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hrhrionastar
Title: Family (Ch. 10 of The Heir to the Throne)
Pairing: Darken/Kahlan, background Darken/Cara, Richard/Kahlan
Length: 784
Rating: T
Spoilers: Reckoning, mostly, but eventually there'll be a few references to things we learn later.
Summary: Reckoning AU: what if Darken and Kahlan's baby was a girl?
Family
Darken felt exultant. All was right with his world; after Nila’s timely recitation of the loyalty oath, Jagang had been a mere minor nuisance—it seemed most of his followers had been controlled by his magic, just as Kahlan had been. When Mistress Cindi shot Jagang through the heart, most of his army had surrendered at once.
His wizards explained to Darken that Kahlan was still able to go into the Con Dar while wearing the Rada’Han because Jagang, who was controlling her, had been outside its magic-dampening range. There were other dreamwalkers, of course, but none could control her now that she had taken the loyalty oath. The Rahl Bond would protect her, and, incidentally, his own subjects, from being triggered thus again.
Furthermore, the Rahl Bond could never be revoked except by the death of the current Lord Rahl and another’s ascension, which meant Kahlan was bound to him in yet another way.
Just as well Nila had arrived when she had; Darken hadn’t relished the idea of locking Kahlan in the dungeon again until they’d killed Jagang. Less casualties, too—he’d allowed Tippis to live, after Kahlan had declined to start a small rebellion, and was awaiting events.
Who knew? The man might yet prove useful…
The best consequence by far, from Darken’s point of view, was when Kahlan had come to his bedchamber the next night, eyes wild and that glorious hair spilling over her red nightgown, and said fiercely, “At least you are no Jagang,” and kissed him.
Darken still smiled gloatingly when recalling that night.
It had been several months ago; Darken lay staring up at the ceiling of his rooms, Kahlan asleep beside him. For once, he was entirely at peace.
“Mmm,” Kahlan said sleepily. She stirred, propping herself up on her elbows.
“Good morning,” Darken said warmly.
“Oh!” Kahlan gasped, and Darken was immediately worried; was she hurt?
“What is it?” he asked, sitting up and peering down at her.
“I’m pregnant,” Kahlan said flatly.
Darken smiled. His day was just getting better and better. He’d wanted more siblings for Nila and Nicholas for so long—Nicholas was already six. He had been raised an only child, but there was no reason his son and heir should bear that pain. Better to have your siblings under your eye, anyway, in case they tried to usurp your place, or there was a prophecy about them being sent to kill you…
“Darken,” Kahlan addressed him, face cold and set. “Swear to me you won’t let your sorcerers make this child artificially a boy. Or I will throw myself from your battlements, and you will lose both a Queen and a son.”
“I swear,” he said. There was no reason to do such a thing, in any case; the reverse, really. Nicholas was his only heir, and it must remain that way. He didn’t want Nicholas to have the same problems he had.
He dropped a kiss on Kahlan’s hair, a rare moment of tenderness. “You give me great joy.”
Kahlan felt as though a great weight had been lifted. If this next child was another daughter, she would be another way to get Richard back. And Kahlan could pretend that was the only reason she had returned to Darken’s bed.
Guilt for betraying Richard seemed heavy in her heart, while at the same time, she felt freer than she ever had. Nila had proven her potential to be a truly great Mother Confessor—Kahlan had done her duty. Now all she had to do was wait.
But she still had to live here—and the hatred she’d felt for Darken Rahl for as long as she could remember was now almost comfortable. Something reassuringly normal in a world of chaos. She still thought he might kill her someday, but could not muster up the energy to worry about it.
Nila was almost ready to know what she would have to do. And after that, it truly wouldn’t matter what happened to Kahlan.
Feeling a bizarre sense of calm, Kahlan sat down to breakfast with Darken. She even admired the roses on the table.
“Father!” Nila came running into the room, closely followed by a scowling Nicholas.
“What is it, Nila?” Darken asked, frowning. Kahlan frowned, too; she wasn’t sure if it was her Confessor power, finally sifting up through the years of being restrained, but she could feel that this was more than the usual quarrel between brother and sister over who’d won the latest game of Dragons.
“It’s her fault!” Nicholas yelled; Kahlan’s eyes narrowed. He was lying. Her sweet boy—was he turning evil already?
Nila burst out with her announcement. “Nicholas Confessed Mistress Alina!”
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-08 09:29 pm (UTC)Now that's just shameless teasing! Now I want more! And more! And more!
More Darken/Kahlan. More family stuff. More Nila. More Nicholas.
And just what they all gonna do now?
And again I like your Darken/Kahlan relationship development so much!
*goes to reread all the previous chapters*
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 02:49 am (UTC)I love writing the Darken/Kahlan angst/family stuff :) And you'll definitely be seeing more of both Nila and Nicholas ;D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 06:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-08 09:41 pm (UTC)I'm not real savvy about the Rahl bond, but wouldn't that have affected Kahlan's hatred for Darken, or at least her ability to plot against him?
I am dying to know how Darken and Nila are together - will they ever get to have any father-daughter moments? (OK - I know you can't give anything away).
Nicholas confessed his first victim - Eager to see where you take this!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 02:56 am (UTC)I am really getting puzzled by Kahlan. One minute I think she's finally starting to warm to Darken - just a little - and then, emotionally, she seems to be right back where she was 9 years before. I guess I'd say you're confused because Kahlan's confused. That is, she is warming up to Darken, but that's not enough to change her mind about her plan. For one thing, if she succeeds in getting Richard back Darken will still be there--if anything can make her change her mind about the plan, it has to be Nila or Nicholas, or someone born after the operative moment. Also, she's conflicted because not only does she want Richard to return to her, but she sees getting him back (the Seeker, who will epically defeat the tyrant), as her moral duty. But at the same time, she's just starting to realize that'll mean she's never lived the past years with Darken and the kids.
(Hopefully at least some of that made sense :D)
I'm not real savvy about the Rahl bond, but wouldn't that have affected Kahlan's hatred for Darken, or at least her ability to plot against him? Not entirely--after all, Cara must've been sworn to Darken, and she still turned against him. On the other hand, the Bond is not nothing--another nebulous tie strengthening their connection, and certainly making it more difficult for Kahlan to plot against Darken, at least in how I see it. (I don't do book canon, that may be entirely different.)
I am dying to know how Darken and Nila are together - will they ever get to have any father-daughter moments? Yes ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-09 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-10 04:08 pm (UTC)Sigh, Kahlan's spending a lot of time being pregnant, churning out Confessors for Darken. The more I think about it, the more passive Kahlan seems in any version of the AU world; her grand plan is to birth a daughter who must birth a daughter ad nauseum until they can help Richard restore the world. It makes for an epic 'you loved me across time' narrative, but undermines everything we know about Kahlan's determination and proactive nature. The AU fics develop Kahlan's character in different ways, but at least address her actions, her motives, even her doubts.
At least she's warming to Darken, even if she's pretending to be doing this for Richard. And he's so happy with how things are going :D
Drama :D Nicholas is starting to get his powers; before Nila, even. And lying about it. And if he has, then poor Mistress Alina is a dead Mord'Sith walking. Darken will be torn between glee and outrage at this turn of events :D
The radahan then doesn't suppress Kahlan's powers of observation; she's working on instinct that this is a serious quarrel, but that seems like her Confessor power working to let her know that Nicholas is lying.
Excited for the next part :D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 03:04 am (UTC)I love when authors give us reasons behind things, however magical the nature of the situation. It just has to follow the logical rules of the universe the situation is occurring in. This makes perfect sense to me :D Yay! Always good to know something's making sense ;D
Sigh, Kahlan's spending a lot of time being pregnant, churning out Confessors for Darken. The more I think about it, the more passive Kahlan seems in any version of the AU world; her grand plan is to birth a daughter who must birth a daughter ad nauseum until they can help Richard restore the world. Sad but true--although the Confessors are really for Richard, and that's where the whole doubt thing comes in...also, I can't really see Darken letting Kahlan be his co-ruler here (actually, I can't see Darken ever sharing power very well). So Kahlan's pretty stuck, since what we might think of as her actual job is being some kind of grand judge is not really feasible...
The radahan then doesn't suppress Kahlan's powers of observation; she's working on instinct that this is a serious quarrel, but that seems like her Confessor power working to let her know that Nicholas is lying. This makes sense to me; the Rada'Han is suppressing the outward manifestation of Kahlan's power, not her inner ability to sense deceit. She naturally assumes at first that she's completely helpless, bound by a Rada'Han, as does everyone else...but that can't really be true, can it? ;D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 07:13 am (UTC)Hm... I kinda got the impression that when Darken said "my wife in every way" and "agree to all your terms" it meant he was quite willing to share. oO
since what we might think of as her actual job is being some kind of grand judge is not really feasible...
Quite the opposite, I thought. Darken needed a Mother Confessor queen for some reasons. Not only for display. It would have been wasting of available resources. And Darken doesn't strike me as a person who would not get every possible advantage of any circumstances, especially when he himself created them.
Or am I wrong?
the Rada'Han is suppressing the outward manifestation of Kahlan's power, not her inner ability to sense deceit.
I always thought so too.)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-11 11:59 pm (UTC)As for why Darken wanted a Confessor queen, I think a big reason was to put that last nail in the coffin of the Resistance. And Kahlan certainly can't be independently ruling the Midlands from Aydindril as Rahl's queen. (Although, personally, I think the people from the Midlands are fighting a losing battle; as we discussed on PP, Panis has been fighting them for years, and Darken basically controls them--Resistance to an established authority isn't the same as successfully getting rid of the D'Harans.)
And then Darken wanted a Confessor heir because of the issues he had with his father where he felt like Panis wanted him to be more powerful...(technically just my theory)
I appreciate your comments--you make me think :)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-12 12:55 am (UTC)Of course! ;) But I believe it extends to some other stuff as well. And he did agree to ALL her terms quite easily. What could mean (maybe) if Kahlan came up with some new ideas he would listen to her. IMHO. =)
And didn't you yourself say in Chapter 8 that Darken asked Kahlan for an opinion?
The children were safely in bed; he and Kahlan had been discussing a political issue upon which, for once, they were in perfect agreement...
I'm confused. Oo
As for why Darken wanted a Confessor queen, I think a big reason was to put that last nail in the coffin of the Resistance. And Kahlan certainly can't be independently ruling the Midlands from Aydindril as Rahl's queen.
Yeah, I think so too. Although I see no reason why Kahlan couldn't rule Midlands from D'Hara alongside Darken (not by herself, no way! but still).
Then the resistance would have nothing to fight for. Their ruler is legitimate, they've got all of these places of healing, amnesty and bla-bla other cool stuff. Yay! Peace and happiness everywhere! =)
So I'm wondering...
Sorry if I step out of line though. I don't know how to shut myself up sometimes.
Please, just ignore me if I bother you in any way.
And then Darken wanted a Confessor heir because of the issues he had with his father where he felt like Panis wanted him to be more powerful...
I don't think I follow you here. oO
Could you elaborate, please?))
no subject
Date: 2011-02-14 02:24 am (UTC)Then the resistance would have nothing to fight for. Precisely--I see this as a major flaw in Kahlan's plan to get Richard back, since the war is over, and lots of people who are happily living normal lives in this AU will die and become banelings in season 2 (although Kahlan doesn't really know that yet.) The only reason to think Darken is still epically evil, rather than just the normal amount almost all rulers are, is that he's a baneling himself--which Kahlan also doesn't know.
And then Darken wanted a Confessor heir because of the issues he had with his father where he felt like Panis wanted him to be more powerful...
I don't think I follow you here. oO
Could you elaborate, please?))
Ooh, yeah, sorry--that didn't make any sense. I meant that my theory is Panis gave Darken the impression that he wasn't good enough--as a son, or as a potential ruler. And part of that is magical talent. Darken has some magic, but he made the deal with the Keeper to get to be more powerful, which I see as an attempt to make his father proud of him.
One reason he might therefore want a Confessor son would be because no one could possibly say a Confessor isn't powerful. There would be no question of Nicholas not measuring up, magically at least.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-14 03:15 am (UTC)Oh, he's the boss! Absolutely! =)
I see this as a major flaw in Kahlan's plan to get Richard back
I wonder if Kahlan will see that too? ^_^
he's a baneling himself
Will you be covering this in the future chapters? Wow!
One reason he might therefore want a Confessor son would be because no one could possibly say a Confessor isn't powerful.
Oh. Now I get it.) That's quite possible.
Thank you for your reply! =))