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en chest became flexible； suddenly rising and falling as he began to pant like a recovering sprinter。
his eyes opened and met sabriel鈥檚。 fine grey eyes； but muzzy and unfocused。 he didn鈥檛 seem to see her。 his fingers clenched and unclenched； and his feet shuffled； as if he were running in place。 finally； his back peeled away from the ship鈥檚 hull。 he took one step forward； and fell into sabriel鈥檚 arms。
she lowered him hastily to the ground； all too aware that she was embracing a naked young man鈥攊n circumstances considerably different than the various scenarios she鈥檇 imagined with her friends at school； or heard about from the earthier and more privileged day…girls。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯e said； almost drunkenly； the words terribly slurred。 he seemed to focus on her鈥攐r her surcoat鈥攆or the first time； and added； 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
then he went to sleep； mouth curling up at the corners； frown dissolving。 he looked younger than he did as a fixed…expression figurehead。
sabriel looked down at him； trying to ignore curiously fond feelings that had appeared from somewhere。 feelings similar to those that had made her bring back jacinth鈥檚 rabbit。
鈥渋 suppose i鈥檇 better get him a blanket；鈥潯he said reluctantly； as she wondered what on earth had possessed her to add this plication to her already confusing and difficult circumstances。
she supposed she would have to get him to safety and civilization； at the very least鈥攊f there was any to be found。
鈥渋 can get a blanket if you want to keep staring at him；鈥潯ogget said slyly； twining himself around her ankles in a sensuous pavane。
sabriel realized she really was staring； and looked away。
鈥渘o。 i鈥檒l get it。 and my spare shirt； i suppose。
the breeches might fit him with a bit of work； i guess鈥攚e鈥檇 be much the same height。 keep watch； mogget。 i鈥檒l be back in a minute。鈥�
mogget watched her hobble off； then turned back to the sleeping man。 silently； the cat padded over and touched his pink tongue to the charter mark on the man鈥檚 forehead。 the mark flared； but mogget didn鈥檛 flinch； till it grew dull again。
鈥渟o；鈥潯uttered mogget； tasting his own tongue by curling it back on itself。 he seemed somewhat surprised； and more than a little angry。 he tasted the mark again； and then shook his head in distaste； the miniature saraneth on his collar ringing a little peal that was not of celebration。
chapter xiv
锝炲皬锛滆t xt锛嬶紜澶╋紴鍫�
grey mist coiling upwards； twining around him like a clinging vine； gripping arms and legs； immobilizing； strangling； merciless。 so firmly grown about his body there was no possibility of escape； so tight his muscles couldn鈥檛 even flex under skin； his eyelids couldn鈥檛 blink。 and nothing to see but patches of darker grey； crisscrossing his vision like windblown scum upon a fetid pool。
then； suddenly； fierce red light； pain exploding everywhere； rocketing from toes to brain and back again。 the grey mist clearing； mobility returning。 no more grey patches； but blurry colors； slowly twisting into focus。 a woman； looking down at him； a young woman； armed and armored； her face 。 。 。 battered。 no； not a woman。 the abhorsen； for she wore the blazon and the bells。 but she was too young； not the abhorsen he knew； or any of the family 。 。 。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯e said； the words ing out like a mouse creeping from a dusty larder。
鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
then he fainted； his body rushing gladly to wele real sleep； true unconsciousness and sanity…restoring rest。
he awoke under a blanket； and felt a moment鈥檚 panic when the thick grey wool pressed upon his mouth and eyes。 he struggled with it； threw it back with a gasp； and relaxed as he felt fresh air on his face and dim sunlight filtering down from above。 he looked up and saw from the reddish hue that it must be soon after dawn。 the sinkhole puzzled him for a few seconds鈥敗isoriented； he felt dizzy and stupid； till he looked at the tall masts all around； the black sails； and the unfinished ship nearby。
鈥渉olehallow；鈥潯e muttered to himself； frowning。
he remembered it now。 but what was he doing here？ pletely naked under a rough camping blanket？ he sat up； and shook his head。 it was sore and his temples were throbbing； seemingly from the battering…ram effect of a severe hangover。 but he felt certain he hadn鈥檛 been drinking。 the last thing he remembered was going down the steps。
rogir had asked him 。 。 。 no 。 。 。 the last thing was the fleeting image of a pale； concerned face； bloodied and bruised； black hair hanging out in a fringe under her helmet。 a deep blue surcoat； with the blazon of silver keys。 the abhorsen。
鈥渟he鈥檚 washing at the spring；鈥潯aid a soft voice； interrupting his faltering recollection。 鈥渟he got up before the sun。 cleanliness is a wonderful thing。鈥�
the voice did not seem to belong to anything visible； till the man looked up at the nearby ship。
there was a large； irregular hole in the bow； where the figurehead should have been and a white cat was curled up in the hole； watching him with an unnaturally sharp； green…eyed gaze。
鈥渨hat are you？鈥潯aid the man； his eyes cautiously flickering from side to side； looking for a weapon。 a pile of clothes was the only thing nearby； containing a shirt； trousers and some underwear； but it was weighted down with a largish rock。 his hand sidled out towards the rock。
鈥渄on鈥檛 be alarmed；鈥潯aid the cat。 鈥渋鈥檓 but a faithful retainer of the abhorsen。 name of mogget。 for the moment。鈥�
the man鈥檚 hand closed on the rock； but he didn鈥檛 lift it。 memories were slowly sidling back to his benumbed mind； drawn like grains of iron to a magnet。 there were memories of various abhorsens among them鈥攎emories that gave him an inkling of what this cat…creature was。
鈥測ou were bigger when we last met；鈥潯e hazarded； testing his guess。
鈥渉ave we met？鈥潯eplied mogget； yawning。
鈥渄ear me。 i can鈥檛 recall it。 what was the name？鈥�
a good question； thought the man。 he couldn鈥檛 remember。 he knew who he was； in general terms； but his name eluded him。 other names came easily though； and some flashes of memory concerning what he thought of as his immediate past。 he growled； and grimaced as they came to him； and clenched his fists in pain and anger。
鈥渦nusual name；鈥潯ented mogget。 鈥渕ore of a bear鈥檚 name； that growl。 do you mind if i call you touchstone？鈥�
鈥渨hat！鈥潯he man exclaimed； affronted。 鈥渢hat鈥檚 a fool鈥檚 name！ how dare鈥斺��
鈥渋s it unfitting？鈥潯nterrupted mogget； coolly。
鈥測ou do remember what you鈥檝e done？鈥�
the man was silent then； for he suddenly did remember； though he didn鈥檛 know why he鈥檇 done it； or what the consequences had been。 he also remembered that since this was the case； there was no point trying to remember his name。
he was no longer fit to bear it。
鈥測es； i remember；鈥潯e whispered。 鈥測ou may call me touchstone。 but i shall call you鈥斺��
he choked； looked surprised； then tried again。
鈥測ou can鈥檛 say it；鈥潯ogget said。 鈥渁 spell tied to the corruption of鈥攂ut i can鈥檛 say it； nor tell anyone the nature of it； or how to fix it。 you won鈥檛 be able to talk about it either and there may be other effects。 certainly； it has affected me。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯eplied touchstone； somberly。 he didn鈥檛 try the name again。 鈥渢ell me； who rules the kingdom？鈥�
鈥渘o one；鈥潯aid mogget。
鈥渁 regency； then。 that is perhaps鈥斺��
鈥渘o。 no regency。 no one reigns。 no one rules。
there was a regency at first； but it declined 。 。 。
with help。鈥�
鈥渨hat do you mean； 鈥榓t first鈥櫍库�潯sked touchstone。 鈥渨hat exactly has happened？ where have i been？鈥�
鈥渢he regency lasted for one hundred and eighty years；鈥潯ogget announced callously。
鈥渁narchy has held sway for the last twenty； tempered by what a few remaining loyalists could do。 and you； my boy； have been adorning the front of this ship as a lump of wood for the last two hundred years。鈥�
鈥渢he family？鈥�
鈥渁ll dead and past the final gate； save one； who should be。 you know who i mean。鈥�
for a moment； this news seemed to return touchstone to his wooden state。 he sat frozen； only the slight movement of his chest showing continued life。 then tears started in his eyes； and his head slowly fell to meet his upturned hands。
mogget watched without sympathy； till the young man鈥檚 back ceased its heaving and the harsh in…drawn gasps between sobs became calmer。
鈥渢here鈥檚 no point crying over it；鈥潯he cat said harshly。 鈥減lenty of people have died trying to put the matter to rights。 four abhorsens have fallen in this century alone； trying to deal with the dead； the broken stones and the鈥攖he original problem。 my current abhorsen certainly isn鈥檛 lying around crying her eyes out。 make yourself useful and help her。鈥�
鈥渃an i？鈥潯sked touchstone bleakly； wiping his face with the blanket。
鈥渨hy not？鈥潯norted mogget。 鈥済et dressed； for a start。 there are some things aboard here for you as well。 swords and suchlike。鈥�
鈥渂ut i鈥檓 not fit to wield royal鈥斺��
鈥渏ust do as you鈥檙e told；鈥潯ogget said firmly。
鈥渢hink of yourself as abhorsen鈥檚 sworn swordhand； if it makes you feel better； though in this present era； you鈥檒l find mon sense is more important than honor。鈥�
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯ouchstone muttered； humbly。
he stood up and put on the underclothes and shirt； but couldn鈥檛 get the trousers past his heavily muscled thighs。
鈥渢here鈥檚 a kilt and leggings in one of the chests back here；鈥潯ogget said； after watching touchstone hopping around on one leg； the other trapped in too…tight leather。
touchstone nodded； divested himself of the trousers； and clambered up through the hole； taking care to keep as far away from mogget as possible。 halfway up； he paused； arms braced on either side of the gap。
鈥測ou won鈥檛 tell her？鈥潯e asked。
鈥渢ell who？ tell what？鈥�
鈥渁bhorsen。 please； i鈥檒l do all i can to help。 but it wasn鈥檛 intentional。 my part； i mean。 please； don鈥檛 tell her鈥斺��
鈥渟pare me the pleadings；鈥潯aid mogget； in a disgusted tone。 鈥渋 can鈥檛 tell her。 you can鈥檛 tell her。
the corruption is wide and the spell rather indiscriminatory。
hurry up鈥攕he鈥檒l be back soon。 i鈥檒l tell you the rest of our current saga while you dress。鈥�
sabriel returned from the spring feeling healthier； cleaner and happier。 she鈥檇 slept well and the morning鈥檚 ablutions had cleared off the blood。
the bruises； swellings and sunburn had all responded well to her herbal treatments。 all in all； she felt about eighty percent normal； rather than ten percent functional； and she was looking forward to having some pany at breakfast other than the sardonic mogget。 not that he didn鈥檛 have his uses； such as guarding unconscious or sleeping humans。 he鈥檇 also assured her that he had tested the charter mark on the figurehead…man； finding him to be unsullied by free magic； or necromancy。
she鈥檇 expected the man to still be asleep； so she felt a faint frisson of surprise and suspense when she saw a figure standing by the ship鈥檚 bow； facing the other way。 for a second； her hand twitched to her sword； then she saw mogget nearby； precariously draped on the ship鈥檚 rail。
she approached nervously； her curiosity tempered by the need to be wary of strangers。 he looked different dressed。 older and somewhat intimidating； particularly since he seemed to have scorned her plain clothing for a kilt of gold…striped red； with matching leggings of redstriped gold； disappearing into turned…down thigh boots of russet doeskin。 he was wearing her shirt； though； and preparing to put on a red leather jerkin。 it had detachable； lace…up sleeves； which seemed to be giving him some problems。
two swords lay in three…quarter scabbards near his feet； stabbing points shining four inches out of the leather。 a wide belt with the appropriate hooks already encircled his waist。
鈥渃urse these laces；鈥潯e said； when she was about ten paces away。 a nice voice； quite deep； but currently frustrated and peaking with temper。
鈥済ood morning；鈥潯aid sabriel。
he whirled around； dropping the sleeves； almost ducking to his swords； before recovering to transform the motion into a bow； culminating in a descent to one knee。
鈥済ood morning； milady；鈥潯e said huskily； head bowed； carefully not meeting her gaze。 she saw that he鈥檇 found some earrings； large gold hoops clumsily pushed through pierced lobes； for they were bloodied。 apart from them； all she could see was the top of his curly…haired head。
鈥渋鈥檓 not 鈥榤ilady；鈥欌�潯aid sabriel； wondering which of miss prionte鈥檚 etiquette principles applied to this situation。 鈥渕y name is sabriel。鈥�
鈥渟abriel？ but you are the abhorsen；鈥潯he man said slowly。 he didn鈥檛 sound overly bright； sabriel thought； with sinking expectations。
perhaps there would be very little conversation at breakfast after all。
鈥渘o； my father is the abhorsen；鈥潯he said； with a stern look at mogget； warning him not to interfere。 鈥渋鈥檓 a sort of stand…in。 it鈥檚 a bit plicated； so i鈥檒l explain later。 what鈥檚 your name？鈥�
he hesitated； then mumbled； 鈥渋 can鈥檛 remember； milady。 please； call me 。 。 。 call me to