Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [263]
Kahlan nodded and spoke softly to him. “We will see to her before I skin Giller.”
Rachel forced herself to swallow, so she could breathe. She knew it! She knew she shouldn’t trust a woman with long hair. She almost cried; she was just starting to like Kahlan. Richard was so nice. Why would he be nice to Kahlan? Why would he even be with a woman mean enough to hurt Giller. It must be like when she was nice to Princess Violet, so she wouldn’t get hurt. He must be afraid of getting hurt, too. She felt sorry for Richard. She wished he could run away from Kahlan like she was running away from Princess Violet. Maybe she should tell Richard about the box, and he could run away from Kahlan with her.
No. Giller said not to trust anyone. He might be too afraid of Kahlan, and tell her. She had to be brave for Giller. For all the other people. She had to get away.
“We can deal with it in the morning,” Kahlan said. “We better get some sleep so we can be off at first light.”
Richard nodded as he hugged her. “I’ll take the first watch. You get some sleep.”
He picked her up and handed her to Kahlan. Rachel bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Kahlan hugged her tight. Rachel looked down at her knife; even the Princess didn’t have a knife. She put her arms out to Richard with a whine. Richard smiled and put Sara in her hands. That wasn’t what she wanted, but she hugged Sara tight, and bit down on her foot to keep from crying.
Richard mussed her hair. “See you in the morning, little one.”
And then he was gone, and she was alone with Kahlan. She squeezed her eyes shut tight. She had to be brave, she couldn’t cry. But then she did.
Kahlan held her tight. Rachel shook. Fingers stroked her hair. Kahlan rocked her while Rachel eyed a dark gap in the boughs on the other side of the wayward pine. Kahlan’s chest was making funny little movements, and Rachel realized with wonder that she was crying, too. Kahlan put her cheek against the top of her head.
She almost started to believe… but then she remembered what Princess Violet said sometimes, that it hurt more to punish than to be punished. Her eyes went wide at what Kahlan must be planning that would make her cry. Even Princess Violet never cried when she dealt out a punishment. Rachel cried harder, and shook.
Kahlan took her hands away and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Rachel’s legs were too wobbly to run.
“Are you cold?” Kahlan whispered. Her voice sounded like there were still tears in it.
Rachel was afraid that no matter what she said she would get a slap. She gave a nod, ready for what might happen. Instead, Kahlan took a blanket out of her pack and wrapped it around the both of them, she guessed so it would be harder to get away.
“Come, lie close and I will tell you a story. We will keep each other warm. All right?”
Rachel lay on her side, her back against Kahlan, who curled all around her and put her arm over her. It felt nice, but she knew it was a trick. Kahlan’s face was close to her ear, and as she lay there, Kahlan told her a story about a fisherman who turned into a fish. The words made pictures in her head, and for a while she forgot about her troubles. Once, she and Kahlan even laughed together. When she was finished with the story, Kahlan kissed the top of her head and then stroked the side of her forehead.
She pretended Kahlan wasn’t really mean. It couldn’t hurt to pretend. Nothing had ever felt as good as those fingers on her, and the little song Kahlan sang in her ear. Rachel thought this must be what it felt like to have a mother.
Against her will, she fell asleep, and had wonderful dreams.
She came awake in the middle of the night when Richard woke Kahlan, but she pretended she was still asleep.
“You want to keep sleeping with her?” he whispered real soft.
Rachel held her breath.
“No,” Kahlan whispered back, “I’ll take my watch.”
Rachel could hear her putting on her cloak and going outside. She listened to which way Kahlan’s feet went. After he put some more wood in the fire, Richard lay down, close. She could see the inside