tg.wizardfirstrule

nst　him。　Even　if　he　wasn’t　with　her；　she　could　still　make　him　smile；　make　him　happy。　What　happened　to　him　didn’t　matter。　She　was　safe。　That　was　all　that　counted。　Kahlan；　and　Zedd；　and　Chase；　were　safe；　and　they　had　the　last　box。　Darken　Rahl　was　going　to　die；　and　Kahlan　was　going　to　live。
　
　After　it　was　over；　what　did　it　matter　what　happened　to　him？　He　might　as　well　be　dead。　Denna；　or　Darken　Rahl；　would　see　to　that。　He　had　only　to　endure　the　pain　until　then。　He　could　do　that。　What　did　it　matter？　Nothing　Denna　could　do　could　match　the　pain　of　knowing　that　he　couldn’t　be　with　Kahlan。　The　woman　he　loved。　The　woman　he　loved；　who　would　choose　another。
　
　He　was　glad　he　was　going　to　be　dead　before　then。　Maybe　he　could　do　something　to　hurry　it　along；　it　certainly　didn’t　take　much　to　make　Denna　angry。　If　he　moved　the　next　time　she　put　the　Agiel　in　his　ear；　he　would　be　permanently　impaired；　then　maybe　he　would　be　of…no　use　to　her。　Maybe　she　would　kill　him　then。　He　had　never　felt　so　alone　in　his　life。
　
　〃I　love　you；　Kahlan；〃　he　whispered　into　the　dark。
　
　…＋
　
　As　Denna　had　promised；　the　next　day　was　worse。　She　seemed　well　rested；　and　anxious　to　work　off　some　of　her　energy　at　the　task　of　breaking　him。　He　knew　there　was　one　thing　he　had　control　over；　a　choice　in。　He　waited　for　her　to　use　the　Agiel　in　his　ear　again；　so　he　could　jerk　his　head　with　all　his　strength；　and　cause　serious　damage；　but　she　never　did；　as　if　she　sensed　what　he　might　do。　That　gave　him　a　shred　of　hope；　it　was　something　he　had　made　her　do。　He　had　made　her　not　use　the　Agiel　in　that　way。　She　didn’t　have　all　the　control　she　thought　she　did；　he　still　was　able　to　force　her　to　do　something　by　his　own　choice。　The　thought　heartened　him。　The　thought　of　how　he　had　locked　his　self…respect；　his　dignity；　away　in　his　secret　room　gave　him　the　ability　to　do　what　was　necessary。　He　let　himself　do　as　she　wished；　when　she　wished　it。
　
　The　only　time　Denna　paused　was　a　few　times　to　sit　at　the　table　to　eat。　She　would　watch　him　while　she　slowly　ate　fruit；　smiling　to　herself　when　he　moaned。　He　was　given　nothing　to　eat；　only　water　from　a　cup　she　held　for　him　after　she　was　finished　with　her　meal。
　
　At　the　end　of　the　day　she　hooked　his　chain　to　the　beam　again　and　made　him　stand　for　the　night。　He　didn’t　bother　to　ask　why；　it　didn’t　matter。　She　was　going　to　do　as　she　wished　and　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　to　change　it。
　
　In　the　morning　when　she　returned　with　the　torch；　he　was　still　standing；　but　barely。　She　seemed　in　a　good　mood。
　
　〃I　want　a　good…morning　kiss。〃　She　smiled。　〃I　expect　you　to　return　it。　Show　me　how　happy　you　are　to　see　your　mistress。〃
　
　He　did　his　best；　but　had　to　concentrate　on　how　pretty　her　braid　was。　The　embrace　ignited　the　flames　of　pain　in　the　wounds　she　pressed　against。　When　she　was　finished；　and　the　hurt　left　him　shaking；　she　pulled　the　chain　off　the　peg　and　tossed　it　on　the　floor。
　
　〃You　are　learning　to　be　a　good　pet。　You　have　earned　two　hours　of　sleep。〃
　
　He　collapsed　to　the　floor；　asleep　before　the　sound　of　her　footsteps　faded。
　
　He　discovered　that　being　awakened　by　the　Agiel　was　a　terror　all　its　own。　The　brief　sleep　had　done　little　to　revive　him。　He　needed　much　more　than　he　had　been　allowed。　He　vowed　to　himself　that　he　would　struggle　with　all　his　might　to　get　through　the　entire　day　without　making。　a　single　mistake；　to　do　exactly。　as　she　wished；　and　maybe　she　would　grant　him　a　whole　night’s　sleep。
　
　He　put　his　effort　into　doing　everything　she　wished；　hoping　he　would　please　her。　He　was　hoping；　too；。　that　he　would　be　given　something　to　eat。　He　hadn’t　eaten　since　she　had　captured　him。　He　wondered　which　he　wanted　more…sleep；　or　food。　He　decided　that　what　he　wanted　the　most　was　for　the　pain　to　stop。　Or　for　him　to　be　allowed　to　die
　
　He　was　at　the　end　of　his　strength；　felt　his　life　slipping　away　from　him；　and　awaited　the　end　with　longing。　Denna　seemed　to　sense　his　waning　endurance；　and　eased　up；　giving　him　more　time　to　recover；　taking　longer　breaks。　He　didn’t　care；　he　knew　it　was　never　going　to　end；　he　was　lost。　He　surrendered　his　will　to　live；　to　go　on；　to　hold　out。　She　cooed　to　him　soothingly；　stroking　his　face；　as　he　hung　in　the　shackles；　resting。　She　spoke　encouragingly　to　him；　told　him　not　to　give　up；　and　promised　that　when　fie　was　broken；　it　would　be　better。　He　just　listened；　not　even　able　to　cry。
　
　When　at　last　she　unhooked　the　shackles　from　the　beam；　he　thought　it　must　be　night　again；　he　had　no　sense　of　time　anymore。　He　waited　for　her　to　hook　up　the　chain；　or　throw　it　on　the　floor　and　tell　him　he　could　sleep。　She　did　neither。　She　instead　hooked　it　over　the　chair；　told　him　to　stand；　and　left。　When　she　returned；　she　was　carrying　a　bucket。
　
　〃On　your　knees；　my　pet。〃　She　sat　in　the　chair　next　to　him；　took　a　brush　from　the　hot　soapy　water；　and　started　scrubbing　him。　The　stiff　bristles　brought　a　pain　all　of　their　own　as　they　worked　into　his　wounds。　〃We　have　a　dinner　invitation。　I　have　to　get　you　cleaned　up。　I　rather　like　the　smell　of　your　sweat；　your　fear；　but　I’m　afraid　it　would　offend　the　guests。〃
　
　She　worked　with　an　odd　sort　of　tenderness。　It　reminded　him　of　the　way　a　person　would　care　for　a　dog。　He　fell　against　her；　unable　to　hold　himself　up。　He　wouldn’t　lean　against　her　for　support　if　he　had　the　strength　not　to；　but　he　didn’t。　She　let　him　stay　where　he　was　as　she　scrubbed。　He　wondered　who　the　dinner　invitation　was　from；　but　didn’t　ask。
　
　Denna　told　him　anyway。　〃Queen　Milena　herself　has　asked　us　to　join　her　and　her　guests　for　dinner。　Quite　an　honor；　for　someone　as　low　as　you；　wouldn’t　you　say？〃。
　
　He　only　nodded；　not　having　enough　strength　to　speak。
　
　Queen　Milena。　So　they　were　in　her　castle。　He　guessed　that　didn’t　surprise　him。　Where　else　would　she　have　had　time　to　take　him？　When　she　was　finished；　she　allowed　him　one　hour　of　sleep；　to　rest　for　dinner。　He　slept　at　her　feet。
　
　She　woke　him　with　her　boot　instead　of　the　Agiel。　He　almost　cried　at　her　mercy　and　heard　himself　thanking　her　profusely　for　her　kindness　to　him。　She　gave　him　instructions　as　to　his　behavior。　He　would　have　his　chain　hooked　to　her　belt；　and　was　to　keep　his　eyes　to　her；　speak　to　no　one　unless　they　spoke　to　him　first；　and　then　only　if　he　looked　to　her　first　for　permission　to　answer。　He　would　not　be　allowed　to　sit　at　the　table；　but　would　sit　on　the　floor；　and　if　he　behaved　himself；　he　would　be　given　something　to　eat。
　
　He　promised　to　do　as　she　wished。　The　idea　of　sitting　on　the　floor　sounded　wonderful　to　him：　to　be　able　to　rest；　and　not　have　to　stand；　or　be　hurt。　And　to　be　allowed　something　to　eat；　at　last。　He　would　make　sure　he　did　nothing　to　displease　her；　or　to　keep　her　from　giving　him　food。
　
　Richard’s　brain　was　in　a　fog　as　he　followed　behind　Denna；　attached　to　her　by　the　chain　on　his　collar；　concentrating　on　keeping　the　proper　amount　of　slack。　The　manacles　were　off　his　wrists；　but　the　cuts　from　them　were　red　and　swollen；　and　throbbed　painfully。　He　vaguely　remembered　some　of　the　rooms　they　passed　through。
　
　In　the　room　with　other　people；　Denna　stopped　as　she　strode　around；　talking　briefly　with　finely　dressed　people。　Richard　kept　his　eyes　on　her　braid。　The　braid　had　obviously　been　done　over　for　the　dinner；　the　vigorous　use　of　the　Agiel　caused　it　to　loosen；　and　freed　stray　wisps　of　hair。　She　must　have　done　it　over　while　she　had　let　him　sleep。
　
　He　found　himself　thinking　about　how　beautiful　her　hair　really　was；　how　much　finer　she　looked　than　any　of　the　other　women　at　the　dinner。　He　knew　people　were　staring　at　him；　at　his　sword；　as　he　was　led　around　the　room　by　his　collar　and　chain。　He　reminded　himself　that　his　pride　was　locked　away　for　the　time　being。　This　was　about　getting　a　chance　to　rest；　to　eat；　and　about　having　her　not　hurt　him　for　a　while。
　
　Richard　bowed　and　stayed　bowed　while　Denna　spoke　to　the　Queen。　The　Queen　and　the　Mord…Sith　gave　only　a　bow　of　the　head　to　each　other。　The　Princess　was　at　the　Queen’s　side。　Richard　thought　about　how　Princess　Violet　had　treated　Rachel；　and　had　to　return　his　thoughts　to　Denna’s　braid。
　
　As　she　sat　at　the　table；　Denna　snapped　her　fingers　and　pointed　at　the　floor　behind　her　chair。　He　knew　what　she　wanted　and　sat　on　the　floor；　crossing　his　legs。　Denna　sat　to　the　left　of　the　Queen；　to　the　right　of　Princess　Violet；　who　eyed　him　coldly。　Richard　recognized　some　of　the　Queen’s　advisors。　He　smiled　to　himself。　The　court　artist　wasn’t　among　them。　The　head　table　was　higher　than　the　others；　but　sitting　on　the　floor；　Richard　couldn’t　see　many　of　the　gathered　guests。
　
　〃Since　you　don’t　eat　meat；〃　the　Queen　said　to　Denna。　〃I　had　the　cooks　prepare　a　special　dinner　I　know　you　will　enjoy。　Some　wonderful　soups　and　vegetables；　and　some　rare　fruits。〃
　
　Denna　smiled　and　thanked　her。　While　she　was　eating；　a　server　brought　her　a　plain　bowl　on　a　tray。
　
　〃For　my　pet；〃　she　told　him；　interrupting　her　conversation　only　briefly。
　
　The　man　took　the　bowl　from　the　tray　and　handed　it　down　to　Richard。　It　was　some　sort　of　gruel；　but　to　Richard；　as　he　held　the　bowl　in　his　trembling　hands；　preparing　to　drink　it　down；　it　looked　like　the　best　meal　he　had　ever　seen。
　
　〃If　he’s　your　pet；〃　Princess　Violet　said；　〃why　do　you　allow　him　to　eat　like　that？〃
　
　De