LOTS - CARA/KAHLAN

I Was Ready For the Downslide

(but not for spring to well up)

inventings

Title: I Was Ready For the Downslide (but not for spring to well up)

Fandom: Legend of the Seeker

Characters/Pairings: Kahlan and Cara, Kahlan/Cara

Rating: PG-13 for making out in a dire situation.

Word Count: 1181

Notes: Written for Seeker Kink 4. Prompt was “Kahlan/Cara - Kahlan in drag” from arabrab47. Betaed by addandsubtract. I don’t own anything, because otherwise the show would absolutely be Legend of the Mother Confessor and a Mord’sith. Title from a Vienna Teng song, “Stray Italian Greyhound”.

Livejournal: http://inventings.livejournal.com/

I Was Ready For the Downslide

(but not for spring to well up)

inventings

Kahlan watches Richard breathe – his skin still looks ashen, though Zedd and the town’s healer assured her that the fever had broken, and that the two arrow wounds would heal. He is asleep, and doesn’t stir when she places a cool hand to his still fever-warm brow. For a moment, she is transported back to the moment in Zedd’s house in Hartland – now so long ago – when she laid a comforting touch on the poisoned boy who was not yet the Seeker.

Cara interrupts the quiet, entering the room with a noisy bang of the door closing. Kahlan stands, placing Richard’s hand gently down at his side. Cara speaks first, her breath rapid from running.

“Sisters of the Dark. They must have tracked us here, caught up to us after our last battle…”Kahlan is surprised to hear Cara’s voice falter slightly. Kahlan nods, understanding. Dragging Richard through the woods for two days had taken its toll on both of his protectors.

“And Zedd?”

“Safe,”Cara answers, her voice steadier now that duty is the forefront of the conversation.

“Are there banelings?”

Cara shrugs helplessly. “It’s too dark to know – the Sisters only revealed themselves by a few poorly aimed dakra. Zedd is trying to get the townsfolk out. He sent me to you. They are looking for you, Kahlan. I’m sure of it. We have to leave, and take Richard. The Sisters are looking to raze the town – there were torches in the forest.”

Kahlan sets her mouth in a grim line. “How much time do we have?”

Cara shakes her head. “Not long.”

Without hesitating, Kahlan begins planning. “We’ll use the darkness to help us, carry Richard into the forest again, meet Zedd – we have to go!” She moves in a rustle of frenzied energy, gathering bandages, Richard’s clothing, and the Sword of Truth.

Cara steps in front of her, her hands on Kahlan’s shoulders, her calm gaze meeting Kahlan’s wild eyes. “Kahlan. We need a better plan. Be sensible. Night is not going to cover us much longer.”

“Then think of one!” Kahlan snaps, jerking her shoulders free of Cara’s grip, and dropping the contents of her arms at Cara’s feet.

“I have. We’ll disguise ourselves, with all of the townspeople fleeing carrying their possessions, children, and infirm, we’ll look just like them as we carry Richard.” Cara stands her ground. “Put on Richard’s clothes and the Sword of Truth. The healer said there is a cloak in the trunk at the foot of Richard’s bed, along with an old dress for me.” She turns away, opens the trunk and pulls the dusty, tattered cloak free. She throws it toward Kahlan. “Hurry, Mother Confessor!” Kahlan catches it.

For a few moments, the women are consumed by the task at hand, each facing away from the other. Kahlan slides her bare legs into Richard’s pants, tugging his belt around her hips. After removing her corset, she starts wrapping a long bandage around her breasts.

“Cara?” She turns suddenly, and sees Cara standing half-clothed, struggling with the sticky leather on her skin. Kahlan averts her eyes, her face pink. “Sorry, I – can’t tie this.”

Cara approaches her, with a slight swing in her step. Silently, she takes the end of the bandage that Kahlan holds, and with surprising gentleness, wraps the bandage the rest of the way around Kahlan’s chest.

“Turn around,” Cara says. Kahlan does, and Cara tucks the end between Kahlan’s shoulder blades.

Kahlan can feel the heat of another blush creep its way up her neck. Back still turned, she asks, “Do you need help?”

There is no answer, so Kahlan turns and finds herself thrown back, stumbling against the weight of Cara’s body, Cara’s mouth on her lips. Kahlan’s hands instinctively reach up, but Cara catches her wrists holding them firmly between their bodies. Kahlan struggles back, disconnecting their mouths.

Cara looks up at Kahlan, her wrists still clasped between Cara’s hands. Cara finds her voice first, “We could die tonight, Kahlan. I don’t want to be alone – I can’t be alone.” Cara’s eyes are dry, but again her voice betrays emotion.

Against her good sense, her devotion to duty, and the dire situation, the love that Kahlan carries for her companions takes over. Cara releases her hands, and Kahlan places one against Cara’s bare collarbone, and the other curls around the nape of Cara’s neck. Kahlan kisses Cara back, their mouths open; all, for a second, has been forgotten.

Exhaustion brings them to the floor. Cara’s hand covers one of Kahlan’s bandaged breasts, while the other slides into Kahlan’s familiar, yet unfamiliar, pants. Cara’s mouth is on Kahlan’s neck, and she feels herself beginning to lose control, all too soon. Fighting herself, Kahlan shrinks back, away from Cara’s touch.

“Cara, we can’t – I can’t lose you now.” Kahlan hates herself, her power, her need and her duty. Cara pulls away, and starts working on removing her boots. Fighting tears of exhaustion and frustration, Kahlan finds Richard’s shirt, and puts it on.

Cara manages to free herself from the confines of her red leather, and one foot after the other, slips into the ugly dress found at the bottom of the trunk. Kahlan goes to her – an odd figure in pants and a man’s shirt, her dark hair loose about her shoulders, her feet bare and cold.

“Here, hold still,” Kahlan stands behind Cara and laces up the back of the dress. “It isn’t so bad, I think.”

Cara seems not to hear her. Turning around, she says, “Pin your hair up. You look unconvincing.”

Slightly stung, Kahlan twists her hair up, sliding two smooth sticks to secure it there. She finishes dressing, Richard’s boots, vest, and arm guards complete her disguise. She busies herself getting ready for their escape, gathering her clothes, and extra healing supplies. Cara places a hand on her shoulder.

“You’ll need this,” she says buckling the Sword of Truth onto Kahlan’s belt. Though she has carried it before, the weight of it surprises her. Almost smiling, Kahlan looks down at Cara.

“You’ll need something, too,” Kahlan replies, and pulls a dagger free from her pack. Cara takes the hilt of it, and tucks it into her belt. The lights of the torches are gathering together, and Kahlan struggles with herself.

“We are going to get out of here,” she says finally, feeling dizzy with adrenaline. She touches Cara’s cheek, and Cara returns the touch, grasping her forearm, steadying her.

The noise outside is beginning to crescendo, and Cara and Kahlan work wordlessly, lifting Richard off the bed, onto the healer’s stretcher. Cara tucks the blanket tightly around his body, securing him to the wooden frame with rope, taking care to avoid the bandaged area on his shoulder and abdomen. Kahlan cradles his head in her hands.

Kahlan dons her cloak, pulling the hood forward, and Cara shoulders her pack. Together, they lift Richard up, entering unafraid into the night.

~ ~ ~