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.
