Prometheus knew that a lot of time had gone by but he didn't care to tell Kahlan. He didn't know when he would be able to see her again if they left this mountain.
He couldn't stand being apart from her.
She was so fragile but yet so brave and he was scared that her righteous spirit would put her in danger. He couldn't bear that. Even the thought of her being hurt sent pangs down his throat.
He was not used to feeling this way. Heck he had lived his entire existence without much emotion. He only relied on facts and knowledge. Making rational decisions was what he was best at. But yet when he wanted to rationally examine this situation, he knew that if he stayed with Kahlan, he would only put her in danger. The fact that he escaped was a beacon for the gods. Zeus would try to exert his authority again and probably look for ways to hurt him.
He had spent centuries stuck underground while everyone else frolicked around. He knew how unfair it was.
But payback wasn't something he was going to seek. At least not at the moment.
He was going to make sure that Kahlan was safe first before he set out to ensure that he could provide enough security for her.
Whilst this dimension that they were in was like a paradise, it was still a prison nonetheless.
He had to get her out of here before they realized that he free.
"Kahlan" he called out to her softly. She was at the brook looking at the fishes that swam within it.
She turned in response to his call.
Those baby blue eyes looked at him with so much trust that he knew he couldn't let her down.
He had sealed his mind wall with something more concrete than the flimsy substance he used before. This way, her thoughts could no longer filter in.
They still had telepathy though. He could still communicate with her through the bond.
He wanted to respect her, protect her, worship her.
He wished so much to attend to her with his ministrations. He who had never bowed to anyone before.
"We have to leave" he said. A bit regretfully.
"Can't we stay for a little longer?" she asked. The childish whine in her tone made his heart skip. But only for a bit.
"Don't you have family waiting for you out there?" he asked.
But she frowned. He wondered what she was thinking. Did somebody hurt her before?
"My dad." She said sulkily. He could feel her sadness seep through the bond.
"But he doesn't care about me. All he does is work all the time." She pouted.
He walked up to her and affectionately rubbed her hair. Squatting down to her level, he picked up a stick and poked at the water.
"Why do you think that? Has he hurt you before?" he inquired.
"Not really" she replied. "It's just I get the feeling he doesn't really want me around him. He's not at home often."
"What about your mother?" he asked.
She frowned even more. "I don't know who my mother is. My dad doesn't want to tell me. I wish I knew who she was. She's probably nicer than him. Do you think she left because he chased her away?"
Prometheus knew it was probably more serious than that. But he hadn't met the man before. He wished he had though. It would be better if he knew who he was going to leave his precious one in the hands of.
He lowered the walls in his mind and let Kahlan's thoughts wash through him.
He saw images of a man. He seemed familiar. His aura was very familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He put that thought at the back of his mind and further examined his interactions with Kahlan. They seemed to be living in a mansion. It was lavish enough for Prometheus to be confident that his mate did not lack.
But her father seemed cold to her. He who had crafted man, knew that the way he interacted with her was not normal. It seemed that he was civil to her because he had to. Not because he wanted to. That in itself was strange. Especially when it involved a girl as sweet and kindhearted as his little mate.
Although he knew he was looking at Kahlan through rose colored glasses, he knew that for a fact she was a good child.
She seemed to be safe with her father though. And that was all the confirmation he needed.
He withdrew from her thoughts careful to rebuild the walls in his mind. Blocking the link that connected their thoughts.
He needed to find a way to keep her safe until he was strong enough to protect her and keep her by his side.
Taking her into his laps, he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. But we can't stay here much longer. It would only put you in danger." he whispered into her hair.
Kahlan clutched at his shirt desperately. "Are you going to leave me?"
"Only for a little bit." he promised. "There are things I have to do. I will find you though. You always have me with you. See…"
He withdrew from her embrace and took her hands in his.
"Close your eyes" he instructed her. "Now think about the bond that we share. Good, can you feel it?"
She felt for it, and then saw within herself a pink and bronze colored orb rotating. The two colors were so intertwined that it was impossible to separate them.
Surrounding it was a white background.
"I am gifting to you mental strength" Prometheus continued. "With this, you will be able to protect your mind."
Gradually, Kahlan began to feel herself changing. She could feel a room form around this orb. She also felt herself materialize within this room
She was a bit surprised. She was no longer an observer as she could enter this room.
The floor was hard under her bare feet. The walls were so far apart that it seemed the room could go on and on for miles.
She walked closer to the orb.
It was a large orb, the size of a car tire. It was floating just about her head level.
She reached out and stroked it. The area that was bronze.
Prometheus' hand on hers tightened as though he was affected.
Worried, she opened her eyes. Only to find him looking at her weirdly.
"Are you okay? She asked.
He could only blink.
When she had touched the orb, he felt it within him, as though someone had caressed his insides.
He almost lost control. The passion he felt for her at that moment was indomitable. It took all he had not to eat up the little girl.
But he reminded himself that she was still a child. And though he wasn't feeling very honorable at the moment, he held himself in check.
He didn't want to hurt her.
Schooling his expression, he asked her what she saw.
She described the orb to him and the room that she was in.
Prometheus was pleased.
The mental strength that he had granted her was just to strengthen her mind against external forces, but the fact that she already possessed inner strength helped her create this room.
"See if you can reenter the room" he instructed.
She closed her eyes and envisioned the room again.
This time, Prometheus was there.
She was surprised. "How come you're in here?" she asked.
"We are bonded" he told her. "Of course I can come in."
He walked to her and took her hand in his.
They were both barefooted so when he noticed that Kahlan seemed to be uncomfortable, he imagined the floor becoming soft.
Immediately, the ground became soft like cotton candy.
"Woah!!" Kahlan exclaimed. "What happened to the ground? It's so comfy"
"This is our world" Prometheus told her. "We can create whatever we want in here"
"Then I want a chair" she decided
"You only have to imagine it. What kind of chair do you want, create it in your mind" he said
She thought of a bean couch, soft and cushiony and when she looked, it was there right beside her.
Prometheus felt so proud of her. She had limitless potential. To be able to create something within her mind was tremendous. And it was an added protection for her.
Whenever she was down, she could always escape to this world.
She sat on the couch and sighed with bliss.
Prometheus looked at her with a bemused expression on his face.
He went forward and examined the orb that was floating.
He didn't dare to touch it.
Unlike Kahlan, he knew what it was. It was their soul. Intertwined and inseparable.
The more he looked at it, the happier he felt.
He was indeed blessed to have a mate.
Ordinarily, one's soul was supposed to be the size of a head. But their souls had enjoined and was now much larger.
Prometheus knew that if he left it out in the open, Kahlan was likely to touch it again. Heavens knew if he would be able to control himself a second time.
So he imagined a chain of light wrapping this orb. The orb was now encased in it and floated up higher than Kahlan's hand could reach.
He was satisfied at this and now turned to look at his petite mate. She was still lying down in the couch. Pure bliss shone on her face.
So he imagined a blanket and used it to cover her.
She squirmed for a bit but then settled in.
Taking one last look at her, Prometheus retreated from her mind.
When he opened his eyes, he saw that Kahlan was asleep.
He chuckled at the cute expression on her little face and then pulled her into his laps. He encircled her with his arms.
Using her mental strength was tasking but he knew that she would get used to it as time went by.
He held her in his arms as she slept.
After about an hour, she woke up. "It's time to go" he told her.
She stretched and yawned but then nodded.
He took her nod as an assent, so he picked her up and carried her bag.
Then he opened a portal out of the realm and back to the mountain.
Once he left the realm, the portal closed up and the snow stopped falling.
The dark clouds that covered the sky gradually eased away.