tg.wizardfirstrule-第157章

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　Rachel　giggled　and　hugged　her　arms　to　his　sides。　〃Look；　Richard。〃　She　put　a　foot　out　toward　him；　showing　off　a　shoe。　〃Chase　brought　down　a　buck。　He　said　it　was　a　mistake；　because　it　was　too　big；　so　he　traded　it　to　a　man；　but　all　the　man　had　to　trade　were　these　shoes；　and　this　cloak。　Aren't　they　wonderful？　And　Chase　says　I　can　keep　them。〃
　
　Richard　grinned　at　her。　〃Yes；　that　is　indeed　wonderful。〃　He　noticed　Rachel's　doll　and　the　bundle　with　the　bread　nestled　between　her　and　Chase。　He　also　noticed　her　eyes　going　to　Siddin；　as　if　she　had　seen　him　before。
　
　Kahlan　put　a　hand　on　Rachel's　leg。　〃Why　did　you　run　off？　You　scared　us　with　worry　for　you。〃
　
　Rachel　flinched　at　Kahlan's　touch。　She　hugged　one　arm　to　Chase　and　thrust　a　hand　in　her　pocket。　She　didn't　answer　Kahlan's　question；　but　looked　instead　toward　Siddin。　〃Why　do　you　have　him？〃
　
　〃Kahlan　rescued　him；〃　Richard　said。　〃The　Queen　had　him　locked　up　in　the　dungeon。　That's　no　place　for　a　child；　so　she　took　him　out。〃
　
　Rachel　looked　down　at　Kahlan。　〃Wasn't　the　Queen　mad？〃
　
　〃I　don't　allow　anyone　to　hurt　children；〃　Kahlan　said。　〃Not　even　a　queen。〃
　
　〃Well；　don't　just　stand　there　staring。　I　brought　you　all　horses。　Mount　up。　I　figured　I'd　catch　you　today。　I　have　a　wild　boar　roasting　back　at　the　place　you　stayed　last　night；　just　this　side　of　the　Callisidrin。〃
　
　With　one　hand　on　the　saddle　and　the　other　arm　holding　Siddin；　Zedd　leapt　to　a　horse。　〃Wild　boar！　What　kind　of　fool　are　you？　Leaving　a　wild　boar　roasting　unprotected！　Anyone　could　just　e　along　and　take　it！〃　〃Why　do　you　think　I　want　you　to　hurry？　The　place　is　filthy　with　wolf　tracks；　though　I　doubt　they'd　e　near　a　fire。〃
　
　〃Don't　you　dare　hurt　that　wolf；〃　Zedd　warned。　〃He's　a　friend　of　the　Mother　Confessor。〃
　
　Chase　cast　an　eye　to　Kahlan；　then　to　Richard；　before　turning　his　horse　and　leading　them　into　the　setting　sun。　Richard　was　heartened　by　having　Chase　back。　It　made　him　feel；　once　again；　that　anything　was　possible。　After　she　had　mounted；　Kahlan　took　Siddin；　the　two　of　them　talking　and　laughing　as　they　rode。
　
　At　the　camp；　Zedd　wasted　no　time　before　checking　the　roasting　boar；　and　pronounced　it　fit　to　eat。　He　shifted　his　robes　and　sat　down；　waiting　with　a　grin　on　his　wrinkled　face　for　someone　with　a　knife　to　carve　dinner。　Siddin；　with　a　grin　frozen　on　his　face；　too；　leaned　against　Kahlan　after　she　sat　down。　Richard　and　Chase　started　carving　up　the　boar。　Rachel　sat　close　to　Chase's　side；　watching　him；　keeping　an　eye　to　Kahlan；　her　doll　in　her　lap；　and　the　loaf　of　bread；　wrapped　in　the　cloth；　at　her　hip。
　
　Richard　cut　a　big　piece　and　handed　it　to　Zedd。　〃So；　what　happened？　With　my　brother；　I　mean。〃
　
　Chase　grinned。　〃When　I　told　him　the　things　you　told　me　to　tell　him；　he　said　that　if　you　were　in　trouble；　he　was　going　to　help。　He　pulled　together　the　army；　and　we　sent　most　of　them　into　defensive　positions　along　the　boundary；　with　the　wardens　manding　them。　After　the　boundary　came　down　he　refused　to　wait　behind。　He　led　a　thousand　of　his　best　men　into　the　Midlands。　They're　all　bivouacked　up　in　the　Rang'Shada　right　now；　waiting　to　help　you。〃
　
　Richard　had　stopped　carving；　frozen　in　astonishment。　〃Really？　My　brother　said　that？　He　came　to　help？　And　with　an　army？〃
　
　Chase　nodded。　〃He　said　if　you're　in　this；　then　he　is　too。〃
　
　Richard　felt　a　pang　of　regret　that　he　had　doubted　Michael；　and　elation　that　his　brother　would　drop　everything　to　e　help。　〃He　wasn't　angry？〃
　
　〃I　thought　sure　he　would　be；　and　give　me　grief　over　this；　but　he　only　wanted　to　know　about　you；　what　risk　you　were　at；　and　where　you　were。　He　said　he　knew　you；　and　if　you　thought　it　was　this　important；　then　he　did　too。　He　offered　to　e　along；　but　I　wouldn't　let　him。　He's　with　his　men；　probably　waiting　in　his　tent　right　now；　pacing　back　and　forth。　I　have　to　tell　you；　it　surprised　me　too。〃
　
　Richard's　eyes　were　wide　in　wonder。　〃My　brother　and　a　thousand　of　his　men；　in　the　Midlands；　e　to　help　me。〃　He　looked　at　Kahlan。　〃Isn't　that　wonderful？〃　She　only　smiled　at　him。
　
　Chase　gave　him　a　stern　look　while　he　carved。　〃For　a　while；　I　thought　you　were　finished；　when　I　saw　your　trail　going　into　Agaden　Reach。〃
　
　Richard　looked　up。　〃You　went　into　the　Reach？〃
　
　〃Do　I　look　stupid？　You　don't　bee　head　of　the　boundary　wardens　by　being　stupid。　I　started　thinking　of　how　I　was　going　to　tell　Michael　you　were　dead。　Then　I　found　your　trail　ing　out　of　the　Reach。〃　His　brow　wrinkled　together。　〃How　did　you　manage　to　e　out　of　the　Reach　alive？〃
　
　Richard　gave　him　a　grin。　〃I　think　the　good　spirits　。。。〃
　
　Rachel　screamed。
　
　Richard　and　Chase　spun　with　their　knives。　Before　Chase　could　use　his　knife；　Richard　stopped　him。
　
　It　was　Brophy。　〃Rachel？　Is　that　you；　Rachel？〃
　
　She　took　her　doll's　foot　from　her　mouth。　Her　eyes　were　wide。　〃You　sound　like　Brophy。〃
　
　The　wolf's　tail　swished　back　and　forth。　〃That's　because　I　am　Brophy！〃　He　trotted　over　to　her。　。
　
　〃Brophy；　how　e　you're　a　wolf？〃
　
　He　sat　on　his　haunches　in　front　of　her。　〃Because　a　kind　wizard　changed　me　into　a　wolf。　That　was　what　I　wanted　to　be；　and　he　changed　me。〃
　
　〃Giller　changed　you　into　a　wolf？〃
　
　The　breath　caught　in　Richard's　throat。
　
　〃That's　right。　It's　a　wonderful　new　life　I　have。〃
　
　She　threw　her　arms　around　the　wolf's　neck。　Brophy　licked　her　face　as　she　giggled。
　
　〃Rachel；〃　Richard　said；　〃you　know　Giller？〃
　
　Rachel　hugged　an　arm　around　Brophy's　neck。　〃Giller's　a　nice　man。　He　gave　me　Sara。〃　She　gave　a　fearful　look　to　Kahlan。　〃You　want　to　hurt　him。　You're　the　Queen's　friend。　You're　mean。〃　She　pushed　against　Brophy　for　protection
　
　Brophy　gave　her　face　a　long　lick。　〃You're　wrong；　Rachel。　Kahlan　is　my　friend。　She　is　one　of　the　nicest　people　in　the　world。〃
　
　Kahlan　smiled　and　held　her　hands　out　to　Rachel。　〃e　here。〃
　
　Rachel　looked　to　Brophy；　who　gave　her　a　nod　that　it　was　all　right。　She　went　with　a　pout　on　her　face。
　
　Kahlan　took　Rachel's　hands　in　hers。　〃You　heard　me　say　something　mean　about　Giller；　didn't　you？〃　Rachel　nodded。　〃Rachel；　the　Queen　is　a　bad　person。　I　didn't　know　how　bad　until　today。　Giller　used　to　be　my　friend。　When　he　went　to　live　with　the　Queen；　I　thought　it　was　because　he　was　bad　too；　and　was　on　her　side。　I　was　wrong。　I　would　never　hurt　Giller；　now　that　I　know　he　is　still　my　friend。〃
　
　Rachel　turned　her　eyes　up　to　Richard。
　
　〃She's　telling　you　the　truth。　We're　on　the　same　side　as　Giller。〃
　
　Rachel　turned　to　Brophy。　He　nodded；　too；　that　it　was　the　truth。
　
　〃You　and　Richard　aren't　friends　of　the　Queen？〃
　
　Kahlan　laughed　a　little。　〃No。　If　I　have　my　way；　she　will　not　be　the　queen　much　longer。　And　as　for　Richard；　well；　he　drew　his　sword　and　threatened　to　kill　the　Princess。　I　don't　think　that　makes　him　friends　with　the　Queen。〃
　
　Rachel's　eyes　got　big。　〃Princess　Violet？　You　did　that　to　Princess　Violet？〃
　
　Richard　nodded　to　her。　〃She　said　some　bad　things　to　Kahlan；　and　I　told　her　that　if　she　did　it　again；　I'd　cut　off　her　tongue。〃
　
　Rachel's　mouth　dropped　open。　〃And　she　didn't　say　to　chop　off　your　head？〃
　
　〃We　are　not　going　to　let　them　chop　off　any　more　heads；〃　Kahlan　said。
　
　Rachel's　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　she　looked　to　Kahlan。　〃I　thought　you　were　mean；　and　that　you　would　hurt　Giller。　I'm　so　happy　you're　not　mean。〃　She　put　her　arms　around　Kahlan's　neck；　hugging　her　tight。　Kahlan　hugged　her　back　just　as　tight。
　
　Chase　leaned　toward　Richard。　〃You　pulled　a　sword　on　a　Princess？　Do　you　know　that's　a　capital　offense？〃
　
　Richard　gave　him　a　cool　look。　〃If　I　had　had　the　time；　I　would　have　put　her　over　my　knee　and　spanked　her　too。〃　Rachel　giggled　at　that。　Richard　smiled　at　her。　〃You　know　the　Princess；　don't　you？〃
　
　The　laughter　left　her。　〃I'm　her　playmate。　I　lived　in　a　nice　place　with　other　children；　but　after　my　brother　died；　the　Queen　came　and　picked　me　out；　to　be　the　Princess's　playmate。〃
　
　Richard　turned　to　Brophy。　〃He　was　the　one？〃　The　wolf　nodded　solemnly。　〃So　you　lived　with　the　Princess。　She's　the　one　who　cut　your　hair　all　crooked；　isn't　she？　She　hits　you。〃
　
　Rachel　nodded　with　a　pout。　〃She's　mean　to。　people。　She's　starting　to　say　to　chop　off　people's　heads。　I　was　afraid　she　would　c