Wizard's First Rule

Richard let out a deep breath as he rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. "You both want to eat a chicken. we haven't even plucked yet. We aren't even sure whose chicken it is."

"What do you mean?" Kahlan asked.

Richard leaned forward. Now he had their attention, at last. "At the very least, Tamarang is giving a sympathetic ear to D'Hara. At the very worst, Darken Rahl is there. Most likely, the fact is somewhere between the two. If we march in there and tell them what we want, they might not like it. Tamarang has a whole standing army to express to us how much they don't like it. Then what? Are the three of us going to fight a war with their army? How is this going to get us the box? How is it going to even get us to Giller? If we have to fight, I'd rather it be on the way out, not on the way in."

Richard expected one of them to express some sort of objection while they sat as if being scolded, but neither did, so he went on.

"Maybe Giller is waiting and hoping someone will come, so he can help them get away with the box. Then again, maybe he will not be so willing to part company with it. But we won't know if we never make it to him, now, will we?" He addressed Zedd. "You told me the box has magic, and a wizard, or Rahl, can feel that magic, but a wizard can also cover the feeling of that magic with a wizard's web, so the box can't be detected. That could be why Queen Milena wanted a wizard-to hide the box from Rahl, and use it as a bargaining tool. If we create a big commotion, and scare Giller, no matter how he feels about us, he may be frightened, and use the opportunity to escape. It could also be that Rahl is just waiting for the quarry to be flushed from cover, and then he will pounce."

Zedd turned to Kahlan. "I think the Seeker has some good points. Perhaps we should hear him out?"

Kahlan smiled a little. "I believe you are correct, good wizard." She turned to Richard. "What is your way?"

"You've dealt with this Queen Milena before, right? What sort of person is she?"

Kahlan needed no time to give it any thought. "Tamarang is a minor and relatively insignificant land. Still, Queen Milena is as pompous and arrogant as any queen comes." "A small snake, but a snake that can kill us nonetheless," Richard noted.

Kahlan nodded… "But a snake with a big head."

"Small snakes have to be careful, cautious, when they don't know what they are up against. The first thing we have to do, is to give her a worry. Make her unsure enough not to bite us."

"What do you mean?" Kahlan asked.

"You said you've dealt with her before. Confessors go to the lands to take confessions, and to inspect the prisons, to find out what they will. She wouldn't want to close Tamarang to a Confessor, would she?"

"Not if she has half a brain," Zedd chuckled.

"Well, that's what we do then. You put your dress back on, and do your duty. Simply a Confessor doing what Confessors are expected to do. She may not like it, but she will treat you well; she will want you to be happy. She will want you to see what you will, and then be on your way. The last thing she will want is to raise a fuss. So, you inspect her dungeon, smile, or frown, or whatever it is you do, and then before we're on our way, you say you want to speak to your former wizard."

"You think she should go alone?" Zedd protested.

"No. Kahlan doesn't have a wizard with her; the Queen would see that as a tempting vulnerability. We don't want her mouth to water."

Zedd folded his arms. "I will be her wizard."

"No, you will not be her wizard! Darken Rahl is killing people as we speak, looking for you. If you remove the wizard's web, let them know who you are, we'll have trouble down around our ears before we can get away with the box. Who.knows what reward there is on your wrinkled hide. You will be her protection, but you will be anonymous protection. You will be… " Richard tapped the sword hilt, thinking. His eyes came back down. "You will be a cloud reader. A trusted advisor to the Mother Confessor in the absence of a wizard." Richard frowned slightly at Zedd's grumble. "I'm sure you know how to play the part."

"Then you will hide your sword, your identity, from her as well?" Kahlan asked.