Disclaimer: Not mine.

Feedback: Yes please! (No flames tho, they tend to drive me crazy)

Author's Note: Hey, I'm sorry it's been so long. I've been having major writer's block on this chapter- I'm not even sure that I'm over the writer's block yet, but I wanted to get through this chapter so I could finish up the story. Hope you like it.

Chapter 25: New friends, Old Enemies

Richard awoke slowly. He stayed very still, categorizing all the aches and pains as he came into consciousness. His head ached and his whole body was tensed and in pain, like…like he'd been hit with an agiel. He squinted into the dark. He seemed to be alone for the moment. He moved into sitting position and looked around his prison. It was a lot like the first time he'd been captured by a Mord-Sith, the cave like room was damp, dark, and cold. He looked around and spotted a door over to his left. He carefully got to his feet and went over to it. He peeked through the bars and saw two Mord-Sith in red leather.

One he immediately recognized; Denna, his former captor, the other was a slim, muscled blonde. Richard sank back to the ground and put his head in his hands. The only way he was able to escape Denna last time was with Kahlan's help. She was the one person who held more power over him than Denna ever could. He heard the door open and the other blonde came in.

"Good, you're awake," she noted coldly. He looked up into her penetrating blue eyes. "Come with me."

Richard got up and followed her out of his cell. The light almost blinded him at first, but his eyes gradually adjusted and he kept pace behind her. She led him to a small room off the main hallway. He went inside first and she shut the door behind them.

Denna was waiting. She eyed Richard up and down with a sly, cunning smile.

"Richard," she greeted. Richard frowned.

"Denna." The blonde hit him with her agiel and he went to his knees.

"Proper etiquette Richard," Denna admonished when he could breathe again. Richard looked at the floor.

"Mistress Denna." Denna grinned wider and motioned for the other Mord-Sith to leave.

"Thank you Cara but I have it under control now." Richard heard Cara leave. Denna got up and put a hand under Richard's chin, forcing him to look up at her. "Richard, you are the only one who has ever escaped me," she informed him, a look of curiosity and cold menace in her eyes. "The only one." Richard returned her gaze.

"I guess I'm just special," he replied. Denna smiled again. He forced himself not to flinch at the cruelty he saw in her eyes.

"Yes my pet, you truly are," she replied. She pulled out her agiel. "Which will make this all the more fun."

Richard once again awoke in the small cave-like cell. He hurt all over, blood poured from numerous wounds. Denna had certainly enjoyed herself. The cell door opened and Cara entered. She looked him over.

"Eat," she instructed roughly throwing half a stale loaf of bread toward him. Richard grabbed the bread and looked up at her questioningly. "Eat," she ordered again. "Denna wants you fed."

"Why?" he asked. Cara scowled.

"It's not your place to question. Do as you're told," she ordered again. Richard took a bite of the bread and continued to study her.

"Is that what you have to do? Do as Denna tells you?" he asked. Cara glared at him and didn't respond. "I thought that Mord-Sith were only answerable to the Lord Rahl."

"We are," Cara replied stiltedly. She obviously didn't like his questions.

"Then why do you have to listen to Denna?" he asked again. Cara took out her agiel and hit him with it.

"I don't have to listen to anyone," she growled as the pain in his ribs grew more and more intense. She held her agiel there until he thought she was going to break his ribs. She stopped just short of actually doing that. "Eat," she repeated and left. Richard took another bite and looked at the cell door thoughtfully. There might just be a way out of this.

The fifth day Richard heard arguing just outside of his cell. There was a slap and then a muffled response. The door opened and Richard had just enough strength left to look up and see who it was. Cara knelt next to him. She dipped a cloth in the bowl of water she carried and began to clean his wounds.

"Why?" he questioned hoarsely. She shook her head.

"It that all you can say? Why?" she asked rhetorically. Richard shrugged, but regretted it instantly. "Be still," she warned. Richard nodded. She was surprisingly gentle with him. He studied her as she worked on his wounds. There was a long red mark across her cheek. He winced.

"Why do you put up with her?" he asked. Cara didn't acknowledge him. He rolled his eyes and was about to drop it when she answered.

"He's mad with us."

"About what?" he asked. Cara looked at him.

"Letting you escape. No one has ever escaped a Mord-Sith as powerful as Denna. He fears that our magic is weakening." Richard watched as she turned her eyes back to his wounds.

"Can it?" he asked.

"It never has before," Cara replied. She seemed to realize then who she was talking too. "And it never will." Richard grinned.

"I believe you." Cara watched him for a second, as if unsure of what to make of him. She turned and left again.

This time when Richard woke it was to soft hands stroking his face. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Kahlan kneeling beside him.

"Kahlan?" he muttered weakly. She smiled, tears running down her face.

"Yes Richard, we're going to get you out of here. Hold on, it's almost over."

Then he blacked out again.

"He should wake up any time now," an unfamiliar voice said. Richard tried to open his eyes and succeeded.

"Richard!" a delighted Dani called running over to him. She kissed his cheek. "How do you feel?" Richard tried to take stock of his injuries, he felt none.

"I feel great," he replied confused. "What happened?"

"We used Phoenix tears to help heal you," Dani told him. "It took almost an entire day."

"Where are we? Are we back at the caves?"

"Yes, we rescued you from the Mord-Sith temple last night," Dani answered. At that moment Kahlan entered and rushed to his side.

"Richard," she called gliding to a stop beside him. "How do you feel?"

"Better, thanks to the phoenix tears," he assured her sitting up. She threw her arms around him and he grinned as he hugged her back.

"Don't scare me like that again," she ordered. He pulled back to look into her eyes.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Dani tugged on his sleeve and he looked down at her.

"We have the last two boxes of Orden."

That's were I'm gonna end it today I think. We only have about one or two more chapters until the end. I can't wait! Read and Review

JJ