Thanks for following me on this angsty ride I've taken us all on. Hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it (or typing it)!

Blinded by Love (Chapter 10)

Zedd pulled Cara aside to bandage her head while Richard sat with Kahlan. Richard handed her a water skin as he remained close by her side, not wanting to let her out of his sight. The thought of her being in the Underworld rattled him to the core.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Richard asked; worry weighing heavily in his handsome face as she handed the water skin back to him. Never again did he ever want to experience the hollow feeling that consumed his soul, the overwhelming sense of loneliness and loss that caused his heart to break.

"I'm alright, Richard. I'm back with you and that's all that matters now," Kahlan softly replied, trying to hide the fear that still permeated her heart. Rahl had been so close to getting what he wanted. She shuddered at the thought.

Seeing her tremble again, Richard caressed her pale cheek with his thumb, burying the rest of his hand in her hair as his fingers stroked her neck. "I'm so sorry, Kahlan," Richard murmured, guilt lacing his words. "I should have protected you better; I'm so sorry I let you down."

"Richard, it's alright. It was not your fault; there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. Darken Rahl was bent on bringing me to the Underworld. There was nothing you could have done to stop it."

"Rahl? Rahl was the one who sent Giller and not the Keeper?" Richard, stunned by the revelation, could barely breathe because of the fear that seeped into his heart. Rahl was still terrorizing them even from the Underworld.

"Yes, he wanted me for himself," Kahlan softly responded, averting her eyes, not wanting Richard to see the pain in her eyes at the memory of Rahl's hands on her.

"Kahlan, what did he do to you?" Richard steeled himself for her response, not sure he would be able to handle her answer to his question.

"Richard, you don't…"

"Kahlan, I have to know. Did he hurt you?" Richard asked more forcefully, panic and dread gripping and twisting his insides into knots as he grabbed her by her shoulders. He couldn't bear the thought of Rahl having his hands on his Kahlan, of Kahlan having to endure such violation.

Looking down, Kahlan replied, "He made me an offer to be his and serve him at his side or be at the mercy of the Keeper. I told him I would only stay with him if he promised to leave you alone. I told him he had to stop pursuing you and sending Banelings after you. He said he didn't have to bargain with me, that he could take me at any time. Richard, I tried to fight him, I really did…but he grabbed me, kissing me and…and touching me…" she choked out through resurfacing tears.

Kahlan began to tremble as she felt her chin being lifted up. She was being forced to look into the brown eyes before her. Instead of disgust in his eyes, all she could find was love.

"Kahlan, it's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done to stop him." It pained him so deeply what Kahlan had endured at the hands of Rahl in the Underworld. He wanted so badly to take all her hurts away.

"He was forcing himself on me when I couldn't take it any longer. He was trying to take what was only yours, Richard, so I shoved him off of me and hit him. He struck me and started hitting me with these agonizing shock waves of pain when Cara brought me back to you," tears shined in her eyes, thankful that Cara had saved her before it was too late.

"It's alright, Kahlan. I've got you now…I'm never going to let you go," Richard whispered to her, overwhelmed with her concern for his safety even in the Underworld with Rahl threatening to assault her. He couldn't help but smile to himself at his Confessor's feistiness and strength even in the presence of Rahl and the Keeper.

"I love you, Richard" Kahlan murmured, pressing her forehead to his, relieved that he still loved her even after what Rahl had attempted to do to her. "I meant it, I am yours and yours alone…this is your body to love, your heart to keep," she pledged as she placed his hand over her heart.

"I love you too, Kahlan, with all my heart," Richard whispered as he leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her soft lips. "All that I am and all that I have is yours."

"If you two are done being all sappy, we really should get moving before the Vintu send any more Raiders after us," Cara interrupted, standing behind them with a bandage wrapped around her head and her arms crossed.

"Cara, I can't thank you enough for saving me from Rahl and the Underworld," Kahlan gratefully responded as Richard helped her to stand.

"I'm glad your back. It saves me from having to spend the rest of the mission hearing Lord Rahl moan and cry over you. He would have been a depressed blubbering mess. I would have had to put him out his misery." Cara smirked as she glanced at Richard.

"Thank you, Cara, for saving Kahlan," Richard replied, amused by the Mord'Sith's conveyance of her feelings. He was beginning to feel as though he was making progress. "I owe you my life."

"I know, but I'm not keeping track. I'm glad you eyesight's back, Confessor. I was pushing to have you dumped off at the next town, but Lord Rahl here wouldn't hear of it. He's very obstinate."

"I know! He can be so stubborn," Kahlan replied as she strode past Richard to walk beside Cara, the two women discussing Richard's qualities.

Richard could only stand there in awe. This was turning out to be not such a good idea having a Mord'Sith along.

"You know keeping those two apart may be in your best interest, my boy," Zedd commented, coming to stand beside Richard as they watched the woman walk away.

"I'm beginning to think you're right," Richard replied with a smile.

XXX

Having followed the compass's turn of direction, they were able to make it the next town by nightfall. Obtaining three rooms at an inn, Zedd was able to tend to Cara's injury. Cara would need only the night to recover she had reassured the Seeker and Mother Confessor, quickly dismissing the Wizard after he had re-bandaged her head. Cara had just wanted to be left alone so she could sleep.

Zedd, content that Cara was doing better and that Kahlan was back with them, was more than eager to head downstairs to see what the kitchen had to offer him. Kahlan and Richard had declined his invitation to join him for a snack, preferring to stay in for the rest of the night. Zedd had flashed Richard a knowing grin, understanding his need to spend time alone with Kahlan.

After having gotten cleaned up down the hall, Richard returned to their room to find Kahlan standing before the fireplace, lost in thought as she stared into the fire. Setting down his pack, Richard pulled off his boots before he quietly padded over to Kahlan.

Absorbed in her thoughts, Kahlan hadn't even heard Richard return to their room. She was shaken from her thoughts when a strong arm snaked around her waist and another across her chest, bringing a smile to her face. Leaning back into his comforting embrace, Kahlan laid her head back against his shoulder.

Nuzzling her ear with his nose, Richard inhaled the sweet lavender smell that was his Kahlan, the smell that thrilled his senses. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered into her ear, concerned.

The feel of his arms securely around her, his musky smell, the tingles his breathe on her ear was sending through her body all made her head swim with desire. He was making it very hard to even remember what had been consuming her thoughts before he came into their room.

"I was thinking how lucky I am to have you in my life. You never left my side the whole time I couldn't see. You took such good care of me. You were so sweet and so loving and patient," she softly replied, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Kahlan, you would have done the same for me and have done the same for me…over and over. No matter what, Kahlan, our love will always see us through. Always."

Gathering up her hair, he gently pulled it back and over her left shoulder, allowing him full access to her now exposed neck. He slowly began to feather her neck with tender kisses, relishing the feel of her skin beneath his lips.

Feeling her warm skin against his mouth, burning desire ignited deep within him as his breathing began to quicken with the rapid beating of his heart. The gnawing urgency of need was rapidly building within them as Richard's hand snaked up from her waist to stroke her throat and along her collarbone.

Kahlan released a throaty moan as Richard began to untie the laces of her dress as he continued to slowly torture her with hot wet kisses along her neck and down to her shoulder, his teeth nipping and grazing her skin. The feel of him pressing himself into her back, his lips and tongue caressing her skin and his hands undressing her caused warm desire to begin swimming in the pit of her stomach. Spirits, she loved this man. No one before and no one since had ever sparked such feelings, such love and desire within her.

Slowly pushing her dress off her shoulders, Richard continued his exploration of her body, his hands making quick work of the black corset that was a barrier keeping him from fully enjoying his lover. Having removed the last shred of her clothing, Kahlan kicked her boots off.

Unable to control the building need inside of her, Kahlan turned in Richard's arms, teasing his lips with her tongue before pressing her lips to his. So relieved to be in each other's arms again, they kissed with an even deeper appreciation for the love they shared and had almost lost.

As the kiss continued to deepen, Richard's tongue slowly began massaging hers, taking every ounce of her essence and absorbing it into himself. Tears began to well up in his eyes as fresh wounds of grief still stung his heart. He had come too close to losing her forever.

Suddenly tasting the saltiness of a tear, Kahlan's own heart began to break. While she had gone through her own living nightmare in the Underworld, Richard had endured his own private hell. Reaching up, Kahlan took his face in his hands.

"Richard, it's alright…I'm right here…I'm not going anywhere," Kahlan quietly soothed, her breath a whisper on his skin as she brushed her cheek against his.

Closing his eyes, the feel of her warm breath against his skin, her closeness was more than he could take. As another tear trailed down his cheek, he clutched Kahlan to him, holding her tightly as if he would never let her go again.

The need for comfort and reassurance had rapidly turned into an all-consuming need to reconnect, to ravish each other. Pulling back, Richard began planting soft kisses on her forehead, working down her face to her sweet lips. Not content to stay there, he proceeded down her neck and along her collarbone. As if somehow sensing where Rahl had kissed her, Richard began erasing Rahl's vile touch from her skin, her lover's touch a balm to her heart.

Twisting her hands in his long hair, she clutched him closer as if wanting to absorb him into herself as he covered her breasts in kisses. His hot panting breath on her skin was kindling the longing deep within her, making her heart pound in her ears.

Kahlan rapidly pulled his shirt over his head. "Now I get to finally see what I could only feel before," she whispered in his ear before taking his earlobe between her teeth and sucking on it.

Richard released a deep throaty moan at her words and gasped at the sensations she was further awakening in him. She left a trail of wet kisses on his skin as she moved down his neck to explore his muscled chest as her hands blazed a trail down his body to the laces of his pants. The urgency to be connected heart, body, and soul was mounting in desperation in Confessor and her Seeker.

Kahlan was driving him insane as her lips and tongue returned to occupy his mouth, her hands roaming over his body and pushing his pants off. Discarding his pants with a kick, Richard pressed himself firmly against her body as his hands drifted down.

Scooping her up in his arms, Richard carried Kahlan to their waiting bed. Laying her down, Richard could hardly believe he was here with her, able to express their love for one another once again. Just hours earlier, he had thought he had lost her forever.

But now as he began to make sweet, passionate love to his Kahlan, the grief and the anguish of hours earlier was quickly vanishing. The Seeker and his Confessor were reunited heart, body, and soul once again.

THE END

*I'm so sad it's over! This was a fun one to write. Oh, well…off to start another one!