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sabriel listened carefully； wondering how much of what he said was true。 it was likely that his memory was impaired； but he possibly was a royal guard。 perhaps he had cast a diamond of protection 。 。 。 that 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 method of imprisonment？ and； most importantly； how did the figurehead manage to get 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 must have been dead and gone for at least two hundred years and； with her； everyone and everything he knew。
“you have been a prisoner for a long time；” she said gently； uncertain about how to break the news。 “have you 。 。 。 i mean did you 。 。 。 well； what i mean is it’s been a very long time—”
“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； milady； to fight against the enemies of the kingdom。”
sabriel didn’t take the sword； though his plea made her reflexively reach out。 but a moment’s thought closed her open palm； and her arm fell back to her side。 she looked at mogget； who was watching the proceedings with unabashed interest。
“what have you told him； mogget？” she asked； suspicion wreathing her words。
“the state of the kingdom； generally speaking；”
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 may be？”
“not specifically；” said mogget； cheerfully。 “i thought he could presume as much。”
“as you see；” sabriel said； rather angrily； “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 my knowledge of the old kingdom； including everything from geography to history to charter magic。 i face some dire enemies； probably under the overall direction of one of the greater dead； a necromantic adept。 and i’m not out to save the kingdom； 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 acpany 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 some oatmeal and a small cooking 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 clump of trees。
mogget 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。”
“i can’t remember much；” said touchstone； snapping a branch in half with considerable ferocity。
“except my most recent past。 everything else is like a dream。 i’m not sure if it’s real or not； learned or imagined。 and i wasn’t insulted。 my oath isn’t worth much。”
“but you’ll help her；” said mogget。 it wasn’t a question。
“no；” said touchstone。 “help is for equals。 i’ll serve her。 that’s all i’m good for。”
as sabriel feared； there was little conversation over breakfast。 mogget went off in search of his own； and sabriel and touchstone were hindered by the sole cooking pot and single spoon； so they took it in turns to eat half the porridge。 even allowing for this difficulty； touchstone was unmunicative。 sabriel started asking a lot of questions； but as his standard response was； “i’m sorry； i can’t remember；” she soon gave up。
“i don’t suppose you can remember how to get out of this sinkhole； either；” she asked in exasperation； after a particularly long stretch of silence。
even to her； this sounded like a prefect addressing a miscreant twelve…year…old。
“no； i’m sorry 。 。 。” touchstone began automatically； then he paused； and the corner of his mouth quirked up with a momentary spasm of pleasure。 “wait！ yes—i do remember！ there’s a hidden stair； to the north of king janeurl’s ship 。 。 。 oh； i can’t remember which one that is 。 。 。”
“there’s only four ships near the northern rim；”
sabriel mused。 “it won’t be too hard to find。
how’s your memory for other geography？ the kingdom； for instance？”
“i’m not sure；” replied touchstone； guardedly； bowing his head again。 sabriel looked at him and took a deep breath to calm the eel…like writhings of anger that were slowly getting bigger and bigger inside her。 she could excuse his faulty memory—after all； that was due to magical incarceration。
but the servile manner that went with it seemed to be an affectation。 he was like a bad actor playing the butler—or rather； a nonactor trying to impersonate a butler as best he could。 but why？ “mogget drew me a map；” she said； talking as much to calm herself as for any real munication。
“but； as he apparently has only left abhorsen’s house for a few weekends over the last thousand years； even two…hundred…year…old memories 。 。 。”
sabriel paused； and bit her lip； suddenly aware that her annoyance with him had made her spiteful。
he looked up as she stopped speaking； but no reaction showed on his face。 he might as well still be carved from wood。
“what i mean is；” sabriel continued carefully； “it would be very helpful if you could advise me on the best route to belisaere； and the important landmarks and locations on the way。”
she got the map out of the special pocket in the pack