Wizard's First Rule

As Richard neared the end of his meal he decided it was time to change the tone of things back to business. "The next quad? Has there been any sign?"

"No. I was worried, but Zedd did a cloud reading for me and said it appeared they must have run into trouble of some kind, since they were nowhere to be found."

He gave Zedd a sideways glance. "Is that true?"

"True as toasted toads." Zedd had used the` expression since Richard was young, to win him over with humor and let him know he could always trust the old man to be truthful with him above all else. Richard wondered what sort of trouble a quad could "run into."

For better or worse, he had succeeded in changing the mood at the table. He felt Kahlan's impatience for him to get on with it, and he 'sensed impatience irk Zedd, too. Kahlan turned back to the table and put both hands in her lap, waiting. Richard feared that if he didn't handle things properly, she would do whatever it was she was here to do, and he would have no control over it.

Richard finished his meal and pushed the bowl away with his thumbs, at the same time meeting Zedd's eyes. His friend's humor was gone, but otherwise he showed nothing of what he was thinking. He simply waited. It was Richard's turn now, and once he began there could be no going back.

"Zedd, my friend, we need your help to stop Darken Rahl.»

"I know. You want me to find the wizard for you."

"No, that won't be necessary. I have already found him." Richard felt Kahlan's questioning eyes on him, but he continued to fix his gaze on Zedd. "You are the great wizard."

Kahlan began to rise from the bench. Without taking his eyes from Zedd, Richard 'reached under the table and clutched her forearm, forcing her to sit back down. Still Zedd showed no emotion. His voice came even and soft.

"And what makes you think this, Richard?"

Richard took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he put his hands on the table, intertwining his fingers. He watched his hands as he spoke. "When Kahlan first told me about the history of the three lands, she said the council had taken actions that made the death of the wizard's wife and daughter at the hands of a quad stand for nothing, and as punishment the wizard did the worst thing possible to them: he left them to suffer the consequences of their own actions.

"That sounded like the very thing you would do, but I couldn't be sure then; I had to find a way to know. When you first saw Kahlan, and were angry that she had come here from the Midlands, I told you she had been attacked by a quad. I watched your eyes. They told me I was right. Only someone who had suffered a loss like yours would have had that look in his eyes. And, you changed your attitude toward her after I told you

Completely. Only someone who had known the terror personally would have that kind of empathy. But still I didn't trust my instinct. I waited."

He looked up at Zedd and held the other's gaze while he spoke. "Your biggest mistake was when you told Kahlan she was safe here. You would not lie, especially about something like that. And you know what a quad is. How could an old man make it safe here, against a quad, without magic? He couldn't, but one old wizard could. The next quad is nowhere to be found, you said so yourself; they ran into some trouble. I think they ran into some wizard trouble. You were as good as your word. You always are."

Richard's voice turned gentler. "I have always known, in a thousand little ways, that you were more than you claimed to be, that you were a special person. I have always been honored to have you as my friend. And I know that as my friend, you would do anything, anything you must, to help me if my life were in danger, just as I would do anything for you. I trust you with my life, and it is now in your hands." Richard hated closing the trap in this fashion, but all their lives were at risk. There could be no games.

Zedd put his hands on the table and leaned forward. "I have never before been this proud of you, Richard." His eyes told that he meant it. "You got it all right." He stood and came around the table. When Richard stood, they hugged. "I have also never been this sad for you." Zedd held Richard in a tight embrace for a moment longer. "Sit. I will be right back. I have something for you. Both of you sit and wait a moment."

Zedd cleared the table; then, holding the plates in the crook of his arm, he strode to the house. Kahlan looked worried as she watched him go. Richard had thought that she would be happy to have found the wizard, but now she looked more frightened than anything else. Things were going differently from what he had expected.

When Zedd reappeared, he was carrying something long. Kahlan came to her feet. Richard realized Zedd's fist clutched the scabbard of a sword. Kahlan put herself in front of him before he reached the table, grabbing fistfuls of his robes.

"Don't do this, Zedd." Her voice was desperate.

"It is not my choice."

"Zedd, please no, choose someone else, not Richard…"