tg.wizardfirstrule-第204章

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　Kahlan　circled　her　arms　around　his　neck；　kissing　him。　They　knelt　on　the　tiles　in　front　of　the　devotion　pool；　pressed　against　one　another。　Richard　kissed　her　soft　lips　the　way　he　had　dreamed　a　thousand　times　of　kissing　her。　He　kissed　her　until　he　was　dizzy；　and　then　kissed　her　some　more；　not　caring　that　bewildered　people　who　passed　watched　them。
　
　Richard　had　no　idea　how　long　they　knelt　there　embracing；　but　decided　at　last　that　they　had　better　go　find　Zedd。　With　her　arm　around　his　waist　and　her　head　leaning　against　him；　they　walked　back　to　the　Garden　of　Life；　kissing　once　more　before　they　went　through　the　doors。
　
　Zedd　stood　with　one　hand　on　a　bony　hip；　the　other　stroking　his　chin；　as　he　inspected　the　altar　and　other　things　behind　it。　Kahlan　fell　to　her　knees　before　him；　taking　his　hands　in　hers；　kissing　them。
　
　〃Zedd；　he　loves　me！　He　figured　out　how　to　make　it　work；　with　the　magic。　There　was　a　way；　and　he　found　it。〃
　
　Zedd　frowned　down　at　her。　〃Well；　it　took　him　long　enough。〃
　
　Kahlan　came　to　her　feet。　〃You　knew　how　to　do　it？〃
　
　Zedd　looked　indignant　at　the　question。　〃I'm　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order。　Of　course　I　knew。〃
　
　〃And　you　never　told　us？〃
　
　Zedd　smiled。　〃Had　I　told　you；　dear　one；　it　wouldn't　have　worked。　The　foreknowledge　would　have　interjected　a　grain　of　doubt。　That　single　。grain　would　have　caused　failure。　To　be　the　true　love　of　a　Confessor；　there　must　be　total　mitment；　to　get　past　the　magic。　Without　the　willingness　to　give　himself　over　to　you；　selflessly；　despite　the　knowledge　of　the　consequence；　it　wouldn't　work。〃
　
　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot　about　it；〃　Kahlan　frowned。　〃I　have　never　heard　of　it　before。　How　often　does　this　happen？〃
　
　Zedd　rubbed　his　chin　in　thought；　looking　up　at　the　windows。　〃Well；　only　once　before　that　I　know　of。〃　His　eyes　rested　on　the　two　of　them。　〃But　you　can　tell　no　one；　just　as　I　wasn't　able　to　tell　you。　No　matter　how　much　pain　it　may　cause；　no　matter　the　consequences；　you　can　never　tell。　If　even　one　other　knows；　it　could　be　passed　on；　destroying　forever　the　chance　for　others。　It's　one　of　the　ironies　of　magic；　you　have　to　accept　failure　before　you　can　have　success。　It　is　also　one　of　the　burdens　of　magic；　you　must　accept　the　results；　even　the　death；　of　others；　to　protect　the　hope　for　the　future。　Selfishness　costs　the　lives；　the　chances；　of　those　yet　unborn。〃　Kahlan　nodded。　〃I　promise。〃
　
　〃Me　too；〃　Richard　said。　〃Zedd；　is　it　over？　With　Darken　Rahl；　I　mean。　Is　he　dead？〃
　
　Zedd　gave　Richard　a　look　he　found　unexpectedly　unfortable。　〃Darken　Rahl　is　dead。〃　Zedd　put　a　thin　hand　on　Richard's　shoulder；　his　bony　fingers　gripping　tightly。　〃You　have　gotten　it　right；　Richard；　all　of　it。　You　scared　the　wits　out　of　me。　I　have　never　seen　a　performance　to　match　it。〃
　
　Richard　grinned　in　pride。　〃Just　a　little　trick。〃
　
　Zedd　nodded；　his　white　hair　sticking　out　in　every　direction；　looking　wild。　〃More　than　a　trick；　my　boy。　More　than　little。〃
　
　They　all　turned　when　they　heard　the　sound　of　someone　approaching。　Chase　came　dragging　Michael　in　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck。　His　dirty　white　trousers　and　shirt　spoke　that　he　had　not　e　willingly。　Chase　gave　him　a　shove；　forcing　him　in　front　of　Richard。
　
　Richard's　mood　darkened　at　seeing　his　brother。　Michael's　defiant　eyes　came　up　to　meet　Richard's　gaze。
　
　〃I'll　not　be　treated　in　this　manner；　little　brother。〃　His　voice　was　as　condescending　as　it　had　ever　been。　〃You　don't　know　what　you've　interfered　with；　what　I　was　trying　to　do；　how　I　would　have　helped　everyone　by　uniting　Westland　and　D'Hara。　You　have　doomed　the　people　to　needless　suffering　that　Darken　Rahl　could　have　spared。　You　are　a　fool。〃
　
　Richard　thought　about　all　he　had　been　though；　about　all　that　Zedd；　and　Chase；　and　Kahlan　had　been　through。　He　thought　about　all　those　he　knew　who　had　died　at　Rahl's　hands；　and　the　countless　number　of　dead　he　would　never　know　of。　The　suffering；　the　cruelty；　the　brutality。　He　thought　of　all　the　tyrants　allowed　to　flourish　under　Darken　Rahl；　all　the　way　from　Darken　Rahl　himself　down　to　Princess　Violet。　He　thought　of　those　he　had　killed。　He　felt　pain　and　grief　at　the　things　he　had　had　to　do。
　
　The　metallic　ring　of　the　Sword　of　Truth　filled　the　air。　Michael's　eyes　went　wide　at　seeing　its　point　at　his　throat。
　
　Richard　leaned　a　little　closer　to　his　brother。　〃Give　me　the　loser's　salute；　Michael。〃
　
　Michael's　face　turned　crimson。　〃I　would　rather　die　first。〃
　
　Richard　nodded　as　he　straightened。　He　looked　deep　into　his　brother's　eyes　as　he　took　the　sword　away。　Richard　pulled　the　anger　back；　tried　to　make　the　sword　turn　white。　It　…would　not。　He　slid　the　blade　home　into　its　scabbard。
　
　〃I'm　glad　to　see　we　have　one　thing　in　mon；　Michael。　We　would　both　die　for　what　we　believe　in。〃　He　took　his　gaze　from　Michael；　to　the　big；　crescent　battleaxe　hanging　at　Chase's　belt。　His　eyes　came　up　to　the　boundary　warden's　grim　face。　〃Execute　him；〃　he　whispered。　〃Take　his　head　to　his　personal　guard。　Tell　them　he　was　executed　by　my　order；　for　treason　against　Westland。　Westland　will　have　to　find　a　new　First　Councilor。〃
　
　Chase's　big　fist　grabbed　Michael　by　the　hair。　Michael　screamed　out；　falling　to　his　knees；　giving　the　loser's　salute。
　
　〃Richard！　Please；　I'm　your　brother！　Don't　do　this！　Don't　let　him　kill　me！　I'm　sorry；　forgive　me。　I　was　wrong。　Please；　Richard；　forgive　me。〃
　
　Richard　stared　down　at　his　brother；　who　was　on　his　knees　before　him；　his　hands　together；　imploring。　Richard　held　out　the　Agiel　in　his　fist；；　feeling　the　pain　it　gave　him；　tolerating　it；　remembering　it；　the　visions　flashing　through　his　mind。　〃Darken　Rahl　told　you　what　he　was　going　to　do　to　me。　You　knew。　You　knew　what　was　going　to　happen　to　me；　and　you　were　indifferent　because　it　brought　you　personal　gain。　Michael；　I　forgive　everything　you　have　done　against　me。〃
　
　Michael　sagged　in　relief。　The　Seeker　stiffened。　〃But　I　cannot　forgive　what　you　have　done　against　others。　Others　have　forfeited　their　lives　because　of　the　things　you　have　done。　It　is　for　those　crimes　that　you　are　to　be　executed；　not　the　ones　against　me。〃
　
　Michael　screamed　and　cried　as　Chase　dragged　him　away。　Richard　watched　in　pain；　shaking；　as　his　brother　was　taken　to　his　execution。
　
　Zedd　placed　his　hand　over　Richard's　on　the　Agiel。　〃Let　it　go；　Richard。〃
　
　Richard's　thoughts　masked　the　pain　it　was　giving　him。　He　looked　to　Zedd；　standing　before　him　with　his　bony；　leathery　hand　over　his；　saw　things　in　his　friend's　eyes　he　had　never　seen　before；　a　shared　understanding　of　the　pain。　He　released　the　Agiel。
　
　Kahlan's　eyes　went　to　it　as　it　fell　against　his　chest。　〃Richard；　do　you　have　to　keep　that？〃
　
　〃For　now；　I　do。　It　was　a　promise　I　made　to　one　who　I　killed。　One　who　helped　teach　me　how　much　I　love　you。　Darken　Rahl　thought　this　would　defeat　me。　Instead；　it　taught　me　how　to　defeat　him。　If　I　discard　it　now；　I　would　be　denying　what　is　inside　me；　what　1　am。〃
　
　Kahlan　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。　〃Right　now；　I　don't　understand；　but　someday；　I　hope　I　will。〃
　
　Richard　looked　around　the　Garden　of　Life；　thinking　about　Darken　Rahl's　death；　and　about　his　father's　death。　He　had　seen　justice　done。　He　grieved　a　moment　when　his　memories　touched　his　father。　But　then　the　pain　lifted　as　he　realized　that　he　had　pleted　the　task　his　father　had　given　him。　Richard　had　remembered　every　word　of　the　secret　book　perfectly。　His　duty　was　done。　His　father　could　rest　in　peace。
　
　Zedd　straightened　his　robes　with　a　huff。　〃Bags！　A　place　this　big　must　have　something　to　eat；　don't　you　suppose？〃
　
　Richard　grinned；　putting　an　arm　around　each　of　them　as　he　led　them　out　of　the　Garden　of　Life。　He　took　them　to　a　dining　hall　he　remembered。　People　sat　at　tables　as　if　nothing　had　changed。　The　three　of　them　found　a　table　in　the　corner。　Servers　brought　plates　of　rice；　vegetables；　brown　bread；　cheese　and　bowls　of　steaming　spice　soup。　The　surprised　but　smiling　servers　kept　bringing　more　as　Zedd　resolutely　emptied　the　plates　of　food。
　
　Richard　tried　the　cheese；　and　to　his　surprise　found　it　had　a　sickening　flavor。　He　threw　it　back　on　the　table　as　he　made　a　sour　face。
　
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Zedd　asked。
　
　〃That　has　to　be　the　worst…tasting　cheese　I've　ever　eaten！