wouldn't finish； so she wouldn't have to pick up the box； the Queen's favorite thing in the whole world。
The Queen wouldn't be happy at all if she knew that some nobody had touched it。 Rachel knew the Queen was always having somebody's head chopped off。 Sometimes； the Princess made Rachel go with her to watch； but Rachel always closed her eyes。 The Princess didn't。
When all the jewelry was put away； the last drawer closed； she looked out of the corner of her eye； down at the box sitting on the floor。 She felt as if it were looking back； as if it might somehow tell the Queen。 Finally； squatting down； eyes wide； she picked it up。 Holding it at arm's length； she carefully shuffled her feet over the edges of carpets； terrified she might drop it。 She set the box in its place as slowly as she could； carefully； gingerly； fearing a jewel might fall out or something。 She quickly drew her fingers away； relieved。
Turning back； she caught sight of the hem of a silver robe that touched the floor。 Her breath caught in her throat。 She hadn't heard footsteps。 Her head slowly； almost involuntarily； rose up the line of the robe； to the hands stuck in the opposite sleeves； to the long； pointed； white beard； to the bony face； the hooked nose； the bald head； and the dark eyes looking down at her startled face。
The wizard。
〃Wizard Giller；〃 she whined； fully expecting to be struck dead any second； 〃I was only putting it back。 I swear。 Please； please don't kill me。〃 Her face wrinkled up as she tried to make herself back away； but her feet wouldn't move。 〃Please。〃 She stuck the hem of her dress in her mouth； biting it as she whimpered。
Rachel scrunched her eyes closed and shook as the wizard began sinking； lowering himself to the floor。
〃Child；〃 he said in a soft voice。 Rachel cautiously opened one eye； surprised to find he was sitting on the floor； his face even with hers。 〃I am not going to hurt you。〃
She opened the other eye； just as cautiously。 〃You're not？〃 She didn't believe him。 She saw with a start that the big heavy door was closed； her only escape route blocked。
〃No；〃 he smiled； shaking his bald head。 〃Who took the box down？〃
〃We were playing。 That's all； just playing。 I was putting it back for the Princess。 She's very good to me； so very good； I wanted to help her。 She's a wonderful person。 I love her； she's so kind to me 。 。 。' He put a long finger over her lips； to gently silence her。 〃I get the point； child。 So； you are the Princess's playmate then？〃
She nodded in earnest。 〃Rachel。〃
His grin got bigger。 〃That's a pretty name。 Glad to meet you； Rachel。 I'm sorry I frightened you。 I。 was only ing to check on the Queen's box。〃
No one had ever told her that her name was pretty。 But he had shut the big door。 〃You're not going to strike me dead？ Or change me into something horrid？〃
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 he laughed。 He turned his head； peering at her with one eye。 〃Why are there red marks on your cheeks？〃
She didn't answer； too scared to say。 Slowly； carefully； he reached out； his fingers touching one cheek； then the other。 Her eyes opened wide。 The sting was gone。
〃Better？〃
She nodded。 His eyes seemed so big； the way they looked at her up close like this。 They made her feel like telling him； so she did。 〃The Princess hits me；〃 she admitted； ashamed。
〃So'？ She is not so kind to you； then？〃
She shook her head； casting her eyes downward。 Then the wizard did something that absolutely stunned her。 He reached around and gave her a gentle hug。 She stood stiffly for a moment； then put her arms around his neck； hugging him back。 His long white whiskers tickled the side of her face and neck； but she still liked it。
He looked at her with sad eyes。 〃I'm sorry； dear child。 The Princess and the Queen can be quite cruel。〃
His voice sounded so nice； she thought； like Brophy's。 A big grin spread beneath his hook nose。
〃Tell you what； I have something here that might help。〃 A thin hand reached into his robes； and he looked up into the air while his hand felt around。…Then his hand found what it was looking for。 Her eyes went wide as he pulled out a doll with short hair the same yellow color as hers。 He patted the doll's tummy。 〃This is a trouble doll。〃
〃Trouble doll？〃 she whispered。
〃Yes。〃 He nodded。 There were deep wrinkles at the ends of his smile。 〃When you have troubles； you tell them to the doll； and she takes them away for you。 She has magic。 Here。 Try it out。〃 Rachel could hardly take a breath as she reached out with both hands； her fingers carefully clutching the doll。 She pulled it to her chest cautiously and hugged it。 Then； tentatively； slowly； she held it out； looking at its face。 Her eyes got all watery。
〃Princess Violet says I'm ugly；〃 she confided in the doll。
The face on the doll smiled。 Rachel's mouth dropped open。
〃I love you； Rachel；〃 it said in a tiny little voice。
Rachel gasped in surprise； she giggled in glee； she hugged the doll to her as tight as she could。 She laughed and laughed； swinging her body back and forth as she hugged the doll to her chest。
Then； she remembered。 She pushed the doll back at the wizard； turning her face away。
〃I'm not allowed to have a doll。 The Princess said so。 She would throw it in the fire； that's what she said。 If I had a doll； she would throw it in the fire。〃 She could hardly speak； because of the lump in her throat。
〃Well； let me think；〃 the wizard said； rubbing his chin。 〃Where do you sleep？〃
〃Most of the time； I sleep in the Princess's bedroom。 She locks me in the box at night。 I think that's mean。 Sometimes； when she says I've been bad； she makes me leave the castle for the night； so I have to sleep outside。 She thinks that's even meaner； but I really like it； because I have a secret place； in a wayward pine； where I sleep。
〃Wayward pines don't have locks on them； you know。 I can go potty whenever I have to。 It's pretty cold sometimes； but I got a pile of straw； and I climb under it to keep warm。 I have to e back in the morning； before she sends the guards to look for me； so they won't find my secret place。 I don't want them to find it。 They would tell the Princess and she wouldn't send me out anymore。〃
The wizard tenderly cupped his hands around her face。 It made her feel special。 〃Dear child；〃 he whispered； 〃that I could have been a party to this。〃 His eyes were wet。 Rachel didn't know wizards could get tears。 Then his big grin came back； and he held up a finger。 〃I have an idea。 You know the gardens； the formal gardens？〃
Rachel nodded。 〃I go through them to go to my secret place； when I'm put out at night。 The Princess makes me go through the outer wall at the garden gate。 She doesn't want me to go out the front； past the shops and people。 She's afraid someone might take me in for the night。 She told me 1 mustn't go to the town or the farmland。 I must go to the woods； as punishment。〃
〃Well； as you walk down the central path of the garden； there are short urns； on both sides； with yellow flowers in them。〃 Rachel nodded。 She knew where they were。 〃I will hide your doll in the third urn on the right。 I will put a wizard's web over it…that's magic…so no one but you will find it。〃 He took the doll and carefully tucked it away back in his robes as her eyes followed it。 〃The next time you are put out for the night； you go there and you will find your doll。 Then you can keep it at your place； your wayward pine； where no one will find it； or take it from you。
〃And I will also leave you a magic fire stick。 Just build a little stack of sticks； not too big now； with stones around it； and then hold the magic fire stick to it and say ‘Light for me；' and it will burn； so you can keep warm。〃
Rachel threw her arms around him； hugging and hugging him as he patted her back。 〃Thank you； wizard Giller。〃
〃You may call me Giller when we are alone； child； just Giller； that is what all my good friends call me。〃
〃Thank you so much for my doll； Giller。 No one ever gave me anything so nice before。 I'll take the bestest care of her。 I have to go now。 I'm to scold the c