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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 fu
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 pla
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 of the wayward pine brighten. She knew Richard was watching her; she could feel his eyes on her back. She wanted so much to tell him how mean Kahlan really was, and ask him to run away with her. He was such a nice man, and his hugs were the bestest things in the whole world. He reached over and pulled the blanket up around her tighter, tucking it under her chin. Tears ran down her cheeks.
She could hear him lie on his back and pull his blanket up. Rachel waited until she heard his even breathing and she knew he was asleep before she slipped out from under the blanket