Wizard's First Rule

"And the Seeker?" Demmin's face was lined with apprehension.

Rahl shrugged. "Even less than an annoyance." -

"Lord Rahl, I need not remind you, winter approaches."

The Master lifted an eyebrow, the firelight flickering in his eyes. "The Queen has the last box. I will have it soon enough. There is no need for concern."

Demmin leaned his grim face closer. "And the book?"

Rahl took a deep breath. "After I have traveled to the underworld, I will search out the Cypher boy again. Worry yourself of it no more, my friend. Fate is on our side."

He turned and walked off. Demmin followed, the guards slipping through the shadows behind.

–+-

The Garden of Life was a cavernous room in the center of the People's Palace. Leaded windows high overhead let in light for the lush plants. This night they let in the moonlight. Around the outside of the room were flowers set in beds, with walkways winding through. Beyond the flowers were small trees, short stone walls with vines covering them, and well-tended plants completing the landscaping. Except for the windows overhead, it mimicked an outdoor garden. A place of beauty. A place of peace.

In the center of the expansive room was an area of lawn that swept around almost into a circle, the grass ring broken by a wedge of white stone, upon which sat a slab of granite, smooth but for grooves carved near the edge of the top, leading to a small well in one corner. It was held up by two short fluted pedestals. Beyond the slab stood a polished stone block set next to a fire pit. -The block held an ancient iron bowl covered with beasts which served as legs to support the round bottom. The iron lid in the same half-sphere shape had but one beast upon it, a Shinga, an underworld creature, reared up on its two hind legs, serving as a handle. In the center of the lawn lay a round area of white sorcerer's sand, ringed with torches that burned with fluid flames. Geometric symbols crisscrossed in the white sand.

In the center of the sand was the boy, buried in an upright position to his neck.

Darken Rahl approached slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. Demmin waited off by the trees, before the grass. The Master stopped at the border of the grass and white sand, looking down at the boy. Darken Rahl smiled.

"What is your name, my son?"

The boy's lower lip quivered as he looked up at Rahl. His eyes shifted to the big man back by the trees. It was a fearful look. Rahl turned and looked to the commander.

"Leave us,and please take my guards with you. I wish not to be disturbed."

Demmin bowed his head and left, the guards following. Darken Rahl turned back, regarding the boy, then lowered himself to sit on the grass. He rearranged his robes once on the ground, and smiled again at the boy.

"Better?"

The boy nodded. His lip still quivered.

"Are you afraid of that big man?" The boy nodded. "Did he hurt you? Did he touch you where he shouldn't?"

The boy shook his head. His eyes, reflecting a mix of fear and anger, stayed locked on Rahl. An ant crawled from the white sand onto his neck.

"What is your name?" Rahl asked again. The boy did not answer. The Master watched his brown eyes closely. "Do you know who I am?" `

"Darken Rahl," the boy answered in a weak voice.

Rahl smiled indulgently. "Father Rahl," he corrected.

The boy stared at him. "I want to go home." The ant inspected its way across his chin.

"Of course you do," Rahl said with a tone of sympathy and concern. "Please believe me, I'm not going to harm you. You are simply here to help me with an important ceremony. You are an honored guest, meant to represent the innocence and strength of youth. You were selected because people told me what a fine boy you are, what a very good boy you are. Everyone has spoken highly of you. They tell me you are smart, and strong. Do they speak the truth?"

The boy hesitated, his shy eyes looking away. "Well, I guess they do." He looked back to Rahl. "But I miss my mother, and I want to go home." The ant went in a circle around his cheek.

Darken Rahl stared off wistfully and nodded. "I understand. I miss my mother also. She was such a wonderful woman, and I loved her so. She took good care of me. When I would do a chore that pleased her, she would make me a special supper, whatever I wanted."

The boys eyes got bigger. "My mother does that too."

"My father, mother, and I had wonderful times together. We all loved each other very much and had fun together. My mother had a merry laugh. When my father would tell a boastful story, she would poke fun at him and the three of,us would laugh, sometimes until we got tears in our eyes."

The boy's eyes brightened, he smiled a little. "Why do you miss her? Is she gone away?"

"No," Rahl sighed, "she and my father died a few years ago. They were both old. They both had a good life together, but I still miss them. So I understand how you miss your parents."

The boy nodded a little. His lip had stopped quivering. The ant walked up the bridge of his nose. He scrunched up his face trying to get it off.