Had to post it in three (unequal) parts because its too big for two...
Legend Of The Seeker - Kahlan/Cara - Constant (3/3)
When he did return, and slept in her bed, it was all wrong. He was too heavy, too much muscle, to large for the space Cara had occupied. His breathing was too heavy and she couldn’t sleep. She would stare at the door, hoping Cara stood out there, but not knowing. She couldn’t know, when Richard invaded again, and Cara became distant and cold. Kahlan would doubt her commitment, Cara never seemed remotely bothered when Richard clasped Kahlan’s hands or kissed her – she would just look away, her expression unchanged. Perhaps her training served her well in these situations, just like Kahlan’s did. She believed their training in hiding their emotions worked, anyway. This is why she was so shocked when one day she jumped, as Richard slammed his hand down on the table. He didn’t look at her in fury though; she was surprised to see a strange, distant kind of sadness in his eyes.
“Do you want to be with me, or her?” Her heart constricted in panic. She couldn’t work out whether she was panicked at loosing him however or that once she did, she might loose Cara too.
“Richard I-“
“It’s ok, Kahlan. Don’t bother lying. Your not the only one that can read truth on peoples faces.” His voice was firm but thankfully not unkind. It dripped a kind of weariness however, as if lying to each other was something he couldn’t do anymore. “i want you to be happy. I wanted you to be happy with me, but you aren’t. You don’t smile at me anymore...you smile at Cara.”
Kahlan wanted to protest again, but it got lost. There was no point anymore. He knew. She knew.
“She...I have...grown accustomed to her. I want her near me. I missed you when you were in another place...but I feel that I miss her when she is outside my room, I miss her even when she’s close. When she isn’t right next to me, do you...understand?” Kahlan looked at him pleadingly and relief flooded over her when he nodded.
They reached an agreement. To be married, officially, was better for their two kingdoms. Lord Rahl and the mother confessor became an alliance no one would dare cross, at least for a while. This meant he did not need to be in Aydindril all the time. They would be married by name, not in reality. He would give her and Cara months, perhaps even more than a year each time, if he could. She and Cara could be together as they once were; they could be free within their castle – because that’s what it was, really.
As she watched Richard leave, Kahlan stood in the dusk, the long night before their new days together. She had wrapped her arms around herself, until a familiar creak of leather behind her made her smile. She didn’t turn, but let Cara stand next to her, the familiar body pressing against her side, as she took her hand.
Just like everything else, she could become used to this, too.
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Legend Of The Seeker - Kahlan/Cara - Constant (3/3)
When he did return, and slept in her bed, it was all wrong. He was too heavy, too much muscle, to large for the space Cara had occupied. His breathing was too heavy and she couldn’t sleep. She would stare at the door, hoping Cara stood out there, but not knowing. She couldn’t know, when Richard invaded again, and Cara became distant and cold. Kahlan would doubt her commitment, Cara never seemed remotely bothered when Richard clasped Kahlan’s hands or kissed her – she would just look away, her expression unchanged. Perhaps her training served her well in these situations, just like Kahlan’s did.
She believed their training in hiding their emotions worked, anyway. This is why she was so shocked when one day she jumped, as Richard slammed his hand down on the table. He didn’t look at her in fury though; she was surprised to see a strange, distant kind of sadness in his eyes.
“Do you want to be with me, or her?”
Her heart constricted in panic. She couldn’t work out whether she was panicked at loosing him however or that once she did, she might loose Cara too.
“Richard I-“
“It’s ok, Kahlan. Don’t bother lying. Your not the only one that can read truth on peoples faces.” His voice was firm but thankfully not unkind. It dripped a kind of weariness however, as if lying to each other was something he couldn’t do anymore.
“i want you to be happy. I wanted you to be happy with me, but you aren’t. You don’t smile at me anymore...you smile at Cara.”
Kahlan wanted to protest again, but it got lost. There was no point anymore. He knew. She knew.
“She...I have...grown accustomed to her. I want her near me. I missed you when you were in another place...but I feel that I miss her when she is outside my room, I miss her even when she’s close. When she isn’t right next to me, do you...understand?” Kahlan looked at him pleadingly and relief flooded over her when he nodded.
They reached an agreement. To be married, officially, was better for their two kingdoms. Lord Rahl and the mother confessor became an alliance no one would dare cross, at least for a while. This meant he did not need to be in Aydindril all the time. They would be married by name, not in reality. He would give her and Cara months, perhaps even more than a year each time, if he could. She and Cara could be together as they once were; they could be free within their castle – because that’s what it was, really.
As she watched Richard leave, Kahlan stood in the dusk, the long night before their new days together. She had wrapped her arms around herself, until a familiar creak of leather behind her made her smile. She didn’t turn, but let Cara stand next to her, the familiar body pressing against her side, as she took her hand.
Just like everything else, she could become used to this, too.