Camping out

[Rose]

Rose didn't know what to do. Richard wanted to go in after the girls himself, but Cara was adamant that he didn't go into the Palace at all. Personally, she sided mostly with Cara. She didn't want the Seek- Richard to put himself in harms way. If Darken Rahl were to capture him, all hope for the midlands would be lost. The Keeper would win. On re oter hand, though, Darken Rahl wasn't expecting him to come and try and rescue the girls in the first place. They could catch him off-guard. The element of surprise would be on their side. Darken Rahl would have the advantage of the home battlefield, but if he wasn't suspecting an attack...

The Mord-Sith part of Rose was wondering why Cara was disputing Richard's plan to go and rescue the girls. Richard was in charge. If he wanted to go and attempt a rescue mission, then Cara shouldn't argue the point, but simply obey Richard's orders. But then again, Richard seemed to ask for help, rather than order people to do things for him. And he seemed to genuinely take other's opinions into concideration. "Cara, the choice is not ours to make. If the Seeker wishes to help rescue the girls, then so be it. It's not our place toquestion him. I am just as concerned about his safety as you are, but we do have some advantages that you aren't considering," Rose ticked them off on her fingers as she listed them. "One, Darken Rahl isn't expecting us to attempt to rescue the girls. If we're careful, we won't let ourselves be known until the last minute, giving them little to no time to stop us. Two, I was a servant in the palace for years before I became a Mord-Sith. There are passages in the Palace walls that the Mord-Sith don't know about. I used them all the time when I wanted to sneak out. They're small, and it would be a bit of a tight squeeze for us, but it should stop any soldiers with their bulky armor. Three, I know exactly where the girls are. They'll expect you to go down to the dungeons, where you'd expect the girls to be. But Cara and I both know that they'll be in the holding cells on the South East part of the Palace where the Mord-Sith wing is. We can get in and out of the Palace mainly through the passageways, but they don't expect us to eb able to get in and out swiftly. It's your choice, Richard, what you want to do." She ended her monolouge, feeling slightly self-concious by the end of it. It was the closest thingto arguing that she had ever said to another Mord-Sith, espically one of such a higher rank than her.

[Richard Rahl]

Richard


Richard looked strait into Cara's eyes and replied as he crossed is arms on is chest,"And who is to say what should I do Cara.You know very well that I can defend myself from Darken Rahl we already fought and I did came out alive,and yes you swore to protect me but that doesn't mean to reduce me to the state of of of young boy who is just barely starting to live.One thing we can do is protect each other when we all go in the palace and get those girls out of there."

Then he grinned at Cara's last comment and said,"Look who's talking soft hearted underneath that hard face look of yours there's a heart also and there is a soft spot I know it why because you wouldn't even care to protect me as you do so were even on that." giving her smile and continued,"Sorry Cara I am going with you and that is final am not the seeker for nothing if I hide every time there's a danger what is the use of in carrying the sword of truth if I can't help the people I was sown to defend.."

Looking back at Rose when she spoke is expression became serious as the young woman told Cara that he was the only one to make the decision to go to the palace and then smiled and said,"Thank you for once someone seems to think that I can take care of myself with help of friends of course."looking from Cara to Rose.

Looking back at Rose Richard then asked,"What advantages? "and listened to Rose's strategy and how they could get in and out and nodded saying,"Well from my part it's a good strategy but we'll have to be careful on every step we make and we could use all the help we can get."

Looking at Cara Richard said,"What do you think of all this?"

[Cara]

Cara hesitated for a long moment. She still thought it was a bad idea for Richard to just walk into the People's Palace, knowing that Darken Rahl was there with a score to settle. But like Rose, her Mord-Sith training meant that she was obligated to go along with whatever the Lord Rahl told her. Arguing with Richard went against her training.

"I care what happens to you because I swore to protect you. You are the true Lord Rahl, even if Darken Rahl has returned from the dead. His time has past. I am not happy about you walking right into the palace... it feels like a trap to me. But I know you won't change your mind." She sighed then, giving him an exasperated look. They really had other things they should be dealing with at the moment--such as searching for the stone of tears. But Richard wouldn't be Richard if he wasn't willing to toss all of that aside and help a few innocent little girls.

"We'll go with Rose's plan," she said, though the reluctant tone in her voice was obvious. Perhaps later, she could find a way to leave Richard behind, and she and Rose could rescue the girls themselves.

[Rose]

Rose's mind froze. Richard- The Seeker was Lord Rahl?! Her first reaction was to drop to her knees in submission, but her mind instantly rebelled, making Rose move in a quick, spastic that make her look like she was trying to hold in a violent sneeze. When her mind began working again it was reeling with questions and speculations. How did he become Lord Rahl? What part of the Rahl line was he from? Who were his father and mother? Why didn't he outright claim the throne of D'Hara?

There was only one thought that was clear in her mind for those few moments: Richard would not be stepping one foot into the People's Palace as long as Darken Rahl was in this world. She immediately regretted arguing with Cara. She could see her side now, and she whole-heartedly agreed with her.

But now Rose had a moral dilemma. She knew that with Richard as Lord Rahl, D'Hara could be a peaceful place again. Judging by his reaction to hearing that there were more girls being broken, he didn't like the idea of Mord-Sith. Did that mean that he would do away with the practice? Now that she knew that Richard was her true Master, she knew that she could not argue with him. But could she deny her training and do what she had to so that Richard would be protected? She now fully understood Cara. She would do what she had to to keep Richard safe. But how? Perhaps she could pull Cara aside when Richard wasn't looking and talk to her privately.

She listened silently. She didn't know what to say to either Richard or Cara. She knew that her expression would probably give away her confused thoughts, but she didn't feel like she needed to voice her thoughts aloud.

[Selena Fireheart]

Sheets of pure blackness as empty as the void began to wrap around the heavens like a mummy being prepared for burial. It slowly began to spread itself around the sky as though a knife was being used to spread butter on some freshly made toast, the very jewels of the heavens began to reveal themselves one by one and shone their everlasting light down upon the world below. Down in the world of men, monster and magic the journey of one young girl continued onwards to the one person that could give her hope, even if hope itself was rejected she refused to surrender to life.

After meeting with the scout warrior known only as Arthur Selena hoped he would help her find the Seeker and the sister that she never knew. However it did not come to pass and once again she found herself on a road that was trusted by her instincts, her long dark green hooded robe like shawl flowed freely with each step she took, finally she arrived at a large forest that was encased in darkness. Her horse suddenly looked abit nervous and reared its front legs upwards, but Selena quickly noticed this and said "Easy boy! Its ok I made a promise to you remember?” The horse slowly went back to all fours and stared into Selena's eyes. It was as if he could see the flames that was burning brightly in her eyes, heart and soul, it soon gently snorted and pushed its head towards Selena's hand.

She gently gave the horse a gentle rub on his nose and slowly took the reins. With a sigh she slowly walked towards the darkened woods while guiding her trusty stead forwards, while holding onto the reins she had her available hand grasp the hilt of her sword as she remained focus on her journey threw the forest. Who knows what lived in the woods at night Selena trusted the training that had been given to her by her stepbrother, her heart was telling her to set up camp and continue onwards towards the morning. But her guts were telling her to move deeper into the woods, it was a dangerous world out there and somewhere within its eerie shade was the Seeker and her lost sister.

But what she did know was that she was heading directly towards what she had sought for. And now for the first time in nearly eighteen painful long years the formidable warrior Selena Fireheart was going to meet her destiny within her sister Cara the nearly unstoppable Mord Sith, as Selena moved forwards ever so slowly her horse gently trotted with her. The promise she made to the horse was just before her journey began, the white stallion had been a close friend of her stepbrother and now that he was dead he shared that same bond with Selena. And after learning that Cara was her sister Selena vowed to protect her horse and find her sister Cara, her heart was as pure as a tiny flower but her determination was just as bright as a forest fire.

Heading northwards her ears slightly picked up the sound of voices just due north of her position. Gripping the hilt of her sword tightly she moved forwards and saw threw the bushes a small campsite with a man and two women talking about something to do with Darken Rahl and the fact was that the man was the true Lord Rahl. Slowly she withdrew her hand away from the hilt of her sword and slowly brushed past the bushed and made herself known to the Seeker and his allies.

Her snow-white coloured horse marched with her and gently stood behind her right arm. With a gentle nod of peace and respect she said, "I am so sorry for intruding into your camp. I was merely looking for someone". She said looking around at the people before her, the very eyes of Selena looked like there was tale that was just dying to be told yet it hid pain and determination as well. But her face revealed a slight resemblance to Cara but she didn't know that, once again she turned her gaze to the people before her and said, " I am looking for someone called the Seeker".

[Richard Rahl]

Richard


Richard sighed at Cara's words and nodded saying,'I know you care about me and you will see that nothing will happen to me when doing your duty to protect even if I don't want you to see it that way but that is another matter.I don't like it ether to go back there but we have to and also I am the only one who can face Darken Rahl and to get those girls free we might get something on the stone of tears."


Richard heard her tone in her voice as she said they wold go on with Rose's plan and said,"Why are you so reluctant of me being who I am suppose to be and doing what I was sworn to do be the seeker "Staring at Cara he continued,"You should know that by now that I have my duties toward the people as seeker also." and smiled at her

Glancing at Rose he saw her reaction to what she heard about him as he being Lord Rahl ,he left Cara aside for a moment and went to Rose and said,"Just by your expression you didn't have a clue who I really was ,so if I am not mistaken like any true Mord-Sith you will think like Cara and wouldn't wand me in that palace so I will tell you this in the books it says and I quote the armies will defend the Lord Rahl with their swords and the seeker and Lord Rahl that is me and Darken Rahl who is my brother will fight the magic between us and no other not even Zedd so you see my ladies even if you don't want me near him I am the only one who can get him back to the underworld whether or not you like it."looking at Rose then Cara as he spoke.then continued "So now do we get our things and get going before it gets worse at the palace or do you want stay and have another argument on how to put me out the way when you two try to do what I am the only one that can get rid of this man and mess is doing."

Richard then froze putting is finger on is lips as to tell Cara and Rose not to move and said in a whisper,".There is someone in the bushes on a horse be careful and don't make any fast movement it might think you want to attack."as is Grey eyes searched the surroundings to see who was there and why.?

A snow white horse came into the clearing and stopped with a woman at is side and Richard bowed back as she bowed to him and the Mord-Sith and listened to what she had to say.then Richard stepped forward and asked,"My name is Richard and who is asking for the seeker "looking at her with is Grey eyes into hers.

[Selena Fireheart]

For eighteen years Selena has faced any challenge thrown towards her. From killing corrupt step fathers, surviving a waterfall dive and even fought and killed some of the best soldiers in D'Hara, the very men that was loyal to the evil Darken Rahl. But now perhaps her greatest challenge was to find her sister Cara and show her prove of that fateful night when Rahl's soldiers took Cara away and Selena who escaped with help from a family friend. Both have suffered but grew stronger in their ordeals, now the time had come for Selena to face her toughest challenge of her life...her heart. She didn't know the horrible truth about what happened to her birth parents but first things first was to find the Seeker and then find her sister.

As she looked around she noticed two Mord Sith beside a man with grey eyes. She had heard of the Mord Sith from Serena the Confessor, they were cruel and vicious yet they were powerful and great warriors. But the strange thing was it looked like they had been talking to the man standing before her, was he in league with them? Or was he really the Seeker? If he was then her journey was over but the real test had begun. Showing her respect to the strangers Selena looked back into the stranger’s grey like eyes and said, "My name is Selena. I am looking for my sister who travels with the Seeker, her name is Cara". She said in total focus but spoke with the utmost honesty that came from her very soul.

Emotions were locked away deep inside Selena's soul. This was not done by magic but by Selena herself, she too suffered greatly and had proven over and over again that she is ready to face life on her own. But she now has the chance to face her sister and show her the sisterly bond that they have; she did have several choices of proof to show her. The first of was of course her very looks sometimes sisters would look slightly like each other or their parents, and secondly the memory of that night which changed their lives forever. They were indeed long shots but it was all she had to try and convince Cara but only time would tell.

[Cara]

It was unusual that anyone would be able to come upon them without Cara hearing it, because she was always on alert. But she was still in the middle of her discussion with Richard, so she was distracted. "Richard," she was saying, "of course I trust you to do your duty, and I know you can handle Rahl. It's just that I don't like the idea of you walking right into what could very well be a trap, especially when we could do this without you. But I also know better than to argue with you..."

Cara stood up as soon as Richard mentioned that someone was coming, and she had her agiels at the ready. She studied the girl as she entered their camp, but did not lower her defenses.

"My name is Cara, but surely you are looking for someone else by that name," she said. "I do not have a sister."

[Selena Fireheart]

Fate has finally given Selena a chance for hope. She fought her way threw life and now after many years of pain, agony and the will to survive through tough challenges Selena's journey had finally ended. She turned her gaze towards Cara and saw the oblong baton like weapons the Agiels as they stood within her hands, it seemed that Serena was right about this as well. Cara is a Mord Sith but again Selena didn't care, all that mattered was that Cara was alive. Through out her journey she heard rumours about the Mord Sith and their trusty ally the Agiels, one touch from them at a certain point can be either very agonising or even death if struck in the heart.

They were a fearsome weapon indeed and for Cara to hold two of them was quite a feat. But still she wasn't really surprised by Cara's reaction howevee Selena showed no fear for the Agiels and looked towards Cara's eyes, her eyes, heart and instincts were telling her that Cara was indeed the sister that she never knew. In reply Selena spoke towards Cara in a respectful but a focused like way"Neither did I.... until now. Here this is from our father". Slowly she placed her hand into her hooded robe like shawl and pulled out a small letter.

With a sigh Selena walked over towards Cara until she stood literallty in front of the Agiels. Taking the letter she had in her hand and offered it towards Cara, on the front was the name "Cara" which was written in the very same hand writing from their father. Eighteen years ago their father and mother had written seperate letters to both Cara and Selena, their mother wrote to Selena and while their father wrote to Cara. Both letters were placed in the care of baby Selena and her step brother who was responsible for taking Selena away from the Stowecroft house hold on that very night when Darkne Rahl's soldiers took Cara away.

Now eighteen years later the sisters had been reunited. The letters were given to Selena so that she could learn about Cara and that Cara would learn about Selena with the other letter, as she calmly handed Cara the letter written by their father Selena again reached into her hooded robe like shawl and took out another letter which was written in their own mothers hand writing. This second letter was fully opened and had the word "Selena" on the front, holding up the other letter she said to Cara "I got this one from mom. Here". She said holding the other open letter to Cara, her sister needed to know the truth as to why a female teenage girl had come out of no where and said that she was Cara's sister.

And not only the letters but the looks were the only way that Selena could prove her words were true. Deep inside her heart she truly hoped that lady luck was on her side. Each letter was given description about that very night from Selena's birth to being a surprise for Cara and finally how Selena was taken away from Stowecroft and the plea for both sisters to look after each other and of course with love from their parents.

[Richard Rahl]

Richard


Richard looked carefully at the woman as she spoke and nodded when she mentioned her name but frowned a little when she told them she was searching for Cara but as her sister and he felt that she was sincere about what she was saying.He tunned to look at Cara and see her reaction to this revelation and sure enough he saw what he knew what Cara would say.



Going near Cara Richard said,"Why don't you let her say what she has to say then you can see whether or not you want to believe what she told you" then looked back at Selena as she spoke to Cara and giving her the letters of her parents to Cara. Richard looked on hoping that Cara would give Selena a chance .He had to admit to himself the woman wasn't afraid of the agiels if they were sisters they were alike in some ways.

Richard looked at Selena as she made it clear that those letters were to be handed to her and her sister Cara if she did find her.Then looked at Cara and waited crossing is arms on is chest too see what would the Mord-Sithh would do deny or give Selena a chance to prove what she was saying and said.

"Well........."

[Rose]

Rose nodded at Richard's words to her. He was right about everything. He truly was the only one who could send Darken Rhal back to the Underworld. Rose bowed her head in submission, feeling like a small schoolgirl who was being repreminded by her teacher for acting out during lessons. She fought the urge to answer him with, "As you wish, Lord Rahl." Silently, in some quiet part of her mind, she knew that she wouldn't let Richard within the walls of the People's Palace as long as Darken Rahl resided there.

Sometime during Richard's monolouge, Rose's Mord-Sith training kicked in. She could hear something in the trees behind her. It was too big to be a human's steps. A Gar? She grabbed her Ageil and slid it silently out as Richard whispered, "There is someone in the bushes on a horse. Be careful and don't make any fast movement, it might think you want to attack." She stood at Richard's left side, prepared to attack at any threat to him.  Richard was Lord Rahl, and she would fight to protect him at any cost. Tension mounted in her muscles as she prepared to fight. She worked through the pain of the Ageil in her hand, turning it into energy that she could use to fight.

The tension didn't leave Rose, not even after the stranger had entered their camp with her white horse. The woman claimed she was looking for the Seeker. Richard responded warmly, introducing himself. As he stepped forward, Rose followed, keeping a half-pace bacjk behind him. The woman introduced herself as Selena, saying she was looking for her sister who was traveling with the Seeker. She said her sister's name was Cara.

Rose watched from the corner of her eye as Cara stepped forward, not daring to take her eyes off of the strange woman. Rose was startled, yes, but she didn't let it show. Cara answered the woman's claim with a quick, "I do not have a sister." Selena said that she did not know either, until then. She then handed a letter addressed to Cara to the Mord-Sith in question. Selena claimed it was written by their father, and showed an identical one, addressed to Selena, as proof.

Rose studied both women's faces intently. There were some similarities in their appearances; their jaw line, the set of their lips, the shape of their brow. Cara's face was much rounder, however, and their eyes were very different. Rose compared these differences to what she remembered of her sisters. The three of them had been nearly identical in every aspect, almost as if they had been triplets. But then again, Rose hadn't seen her sisters since the three of them had been small children. Time changed peoples' appearances. They could look nothing at all like her now. She didn't know.

Rose kept these findings to herself, pondering them intently. Her posture hadn't changed at all, she was still ready to fight if Richard was attacked. Her Mord-Sith instincts had been put on autopilot as she focused her mind on the dilemma at hand. Cara had not opened her letter, and Rose wondered as to what was inside, or if Cara would open the letter at all.

[Cara]

Cara hesitated, staring down at the letter as if she were staring at a ghost. Although it had been many years since she had seen it, she recognized her father's handwriting. He had always written her name with an extra curl on the C, and she remembered tracing the letter with her finger when she opened up her birthday gifts each year.

When she became a Mord-Sith, Cara tried very hard to put her past behind her and forget about the little girl who used to sit on her father's lap while he told her stories of great lands and even greater heroes. That little girl was dead, and in her place was Cara, the Mord-Sith, who didn't feel, didn't care, didn't love. She simply obeyed.

Working with Richard had opened up some of that part of her; the part that she had tried so hard to suppress. Now, staring down at that letter and looking at her father's handwriting, Cara was finding it very hard not to cry. But Mord-Sith did not cry.

She took the letter from the girl's hand, but did not open it right away. Instead, she traced the C with her finger, then looked up at the girl, studying her.

She didn't look much like Cara. Her coloring was different, the shape of her face and her features were all different. The only thing she noticed were her eyes. They were the same color blue as her own. And she clearly had her father's nose and jawline.

"Even if this is true," she said at last, "what do you expect me to do? Hug you? Mord-Sith do not hug."

[Selena Fireheart]

It was a tense moment for Selena as her journey had finally come to an end. Here she was standing before the sister she never knew and she was even a Mord Sith! still to Selena all that mattered was that they were together after so long being apart, Cara experienced pain and torture which made her into a Mord Sith. And Selena who also experienced the same trauma as her sister Cara but in a much different way, both of them overcame their past and embraced a future for themselves. Cara vowed to help Richard since he became the new Lord Rahl and it was her duty as a Mord Sith, while Selena defeated her evil stepfather and made a vow of her own to find Cara no matter who stood in her way.

Her eyes gently watched Cara as she carefully examined the letters. Time was not necessary in this situation and patience was a virtue, all Selena could do was wait to see what Cara thought of about the letters. Not once did she move and not once did she move her eyes, and while her horse gently ate some fresh grass Selena soon moved her eyes from the letters to Cara as her sister moved a thumb over the C and could see that she understood the writing.

It was a good start and soon Selena patiently waited as Cara simply scanned her to see the resemblance. It was true that Selena barely remembered their mother and father and that Cara did, so she gave her sister all the time she need to see the family resemblance in Selena's face. Cara soon gave her answer which made Selena simply feel a little better, she knew much about the Mord Sith from her step brother and the confessor Serena.

In response she said" I know...but all that matters is that we are alive and together again. I understand if you don't trust me but if you will allow it". Soon she turned her gaze towards Richard and looked into her eyes with a look of total focus and quickly continued the words she was speaking from her confidence and her soul" And if you will allow it also Richard. I would like to fight by your side". She gave Richard a nod showing her respect for him but quickly turned her gaze to Cara.

To travel with Richard and her sister was a big step. But Selena knew that it was a possibility that Cara may not trust her yet and perhaps even the Seeker, however she was giving them a choice to keep her an eye on her as Selena slowly proved that she was indeed Cara's sister not only in combat but in the mind and memories as well. Besides she was showing no fear when she was literally a few centimetres away from the dreaded agiel weapons wielded by Cara.

Selena gave them a few minutes to take in the question that she asked. But she soon spoke again and said" If I travelled with you then you can not only keep an eye on me but I will do my best to tell you anything that I know. And besides I am not afraid of battle". She said spoke the last few words in total confidence but continued to show full cooperation to Richard, Cara and the others. Selena believed in the training given to her by her step brother but now it was up to Cara and Richard to decide and no matter what the choice was, she loved her sister and nothing was going to change that.

[Marcios]

[OOC: just joined up and finally got my character approved, hope it's cool that i introduce my character here.]

Marcios had been tracking a target of his for several days. Apparently he'd been chosen to go after this murderer who had slain a simple downtroden family but the reasons were quite blurry. So he made sure to track down the individual but not make his presence known. Though as he did wander he stoppped hearing voices and thankfully he was dressed as a simple traveler, hiding many fo his instruments. When he maneuvered closer to the voices and hid, what eh saw through hsi current search out the window. It was clear and obvious what he was to do now.

~Orders are orders, that man i'll get later, but now...with The Seeker in my sights, I need to tail him and reveal myself in the next town...~

He thought to himself quietly as he watched, sadly, in paying attention to Richard, he didn't realise he stepped on a twig causing it to crack. Marcios quickly ducked behind a bush and hoped no one heard, if so he was about to put on the biggest act of his life.

[Cara]

Trust was not something that came easily to Cara. She was a Mord-Sith, after all, and although it was considered a sisterhood in its own right, generally, Mord-Sith were taught not to trust anyone. They were to obey the Lord Rahl, and trust no one else. Now this girl comes and claims to be her sister.... well, it was going to take time. In her own way, she trusted Richard and Kahlan and even the wizard... but this had come over time. It was going to take a little while for her to get used to having a sister.

"Well, I am not in charge here," she replied. "It is up to Richard to decide whether he wants you to stay. If it's all right with him, then I have no objections. As long as you can fight, that is. I won't have you holding us back because you can't fight."

Before either Selena or Richard could respond, however, she heard a twig snap nearby. Her Mord-Sith instincts kicked in and she lunged forward in the direction of the sound, holding one agiel out in front of her. Pulling back the underbrush, she saw a vague sort of shape outlined in the flickering firelight, and she jabbed her agiel toward it.

"Obviously next time I need to pick a better camping spot, it's much too crowded in these woods," she said angrily.