Parallel Affinity

Part 19

"I don't recall you ever mentioning her," Kahlan said once they were alone in the dungeon, not counting the unconscious guard that lay sprawled out on the ground.

The tone of her voice was casual enough but her arms were crossed.

"I had no reason to," Cara replied quietly.

The Mord'Sith walked back to the bundle of hay and sat down, elbows propped up on knees. She stared aimlessly before herself, lost in thought.

"I guess I just find it a little strange," Kahlan continued in the same cold manner, "That if someone meant that much to you growing up that you'd never once bring them up in conversation."

Cara looked at her.

"When have you ever heard me bring up people that have ever meant something to me?"

She stared at Kahlan from beneath her eyebrows. Kahlan raised hers as if trying to think back to an instance that would prove Cara wrong but could not.

They observed each other in silence.

"I only meant that," Kahlan eventually conceded, looking away, "Based on what she said, it sounds like she was... Special to you."

"How does that make any difference to our situation at present?" Cara tilted her head. "We're still stuck in a dungeon, Kahlan."

Kahlan said nothing.

"And why would you care anyway?" Cara narrowed her eyes.

"I don't," Kahlan snapped. "And... You're right. It doesn't make any difference to our situation."

She held Cara's gaze defiantly.

For a moment, the Mord'Sith wondered whether they were talking about the same thing. She tried to look deeper inside the Confessor's eyes, trying to understand the meaning behind her words, but alas... Not only was that difficult in the poorly lit dungeon, Kahlan, for some reason or other, turned away from her.

Unfortunately, Cara would not get a chance to question her about it. A loud groan interrupted the silence in the dungeon, breaking the spell of the tension between the two women, seizing their attention. Turning in unison in the direction of the groan, they saw that it was the guard. He was waking up.

"Act natural," Kahlan hissed at Cara under the breath.

"What?!" Cara scowled.

"What... What did..." The guard mumbled, clutching at his head in confusion. "What happened?"

With difficulty he propped himself up on one elbow. Puzzled, blurry-eyed he looked about the dungeon trying to figure out what had happened. He shook his head, hoping to rid himself of the dizziness, but the discomfort of it made him groan even harder.

"What happened to me?" he said. When he noticed the two women looking at him from within the cell, he was on the verge of anger. "What did you do to me?!"

"Nothing!" Kahlan snapped back at him.

"How did I... Why am I on the floor?" he demanded while attempting to sit upright.

"Well!" Kahlan scoffed. "Isn't that the question! I... Could ask you the same thing!"

Her answer confused him. He frowned and narrowed his eyes, looking to his left and right, trying to think back to what had transpired in the dungeon. Alas, his mind continued to draw blanks. The only thing he could remember was being ordered by the Mayor to bring a message to the prisoners about the trial tomorrow. The rest of it was... Missing.