Kahlan was having her own sweet time with Prometheus when she heard someone knocking on her bedroom door.
The abruptness of the sound drew her out of the mindscape.
She frowned at the door.
It better not be something trivial.
A maid slowly opened the door and said in a solemn voice.
"The master requests your presence."
Kahlan quickly jumped out of bed. She did not expect her father to return so quickly.
She quickly slid out of her pajamas, quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face and put on some proper clothing before walking down to the living room to meet her father.
As she walked down the steps, she felt her legs turn to jelly. Her lips quivered in trepidation. She didn't know what punishment he was going to give her. "Was she going to be grounded this time?"
Prometheus sent calming words down the bond to soothe her nerves. After which she felt better.
The moment she entered the corridor to the office, she caught sight of a woman inside the office, through the slits of the door. Her heart skipped a beat.
The woman was so beautiful. In an otherworldly sense. Everything about her gave off a sense of wildness and uncontrollability. She could vaguely see a lion lying at her foot. Ahh!! How exciting. The woman gorgeous and could tame lions to boot. "Wahh!!!" she felt a sense of fan girlishness within her blossom.
She had seen that woman a few times before. Secretly. Her father always seemed to be amenable to the woman. Once she had asked him who she was, but the look on her father's face made her finch and keep quiet.
But now, her dad had summoned her and the woman was inside the room. Should she wait for the woman to leave?
Through the bond, Prometheus sent her a warning.
"When you meet that woman, do not look into her eyes. Pretend to act submissive. If she asks you any question, try not to answer. That woman is very dangerous for you. If she makes any sudden movements, retreat to the mindscape. I'll take care of the rest."
On the other side of the bond, Prometheus was panicking. First Hermes and now Artemis!!! There was danger all around Kahlan. What to do.
He immersed himself within Kahlan's mindscape. From within it, he formed a screen to view the outside world from Kahlan's eyes.
He would try to protect her as much as possible from within here.
Kahlan got very frightened after hearing Prometheus' words. She decided to be more cautious. If Prometheus said this woman was dangerous, then she definitely was.
She softly knocked on the door. It was slightly ajar, but she knocked nonetheless.
The door slowly slid open.
Kahlan wanted nothing more than to hold it shut. And probably try to run away.
But she chinned up. She knew that Prometheus was watching through the mindscape. He was not going to let her get hurt. So she boldly walked into the room and bowed her head.
"Father" she said "you called for me." She didn't dare say anything to the woman that sat on the chair. There were two lions beside her. Her father was standing facing the woman.
Kahlan blanched at the show of power the woman displayed.
She did not say a word of greeting to the woman. Not because she wanted to be rude. She was just scared of her. So she tried to pretend that she wasn't there.
Her father's eyes narrowed on seeing that his daughter did not greet the lady.
"Why are you being disrespectful? Bow and greet your Luna" he roared at Kahlan. Kahlan froze. Her feet gave out under her and she fell to her knees.
Her head was still lowered.
At this point she wanted to faint. But thinking of Prometheus' words, she decided to be strong. Just this once. Prometheus would be there to save her if she was in danger. So she could endure this.
It was evident that Kahlan cared a great deal about her father. Even when she tried to deny it to herself.
She was his daughter. There was no denying the familial bonds. No matter how many times he pushed her away from him, she still cared. But hearing her father yell at her made her feel hurt all over again.
Her lips trembled as she spoke that single word "Luna"
The woman's lips curled into a smile. "Now there Orion, don't be frightening the little girl. It's alright Kahlan. You can look up"
Hearing the woman's words made Kahlan feel even more scared. The woman wanted her to look at her eyes… Prometheus had warned her against that.
So Kahlan mumbled some apologies but still kept her head lowered.
Adam was seething with anger. Where was the sharp child he had raised? Kahlan was an embarrassment. What if Artemis got angry at him because of the girl's disrespect and disobedience? At this point, he felt a hatred for Kahlan that he had never had before. Why did she have to act like this?
He moved forward and grabbed Kahlan's hair roughly. Pulling at her scalps to make her look up at Artemis.
Kahlan struggled with her father trying to get loose. She didn't want to look at the woman.
Prometheus had warned her. She didn't want to disobey Prometheus.
Within the mindscape, Prometheus was frothing with anger. How could this man manhandle his mate like that? Putting her through pain for some stupid goddess.
He sent a mindlink message for Kahlan to retreat back to the mindscape.
Kahlan was very much obliged.
In a few seconds, she retreated, leaving a limp body for Adam.
Once she was in the mindscape, she rushed into Prometheus arms, heaving with tears in her eyes.
Prometheus couldn't help it. He held her and let her cry out her tears. Trying to console her as best as he could. It must have been terrible for her. He suddenly realized that her father was worse than scum.
What kind of man mistreats his daughter for the sake of pleasing some woman?
No matter if she was a goddess.
Prometheus was seething with anger as he continued watching the scenario going on outside through the screen.
There was a frown on Artemis' face. She stood up and materialized a whip and slashed it in the direction of Orion. As the whip reached its target, it sent flesh and blood spilling out of Orion's skin.
"You scum" she spat. "How could you hurt her like that!" she was furious. Was this how Kahlan had been treated in his household? "I left her with you to raise not because I wanted you to treat her as a slave. Look she can't even raise her head in public."
She lashed at him with the whip a few more times, drawing blood. Artemis was very angry at Orion. Indeed she had never been disappointed in him as much as this moment. She was a feminist. And when she watched Orion mistreat his daughter, she wanted to chop off his head. But for old times' sake, she stilled her anger.
Walking to the child that lay limp on the marble floor, she picked her up gently.
A few strands of hair fell on the floor as Kahlan was lifted up.
Artemis' eyes narrowed at this. Each strand of this child's hair was precious. She had plans for the child and she wasn't going to let her get ruined in a place like this.
As she stepped out of the office, Orion (Adam) suddenly realized what was going to happen. Artemis was going to take Kahlan away from him.
Prometheus was inwardly uneasy about this. But at least, Kahlan was safer anywhere else than here. At most, he would have to negotiate with Artemis for Kahlan afterwards.
Adam dropped to the floor. Bowing.
"Please Luna" He pleaded. "I was wrong. Please don't take her away from me. I promise to do better. I'll treat her better. Please don't separate family."
"Ohhh!!!"She raised a brow "So you do know that you are family" Artemis laughed.
Naturally, Adam didn't give a hoot about family. He only realized that the child was precious to Artemis and wanted to hold on to her. If it would mean that he would get to see Artemis a few more times, he was willing to spend lavishly on Kahlan.
Prometheus and Artemis saw through this ruse at once. But Artemis paused her steps. It was true that the child was useful to her, but she needed the child to grow up first before she could carry out her plans.
She could toss the child to one of her numerous Acolytes (female followers of Artemis) to raise but that would only awaken the child's awareness of her true identity. Among the humans, Kahlan's true nature could be suppressed. So long as she didn't realize that she wasn't human, all would be well.
Artemis turned around and looked at Adam that was still crouched on the ground. "I'll give you one more chance" she said. "For old times sake. If you fail me again, I would have no more need for you."
She held the limp child with one hand and gingerly handed her over to Adam. You had to give it to Artemis. No matter how feminine she looked, she was strong.
As Adam received Kahlan, he began to bow in thanks to Artemis. But at this moment, she wasn't looking at him. She had started to head out of the house.
Adam wanted to follow, but the two lions roared at him and followed after the goddess escorting her.
As she gingerly entered the car, the lions wanted to follow. But Artemis only had to whisper to them to protect the child and watch Adam and the two lions came bounding back to the house.
As Artemis' car drove off, the two lions menacingly observed Adam and the still limp Kahlan.
The lions held a grudge against Adam. They did not like this wolf den. But they had been forced to stay here yet again. They eyed the wolf man (Adam) and followed him as he walked the steps up to Kahlan's room.
As he laid the child on the bed and retreated out of the room, he suddenly remembered something. "Aiii! The child hasn't been questioned about her whereabouts on the mountain." As he eyed the closed door and the lions that now stood guard, he decided to leave that for another day.