Naked Empire   ::   Goodkind Terry

"By thinking that I must not eat meat as a balance, I was denying the moral necessity of self-preservation, denying the essential of protecting the value of life. The very act of seeking 'balance' for what I'm right in doing is a conflict which is what was causing the headaches and also caused the Sword of Truth's power to fail me. I was doing it to myself."

Richard had violated the Wizard's First Rule by believing a lie- that it was always wrong to kill-because he feared it was true. He had also violated the Second Rule, among others, but most grievous of all, he had violated the Sixth Rule. In so doing, he had ignored reason in favor of blind faith. The failure of his gift and the sword's power was a direct result of not applying reasoned thought.

Fortunately, with the Eighth Rule, he had come to reexamine his actions and finally realized the flaw in his thinking. Only then was he able to correct the situation.

In the end, he had fulfilled the Eighth Rule.

Richard shifted his weight to the other foot as he gazed at the faces watching him. "I had to come to understand that my actions are moral and need no balance, but are in themselves balanced by my reasoned actions, that killing is sometimes not only justified, but the only right and moral thing to do.

"I had to come to understand the very thing I was asking all of you to understand. I had to understand that I must deserve victory."

Owen looked over at those with him and then scratched his head. "Well, considering everything, I guess we can understand how you could make such a misjudgment."

Jennsen, her red hair standing out against the green of the trees and fields, squinted at him in the sunlight. "Well," she said with a sigh, "I'm glad to be pristinely ungifted. Being a wizard sounds awfully hard."

The men all nodded while voicing their agreement.

Richard smiled at Jennsen. "A lot of things in life are hard to figure out. Like what you've been considering. What have you decided?"

Jennsen clasped her hands and glanced over at Owen, Anson, and all the rest of the people with them.

"Well, this is no longer a banished empire. It's no longer an empire naked to the aggression of tyrants. It's part of the D'Haran Empire, now.

These people want the same as us.

"I think I'd like to stay with them for a while and help them come to be part of the wider world, just as I've been starting to do. It's kind of exciting. I'd like to take your suggestion, Richard, and help them in that."

Richard smiled at his sister. He ran his hand down her beautiful red hair.

"On a condition," she added.