Bound By Darkness

A/N: Ok this has been 13 months of planning and rewrites of the story and plot half a dozen time to get this series out there. I know I need a beta, my usual beta has disappeared so if anyone is interested in being my beta that would be awesome and please send me a PM. I don't own any of the character from Legend of the Seeker/The Sword of Truth they belong to their rightful owners. I own my OC's and that's pretty much that. There is going to be a lot of back story for my OC in the first chapters so I hope I can keep you all through the next few chapters when things start getting a little more interesting.

This is the first story in a three part (maybe four…) series called The Darkness… soooooo lets get this baby going and I hope you all like this story it has been a long hard labor to get it together!

Chapter one: The house of Blackheart

There have been many noble families in D'hara's long history. The House of Rahl may be the most well known of them but there is another family who has long ruled in D'hara's north country. By the time of the Seeker of Truth Richard Rahl the ruling Blackheart was the ruthless Lord Ivan Blackheart. Tyrannical and bitter towards the people in his kingdom he had become a reclusive ruler. Most of the more public affairs were handled by his eldest child and only son Jaycen or Ivan's other child his daughter Aylona. The two Blackheart children were nothing like their father. Jaycen was kind and fair when it came to passing judgment on criminals. Jaycen always felt the need to see the good in a person no matter how evil the deeds. Aylona was also good natured for the most part, she was know for being very kind to the peasants and children of the surrounding village but there was this darkness just beneath the surface that no one could ever explain.

The Blackheart matriarch and mother of the two children had died during childbirth ten years previous, her and the child both died mysteriously and there was much talk about how Lady Anya had actually passed. Some said it was magical foul play, as Lady Anya had been a sorceress, other said it was just nature taking it's coarse. Either way the death of their mother left the whole Blackheart family in chaos. Anya's death had been the trigger to send Ivan into his seclusion and ban the use of magic with in the castle walls.

The Blackhearts had once been known through all D'hara as producing some of it's most powerful Sorceress and Wizards… Ivan had been the first son of the house of Blackheart to been born ungifted yet as tradition he married the Lady Anya who was set to join the sisters of the Light but was picked at birth to be Ivan's bride because of her powers. Every Blackheart male heir marries a woman with exceptional magical powers to keep the Han in the Blackheart family fresh. It has worked for the family till Ivan and fear was that Ivan's children would be ungifted as well but it turned out that both of the Blackheart children were blessed with magic, but Ivan did not see it at such. After the birth of each child he had their mother bind their powers with the Rada`han . Ivan eventually allowed his son to take his off but Aylona was never allowed out of fear all that pent up Han an anger could and probably would manifest it's self in a violent manner.

Aylona's life was a charmed yet sad one. She was called "The prettiest girl in all the land" for most of her life by the villagers but only heard how she would never be as beautiful as her mother from her father. Years of constant backhanded comments about her looks, intelligence and self worth had left Aylona appearing extremely confident but was truly broken on the inside. One person really knew her, her brother Jaycen.

They were only a few seasons apart and had grown up extremely close. When Aylona was upset she would run to Jaycen for comfort. If she was stuck with something… she would call for Jaycen to help her. Some in nearby village liked to say that their relationship was unnatural as Jaycen was handsome yet still single and Aylona was a jewel in the crown of D'hara yet also was unmarried but there relationship was far from incestuous, they were just close siblings. Their father was distant and often cruel, their mother who had always been the more tender parent died when they were both young… all they really had was each other but even this was starting not to be enough to get through life. They both knew that they needed to marry… Jaycen knew that if his sister married first and married well that he would then be able to take any bride of his choosing. The problem had always lied in finding someone who wished to marry Aylona.

For all her beauty she was exceptionally head strong and that was not a good trait in a wife. Jaycen knew that to make his sister more appealing to the numerous suitors he was going to have to sit and have a long conversation about how she needed to change her behavior for both of their sakes.

Spring in the north of D'hara was always beautiful, trees were various shades of green all alive after the long winter, birds sang songs of love and soon the sounds of baby birds will fill the morning air. Aylona Blackheart smiled thinking about how she loved this time of year the most, when everything was so full of life.

From her chamber window she could see the edge of the forest just over the homes village and she longed to be able to run into the forest and just disappear. Her hand unconsciously went to the Rada'han around her neck and her crystal blue eyes slowly closed. Her prison… it may look like a pretty trinket around her neck but she knew it's real purpose. In her 23 years she had never had a memory with being able to use magic… or what it even felt like to have the option to use it. It was just another prison that her father had put her in… another way to trap her.

Snapping out of her deep thought when there was a rather unceremonious knock on her door before her elder brother walked into her room. Jaycen usually was in good spirits when he would come spend time with his beloved little sister but this time he wasn't cross but he was certainly a man on a mission.

"Aylona… we need to talk about something important…." Jaycen said as he pulled a chair besides his sister's perch in the window. Aylona looked down at her fair haired brother with a quizzical looking on her pale face.

Taking a deep breath Aylona smiled "Yes Jaycen… by all means lets talk about something important. Has father finally admitted to being completely insane or better yet he has stepped down from the throne…" Jaycen sighed heavily. This kind of back handed comment meant only to provoke a reaction was the thing that Jaycen needed to talk to his sister about.

Biting his tongue at first he wanted this conversation to be quick and painless , as do most men when they have to have difficult conversations with women, but it was becoming painfully obvious that Aylona was in one of her moods and this is going to be an interesting conversation. "Well… no father is still alive, believes he's sane and is still very much on the throne. What I needed to talk to you about actually because of…. Your behavior."

Aylona's eyes narrowed on her brother but she took a deep breath and nodded urging her brother to continue despite the fact she saw nothing wrong with her behavior. "Sister… we aren't children any more. We are both adults now and we need to marry to keep this family safe. Father is losing favor with the other noble's with every passing day and if one of us does not marry and marry well soon we may never find either of us a partner." Jaycen's lips pursed as he saw his sister roll her eyes and shrug it off like it was nothing. "This is real Aylona… The House of Blackheart holds little of the pull it used to during Grandfather's time… we need to use what little pull we have left to pull someone in." Still rather unconvinced at the sever nature of the their predicament Aylona just shrugged again and stood up from the window.

"Why is marriage and status so important Jaycen… truly! You are sounding like father…" She rolls her eyes and starts to mock her father. "For the good of the House of Blackheart Aylona… " Rolling her eyes and pursing her bright red painted lips in disapproval. "What next are you going to bring up Mother and how none of this would be happening if she hadn't died… if you did that then you really have become father." Aylona was getting visibly upset. She felt attacked and cornered in the conversation. Jaycen could see this… he knew that Aylona upset will just lead to chaos and in moments when his sister's temper flared Jaycen knew why his father keep her powers bound.

Standing up and walking towards his sister, his arms open. "Little sister…. I am not father and you know this…" Jaycen's eyes locked on to his sisters and gave her a sincere look. "We need to this to assure our future… not father's." Reaching out he pushed a few dark strands of Aylona's hair off her cheek and took her hand leading her to a new buy bench where they both sat. Jaycen angled so he could look his sister in the eyes why he spoke. "Do you want to end up homeless and penniless? Truthfully Aylona because that is where we both are heading. I am heir but to what…" He stood up and pointed out the window. "Ruler of peasants and farmers! A castle that is far past it's prime and little gold… you my dear sister will not even have that without a husband…. Just think about it…"

Jaycen's intentions were not to hurt his sister and Aylona could see that but she never thought her family had been dragged through the mud as much as it had been. The look on her face went from one of an pig headed, spoiled child who was not getting her way to one of a concerned young woman realizing that her future was grim. Taking a deep breath Aylona smoothed her dress as she stood up and looked up at her much taller brother. "I guess… if I must I will behave… but when it comes to picking me a husband… just give me a little say brother." She said softly looking down at the ground finally admitting defeat.

Jaycen tried to smile but he knew how hard it was for his sister to finally agree to an arranged marriage. He reached out and patted her cheek before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Of cores… you will have say… but no matter what father will have the final say but I promise you I will not let him sell you to the highest bidder…" His words were weighted heavily with a promise that Jaycen wasn't sure he was going to be able to keep. All his life he watched his sister in her own private prison and he felt a great guilt for being unable to set her free and now he knew no matter whom his sister ended up with she would only be going from one prison to another. Jaycen didn't want that life for his sister, she deserved more than that.

In that moment Jaycen made a silent promise to his sister that if she must move from one prison to the next… that she will move to a far better place than the drafty castle where she currently was held. She would have a place… the People's Palace.

Jaycen smiled again softly at his sister and nodded to her in silence before leaving her to set about his plan to bring Lord Rahl to the Blackheart Castle and place Aylona in his path… and let the rest unfold.

When a new prophecy is given it does not stay a secret long, especial if it involves the House of Rahl. A messenger from the nearest temple of the Light was sent to the People's Place with a scroll for the Lord Rahl's eyes only. The young sister carrying the message was only sixteen and had never been in the presence of Darken Rahl before. She was scared, her hands wrapped tightly around the scroll as she was lead to the throne room.

Her head speed within her chest as the doors open and she laid eyes upon the most feared man in all of D'hara. General Egremont announced "My Lord, a young sister of the Light has arrived with an urgent scroll which she says is for Lord Rahl's eyes only and she was meant to deliver it directly into your hands." Egremont bowed as Darken waved the ginger haired young girl towards him.

"Let me see this scroll…" He said sounding thoroughly not impressed by the so called importance of a simple piece of parchment. The girl kneeled before Lord Rahl, holding the scroll out before her while her eyes were cast to the ground. Snatching it from the girl's hands he motioned for her to be taken away.

Looked at the tattered roll of parchment for a moment before unrolling it as he stood up and faced the window.

"My Lord Rahl,

There has been a prophecy of great importance foretold and as per your instructions if the House of Rahl is mentioned I am passing it along to you.

'A child born of two ancient houses of Darkness

Will bring forth the coming of the keeper and the end of all Light

The mother will be a fair young maiden, who has spent her life bound and imprisoned

The father will be a son of Darkness, loyal to the Keeper

Together this unholy pair will create a life filled with all their pain and hate.

Using gifts bestowed upon him by his ancestors the child will bring nothing but Darkness."

The house of Rahl is not directly mentioned… but I thought this prophecy would interest you. I hope it pleases you my lord.

~Sister Nikki"

Darken's hands shook as she read the prophecy again and again. Could this be about his child… but the Mother… he had no wife. Folding the parchment neatly he stuck it into his vest for safe keeping as he sat near a window pondering the possibilities of the words of the parchment but was quickly torn away from his thoughts when Egremont entered once again this time with another letter.

"My Lord, my apologizes for the interruption again… but this letter from the Lord Jaycen Blackheart has just arrived by messenger…" Rahl sighed heavily and motioned for the second letter.

"You may go Egremont…" He said as he opened the letter.

Once he was alone in the room Rahl began to read the letter, but not before musing about it's autor for a moment. "What does the House of Blackheart have to say that is so important… that this years crop of potatoes is not as good as expected…" He laughed slightly at the thought before reading the letter.

"Lord Rahl,

I am writing on behalf of my Father to invite you to our home for the Spring Solstice festival but I must admit to you my Lord that my father's invitation is nothing but a ploy to get you to the castle. He has intentions of marrying off my younger sister Aylona before the end of the summer and would like to give your Lordship the first bid on her. My sister's beauty is well known throughout D'hara and it is not common knowledge but my sister posses the magic that my family was once so known for. My family's fortune is humble compared to that of the House of Rahl and we do not have the means to offer a dowery worthy of my sister's beauty but the possibility of a magical child coming from any union my sister may enter seems to have peeked many other nobles interest. You have not shown any interest in marrying before and I personally don't blame you… but my sister is an obedient woman with a kind heart. She would make the perfect addition to any family. Please consider this offer… I have been frank with you hoping that knowing all my sister has to offer a union may persuade you to at least meet her at the festival.

Thank you my Lord and I hope to see you at the festival,

Lord Jaycen Blackheart"

"Not potatoes…." He mused softly before thinking about the previous letter that arrived. As he put the pieces together a twisted smile grew on Rahl's face. "Aylona… of the House of Blackheart…" Folding the letter from Jaycen, Rahl's mind was made up.

"EGREMONT!" He called throwing up on the throne room doors. Egremont came running and kneeled before his Lord. "Ready my things… I am going to home of Lord Ivan Blackheart for the Spring festival…" Egremont looked puzzled but nodded and quickly began to order servants around. Darken stood in the corner by the window, his long fingers absentmindedly finding their way to his lips as he thought.

'A new prophecy about a child born to two houses of darkness… then a letter from the Blackhearts… this can't just be coincidence…' His mind seemed made up… and it looks as if Jaycen's wish of his sister's next prison being a place and her a Queen may actually come true.