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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 chop off my head too； so I ran away。〃
Richard eyed the loaf of bread she kept at her hip。 He squatted down next to her。 〃Giller helped you run away； didn't he？〃
She was near tears。 〃Giller gave me Sara。 He wanted to run away with me。 But then a mean man came。 Father Rahl。 He looked real mad at Giller。 Giller told me to run； and to hide until winter； then to find a new family to live with。〃 A tear ran down her cheek。 〃Sara told me he couldn't e with me anymore。〃
Richard glanced again at the loaf of bread。 It was about the right size。 He put his hands on her shoulders。 〃Rachel。 Zedd； and Kahlan； and Chase； and I； are fighting against Darken Rahl； so that he won't be able to hurt people anymore：〃
She turned her head back to Chase。
Chase nodded。 〃He's telling you the truth； child。 You tell him the truth too。〃
He tightened his grip on her shoulders。 〃Rachel； did Giller give you that loaf of bread？〃 She nodded。 〃Rachel； we were going to Giller to get a box； a box to help us stop Darken Rahl from hurting people。 Will you give it to us？ Will you help us stop Rahl？〃
Her watery eyes looked at him； then with a brave smile； she picked up the bread and handed it to him。 〃It's in the loaf of bread。 Giller hid it in there with magic。〃
Richard threw his arms around her； nearly hugging the breath out of her。 He stood； hugging her to him； and spun in circles until she giggled。 〃Rachel； you are the bravest； smartest； prettiest girl I have ever known！〃 When he set her down； she ran to Chase and crawled into his lap。 He mussed her hair and put his big arms around her as she smiled and hugged him
Richard picked up the loaf of bread in both hands。 He held it out to Kahlan。 She smiled and shook her head。 He held it to Zedd。
〃The Seeker found it；〃 Zedd smiled。 〃The Seeker should open it。〃
Richard broke the bread open； and there inside was the jeweled box of Orden。 He wiped his hands on his pants； pulled the box out； and held it up to the firelight。 He knew from the Book of Counted Shadows that the glittering box they saw was only a covering for the real box underneath。 He even knew from the book how to remove the cover。
He put the box in Kahlan's lap。 As she picked it up； she gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen。 Before he even knew what he had done； he had leaned over and given Kahlan a quick kiss。 Her eyes went wide； and she didn't kiss him back； but the feel of her lips shocked him into realizing what he had done。
〃Oh。 Sorry；〃 he said。
She laughed。 〃Forgiven。〃
Richard hugged Zedd as they both laughed。 Chase laughed watching him。 Richard could hardly believe that just a short time ago； he had almost given up； had no idea what to do next； where to go； or how to stop Rahl。 And now they had the box。
He set it on a rock where they could all see it in the firelight while they had the best dinner Richard could ever remember。 Richard and Kahlan told Chase some of what they had been through。 To Richard's delight； Chase was disturbed to learn that he owed his life to Bill； back at Southaven。 Chase told them some of his own stories of bringing an army of a thousand men across the Rang'Shada。 He enjoyed telling drawn…out tales of the foolishness of bureaucracy in the field。
Rachel cuddled in Chase's lap while she ate and he talked。 Richard thought it was interesting that she chose the most fearsome among them for fort。 When at last he finished his story； she looked up and asked； 〃Chase； where should I go； to hide until winter？〃
He regarded her with a glower。 〃You're too ugly to be left to wander about。 A gar would eat you sure。〃 That made her laugh。 〃I have other children； they're all ugly too。 You'll fit right in。 I guess I'll take you to live at my house。〃 〃Really； Chase？〃 Richard asked。
〃I've e home enough times and had my wife present me with a new child。 I think it's about time I turned affairs about on her。〃 He looked down at Rachel； who clung to him as if he might float away。 〃But I have rules； you know。 You have to follow my rules。〃
〃I'll d