madame_denna (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
madame_denna) wrote2012-04-14 09:06 pm
madame_denna) wrote2012-04-14 09:06 pm
The faithful do not die - they perish I/II
Characters: Denna, Cara, Darken Rahl, Dahlia, mentions of Zedd, Richard, Kahlan
Rating: R
Words: ~ 6000
Warnings:angst, torture, hurt/comfort, character death
Summary: AU starting with the events of "Eternity"
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended and – of course – no money is made.
A/N: Many thanks to my lovely beta![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
raug_moss for sticking with me through all this xD Thank you so much! It would be very weird without you! (But of course, all mistakes are my own, because I butchered it again..) Also many thanks to endgirl for not getting tired of me and always solving mysteries about the english language ;)
A/N²: This was written for a promptsynergyfox kindly offered to me almost half a year ago. It took me somehow longer than expected ..
Cara had no recollection of how many hours had passed, while her body was swaying slightly back and forth in the chains. Her arms were numb, but it was a welcome relief to the searing pain in her wrists, which held her weight for far too long now.
In the minutes when her mind cleared enough to form coherent thoughts, she remembered her training and her former life with her sisters in the temple, which seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago.
The memories appeared unreal and odd to her now, as if they belonged to someone else. Cara did not want to remember her former life anymore. She wanted to stay in the present, with Richard, Kahlan and Zedd. But after days, she had lost track of time, since day or night were kept outside of the dungeons. Only the torches on the walls illuminated the dark place, lulling everything in its warm cozy light. She felt neither warm, nor particular cozy. It was cold. The only warmth she felt was from her own blood, running down her legs, slowly forming a dark puddle beneath her feet.
Cara tried to fight the urge to fall completely into oblivion, but it was luring her with the sweet, daunting promise of the constant pain to disappear. She felt tired, so unbelievably tired. Soon darkness engulfed her once again and then she was gone, as for now was her pain.
~
As the last sunlight faded, the former Mord'Sith, wrapped in a dark cloak, hid her form carefully in the looming shadows of old oak trees close to the temple. Never had she thought, that she'd ever set a foot in it again, especially not of her own free will. The Sisters of the Dark, who she'd observed entering the temple hours ago had still to come out yet.
Their attendance was unexpected and her mission was now at risk, but it's one Denna's willing to take. Besides, she really had no other option as she slipped inside through the secret entrance, hidden from sight in the thick grey wall of stone. She couldn't wait any longer and risk for her precise and long prepared plan to fail.
It was her only chance. It was going to be now - or never.
~
The screaming sound of an Agiel was the first thing Cara noticed as she came around. The sound was distant and dampened as if she was wrapped in a blanket of cotton wool. Sudden pain low on her belly was so intense; it felt like her insides were torn apart. She felt her organs to shift and contract as if to find another place to hide away from the pain. It dragged her back to full consciousness in a matter of seconds, leaving her gasping for air as she tried to breathe despite the constricting ache in her chest.
Squalling in agony, she tried to center herself - to find herself again in the darkness. But there was nothing left to be found. Nothing but darkness - not one ray of light in the endless night.
Cara was losing herself and knew she wouldn't last much longer. It would only be a matter of time until it was going to finally break her.
Again.
~
How many times had she walked in these hallways? How many hours of her life had she spent here? Countless.
This temple was the place she called home once, if a place of agony and endless suffering would fit that term. Everything looked familiar, she felt oddly save, even when it was the most dangerous place she could be.
Denna knew every detail around here. She could still turn her gaze to the ceiling and her eyes would find the spot instantly, where blood splatters of a former slave had soaked and darkened the stone. She remembered it vividly as if it had happened only yesterday. She could still hear his gurgling screams vibrating in her ears, as his throat was cut.
Her knowledge of this place would be her advantage now. She kept herself hidden in the dark shadow of a niche, which was barely big enough to cover her body from the candle-lit hallway, as a group of Mord'Sith crossed her path. Holding her breath, she pressed herself more tightly against the wall, as her former sisters passed by. Without a second thought, she left her hiding place as soon as the Mord'Sith had vanished from her sight and she started moving cautiously in the other direction.
"Keep an eye on the Sister of the Dark."
Denna heard the voice from around the corner accompanied by echoing footsteps, becoming louder with each step. She moved back quickly, reaching the niche at the last second, before the brunette rounded the corner.
"We cannot trust them."
Denna recognized the voice and knew it belonged to Dahlia, long before she saw her former Sister walk by. Her eyes lingered on the dark-haired Mord'Sith a moment longer, memories of a past long gone floated her mind, until Dahlia was gone from her sight and Denna forced the memories back into the deepest corner of her mind.
She knew exactly what she was here for and where to go to find it. And she was not about to let the past catch up on her now. Not ever. She had waited for this moment for so long, planning meticulously every little detail of her mission.
No one would ruin it now; especially not she herself. Her former chambers lay in the north tract of the temple, it was not far anymore. Denna stepped out of the shadow and hurried further through the winding corridors.
~
"It's time for you Cara, to rejoin your family."
Darken Rahl stood to her feet or merely where her feet would have been, if she wouldn't be dangling over the ground.
Rahl went on; as always loving to hear his own sickening sweet voice, "the Seeker and his friends have poisoned your thoughts long enough."
Cara heard him speaking, saw his lips moving, but the words leaving his mouth were hollow. He was only a shadow of the man she once served. She looked down at him. Her left eye was almost swollen shut and started to pucker painfully as she tried to focus her gaze on him. However, she couldn't see what she'd seen in all these years, when he's still her Master, her everything.
Now, she felt no pride to be close to him or to have his attention. She felt no need to please him.The only feeling that filled her from deep within - pulsing strongly through her veins with every beating of her heart - was repulsion.
~
The single stone slipped easily out of the wall, at least if one knew how to do it. Denna still knew.
The small velvet cloth was inside, where she had placed it all that time ago. Her fingers grazed over the fabric and a sigh of relief escaped her lips as felt the familiar patterns of the chain hidden beneath. Unwrapping it slowly, she clasped the fine golden necklace tightly in her hand, feeling the loss and dread disappear, as a once missing part of her finally slipped back into its rightful place - like adding the last missing piece of a puzzle.
With a last glance at the item, Denna wrapped it again in the black cloth and put it carefully into her pocket. She slipped the stone back in its hole in the wall, but did not even have the time to hide, as the door behind her opened with a creak and a familiar voice reached her ears.
"What do you think you're doing in my chambers?"
Still with her back to the other Mord'Sith, Denna waited until she heard the door falling into the lock and the footsteps inching closer. She turned around. Her blazing blue eyes met cloudy grey ones. Dahlia.
Dahlia seemed to be struck by thunder and lightening as she took a few unsure steps backwards, staring at her former sister with wide, open eyes. Denna took Dahlia's shocked expression and the little gasp, which sounded a lot like her name, with rapture. The brunette clearly had not expected her to visit.
Denna stood in a casually pose next to the wall as Dahlia finally came to a halt.
"Dahlia," Denna drawled, "if I remember correctly," she leaned slightly forward, "and I'm quite certain I do, these are my quarters, aren't they?"
To Denna's delight, Dahlia winced slightly as the silence between them grew thicker with each passing second. She only stared at her and Denna was reminded of their former encounters, at a time as Denna was still the one in charge and everyone feared her relentless wrath. It seemed Dahlia remembered as well and the thought deeply warmed her heart.
After a moment however, Dahlia had gathered herself enough to speak.
"Oh my, Mistress Denna," Dahlia mocked, picking her confidence back off the floor where it had shattered as she'd stumbled so ungracefully backwards. Smiling arrogantly, she eyed Denna extra long from top to bottom, "I can't say this is a pleasure."
Denna's mirrowing smile was tight and cold and Dahlia could feel the temperature drop in the room at the sheer sight of it. "Then it's good that no one cares for your opinion, Dahlia." Denna said, and then added sweetly, "As always."
The brunette Mord'Sith chuckled in response, "I see you haven't changed one bit. How very unfortunate - for you."
Denna's smile grew wider, "You have no idea how wrong you are." In a sudden movement, Denna strode forwards and hit the brunette Mord'Sith straight across the face with the back of her hand. Dahlia head snapped backwards from the force, but was quick to react as she pulled her Agiel free from its holster on her waist.
"I'll take pleasure from your screams of agony," Dahlia hissed through her teeth before she launched herself at Denna, her Agiel screaming. Unfortunately, Dahlia's Agiel plunged into thin air as Denna moved swiftly away, and then the leather rod was knocked from her hand and fell to the floor. The moment her eyes dropped to it, Denna managed to grap and hold her tightly in a headlock from behind. There was a reason, why she had been the one in charge. Denna thought, and not Dahlia.
"Listen fledgling, time is up," Denna growled as Dahlia continued to struggle in her grip, "I'd love to catch up with you further, but I've places to be."
"Brothels?" Dahlia quipped, but it only earned her an even harder tug from Denna's arm against her throat, almost crushing her windpipe. "You must be more delusional as I first thought, if you think you'll ever get out of here alive. And I'm sure Lord Rahl will be pleased to have both of his renegades back."
"Both?"
"Well, he always had an incomprehensible.. misguided affinity for you - and Cara."
"Cara is here?" Denna breathed, not bothing to hide the surprise in her voice, but then her tone hardened at once, "you're lying. Cara is with Richard."
"Cara was with Richard."
"How?"
Dahlia only chuckled.
"You betrayed her." Denna said without missing a beat. It was a statement not a question.
"And why would you believe that?" Dahlia forced out, choking as Denna increased the pressure around her throat.
"It's not hard to count one and one together, Dahlia," Denna said. "You are the only one she had ever trusted and you being here now, tells me all I need to know. She would not have come back of her own and we both know that, don't we, sister?
Dahlia struggled in her grip and hadn't Denna been absolutely sure before what she assumed Dahlia had done to lure Cara back, Denna was now, the pregnant silence and Dahlia's uneasy struggling in her grip told her so loud and clear.
"What are you doing here anyway, Denna, I thought your years of service to be over?"
"None of your business," Denna whispered darkly in the brunette's ear, "but be so kind and make sure to give Lord Rahl my best."
Dahlia turned her head, trying to face Denna, but found herself unable to. Denna's vice like grip never wavered. "So.. you'll let me live?"
A guttural sound erupted from Denna's throat, "I’m afraid not dear sister," Denna said in a tone dripping with false compassion. "But I believe he'll join you sooner than later." Denna felt Dahlia's muscles tense under her arm, as the brunette Mord'Sith readied herself for defense.
Denna chuckled again, but her voice oozed venom, "you shouldn't have betrayed your Sister Dahlia, I had to learn that the hard way. There is no honor in such an act."
Denna took a deep breath and once again leaned in closer to whisper in Dahlia's ear, "but it's going to be your final mistake." Denna's eyes fluttered shut.
Dahlia did not even have time to make a move or sound, before her former Mistress snapped her neck in a quick, precise motion. For a moment longer, Denna held Dahlia’s warm body in her embrace, before she let the brunette's lifeless form slip to the floor.
Denna looked down at her former Sister, knowing deep inside her, that she should feel remorse for what she had done - but she simply couldn't. Some things were just unavoidable. Reaching down, she picked up Dahlia's Agiel from the floor and studied it closely, while the familiar pain began to spread from her fingers through her body. It could come in handy, she thought - smirking to herself, and secured it on her waist. Old habits indeed died hard.
With a last glance at the brunette Denna left her former chambers, this time for good, and headed towards the exit.
She had found what she had come for.
~
She needed to hurry, as soon as Dahlia's dead body was discovered, her journey would probably end right here. They would shut down every entrance, every exit and trap her inside. She knew the procedure just all too well. Moreover, with Darken Rahl in the picture, it only would be a matter of a few candle-marks until they found her, if not much faster. She would have liked to avoid that, if possible.
Denna could already see the dark wooden doors at the end of the hallway, as soon as she reached them the winding staircase would lead her down and she could leave the temple the same way she had entered. The hallway was dark and empty and she was grateful for it. She had not planed on killing Dahlia to get back what belonged to her, she had not planed on killing any of her sisters, but Dahlia had left her no choice. She could not be trusted. Not that she knew of anyone she could place her trust in - beside herself of course.
A heart-wrenching, inhuman scream let her stop dead in her tracks. Her right hand rested already against the cool wood of the door and she only needed to push it open and slip through, but her legs would not move. Then again and again, the screams sounded in the distance, their power resonating off the walls and battering her human senses. Denna stood still, palm pressed flat against the door that would lead her almost out of the temple, and listened to the sounds that made her skin crawl.
The timbre and volume of the voice sounded familiar, she instantly knew to whom it belonged. Dahlia had been telling the truth after all. There was a time, when she had been the cause of screams similar to those she was hearing now; had marveled at the agonizing wails of hurt and sorrow, back then it had only fuelled her pleasure.
However, whatever she did, Cara never had been screaming like this. Denna wondered what they were doing to her, but in the same instant knew she should not care. Cara should be the last person in all three territories she should be worried about, especially after their last deadly encounter. No, she had neither a reason nor the time to care. Another scream, this one cut deep, she cringed inwardly, almost feeling the pain as it was carried through the air. Cara and she were nothing alike, she thought, they hadn’t anything in common other than a past in the service of Darken Rahl. Cara would not hesitate, if she would be in Denna's place. Cara would not care about her fate. Nor would Denna. With these thoughts and only these in mind, she pushed the door finally open and stepped through.
Denna reached the upper-most landing of the spiral stairs, which led deep down in the belly of the temple. Still she could hear Cara's screams; the big door had dampened them but not enough to block them out completely. She just needed to take the first step, then another and walk down. Nevertheless, she hesitated for the blink of an eye and then knew, she had somehow lost her inner struggle. 'Damn it', came the almost inaudible curse from her lips as she turned slowly away from the staircase, sucking in a deep breath.
Just to see her suffer, Denna excused the ill-advised sentiment in her mind, as she headed towards the agonizing screams, which seemed to get louder with each passing moment.
~
The dungeon was sparsely lit and smelled of blood and fear. The scent brought Denna back to the past, letting the memories flow vividly through her mind. All the men and women she had broken, so many that had died by her hand. The memories felt dark and heavy and she pressed herself back against the cold stone of the wall, willing the unwanted thoughts to pass.
As she carefully peeked around the corner, Denna could see the woman who had screamed her lungs out only minutes ago. Chained up at the ceiling, her feet dangling over the ground. Cara's body was covered all over with bruises, sweat, and blood. Denna could not see a spot on her skin, which seemed to be untouched by the magic of the Agiel. Cara's chin rested against her breastbone, her eyes closed.
"How long until she is broken?"
Darken Rahl's grave, impatient voice brought Denna's attention back to the danger at hand, as he suddenly rounded the corner and walked out of the dungeons, two Mord'Sith and tree Sisters of the Dark on his heels. Denna pressed herself into the shadows to hide her form from being discovered. Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears, as she silently scolded herself for even coming here. The sight of Darken Rahl gave her the creeps or rather the thought of what he would do to her, if he found her. She held her breath as he and his entourage passed by. Relief spread through her at sight of him retreating - until he suddenly stopped. Rahl stood with the back to her and Denna felt her heart hammering forcefully against her chest, she was sure he could hear it. Darken Rahl's head turned slowly to the side, as if he sensed something out of place. The Mord'Sith accompanying him seemed puzzled, but scanned the hallway nonetheless.
After a moment however, he shrugged ever so slightly and went on. Denna did not dare to move or breathe until he was fully out of sight, even when air slowly became an issue. Minutes passed before she finally stepped out of the shadow and risked another glance into the dungeon. Cara still hung motionless in the shackles, appearing to be unconscious.
Darken Rahl had only left two Mord'Sith standing guard for Cara - they did not know what hit them as Denna approached. The sizzling sound of Agiels vibrated through the dungeon room, closely followed by the sound of human bodies hitting the floor. The two younger Mord'Sith, unknown to her, had been no match for the former first Mistress, especially when they were underestimating her skills of wielding the Agiel. It was never wise to underestimate Mistress Denna, but they had learned their lesson - and she was sure, as soon as they discovered Cara to be gone, they would receive a proper punishment. Denna let her fingers caress the red leather rod in an affectionate gesture, before she secured it reluctantly back on her waist. There was nothing as good as a decent sparring once in a while - Mord'Sith may not spar, but she wasn't a true Mord'Sith anymore, now was she? She smirked at that - her former trainer must be turning in his grave right now, seeing what she had become. Not that she cared - no not one bit.
Denna turned to Cara and walked to her until she stood right in front of the other Mord'Sith. Cara's short hair had fallen over her face, partially sticking together where the blood had dried in the blonde strands. Denna could not help the notion, as she reached out and her fingers grazed over Cara's firm stomach, drawing imaginary lines where the Agiel had marked her. After a moment, Denna pulled her hand back and noticed the red blood that now covered her fingertips. In an unconscious gesture, Denna brought it to her lips and sucked it from them. Only as the metallic taste of still warm blood tantalized her taste buds she remembered where she was, and more importantly that she needed to leave here soon. With a last glance at Cara, who had not been conscious for Denna's refreshing of faded memories, she walked to the big wheel at the right side of the room and started to turn it until Cara's body slowly reached the floor.
Denna hurried to get the shackles off Cara's wrists, noticing that the skin beneath them was already sore. As Denna moved her hand to brush Cara's hair from the other woman's face, she felt Cara flinch beneath the soft touch. A strangled moan escaped cracked lips and one eye fluttered open, the other was swollen shut.
"Wake up," Denna said more harshly than she originally intended. She knew exactly how Cara must be feeling right now and how hard it was to regain consciousness after a severe training session. But they had no time to spare.
Cara blinked. The velvet depth of that voice - it was familiar, but Cara could not place it. She saw a woman kneeling beside her, slightly bent forward. She could not make out the woman's features; her vision was blurry and tinted red by the blood, which had seeped into her eye.
The woman next to her was clothed completely in black, only her platinum blonde, loose ponytail added a bit of light to her form. Cara had only known one person with that color of hair, but she had died months ago by her own hand. Her eyelid felt heavy and she was so tired. The pain slowly returned and all she wanted was to slip back into oblivion. However, the persistent woman would not let her.
"Cara," Denna nearly growled, slapping the other Mord'Sith cheek lightly as she tried to steal herself away again, "you need to wake up!"
There was no doubt about whom this voice belonged to. Cara would recognize it among thousands, but she did not have the strength to think about how it could be that Denna was still alive nor why she wanted her to wake up.
"Denna," Cara choked, forcing her good eye open and slowly her vision began to clear, "you have come to kill me." It was not intended as a question.
Denna shot her a look, as if actually considering the possibility, "if you don't stay conscious now, I might."
Despite her bad condition, Cara chuckled at Denna's words, only to cough up blood a second later.
"Come on now, we need to hurry. I'd rather not be around, when Rahl discovers you're gone." Denna pulled her up, draping Cara's arm over her shoulder, while she supported the other woman's waist. Cara's world started nauseatingly to spin and she thought she would throw up any second. Denna would not be pleased. After few deep breaths however, her stomach ceased the rebellion. Denna urged her on to walk, but after her first step it became clear, that her legs would carry her nowhere any time soon. Were it not for Denna's strong hold on her, she would have met the stone floor face first. Cara doubted she still possessed the strength she would have needed to intercept the fall. She could hear Denna silently cursing under her breath, as she held Cara's body close to her own.
"Leave me; there is no way I'll make it out of here on my own." Cara mumbled, resting her head on Denna's shoulder. She was so tired. If she just could convince Denna to let her lay down again, she could finally go back to sleep on the floor, even if Denna's shoulder was the most comfortable place she could think of, the fabric of her clothes felt soft against Cara’s cheek and the blonde’s body provided warmth she was denied for so long Cara couldn't even remember.
"I will-" Denna stopped mid sentence as the sound of footsteps in the distance reached her ears. It was too late. Darken Rahl's entourage was returning or it could be the shift rotation for the Mord'Sith Denna had knocked out. Whoever was coming - it meant no good. Denna had been glad, that she didn't need to use the magical help she had purchased from a wizard until now. Especially because she had no idea, if it would work. He could have tricked her or maybe Darken Rahl was immune to it. There were so many uncertain possibilities Denna did not like. These were reasons why she hated it to rely on others; too much could simply go wrong. But since she hadn't learned to wield powerful magic recently, she needed to trust in the golden magical dust which - should it have the effect as promised - would bring the wheels of time almost to a stop for about half a candle-mark - more or less, the wizard did not want to commit himself about that. But how is one supposed to measure time when time stood still? Denna didn’t know. Her internal clock would need to do the trick. At least she and everything she touched in the moment when the spell was cast, should be the exception and therefore able to move in the sense of normal time. In theory.
Since time was precious and Denna did not want to waste anymore than they already had, she produced the small silver bag from her pocket and threw its content with a swift motion into the air. Denna watched the golden dust spread across the room, but then after a moment it seemed to be frozen midair. Denna listened carefully, but could not hear the footsteps anymore either. The only sound she heard was Cara's even breathing - a bit too even for Denna's taste, but knew it didn't matter. Even if Cara would be awake, she was in no condition to walk by herself. That left only one other possibility if she still choose to take the tortured woman with her. With a grunt, Denna lifted Cara up into her arms and walked out of the dungeon.
~
The wind blew heavily over the lake, swirling sand up from its shore, throwing the tiny grains harshly against her face. Denna tried to cover her eyes, to protect them from the fine sand, but she had no leverage to hold onto. The sky was clear blue, everything around them seemed peaceful, and still, only them dashing through the perfect landscape disturbed its silence. The horse was snorting heavily it needed to rest soon. The weight of the both of them - even for the splendid animal that it was, with its raven-black fur and strong toned muscles - was too much to carry for this long stretch of time at their hurried pace.
The water splashed high in the air and soaked their clothes, covering them with a fine film of mud, as they rode at the rim of the lake. Denna held Cara tightly against herself, embracing her from behind on the horse. Her hand grasped the reins in an iron grip, her knuckles turned white around the soft leather. Cara, wrapped in a warm coat, had lost consciousness once again and Denna started to have difficulties holding her close.
Darken Rahl's men were hunting them down; Denna could already hear them in the distance, dozens of hoofs on forest ground - screams and shouts, coming steadily closer. The noise Rahl’s soldiers made started soon after they had left the temple, the spell must have ended sooner than Denna originally anticipated. However, it did not matter as long as they were far away as it eventually happened. Denna shuddered inwardly at the thought, imagining what Rahl would have done to the both of them – to her – when she had been caught while still in the temple. Especially with Cara in her arms, it would have been hard to come up with a sufficient explanation why he shouldn’t torture her to death - only to be revived with the Breath of Life and tortured again until she would die. Their only chance was to reach Denna's shelter soon and hide before their followers would get to them. The platinum blonde Mord'Sith schooled her gaze straight ahead, pulling Cara even tighter to her chest and spurred the horse. As if the animal could feel her desperation, it went faster.
Unnoticed by anyone, a small golden chain slipped out of its pocket into the lake's clear water, sinking down to the ground a few feet away from the shore. It came to rest on a sandy pillow, as if made to lay there for eternity.
~
The cottage laid hidden deep in the woods, in an area faraway from villages and towns, also isolated from the main travel roads. Seen from the outside, it appeared to be abandoned for years. Small trees grew up on the roof, some windows were barricaded with wooden boards, and the color of the walls had faded under years of constant sunlight. The magical web that was cast around it let the cottage blend in with the nature; making it invisible for the unknowing eye. In the months of preparation, Denna had spent a lot of time looking for a suitable place to function as her shelter once her mission was carried out. She never planed for anyone accompanying her though.
Pulling on the reins, Denna brought the raven horse to a halt in front of the cottage. For onlookers they stopped in the middle of nothing but trees and wild bushes. Everything had gone accordingly to plan, with the exception of her unconscious former Sister, who had almost killed her a few months ago. Cara had only woken once during their ride, but never regained full consciousness to actually realize what was happening around her. Dismounting the horse first, Denna steadied Cara so she would not fall down, before Denna pulled her into her arms. The old door made a loud scraping noise as Denna unceremoniously kicked it open and stepped inside. The place was still warm from the fire she had made before she had left earlier in the evening. She felt Cara shivering in her arms, only covered with the dark coat Denna had wrapped around her, assuming that the black leather straps which functioned as Cara’s only clothing, offered as good as no protection to the cold.
~
Denna laid Cara carefully down on the rug in front of the fire. The cloak was soaked with blood and mud and Denna wanted to avoid washing the covers of the bed. As a Mord'Sith her desire to experience the joys of domesticity was pretty much non-existent. Trying to survive was keeping her busy enough. In her absence, the fire had burned down, but the remains still glowed red with an intense heat. It would take time to heat up enough water to fill the tub though, but Denna was sure, Cara wouldn’t be complaining.
Half a candle-mark later, the tub was half-filled, looking at the steaming water; Denna figured it would have to be enough. Having to fill that tub by herself triggered a strange feeling to rise within her; in the past, there had been slaves or pets - and on occasion other Mord’Sith of lower rank - who had jumped at her command and filled it for her. If the water was cold when they're finished - Denna would let them start anew and punish them if they weren't fast enough for her liking. Pets earned hours of precious training time and her sisters a rebuke neither of them would forget about.
A full bath had lost some of its appeal, as soon as Denna realized that she needed to heat and carry the bugs of water all by herself, if she ever wanted to step into a steaming tub again. On occasion - she missed her former life dearly, especially in situations like this. As her thoughts wandered back to the Mord'Sith bathing chambers and how much her body and soul arched for them, she quickly locked the memories out and turned her attention back to Cara. There was only a certain amount of nostalgia she could handle in a day and the present reminder which was lying curled up on the rug in front of the fire, surely was more than enough for one day. If somebody had told her in the past, she would be filling up a tub for a former Sister, especially one that had tried to kill her without second thought; she would've laughed at them whole-heartily. Mistress Denna playing servant girl for anyone? Unthinkable.
Cara shifted unconsciously on the rug and a soft sigh escaped Denna’s lips as she moved to lift the blonde woman into the tub. The leather straps, which had hugged Cara's body tightly, had come off; they weren't easy to remove and some of Cara skin on her back had come off with them. At first Denna had considered to wash the dirt and blood off with a cloth, but was quickly convinced, that she wouldn't get it off thoroughly. Denna reached down into the water, testing the temperature. It was warm, but not too hot anymore. She remembered the feeling of too hot water against open wounds and bruises all too well. Where the notion came from, to spare Cara that kind of pain, she couldn't say. Nonetheless Cara murmured something unintelligible as Denna lowered her into the tub, fighting against a fever that had taken a strong hold on her, trembling in its grip as she tried to fight her way out of the darkness back to consciousness.
Denna ran a wash cloth over Cara's bruised cheek, cleaning away the dirt and sweat on the raw flesh. The welts and bruises looked angry against the otherwise pale skin and Denna reduced the pressure as Cara flinched ever so slightly from her touch. Holding Cara's head with one hand under her neck, Denna slowly lowered Cara down to rinse her hair off. There was no way she would get the dried blood and grim out of it only with the small washcloth.
One bloodshot eye cracked open and Denna could see Cara struggling to remember where she was or what was happening around her. A small frown settled on her features when she obviously couldn't make any sense of what was going on. "What do you think you're doing?" Cara's voice cracked, she sounded weary but suspicious as Denna pushed her deeper into the water.
"I'm trying to drown you, but there is not enough water in the tub for that." Denna deadpanned as she moved the washcloth over Cara's temple and then through her hair. "Besides you're not trashing and screaming - so it's not as amusing and I'll settle for rinsing you off. You are filthy." Denna grimaced disgusted to underline her statement, but couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from tugging upwards ever so slightly.
"You're lying." Cara groaned, eying Denna once more before her eye closed and she relaxed into Denna's soothing touch. She was tired and her whole body hurt immensely. The only thing she wanted to concentrate on right now was the feeling of the soft, warm washcloth Denna was moving over her skin. There would be time to think about why Denna was doing what she did or what Denna’s plans where in the end, but Cara was really too exhausted to think about it now. Sweet oblivion engulfed her once again and the last thing she saw were Denna’s piercing blue eyes staring down on her, before darkness took her completely.
Part II
Rating: R
Words: ~ 6000
Warnings:
Summary: AU starting with the events of "Eternity"
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended and – of course – no money is made.
A/N: Many thanks to my lovely beta
raug_moss for sticking with me through all this xD Thank you so much! It would be very weird without you! (But of course, all mistakes are my own, because I butchered it again..) Also many thanks to endgirl for not getting tired of me and always solving mysteries about the english language ;)A/N²: This was written for a prompt
synergyfox kindly offered to me almost half a year ago. It took me somehow longer than expected ..Cara had no recollection of how many hours had passed, while her body was swaying slightly back and forth in the chains. Her arms were numb, but it was a welcome relief to the searing pain in her wrists, which held her weight for far too long now.
In the minutes when her mind cleared enough to form coherent thoughts, she remembered her training and her former life with her sisters in the temple, which seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago.
The memories appeared unreal and odd to her now, as if they belonged to someone else. Cara did not want to remember her former life anymore. She wanted to stay in the present, with Richard, Kahlan and Zedd. But after days, she had lost track of time, since day or night were kept outside of the dungeons. Only the torches on the walls illuminated the dark place, lulling everything in its warm cozy light. She felt neither warm, nor particular cozy. It was cold. The only warmth she felt was from her own blood, running down her legs, slowly forming a dark puddle beneath her feet.
Cara tried to fight the urge to fall completely into oblivion, but it was luring her with the sweet, daunting promise of the constant pain to disappear. She felt tired, so unbelievably tired. Soon darkness engulfed her once again and then she was gone, as for now was her pain.
~
As the last sunlight faded, the former Mord'Sith, wrapped in a dark cloak, hid her form carefully in the looming shadows of old oak trees close to the temple. Never had she thought, that she'd ever set a foot in it again, especially not of her own free will. The Sisters of the Dark, who she'd observed entering the temple hours ago had still to come out yet.
Their attendance was unexpected and her mission was now at risk, but it's one Denna's willing to take. Besides, she really had no other option as she slipped inside through the secret entrance, hidden from sight in the thick grey wall of stone. She couldn't wait any longer and risk for her precise and long prepared plan to fail.
It was her only chance. It was going to be now - or never.
~
The screaming sound of an Agiel was the first thing Cara noticed as she came around. The sound was distant and dampened as if she was wrapped in a blanket of cotton wool. Sudden pain low on her belly was so intense; it felt like her insides were torn apart. She felt her organs to shift and contract as if to find another place to hide away from the pain. It dragged her back to full consciousness in a matter of seconds, leaving her gasping for air as she tried to breathe despite the constricting ache in her chest.
Squalling in agony, she tried to center herself - to find herself again in the darkness. But there was nothing left to be found. Nothing but darkness - not one ray of light in the endless night.
Cara was losing herself and knew she wouldn't last much longer. It would only be a matter of time until it was going to finally break her.
Again.
~
How many times had she walked in these hallways? How many hours of her life had she spent here? Countless.
This temple was the place she called home once, if a place of agony and endless suffering would fit that term. Everything looked familiar, she felt oddly save, even when it was the most dangerous place she could be.
Denna knew every detail around here. She could still turn her gaze to the ceiling and her eyes would find the spot instantly, where blood splatters of a former slave had soaked and darkened the stone. She remembered it vividly as if it had happened only yesterday. She could still hear his gurgling screams vibrating in her ears, as his throat was cut.
Her knowledge of this place would be her advantage now. She kept herself hidden in the dark shadow of a niche, which was barely big enough to cover her body from the candle-lit hallway, as a group of Mord'Sith crossed her path. Holding her breath, she pressed herself more tightly against the wall, as her former sisters passed by. Without a second thought, she left her hiding place as soon as the Mord'Sith had vanished from her sight and she started moving cautiously in the other direction.
"Keep an eye on the Sister of the Dark."
Denna heard the voice from around the corner accompanied by echoing footsteps, becoming louder with each step. She moved back quickly, reaching the niche at the last second, before the brunette rounded the corner.
"We cannot trust them."
Denna recognized the voice and knew it belonged to Dahlia, long before she saw her former Sister walk by. Her eyes lingered on the dark-haired Mord'Sith a moment longer, memories of a past long gone floated her mind, until Dahlia was gone from her sight and Denna forced the memories back into the deepest corner of her mind.
She knew exactly what she was here for and where to go to find it. And she was not about to let the past catch up on her now. Not ever. She had waited for this moment for so long, planning meticulously every little detail of her mission.
No one would ruin it now; especially not she herself. Her former chambers lay in the north tract of the temple, it was not far anymore. Denna stepped out of the shadow and hurried further through the winding corridors.
~
"It's time for you Cara, to rejoin your family."
Darken Rahl stood to her feet or merely where her feet would have been, if she wouldn't be dangling over the ground.
Rahl went on; as always loving to hear his own sickening sweet voice, "the Seeker and his friends have poisoned your thoughts long enough."
Cara heard him speaking, saw his lips moving, but the words leaving his mouth were hollow. He was only a shadow of the man she once served. She looked down at him. Her left eye was almost swollen shut and started to pucker painfully as she tried to focus her gaze on him. However, she couldn't see what she'd seen in all these years, when he's still her Master, her everything.
Now, she felt no pride to be close to him or to have his attention. She felt no need to please him.The only feeling that filled her from deep within - pulsing strongly through her veins with every beating of her heart - was repulsion.
~
The single stone slipped easily out of the wall, at least if one knew how to do it. Denna still knew.
The small velvet cloth was inside, where she had placed it all that time ago. Her fingers grazed over the fabric and a sigh of relief escaped her lips as felt the familiar patterns of the chain hidden beneath. Unwrapping it slowly, she clasped the fine golden necklace tightly in her hand, feeling the loss and dread disappear, as a once missing part of her finally slipped back into its rightful place - like adding the last missing piece of a puzzle.
With a last glance at the item, Denna wrapped it again in the black cloth and put it carefully into her pocket. She slipped the stone back in its hole in the wall, but did not even have the time to hide, as the door behind her opened with a creak and a familiar voice reached her ears.
"What do you think you're doing in my chambers?"
Still with her back to the other Mord'Sith, Denna waited until she heard the door falling into the lock and the footsteps inching closer. She turned around. Her blazing blue eyes met cloudy grey ones. Dahlia.
Dahlia seemed to be struck by thunder and lightening as she took a few unsure steps backwards, staring at her former sister with wide, open eyes. Denna took Dahlia's shocked expression and the little gasp, which sounded a lot like her name, with rapture. The brunette clearly had not expected her to visit.
Denna stood in a casually pose next to the wall as Dahlia finally came to a halt.
"Dahlia," Denna drawled, "if I remember correctly," she leaned slightly forward, "and I'm quite certain I do, these are my quarters, aren't they?"
To Denna's delight, Dahlia winced slightly as the silence between them grew thicker with each passing second. She only stared at her and Denna was reminded of their former encounters, at a time as Denna was still the one in charge and everyone feared her relentless wrath. It seemed Dahlia remembered as well and the thought deeply warmed her heart.
After a moment however, Dahlia had gathered herself enough to speak.
"Oh my, Mistress Denna," Dahlia mocked, picking her confidence back off the floor where it had shattered as she'd stumbled so ungracefully backwards. Smiling arrogantly, she eyed Denna extra long from top to bottom, "I can't say this is a pleasure."
Denna's mirrowing smile was tight and cold and Dahlia could feel the temperature drop in the room at the sheer sight of it. "Then it's good that no one cares for your opinion, Dahlia." Denna said, and then added sweetly, "As always."
The brunette Mord'Sith chuckled in response, "I see you haven't changed one bit. How very unfortunate - for you."
Denna's smile grew wider, "You have no idea how wrong you are." In a sudden movement, Denna strode forwards and hit the brunette Mord'Sith straight across the face with the back of her hand. Dahlia head snapped backwards from the force, but was quick to react as she pulled her Agiel free from its holster on her waist.
"I'll take pleasure from your screams of agony," Dahlia hissed through her teeth before she launched herself at Denna, her Agiel screaming. Unfortunately, Dahlia's Agiel plunged into thin air as Denna moved swiftly away, and then the leather rod was knocked from her hand and fell to the floor. The moment her eyes dropped to it, Denna managed to grap and hold her tightly in a headlock from behind. There was a reason, why she had been the one in charge. Denna thought, and not Dahlia.
"Listen fledgling, time is up," Denna growled as Dahlia continued to struggle in her grip, "I'd love to catch up with you further, but I've places to be."
"Brothels?" Dahlia quipped, but it only earned her an even harder tug from Denna's arm against her throat, almost crushing her windpipe. "You must be more delusional as I first thought, if you think you'll ever get out of here alive. And I'm sure Lord Rahl will be pleased to have both of his renegades back."
"Both?"
"Well, he always had an incomprehensible.. misguided affinity for you - and Cara."
"Cara is here?" Denna breathed, not bothing to hide the surprise in her voice, but then her tone hardened at once, "you're lying. Cara is with Richard."
"Cara was with Richard."
"How?"
Dahlia only chuckled.
"You betrayed her." Denna said without missing a beat. It was a statement not a question.
"And why would you believe that?" Dahlia forced out, choking as Denna increased the pressure around her throat.
"It's not hard to count one and one together, Dahlia," Denna said. "You are the only one she had ever trusted and you being here now, tells me all I need to know. She would not have come back of her own and we both know that, don't we, sister?
Dahlia struggled in her grip and hadn't Denna been absolutely sure before what she assumed Dahlia had done to lure Cara back, Denna was now, the pregnant silence and Dahlia's uneasy struggling in her grip told her so loud and clear.
"What are you doing here anyway, Denna, I thought your years of service to be over?"
"None of your business," Denna whispered darkly in the brunette's ear, "but be so kind and make sure to give Lord Rahl my best."
Dahlia turned her head, trying to face Denna, but found herself unable to. Denna's vice like grip never wavered. "So.. you'll let me live?"
A guttural sound erupted from Denna's throat, "I’m afraid not dear sister," Denna said in a tone dripping with false compassion. "But I believe he'll join you sooner than later." Denna felt Dahlia's muscles tense under her arm, as the brunette Mord'Sith readied herself for defense.
Denna chuckled again, but her voice oozed venom, "you shouldn't have betrayed your Sister Dahlia, I had to learn that the hard way. There is no honor in such an act."
Denna took a deep breath and once again leaned in closer to whisper in Dahlia's ear, "but it's going to be your final mistake." Denna's eyes fluttered shut.
Dahlia did not even have time to make a move or sound, before her former Mistress snapped her neck in a quick, precise motion. For a moment longer, Denna held Dahlia’s warm body in her embrace, before she let the brunette's lifeless form slip to the floor.
Denna looked down at her former Sister, knowing deep inside her, that she should feel remorse for what she had done - but she simply couldn't. Some things were just unavoidable. Reaching down, she picked up Dahlia's Agiel from the floor and studied it closely, while the familiar pain began to spread from her fingers through her body. It could come in handy, she thought - smirking to herself, and secured it on her waist. Old habits indeed died hard.
With a last glance at the brunette Denna left her former chambers, this time for good, and headed towards the exit.
She had found what she had come for.
~
She needed to hurry, as soon as Dahlia's dead body was discovered, her journey would probably end right here. They would shut down every entrance, every exit and trap her inside. She knew the procedure just all too well. Moreover, with Darken Rahl in the picture, it only would be a matter of a few candle-marks until they found her, if not much faster. She would have liked to avoid that, if possible.
Denna could already see the dark wooden doors at the end of the hallway, as soon as she reached them the winding staircase would lead her down and she could leave the temple the same way she had entered. The hallway was dark and empty and she was grateful for it. She had not planed on killing Dahlia to get back what belonged to her, she had not planed on killing any of her sisters, but Dahlia had left her no choice. She could not be trusted. Not that she knew of anyone she could place her trust in - beside herself of course.
A heart-wrenching, inhuman scream let her stop dead in her tracks. Her right hand rested already against the cool wood of the door and she only needed to push it open and slip through, but her legs would not move. Then again and again, the screams sounded in the distance, their power resonating off the walls and battering her human senses. Denna stood still, palm pressed flat against the door that would lead her almost out of the temple, and listened to the sounds that made her skin crawl.
The timbre and volume of the voice sounded familiar, she instantly knew to whom it belonged. Dahlia had been telling the truth after all. There was a time, when she had been the cause of screams similar to those she was hearing now; had marveled at the agonizing wails of hurt and sorrow, back then it had only fuelled her pleasure.
However, whatever she did, Cara never had been screaming like this. Denna wondered what they were doing to her, but in the same instant knew she should not care. Cara should be the last person in all three territories she should be worried about, especially after their last deadly encounter. No, she had neither a reason nor the time to care. Another scream, this one cut deep, she cringed inwardly, almost feeling the pain as it was carried through the air. Cara and she were nothing alike, she thought, they hadn’t anything in common other than a past in the service of Darken Rahl. Cara would not hesitate, if she would be in Denna's place. Cara would not care about her fate. Nor would Denna. With these thoughts and only these in mind, she pushed the door finally open and stepped through.
Denna reached the upper-most landing of the spiral stairs, which led deep down in the belly of the temple. Still she could hear Cara's screams; the big door had dampened them but not enough to block them out completely. She just needed to take the first step, then another and walk down. Nevertheless, she hesitated for the blink of an eye and then knew, she had somehow lost her inner struggle. 'Damn it', came the almost inaudible curse from her lips as she turned slowly away from the staircase, sucking in a deep breath.
Just to see her suffer, Denna excused the ill-advised sentiment in her mind, as she headed towards the agonizing screams, which seemed to get louder with each passing moment.
~
The dungeon was sparsely lit and smelled of blood and fear. The scent brought Denna back to the past, letting the memories flow vividly through her mind. All the men and women she had broken, so many that had died by her hand. The memories felt dark and heavy and she pressed herself back against the cold stone of the wall, willing the unwanted thoughts to pass.
As she carefully peeked around the corner, Denna could see the woman who had screamed her lungs out only minutes ago. Chained up at the ceiling, her feet dangling over the ground. Cara's body was covered all over with bruises, sweat, and blood. Denna could not see a spot on her skin, which seemed to be untouched by the magic of the Agiel. Cara's chin rested against her breastbone, her eyes closed.
"How long until she is broken?"
Darken Rahl's grave, impatient voice brought Denna's attention back to the danger at hand, as he suddenly rounded the corner and walked out of the dungeons, two Mord'Sith and tree Sisters of the Dark on his heels. Denna pressed herself into the shadows to hide her form from being discovered. Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears, as she silently scolded herself for even coming here. The sight of Darken Rahl gave her the creeps or rather the thought of what he would do to her, if he found her. She held her breath as he and his entourage passed by. Relief spread through her at sight of him retreating - until he suddenly stopped. Rahl stood with the back to her and Denna felt her heart hammering forcefully against her chest, she was sure he could hear it. Darken Rahl's head turned slowly to the side, as if he sensed something out of place. The Mord'Sith accompanying him seemed puzzled, but scanned the hallway nonetheless.
After a moment however, he shrugged ever so slightly and went on. Denna did not dare to move or breathe until he was fully out of sight, even when air slowly became an issue. Minutes passed before she finally stepped out of the shadow and risked another glance into the dungeon. Cara still hung motionless in the shackles, appearing to be unconscious.
Darken Rahl had only left two Mord'Sith standing guard for Cara - they did not know what hit them as Denna approached. The sizzling sound of Agiels vibrated through the dungeon room, closely followed by the sound of human bodies hitting the floor. The two younger Mord'Sith, unknown to her, had been no match for the former first Mistress, especially when they were underestimating her skills of wielding the Agiel. It was never wise to underestimate Mistress Denna, but they had learned their lesson - and she was sure, as soon as they discovered Cara to be gone, they would receive a proper punishment. Denna let her fingers caress the red leather rod in an affectionate gesture, before she secured it reluctantly back on her waist. There was nothing as good as a decent sparring once in a while - Mord'Sith may not spar, but she wasn't a true Mord'Sith anymore, now was she? She smirked at that - her former trainer must be turning in his grave right now, seeing what she had become. Not that she cared - no not one bit.
Denna turned to Cara and walked to her until she stood right in front of the other Mord'Sith. Cara's short hair had fallen over her face, partially sticking together where the blood had dried in the blonde strands. Denna could not help the notion, as she reached out and her fingers grazed over Cara's firm stomach, drawing imaginary lines where the Agiel had marked her. After a moment, Denna pulled her hand back and noticed the red blood that now covered her fingertips. In an unconscious gesture, Denna brought it to her lips and sucked it from them. Only as the metallic taste of still warm blood tantalized her taste buds she remembered where she was, and more importantly that she needed to leave here soon. With a last glance at Cara, who had not been conscious for Denna's refreshing of faded memories, she walked to the big wheel at the right side of the room and started to turn it until Cara's body slowly reached the floor.
Denna hurried to get the shackles off Cara's wrists, noticing that the skin beneath them was already sore. As Denna moved her hand to brush Cara's hair from the other woman's face, she felt Cara flinch beneath the soft touch. A strangled moan escaped cracked lips and one eye fluttered open, the other was swollen shut.
"Wake up," Denna said more harshly than she originally intended. She knew exactly how Cara must be feeling right now and how hard it was to regain consciousness after a severe training session. But they had no time to spare.
Cara blinked. The velvet depth of that voice - it was familiar, but Cara could not place it. She saw a woman kneeling beside her, slightly bent forward. She could not make out the woman's features; her vision was blurry and tinted red by the blood, which had seeped into her eye.
The woman next to her was clothed completely in black, only her platinum blonde, loose ponytail added a bit of light to her form. Cara had only known one person with that color of hair, but she had died months ago by her own hand. Her eyelid felt heavy and she was so tired. The pain slowly returned and all she wanted was to slip back into oblivion. However, the persistent woman would not let her.
"Cara," Denna nearly growled, slapping the other Mord'Sith cheek lightly as she tried to steal herself away again, "you need to wake up!"
There was no doubt about whom this voice belonged to. Cara would recognize it among thousands, but she did not have the strength to think about how it could be that Denna was still alive nor why she wanted her to wake up.
"Denna," Cara choked, forcing her good eye open and slowly her vision began to clear, "you have come to kill me." It was not intended as a question.
Denna shot her a look, as if actually considering the possibility, "if you don't stay conscious now, I might."
Despite her bad condition, Cara chuckled at Denna's words, only to cough up blood a second later.
"Come on now, we need to hurry. I'd rather not be around, when Rahl discovers you're gone." Denna pulled her up, draping Cara's arm over her shoulder, while she supported the other woman's waist. Cara's world started nauseatingly to spin and she thought she would throw up any second. Denna would not be pleased. After few deep breaths however, her stomach ceased the rebellion. Denna urged her on to walk, but after her first step it became clear, that her legs would carry her nowhere any time soon. Were it not for Denna's strong hold on her, she would have met the stone floor face first. Cara doubted she still possessed the strength she would have needed to intercept the fall. She could hear Denna silently cursing under her breath, as she held Cara's body close to her own.
"Leave me; there is no way I'll make it out of here on my own." Cara mumbled, resting her head on Denna's shoulder. She was so tired. If she just could convince Denna to let her lay down again, she could finally go back to sleep on the floor, even if Denna's shoulder was the most comfortable place she could think of, the fabric of her clothes felt soft against Cara’s cheek and the blonde’s body provided warmth she was denied for so long Cara couldn't even remember.
"I will-" Denna stopped mid sentence as the sound of footsteps in the distance reached her ears. It was too late. Darken Rahl's entourage was returning or it could be the shift rotation for the Mord'Sith Denna had knocked out. Whoever was coming - it meant no good. Denna had been glad, that she didn't need to use the magical help she had purchased from a wizard until now. Especially because she had no idea, if it would work. He could have tricked her or maybe Darken Rahl was immune to it. There were so many uncertain possibilities Denna did not like. These were reasons why she hated it to rely on others; too much could simply go wrong. But since she hadn't learned to wield powerful magic recently, she needed to trust in the golden magical dust which - should it have the effect as promised - would bring the wheels of time almost to a stop for about half a candle-mark - more or less, the wizard did not want to commit himself about that. But how is one supposed to measure time when time stood still? Denna didn’t know. Her internal clock would need to do the trick. At least she and everything she touched in the moment when the spell was cast, should be the exception and therefore able to move in the sense of normal time. In theory.
Since time was precious and Denna did not want to waste anymore than they already had, she produced the small silver bag from her pocket and threw its content with a swift motion into the air. Denna watched the golden dust spread across the room, but then after a moment it seemed to be frozen midair. Denna listened carefully, but could not hear the footsteps anymore either. The only sound she heard was Cara's even breathing - a bit too even for Denna's taste, but knew it didn't matter. Even if Cara would be awake, she was in no condition to walk by herself. That left only one other possibility if she still choose to take the tortured woman with her. With a grunt, Denna lifted Cara up into her arms and walked out of the dungeon.
~
The wind blew heavily over the lake, swirling sand up from its shore, throwing the tiny grains harshly against her face. Denna tried to cover her eyes, to protect them from the fine sand, but she had no leverage to hold onto. The sky was clear blue, everything around them seemed peaceful, and still, only them dashing through the perfect landscape disturbed its silence. The horse was snorting heavily it needed to rest soon. The weight of the both of them - even for the splendid animal that it was, with its raven-black fur and strong toned muscles - was too much to carry for this long stretch of time at their hurried pace.
The water splashed high in the air and soaked their clothes, covering them with a fine film of mud, as they rode at the rim of the lake. Denna held Cara tightly against herself, embracing her from behind on the horse. Her hand grasped the reins in an iron grip, her knuckles turned white around the soft leather. Cara, wrapped in a warm coat, had lost consciousness once again and Denna started to have difficulties holding her close.
Darken Rahl's men were hunting them down; Denna could already hear them in the distance, dozens of hoofs on forest ground - screams and shouts, coming steadily closer. The noise Rahl’s soldiers made started soon after they had left the temple, the spell must have ended sooner than Denna originally anticipated. However, it did not matter as long as they were far away as it eventually happened. Denna shuddered inwardly at the thought, imagining what Rahl would have done to the both of them – to her – when she had been caught while still in the temple. Especially with Cara in her arms, it would have been hard to come up with a sufficient explanation why he shouldn’t torture her to death - only to be revived with the Breath of Life and tortured again until she would die. Their only chance was to reach Denna's shelter soon and hide before their followers would get to them. The platinum blonde Mord'Sith schooled her gaze straight ahead, pulling Cara even tighter to her chest and spurred the horse. As if the animal could feel her desperation, it went faster.
Unnoticed by anyone, a small golden chain slipped out of its pocket into the lake's clear water, sinking down to the ground a few feet away from the shore. It came to rest on a sandy pillow, as if made to lay there for eternity.
~
The cottage laid hidden deep in the woods, in an area faraway from villages and towns, also isolated from the main travel roads. Seen from the outside, it appeared to be abandoned for years. Small trees grew up on the roof, some windows were barricaded with wooden boards, and the color of the walls had faded under years of constant sunlight. The magical web that was cast around it let the cottage blend in with the nature; making it invisible for the unknowing eye. In the months of preparation, Denna had spent a lot of time looking for a suitable place to function as her shelter once her mission was carried out. She never planed for anyone accompanying her though.
Pulling on the reins, Denna brought the raven horse to a halt in front of the cottage. For onlookers they stopped in the middle of nothing but trees and wild bushes. Everything had gone accordingly to plan, with the exception of her unconscious former Sister, who had almost killed her a few months ago. Cara had only woken once during their ride, but never regained full consciousness to actually realize what was happening around her. Dismounting the horse first, Denna steadied Cara so she would not fall down, before Denna pulled her into her arms. The old door made a loud scraping noise as Denna unceremoniously kicked it open and stepped inside. The place was still warm from the fire she had made before she had left earlier in the evening. She felt Cara shivering in her arms, only covered with the dark coat Denna had wrapped around her, assuming that the black leather straps which functioned as Cara’s only clothing, offered as good as no protection to the cold.
~
Denna laid Cara carefully down on the rug in front of the fire. The cloak was soaked with blood and mud and Denna wanted to avoid washing the covers of the bed. As a Mord'Sith her desire to experience the joys of domesticity was pretty much non-existent. Trying to survive was keeping her busy enough. In her absence, the fire had burned down, but the remains still glowed red with an intense heat. It would take time to heat up enough water to fill the tub though, but Denna was sure, Cara wouldn’t be complaining.
Half a candle-mark later, the tub was half-filled, looking at the steaming water; Denna figured it would have to be enough. Having to fill that tub by herself triggered a strange feeling to rise within her; in the past, there had been slaves or pets - and on occasion other Mord’Sith of lower rank - who had jumped at her command and filled it for her. If the water was cold when they're finished - Denna would let them start anew and punish them if they weren't fast enough for her liking. Pets earned hours of precious training time and her sisters a rebuke neither of them would forget about.
A full bath had lost some of its appeal, as soon as Denna realized that she needed to heat and carry the bugs of water all by herself, if she ever wanted to step into a steaming tub again. On occasion - she missed her former life dearly, especially in situations like this. As her thoughts wandered back to the Mord'Sith bathing chambers and how much her body and soul arched for them, she quickly locked the memories out and turned her attention back to Cara. There was only a certain amount of nostalgia she could handle in a day and the present reminder which was lying curled up on the rug in front of the fire, surely was more than enough for one day. If somebody had told her in the past, she would be filling up a tub for a former Sister, especially one that had tried to kill her without second thought; she would've laughed at them whole-heartily. Mistress Denna playing servant girl for anyone? Unthinkable.
Cara shifted unconsciously on the rug and a soft sigh escaped Denna’s lips as she moved to lift the blonde woman into the tub. The leather straps, which had hugged Cara's body tightly, had come off; they weren't easy to remove and some of Cara skin on her back had come off with them. At first Denna had considered to wash the dirt and blood off with a cloth, but was quickly convinced, that she wouldn't get it off thoroughly. Denna reached down into the water, testing the temperature. It was warm, but not too hot anymore. She remembered the feeling of too hot water against open wounds and bruises all too well. Where the notion came from, to spare Cara that kind of pain, she couldn't say. Nonetheless Cara murmured something unintelligible as Denna lowered her into the tub, fighting against a fever that had taken a strong hold on her, trembling in its grip as she tried to fight her way out of the darkness back to consciousness.
Denna ran a wash cloth over Cara's bruised cheek, cleaning away the dirt and sweat on the raw flesh. The welts and bruises looked angry against the otherwise pale skin and Denna reduced the pressure as Cara flinched ever so slightly from her touch. Holding Cara's head with one hand under her neck, Denna slowly lowered Cara down to rinse her hair off. There was no way she would get the dried blood and grim out of it only with the small washcloth.
One bloodshot eye cracked open and Denna could see Cara struggling to remember where she was or what was happening around her. A small frown settled on her features when she obviously couldn't make any sense of what was going on. "What do you think you're doing?" Cara's voice cracked, she sounded weary but suspicious as Denna pushed her deeper into the water.
"I'm trying to drown you, but there is not enough water in the tub for that." Denna deadpanned as she moved the washcloth over Cara's temple and then through her hair. "Besides you're not trashing and screaming - so it's not as amusing and I'll settle for rinsing you off. You are filthy." Denna grimaced disgusted to underline her statement, but couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from tugging upwards ever so slightly.
"You're lying." Cara groaned, eying Denna once more before her eye closed and she relaxed into Denna's soothing touch. She was tired and her whole body hurt immensely. The only thing she wanted to concentrate on right now was the feeling of the soft, warm washcloth Denna was moving over her skin. There would be time to think about why Denna was doing what she did or what Denna’s plans where in the end, but Cara was really too exhausted to think about it now. Sweet oblivion engulfed her once again and the last thing she saw were Denna’s piercing blue eyes staring down on her, before darkness took her completely.
Part II