"I tracked it for days." "It's my trophy." "I ran the animal to the ground and watched it die." " The trophy is mine." "He's lying, Confessor." "He only wounded the creature." "It was my arrow that killed it." "I can see that neither of you is sure whose arrow truly killed the creature." "So I can't fairly award the trophy to either of you." "Is there someone you both know who could use the health and good luck such a trophy would bring?" "Gethin's wife has been ill." "Then give the trophy to Gethin, and forgive each other for this feud." "Yes, Confessor." "Thank you." "As you both agreed to abide by the covenant of the Confessor," "I will now hear your dispute." "There are more people here now than there were when we got here." "Patience, Richard." "This valley hasn't seen a Confessor in years." "Do you have any idea how much bad blood can flow when people have no one to settle their disputes?" "How does she know who's telling the truth?" "A Confessor has power beyond her magic." "She often senses the truth without using her touch." "She can ferret out lies and heal the rifts that come from keeping secrets." "And everybody just does what she says?" "A Confessor is the highest moral authority in the Midlands." " People abide by her judgments." "Richard." "Matthias and I are heading on a hunt." "Probably no more than a day's ride." " We'd be honored." " What are you hunting?" " Worthy prey." "A 14-point buck." " Richard can't." " What?" "Excuse us." "You can't just ride off on your own." "Back in Hartland, I was on my own all the time, sometimes for days." "That was before you were the Seeker." "Before Darken Rahl wanted to kill you." " Gavin and Matthias will be with me." " It's not safe." "Lesson number 15:" ""In honoring what others most honor, the Seeker shall win their hearts. "" "Hunting is their most honored tradition." "Oh, so when it's convenient, you remember your lessons." " Kahlan will be busy for days." "Zeddicus Zu'I Zorander." "It is you." "I heard there was a Wizard in the camp, but I hardly dared to imagine." "You promised you would never forget that night at the Fire Springs." "Sylvia!" " If I recall, it was more than one night." " So we're agreed, then." "You'll spend time with your friend, and I'll go hunting." " Which way are you going?" " The stag was seen heading east." "Remember, not everyone in the Midlands is friendly." "Be careful." "You too." "This is one crafty stag." " Now he's turned west." "Then let's go west." "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Whoa." "I thought we were leagues from the nearest town." "The stag has led us further than I thought." "That's Brennidon, I think." "Brennidon?" "You know it?" "I was born there." "I'm surprised Zedd didn't tell me we were close by." "You weren't, and he didn't expect us to be riding west." " How long since you've been there?" " Not since I was a baby." "I wonder which house was mine, where my parents lived." "Do your parents still live there?" " I don't know." " Don't you wanna find out?" "Uh, I told Zedd I'd stay with you." "But it wouldn't hurt to take a look around for an hour or so." "And maybe we'll have taken the stag by the time you catch up with us." "All right." "A terrible sight, isn't it?" "Who are they?" "The firstborn sons of Brennidon, murdered by Darken Rahl's men to avert a prophecy." "Prophecy of the Seeker." "You know of it?" "I've heard the story." "You've heard of it?" "It's not just a story." "All these children were murdered because of it, the Seeker among them." "And when he died, so did Brennidon's future." "Maybe the Seeker's out there somewhere, ready to rise up and defeat Darken Rahl." "Twenty-three years have gone by and Rahl is advancing through the Midlands." "No Seeker has surfaced." "So if he lives, he's a coward, and our children have died for nothing." "Papers, please." "All right, clear." " Come on, who's next?" "Come on." "Come on, move along." "Keep walking." "You." "Where's your pass?" " Pass?" " No pass, no entry." "Who's next?" "Keep moving." "All right, clear." "Okay, show me your papers." "Keep moving." " Move along." "Keep to the main square, now." "This young woman has been preaching heresy." "Gathering her friends, telling them Lord Rahl is not our true leader." "We all know the consequences of defying Lord Rahl." "So for the past 20 years, you've chosen to live by certain standards." "Allowing those of us from the patrol to protect you." "This girl thinks she knows better than the town elders." "We must cast rebels out publicly so Lord Rahl knows we will never defy him again." "May your rebellious spirit wander the underworld for all time." "Stop!" "You can't kill her just for speaking her mind." "Who are you?" "Show me your papers." "Just let her go." "This doesn't have to be a fight." "Take him." "The Sword of Truth." "It's the Seeker!" "Arrest him!" "Run, hide yourself!" "Alert the sentries!" "Close the gates!" "Split into two." "Go around the other side." "I want to help you." "Follow me." "The Seeker went this way." "Thank you for helping me." "Look at you." "You know me?" "I held you in my arms the night you were born, and then the Wizard took you away." "Are you saying you're my mother?" "Yes." "If you surrender the army, it's going to upset the townspeople." "We had an agreement that if we submitted to Darken Rahl's rule," "Brennidon would remain free of your forces." "The agreement was not for your benefit." "Lord Rahl felt that occupying the town might discourage the Seeker from returning." "Your part of the bargain was to deliver him to us if he did come back." "I alerted you as soon as I knew..." "You alerted me only after the Seeker had slipped through your fingers." "Now I have no choice but to bring in my own forces." "Wait." "Give us some time." "The Seeker is within the city walls." "He could not have escaped." "We're searching every house in Brennidon." "He will be in your hands before nightfall." "He had better be." "I called you Owen, after your father." " My father?" " He passed away." "Not long after." " Did the Wizard give you to good people?" " Very good people." "I can see they've raised a fine man." " What you did to save that girl..." " Well, they were going to kill her." "Everyone was just going to stand around and watch." "People are terrified of Darken Rahl." "I don't understand." "Rahl didn't kill the children of this town because you defied his edicts." "Rahl gave a warning before the massacre." "He asked the town elders to identify which child was the Seeker, turn him over." "They refused." "So Rahl massacred all the children." "And now people are scared that if they anger Rahl, even in the slightest way, he'll send his assassins back." "So you let these patrols control everything you do and say?" "Many of us think that it's wrong to give up our freedom to appease Rahl, but you saw what happens to the people that speak out." "But now the Seeker is back, ready to fulfill his destiny." "And maybe, now that you're here, the rest of us will find the strength to stand with you." "Mom." "They're saying the Seeker is in town." " But the Seeker was killed." " No, Mark, he wasn't." "This is Richard." "He's the Seeker." "I'm your brother." "I'm glad you're back, Zedd." " I'm afraid I won't be staying, my dear." " Of course." "You've always had some higher calling to follow." "This search for a mythical creature, that hunt for a lost spell." "Well, at least your excuses for leaving were always more interesting than most men's." " But this time, your duty lies here." " What do you mean?" "Allard?" "Zedd, I want you to meet Allard." "Your son." "My mother never said my father was a great Wizard." "I'm not your father." "Of course you are." "He's got your coloring." "Your eyes." "Every time I look at him, I see you." "You must be under an illusion spell." "It's your duty as his father to train him and teach him the ways of the world." " He's a grown man." " Who you abandoned." "He's no child of mine!" "I took precautions." "Magical precautions." "Maybe I should wait outside." "You were in the throes of passion." "By the time you even thought of taking precautions..." "He's not my son!" " And I'll prove it." " How?" "Confess us." "About what?" "It's a matter of paternity." "You told me my brother was dead." "Everyone needed to think he was dead until he could fulfill his destiny as the Seeker." "If anyone knew he'd survived," "Darken Rahl would've pursued him to the edge of the world." "If they find him here, they'll execute us." "They're searching the houses now." " He's right." "I have to leave." " I don't want you to go." "I'll go back, I'll find my friends, tell them what happened in Brennidon." " We'll find a way to help you." "Come on, keep searching!" "You know the patrols, Mark." "Couldn't you get one of them to help us?" "Please, Mark." "I could hide him until nightfall, maybe ask the gatekeeper." " I might get him to look the other way." "This one." "Come on." "You won't find anything here." "Down here!" "Okay." "Move along." "Keep walking." "This place has been empty for years." "No one comes here." "You'll be safe in the cellar." "Thanks for your help." "I'm not trying to help you." "Mark!" "Don't do this!" "Mark!" "Show me your papers." "Move along." "Keep walking." "Please, you have to come." "I've caught the Seeker." "This way." "How could a boy like you capture him?" " He defeated my best men." " I tricked him." "Please, I can take you there." "Well, where is he?" "And there's no possibility of anyone else being Allard's father?" "There was another man, Steffan, but I only saw him once." " Vixen." "This Steffan must be the father." " Or it could be you." "It's your turn." "Are you Allard's father?" "I used protection." "Magical protection." " And this magic, could it have failed?" " Never." " It's my own spell." "It's foolproof." " And you used it every time?" "Zedd, you're honor-bound to tell a Confessor the truth." "Not in front of her." "Leave us." "Was there an occasion when you didn't use your magic?" "Zedd, unless you're completely truthful, unless you confess whatever it is that you're hiding," "I can't absolve you of your responsibility to Allard." "We'll gather more men." "We'll search the houses again." " And whoever hid him will hide him again." " Nobody in Brennidon would dare." "Someone hid him 23 years ago." "Think, Andrew." "Who would feel such loyalty to the Seeker?" "His mother, perhaps?" "But we don't know who the Seeker's mother is." "We can find out." "You there." " Where are you going?" " The Seeker may have escaped." " I have orders to search outside the gate." " We've received new orders." "The patrols are to gather the mothers of the firstborn and take them to the town square." "Next." " The mothers?" "To force the Seeker out of hiding." "I helped you!" "Leave her alone!" "Zedd is not Allard's father." " But he was hiding something..." " Yes, but that didn't concern your dispute." "This is my final judgment." "Yes, Confessor." "I'm sorry, Zedd." "I really hoped that you were Allard's father." "I thought he might be happier with you." "Why?" "He doesn't even know me." "Wizards are strong." "Their strength comes from their minds, not their bodies." "She doesn't wanna say this, but I'm hopeless as a hunter." "That's not true." "As a child, you were fearless." "Did something happen to make you fearful?" "What was it?" " A boar hunt." "You never went on a boar hunt." "I was only 8." "You'd have said I was too young, but I went with Rolant and Merrick." "I got caught between them and the boar, and..." "I was so scared." "You didn't lose your skills." "You were just frightened." "It doesn't matter." "If I'm asked on a hunt," "I can't." "I think I can help you." "Hurry, there." "Don't delay." "Move along." "Brigid!" "Brigid!" "The D'Harans." "They've come back." "D'Harans." "What I want is simple." "Give the Seeker to me." "Then everyone can go back to their lives." "What happened here 23 years ago was a tragedy, but it was necessary for the greater good." "He speaks the truth." "I think we've all seen that Darken Rahl will do anything to bring peace to the Midlands." "See?" "This woman is wise." "Listen to her." "What was Lord Rahl to do?" "Face the Seeker as a grown man who could defend himself and carry out the Prophecy?" "No." "He had to kill our children!" "The Seeker stood up to the patrols this morning." "He saved a girl's life." "No one else has had the courage to do that." "If we betray the Seeker because we are afraid, then the children of Brennidon died for nothing!" "Silence her!" " I'm the one you're looking for!" "I am the Seeker's mother, but I will never help you find him." " Arrest her!" " No!" "She's protecting me." "The Seeker is my son." "Not hers." "He's my son." "No, I am the Seeker's mother!" "No, he's my son!" "He's my son." "No, he's my son!" "He's mine." "He's my son." "Arrest them all!" "The Seeker has until sunrise to turn himself in." "If he does not, I will kill one of these women." "And I will kill another for every hour that the Seeker is not found!" " Clear the way!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mark?" "Don't call for the patrol." "Just listen to me." " I need your help." " My mother was arrested because of you." " Why would I help you?" " To save her." "The only way to do that is to turn yourself in." "And then what?" "You go back to your life?" "Your mother comes home and everything returns to normal?" "Yes." "You heard what your mother said back in the town square." "Your mother wants a better life for you." "She wants the people of Brennidon to stand up for themselves." "If I turn myself in, her sacrifice means nothing." "The only thing the D'Harans care about is the Seeker." " Once you're gone..." " Then the D'Harans will go too?" "I'd never even heard of the D'Harans until they killed my father." "And I have another brother, back in Hartland." "Michael." "I love him, but the D'Harans turned him against me." "So now I know exactly what they're capable of, and I know that giving in won't stop them." "What do you want me to do?" "After he escaped from the cellar, I searched for him everywhere." "I couldn't let him destroy Brennidon." "You've done well." "You have what you wanted." "Now let the women go." "And why should I do that?" " They've all defied Lord Rahl." "Please." "They were only trying to protect me." "I truly am the Seeker's mother." "Maybe." "Or maybe you're just protecting the others." "Either way, they all defied Lord Rahl and must be punished." "She's telling the truth." "She is the Seeker's mother." "And she's the one who's tried to hide him from you." "How do you know this, boy?" "Because she's my mother too." "You would betray your own mother?" "She betrayed Brennidon." "She's not my mother anymore." " Mark!" "These other women, they were just being foolish, trying to help a misguided friend." "You're a very capable young man." "And to show the people of this town that Lord Rahl is merciful," "I will release the other women." "You, however, will die alongside your son." "Lord Rahl will be pleased by your loyalty." "You will be rewarded." "There's only one thing I want:" "to be there when you kill him." "You'll have a place of honor." "At my side." "Open the gates." "Spread the word." "I want everyone in Brennidon and the outlying countryside in attendance." "I will kill the Seeker at midday." "I want you to summon the fear that you've held for so long." "Bring it to the surface." "Concentrate on the flames." "That's good, Allard." "Now think about how helpless you felt when the boar attacked you." "Feed your fear to the fire." "The fire consumes your fear." "That's good, Allard." "And with the flames, so goes your fear." "Are you sure it worked?" "You question the magic of a Wizard of the First Order?" "No, Zedd, of course not." "I was right to come to you." "What kind of spell was that?" "It wasn't a spell." "I made it up." "Allard couldn't let go of his fear until I made him think magic had driven it out." "He may not believe it himself, but he believes in the power of a Great Wizard." "You're a crafty old devil, Zedd." "I'm sorry I had to make you tell me something you didn't want to." "I've kept that secret buried for 20 years." "I'd like it to remain buried." "And by your honor as a Confessor, you must never tell Richard." "Richard no matter what happens, I'm so glad that I got to see you." " We're going to get out of here." " I don't think so." "I have a plan." "Mark's agreed to help me." "I've told him exactly what he needs to do." "Mark betrayed you." "He betrayed both of us." "Mark needs to be at the platform at the execution." "Oh, but his eyes, they were so cold." "His whole life, he's listened to what the patrols preach." "He thinks he's keeping Brennidon safe." "Until now, I..." "I didn't realize what growing up in this town had done to him." "Listen to me." "What Mark did was a trick." "And Mark would do anything to save you." "This is a horrible thing for a mother to say about her own child, but I don't know if he's strong enough." "What if instead of tricking the D'Haran, he was really tricking you?" "Rabbits?" "Where's that stag?" "I'm hungry for venison." "It was craftier than we thought, and there were only two of us tracking it." " We'll get it next time." " Only two?" " Where's Richard?" " He's not back?" "He must have decided to stay longer in Brennidon." "Brennidon?" "You said you were traveling east." "Brennidon's west, leagues from here." "Well, the stag turned west." "Zedd, you said Richard was just going hunting." "Darken Rahl knows the Seeker is from Brennidon." "He could have men waiting there for him." "Why didn't you warn him?" "Because he's the most stubborn young man I've ever met." "If I told him we were near Brennidon, no cajoling would have convinced him not to go." "And Brennidon is the last place the Seeker should be." "Move along." "Come on, people." "Why is there such a crowd?" "What goes on here today, friend?" "The D'Harans have captured the Seeker." "He dies at midday." "Keep moving." "Make room!" "Make room!" "Make room!" "You will watch your son die, as you should have 23 years ago." "And then you will die for your treachery." "The legend of the Seeker seems to be greater than the man." "That legend will live on if you kill me." "I am going to kill you, Seeker with your own sword." "Now, Seeker, the Prophecy, at last, is averted." "Now!" "Go!" "You were wrong, D'Haran." "The Prophecy was not averted." "Mark." "I would never truly betray you." "You were supposed to stay with the hunters." "What were you thinking?" "You promised you wouldn't go off on your own." "I didn't intend to, but if I hadn't have come here, I wouldn't have found my mother." "Your mother is alive?" "Oh." "Brigid." "Zedd." "I knew that if you turned up, I would have to tell the truth." "Richard, I'm sorry." "I will always love you like a son," "but I'm not really your mother." "I did hold you as a baby, the night you were born." "I was the midwife at your birth." "I was there when Zedd took you from your mother's arms." "Why did you pretend?" "When you asked me if I was your mother, I didn't mean to say yes, but it was suddenly as if I was looking at my own lost son," "Owen." "The D'Harans killed him." "He was 3." "I'm so sorry." "I couldn't bear to think about his death." "I imagined that he was the one that had survived." "So when I saw you in the square, it was..." "It was like my Owen had returned." "At least now, I know that he didn't die for nothing." "What about my real mother?" "No, no." "She was very ill for a while, but she lived." "And then one day, she disappeared." "I never saw her again." "I think she went to look for you." "The D'Harans may return, Mark, and I won't be here to help." "If the D'Harans return, they'll get a fight." "You've taught us to stand up for ourselves." "Besides, you're the Seeker." "You've got bigger things to do than look after one town." " Take care of your mother." " You know I will." "You were right." "About what?" "Insisting on the lessons." "The training." "I know I've been pushing you..." "And now I understand why." "What I saw in Brennidon made me realize what I'm facing." "And I'm going to do whatever it takes to be ready." "And now that I know that my mother is alive, when all this is over, I'm going to find her." "And someday I'm gonna have a family again." "Zedd, why don't you tell him?" "Because if Richard knew, he would risk his own safety for mine, and his life is far more important." "Nobody hopes more than I that we find Richard's mother." "And there's nothing I want more than to tell him the truth." "And someday, when all this is over, then, then we will have stories to tell." "But until then, he cannot know that I'm his grandfather."