![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
noblealice.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
noblealiceworkstitle: Annual Performance Review
characters: Kahlan, Cara, OFC
rating: PG
summary: gen, spoiler-free future!fic (angsty)
word count: 1,000+
A/N: cross-posting here from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
sword_of_lies for archival purposes, written for the prompt: Cara has been Confessed by Kahlan (and she doesn't die)
Mina skipped down the halls, happy that her tutors had given her the rest of the afternoon off. She was already planning what she was going to do with her free time, first she was going to visit the kitchens and then she--
Harsh shouts interrupted Mina's daydreams. She slowed, cautious. No one had raised their voice in Aydindril in nine years, not since The Great Peace. There simply wasn't anything to be angry about because there was no disorder.
Curious, Mina made her way towards the angry sounds, silent in the way only children can be. She saw a flicker of light through the slit of an open door to the throne room. This was getting stranger, the throne room was only used for official city business by the Lady of Aydindril and her council and was locked at all other times.
Moving to the crack, Mina looked through to identify the sole voice that was spitting out such hate. It seemed like an uneven argument as only one voice could be heard. Mina was about to dismiss it as someone practising a spell when she saw a white clad figure in the main chair. Not even the highest order of the Sisters of the Light were allowed to wear white and Mina's curiosity increased. She snuck closer to get a better view and saw that there were two women in the room. A blond woman in blood red was shouting with passion, her eyes fierce. The other woman was hooded so Mina could not see her face and she sat impassively still without flinching.
"You're worthless." Sneered the blond and Mina's eyes widened with panic.
Sharp red heels clacked against the marble floors with no regard to Mina's shot nerves. She felt as if she were the one those spiked heels were slowly circling, like an animal going in for the kill.
"Look at you, so pathetic! You sit here, worshipped like a queen when all you really did is fail! If these people only knew the truth they would beat their fists bloody against the gates trying to get in here. Hungry for retribution."
Mina eased back from where she stood, fear of being found by this mysterious blond woman skyrocketed. No one talked impertinently to the Mother Confessor, nevertheless lecture her in this ugly tone.
"Where are all your friends now, Confessor?" The way she said that word made it sound like the worst insult Mina knew. "They're six feet under the ground, food for worms. All because of you."
Mina kept expecting the Mother Confessor to lash out at this stranger. She knew that this strange woman deserved punishment. Mina had never seen the Lady of Aydindril fight in her life - there was no need for her too - but she had heard fearsome stories about the Lady's power and strength. Yet the hooded woman in white did not move or even flinch.
"You disgust me. If Richard were alive he wouldn't even recognize you now." The scarlet woman practically spat at the feet of the throne and Mina concluded that the seated figure must be someone else, her Lady would never degrade herself by listening to this.
Finally, the hooded woman held up her palm to halt the other woman from her angry pacing, her short hair swishing around her shoulders with the sharp stop. Mina knew she was wasting her free afternoon, but she found she could not leave. She was captivated by what she saw. As soon as the woman in white nodded her head slightly, the thin woman in red leather sank down to her knees in supplication. Her body and mood were completely transformed and her face suddenly open and searching for approval. Mina thought she must be the best performer she'd ever seen but she didn't feel like clapping. Something was wrong here.
"Did I please you, Mistress?" This was a strange word that Mina did not know. She had only ever heard the council call the Mother Confessor by her proper title of Lady. There were no more Confessors in the Midlands.
"You did well, Cara. Please return at this time next year." The voice that escaped the hood seemed impossibly cold and Mina shivered in the shadows.
"Kahlan, don't send me away. I can help--"
The blond woman seemed desperate, kissing the knees and wrists of the woman she had called Kahlan, but her Lady would not be swayed, she held up her hand again and the blond stopped automatically, her face falling.
"I need you on the border."
"Yes, Mistress."
"You are keeping up your other duty?" Mina knew of the odd whispers about her Lady, but she didn't believe any of them until now. Suddenly, imagining her Lady as a ghost in the night who visited her dead lover didn't seem so impossible anymore. Her whole presence demanded obedience and Mina feared for whoever disappointed her.
"His grave is in the sun, I go regularly to clear it of brush."
"Thank you, Cara." Before, Mina had wished that she could see the hooded woman's face but now she was too afraid of what she'd see. How many people had lived who had seen the Lady of Aydindril cry?
"Anything for you, Mis--"
"Please leave now." The woman whom Mina was slowly starting to think of as Kahlan turned away, lifting her hood to finally reveal her face. It was not the one Mina recognized from the parades and banquets. This face was worn and tired where the Mother of her city's was sharp and bright.
"Until next year, Mistress."
"Yes, Cara. Until then. Thank you for this. I must never forget the cost."
Mina waited until they had both left and crept away herself, searching for the fastest way out of the castle. When she was once again embraced by the sun's rays, she began to feel warm again and after she saw her first swallow swooping low in the sky, the memory of what she'd seen began to fade as her mind worked to protect her against things she was too young to understand.
(like what you see? watch this comm!)
characters: Kahlan, Cara, OFC
rating: PG
summary: gen, spoiler-free future!fic (angsty)
word count: 1,000+
A/N: cross-posting here from
sword_of_lies for archival purposes, written for the prompt: Cara has been Confessed by Kahlan (and she doesn't die)Mina skipped down the halls, happy that her tutors had given her the rest of the afternoon off. She was already planning what she was going to do with her free time, first she was going to visit the kitchens and then she--
Harsh shouts interrupted Mina's daydreams. She slowed, cautious. No one had raised their voice in Aydindril in nine years, not since The Great Peace. There simply wasn't anything to be angry about because there was no disorder.
Curious, Mina made her way towards the angry sounds, silent in the way only children can be. She saw a flicker of light through the slit of an open door to the throne room. This was getting stranger, the throne room was only used for official city business by the Lady of Aydindril and her council and was locked at all other times.
Moving to the crack, Mina looked through to identify the sole voice that was spitting out such hate. It seemed like an uneven argument as only one voice could be heard. Mina was about to dismiss it as someone practising a spell when she saw a white clad figure in the main chair. Not even the highest order of the Sisters of the Light were allowed to wear white and Mina's curiosity increased. She snuck closer to get a better view and saw that there were two women in the room. A blond woman in blood red was shouting with passion, her eyes fierce. The other woman was hooded so Mina could not see her face and she sat impassively still without flinching.
"You're worthless." Sneered the blond and Mina's eyes widened with panic.
Sharp red heels clacked against the marble floors with no regard to Mina's shot nerves. She felt as if she were the one those spiked heels were slowly circling, like an animal going in for the kill.
"Look at you, so pathetic! You sit here, worshipped like a queen when all you really did is fail! If these people only knew the truth they would beat their fists bloody against the gates trying to get in here. Hungry for retribution."
Mina eased back from where she stood, fear of being found by this mysterious blond woman skyrocketed. No one talked impertinently to the Mother Confessor, nevertheless lecture her in this ugly tone.
"Where are all your friends now, Confessor?" The way she said that word made it sound like the worst insult Mina knew. "They're six feet under the ground, food for worms. All because of you."
Mina kept expecting the Mother Confessor to lash out at this stranger. She knew that this strange woman deserved punishment. Mina had never seen the Lady of Aydindril fight in her life - there was no need for her too - but she had heard fearsome stories about the Lady's power and strength. Yet the hooded woman in white did not move or even flinch.
"You disgust me. If Richard were alive he wouldn't even recognize you now." The scarlet woman practically spat at the feet of the throne and Mina concluded that the seated figure must be someone else, her Lady would never degrade herself by listening to this.
Finally, the hooded woman held up her palm to halt the other woman from her angry pacing, her short hair swishing around her shoulders with the sharp stop. Mina knew she was wasting her free afternoon, but she found she could not leave. She was captivated by what she saw. As soon as the woman in white nodded her head slightly, the thin woman in red leather sank down to her knees in supplication. Her body and mood were completely transformed and her face suddenly open and searching for approval. Mina thought she must be the best performer she'd ever seen but she didn't feel like clapping. Something was wrong here.
"Did I please you, Mistress?" This was a strange word that Mina did not know. She had only ever heard the council call the Mother Confessor by her proper title of Lady. There were no more Confessors in the Midlands.
"You did well, Cara. Please return at this time next year." The voice that escaped the hood seemed impossibly cold and Mina shivered in the shadows.
"Kahlan, don't send me away. I can help--"
The blond woman seemed desperate, kissing the knees and wrists of the woman she had called Kahlan, but her Lady would not be swayed, she held up her hand again and the blond stopped automatically, her face falling.
"I need you on the border."
"Yes, Mistress."
"You are keeping up your other duty?" Mina knew of the odd whispers about her Lady, but she didn't believe any of them until now. Suddenly, imagining her Lady as a ghost in the night who visited her dead lover didn't seem so impossible anymore. Her whole presence demanded obedience and Mina feared for whoever disappointed her.
"His grave is in the sun, I go regularly to clear it of brush."
"Thank you, Cara." Before, Mina had wished that she could see the hooded woman's face but now she was too afraid of what she'd see. How many people had lived who had seen the Lady of Aydindril cry?
"Anything for you, Mis--"
"Please leave now." The woman whom Mina was slowly starting to think of as Kahlan turned away, lifting her hood to finally reveal her face. It was not the one Mina recognized from the parades and banquets. This face was worn and tired where the Mother of her city's was sharp and bright.
"Until next year, Mistress."
"Yes, Cara. Until then. Thank you for this. I must never forget the cost."
Mina waited until they had both left and crept away herself, searching for the fastest way out of the castle. When she was once again embraced by the sun's rays, she began to feel warm again and after she saw her first swallow swooping low in the sky, the memory of what she'd seen began to fade as her mind worked to protect her against things she was too young to understand.
(like what you see? watch this comm!)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-03-24 04:09 pm (UTC)♥
no subject
Date: 2010-03-27 04:18 am (UTC)Thanks so much, glad you liked it. SORRY FOR MAKING YOU SAD! *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2011-08-22 06:08 pm (UTC)