Wizard's First Rule

"I put a web around him because I did not want him to know who the blue-eyed bastard was who raped his mother and gave him life."

Darken Rahl's eyes widened. "Your daughter was killed. My father told me so."

"A little trick, to keep her safe." Zedd's expression darkened. "Though you didn't know who she was, you hurt her. Without intending it, you also gave her happiness. You gave her Richard."

"I am his father?" Rahl whispered.

"When you raped my daughter, I knew I couldn't harm you, and my first thought was to comfort her, protect her, so I took her to Westland. She met a young man, a man widowed with a baby son., George Cypher was a good, kind man; I was proud to have him as my daughter's husband. George loved Richard as his own, but he knew the truth, except about me, who I was; that was hidden by the web.

"I could have hated Richard for his father's crimes, but chose instead to love him for himself. He turned out to be quite a man, don't you think? You have been defeated by the heir you wanted. An heir born with the gift. That is rare. Richard is the true Seeker. From the Rahl blood, he has the rage of the anger, the capacity for violence. But it's balanced with Zorander blood, the capacity for love, understanding, and forgiveness."

Darken Rahl shimmered in the shadows of the magic or Orden. He twisted in pain as he became transparent as smoke. "To think, the Zorander and Rahl bloodlines, joined in one. Yet he is still my heir. In a way," he managed, "I have won."

Zedd shook his head. "You have lost, in more ways than one."

Vapor, smoke, shadows, and light spun in a roar. The ground shook violently. The sorcerer's sand, now black as pitch, was sucked into the vortex. The whole of it rotated over the abyss, the sounds of the world of life and the underworld mixing in a terrible howl.

Darken Rahl's voice came hollow, empty, dead. "Read the prophecies, old man. Things may not yet be as final as you think. I am an agent."

A point of blinding light ignited in the center of the spinning mass. Zedd shielded his eyes. Beams of white-hot light shot upward, through the windows overhead, into the sky, and downward, into the blackness of the abyss. There was a piercing shriek. The air shimmered with the heat, light, and sound. A flash lit everything around to white, and then there was silence.

Cautiously, Zedd took his hands from his eyes. It was gone. The whole of it was gone. Winter sunlight warmed the ground where only moments before the black abyss had been. The sorcerer's sand was gone. The bare circle of earth it had covered was whole. The rupture between worlds healed. At least Zedd hoped it was.

The wizard felt his power seeping back into his bones. The ones who had drawn the spell against him were gone. The effect of the spell was gone.

He stood before the altar, spread his arms into the sunlight, and closed his eyes.

"I recall the webs. I am who I was before: Zeddicus Zu'1 Zorander, Wizard of the First Order. Let all know it once more. And the rest, too." The people of D'Hara were linked to the House of Rahl, a link forged in magic long ago by those who would rule; a link that chained the people of D'Hara to the House of Rahl, and House of Rahl to them. With the webs removed, that link to the gift would be felt by many, and let them know that Richard was now Master Rahl.

Zedd would have to tell Richard that Darken Rahl was his father, but not this day. He would have to find the words first. There were many things to tell him, but not this day.

–+-

Richard found her, kneeling before one of the deserted devotion pools. The gag was still tied around her neck, left there when she had pulled it from her mouth. Kahlan hunched over in tears, her long hair cascading off her shoulders as she leaned forward, the knife gripped in both fists, the point held to her chest. Her shoulders shook with her sobs. Richard came to a stop next to the folds of her white dress.

"Don't do that," he whispered.

"I must. I love you," Kahlan gave a little moan. "I have touched you with my power. I would rather die than be your mistress. It is the only way to release you." She gave a tearful shudder. "I would like you to give me a kiss, and then leave me. I don't want you to see it."

"No."

Her eyes snapped up to his. "What did you say?" she whispered.

Richard put his fists on his hips. "I said `no. I'm not going to kiss you with those silly things painted on your face. They nearly scared the life out of me."

Her green eyes stared in disbelief. "You can deny me nothing, once I have touched you with my power."

Richard squatted down close to her. He untied the gag from her neck. "Well, then, you have ordered me to kiss you"-he dunked the cloth in the water-"and I told you I. won't do it with this thing painted on your face." He began wiping the lightning bolts from her skin. "So, I guess the only solution is to get rid of it."