Title: When I Get You Alone

Author: Janine

Fandom: Legend of the Seeker

Pairing: Cara/Kahlan

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Summary: Sequel to "Love Among the Ruins". Cara and Kahlan finally get to spend some time along together at a quaint village Inn.

xxx

Kahlan stood before the open window and sighed softly, allowing her eyes to close as the cool wind caressed her. The cool air felt divine after the sweltering heat of the desert and she felt her shoulders relax and her breath come easier as she luxuriated in the breeze and the quiet of the room.

The Mother Confessor loved her traveling companions but she appreciated having a few moments to herself. The last two days had been rough, both physically and emotionally, and by the time they had arrived at the Inn, they had all been exhausted and on edge. Cara had been a constant presence by her side since Kahlan had admitted her feelings for her under the Pillars of Creation, but after gallantly carrying Kahlan's saddlebag and pack to the Confessor's room the blonde had disappeared. Kahlan felt a little strange not being able to see Cara at will simply by turning her head, but she decided to make the most of the time alone and take the opportunity to gather her thoughts without worrying about what the people around her were reading on her face.

The Confessor's mind drifted to contemplate Richard, and Kahlan found herself breathing in deeply before she rolled her head to one side and then the other, stretching out her neck. A soft sigh escaped her lips then, and she lifted her hand to her face and dragged her fingers across her eyes until she was pinching the bridge of her nose.

Since leaving the pillars Richard had been valiantly trying to act as if everything was fine, but Kahlan knew him too well to be fooled. Over the past few days Richard had smiled and gently teased as he always had, but his eyes hadn't shined quite as brightly as they normally did, and he had been far quieter than usual as they traveled through the desert towards home.

She knew that things would be fine between all of them eventually. Richard had looked her directly in the eyes when he told her that the thing he wanted most was for her to be happy, and that if she was happy then so was he, and she had seen the truth of his words in his eyes. That being so, Kahlan knew that it would take time for Richard to truly feel and live the words he had spoken, and that presently, she had broken his heart.

The knowledge of that weighed on her and her heart ached every time she thought of him, but she knew that there was no way around the pain. Though it was not what Richard would have wanted, or she would have expected, she had come to love Cara powerfully and there was no ignoring that. To try and do so would only bring all of them even more pain and heartache because her heart knew what it wanted, even if her mind didn't agree. Her heart felt what it felt and she couldn't change that. She had tried to suppress what she felt for Cara when she realized what the feelings were and what they meant, but it hadn't stopped her from feeling it. In the weeks leading up to their journey to the Pillars of Creation, Kahlan had nearly driven herself mad as she tortured herself trying to figure out how to deal with her yearning for Cara and her obligation to Richard.

What she had discovered among the ruins three nights before was that it was impossible for her to reconcile the two types of love in a way that would make everyone happy and she would have to choose. She had, and she felt relieved to have things out in the open and resolved, but guilt also hung heavily upon her because despite the heat of the desert, despite the exhaustion of travel and despite the heaviness in her heart when she thought of Richard, the past few days had been exhilarating and wonderful for her.

They only had three horses and so Kahlan had spent the entire journey out of the desert on a horse with Cara, her body pressed flush against the blonde's back and her arms wrapped around Cara's torso. For most of their trek back through the sand, Cara had kept their horse a few paces behind Richard's and Zedd's which gave them some privacy, and Kahlan had greatly enjoyed being able to whisper in Cara's ear, and kiss her neck or her cheek on a whim. Of course, Cara had groused and complained when Kahlan first started pressing soft kisses to her flesh, but despite her grumbles the blonde hadn't pulled away from Kahlan's touch and after the first few gentle caresses Cara's body had relaxed back into Kahlan's and the blonde had tilted her head to the side giving the Confessor more access to her flesh.

The thought brought a smile to Kahlan's lips. The Confessor's heart panged and as her eyes drifted open she turned from the window to face the door, as if her desire to see Cara would make the Mord'Sith suddenly appear.

The door remained shut however and Kahlan smiled ruefully and shook her head at her own foolishness before turning around to look out the window once more, determined to think pleasant thoughts this time.

Her romantic relationship with Richard had ended, but her love affair with Cara was just beginning and Kahlan was determined not to let mourning for the former get in the way of embracing the latter.

xxx

Kahlan's lips curved up into a large smile as she heard the door to her room creak open but she kept her back towards it as she said, "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming back."

"Oh there was never any danger of that," Cara responded silkily as Kahlan heard the door close behind her.

"Where have you been?" Kahlan asked curiously, turning around to face the other woman, her tongue unconsciously peeking out to wet her lips as her eyes found Cara's sleek form.

"Why? Did you miss me?" Cara asked smiling smugly as she sauntered towards the brunette.

"Yes," Kahlan replied truthfully, which apparently threw Cara for a loop because the blonde stopped walking towards her and simply stared at her for a moment after the word fell from Kahlan's lips.

Kahlan knew that if she had asked the question, Cara would have made some teasing reply and she suspected that the candidness of her response had left Cara more than a little off-balance.

It was Kahlan's turn to smile then, which she did warmly, before she started walking towards Cara. When she reached the blonde a few seconds later her instinct was to try to pull Cara into a hug, but she suspected that Cara wouldn't respond well to so much contact at that moment so Kahlan simply extended her hand and ran it gently down Cara's arm until she felt some of the tension drain from the blonde's body.

"So, what were you up to?" Kahlan asked lightly, twining their fingers together nonchalantly as she gazed over at Cara innocuously.

Cara glanced down at their hands after Kahlan spoke and for a moment she was silent as studied their joined fingers. A few seconds after Kahlan joined their hands however, Cara tentatively stroked her thumb across the back of Kahlan's hand and when the Mord'Sith looked up to meet the Confessor's eyes there was a mixture of wonder and bewilderment in them that took Kahlan's breath away.

"I thought you might like a bath," Cara murmured finally, glancing away from Kahlan as she spoke. "I was speaking to the Inn Keeper. It took a while," Cara went on, her brows creasing together as her lips curved down in a frown. "She wanted me to pay," the blonde finished sounding incredibly disgruntled.

"That is," Kahlan said, trying very hard not to laugh, "How it typically works."

"Paying? For water?" Cara said incredulously, "That's ridiculous. Water is free. There's a river right behind the Inn."

"Customer's pay for the convenience of having warm water brought to them, not so much for the water itself," Kahlan replied smiling gently as Cara regarded her thoughtfully.

"I've stayed at many Inn's over the years and I've never paid for a bath before," Cara announced after a moment of consideration.

"I'd imagine they were too afraid to charge you before," Kahlan said, biting down on her lip to stop from smiling. People did not deny anything to a contingent of Mord'Sith, no matter how much it inconvenienced them or hurt their pockets. When Cara and her sisters traveled the Midlands, Kahlan doubted that they lacked for anything.

Cara nodded immediately agreeing with Kahlan's statement and then a second later a sly, satisfied smile touched her lips.

"They tremble once more," Cara declared patting the full change purse at her waist with the hand that wasn't still entwined with Kahlan's.

Kahlan's eyes narrowed at that and her lips parted to speak, but before she could Cara continued.

"I didn't lay a hand on her," the Mord'Sith said, looking Kahlan directly in the eyes as she spoke.

When they had first met Kahlan hadn't been able to read her, but Cara hadn't fooled herself into believing that was still true for quite some time.

"What about an agiel?" Kahlan asked dryly.

Cara released a puff of air from her nostrils.

"You would have heard her screams," the blonde replied.

Kahlan wasn't sure whether it was meant as a boast or as reassurance and decided not to ask.

"I spoke with her, that's all," Cara continued and Kahlan could see she was telling the truth though there was something cagey in Cara's gaze that made the Confessor suspicious.

"What did you talk about?" Kahlan asked.

"The fifty-one different techniques of using an agiel," Cara responded smiling. "Sadly I only made it to number eight before Carlen reconsidered her position and assured me a tub would soon be ready, free of charge."

"That's not exactly what I meant those times we talked about resolving conflict using words," Kahlan said frowning a little as she regarded Cara.

"Why?" Cara asked in a voice that was a bit petulant though there was a note of genuine curiosity in her tone as well.

"Well, you were still relying on intimidation and threats of violence."

"I wasn't actually going to use any of the fifty-one techniques on her," Cara responded straightening her back as if to give credence to her words.

"She didn't know that," Kahlan replied smiling a little in the face of Cara's indignance.

"Exactly," Cara responded smirking pompously. "That's why it was effective."

Kahlan stared at Cara's shining green eyes and took in her proud expression and couldn't help the smile that touched her lips.

"It was very thoughtful of you to think about arranging a bath," Kahlan said a moment later, leaning forward to press her lips against Cara's cheek. "Thank you," she continued softly, pulling back momentarily to look into Cara's eyes before she leaned in again and kissed the blonde gently on the lips.

She could have belaboured the issue more but there was no point to that. There was no doubt in Kahlan's mind that Cara would have left the woman unharmed if Carlen had been more stubborn and managed to hold her ground. Cara would have been in a terrible mood and likely would have knocked over some drinks before stalking out of the Inn to blow off some steam by prowling the empty streets, but Kahlan knew she wouldn't have hurt the woman. Cara was learning to be more considerate when dealing with others and though she obviously still had some way to go, Cara's heart had been in the right place and Kahlan wouldn't overlook that.

"Of course," Cara muttered gruffly, cutting her eyes away from Kahlan's so that she staring past the brunette's shoulder at the open window behind her.

A touch of pink appeared on Cara's cheeks as she spoke and Kahlan's heart warmed at the sight of it, but she schooled her expression to reveal nothing knowing acknowledging the blush would embarrass Cara even more than thanking her for her consideration had.

"I should go see what's taking so long," Cara muttered uncomfortably a moment later before she turned her head over her shoulder so that she was glaring at the door.

"Oh, no you don't," Kahlan said tightening her hold on Cara's hand to make sure the blonde didn't go anywhere. "You're not going to terrorize that woman again. I'm sure they're working as quickly as they can."

"She said 'soon'," Cara grumbled glancing back at Kahlan before turning to look at the door again.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we can find a way to occupy ourselves until the bath is ready," Kahlan replied, her voice lowering until it was almost a purr.

Cara turned around again and this time her eyes stayed locked on Kahlan's, focusing on her intently. Cara studied the Confessor for a moment, trying to determine if Kahlan's tone meant what she thought it meant, and once satisfied that it did Cara lifted her free hand up to cup Kahlan's cheek and drew the Confessor towards her for a heated kiss.

"Something like that?" Cara husked many moments later when the need for air demanded they separate.

"Exactly like that," Kahlan replied smiling before leaning in to meet Cara's lips once more.

xxx

When the knock had finally come signalling that the bath was ready, Kahlan had been stripped down to her corset and Cara was stretched over her on the bed, her leather clad thighs rubbing against the bare skin of Kahlan's legs as the blonde pressed heated kisses down the valley between her breasts and Kahlan had been sorely tempted to forget about the bath altogether.

However, they had been traveling in sand for days and baking in the sun and Kahlan could practically feel a thin layer of grime covering her and knew that continuing their explorations of each other would be much more pleasant once they were scrubbed clean and smelling faintly of whatever scented oil had been dumped in the bath instead of smelling of sweat, dirt and horses.

As warm water surrounded her and the scent of jasmine filled the air, Kahlan was glad that she had decided the bath was a battle worth fighting and that she had nagged at Cara until the blonde had agreed. Kahlan had relaxed some once arriving at the Inn, but she hadn't realized how much tension she was still carrying around until the water, the feel of Cara's body around her and Cara's hands caressing her had truly relaxed her.

"I think you cleaned those already," Kahlan sighed softly, a large smile touching her lips as Cara's hands ran over her breasts.

"I like to be thorough," Cara murmured against the column of Kahlan's neck. "There's no point in doing a job unless you're going to do it well."

"Oh," Kahlan breathed out playfully, still smiling widely enough that it was beginning to make her face ache. "Well, I appreciate your dedication."

"I can tell," Cara purred as she pointedly ran her fingers over Kahlan's hardened nipples, a wicked smile touching her lips a moment later when Kahlan's drew in a sharp breath as Cara rolled a hard peak between her fingers.

Another sound of pleasure emerged from Kahlan's lips a second later as Cara repeated the motion and the Confessor's skin flushed pink with arousal and embarrassment.

"Should I pour in some water from the cold bucket?" Cara asked in a tone far too solicitous to be anything but teasing. "You seem to be overheating," she continued, smiling against the freckled skin of Kahlan's shoulder as she tweaked the brunette's other nipple making Kahlan strain in her arms.

"Screw you," Kahlan muttered though she knew her voice was far too breathless to carry any real chastisement.

"Lady's first," Cara breathed out sliding one of her hands away from Kahlan's breast to trail it down her stomach, settling it between the Confessor's legs.

"Cara," Kahlan gasped as the blonde's hand cupped her, her own hand sliding beneath the surface of the water to cover the hand Cara had between her legs, holding it firmly against her. "Spirits," Kahlan breathed out as the hand Cara had at her breasts began to massage the generous mound while the heel of her other hand began to rub Kahlan gently.

"Oh, I'm very much alive," Cara husked, the roughness of her voice making it clear that she was not unaffected by the touches she was laying upon Kahlan though her hands were steady and her words were confident. "Can't you feel me?" Cara asked, pointedly sliding her fingers up the length of Kahlan's sex as she kissed her shoulder.

"Yes," Kahlan gasped, unable to help the vocalization even though she realized that Cara's question had likely been rhetorical.

"I can feel you too," Cara whispered, her teeth scrapping across Kahlan's skin as she began to rub between the Confessor's legs with more purpose. "Warm," Cara breathed against Kahlan's neck, the heat emanating from Kahlan's center easily distinguishable from the warmth of the bath. "Wet," she murmured, biting lightly at Kahlan's skin with desire as her fingers moved easily between Kahlan's legs, their motion aided by wetness that had nothing to do with the water surrounding them.

Kahlan's hips rolled, arching her into Cara's touch as a soft, mewling sound escaped from her throat.

The Confessor's hand had drifted away from Cara's when the blonde had started to move her fingers between her lower lips, but it slammed between her legs again at Cara's last touch and pressed the blonde's hand against her firmly enough that Cara would have had to struggle to continue stroking her.

"Bedroom," Kahlan panted, chest rising and falling rapidly as she held Cara's hand against her, too aroused to care that her request sounded more like a demand, and a wanton one at that.

Cara pressed her lips to Kahlan's shoulder once more and as she did Kahlan could feel her smile.

To be continued ...