Wizard's First Rule

Richard's mood darkened at seeing his brother. Michael's defiant eyes came up to meet Richard's gaze.

"I'll not be treated in this manner, little brother." His voice was as condescending as it had ever been. "You don't know what you've interfered with, what I was trying to do, how I would have helped everyone by uniting Westland and D'Hara. You have doomed the people to needless suffering that Darken Rahl could have spared. You are a fool."

Richard thought about all he had been though, about all that Zedd, and Chase, and Kahlan had been through. He thought about all those he knew who had died at Rahl's hands, and the countless number of dead he would never know of. The suffering, the cruelty, the brutality. He thought of all the tyrants allowed to flourish under Darken Rahl, all the way from Darken Rahl himself down to Princess Violet. He thought of those he had killed. He felt pain and grief at the things he had had to do.

The metallic ring of the Sword of Truth filled the air. Michael's eyes went wide at seeing its point at his throat.

Richard leaned a little closer to his brother. "Give me the loser's salute, Michael."

Michael's face turned crimson. "I would rather die first."

Richard nodded as he straightened. He looked deep into his brother's eyes as he took the sword away. Richard pulled the anger back, tried to make the sword turn white. It — would not. He slid the blade home into its scabbard.

"I'm glad to see we have one thing in common, Michael. We would both die for what we believe in." He took his gaze from Michael, to the big, crescent battleaxe hanging at Chase's belt. His eyes came up to the boundary warden's grim face. "Execute him," he whispered. "Take his head to his personal guard. Tell them he was executed by my order, for treason against Westland. Westland will have to find a new First Councilor."

Chase's big fist grabbed Michael by the hair. Michael screamed out, falling to his knees, giving the loser's salute.

"Richard! Please, I'm your brother! Don't do this! Don't let him kill me! I'm sorry, forgive me. I was wrong. Please, Richard, forgive me."

Richard stared down at his brother, who was on his knees before him, his hands together, imploring. Richard held out the Agiel in his fist, feeling the pain it gave him, tolerating it, remembering it, the visions flashing through his mind. "Darken Rahl told you what he was going to do to me. You knew. You knew what was going to happen to me, and you were indifferent because it brought you personal gain. Michael, I forgive everything you have done against me."

Michael sagged in relief. The Seeker stiffened. "But I cannot forgive what you have done against others. Others have forfeited their lives because of the things you have done. It is for those crimes that you are to be executed, not the ones against me."

Michael screamed and cried as Chase dragged him away. Richard watched in pain, shaking, as his brother was taken to his execution.

Zedd placed his hand over Richard's on the Agiel. "Let it go, Richard."

Richard's thoughts masked the pain it was giving him. He looked to Zedd, standing before him with his bony, leathery hand over his, saw things in his friend's eyes he had never seen before, a shared understanding of the pain. He released the Agiel.

Kahlan's eyes went to it as it fell against his chest. "Richard, do you have to keep that?"

"For now, I do. It was a promise I made to one who I killed. One who helped teach me how much I love you. Darken Rahl thought this would defeat me. Instead, it taught me how to defeat him. If I discard it now, I would be denying what is inside me, what 1 am."

Kahlan put her hand on his arm. "Right now, I don't understand, but someday, I hope I will."

Richard looked around the Garden of Life, thinking about Darken Rahl's death, and about his father's death. He had seen justice done. He grieved a moment when his memories touched his father. But then the pain lifted as he realized that he had completed the task his father had given him. Richard had remembered every word of the secret book perfectly. His duty was done. His father could rest in peace.

Zedd straightened his robes with a huff. "Bags! A place this big must have something to eat, don't you suppose?"

Richard grinned, putting an arm around each of them as he led them out of the Garden of Life. He took them to a dining hall he remembered. People sat at tables as if nothing had changed. The three of them found a table in the corner. Servers brought plates of rice, vegetables, brown bread, cheese and bowls of steaming spice soup. The surprised but smiling servers kept bringing more as Zedd resolutely emptied the plates of food.

Richard tried the cheese, and to his surprise found it had a sickening flavor. He threw it back on the table as he made a sour face.

"What's the matter?" Zedd asked.

"That has to be the worst-tasting cheese I've ever eaten!"

Zedd sniffed it and took a bite. "Nothing wrong with the cheese, my boy."

"Fine, then you eat it."