Parallel Affinity

Part 9.

Neither Kahlan nor Cara was able to get much sleep that night, despite taking turns to alleviate the exhaustion each one felt. Each woman had her own battles to wage inside her mind, trying to keep afloat the whirlpool of thoughts and emotions haunting her, preventing the relief of a solid peaceful sleep. Zedd, on the other hand, woke up at dawn with fresh eyes and renewed energy, and was surprised when neither the Mother Confessor nor the Mord'Sith shared his enthusiasm for the new day, instead appearing almost worse for wear. Nonetheless, before the sun had fully emerged, the trio collected their belongings and resumed with their rescue mission, as pessimistic as it was, keeping an eye out for even the smallest of signs of other travellers having passed through such remote corners of the woods. So when, shortly that morning, they did come across some promising horse-tracks, (Perhaps a small party of people travelling on horseback?) they were equally as shocked as they were overjoyed by their improbable find.

Based on how deep the hoof-marks furrowed in the moist soil, the trio unanimously agreed that the horses had raced through the forest carrying two people each. However, the tracks also appeared to be at least a day old and there was no guarantee that these were the same horses that had rushed off with Darken Rahl and the Mord'Sith on their backs. Still, for the first time since Rahl's tracks had vanished the day before, leaving Kahlan, Cara and Zedd privately despondent, hope had collectively retaken root, propelling each one forward in the search, adding fresh swiftness to their step and renewed tenacity in their mind. The trio proceeded in the direction of the tracks with a restored sense of purpose and urgency - they will find their Seeker.

Alas, the tracks went on and on, and the trio spent yet another day walking, during which time neither Cara nor Kahlan spoke much, to each other or in general. Zedd found this a little strange, sensing unusual tension between the two women. He did not try to question it, however, not out loud at least, putting it down to, most likely, apprehension of their so-far futile search. Deep down though, he was becoming increasingly aware of another shadow growing to hound them all, one that made its presence known every time he looked at Kahlan, one that he would rather not put a name to, not just yet anyway. They had more urgent matters to attend to. And once they recovered Richard, everything else will be easier, Zedd reassured himself.

Cara, on the other hand, did her best to maintain an even composure and distance from Kahlan once again, trying hard to direct all of her energy and focus on the task at hand, as though nothing at all had happened the night before. This was the only way she could withstand being in close vicinity to the Confessor. Unfortunately, she found that her gaze naturally gravitated towards the woman and she hated such moments, where for an accidental second that lasted too long, their eyes locked together, sending thrilling, almost electric, though cold, shivers down her spine, before she'd reclaim enough strength to abruptly look away and carry on, appearing indifferent on the surface.

Kahlan, meanwhile, was under a similar resolve of not wanting to make it harder for Cara by keeping any closer to the girl than she had to. At the same time though, she was painfully aware of the rift such behaviour was beginning to create in their already-strained friendship. She did not want to lose Cara... But she did not want her to suffer either.

The discord of these two factors left its effect on the Confessor, where even the simplest or accidental interaction with the Mord'Sith was beginning to lack in ease, becoming forced, strained, leaving Kahlan all the more frustrated.

And then there were the moments when the memory of the kiss crept up on her unexpectedly and shocked her anew, as if it were happening all over again.

She kissed me...

While Kahlan had made up her mind and was prepared to do whatever it took to spare her friend from false hope, she was entirely unprepared for these moments, haunted by the ghost of Cara's kiss. Even as she rushed through the forest alongside her two companions, anxiously following the horse-tracks, desperate to find Richard to the point of nausea, the realisation that last night's revelation had taken place at all, that Cara had kissed her, burned through her mind like a comet, shocking her each time, causing her pale cheeks to burn as if on fire, leaving her utterly bewildered and unsettled.