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"Curse these laces," he said, when she was about ten paces away A nice voice, quite deep, but currently frustrated and peaking with te," said Sabriel

He whirled around, dropping the sleeves, al to transfor in a descent to one knee

"Good ,her gaze She saw that he’d found soh pierced lobes, for they were bloodied Apart from them, all she could see was the top of his curly-haired head

"I’ which of Miss Prionte’s etiquette principles applied to this situation "My name is Sabriel"

"Sabriel? But you are the Abhorsen," the ht, with sinking expectations Perhaps there would be very little conversation at breakfast after all

"No, get, warning him not to interfere "I’m a sort of stand-in It’s a bit complicated, so I’ll explain later What’s your name?"

He hesitated, then mumbled, "I can’t remember, milady Please, call mecall me Touchstone"

"Touchstone?" asked Sabriel That sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it for a moment "Touchstone? But that’s a jester’s name, a fool’s name Why call you that?"

"That’s what I am," he said dully, without inflection

"Well, I have to call you so," Sabriel continued "Touchstone You know, there is the tradition of a wise fool, so perhaps it’s not so bad I guess you think you’re a fool because you’ve been iurehead--and in Death, of course"

"In Death!" exclairey eyes aze Perhaps there is soht, as she explained: "Your spirit was somehow preserved just beyond the border of Death, and your body preserved as the wooden figurehead Both necroic would have been involved Very powerful ic, on both counts I am curious as to why it was used on you"

Touchstone looked away again, and Sabriel sensed a certain shiftiness, or e explanation would be a half-truth, at best

"I don’t re back I auardsman The Royal Guard There was some sort of attack upon the Queenan a, with blade and Charter Magic--ere all Charter Mages, all the guard I thought ere safe, but there was treacherythenI was here I don’t kno"

Sabriel listened carefully, wondering how much of what he said was true It was likely that his uard Perhaps he had cast a diamond of protectionthat could have been why his enemies could only imprison him, rather than kill But, surely they could have waited till it failed Why the bizarre urehead et placed in this most protected of places?

She filed all these questions for later investigation, for another thought had struck her If he really was a royal guard, the Queen he had guarded one for at least two hundred years and, with her, everyone and everything he knew

"You have been a prisoner for a long tiently, uncertain about how to break the news "Have youItime--"

"Two hundred years," whispered Touchstone "Your minion told me"

"Your family"

"I have none," he said His expression was set, as immobile as the carved wood of the previous day Carefully, he reached over and drew one of his swords, offering it to Sabriel hilt-first

"I would serve you, doh his plea ht closed her open palet, atching the proceedings with unabashed interest

"What have you told hi her words

"The state of the Kingdo," replied the cat "Recent events Our descent here, more or less Your duty as Abhorsen to remedy the situation"

"The Mordicant? Shadow Hands? Gore crows? The Dead Adept, whoever it et, cheerfully "I thought he could presurily, "my ‘minion’ has not been totally honest with you I was raised across the Wall, in Ancelstierre, so I have very little idea about what is going on I have huge gaps in eography to history to Charter Magic I face some dire enemies, probably under the overall direction of one of the Greater Dead, a necrodom, just to find my father, the real Abhorsen So I don’t want to take your oath or service or anything like that, particularly as we’ve only just met I am happy for you to accompany us to the nearest approximation of civilization, but I have no idea what I will be doing after that And, please remember that my name is Sabriel Not milady Not Abhorsen Now, I think it’s time for breakfast"

With that, she stalked over to her pack, and started getting out so pot

Touchstone stared after her for a moment, then picked himself up, attached his swords, put on the sleeveless jerkin, tied the sleeves to his belt and wandered off to the nearest cluet followed him there, and watched him pick up dead branches and sticks for a fire

"She really did grow up in Ancelstierre," said the cat "She doesn’t realize refusing your oath is an insult And it’s true enough about her ignorance That’s one of the reasons she needs your help"