the Mother Confessor to not take Lord Rahl but he had to try.  The rest of the council looked to him to be their leader.  If he couldn’t stand up to the Mother Confessor then he didn’t deserve to lead them.  “Mother Confessor please listen to me.  You cannot provide him with the male heir he requires to leave D’Hara too and you know as well as I that the D’Harans will never accept a Confessor as their queen or crowned princess.”

Kahlan just sat there, her lips pursed and her confessors face firmly in place. “These are your only reasons, because D’Hara won’t like it?”  She couldn’t help but laugh, cutting him off once again when he started to open his mouth.  “Listen to me now, Councilman.  I do not care what the D’Harans think of this union.  It will be beneficial to both the Midlands and D’Hara so I see no reason for objection.  As for Richard’s need of a male heir – “

“I don’t need one.”  Richard had been quiet for most of the meeting, just letting Kahlan take control but with this, this he felt he needed to say something even if it required interrupting the Mother Confessor.  “I don’t need a son.  If daughters are all we can have then the people of D’Hara will have to live with that.  They will have to understand that my daughter will be Lady Rahl someday, that there will be no more Lord Rahls after myself.”

Kahlan just looked at him and she couldn’t help but smile at what he had said.  He would be happy having only daughters she was thrilled about it.  She couldn’t wait to start giving him those daughters.  Councilman Fredrickson just watched the exchange, the love and adoration he saw in both the Mother Confessor’s and Lord Rahl’s eyes was obvious.  He knew how much they cared for each other, he was just worried that the love they had for one another was blinding them to the real issue, that the D’Harans will never follow a confessor and their children, and if they had any would be not only Confessors but Rahls as well.  They couldn’t possibly expect the D’Harans to follow Confessors just like they couldn’t expect the people of the Midlands to follow Rahls.  Especially after fighting for so long to keep Darken Rahl out of the Midlands, the people would not be accepting of a Confessor, the possible future Mother Confessor, being of Rahl blood.

The Councilman inclined his head; this time directing his comments to Lord Rahl.  “Forgive me but I do not believe that the D’Harans will be satisfied with having only female heirs in line for the throne.  Not to mention how the people of the Midlands will react to having a future Mother Confessor of the Rahl bloodline.”

Kahlan just shook her head as she listened to him.  She was getting annoyed with this and wanted nothing more than for him to quit talking.  She decided right in that moment she would make it happen.  “Silence.  I have heard enough.  This is the best solution for both the Midlands and D’Hara.  They will finally be joined and no longer be at war.  This is my decision.”

“Please Mother Confessor, listen to us.”

Richard had enough. He was done listening to these people and having them tell he and Kahlan how they can live their lives. “Enough!” He spoke as she stood, his hand slamming down on the desk.  “I have heard enough.  The Mother Confessor has spoken.  You must listen to her.”

“Lord Rahl, please.  You know that you must provide a male heir to the throne and Kahlan cannot provide that.”

As much as Richard hated agreeing with these men, they were right.  The D’Harans would expect a male heir and even if he didn’t want a son if he couldn’t have one with Kahlan, that doesn’t mean that the people would understand and blindly follow his future daughter.  Kahlan watched him and slowly saw a change in his demeanor.  She could tell he was going to admit they were right.  Richard opened his mouth to speak, turning to Kahlan as he did.  “Kahlan, maybe we should –“

She gripped his shirt, pulling him down to her level and crushed her lips to his; cutting him off before he could admit to the council that they had a valid point.  She held him tightly to her, kissing him breathless as her tongue explored the cavern of his mouth, momentarily forgetting where they were, her need to show him her great big bed starting to overwhelm her.  She tangled her fingers in his hair as the passion grew but before she knew it, she needed to breath.  As much as she didn’t want to pull away she had to, resting her forehead against his, their noses touching lightly.  “Don’t even think about it, Richard Rahl.  Don’t even think of agreeing with them.”  She whispered to him, her voice so low he could barely hear it.

“I would never –“

And then she was kissing him again; stealing his breath with her passion, her tongue plunging deep inside and tickling the roof of his mouth.  Their kiss grew in intensity until Kahlan heard someone clearing their throat.  She tried to ignore it but she heard it again only more insistent. She almost growled in frustration when she broke the kiss, laying her head down on Richard shoulder as she directed her cold gaze on Councilman Fredrickson. 

When he saw the look in her eyes his comments died on his tongue, never even opening his mouth to share them.  He knew how well they would have been received and he didn’t want to test the Mother Confessor.  The last thing he wanted was to end up confessed and he knew if he pushed her, that is what his fate would be.

“Meeting adjourned.”  Kahlan spoke in a firm, even tone as she stood, her hand still tightly clenching the front of Richard’s shirt.  She turned to leave the chambers, pulling Richard along behind her when she heard Councilman Fredrickson finally speak.

“The meeting wasn’t over.”  He mumbled under his breath.

Kahlan turned her cool gaze upon him once more as she tightened her grip on Richard’s shirt.  He had to place his hands on hers, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb in order to calm her down slightly.  “Yes this meeting is over.  I have taken your advice under advisement and decided to do what I want.  There is no law in the Midlands that says the Council can tell the Mother Confessor who to take to her bed; so you will not be telling me what I can and cannot do.”

Councilman Fredrickson opened his mouth to speak but Kahlan cut him off again.  She didn’t care what this man had to say anymore.  All she cared about was getting back to her chambers with Richard.  “That is my final ruling.  I will take Richard as my husband and he will be the father of my children.  If you can’t handle that feel free to resign.  I’m sure there is someone else willing to be the head of the Council.”

Kahlan turned on her heels, grasping Richard’s hand firmly in hers as they made their way out of the council chambers and towards Kahlan’s chambers and her big bed; leaving an absolutely dumbstruck council behind them; the members just staring blankly at each other, completely speechless from everything that had gone on.  If there was one thing the council learned that day was to never question the Mother Confessor when it involved her love.  She would do anything for Lord Rahl and he would do anything for her.  They are a match made in heaven and there was no doubt in the minds of the council that they both would kill to keep the love they shared.  They wouldn’t let anything keep them apart and would do anything to stay together.  That, more than anything is what opened the council’s eyes.  They may not have agreed with the Mother Confessor and Lord Rahl but they knew that they believed what they were doing was for the good of the people as well as themselves.  That is what mattered in the end.