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〃Well； all right；〃 she said at last； 〃it's cold tonight； I'd rather stay in anyway。〃
〃Well； there you go then。 You get to stay in tonight；〃 the regular guard said。
〃What's you name？〃 Rachel asked。
He looked a little surprised。 〃Queen's lancer Reid。〃
With her doll in her hand； Rachel pointed at the other regular guard。 〃What's yours？〃
〃Queen's lancer Walcott。〃
〃Queen's lancer Reid and Queen's lancer Walcott；〃 she repeated to herself。 〃All right； I think I can remember。〃 She pointed at the new man； the doll swinging back and forth by its arm when she did。 〃And what's your name？〃
He hooked his thumbs in his belt。 〃What do you want to know for？〃
She hugged Sara back to her chest。 〃Well； the Princess yelled at me； to tell me to be put out tonight。 If I don't go out； she'll be spitting mad； and want to chop my head off for not doing as she said； so I want to tell her who wouldn't let me be put out。 I want your names so she won't think I'm making it up； so she can e and ask you herself。 She scares me。 She's been starting to say to have people's heads chopped off。〃
All …three of them stood back up a little and looked at each other。 〃That's true enough；〃 Queen's lancer Reid said to the new man。 〃The Princess is turning into her mother's daughter。 A little handful； what with the Queen letting her cut her teeth on the axe now。〃 〃No one goes out； those are our orders；〃 the new man repeated。
〃Well； the two of us are for doing as the Princess orders。〃 Queen's lancer Reid turned a little and spat。 〃Now； if you want her kept in； that's fine by us； so long as it's clear whose neck's on the block。 If it es down to it； we told you to let her out； just like the Princess said。 We're not going to the block with you。〃 The other guard； Walcott； nodded that he agreed。 〃Not for the threat from a little girl； no taller than that。〃 He held his hand out；。 level with the top of her head。 〃I'll not tell them we three big strong soldiers all agreed we thought she was dangerous。 It's your call； but it'll be your head； not ours； if you go against the Princess。 You'll answer to the Queen's axeman； not us。〃
The new man looked down at her； he seemed a little mad。 He looked back at the other two a minute； then down at her again。 〃Well； it's obvious she's no threat。 The orders were meant to protect from threat； so I guess 。 。 。〃
Queen's lancer Walcott started lifting up the heavy bolt on the door。
〃But I want to know what she's got there；〃 the new man said。
〃Just my supper and my doll；〃 Rachel said； trying to make it sound unimportant。
〃Let's have a look。〃
Rachel laid the bundle down on the ground and untied the knots； laying the corners back。 She handed Sara up to him。
He took Sara in his big hand； turning her around； looking。 He turned her upside down and lifted her dress with his big finger。 Rachel kicked him in the leg； hard as she could。
〃Don't you do that！ Don't you have no respect？〃 she yelled。
The other two guards laughed。 〃You find anything dangerous under there？〃 Queen's lancer Reid asked。
The new man looked over at the other two； handing Sara back down to her。 〃What else have you got there？〃
〃I told you。 My supper。〃
He started to bend over。 〃Well； a little thing like you has no need for a whole loaf of bread。〃
〃That's mine！〃 she yelled。 〃Leave it be！〃
〃Leave it alone；〃 Queen's lancer Walcott told the new man
〃She gets little enough。 It look to you like the Princess overfeed her？〃
The new man straightened up。 〃I guess not。〃 He let out a deep breath。 〃Go on。 Get out of here。〃
Rachel tied the cloth back over the bread and other food as fast as she could。 She held Sara tight to her with one hand； and held the bundle just as tight with the other as she went between the men's legs and out the door。
When she heard it clang shut； she started running。 She ran fast as she could； not looking back； too afraid to know for sure it anyone was chasing her。 After a time； she had to know； and finally stopped to check。 No one。 Out of breath； she sat down to rest on a fat root in the path。
She could see the outline of the castle against the starry sky； the notched top edge of the wall； the towers with lights in them。 She was never going back there again； never。 Her and Giller were going to run away to where people were nice and they were never going to e back。 While she was panting；； she heard a voice。
〃Rachel？〃 It was Sara； she realized。
She laid Sara in her lap； on top of the bundle。 〃We're safe now； Sara。 We got away。〃
Sara smiled。 〃I'm so glad； Rachel。〃
〃We're never going back to that mean place again。〃
〃Rachel； Giller wants you to know something。〃
She had to lean close； she could hardly hear Sara's voice。 〃What？〃
〃That he can't e with you。 You must go on without him。〃
Rachel started to get tears。 〃But I want him to e with me。〃
〃He would like to； more than anything； child； but he must stay and keep them from finding you； so you can get away。 It's the only way to keep you safe。〃
〃But I'll be afraid by myself。〃
〃You won't be by yourself； Rachel； you will have me with you。 Always。〃 ；
〃But what am I to do？ Where am I to go？〃
〃You must run away。 Giller says not to go to your old wayward pine； they will find you there。〃 Rachel's eyes got big when she heard this。 〃Go to a different wayward pine； then the next day； another； just keep running away and hiding until the winter es。 Then find some nice people who will take good care of you。〃
〃All right； if Giller says so； that's what I'll do。〃
〃Rachel； Giller wants you to know he loves you。〃
〃I love Giller too；〃 Rachel said； 〃more than anything。〃
The doll smiled。
All at once； the woods lit up with blue and yellow light。 She looked up。 Then came a sudden loud bang that made her jump。 Her mouth dropped open； her eyes were wide as they would go。
A giant ball of fire came up from the…castle； from behind the walls。
The ball of fire lifted into the air。 Sparks dropped from it； and black smoke rolled away。 The fire turned to black smoke as it went higher； until it was all dark again。
〃Did you see that？〃 she asked Sara。
Sara didn't； say anything。
〃I hope Giller is all right。〃
She looked down at the doll； but she didn't say anything； or even smile back。
Rachel hugged Sara to her and； picked up the bundle。
〃We better get going； like Giller said。〃
When she went past the lake； she threw the key to her sleeping box as far as she could； out into the water； and smiled when she heard it splash。
Sara didn't say anything as they rushed away from the castle； down the path。 Rachel remembered what Giller said； that she shouldn't go to the same wayward pine。 She turned and went down a deer trail； through the bramble； in a new direction。
West
CHAPTER 34
THERE WAS A SOUND。 Small； soft； spitting。
In the fog of half sleep； half wake； it made no sense； no matter how hard he tried to understand it。 Slowly at first； then with accelerating urgency； he came awake； aware of the aroma of cooking meat。 Immediately； he regretted the experience of being conscious； the… memories of what had happened； his longing for Kahlan。 His knees were pulled up to his chest with his head resting against them。 The bark of the tree at his back dug painfully into his flesh； and his muscles were cramped to near paralysis from sleeping in the same position all night。 With his head against his knees he couldn't see anything； except that it was only just 。beginning to lighten with dawn。
There was someone； or something； near him。
Continuing to feign sleep； he took assessment of where hi；； hands were in relation to …his weapons。 The sword was a goodly reach； and then a long pull to draw it。 The knife wasn't。 His fingertips were touching the hickory handle。 Flexing his finger； slowly； carefully； he worked the handle into his palm； tightening his grip around it。 Whatever it was； was near to his left side。 A spring and a thrust with the knife； he thought。
He took a careful peek。 With a shock； he saw that it was Kahlan。 She was sitting； leaning against the log； watching him。 A rabbit was cooking on the fire。 He sat up straight。
〃What are you doing here？〃 he asked cautiously。
〃Is it all right if we talk？〃
Richard slid the knife back into its sheath； stretched his legs； rubbing the cramps from them。 〃I thought we did all our talking last night。〃 He immediately winced at his own words。 She gave him an unreadable look。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； softening his tone。 〃Of course we can talk。 What do you want to talk about？〃
She shrugged in the dim light。 〃I've been doing a lot of thinking。〃 She had a length of birch branch that he had cut the night before for the fire； and was stripping off pieces of white bark。 〃Last night； after I left； well； I knew you had a headache 。 。 。〃
〃How did you know that？〃
She shrugged again。 〃I can always tell； by the look in your eyes； when you have a headache。〃 Her voice was soft； gentle。 〃I knew you had