tg.wizardfirstrule-第169章

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tching　back　until　he　could　see　them　no　more。　He　felt　desperately　helpless。　He　wished　he　could　have　seen　Kahlan's　smile；　just　once。
　
　〃Now　what？〃　Scarlet　asked　over　her　shoulder。
　
　〃We　have　to　find　my　brother。　He　should　be　with　an　army　of　about　a　thousand　men；　somewhere　between　here　and　the　Rang'Shada。　They　shouldn't　be　as　hard　to　find。〃　'
　
　〃They　couldn't　understand　my　words；　the　web　must　affect　me　too；　since　I'm　with　you。　But　it　must　be　a　web　for　people；　not　dragons；　for　I　see　the　truth。　If　these　three　wanted　to　kill　you　because　of　a　wizard's　web；　surely　the　others　will　too。　I　can't　protect　you　against　a　thousand　men。〃
　
　〃I　have　to　try。　I'll　think　of　something。　Michael　is　my　brother；　I'll　think　of　a　way　to　make　him　see　the　truth。　He's　on　his　way　with　the　army　to　help　me。　I　need　his　help　very　badly。〃
　
　Since　an　army　would　be　easier　to　spot；　they　flew　high；　to　see　more　ground。　Scarlet　made　gentle　sweeping　turns　among　the　immense；　cottony　clouds。　Richard　hadn't　realized　how　big　clouds　really　were；　when　viewed　this　close。　As　some　of　them　gathered；　it　was　like　being　in　a　wonderland　of　white　mountains；　and　valleys。　The　dragon　skimmed　under　their　dark　bases；　sometimes　passing　through　a　damp　wisp　that　hung　down；　her　head　disappearing　in　the　whiteness　at　the　end　of　her　neck；　the　tips　of　her　wings　vanishing；　too。　The　size　of　the　clouds　made　even　Scarlet　seem　small　and　insignificant。
　
　They　searched　for　hours　without　seeing　any　sign　of　an　army。　Richard　was　getting　so　used　to　flying；　he　didn't　have　to　hold　on　to　Scarlet's　spikes　all　the　time。　He　leaned　back　against　two　of　them；　letting　his　body　relax　while　he　looked　at　the　landscape　below。　'　As　they　flew；　Richard　thought　about　what　he　could　do　to　convince　Michael　of　who　he　was。　Michael　would　have　the　box；　that　had　to　be　where　Zedd　had　left　it。　Zedd　would　have　hidden　it　from　Rahl　with　magic；　and　let　the　army　protect　it。　He　had　to　think　of　a　way　to　show　Michael　who　he　was。　Once　he　had　the　box；　he　would　have　Scarlet　fly　it　up　to　her　cave　with　her　egg。　There　it　would　be　safe　from　Rahl。
　
　Then　he　could　go　back　to　Kahlan　and　protect　her　from　Rahl's　men。　Maybe　he　could　have　Scarlet　fly　her　to　the　cave；　too。　There　she　would　be　safe　from　the　men。
　
　Three　and　a　half　days；　and　then　Darken　Rahl　would　die。　Then　Kahlan　would　be　safe　for　sure。　Forever。　Then　he　would　go　back　to　Westland；　and　be　finished　with　the　magic。　Be　famished　with　Kahlan。　The　thought　of　never；　seeing　her　again　made　him　weak　with　pain。
　
　Late　in　the　afternoon；　Scarlet　spotted　the　army。　She　was　better　at　seeing　things　from　this　height　than　he。　They　were　still　a　long　way　off　and　Richard　had　to　stare　awhile。　At　first　he　saw　only　a　wispy　column　of　dust；　then　he　saw　the　ranks；　moving　along　a　road。
　
　〃Well；　what's　your　plan？　What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　she　called　back　to　him。
　
　〃Do　you　think　you　could　land　us　ahead　of　them；　without　letting　them　see　us？〃
　
　A　big　yellow　eye　frowned　back　at　him。　〃I'm　a　red　dragon。　I　could　land　us　in　the　middle　of　them；　and　they　wouldn't　see　me；　if　I　didn't　want　them　to。　How　close　do　you　want　to　be　to　them？〃
　
　〃I　don't　want　them　to　see　me。　I　have　to　get　to　Michael　without　his　men　seeing　me。　I　need　to　avoid　trouble。〃　Richard　thought　a　moment。　〃Set　us　down　a　few　hours'　march　ahead　of　them。　Let　them　e　to　us。　It'll　be　dark　soon；　then　I　can　get　to　Michael。〃
　
　Scarlet　held　her　wings　spread；　gliding　in　a　spiral　toward　hills　ahead　of　the　advancing　army。　She　came　down　behind　some　of　the　higher　ground；　flew　up　the　valleys；　keeping　out　of　sight　of　the　road；　and　landed　in　a　small　clearing　of　long　brown　grass。　Her　bright　red　scales；　glossy　and　lustrous；　stood　out　in　the　late　afternoon　light。　Richard　slid　off　her　shoulder。
　
　Her　head　came　around。　〃What　now？〃
　
　〃I　want　to　wait　until　dark；　until　they　set　up　camp　for　the　night
　
　After　they　eat；　I'll　be　able　to　sneak　into　Michael's　tent；　and　talk　to　him　alone。　I'll　think　of　a　way　to　convince　him　of　who　I　really　am。〃
　
　The　dragon　grumbled；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　toward　the　road。　Her　head　swung　back　around；　tilting；　a　big　yellow　eye　peering　at　him。
　
　〃It　will　be　dark　soon。　I　must　return　to　my　egg。　It　needs　to　be　warmed。〃
　
　〃I　understand；　Scarlet。〃　Richard　let　out　a　deep　breath；　thinking。　〃e　back　for　me　in　the　morning。　I'll　wait　for　you　in　this　field　at　sunrise。〃
　
　Scarlet　looked　up　at　the　sky。　〃Clouds　are　gathering。〃　Her　head　came　back　down。　〃If　there　are　clouds；　I　can't　fly　in　them。〃
　
　Why？〃
　
　She　grunted；　a　puff　of　smoke　rising　from　her　nostrils。　〃Because　clouds　have　rocks　in　them。〃
　
　Richard　frowned。　〃Rocks
　
　Her　tail　swished　impatiently。　〃The　clouds　hide　things；　it's　like　fog；　you　can't　see。　When　you　can't　see；　you　run　into　things；　like　hills　and　mountains。　I　may　be　strong；　but　running　into　rock　when　I'm　flying　would　break　my　neck。　If　the　cloud　bottoms　are　high　enough；　I　can　fly　under　them。　If　the　tops　are　low　enough；　I　can　fly　over　them；　but　then　I　won't　be　able　to　see　the　ground。　I　won't　be　able　to　find　you。　What　if　there　are　clouds　and　I　can't　find　you；　or　what　if　something　else　goes　wrong？〃
　
　Richard　rested　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　looking　off　toward　the　road。　〃If　anything　goes　wrong；　I'll　have　to　go　back　to　my　other　three　friends。　I'll　try　to　stick　to　the　main　road；　so　you　will　be　able　to　see　me。〃　Richard　swallowed　hard。　〃If　all　else　fails；　I　will　have　to　go　back　to　the　People's　Palace。　Please；　Scarlet；　if　I　can't　stop　Rahl　with　what　I　do　here；　I　must　be　in　the　People's　Palace　three　days　from　tomorrow。〃
　
　〃Not　much　time。〃
　
　〃I　know。〃
　
　〃Three　days　from　tomorrow；　and　then　I'm　done　with　you。〃
　
　Richard　smiled。　〃That's　our　bargain。〃
　
　Scarlet　peered　up　once　more。　〃I　don't　like　the　look　of　the　sky。　Good　luck；　Richard　Cypher。　I　will　return　in　the　morning。〃
　
　She　took　a　little　run　and　lifted　into　the　air。　Richard　watched　her　circle　around　him　once；　low；　then　fly　off　getting　smaller；　disappearing　between　hills。　A　memory　struck　him：　the　memory　of　having　seen　her　before。　It　had　been　the　day　he　had　first　met　Kahlan；　right　after　the　snake　vine　had　bit　him。　He　had　seen　her　fly　overhead　just　as　she　had　done　now；　and　disappear　behind　hills。　He　wondered　what　she　had　been　doing　in　Westland　that　day。
　
　Making　his　way　through　the　tall；　dry　grass；　Richard　hiked　to　a　nearby　hill；　climbing　to　the　top　of　its　sparsely　wooded　slope；　where　he　could　watch　the　approaches　to　the　west。　He　found　a　well…hidden　nook　in　the　brush；　made　himself　fortable；　and　took　out　some　dried　meat　and　fruit。　He　found　he　even　had　a　few　apples　left。　He　ate　without　enjoyment　while　he　watched　for　the　Westland　army　and　his　brother；　wondering　all　the　while　what　he'　could　do　to　convince　Michael　of　who　he　was。
　
　He　thought　of　trying　to　write　it　out；　or　maybe　even　drawing　a　picture；　or　a　map；　but　he　had　doubts　that　would　work。　If　the　enemy　web　around　him　changed　his　spoken　words；　it　would　probably　change　the　written'　ones　as　well。　He　tried　to　think　of　games　they　had　played　when　they　were　young；　but　none　stood　out　in　his　mind。　Michael　hadn't　played　all　that　much　with　him　when　they　were　young。　Richard　remembered　that　Michael　only　really　liked　fighting　with　play　swords。　He　didn't　think　pulling　his　sword　on　his　brother　would　have　the　desired　effect。
　
　But　there　was　one　thing；　he　remembered。　When　they　had　played　at　swords；　Michael　had　liked　Richard　to　salute　him；　while　on　one　knee。　Would　Michael　remember　that？　He　had　liked　it　done　often；　it　made　him　smile　more　than　anything　else。　Michael　called　it　the　loser's　salute。　When　Richard　had　won；　Michael　wouldn't　give　him　the　salute；　and　Richard　wasn't　his　match　in　size　at　the　time；　and　hadn't　ever　been　able　to　make　Michael　give　the　salute。　But　Michael　had　made　Richard　give　it　often　enough。　He　smiled　at　the　memory；　though　at　the　time　it　had　hurt。　Maybe　Michael　would　remember。　It　was　worth　a　try。
　
　Before　dark　came；　Richard　heard　the　sound　of　the　horses　ing；　the　sound　。of　gear　clattering；　leather　creaking；　metal　rattling；　the　sound　of　a　lot　of　men　on　the　move。　About　fifty　well…armed　horsemen　rode　past　at　a　quick　pace；　raising　dust　and　kicking　up　dirt。　He　saw　Michael；　dressed　in　white；　at　their　lead。　Richard　recognized　the　uniforms；　the　Hartland　crest　on　each　shoulder；　the　yellow　banner　with　a　blue　silhouette　of　a　pine　tree　and　crossed　swords　under　it。　Each　man　wore　a　short　sword　over　his　shoulder；　had　a　battle…axe　hooked　to　a　wide　belt；　and　carried　a　short　spear。　Their　mail　armor；　called　battle　nets；　sent　sparks　of　light　through　the　dust。　These　were　not　regular　Westland　soldiers；　these　were　Michael's　personal　guards。
　
　Where　was　the　army？　From　the　air；　he　had　seen　all　of　them　together；　horsemen　and　foot　soldiers。　These　horses　were　moving　too　fast　for　foot　soldiers　at　a　march　to　keep　up。　Richard　stood　after　they　passed；　looking　back　up　the　road　to　see　if　the　others　were　to　follow。　No　one　else　came。
　
　At　first　worried　about　what　this　could　mean；　he　relaxed；　when　it　came　to　him。　Zedd；　Chase；　and　Kahlan　had　left　the　box　with　Michael；　and　told　him　they　were　going　to　D'Hara；　going　after　Richard。　Michael　probably　couldn't　wait　any　longer；　and　was　going　himself　to　help。　The　foot　soldiers　couldn't　keep　up　the　pace