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Title: River Deep
Author: alyse
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Character: Richard
Word Count: 500
Warnings/Spoilers: No specific ep spoilers, but set in season 1
Disclaimer: Legend of the Seeker (TV) belongs to ABC Disney, not me. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
legendland 'monster mash' challenge.
-o-
The air was still down by the river, heavy with the scent of summer, but all Richard could smell was the blood that clung to his hands, the harsh, hot iron of it hitting the back of his throat, almost choking him.
It swirled redly in the water when he plunged his hands beneath the surface, the current pulling plumes of it, dark and billowing, from his sleeves. His reflection stared back at him, stained as red as the water and distorted by ripples until it was twisted into something unrecognisable.
He stilled, hands hanging in the water and the chill of it creeping up his arms. The ripples flattened out until the surface was as smooth as any mirror, but he still didn't recognise himself. The eyes that stared back were dark like his own, but harder than he remembered, something hungry in their depths. And the smile quirking the mouth had a twist to it, something bitter and unpleasant lurking underneath.
It twisted further, an expression he knew wasn't forming on his own face. Instinct had him reeling backwards, flailing for the sword he'd left back at camp with Kahlan and Zedd even as something exploded out of the water, all teeth and wild, ferocious hunger.
He let out a cry as it lunged for him, razor-sharp claws slicing through his breeches and leaving lines of fire in their wake. Then a matching fire raced overhead, Zedd's yell splitting the air; the thing - whatever it was - screamed in mingled pain and fury, turning tail to flee back into the water.
"Are you alright?" Kahlan fell to her knees beside him on the muddy riverbank. She, at least, had had more sense than Richard; she clutched the Sword of Truth in one hand, holding it out to Richard when he reached for it. His fingers curled around the hilt and the familiar heaviness of it - both dreaded and longed for - settled over him.
"What was that?" he asked, his heart still racing in his chest. He let Kahlan help him up, silently thankful when she held onto him for a moment longer than necessary.
Zedd grunted, his eyes scanning across the water's surface. "That, my boy," he said, "was a River Wraith. Nasty things. They lurk in rivers, waiting to drag the unwary down to their deaths. It must have been drawn by the blood on your hands," he added blithely, and Richard's fingers curled more tightly around his sword hilt.
"They say it's a monster with many faces," Kahlan said softly, her eyes tracking over Richard's face instead of the riverbank. "Some foul, some fair, to tempt or to terrorise, but all of them meaning death in the end. What did you see, Richard?"
He couldn't meet her eyes, but she stayed silent, waiting him out. In the end, he couldn't deny her.
"Just my reflection."
Blood still grimed his hands. He couldn't wash it away now, not with monsters in the river, and standing on the bank.
Author: alyse
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Character: Richard
Word Count: 500
Warnings/Spoilers: No specific ep spoilers, but set in season 1
Disclaimer: Legend of the Seeker (TV) belongs to ABC Disney, not me. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the
legendland 'monster mash' challenge.-o-
The air was still down by the river, heavy with the scent of summer, but all Richard could smell was the blood that clung to his hands, the harsh, hot iron of it hitting the back of his throat, almost choking him.
It swirled redly in the water when he plunged his hands beneath the surface, the current pulling plumes of it, dark and billowing, from his sleeves. His reflection stared back at him, stained as red as the water and distorted by ripples until it was twisted into something unrecognisable.
He stilled, hands hanging in the water and the chill of it creeping up his arms. The ripples flattened out until the surface was as smooth as any mirror, but he still didn't recognise himself. The eyes that stared back were dark like his own, but harder than he remembered, something hungry in their depths. And the smile quirking the mouth had a twist to it, something bitter and unpleasant lurking underneath.
It twisted further, an expression he knew wasn't forming on his own face. Instinct had him reeling backwards, flailing for the sword he'd left back at camp with Kahlan and Zedd even as something exploded out of the water, all teeth and wild, ferocious hunger.
He let out a cry as it lunged for him, razor-sharp claws slicing through his breeches and leaving lines of fire in their wake. Then a matching fire raced overhead, Zedd's yell splitting the air; the thing - whatever it was - screamed in mingled pain and fury, turning tail to flee back into the water.
"Are you alright?" Kahlan fell to her knees beside him on the muddy riverbank. She, at least, had had more sense than Richard; she clutched the Sword of Truth in one hand, holding it out to Richard when he reached for it. His fingers curled around the hilt and the familiar heaviness of it - both dreaded and longed for - settled over him.
"What was that?" he asked, his heart still racing in his chest. He let Kahlan help him up, silently thankful when she held onto him for a moment longer than necessary.
Zedd grunted, his eyes scanning across the water's surface. "That, my boy," he said, "was a River Wraith. Nasty things. They lurk in rivers, waiting to drag the unwary down to their deaths. It must have been drawn by the blood on your hands," he added blithely, and Richard's fingers curled more tightly around his sword hilt.
"They say it's a monster with many faces," Kahlan said softly, her eyes tracking over Richard's face instead of the riverbank. "Some foul, some fair, to tempt or to terrorise, but all of them meaning death in the end. What did you see, Richard?"
He couldn't meet her eyes, but she stayed silent, waiting him out. In the end, he couldn't deny her.
"Just my reflection."
Blood still grimed his hands. He couldn't wash it away now, not with monsters in the river, and standing on the bank.