Fic: A Light That Never Went Out (Cara/Dahlia, Legend of the Seeker 2/?)

[fembuck]

Title: A Light That Never Went Out
Author: Janine
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Pairing: Cara/Dahlia
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
Summary: After defeating the Keeper our band of heroes heads back to D'Hara, and on the way Cara meets a familiar face.

( Part One )

xxx

Part 2

When Richard and Kahlan entered the tavern, Cara and Zedd were already seated at a table in the back corner of the room, and Dahlia stood by the side of the table with her arm outstretched to accept the cask of ale one of the tavern's actual barmaids was holding out for her. Many of the eyes in the tavern were on the table in the back corner, but the room remained noisy and the atmosphere comfortable. Despite Cara's intimidating demeanour, Dahlia's ease with Cara seemed to assure those around them leaving the atmosphere in the tavern relaxed, despite Cara's earlier performance.

By the time Richard and Kahlan joined their companions at the table, Cara's mug was full, and Zedd had just finished giving his dinner order to the barmaid.

"You pour well," Cara drawled when Dahlia turned to fill the two empty mugs on the table so that Richard and Kahlan would have drink too.

"Thank you," Dahlia said without looking up. "It's always been a dream of mine," she deadpanned as she placed the cask down on the table top having finished with Richard and Kahlan's mugs.

"I thought you wanted to be a Princess," Cara stated, her face transforming into a mask of disdain at the thought of anyone coveting such a thing, even a small girl.

"I've discovered that valiant, damsel-rescuing Prince's are hard to come by these days," Dahlia replied almost wistfully. "Though, in a cruel twist of fate, you seem to have found one," she continued, turning to look at Richard who smiled handsomely at the compliment. "Cara was always more interested in rescuing princesses than being one," Dahlia confided, looking between Kahlan, Richard and Zedd.

"The fun is in the fighting, not in the pretty dresses," Cara murmured, eyeing Dahlia suspiciously as she moved to take a seat beside her, but not actually saying a word to stop her.

"Oh, I don't know, Cara," Richard said smiling. "You managed to fight well and have your fun in a very pretty, very pink dress at the Magrave's castle."

Kahlan smirked at that and murmured, "It really was a lovely dress … before the fire." She sighed softly at the memory and then turned to Dahlia and added, "Cara killed a shadrin in it."

Dahlia's eyebrows lifted in surprise and admiration.

"Killed a shadrin? In a dress? That must have been very impressive," Dahlia breathed out.

"Everything I do is," Cara offered, smiling smugly when Dahlia turned to look at her.

"Bossy, impatient, rude and vain. Is there no end to the list of qualities that recommend you to others?"

"You forgot my astounding beauty," Cara sniffed before reaching for her mug to nonchalantly take a sip.

Dahlia stared at her for a moment and then she smiled sweetly and said, "No, I didn't," causing Cara's self-congratulatory expression to falter momentarily.

Cara's eyes narrowed as she stared at Dahlia, but before she could make a no doubt charming reply, Kahlan spoke.

"You said that 'Cara was always more interested in rescuing princess'," the Mother Confessor began, focusing her attention on Dahlia. "Did you know Cara when she was younger?"

"We grew up together," Dahlia said smiling fondly. "I was born in Stowcroft and lived there for most of my life. Cara was my best friend," she went on, directing her bright smile at Cara who sighed deeply and looked away.

"She followed me around," Cara muttered under her breath. "I threw rocks at her but she never went away. I resigned myself to her presence eventually."

Kahlan looked over at Cara, vaguely horrified by how rude she was being, but the smile never left Dahlia's face.

"Cara used to pick me flowers," Dahlia continued unperturbed by Cara's interruption. "She said she was going to marry me when we got bigger," she went on, causing Kahlan to smile widely and look over at Cara like she was the most precious thing in the world. "She would crawl through my window at night and sleep in my bed because she couldn't wait until morning to see me."

As Dahlia spoke, Cara had slouched more and more against the back of the booth, but at the mention of her having snuck into Dahlia's bed as a child she perked up and focused her olive gaze on the woman beside her once again.

"Perhaps I should climb through your window tonight," Cara drawled, running her eyes over Dahlia appraisingly.

"That's surprising. I've been getting the impression that you'd like to see less of me, not more," Dahlia commented, sounding uncertain for the first time since Kahlan had first walked up to her and Cara in the town square.

"I'd like to hear less of you, but I could stand to see quite a bit more," Cara replied focusing her eyes on Dahlia's chest.

Cara's look and tone were unmistakable though Dahlia had never had a woman speak to her so brazenly in public before, and Dahlia blushed under her scrutiny. This seemed to please Cara, and the blonde lazily reached towards Dahlia as if to touch her breast, but before she could make contact Dahlia batted her hand away and released a sound of great offence.

Cara smirked and then reached for Dahlia again only to have Dahlia bat her hand away once more, the cycle continuing until Kahlan intervened on Dahlia's behalf.

"Cara, really," she sighed as if she was talking to an incorrigible five year old.

"Kahlan, really," Cara huffed back, "there's a hair on her dress. I was only trying to be helpful."

"Hair nothing," Dahlia piped up. "You were trying to be fresh," she continued, blushing again as she remembered just exactly what Cara had been implying before she started trying to touch her.

"I believe I was succeeding at it," Cara murmured in response, and despite herself Dahlia smiled. "You never could stay mad at me for very long," Cara said a second later, a look of consternation coming across her features shortly after, as if she hadn't intended to voice the thought.

"No," Dahlia agreed softly, wistfully, "I never could. I suppose we've found another thing that hasn't changed."

"My boundless charm?" Cara supplied wryly.

"Your adorable stupidity and my susceptibility to it," Dahlia replied grinning.

Cara huffed in response to that, but showed no real anger or irritation with Dahlia for the comment.

"If I'd known how ungrateful you'd grow up to be, I would have let those ducks peck you to death," Cara told Dahlia seriously, staring straight into her eyes.

"Then my mother wouldn't have baked you a pie. It was the tales I told of your valiance that day by the pond that you got you such a sweet reward."

"Sweet reward my ass," Cara scoffed. "That pie nearly killed me."

"Only because you ate the whole thing in about thirty seconds," Dahlia responded, her eyes twinkling as she laughed softly. "It was like you hadn't eaten in days," she went on gazing at Cara warmly. "When she finished eating it, she smiled at me, and then spent the next hour lying in the grass, rolling from side to side, moaning about how her stomach hurt," Dahlia continued, directing her comment to the other three around the table.

Cara's brows drew together in a scowl, but she did not dispute anything that Dahlia had just said.

"Don't feel bad, Cara," Kahlan said, pausing to chew on her bottom lip in order to control the desire to laugh. "The same thing happened to Zedd last week with that wild turkey. At least it happened to you when you were still only small."

"A man should not have to defend having a healthy appetite," Zedd declared, smiling and opening his arms a moment later as he spotted the barmaid approaching with the very large supper he had ordered.

The arrival of the 'healthy' meal drew laughter from around the table, and even brought a slight smile to Cara's lips. The others leaned back and enjoyed their drink as Zedd was served, then once the barmaid had relieved herself of the heavy burden of Zedd's dinner plates she turned to the rest of the table and took orders from them before she retreated.

The rest of the evening was spent conversing and enjoying good food and drink. Dahlia shared more childhood stories with them, and when Cara's squirming at being the center of so much discussion could not be ignored any longer, Kahlan, Richard and Zedd told Dahlia the story of their quest for the stone of tears and their eventual defeat of the Keeper at the Pillars of Creation.

Dahlia listened to the tale with rapt attention, and as the ale continued to flow she reached over and took Cara's hand into own during a particularly harrowing part of the tale. A look of misery came over Cara's face as her hand was squeezed. Cara tugged her hand away from Dahlia a few seconds later, but as the tale continued and mentions of Cara's life being in peril were made, Dahlia kept on reaching out for Cara's hand and eventually Cara resigned herself to having her hand held, just as she had learned to accept Kahlan's ridiculous need to touch her at times.

By the time the last cask on their table was drained, the tavern had mostly cleared out and while laughter still came easily at the table, coherent conversation was becoming difficult. Zedd was slumped over the table top, already half-asleep, and Kahlan was leaning more and more heavily upon Richard as she felt herself starting to drift off as well.

As Richard shook his grandfather awake, Kahlan rose to her feet stretching and Dahlia followed her example.

"Goodnight," Dahlia said with a sleepy, drunken cheerfulness as Richard and Zedd rose to their feet as well. "It was lovely to meet you all," she continued reaching out to shake each other their hands in turn.

Cara remained seated through all of the hand shaking, and when Dahlia turned and observed the blonde's indifferent demeanour her face fell slightly.

"Cara," Kahlan said, seeing Dahlia's expression and feeling badly for the woman having been on the receiving end of Cara's seeming apathy before. "Aren't you going to say goodnight?"

Cara roused herself enough to look over at Kahlan.

"No," Cara stated, pausing just long enough for an annoyed expression to cross Kahlan's features before she added, "The night's not over yet. I'm walking her home."

There were a few unwashed, shifty looking men still milling around that she didn't like the looks of. It was late, the streets would be mostly deserted, and Dahlia was in no condition to be paying attention to her surroundings, or to defend herself should she notice something amiss.

"You're too intoxicated to be trusted on your own," Cara informed Dahlia gruffly as she pushed herself to her feet, not liking the sweet dopey smile Kahlan gifted her with when she announced her intentions.

"I'm fine," Dahlia replied with a touch of belligerence in her voice, taking offence to the idea that she could not find her way safely home on her own.

In response to her statement, Cara simply reached out and poked her lightly in the arm with the tip of her finger.

The slight nudge nearly tipped Dahlia over.

"I'll walk you home," Cara repeated when Dahlia was relatively steady on her feet once more.

Struggling to maintain her equilibrium took the fight out of Dahlia and she nodded her acquiescence. Cara looked pleased with her obedience, and in an uncharacteristic show of chivalry she took Dahlia's arm before beginning to lead the woman towards the door.

"Aw," Richard drawled as Kahlan looped her arm through his. "Look at our Cara, valiantly escorting a lady home. They grow up so fast," he joked as Cara and Dahlia exited the tavern.

The comment drew a smile and a chuckle from Kahlan before she added, "Next thing you know she'll be staying out all night and trying to borrow the family wagon."

Richard laughed at that, and then pressed his cheek to Kahlan's hair when she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You don't think we have to worry about Dahlia, do you?" he asked in a more serious tone a moment later.

Kahlan was silent for a moment, and then shook her head slightly.

"I don't think so. For some time Cara might have been the bandit that stole princesses away, but she's back to protecting and rescuing them these days. Dahlia will be safer than she's ever been before with Cara."

"I was talking about her virtue," Richard replied smirking.

"Oh," Kahlan breathed out, laughing as they started towards the stairs. "Well, that might be in jeopardy."

Richard made a soft sound of agreement in his throat, and then murmured, "They really do grow up so fast."
 

To be continued...

Comments

[yukivampyra.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't ever change, Cara, you lascivious perv. The banter was wonderful and I really wish we could have seen more of Dahlia and Cara without the whole "helping destroy the world" part. Alas.

It was particularly sweet that Cara accepted Dahlia holding her hand, even if it took her a few tries. :) Are sexytimes in our future for part three? Yes?

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Cara, you lascivious perv

It should probably be worrying how much I love her like this ... but it's not, lol

I really wish we could have seen more of Dahlia and Cara without the whole "helping destroy the world" part.

*cries because of no season 3 again* Because among other Seeker amwesomness you know Dahlia would have shown up again.

Are sexytimes in our future for part three? Yes?

Lets just say, Richard was right to worry about Dahlia's virtue ;)

[zearbear.livejournal.com]

THIS!!! so awesome im at a restrant with the fam an had me laughing and giggling an they were looking at me funny

loved seeing cara soften up to dalhia cant wait for more

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that you enjoyed it :D

And because I love feelings!Cara, you can rest assured that we'll slowly see Dahlia begin to melt (the now) thin sheet of ice around Cara's heart.

[mayireadtoday.livejournal.com]

Again this is so cute and fluffy and hilarious.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

:)

I'm so glad you're liking it. This is a feel-good fic, so you're in store for more fluff, hopefully more funny, and more sexy sweetness :)

[bonobo24.livejournal.com]

Love this!!! I love how Cara is and how her character is slightly tragic, to hear how she was as a child with Dahlia and then realize what she went through with the Mord Sith. I do hope she softens up with Dahlia though!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

That's what's so heart-breaking about the Mord'Sith, isn't it? Like Dahlia, I'm just so happy that Cara is getting an opportunity to find some of the sweetness of that little girl inside of herself again.

Don't worry, Dahlia will have to work at it a bit because Cara is stubborn, but she will get her girl ;)

[bonobo24.livejournal.com]

Yay! But will Dahlia then travel with them or what? I mean Cara must have her woman close, right?

[jesterradiobird.livejournal.com]

That was an awesome chapter. Those two are really cute together, I like how they keep going down memory lane. It'll be nice to see what new memories they make. Can't wait for the next chapter. Their cuteness and adorable banter must continue!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it :D

They'll definitely be making new memories together, and because this fluff and rainbows fic there is definitely much more cute to come (well, cute crankiness from Cara most of the time, lol)

[escapay.livejournal.com]

This is so cute, but Cara is being very harsh to Dahlia and needs to be nicer. I would be like Kahlan looking disapprovingly at Cara's apathy and possibly giving her a smack.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you're enjoying it! And don't worry, we're going to see Cara soften a bit more soon, and then even more as they spend more time with each other :)

[butchon.livejournal.com]

This is a work of art.
Thank you for writing and sharing it.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Thank so much! I'm so happy that you're enjoying it, and I hope you like what's to come :D

[tornainbow.livejournal.com]

Cara and Dahlia have each other so whipped already. Love it.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

LOL, they really do don't they?

Like Needy said, "Sandbox love never dies".

Cara's still being a cranky!pants but Dahlia will soon wear her down and whip her into shape!

[madame-denna.livejournal.com]

Oh I really love this! I wanted to reply to the first part, but I couldn't - I had to read the second part first! ;) I really have a soft spot for Dahlia/Cara, especially the way you write them.. I enjoyed this extremely and hope that you won't let us wait for the next part so long ;)

Thank you! :)

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that you're enjoying it!

I too have a soft spot for the two of them (Cara's voice when she talked to Dahlia was just ... oh, the FEELINGS!), and just really wanted things to work out for those two crazy kids!

And I promise the next part will be up soon :D

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Everything is just so pretty. BB!Cara and Perv!Cara and Chivalry!Cara. And eyefucking Dahlia until she couldn't walk right (yeah, it was the ale, riiight). Dahlia, start cuddling that woman while she's still in a good mood!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

BB!Cara and Perv!Cara and Chivalry!Cara

This fic is going to be the many faces of Cara, lol. She will grudgingly experience so many FEELINGS!

Dahlia's gonna do more than cuddle with her, if you know what I mean *wink wink*

...

...

...

It's sex, I mean sex!

Also, that picture is so sweet it's making my stomach hurt!

[eternal-moonie.livejournal.com]

Great second part!