tg.wizardfirstrule- 第158节

　
　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　do　anything　you　say；　Chase。〃
　
　〃Well；　there　you　go；　that's　the　first　rule。　I　don't　allow　any　of　my　children　to　call　me　Chase。　If　you　want　to　be　a　member　of　my　family；　you　have　to　call　me　Father。　And　about　your　hair；　it's　too　short。　My　children　all　have　long　hair　and　I　like　it　that　way。　You'll　have　to　let　your　hair　grow　out　some。　And　you'll　have　a　mother。　You'll　have　to　mind　her。　And　you'll　have　to　play　with　your　new　brothers　and　sisters。　Do　you　think　you　can　do　all　that？〃
　
　She　nodded　against　him；　unable　to　talk　as　she　hugged　him；　tears　glistening　in　her　eyes。
　
　They　all　excitedly　ate　their　fill。　Even　Zedd　seemed　to　have　had　enough。　Richard　felt　exhausted；　and　at　the　same　time　full　of　energy；　to　finally　have　the　box　in　their　hands。　They　had　done　the　hard　part；　they　had　found　the　box　before　Rahl。　Now　they　had　only　to　keep　it　from　him　until　winter。
　
　〃We　have　been　weeks　in　this　quest；〃　Kahlan　said。　〃The　first　day　of　winter　is　a　month　away。　Earlier　today；　that　seemed　scarcely　enough　time　to　get　the　box。　Now　that　we　have　it；　it　seems　forever。　What　shall　we　do　until　it　is　finished？〃
　
　Chase　spoke　up　first。　〃We　have　all　of　us　to　protect　the　box；　and　we　have　a　thousand　men　to　protect　us。　When　we　get　back　across　the　border；　we　will　have　many　times　that。〃
　
　She　looked　at　Zedd。　〃Do　you　think　that's　wise？　We　would　be　easy　to　find；　a　thousand　men；　I　mean。　Would　it　not　be　better　to　hide　somewhere；　by　ourselves？〃
　
　Zedd　leaned　back　and　rubbed　his　full　stomach。　〃We　could　hide　better　by　ourselves；　but　we　would　also　be　more　vulnerable；　if　discovered。　Perhaps　Chase　is　correct。　There　would　be　a　lot　of　protection　among　a　force　that　large；　and　if　we　had　to；　we　could　still　leave　them　and　go　to　cover。〃
　
　〃We　better　get　an　early　start；〃　Richard　said
　
　…＋
　
　It　was　barely　light　when　they　were　off；　the　horses　to　the　road；　Brophy　to　woods；　shadowing　them；　or　at　times　scouting　ahead。　Chase；　bristling　with　weapons；　led　them　at　a　trot；　Rachel　holding　him　tight。　Kahlan；　back　in　her　forest　garb；　and　with　Siddin　sitting　at　her　lap；　rode　next　to　Zedd。　Richard　had　insisted　that　Zedd　carry　the　box；　it　was　wrapped　in　the　cloth　that　held　the　bread　before；　and　tied　to　the　horn　of　his　saddle。　Richard　followed　behind；　watching　everything　as　they　rode　quickly　into　the　cold　morning　air。　Now　that　they　had　the　box；　he　felt　suddenly　vulnerable；　as　if　somehow　everyone　would　know；　just　by　looking　at　them。
　
　Richard　could　hear　the　waters　of　the　Callisidrin　before　‘they　rounded　the　curve　to　the　bridge。　He　was　glad　to　see　the　road　deserted。　Chase　spurred　his　horse　to　a　gallop　as　he　approached　the　big　wooden　bridge；　the　rest　of　them　giving　a　heel　to　their　horses　to　keep　pace。　Richard　knew　what　Chase　was　doing。　The　boundary　warden　had　always　told　him　that　bridges　were　the　bane　of　the　unwary。　Richard　watched　in　every　direction　as　the　other　three　galloped　across　in　front　of　him。　He　saw　nothing。
　
　In　the　exact　center　of　the　bridge；　at　a　full　gallop；　he　ran　solidly　into　something　that　wasn't　there。
　
　Stunned；　Richard　sat　up；　dumbfounded　at　finding　himself　on　the　ground；　and　seeing　his　big　roan　running　with　the　other　horses；　then　stopping　with　them　as　they　halted　and　turned。　The　others　looked　back　in　confusion　as　Richard；　still　dazed　and　bewildered；　rose　painfully　to　his　feet。　He　brushed　himself　off　and　started　limping　to　retrieve　his　horse。　Before　he　reached　the　center　of　the　bridge；　he　smacked　into　it　again。　It　felt　like　walking　into　a　stone　wall；　but　there　was　nothing　there。　He　found　himself　sitting　on　the　ground　again。　The　others　were　around　him　this　time　as　he　got　to　his　feet。
　
　Zedd　was　off　his　horse；　holding　its　reins　in　one　hand；　and　helping　Richard　with　the　other。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Richard　managed。　〃It　felt　like　I　ran　into　a　wall；　right　in　the　center　of　the　bridge。　I　must　have　just　fallen　off；　that's　all。　I　think　I'm　all　right　now。〃
　
　Zedd　looked　around　and　led　him　forward　with　a　hand　on　his　elbow。　Befor