CHAPTER 1 - THE RADA'HAN
Kahlan sighed as she walked down the street. Cara was close by her side, ever loyal to the Rahls. There had been reports of a young women disappearing down on one of the seedier streets. Richard insisted to let the soldiers or someone else handle it. For weeks now, nobody knew where the girls were disappearing to, only that it had happened more than once now. Naturally, because it was happening right here in Aydindril, Kahlan wanted to make sure it was nothing sinister.
"I still don't see why we're going to check this out Mother Confessor." Cara groaned, "It's just a few missing women. We could leave it to the soldiers. It's what they get paid for."
"They went missing near Silas Latherton's place. You know I don't like that man." Kahlan said, walking faster through the crowd, "And we tend to get answers easier than a soldier would."
"So they went missing near a brothel. Say we search the brothel and don't find them." Cara postulated, "Then what do we do?"
"Then we keep searching." Kahlan said.
"I think you're just missing the excitement that we've lost since Midlands came to peace in the recent months." Cara smiled, "You're addicted to that maniac excitement."
"I am not! I hated all the death and destruction." Kahlan snapped.
"I never said you liked it, I said you were excited by the intensity of it all." Cara giggled, "Anything else that would give you that intensity, you would get just as excited about. Does that mean you and Lord Rahl..."
"Cara! I'm not telling you about that." Kahlan said sharply, holding her hand up angrily.
"But why not? I want to hear about the Lord Rahl's bedroom exploits..." Cara said playfully as she moved closer, "Does he make you cum often?"
"We are perfectly fine!" Kahlan said, "Our love making is very pleasing!"
"Oh do tell me details." Cara said with a tone of deviousness.
"I'm not Richard! I don't wantoningly tell you everything just because you swore loyalty to us." Kahlan huffed, striding faster down the street.
"Lord Rahl doesn't tell me anything. I ask him time and again for details of your lovemaking and he refuses to share even the minutest detail. All he ever says is that 'Kahlan is as wonderful as ever'. What does that even mean, as wonderful as ever?" Cara asked suspiciously, "Do you two need me to teach you how to properly make love?"
"Cara, don't go there." Kahlan groaned, "I know how to pleasure Richard in bed."
"Oh? How do you do that?" Cara asked.
"Well usually...No! No, no, no, no!" Kahlan yelled, "I'm not sharing! Here. Here's the Brothel."
She opened the door to the brothel and walked inside. Silas Latherton was sitting inside the door on a small stool, his back to the wall. Silas was a greasy little man with slicked back hair and dirty clothes. His smile was missing teeth and he was slowly balding on top. A large burly bouncer was standing on the other side of the door, your average large, bald mercenary. The brothel's sitting room was a dozen tables, a bar and a stage that was currently empty of any dancers. A few patrons sat around at tables, possibly waiting for their turn with a favorite girl.
"Mother Confessor, to what do we owe such honor?" Silas asked, "Certainly not being a patron of my establishment."
"I am here to ask if anyone knows anything about women who have gone missing near here. Many people have claimed it was always right around this corner." Kahlan said, "I would like all your employees out here so that I can ask them too."
"Well ma'am, I would like to do that for you, but most of my employees are working. They can't easily line up for inspection." Silas said, "But if you'd like to wait, I assure you that you will get your chance to see them."
"Just get them out here." Cara said, holding up her Agiel.
"I can't. Customers have paid time to be with them. You will just have to wait." Silas said.
"Alright, we'll wait." Kahlan sighed, "In the mean time, what have you heard of these abductions?"
"Nothing really. Just a few innocent girls gone missing." Silas shrugged, "Nothing to do with me, I assure you. My women work to keep men satisfied and happy, that way they needn't fill their desires on innocents and bystanders. They can pay willing girls to do such things."
"What is that odor." Cara said, wrinkling her nose.
"That is not an odor, that is a fine imported incense. It comes from far to the south." Silas said, pointing at a few small braziers that were burning and giving off sweet smelling smoke, "It makes for a wonderful mood for my customers and employees alike."
A door opened up on the second floor and a loud moaning came out. They heard it for a moment before the door closed again.
"It seems...effective." Cara scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Yes, well, some women are more passionate than others." Silas said, "They are worth more to my customers. They get paid better."
"Why don't we just stop all this chit-chat and ask the questions we came to ask. I'll go drag your customers out of their rooms if I have to, I don't want to stand around all day in this fuck-shack any longer than I have to." Cara snapped in annoyance.
"How about some wine. Free of course, to sate your thirst while you wait." Silas said, motioning to the barkeeper on the other side of the room.
"I don't think so." Kahlan said simply.
"We don't want any niceties Silas, just confess already. You're running a brothel and a girl went missing near here, either you or one of your 'customers' did it." Cara said loudly, "Now just own up already so we can go home."
"I swear I know nothing more of which you speak." Silas said, holding up his dirty hands.
"Silas, I swear to god, I am..." Cara started towards him with her Agiel in hand.
"Cara! Put it down. We're not here to accuse, simply to ask questions." Kahlan said, putting a hand on her arm.
The barkeeper came over with two glasses of wine and held them out to Kahlan and Cara.
"Please, I insist. It's a very good vintage, I'm sure you will enjoy it." Silas said, urging them forward.
Kahlan frowned and took a sip. Silas wasn't lying, it wasn't bad wine. She just wasn't in the mood to be drinking right now. Cara took the glass and just stared at it before looking back at Silas, not even considering a drink.
"Oh come now miss, do you really think I would do anything to the Mother Confessor and her assistant?" Silas asked, "Just take a drink and relax."
"Shut up." Cara grumbled and she took a small drink.
"Because honestly if you don't relax, it's going to hurt all the more when you fall over." Silas grinned, showing a silver tooth among his missing or yellowed others.
"What?! What are...what...I...whoa..." Cara swayed where she stood, her muscles getting week.
Kahlan leaned against the wall and slid down it without a word. She crumpled into a silent heap at the bottom, legs splayed in front of her and her white Confessor dress spread all about the floor.
"Why you bas...tard..." Cara fought for the strength to even curse at him as she got her Agiel in her hand.
She took one step and her knees went weak. Her legs collapsed under her and she fell across Kahlan's legs. Her body wouldn't respond. The voices around her were weak.
"Quick, that metal thing we bought! Put it on the Mother Confessor, the...the Rada'Han! That's what it's called. Oh, and break that gold chain and take the little leather stick." Silas instructed, "Oh don't be a baby. Those things only hurt of the bitches actually hold them."
Cara felt hands grab her arm and something tugged hard on her Agiel. The chain snapped with a loud pop and it was pulled from her wrist. Out the corner of her eye, she could see the bouncer kneeling over Kahlan. There was a tapping of metal and he stood up. A metal band, smooth and unbroken, wrapped around her throat. Her eyes slipped closed and the last of her strength left her.
*******
Tib and Jed were loyal customers of Silas's fine establishment. He ran a clean brothel with girls who we happy to work there. There was none of that forced-slave junk that made other brothels wither, their girls heartless and glassy-eyed. Here at Silas's, he somehow found the best sluts in Aydindril that adored their jobs and they never faked the pleasure that men gave them. They were all highly orgasmic to almost any touch of man or woman.
Tib and Jed were brothers, lived on a farm and neither cared for relationships. Both tall and blond, they looked just like their position as farmers would be, gritty and muscled. They both agreed that weekly trips to Silas's was the best way to enjoy themselves. Usually it ran them a gold pence each week and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
This week however, Silas met them at the door and told them he had a special pair of girls for only his loyal customers, Tib and Jed being very loyal. He told them that it would cost them quite a bit more than usual, ten pence a piece. The brothers were nervous about this price because it was an entire weeks earnings just for each of them. Although Silas soothed their worries by telling them that they could take a look at the girls first before they paid.
"This way boys. The room at the far end of the hall. Go in and take a look." Silas said, climbing the stairs behind them.
The two of them walked through the door and looked at the beds. What they saw almost made them run. On one bed laid a Mord-Sith in full red leather armor. She was lying on her stomach and her blonde braid lay over her back. Jed looked intently at the shape of her legs and ass in the tight red leather. He was already getting erect at the sight of the tight outfit. On the other bed lay none other than the Mother Confessor herself. She was out cold and lying on her back. Tib walked towards her, his eyes on her gorgeous bosom. The Mother Confessor had amazing breasts that, behind her white dress, left little to imagine. He could even see her nipples perking beneath the dress. Sweet incense were burning in the corner of the room.
"Well boys?" Silas asked behind them.
"Here is your money. We'll have them for the night." Jed said without taking his eyes from the Mord-Sith, "Here's five extra for the night."
"What of the Mother Confessor's power?" Tib asked nervously.
