tg.stone of tears-第102部分

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　Tired。　She　was　so　very　tired。
　
　She　tried　to　close　her　eyes；　but　they　wouldn’t　close。　How　could　a　person　die；　if　they　couldn’t　close　their　eyes？
　
　There　were　a　lot　of　stars。　Pretty　stars。　There　seemed　to　be　fewer　than　she　remembered。　Hardly　any　at　all。　She　thought　her　mother　had　told　her　once　how　many　there　were。　But　she　couldn’t　remember。
　
　Well；　she　would　just　have　to　count　them。
　
　One　。。。　two　。。。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21
　
　‘How　long？’　Chase　asked。
　
　The　seven　fierce…looking　men　that　were　squatted　down　in　a　half　circle　before　her　and　Chase　just　stared　at　him　and　blinked。　None　of　the　seven　had　any　weapons　except　belt　knives；　and　one　didn’t　even　have　that。　But　there　were　a　lot　of　other　men　standing　behind　them；　and　they　all　had　bows　or　spears；　or　both。
　
　Rachel　tugged　her　thick；　brown；　woolen　cloak　tighter　around　herself　and　shifted　her　weight　as　she　squatted；　wiggling　her　toes；　wishing　her　feet　weren’t　so　cold。　They　were　starting　to　tingle。　She　stroked　her　fingers　over　the　big；　amber　stone　hanging　on　the　chain　from　her　neck。　Its　smooth　teardrop　shape　felt　warm　against　her　fingers。
　
　Chase　mumbled　something　Rachel　couldn’t　understand　as　he　pushed　his　heavy　black　cloak　back　over　his　shoulders　and　then　pointed　with　a　stick　at　the　two　people　drawn　in　the　dirt。　All　the　leather　belts　for　his　weapons　creaked　as　he　leaned　forward　on　boots　big　enough　for　any　of　the　other　men　to　fit　both　of　their　feet　into　just　one。　He　tapped　his　stick　on　the　ground　again；　then　turned　and　pushed　his　hand　out　toward　the　grassland。
　
　‘How　long？’　He　pointed　at　the　drawing　and　pushed　his　hand　out　a　few　more　times。　‘How　long　since　they　left？’
　
　They　chattered　something　Chase　and　she　couldn’t　understand；　and　then　the　man　with　long　silver　hair　falling　down　around　his　sun　brown　face；　the　one　who　didn’t　have　a　coyote　hide　around　his　shoulders　but　wore　only　simple　buckskin　clothes；　drew　another　picture　in　the　dirt。　She　could　tell　what　it　was　easy　this　time。　It　was　the　sun。　He　made　marks　under　it。　Chase　watched　as　the　man　drew　three　rows　of　marks　under　the　picture　of　the　sun。　He　stopped。
　
　Chase　stared　at　the　picture。　Three　weeks。’　He　looked　up　at　the　man　with　the　long　hair。　Three　weeks？’　He　pointed　at　the　sun　on　the　ground　and　held　up　most　of　his　fingers　three　times。　They’ve　been　gone　three　weeks？’
　
　The　man　nodded　and　made　some　more　of　those　funny　words。
　
　Siddin　handed　her　another　piece　of　flat　bread　with　honey。　It　tasted　wonderful。　She　tried　to　eat　it　slowly；　but　it　was　gone　before　she　knew　it。　She　had　tasted　honey　only　once　before；　back　at　the　castle　when　she　lived　there　as　the　Princess’s　playmate。　The　Princess　never　let　her　have　honey；　said　it　wasn’t　for　the　likes　of　her；　but　one　of　the　cooks　had　given　her　some　once。
　
　Her　stomach　fluttered　at　the　memory　of　how　mean　the　Princess　had　been　to　her。　She　never　wanted　to　live　in　a　castle　again。　Now　that　she　was　Chase’s　daughter；　she　would　never　have　to。　Every　night　she　lay　in　her　blankets；　before　she　went　to　sleep；　and　wondered　what　the　rest　of　her　new　family　was　like。
　
　Chase　said　she　would　have　sisters　and　brothers。　And　a　real　mother。　He　said　she　would　have　to　mind　her　new　mother。　She　could　do　that。　It　was　easy　to　mind　when　someone　loved　you。
　
　Chase　loved　her。　He　never　really　said　it；　but　it　was　easy　to　tell。　He　put　his　huge　arm　around　her；　and　stroked　her　hair；　when　she　was　afraid　of　sounds　in　the　dark。
　
　Siddin　smiled　at　her　as　he　licked　the　honey　off　his　fingers。　It　was　nice　to　see　him　again。　When　they　had　first　e　here　she　thought　there　was　going　to　be　trouble。　Scary　men；　all　painted　with　mud；　and　with　grass　stuck　all　over　themselves；　came　up　to　them　when　they　were　still　out　on　the　grassland。　She　didn’t　even　see　where　they　came　from。　They　were　just　there　all　of　a　sudden。
　
　Rachel　was　afraid　at　first；　because　the　men　pointed　arrows　at　them；　and　their　voices　sounded　scary　and　she　couldn’t　understand　what　they　said；　but　Chase　just　got　off　the　horse　and　held　her　in　his　arms　while　he　watched　them。　He　didn’t　even　draw　his　sword　or　anything。　She　didn’t　think　anything　scared　him。　He　was　the　bravest　man　she　ever　saw。　The　men　had　looked　at　her　as　she　stared　at　them；　and　Chase　stroked　her　hair　and　told　her　not　to　be　afraid。　The　men　stopped　pointing　the　arrows　at　them；　and　led　them　to　the　village。
　
　When　they　got　here；　she　saw　Siddin。　Siddin　knew　her　and　Chase；　from　before　when　Kahlan　had　saved　him　from　Queen　Milena　back　in　the　castle。　Zedd；　Kahlan；　Chase；　Siddin；　and　she　had　all　been　together　when　they　were　running　with　the　box。　She　couldn’t　speak　Siddin’s　language；　but　he　knew　them；　and　told　his　father　who　they　were。　After　that；　everyone　was　real　nice　to　them。
　
　Chase　pointed　with　one　finger　to　one　of　the　pictures　of　a　person；　the　finger　of　his　other　hand　to　the　other　picture；　and　then　held　the　fingers　together　and　pointed　away；　moving　his　hands　like　they　were　going　over　hills。　‘Richard　and　Kahlan　left　three　weeks　ago；　and　they　went　north？　To　Aydindril？’
　
　The　men　all　shook　their　heads　and　started　jabbering　again。　Siddin’s　father　held　up　his　hand　for　quiet。　He　pointed　at　himself　and　the　other　men　and　held　up　three　fingers；　then　he　pointed　at　the　picture　on　the　ground　that　had　a　dress　and　said　Kahlan’s　name；　and　then　he　pointed　north。
　
　Chase　pointed　at　the　picture　of　the　sun；　then　the　picture　of　Kahlan；　then　at　the　men；　holding　up　three　fingers；　then　north。　‘Three　weeks　ago；　Kahlan　and　three　of　your　men　went　north；　to　Aydindril？’
　
　The　men　all　nodded　and　said　‘Kahlan’　and　‘Aydindril。’
　
　Chase　put　a　knee　to　the　ground　as　he　leaned　forward；　tapping　the　picture　of　the　other　person。　‘But　Richard　went；　too。’　He　pointed　north　again。　‘Richard　went　to　Aydindril　too。　With　Kahlan。’
　
　The　men　all　turned　to　the　man　with　the　long　silver　hair。　He　looked　at　Chase　and　then　shook　his　head。　The　carved　piece　of　bone　hanging　from　a　leather　thong　around　his　neck　swung　back　and　forth。　He　pointed　down　at　the　picture　of　the　man　with　a　sword；　and　then　pointed　in　a　different　direction。
　
　Chase　stared　at　the　man　for　a　long　minute；　then　he　frowned；　as　if　he　didn’t　understand。　The　man　leaned　over　with　the　stick　and　drew　three　more　people；　each　with　a　dress。　He　looked　up　from　under　his　eyebrows　as　if　he　wanted　to　make　sure　Chase　was　watching；　and　then　he　drew　an　X　across　two　of　the　figures。　His　eyes　returned　to　Chase　again　as　he　folded　his　arms　over　his　knees；　waiting。
　
　‘What　does　that　mean？　Dead？　Is　that　what　you　mean；　they　are　dead？’　The　men　stared；　not　moving。　Chase　pulled　a　single　finger；　like　a　knife；　across　his　throat。　‘Dead？’
　
　The　man　with　the　silver　hair　gave　one　nod　and　said　‘dead；’　but　it　sounded　a　little　funny；　the　way　he　made　the　word　seem　longer　than　it　should。　He　pointed　with　his　stick　to　the　picture　of　the　sun；　then　the　picture　of　Kahlan；　and　then　he　pointed　over　his　shoulder　to　the　way　they　went。　He　pointed　to　the　sun　again；　then　at　the　picture　of　Richard；　then　at　the　picture　of　the　woman　without　the　X；　then　he　pointed　in　a　different　direction。
　
　Chase　stood。　His　chest　rose　and　then　fell　as　he　let　out　the　deep　breath。　He　was　awfully　tall。　H