Terry Goodkind - Wizard's First Rule

Kahlan stuck a big piece of fish on a stick for her, and told her to blow on it until it was cool enough not to burn her mouth. Rachel blew a little, but she was too hungry to blow for long. It was the bestest fish she ever had. It was as good as the piece of meat the cooks had given her that one time.

“Ready for another piece?” Kahlan asked. Rachel nodded. Then she pulled a knife from her belt. “Should we all have a slice of your bread with the fish?” She started to reach for it.

Rachel dove for the loaf of bead, snatching it away just before Kahlan got her hand on it. Rachel hugged it to her with both arms. “No!” She pushed with her heels, scooting back, away from Kahlan.

Richard stopped eating—Kahlan frowned. Rachel reached one hand into her pocket, her fingers clutching the fire stick Giller had given her.

“Rachel? What’s the matter?” Kahlan asked.

Giller had told her, told her not to trust anyone. She had to think of something. What would Giller say?

“It’s for my grandmother!” She could feel a tear run down her cheek.

“Well then,” Richard said, “since it’s for your grandmother, we won’t touch it. Promise. Isn’t that right, Kahlan?”

“Of course. I’m sorry, Rachel, we didn’t know. I promise, too. Forgive me?”

Rachel took her hand back out of her pocket, and nodded. The lump in her throat was too big to talk past.

“Rachel,” Richard asked, “where is your grandmother?”

Rachel froze stiff—she didn’t really have a grandmother. She tried to think of the name of a place she had heard of. She thought about places she had heard the Queen’s advisors name. She said the first one that came into her head.

“Homers Mill.”

Before the words were finished coming out of her mouth, she knew it was a mistake. Richard and Kahlan both got scared looks on their faces and turned to look at each other. It was real quiet for a minute—Rachel didn’t know what was going to happen. She looked to the sides of the wayward pine, the spaces between the branches.

“Rachel, we won’t touch your grandmother’s bread,” Richard said in a soft voice, “we promise.”

“Come, have another piece of fish,” Kahlan said. “You can leave the loaf of bread over there—we won’t bother it.”

Rachel still didn’t move. She thought about running away, fast as she could, but she knew they could run faster, and would catch her. She had to do as Giller told her, hide with the box until winter, or all those people would get their heads chopped off.

Richard picked up Sara, and put her on his lap. He pretended to give her a piece of fish. “Sara’s going to eat all the fish. If you want any, you better get over here and have your share. Come on, you can sit on my lap and eat. All right?”

Rachel searched their faces, trying to decide if they were telling the truth. Women with long hair could lie easily. She looked at Richard—he didn’t look like he was lying. She got up and ran over to him. He pulled her into his lap, then put Sara on her lap.

Rachel snuggled up against him while they all ate fish. She didn’t look at Kahlan. Sometimes when you looked at a lady with long hair, it was improper, Princess Violet said. She didn’t want to do anything that would get her a slap. Or anything to get taken off Richard’s lap. It was warm in his lap, and made her feel safe.

“Rachel,” Richard said, “I’m sorry, but we can’t let you go to Homers Mill. There’s no one left in Homers Mill. It’s not safe.”

“That’s all right. I’ll go somewhere else then.”

“I’m afraid it’s not safe anywhere, Rachel,” Kahlan said. “We will take you with us, so you will be safe.”

“Where?”

Kahlan smiled. “We are going to Tamarang, to see the Queen.” Rachel stopped chewing. She couldn’t breathe. “We will take you with us. I’m sure the Queen will be able to find someone to take care of you, if I ask.”

“Kahlan, are you sure about this?” Richard whispered. “What about the wizard?”

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. 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.