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hrhrionastar
Title: Slap on the Wrist (Ch. 11 of The Heir to the Throne)
Pairing: Darken/Kahlan, background Darken/Cara, Richard/Kahlan
Length: 903
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?
Slap on the Wrist
“What? How did this happen?” Darken asked. Why were his children spoiling this most perfect day with a quarrel? And was Mistress Alina really dead? How inconvenient. His lips tightened. “Nicholas. Explain yourself.”
Nicholas pouted. “She wouldn’t let go of my arm. She said I was late for lessons, but I wasn’t!”
“He murdered her!” Nila said strongly, as though to make certain Nicholas didn’t get away with anything.
At the same moment, Mistress Cindi entered, trailed by Jeanna and Dahlia.
“Ah, Cindi,” Darken said distractedly. “Investigate this, will you? Alina should be in the nursery, yes?” He added the last to Nila and Nicholas; the former nodded.
Cindi gestured, and Dahlia and Jeanna left at once. Cindi waited, looking tense. Darken ignored her.
“So he Confessed her,” Nila went on indignantly, “And then she went on for ten minutes about all the horrible things she’d done—mislaying the Seeker, murdering the doubles, murdering lots of other random people—Creator, but it was tedious!”
Darken almost laughed, sympathizing with his daughter’s impatience. But now was clearly a moment to be handled with extreme care.
He frowned, and fished in a pocket. His spare gloves, good. “Put these on,” he told Nicholas disdainfully, “At least until you can control yourself.” He should have realized a Confessor child wouldn’t simply be able to control his powers right away, the way Kahlan did.
Nicholas pouted. “No fair!” He looked on the verge of a tantrum. Darken sighed exasperatedly, and hoisted Nicholas onto his lap, sinking back into his chair. The boy seemed much too small and harmless yet to kill anyone.
Despite the annoyance, Darken rather approved of this evidence of Nicholas’s power. His son would never feel his magic couldn’t measure up—no one was more powerful than a Confessor.
Darken tugged the gloves on and put Nicholas down, patting him on the shoulder not unkindly. “Go on,” he said, “you’re confined to your room until I investigate this.”
Nila crossed her arms. “That’s it? He never gets in trouble!”
Darken smiled and ruffled Nila’s hair. “Here,” he said, and tossed her a cookie from the tray. “Happy now?”
Maybe this would yet all turn out for the best. Nila was a sharp girl—and Nicholas would learn to control his powers. Darken vowed not to let his good mood be too tarnished by the incident.
Kahlan was horrified. Her entire being had gone numb. It had started—and so soon! Nicholas was only six, but already the dark power of Confession reached to claim his soul. She had no choice—she would have to kill him.
She only prayed Nila would be safe—she’d have to tell Nila what she must do, first. Kahlan wasn’t sure why she kept putting it off. Childhood seemed too sweet, to end it so suddenly, with such a difficult burden.
But as she listened to Darken’s ridiculous idea of precautions (she had a special jolt of horror at Nila’s cavalier description of a tormented soul’s last moments in the Land of the Living as ‘tedious’), Kahlan found herself wavering.
Of course, if Nicholas had turned evil, it would be Kahlan’s duty to kill him—but had he? From Nila’s description, the woman had committed horrific crimes (no doubt upon Darken’s orders). Indeed, unless she was mistaken, it sounded as though this were the same woman who had once taken the false as well as the true Richard and Kahlan into custody. “Lord Rahl will sort it out,” she had said. “He’s very good at that.”
She had been a Mord’Sith. Kahlan had herself executed Mord’Sith—a Confessor’s touch was a painful and thoroughly complete way to kill them. The Breath of Life would not work on a Confessed Mord’Sith.
Nicholas had only been doing a thoroughly unpleasant duty. No doubt his Confessor instincts had warned him of the irredeemable evil in the woman’s soul—he couldn’t even have been said to have much of a choice.
The woman was a Mord’Sith. So that was all right, then.
Feeling much better, Kahlan looked around, once more aware of her surroundings. Darken had sent Nicholas away with a mild scolding and a pair of gloves (Kahlan doubted the latter would have as great an effect as he seemed to expect), and now was giving Nila a cookie.
Kahlan smiled at Nila. “You did right to bring this to our attention, sweetheart,” she said calmly.
Nila shrugged. “Whatever. Can I go play in the attics?”
The attics of the People’s Palace were a perilous place; Kahlan shuddered to think of all the trouble an impressionable young girl might find there.
“Of course,” said Darken distractedly. “Leave the mirror alone.”
Nila pouted. “I won’t break it.”
“I mean it, Nila,” said Darken in a tone that brooked no argument.
As Nila flounced away, Kahlan saw the Mord’Sith (‘C’ something) glaring unreadably after her.
Kahlan frowned.
“You might have given me some assistance,” Darken complained. “How are Confessors usually trained?”
Kahlan was sufficiently distracted that she almost told him the truth; quickly, she gathered her wandering wits, wondering how best to turn the opportunity of Darken allowing her to train her children in the ways of Confessors to good use.
She didn’t look at the Mord’Sith again. She was fast coming to regard them as something in the nature of unpleasant furniture in her home, not of her choosing.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:50 am (UTC)Poor Alina - wasn't she the one who originally found Nila playing with the dagger?
Considering how powerful Darken intended his children to be, he seems to be a little casual as to their education. Who has been tending to their training up to now? Wasn't he working with Nicholas himself, or am I remembering wrong?
The image of Darken handing his son a pair of gloves and patting him on the shoulder, then tousling Nila's hair and tossing her a cookie is rather priceless.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 09:35 pm (UTC)It kind of cracks me up that Kahlan refuses to remember the names of the different Mord'Sith or grant them any sort of individuality. Pretty much--they're all Denna to Kahlan ;)
Poor Alina - wasn't she the one who originally found Nila playing with the dagger? Yes--babysitting Confessors is a hazardous job.
Considering how powerful Darken intended his children to be, he seems to be a little casual as to their education. Who has been tending to their training up to now? Wasn't he working with Nicholas himself, or am I remembering wrong? Yes...Darken works with Nicholas some, but after all, kings and queens rarely do all the raising of their children themselves. Nila and Nicholas are most looked after by their (long-suffering) Mord'Sith babysitters, but they certainly do have lessons. (More about this later...)
The image of Darken handing his son a pair of gloves and patting him on the shoulder, then tousling Nila's hair and tossing her a cookie is rather priceless. :D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 05:12 pm (UTC)“Lord Rahl will sort it out,” she had said. “He’s very good at that.” Oh yes, she was fantastic. Wasn't about to be led into a trap, wasn't about to tackle things 'above her pay grade'. I do wish we'd seen what happened when the merry band had reached Rahl, fake Zedd and all.
From Nila’s description, the woman had committed horrific crimes ...Kahlan had herself executed Mord’Sith...he couldn’t even have been said to have much of a choice Justifying his crimes? If this were true, Nicholas would be compelled to execute every Mord'Sith in the Palace. I'm not impressed Kahlan.
Then Kahlan tries to smooth things over and Darken tells Nila not to touch; after his dismissal of her concerns I'm guessing that's exactly what she'll do. Play with the Mirror.
Kahlan was sufficiently distracted that she almost told him the truth Interesting. I thought the Confessors were just taught by their elders; meditations or something to help them keep their focus and not let their emotions overcome them. Quite what it does entail and what Kahlan will tell Rahl...I'm intrigued :D
The gloves remind me of the telepaths in Babylon Five. Telepaths had to join the Psi Corp or take suppressive drugs with terrible side effects. The Corp was feared rather than respected, and all members wore black gloves as part of their every day uniform.
It was supposed to help prevent unwanted contact that would lead to them reading a person's mind unintentionally, but really it mostly served as a warning to those around them, like a rattle on a snake.
Nicholas's gloves seem more like this danger signal, though I don't know if bare skin must touch bare skin for Confession under normal [non Con Dar] circumstances.
Long comment is long. Apologies.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 07:05 pm (UTC)Darken knows what Kahlan is capable of when she has control over her powers - he saw her go into the Con Dar. Why on earth would he not respect his daughter's abilities? Very troubling.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 07:22 pm (UTC)I also think he's got his eye on the long game, on his happiness, his control of the world through his son, and he's not paying attention to the details under his nose. We'll have to see what Riona says :D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 09:47 pm (UTC)I also think he's got his eye on the long game, on his happiness, his control of the world through his son, and he's not paying attention to the details under his nose. Yes! This exactly.
(By the way, I kind of adore how this turned into a discussion before I even looked at the comments...:D)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 09:45 pm (UTC)Also, this story definitely highlights some of the sexism inherent in the Rahl system. If nothing else, Nila is the eldest, but Nicholas is the heir.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 09:43 pm (UTC)Way to piss off your daughter, Darken. She won't forget that you favour the younger child because he's your son, and she's just a girl. I predict this will bite you in the ass later... OMG, yes. This is such an issue. I'm afraid Darken's focus is more on Nicholas, his heir, rather than Nila--but in fact he underestimates Nicholas as well. Gloves aren't exactly a panacea in this case...
Justifying his crimes? If this were true, Nicholas would be compelled to execute every Mord'Sith in the Palace. I'm not impressed Kahlan. Kahlan's looking for any excuse--she knows male Confessors are evil, but not her son, no...
Then Kahlan tries to smooth things over and Darken tells Nila not to touch; after his dismissal of her concerns I'm guessing that's exactly what she'll do. Play with the Mirror. She's certainly headed for trouble--the People's Palace attics are not a safe place to play.
I thought the Confessors were just taught by their elders; meditations or something to help them keep their focus and not let their emotions overcome them. Quite what it does entail and what Kahlan will tell Rahl...I'm intrigued :D I always think there's a bit more to it than that--it must be hard to be a Confessor, always on the lookout not to release your power--my guess is the training could be pretty intense.
Nicholas's gloves seem more like this danger signal, though I don't know if bare skin must touch bare skin for Confession under normal [non Con Dar] circumstances. Me neither, actually; Darken's just taking the path of least resistance, thinking the problem is Nicholas's control.
Black gloves as a sign of danger--this reminds me of the Voyager episode where everyone has on black gloves, and our heroes are evil, and then Tuvok smiles...it turned out to just be some other society's retelling, but I thought it made an interesting AU ;)