-1Disclaimer: Avalyn and Jayden are the creation of my friend Amber. Darken Rahl, and D'Hara, are the creations of Mr. Terry Goodkind. I take absolutely NO credit for these things. I DO however own Corey.

Chapter One: Jayden

Year 14 ACB.

The sun was streaming in through the wide open windows; the golden light falling over his lean form. Around his face fell his dark hair; the layered locks framing his austere features. Framing his azure eyes. He sat relaxed in the carved wooden throne; his back to the large fireplace. One leg was casually draped over the other beneath his crimson robes. His hands were resting over the arms of the throne leisurely as he leaned back slightly to the left in his placement. His head was tilted back to the right, correcting his gaze. The white marble of the Palace glittered all around him in the spring sunlight.

The young King smiled softly as the little boy was brought forward by his mother. They were a poor family, it was easy enough to see that much. The mother, though she had tried her best to clean herself up before her audience with the King, was still covered in earth from the farm. She had dressed herself and her son in the finest clothing that they could afford - yet the King could see that his lowest ranking servants had better wardrobes. Her young son, who looked to be no more than perhaps nine years old, was only slightly better. He too was covered in filth - he had probably been helping his mother in their fields for start of the planting season - and wore his best clothing. A white and blue lightweight wool tunic with old grey suede breeches a few sizes too big, and a pair of scuffed and worn old boots that looked to be antiques once belonging to his father. A father that, as Lord Rahl had just learned moments before, had been killed while defending his family against enemy raiders. It pulled at the strings of his good heart.

"Father Rahl.", the blond woman bowed her head as she curtsied to the Master in his throne. But when her son made no move to bow (in truth he was frozen in place with the shock of being before their King), she glared up at the young boy. "Jayden! You will bow before the Father Rahl!", she gripped the boy's arm tightly as she meant to pull him down to her bowed level.

Darken Rahl held up his hand as he uncrossed his leg from the other. He rose to his feet. "It's alright Avalyn.", he smiled as gently as he could while he approached the boy who was roughly fifteen years his junior.

Avalyn paused in her astonishment, but knew better than to question just what it was that was in the D'Haran Lord's mind.

"So this is the boy?", Rahl carried on. Pretending that he had not noticed her change of demeanour. "The boy who the good Sisters in Thandore would not take?", he looked down to Jayden; the boy cast his eyes down. Embarrassed and feeling as though he were utterly useless. Rahl smiled slightly, knowing the boy could see him in his peripheral vision, even if he chose to ignore the King. He looked once again to Avalyn.

The D'Haran woman nodded, "They said it would be a risk to take him in. What with the fires and all. Master Rahl, I love my son more than anything, especially now that his father, my dear Corey, is gone. But I cannot risk the blazes that he starts. I know he does not intend to do it, but we have so very little as it is that we cannot risk to lose the house as well."

The twenty four year old King lifted his left hand to his chin; briefly brushing his index finger over his slightly pouted bottom lip while he looked down his rose at the young Jayden.

"All I ask is you…", Avalyn paused as she weighed her options for a moment. Wondering what the best over all course of action would be for Jayden. There were a few, but one would not be done, and the other was a prison sentence for the boy. Finally she came to the only conclusion she at all had left. The only destination that she could arrive at. "Take his han. I cannot have my baby boy in a locked collar like a dog for the rest of his life."

Darken Rahl lifted his eyes from Jayden, and back to the child's mother. His eyes moved swiftly. His gaze was harsh. "Take his han?", he looked back to the boy.

Jayden was visibly frightened. He knew what "han" meant, but the removal of it he was not sure about. Unsure of how he would feel both during and after it. Would it hurt? The boy was trembling to some extent.

Rahl moved again, going back to his slow, leisurely, pace circling the mother and son. His silence seemed poisonous. But as he gazed upon the boy, he smiled placidly. "No. I have a better idea.", he looked into the peasant woman's eyes.

Avalyn grew tense, and rightly so. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. She was afraid, when she finally spoke, of what his suggestion could be. "What is it my Lord?"

"Leave Jayden with me. I will train him as best I can, and when he is ready he can return home to you. I will personally escort him on that day if he so wishes."

Both mother, and child's, eyes grew wide. One with shock, the other in fear. "Father Rahl I could never ask you to do such a service. I was afraid enough to ask you to take my son's power.", Avalyn cast her eyes down to the floor; studying the gold capped black leather toes of the King's boots.

Jayden was quivering, "Please sir, I'll wear the collar-"

Rahl's eyes snapped to the boy temporarily, before turning back to the filthy blonde woman. "Avalyn, it is my wish. The boy needs training, you yourself know this or you would not have first taken him to the Sisters of the Light. I will teach him."

Avalyn was speechless, "Master I cannot afford to pay you for your generosity."

Darken Rahl shook his head. "I did not ask for payment, did I? it is my absolutely pleasure," he emphasized the last words of his statement as he looked deep into her eyes.

Ava could only nod, completely lost for words.

"You may leave the boy here today. His lessons will start tomorrow morning."

Jayden had started to whimper, even though he knew he was too old to do as such, and that in the eyes of the King he must seem like the snivelling, whimpering, maggot that was unthankful for the gift he was being offered. But he didn't care what Father Rahl though of him. He was too scared to outright bas, nay, beg his mother to take him home (at least too afraid to do so in front of Lord Rahl). "Mother…"

"Yes my Lord.", Ava turned her eyes back to the nine year old boy that she had brought with her. She smiled sorrowfully and her put her hands upon his face as she knelt before him. Rahl's left hand moved and laid upon the boy's left shoulder- pulling him slightly against the King's left him. But never hard enough to elicit pain from old wounds. "Jayden, this is for the best. Father Rahl can give you the education that I cannot. A better education of your power than even your father could have given you. Even he did not know the extent of his or your abilities. I cannot give you what Father Rahl can. Don't cry. I will see you again soon.", but Ava's own tears were building up and sparkling in her eyes as she stood too her feet once more.

Rahl, with his free right hand, reached out and touched the woman's dirty cheek. She immediately closed her eyes, revelling in the once-in-a-lifetime touch of the King. "Avalyn, no tears. Jayden will be safe here with me. He will be guarded day and night by the Palace guards and the Mord'Sith," he nodded his head to the two burgundy leather clad women who stood beside his throne. "He will want for nothing, I assure you."

Ava glanced to the two women, the Mord'Sith who were trained in torture, warily. But she nodded her understanding. She closed her eyes swiftly once more, and raised her hand. Laying it over Rahl's and pressing his hand a little more against her cheek while she turned her face and kissed her lips to his palm. "Thank you.", she opened her blue eyes once more.

Rahl smiled softly, and brushed his thumb over her cheek just under her eye; clearing away the tears that had fallen. "You are welcome."

Avalyn looked to Jayden - who was still shaking (all the more now that he was so close to the King and to saying goodbye to his mother). She leaned down and kissed his brow gently. "Be good."

"Yes mama…", the boy was entirely defeated; knowing he was to stay here with the powerful wizard of a King, while his mother left for their home village to the east once again.

Ava finally turned her back; her long golden hair held in a loose and fraying plait.

Silence ensued for many long moments once her form had left the throne room. Darken Rahl waited, drawing out the silence (which did nothing to assuage the boy's frazzled nerves) before he let go of the boy with a sudden jolt. He nearly knocked the boy off his balance. The King looked down his arrogant nose at the child.

Jayden could only swallow quietly in his fear…