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Rachel giggled and hugged her arms to his sides。 〃Look； Richard。〃 She put a foot out toward him； showing off a shoe。 〃Chase brought down a buck。 He said it was a mistake； because it was too big； so he traded it to a man； but all the man had to trade were these shoes； and this cloak。 Aren't they wonderful？ And Chase says I can keep them。〃
Richard grinned at her。 〃Yes； that is indeed wonderful。〃 He noticed Rachel's doll and the bundle with the bread nestled between her and Chase。 He also noticed her eyes going to Siddin； as if she had seen him before。
Kahlan put a hand on Rachel's leg。 〃Why did you run off？ You scared us with worry for you。〃
Rachel flinched at Kahlan's touch。 She hugged one arm to Chase and thrust a hand in her pocket。 She didn't answer Kahlan's question； but looked instead toward Siddin。 〃Why do you have him？〃
〃Kahlan rescued him；〃 Richard said。 〃The Queen had him locked up in the dungeon。 That's no place for a child； so she took him out。〃
Rachel looked down at Kahlan。 〃Wasn't the Queen mad？〃
〃I don't allow anyone to hurt children；〃 Kahlan said。 〃Not even a queen。〃
〃Well； don't just stand there staring。 I brought you all horses。 Mount up。 I figured I'd catch you today。 I have a wild boar roasting back at the place you stayed last night； just this side of the Callisidrin。〃
With one hand on the saddle and the other arm holding Siddin； Zedd leapt to a horse。 〃Wild boar！ What kind of fool are you？ Leaving a wild boar roasting unprotected！ Anyone could just e along and take it！〃 〃Why do you think I want you to hurry？ The place is filthy with wolf tracks； though I doubt they'd e near a fire。〃
〃Don't you dare hurt that wolf；〃 Zedd warned。 〃He's a friend of the Mother Confessor。〃
Chase cast an eye to Kahlan； then to Richard； before turning his horse and leading them into the setting sun。 Richard was heartened by having Chase back。 It made him feel； once again； that anything was possible。 After she had mounted； Kahlan took Siddin； the two of them talking and laughing as they rode。
At the camp； Zedd wasted no time before checking the roasting boar； and pronounced it fit to eat。 He shifted his robes and sat down； waiting with a grin on his wrinkled face for someone with a knife to carve dinner。 Siddin； with a grin frozen on his face； too； leaned against Kahlan after she sat down。 Richard and Chase started carving up the boar。 Rachel sat close to Chase's side； watching him； keeping an eye to Kahlan； her doll in her lap； and the loaf of bread； wrapped in the cloth； at her hip。
Richard cut a big piece and handed it to Zedd。 〃So； what happened？ With my brother； I mean。〃
Chase grinned。 〃When I told him the things you told me to tell him； he said that if you were in trouble； he was going to help。 He pulled together the army； and we sent most of them into defensive positions along the boundary； with the wardens manding them。 After the boundary came down he refused to wait behind。 He led a thousand of his best men into the Midlands。 They're all bivouacked up in 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 c