meridian_rose

Title: Not In The Stars: Chapter Two – Richard Rahl
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3600
Story Summary: An AU in which Richard initially refuses to accept his 'destiny', being happy in the Westland with his adopted family. Full summary at the Index Post
Warnings: Violence, torture, in line with that seen on the show. Temporary minor character death outside of that seen in canon
Navigation: Fully detailed Index Post here ; previous chapter

Chapter Two – Richard Rahl


Chapter Summary: In which Darken Rahl's arrival causes consternation in Hartland, and Richard discovers his bloodline
"If you wish to be brothers, let the arms fall from your hands. One cannot love while holding offensive arms". Pope Paul VI


Zedd cast a spell on one of the dead D'Haran soldiers to make the body look like Kahlan. Richard was a little impressed, though it was, of course, just more illusionary magic. Kahlan scribbled strange symbols over the pages of an old book that Michael gave her from the Council library; then she burned it; not fully to ashes, but enough to make it useless even if it had been the real Book of Counted Shadows.

Chase tied a rope around his waist and two of his men tied the other end around a tree trunk and held onto the rope. Chase made the dangerous trip through the Boundary twice, first dumping the 'Kahlan' corpse, leaving the book near 'her' hand, and secondly taking Fane's body. He scorched the area around the bodies as if a fireball had destroyed the book, and then retreated carefully.

"I doubt Darken Rahl can be fooled forever by this ruse," Zedd said, "but it may buy us some time."

"The Westland has nothing of value for him," Richard said. "His precious book is destroyed, or so we hope he'll believe; what else can he want from us?"

Zedd hadn't enough power to fully seal the Boundary, but he created an illusory barrier to conceal the narrow passageway—which, besides, seemed as if it might fall in on itself at any moment.

The real Book of Counted shadows was locked safely away, as was the Sword of Truth. Zedd went back to his chickens. Kahlan started working at the dairy farm, claiming she was only staying in case Richard changed his mind—that Michael had forbidden her to leave was a mere detail she chose to ignore. Richard decided to take up brewing sooner rather than later, finding it an interesting hobby.

Things could, Richard hoped, get back to normal.

---

Darken stared at the charred remnants he held in his hands. The Book of Counted Shadows, gone. He had hoped to find the secrets of power within its pages, had hoped it might even help him find the fabled Boxes of Orden.

He looked at the Dragon Corp soldier who had handed over the book.

"You think it destroyed by Wizard's Fire?"

"Perhaps, Lord Rahl." The man kept his gaze steady, though Darken saw the man's pulse beat faster in his neck.

Darken considered this a moment. Wizard's Fire could certainly destroy even enchanted objects. Had the Confessor found herself a wizard who was now missing or also dead? Or perhaps the fire came from an amulet; he'd heard of such things, a jewel storing one instance of a spell for emergencies. Better the Book be destroyed than fall into his hands, was that the Confessor's rationale?

That he warranted such fear pleased Darken, though he was still angry at the loss of the book.

"The Confessor was dead? You made sure?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl." A touch of insolent pride was in the man's voice. "We burned her like the witch she was."

Darken would have preferred to have had the woman brought to him, maybe shown the body to her sister to further break her will. Yes, the Confessor named Dennee, now his prisoner. One of the very few Confessors left alive. Her value to him had just increased immeasurably.

One Confessor dead, one Confessor captured. He couldn't use the book, nor could it be used against him. It wasn't a victory nor a defeat; it was maybe a touch too convenient...still, Darken had to salvage what good he could from this.

"You will station a patrol permanently near to the Boundary," he said at last, rubbing at his chin. He'd annexe the Westlands, of course, but not until all of the Midlands realms were under his control. Until then, let them hide behind their Boundary.

It was said there was no magic in the Westlands—they would fall easily before his forces when the time was right. Until then, he would not tolerate spies. No-one would walk through into the Midlands and live.

Darken turned his attention to other matters; quelling rebellions, seizing territories, and, most importantly, finding all of the Boxes of Orden.

---

Guards patrolled the Hartland side of the Boundary too, quickly shooting down anything that strayed through the barrier. Chase's men drilled over and over at shooting at a flying target - Zedd and George had rigged up a practice gar made of dirt-filled sacking and Richard had strung it up in the trees with a rope system so he could make the fake gar swing madly for added realism. When a real gar did come through, the guards made quick work of it.

"Magical creatures are real," Kahlan told Richard, hoping this evidence might change his mind.

"That doesn't make everything else true," Richard said. Proof of gars was not proof that Darken Rahl was evil.

Anna Brighton returned to Hartland. George took her under his wing and she ate dinner with the Cyphers most nights. She and Kahlan became quite friendly.

While Anna and Richard were still close friends, however, there was no longer any spark between them. So he found he wasn't at all jealous to see Michael look at Anna with new found interest. Anna was a good influence on Michael, her presence often softening his temper and her insight making him consider all available options before acting.

Richard read the entire Book of Counted Shadows and thought it a rather odd mix of spells and prophecies and tales, but found no great power within it.

It was a peaceful life, not filled with great adventure, but satisfying in its own way.

---

Darken strode into the dungeon. The woman who hung from the chains had been tortured by Denna, and her red hair hung limply over bruises and agiel burns.

"Are you ready to tell me the truth, now?" Darken asked softly, his lips just inches from her neck.

She blinked swollen eyes and raised her head. The metal collar around her neck glinted in the light of the torches mounted on the walls.

"Without the radahan I could work such magic for you," she croaked.

Darken laughed. "I have no doubt. That is why you must remain chained. But I will have it removed if you tell me where the third Box of Orden is." He ran one finger around the edge of the metal collar.

She took a wheezing breath. "Hidden. Hidden by powerful magic."

Darken wound her hair around one hand and tugged at it painfully. "If you cannot scry the location of this one simple thing, you are of no use to me, Shota. And I do not allow useless people to remain as my guests."

He held out his hand and Denna passed him a dagger with a bone white handle.

"Please," Shota begged.

"I cannot control the world without Orden," Darken said reasonably. "The last box is the only thing standing between me and my victory."

Shota gave a burbling laugh that turned into a cough. When she caught her breath, she said, "You will never win, Rahl. There is one who can defeat you."

"That is not so," Darken told her, pressing the blade into her skin, seeing red drops spring up along its length.

Shota smiled then. "The Seeker lives," she said.

Darken's blood ran cold. "Impossible," he said. "I would know if he had been named."

"He lives," Shota said again. "And I can find him."

Darken let out a scream of rage. He plunged the knife into Shota's chest and she fell limp against the chains. He turned and fell to his knees, gripping the blade with both hands until his own blood mingled with the witch's.

Denna stood still as a statue, awaiting his orders, eyes flitting from her distraught Lord and Master to the dead body of the witch.

"Revive her," Darken said, voice ragged. "Cut her down and bring her back."

If the Seeker lived, he would be found. Found and killed, before the prophecy could come true. Darken was more afraid than he had been in over twenty years. The Seeker lived...

Later, when Shota confirmed to him exactly who the Seeker was, he killed her again. When revived, she told him that it was no point killing the messenger, and if he wanted her to help, he had to stop murdering her.

"He holds the key to your victory," Shota told him. "Do not act in haste."

He would act any way he pleased, Darken thought, but held his temper, this time. She was the only one who could find the Seeker—his half-brother, damn his father, damn Panis Rahl to the Keeper for eternity—and this was the only reason Darken didn't cut off her head to make sure she couldn't be brought back.

---

Almost a year after Kahlan had first stepped into the Westland, the Boundary was breached by a Quad of D'Harans. The Hartland guards, prepared for this eventuality, won the first sortie. The second wave of attackers came bearing a white flag of truce and an older man stepped forward. He claimed he had been sent by Darken Rahl to arrange an audience for him with Richard Rahl.

A meeting of the Council members was quickly convened (which these days meant the Cyphers, Kahlan, Zedd, Chase and Anna—who was supposed to just take the minutes but had some very strong opinions and some rather good ideas) and the man, Egremont, was brought before them. Kahlan kept shooting I-told-you-so looks at Richard, who had gotten very good at ignoring them these past months.

"We know of no-one by that name," Michael informed Egremont, coldly.

"He is the son of Panis Rahl and Tarralyn Zorander, taken from Brennidon on the night of the massacre," Egremont said.

They left Egremont with a jug of the latest ale Richard had been brewing and convened outside.

"Zorander?" Richard hissed.

Zedd hung his head in shame. "She was my daughter," he told Richard. "You are my grandson."

"And you're only bringing this up now?" Richard asked incredulously.

"You were so anxious not to believe me or do what I asked that I thought telling you would only make things worse," Zedd said. "And I never imagined that the monster Panis Rahl could have fathered you."

"Egremont believes that is the truth," Kahlan said; her Confessor powers were definitely real.

"He must have tricked my poor daughter into mating with him," Zedd said, shaking his head in anger.

"Richard, this means you're related to Darken Rahl," Kahlan said in horror. "Panis Rahl was his father too."

Richard lifted one eyebrow. "And you wanted me to kill him. My half-brother. It's lucky I didn't listen to you."

Kahlan was building up to a shriek of rage but he turned his back on her as Zedd cleared his throat.

"Please let me name you Seeker," Zedd begged. "It is the only way you can defeat Rahl."

"Darken Rahl," Richard said. "Am I not a Rahl too? We should hear him out."

"He will kill us all," Kahlan said. There was no fear in her voice. In fact, Richard rather fancied that Kahlan thought it would serve them all right for not listening to her in the first place.

"Zedd has his magic, and you have yours. There are plenty of armed guards to defend us," Richard said. He turned to Michael and asked, "Is it not proper to offer him hospitality?"

"He did send a Quad," Michael said hesitantly, frowning at the unfamiliar term for the soldiers.

"We attack anyone or anything coming through the Boundary," Richard argued. "They might have been coming to ask for an audience but we only stood back when they sent a lone man asking for truce."

"Rahl would have sent more men if he'd expected opposition," Zedd said. "He didn't anticipate a defence."

"He's afraid of us—of me," Richard said. "Because of the ridiculous prophecy. You expect him to walk into Hartland alone and unarmed when he thinks it will lead to his death?"

Everyone considered this for a moment.

"We should ask him to keep his retinue small, and keep extra guards with us and at the boundary," George said.

"My men are ready," Chase said. "We've been training hard."

Michael glanced at Anna. "I suppose you have an opinion?"

She nodded. "If we refuse him an audience he will probably attack us anyway. At least this way we will have the home advantage. But of course, you are the Councilor."

Richard saw Michael's cheek twitch. He was still the official leader of Hartland, but circumstances had led to him sharing many of his responsibilities with Richard and the others. No matter what else they might be lying about, Kahlan and Zedd were the only ones who knew what lay beyond the Boundary and how best to defend against threats from the Midlands.

Finally Michael nodded in agreement. He even smiled at Anna. "We will show this Darken Rahl our hospitality," he said. "Let me put on my robe."

Kahlan glowered. Richard thought she was far more attractive when she wasn't being so self-righteous, but that wasn't often enough for his taste. Which was a pity, because he had grown quite fond of her. She was pretty and intelligent (her unshakeable belief in prophecy aside) and very capable at whatever she turned her hand to—hunting, cooking, butter churning, riding, swimming, even dancing at the village festivals.

"At least wear the Sword of Truth," Kahlan begged. "It might give Rahl pause if he sees the weapon of the Seeker."

Richard nodded wearily and she dashed off to fetch it from the locked cabinet that had pride of place in the Council chambers, along with the Book of Counted Shadows, the leather-bound and illustrated copy of the village law book, Michael's chain of office, and a few other artefacts with significant Hartland history attached to them.

"How did Rahl find us?" Zedd wondered. "His guards were pursuing Kahlan and the Book of Counted Shadows but he has never sought the Seeker until now."

Michael soon rejoined the group wearing his ceremonial robe with the fur trim and with the gold chain of office around his neck. Kahlan followed close behind with the sword which she handed reverently to Richard.

Finally prepared, the Council members all made their way towards the Boundary, Egremont and two Hartland guards leading the way, a further two guards behind them.

"Kahlan, Zedd, I expect you to behave yourselves," Richard said. "You will act only in defence. I won't have this peaceful delegation end in a bloodbath because one of you pre-emptively attacks Darken Rahl."

"Spoken like the leader the Seeker is," Kahlan said, for she never lost any opportunity to remind him of the destiny he had refused. Richard ignored her; they'd found that while she complained often, she'd usually do what Richard said, for she was pledged to him as the Seeker even if he refused to accept the title.

Egremont paused in front of the Boundary and lifted an amulet in one fist. The stone glowed and he turned to the group. "Lord Rahl approaches."

Richard wondered what his brother—half-brother, at least—looked like. He had no idea how old or young Darken was, if he was fair or dark, if he was handsome or homely. He was suddenly nervous and cleared his throat, one hand touching the sword hilt.

A woman stepped out from the Boundary, clad in tight red leather. Her long blonde hair was worn in a braid that reached to her waist and her cold green eyes assessed them quickly. She had one hand near some sort of short club at her hip.

"Mistress Cara," Egremont said. "All is ready for Lord Rahl."

"Mord'Sith," Kahlan hissed. Richard had heard all about the Mord'Sith during numerous evenings spent telling stories around the fire. Whenever Kahlan's turn came around, the tale was always an impassioned account of the horrors plaguing the Midlands.

"You didn't tell us they were so....breathtaking," Michael whispered to Kahlan. Anna kicked the back of his ankle; there would be further admonishment in private, Richard knew.

"His Highness, Ruler of D'Hara, Lord Darken Rahl," Cara announced in a clear voice that rang across the plain. She dropped to one knee, as did Egremont. The two D'Haran guards posted at the barrier knelt and all four chanted in unison.

"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..."

"He thinks a lot of himself," Anna observed quietly.

"It's a loyalty oath," Zedd muttered. "Do not repeat it, lest you bind yourself to him."

Richard took everything Zedd said with a heavy pinch of salt, but he knew he'd follow this advice. The book had several times mentioned bindings and oaths and spells; just because Richard wasn't sure what was real and what was pure fiction, there was no reason to be foolish.

The devotion ended and those kneeling stood once more.

Another Mord'Sith, as dark as Cara was fair, but no less striking, stepped through the portal. She was tugging on an iron chain and a moment later another woman half-walked, was half-dragged, through the Boundary. Her long red hair fell in waves to her waist and she wore only a long black dress and a metal collar to which the chain was attached.

"Shota," Zedd yelled. "I ought to have known this was your doing."

"Do not chastise me, you coward," Shota sneered, her bearing proud despite her shackles. "I stayed in the Midlands while you fled through the Boundary, and I have done what I needed to do in order to survive."

"Silence," the Mord'Sith holding her ordered and tugged on the chain, making Shota stumble.

There was a hushed silence and then Lord Rahl stepped through the Boundary.

He was maybe forty years of age, maybe a little less; he was bearded, which made it harder to tell. Of average height, he wore his dark hair long enough to brush his shoulders. His robes were of rich red velvet and adorned with gold embroidery; they put Michael's clothes to shame. Rahl stared at the assembled group much as Cara had, like a predator choosing his prey. His eyes were a striking blue.

Richard knew he was taller than Rahl, but his brother was stocky and it would be unwise to underestimate him. And he was handsome; Kahlan had never said that Darken Rahl, the scourge of the Midlands, was a man with such fine features.

"We welcome you, Lord Darken Rahl, to our humble village of Hartland," Michael said, trying not to be cowed by Rahl's dramatic entrance and imposing presence.

Darken nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Richard Rahl?" he asked. His voice had a deep, rich timbre and an accent unlike any heard in the Westland.

Richard stepped forward, heart pounding in his chest. This was it, the moment his so-called destiny would be decided.

"I am Richard Cypher, raised by George and Mary Cypher. This is my brother, Michael, First Councilor of our village. I am told by Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander that I am indeed Richard Rahl, son of Tarralyn Zorander, though my father's identity was unknown to any of us before today."

Darken's eyes narrowed. Cara touched the weapon—agiel, Richard finally remembered from the stories—and it emitted a low, threatening hum.

Richard drew the Sword of Truth—and plunged it into the ground. It wavered, the hilt catching the sunlight.

"That makes me your brother," Richard said, advancing towards Darken. Cara moved to intercept him but Darken raised one finger and she halted. "I wish it had not been so long before we met."

Richard threw his arms around Darken Rahl to various gasps and mutterings from the crowd. Darken froze at the unexpected contact but relaxed when he realised this was not a trap, that Richard wasn't about to literally stab him in the back.

"Brother," he repeated unsteadily.

Richard stepped back and smiled. "Yes. I'm sure we have much to discuss. Please, join my family and we can talk."

"You are the Seeker?" Darken asked, puzzled. His gaze lingered on Shota for a moment.

"I did not lie," she shrieked, and there was fear in her voice.

"I refuse to take the title," Richard explained. "Though Zedd would have me carry the Sword of Truth." He retrieved the weapon and sheathed it.

"You are the one prophesized to kill me," Darken insisted.

"It would be very rude to do so before we eat," Richard said blithely. On seeing Darken's expression, he added quickly, "That's a joke."

He touched Darken's arm and motioned for him to follow. Darken glanced at Cara, who raised one eyebrow. This wasn't quite the meeting anyone had expected.

"Confessor," Cara said in a low voice and Darken and Richard both looked over at Kahlan, whose hands were balled into fists with the effort of restraining herself.

"We understood she was dead," Darken said to Richard.

Richard shrugged as if this was news to him. "She'd be less talkative if she were," he said. "She has promised to keep truce with you unless your people attack us."

Darken studied Kahlan a moment longer, and Zedd, beside her. "A Confessor and a wizard must be unusual additions to your village."

"They have their moments," Richard said evasively.

"The woman had a book," Darken pressed.

"She does not have it now," Richard said, the half truth coming easily to him. "Come, eat. It would be rude of you to refuse us in this. I want to sit down with both my brothers and find peaceable terms for both our lands."

---