White light entering Matthew's vision, he sat up. He felt a hard thump in his head. His vision was so blurred and he couldn't see any of his surroundings. His vision cleared lightly, and he saw a silver length of bright steel. Then, he remembered. The sword of truth. He had been named the Seeker of Truth just this morning, and had already been in his first fight. 'The soldier' Matthew thought as he lied back down. His vision cleared more, and as he turned his head, he saw a beautiful woman in a glowing white dress, her long hair streaming over her shoulders. His mother. Next to her, stood a man with black hair with small hints of grey creeping from the side of his head. His father. Next to his father stood Zeddicus. They all stood watching over him as if he were a child just waking from a deep sleep. "What are you doing?" Matthew asked, sitting up once again. The pain in his head hurt worse when he was up, but he endured it. Matthew looked over to the window, where he found that it was sunrise. "How long have I been unconscious?" Matthew asked, pulling his bed sheets off from him as he flung his legs around to the side of the bed.

"You have been asleep for a few hours. You should not be getting up," replied his mother, moving to the side of the bed that Matthew was getting out from.
"Bags woman! Leave the boy alone!" Zedd's voice came over the arguing between Matthew and his mother. After the outburst, Kahlan and Richard started to giggle. Matthew didn't understand what they were giggling about. He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Matthew stood up and went and sat on his chair. Suddenly, Matthew was bombarded with the smell of spice soup, his favourite soup. His Mother only made it when Zedd came over. She made it much better than his father did. He noticed there were packed saddle bags on the table. "Mother, Father, what are these saddle bags doing packed on the table?" They stopped bickering and giggling, and looked Over to meet Matthew's gaze. He started to get a little bothered.

"We are leaving for a While. We will be going to a friend's house. Her name is Cara." Replied Kahlan. Matthew's eyes brightened at the mention of her name. Cara had met a man named Leo in their travels, who Zedd named as a replace seeker while he was studying to become a wizard at the Palace of the Profits in the Old World. He was killed in a battle as seeker, and was brought back as a bengling, a minion of the Keeper. Zedd healed him using some of the water that Zedd's brother had found buried under a tree in viles. After the defeat of the keeper, nearly 20 years ago, Cara went to spend the rest of her life with him. They had a daughter, Jada, of whom Matthew had a great crush on. He had liked her since the moment he had first seen her, almost 4 years ago, when he had turned 16, her also 16. "Get your sword, Matthew. We're leaving. If there's anything else you would like to take, pack it quickly."

Matthew jumped at the sound of his father's voice. He grabbed up the sword of truth, strapping it to his waist. He also took a necklace he was very fond of. It was a bone tooth of a monster he didn't even know the name of. There was also a symbol engraved on the bone, also of which he did not know it's origin. It was tied into a loop with a black piece of thick string. He placed it over his neck, tucking it in under his shirt after doing so. He then grabbed his pack, placing inside it his travelling cloak, some necessities like food, and also placed his knife into his pack. He flung it around his shoulder, and headed out the door. He found his mother and father waiting outside with Zedd, who wasn't looking very happy. "Grandfather, are you ready to go?" Matthew asked.
"Zedd's not coming, Matthew." Came his mothers commanding voice.

"No I'm not," said Zedd, "I'm going home, I need to tend to my chickens. Do have a good time, and don't do anything exciting without me!" Matthew walked up to the old man, and wrapped his arms around him.
I'm going to miss you, Old man." Said Matthew, a smirk appearing on his face.
"You be good to your mother and Father, okay boy?" Zedd hugged Matthew back.
"Goodbye Grandfather." Said Matthew, turning towards the back, where he knew his horse was waiting. He walked around the old house, and found his steed, Lennox, tied to his post. When Lennox saw Matthew coming, he let out a snort of excitement. Matthew fetched his saddle from a small shed that he had made to hold all the tools and things for the horses so they would be easier to retrieve when they were being used.

Matthew placed the leather saddle over the back of the large beast, bending down on his knees to tie up the leather belt underneath. "That's a good boy," Matthew told Lennox, rubbing his mane while doing so. The large steed was a battle horse, one from D'hara that Richard had brought back for him when he was a young Boy. Richard taught his son how to look after a horse and tend to its needs. Matthew and Lennox had become great friends since then. The big black steed had one noticeable difference from most horses, though, Lennox had a white patch around his left eye. Matthew lifted a leg up into one of the stirrups, and heaved himself onto the back of the magnificent beast, placing his foot in the stirrup on the other side. He impatiently waited for his parents to be ready to leave, as he was eager to see Jada, Cara's daughter.

When Matthew's parents were finally ready to leave, they said a final goodbye to Zedd, and Matthew dug his heels into the side of the stallion, urging it on. He looked back to see his mother following close behind, and his father following up the rear. As he rode, he saw many trees that he recognized from his adventures In the Hartland Woods. He marveled at the full moon, wondering how it could be so far up in the sky and how it just hung there, not falling down and crashing into the land. His father told him stories of his adventures when Matthew was a young child as bedtime stories. He wondered how some of these things were even remotely possible, but then he realized, his Father was Richard Rahl, and he could accomplish anything. Matthew hoped he could possibly live up to a fraction of the overwhelming accomplishments that his father had made throughout the years.

They had been riding for a time before Richard had said that was enough travelling for the night. They set up their bed rolls, and Matthew left to wander in the woods, as he usually does, to collect firewood to create a fire. He wandered through the trees and shrubs, finding occasional pieces of wood that had fallen off of a tree. He picked up large twigs and branches, and decided to turn back and head toward the camp. Matthew heard rustling in the shrubs behind him. From impulse, he immediately dropped the wood and drew the sword of truth, the familiar metallic ringing filled his ears after doing so. He slowly made his way toward the shrubs where the sound had come from, carefully making sure not to step on any of the twigs and branches he had just dropped. He put his sword out in front of him and, when he reached the bush, quickly swiped the brush away. He was stunned at what he saw. It was a young girl, around the age of 6, cowering behind the bush.

He slid the sword back into his scabbard, eyeing the little girl. He bent down to her eye level, and asked "Hi there. Are you okay? What are you doing out here all by yourself?" she started to tear up. "Shhhh, It's okay. I'm here. You're safe now." Matthew picked up the young girl and brought her back to the camp. When Matthew came back with her, they were startled at the sight of the young girl. Kahlan ran over with a blanket and wrapped It around the fragile child, acting as if it were a chickens egg going cold before it hatched. She took the child in her arms while she sat down in a corner of the camp. Richard handed her some bread so that she could eat. She was delighted to see some of the food, and ate it quickly, still not saying anything. "Are you okay?" asked Kahlan, rocking her in her arms as she asked the question.

She nodded sleepily, and ate some more of her bread. "What's your name?" asked Kahlan, but this time receiving no answer. Matthew came over and took the young girl out of her mother's caring arms. He placed her in his open bedroll ad covered her in the sheets.

"You sleep well, young one," Matthew got up and walked over to his father. "I'll be going out into the woods. I'd like to practice with my bow. I'll be back soon." He picked up his bow and walked in the direction of the forest. he hung his quiver over his shoulder, and went out into the dark, looming forest. He had always felt at home in the wild. He wasn't half bad with a bow, either. His father had taught him from a young age to shoot with a bow. He enjoyed spending time with his father, even if it was while he was learning. Matthew found nice, thick tree and drew one of his arrows. he placed the tip on the tree and drew the arrow around in a circle. He then did the same with another circle inside the previous one. He made 3 circles, and went back about 60 metres. He drew his bow and knocked an arrow. He drew the string to his cheek, and, feeling the target in his heart and mind, released the string. The arrow flew far and true. He could hear the air whizzing around the arrow in the dead silence. It flew straight to where he intended it to go. he quickly drew another arrow and it was knocked before the other arrow hit its target. He quickly released the other one, hitting the previous one right on the knock. It split the arrow in two. He smiled to himself while he knocked another arrow. he heard a rabbit pass by behind him. He pivoted on one foot and shot the small creature in the side. he walked over to the dead rabbit. He retrieved his arrow, returning it to his quiver. He picked up the rabbit, and made his way back towards the camp. as the trees grew thinner, he saw a glowing orange light. he realized that his parents had managed to start a fire. On his way back, he found some sticks that would be good for cooking the rabbit. "hello there, Matthew." Richard said as he came through the trees. "I see you found us some dinner."

"Yes. This rabbit came from behind. I did as you taught me father. I felt the target, and my arrow flew true." Matthew set the sticks up, tying them together with a rope, so he could turn the rabbit while it was cooking. He skinned and gutted the rabbit, and put the stick through the deceased small creature.

When it was finished cooking, they all sat around the fire, eating their catch. "Where did you find her?" Kahlan asked, looking in the direction of the sleeping young girl.

"She was hiding in a bush in the forest. I don't know why she was there, though. She looked like she was hiding from something. I'm going to get some sleep." Matthew got up, and, not having a bed roll anymore, found a soft part of the clearing and lied down. he pulled his forest cloak up to protect him from the cold. he shut his eyes and, before he knew it, he was asleep. He dreamed about seeing Jada again.