LOTS - CARA/KAHLAN

Interlude

smcthegreat (Sara)

Title: Interlude

Author: smcthegreat (Sara)

Rating: PG–13

Warning: Spoilers for the episode “Unbroken” in Season 2.

Summary: Takes place during the episode “Unbroken”, right before Zedd casts the Spell of Undoing. Richard and Zedd have gone off to get the necessary ingredients for the spell. Kahlan’s left guarding Cara.

Disclaimer: I don’t own, so please don’t sue.

Note: Thanks to angel_in_tears for the beta.

Interlude

smcthegreat (Sara)

Kahlan slowly paced back and forth several feet away from the Mord–Sith who was eyeing her with a speculative gaze. Zedd’s warning hung in the air: “Be careful with her, Kahlan. A Mord–Sith doesn’t need her Agiels to cause someone pain.” But Cara was in there somewhere; Kahlan knew it, felt it, believed it. She just needed to hold on and not give into the anguish that threatened to engulf her every time she looked at Cara. Whatever else she might be feeling, Kahlan wasn’t going to punish Cara for something that wasn’t her fault. She sighed and rummaged through her pack for her water skin. She advanced with it, while keeping a wary eye on the woman in front of her, determined to do nothing to give this Cara the opportunity to harm her.

“I was hoping you’d come and chat with me, Mother Confessor.” Cara offered Kahlan a smug, knowing grin.

Kahlan kept her face neutral and offered up the water skin. “Are you thirsty?”

“Your concern is touching.” Cara opened her mouth as Kahlan tipped the skin downwards. Aquamarine eyes met blue as Cara smirked again and spat the water towards Kahlan.

“Charming.” Kahlan rolled her eyes and used one hand to wipe at her dress.

“I must say, I’m a little disappointed in you, Mother Confessor. Out of everyone here, I would’ve thought you would do the smart thing and kill me.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Kahlan said. “I’d have no trouble doing so, except the real Cara is in there somewhere.”

“Oh, Kahlan,” Cara drawled and smiled at Kahlan as if she were a wayward child. “That Cara is gone. She was an aberration, a mistake, a lie. I’m the real Cara.”

Kahlan shook her head. “You’re wrong. The real Cara has learned the value of friendship and love. She’s learned the strength in allowing herself to have feelings for other people.”

“Feelings,” Cara spat. “Feelings are useless. They make you weak, ineffective.” Her eyes trailed down Kahlan’s body. “Vulnerable.”

“My Cara didn’t believe that.”

The Mord–Sith’s eyes widened as she laughed. “Your Cara? So I’m your Cara now? Why Mother Confessor, do you have…feelings for me?”

Kahlan looked away, willing herself not to rise to the bait. “Whatever feelings I have are not for you. My Cara knows how I feel about her.” Kahlan turned to walk away.

“She thought of you, you know.”

Kahlan froze. No. It’s a trick. Don’t turn around. Keep walking. Keep walking Kahlan, that is not Cara. Her better judgment protested loudly as Kahlan slowly pivoted on her heel to face the bound woman. “What do you mean?”

Cara huffed impatiently. “Exactly what I said. She was hanging in the dungeon, suspended in chains, battered, bruised and bleeding. Your Cara thought of you while trying to resist the Lord Rahl’s instruction. She screamed your name, over and over again as he tortured her with the Agiel.”

“You’re lying. You’re just trying to hurt me.” Kahlan studied Cara, instinctively calling upon her training. As their eyes met, Cara smirked knowingly and Kahlan felt her frustration mount as her own training met the impenetrable wall of Cara’s.

“Well yes, that’s what Mord–Sith do, but I’m not lying. She retreated into her mind and your face was the first she thought of, the thing she held on to.” Cara smiled, dragging her teeth over her bottom lip. “You see Mother Confessor, your Cara had something of a thing for you.”

“I’m not going to stand here and listen to you spout lies.” Prudence dictated that Kahlan walk away, but she found herself unable to move.

“Oh please, I don’t need to fabricate anything. She was in love with you.” Cara bared her teeth in disgust. “Pathetic, really. Chasing after a Confessor, subsisting on scraps of affection. You should be glad she’s gone; I did you a favor.”

Kahlan swiftly closed the distance between them. A flick of her wrist and Kahlan’s dagger rested at Cara’s throat. Kahlan’s tone was low and dangerous. “Do not open your mouth again.”

Cara grinned, craning her neck forward against the blade. “Or what? You won’t kill me, not when the wizard has filled you with unreasonable hope. I can see it in your eyes, Confessor. The guilt, the sadness, the love you feel.” Cara’s tone dripped with disdain. “It makes me sick.”

Kahlan struggled to hold on to her temper, every instinct in her screaming to avenge Cara, to make this pretender wearing Cara’s face suffer. She clenched her jaw, steeling her heart against seeing the drops of blood that appeared and trickled down Cara’s neck. “I know you’re in there, Cara. If you can hear me, hold on. We’re coming to save you.”

Cara rolled her eyes and made a gagging sound. “If you’re going to keep talking this way, just go ahead and kill me. I’d rather not have to endure your pitiful attempts to speak to someone who no longer exists. I’m free of the weakness that was Cara Mason.”

“Speaking of weakness.” Kahlan dropped her hand and fixed Cara with pointed stare. “It was your weakness for Dahlia that got you here in the first place, wasn’t it? If you’d just killed Richard instead of being distracted when I confessed her, you’d be far away from here by now. So much for a Mord–Sith’s supposed freedom from emotion.”

Cara strained against the ropes, anger tightening her face. “When I escape, I’m going to kill the wizard first. Then I’m going to make you watch as I cut your beloved Seeker open and let him bleed to death. And then I’m going to break you and enjoy every single moment.”

Kahlan met Cara’s stare and lifted her chin. “When Zedd gets back and completes this spell, you won’t ever have existed at all. Cara will be herself and we’ll stop Darken Rahl and the Keeper. I’m going to spend every minute I can letting Cara know I value her friendship. She will know she is loved.”

“You think you’re going to be helping her?” Cara was incredulous. “You really have no idea the agony you’ll be inflicting on her, smothering her with your friendship, do you?”

Kahlan didn’t bother to reply, gritting her teeth as Cara threw her head back against the tree trunk and laughed. “Tell me you’re really not that dense. She wants your love, Mother Confessor. She wants to make you scream in ecstasy and beg her for release. She wants to have private moments with just the two of you. She wants to get down on her knees and service you until you command her to stop.”

Cara shook her head. “Your friendship is a curse. Every touch, every look, every time you say her name in that disgustingly tender way, it’s worse than any Agiel could ever be. And trust me,” Cara let a sly grin cross her face. “I would know. You think you’re helping but you’re only making it so much worse.”

Kahlan struggled to keep her face impassive, a stab of fear piercing her heart at Cara’s words. Could that be true? Am I really hurting Cara? She gave herself a mental shake and turned away, determined not to let the Mord–Sith see the impact of her lies. “I’m not going to listen to this anymore.”

She forced herself to keep walking as Cara’s voice rang out behind her. “Your wizard’s spell won’t work, Confessor; then you’ll be forced to kill me.”

* * * * *

Kahlan circled the perimeter of the makeshift camp. She kept one eye on Cara, the other on the lookout for Zedd and Richard. She’d needed time and space to clear her mind. Her mother’s voice rang in her ears, admonishing her not to allow her feelings and emotions to rule her; a Confessor must be above such things. Kahlan smiled sadly, it sounded like something Cara would say. Cara. Her heart ached at the loss of Cara’s acerbic wit, her uninhibited laugh, aquamarine eyes softening under Kahlan’s gaze. She cast an upwards glance at the sun, Richard and Zedd should be returning soon.

She made her way back to the camp, eyes flicking towards her captive before looking around. Something seemed out of place. Kahlan ignored Cara and circled around her. The ropes seemed secure, Cara tightly bound and unable to escape. Kahlan stood in front of the other woman, taking a mental inventory. If Cara was up to something, and Kahlan felt fairly certain she was, Kahlan would not allow herself to be caught off guard. Cara quirked her eyebrow as their eyes met and Kahlan’s heart skipped a beat at the warm, familiar eyes staring back at her.

“Kahlan.” Cara’s voice was soft, gravelly, intimate.

Kahlan’s eyes widened; she knew that sound. It was the tone reserved solely for the times she and Cara were alone with each other. “Cara?”

A pained expression crossed Cara’s face as she shook her head. “Stay away from me, I’ll only hurt you.”

Hope flared in Kahlan’s heart as she reached a hand out to cup Cara’s face. “Cara? Is that really you?”

Cara briefly leaned against the touch before jerking her head away. “Stay away from me, I told you. I don’t know how long I can hold out.”

“Oh Cara, I knew you were in there. Hold on; Zedd and Richard are on their way. We’ll fix this, Cara, I promise.” Kahlan rested her forehead against Cara’s, her hands resting on either side of Cara’s face.

Kahlan felt the sting of tears prick her eyes as Cara sagged against her, looking broken and worn. She closed her eyes, heart soaring. Here was the woman she cared for, here was her Cara, fighting valiantly, struggling to return. Kahlan’s throat clogged with emotion and she struggled to remain calm in front of Cara. There would be time later to allow herself to share her grief and despair over losing Cara. Kahlan opened her eyes to see Cara watching her, something fierce and aching in her eyes. Kahlan swallowed convulsively as the Mord–Sith’s taunts from before echoed in her mind. “She was in love with you. Your Cara thought of you while trying to resist the Lord Rahl’s instruction. She screamed your name, over and over again as he tortured her with the Agiel.” Kahlan wanted to say ‘I’m sorry’, she wanted to say ‘I love you, too’.

“Cara,” She breathed. It wasn’t enough; they had neither time nor space for anything more.

“Kahlan, there’s something you need to know.” Cara’s tone was urgent and hushed.

Kahlan pulled back to look more clearly into Cara’s eyes. “What?”

“When I killed your sister in Valeria,” Cara’s face twisted into a monstrous grin. “I really did make her suffer. She screamed in agony as I bathed in her blood.”

Kahlan drew back in horror. She stared as Cara’s amused laughter filled the air. The white hot rush of anger roared in Kahlan’s blood and without thinking, her fist snaked out, landing a vicious back hand that threw Cara’s head to the side. She trembled with the effort to stay in control of herself and her powers.

Cara’s tongue swiped the bottom of her lip, licking at the blood that appeared. “If you wanted to play rough, Confessor, all you had to do was ask,” she purred.

Kahlan growled as her hand whipped out, catching Cara by the throat. Her grip on her magic was tenuous now. She could feel it, scratching at the edge of her consciousness, the rage within whispering for her to let go. It would be so easy. Kahlan’s heart raced in anticipation, exultant at the thought of the Mord–Sith begging, aching for the forgiveness that Kahlan would deny her.

“Kahlan! No!” Richard’s voice yelled in her ear and Kahlan felt two strong arms around her waist. She realized, vaguely, that she was being dragged away from the tree.

He stood in front of her, cupping her face with his hands. “What are you doing? That’s Cara in there. Kahlan, what happened?”

“Yes, Mother Confessor. It’s me, Cara,” Cara sneered in a sing–song voice and laughed as Kahlan struggled against Richard.

Kahlan’s chest heaved as she fought to control herself. Zedd appeared in her peripheral vision, concern on his wizened face. Kahlan whirled to face him.

“Cast the spell now,” Kahlan hissed. “Bring Cara back or I swear to you, I’ll kill that thing.” She wrenched herself from Richard’s grasp and bolted into the woods.

Fin.