tg.wizardfirstrule-第97章

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　thinking；　he　told　himself。
　
　He　frowned　up　at　the　old　man。　〃How　far？〃
　
　Old　John　looked　up　at　the　late…afternoon　sun　off　through　the　trees　as　he　tugged　some　more　on　his　beard。　〃If　we　don't　stop　early；　and　don't　sleep　late；　we'll　be　there　by　midday　tomorrow。〃　He　looked　back　to　Richard；　waiting。
　
　Kahlan　said　nothing；　but　he　knew　what　she　was　thinking。　She　would　rather　not　go　anywhere　near　Shota；　and　even　if　they　went　to　Zedd　first；　it　wasn't　that　far；　they　could　always　e　back　if　they　had　to。　And　maybe　Zedd　knew　where　the　box　was；　maybe　he　even　had　the　last　box；　and　they　wouldn't　have　to　go　into　Agaden　Reach。　It　made　more　sense　to　go　after　Zedd。　That　was　what　she　would　say。
　
　〃You're　right；〃　he　said　to　her。
　
　She　looked　confused。　〃I　said　nothing。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　big　grin。　〃I　could　hear　you　thinking。　You're　right。　We'll　go　with　Old　John。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　know　my　thoughts　were　that　loud；〃　she　muttered。
　
　〃If　we　don't　stop　at　all；〃　he　called　up　to　Old　John；　〃we　could　be　there　before　morning。〃
　
　〃I'm　an　old　man；〃　he　plained；　then　sighed　loudly。　〃But　I　know　how　anxious　you　are。　And　I　know　how　badly　he　needs　you。〃　He　wagged　his　finger　at　Richard。　〃I　should　have　listened　when　Zedd　warned　me　about　you。〃
　
　Richard　laughed　a　little　as　he　let　Kahlan　walk　ahead　of　him。　She　strode　fast　to　catch　up　with　the　old　man；　who　was　already　on　his　way。　He　watched　her　absently　as　she　walked；　watched　as　she　pulled　a　spiderweb　off　her　face；　spit　some　of　it　out　of　her　mouth。　Something　nagged　at　him；　something　was　wrong。　He　wished　he　could　figure　out　what　it　was。　He　tried　for　a　minute；　but　all　he　could　think　about　was　Zedd；　how　much　he　wanted　to　see　him　again；　how　he　couldn't　wait　to　talk　to　him。　He　ignored　the　feeling　that　there　were　eyes　watching　him
　
　…＋
　
　〃Mostly；　I　miss　my　brother；〃　she　said　to　her　doll。　She　looked　away。　〃They　said　he　died；〃　she　confided　softly。
　
　　Rachel　had　been　telling　her　doll　her　troubles　for　most　of　the　day。　All　her　troubles　she　could　think　of。　When　she　got　tears；　the　doll　said　she　loved　her；　and　it　made　her　feel　good。　Sometimes　it　made　her　laugh。
　
　Rachel　put　another　small　stick　in　the　fire。　It　felt　so　good　to　be　able　to　get　warm；　and　have　light。　But　she　kept　the　fire　small；　just　like　Giller　had　told　her。　The　fire　kept　her　from　being　so　afraid　in　the　woods；　especially　at　night。　It　would　be　night　again　soon。　Sometimes　there　were　noises　in　the　woods　at　night　that　made　her　scared；　made　her　cry。　But　being　out　here　in　the　lonely　woods　was　still　better　than　being　locked　in　the　box。
　
　〃That　was　when　I　lived　in　that　place　I　told　you　about。　With　the　other　children；　before　the　Queen　came　and　picked　me。　I　liked　it　there　a　lot　better　than　living　with　the　Princess。　They　were　nice　to　me　there。〃　She　looked　over　at　the　doll　to　see　if　she　was　listening。　〃There　was　a　man；　Brophy；　who　came　sometimes。　People　said　mean　things　about　him；　but　he　was　nice　to　us　children。　He　was　nice；　like　Giller。　He　gave　me　a　doll；　too；　but　the　Queen　wouldn't　let　me　take　it　with　me　when　I　went　to　live　at　the　castle。　I　didn't　care；　though；　because　I　was　so　sad　my　brother　died。　I　heard　some　people　say　he　got　murdered。　I　know　that　means　he　got　killed。　Why　do　people　kill　children？〃
　
　The　doll　just　smiled。　Rachel　smiled　back。
　
　She　thought　about　the　new　little　boy　she　had　seen　the　Queen　having　locked　up。　He　talked　funny；　and　looked　funny；　but　his　presence　still　had　reminded　her　of　her　brother。　That　was　because　he　seemed　so　afraid。　Her　brother　was　always　getting　afraid；　too。　Rachel　could　always　tell　when　her　brother　was　getting　afraid　because　he　would　fidget　and　squirm。　She　felt　so　sorry　for　the　new　boy；　she　wished　she　was　important　so　she　could　help　him。
　
　Rachel　put　her　hands　toward　the　fire　to　warm　them　for　a　minute；　then　stuck　one　in　her　pocket。　She　was　hungry。　A　few　berries　were　all　she　had　been　able　to　find　to　eat。　She　held　a　big　one　out；　offering　it　to　her　doll。　The　doll　didn't　seem　hungry；　so　she　ate　it　herself；　then　a　handful　more；　until　they　were　gone。　She　was　still　hungry；　but　she　didn't　want　to　look　for　more。　The　place　where　they　grew　wasn't　close；　and　it　was　getting　dark。　She　didn't　want　to　be　out　in　the　woods　when　it　was　dark。　She　wanted　to　be　in　her　wayward　pine　with　her　doll。　By　the　warm　fire；　by　the　light。
　
　〃Maybe　the　Queen　will　be　nicer　when　she　gets　her　alliance；　whatever　that　is。　That's　all　she　talks　about；　how　she　wants　her　alliance。　Maybe　she'll　be　happier　then；　and　won't　say　to　chop　off　people's　heads。　The　Princess　makes　me　go　with　her；　you　know；　but　I　don't　like　to　watch；　I　close　my　eyes。　Now　even　Princess　Violet　says　to　chop　off　people's　heads。　She　gets　meaner　every　day。　Now　I'm　afraid　that　she'll　say　to　chop　off　my　head。　I　wish　I　could　run　away。〃　She　looked　over　at　her　doll。　〃I　wish　I　could　run　away　and　never　e　back。　And　I'd　take　you　with　me。〃
　
　The　doll　smiled。　〃I　love　you；　Rachel。〃
　
　She　picked　up　the　doll　and　gave　it　a　long　hug；　then　kissed　it　on　its　head。
　
　〃But　if　we　run　away；　Princess　Violet　would　send　the　guards　to　find　me；　and　then　she　would　throw　you　in　the　fire。　I　don't　want　her　to　throw　you　in　the　fire。　I　love　you。〃
　
　〃I　love　you；　Rachel。〃
　
　Rachel　hugged　her　doll　tight；　and　crawled　into　the　hay；　with　the　doll　next　to　her。　Tomorrow　she　had　to　go　back；　and　the　Princess　would　be　mean　to　her　some　more。　She　had　to　leave　her　doll　when　she　went　back；　she　knew；　or　it　would　get　thrown　in　the　fire。
　
　〃You're　the　bestest　friend　I　ever　had。　You　and　Giller。〃
　
　〃I　love　you；　Rachel。〃
　
　She　started　to　worry；　to　worry　what　would　happen　to　her　doll；　all　alone　here　in　the　wayward　pine。　The　doll　would　be　lonely。　What　if　the　Princess　never　sent　her　out　again；　what　if　she　somehow　found　out　that　she　wanted　to　be　sent　out；　and　kept　her　in　the　castle　just　to　be　mean？
　
　〃Do　you　know　what　I　should　do？〃　she　asked　the　doll　as　she　looked　up　at　the　firelight　flickering　on　the　dark　branches　inside　the　tree。
　
　〃Help　Giller；〃　the　doll　said
　
　She　rolled　over　on　one　elbow　and　looked　at　the　doll。　〃Help　Giller？〃
　
　The　doll　nodded。　〃Help　Giller。〃
　
　…＋
　
　Rays　from　the　setting　sun　ahead　reflected　off　the　layer　of　leaves；　making　the　path　bright　and　shiny　between　the　dark　mass　of　woods　to　each　side。　Richard　could　hear　Kahlan's　boots　scuffing　across　rocks　hidden　under　the　colorful　mat。　A　light　scent　of　rot　was　in　the　air：　fallen　leaves　beginning　to　depose　in　the　low　damp　places　and　the　thick　piles　in　the　laps　of　rocks；　where　the　wind　had　collected　them。
　
　Even　though　it　was　getting　cold；　neither　Richard　nor　Kahlan　wore　their　cloaks；　being　warm　from　the　exertion。　of　the　pace　Old　John　was　setting。　Richard　kept　trying　to　think　about　Zedd；　but　his　train　of　thought　was　constantly　being　interrupted　by　having　to　lope　to　keep　up。　The　realization　that　he　was　getting　winded　finally　made　him　push　Zedd　from　his　mind。　But　one　thought　wouldn't　leave　him：　something　didn't　feel　right。
　
　At　last；　he　allowed　that　caution　to　blossom　in　his　mind。　How　could　an　old　man　be　out　walking　him　like　this；　yet　look　fresh　and　relaxed？　Richard　felt　his　forehead；　wondering　if　he　was　sick；　or　had　a　fever。　He　did　feel　hot。　Maybe　he　wasn't　well；　maybe　there　was　something　wrong　with　him。　They　had　been　pushing　hard　for　days；　but　not　this　hard。　No；　he　felt　fine；　simply　winded。
　
　For　a　while；　he　watched　Kahlan　walking　ahead　of　him。　She；　too；　was　having　difficulty　keeping　up。　She　pulled　another　spiderweb　off　her　face；　then　trotted　to　keep　up。　He　could　see　that；　like　him；　she　was　breathing　hard。　For　some　reason；　Richard's　caution　was　igniting　into　foreboding。
　
　He　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　something　off　to　the　left；　in　the　woods；　keeping　pace。　Just　a　small　animal；　he　thought。　But　it　looked　like　something　with　long　arms；　skittering　along　the　ground；　then　it　was　gone。　His　mouth　felt　dry。　It　must　just　be　his　imagination；　he　told　himself。
　
　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Old　John。　The　path　was　wide　in　some　places；　narrow　in　others　with　branches　that　reached　in　tight。　When　Kahlan　and　Richard　went　past；　they　both　sometimes　brushed　against　them；　or　simply　pushed　them　out　of　the　way。　Not　the　old　man。　He　stayed　to　the　center　of　the　trail；　avoiding　any　errant　limb；　his　arms　clutching　his　cloak　tightly　to　him。
　
　Richard's　eye　was　caught　by　the　strands　of　a　spiderweb；　glistening　golden　in　the　setting　sun；　stretched　across　the　path　in　front　of　Kahlan。　The　web　parted　against　her　upper　leg　when　she　walked　through　it。
　
　The　sweat　on　his　face　instantly　turned　ice　cold　against　his　skin。
　
　How　could　Old　John　not　have　broken　the　web？
　
　He　looked　up　and　saw　a　branch；　its　tip　sticking　out　in　the　path。　The　old　man　skirted　it。　But　not　the　tip。　The　tip　passed　through　his　arm　as　it　would　pass　through　smoke。
　
　Breathing　faster；　he　glanced　down　at　the　footprints　Kahlan　made　through　an　open　patch　of　soft　ground。　There　were　none　from　Old　John。
　
　Richard's　left　hand　shot　forward；　seized　a　fistful　of　Kahlan's　shirt；　and　yanked　her　behind　him；　causing　her　to　cry　out　in　surprise。　He　tossed　her　backward　as　his　right　hand　pulled　the　sword　free。
　
　Old　John　stopped　and　half　turned　at　the　sound　of　the　sword's　ringing。
　
　〃What　is　it；　my　boy？