Wizard's First Rule

They walked on through the halls, past the devotion squares, past the statues, past the people. She took him upstairs, through vast rooms of exquisite decorations. She stopped in front of a pair of doors covered in carvings of rolling hills and forests, all sheathed in gold.

Denna turned to him. "Are you prepared to die this day, my love?"

"The day is not over yet, Mistress Denna."

She slipped her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly. She pulled her face away a few inches, stroked the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Richard, that I do these things to you, but I have been trained to do them, and can do nothing less; I live only to hurt you. Know that it is not by choice, but by training. I can be no more than what I am: Mord-Sith. If you are to die this day, my love, then make me proud, and die well."

He was mate to a madwoman, he thought sadly. And one not of her own making.

She pushed the doors open and entered a grand garden. Richard would have been impressed, had his mind not been on other things. They went down a path between flowers and shrubs, past short, vine covered stone walls, and small trees, to an expanse of lawn. A glass roof let in the light, keeping the plants healthy and in flower.

In the distance were two identically huge men. Their folded arms tad metal bands with sharp projections just above their elbows` Guards of some sort, Richard thought. To their side stood another man. Imposing muscles flexed on his smooth chest. His short-cropped blond hair stood up in spikes, with a single black streak running through it.

Near the center of the lawn, near a circle of white sand, in a warm shaft of late-afternoon sunlight, stood a man with his back to them. The sunlight made his white robes and shoulder-length blond hair glow. Sparks of the sunlight glinted off the gold belt and curved dagger at his waist.

As Richard and Denna approached him, Denna dropped to her knees, putting her forehead to the ground. Richard had been instructed and did the same as he pushed his sword out of the way.

Together, they chanted. "Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."

They chanted only once, then waited, Richard trembling slightly. He remembered that he was never to get near Master Rahl, to stay away from him, but couldn't remember who told him so, only that it was important. He had to concentrate on Denna's braid, to control the anger at what Master Rahl had done to her.

"Rise, my children."

Richard stood with his shoulder close against Mistress Denna while intense blue eyes studied him. That the Master's face looked kind, intelligent, pleasant, did not calm Richard's churning fears, and the thoughts that boiled just below the surface of his mind. The blue eyes glided to Denna.

"You look surprisingly well this morning, my pet."

"Mistress Denna is as good at taking pain as giving it, Master Rahl," Richard heard himself say.

The blue eyes returned to his. The calmness, the peace, in Rahl's face made Richard quiver. "My pet has told me you are nothing but trouble. I am pleased to see she has not lied to me. But not pleased to find it true." He clasped his hands in a relaxed manner. "Well, no matter. How good to meet you at last, Richard Cypher."

Denna drove the Agiel into his back with a sharp jab to remind him of what it was he was supposed to say. "It is my honor to be here, Master Rahl. I live only to serve. I am humbled in your presence."

A small smile came to Rahl's lips. "Yes, I am sure you are." He studied Richard's face for an uncomfortable moment. "I have some questions. You are going to give me the answers."

Richard felt himself shaking slightly. "Yes, Master Rahl."

"Kneel," he said softly.

Richard went to his knees with the aid of the Agiel on his shoulder. Denna stepped behind and put a boot to each side of him. She pressed her thighs against his shoulders, bracing against them for leverage as she held his hair in her fist. She pulled his head back a little, making him look up into the Master's blue eyes. Richard swallowed in terror.

Darken Rahl looked down without emotion. "You have seen the Book of Counted Shadows before?"

Something powerful in the back of his mind told Richard he shouldn't answer. When he said nothing, Denna tightened her grip on his hair, and pushed the Agiel against the base of his skull.