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鈥渁re you ing with us？鈥潯abriel asked； hesitantly； as she settled back in the heavily padded leather seats； fighting a wave of tiredness that threatened immediate sleep。
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied horyse； slowly。 he seemed surprised at his own answer； and suddenly far away。
鈥測es； i am。鈥�
鈥測ou have the sight；鈥潯aid touchstone； looking up from where he was adjusting his scabbard before sitting down。 鈥渨hat did you see？鈥�
鈥渢he usual thing；鈥潯eplied horyse。 he got in the front seat； and nodded to the driver鈥攁 thin…faced veteran of the scouts； whose charter mark was almost invisible on his weather…beaten forehead。
鈥渨hat do you mean？鈥潯sked sabriel； but her question was lost as the driver pressed the starter switch； and the car coughed and spluttered into life； a tenor acpaniment to the bass cacophony of the trucks and tanks。
touchstone jumped at the sudden noise and vibration； then smiled sheepishly at sabriel； who鈥檇 lightly rested her fingers on his arm； as if calming a child。
鈥渨hat did he mean 鈥榯he usual thing鈥櫍库�潯sked sabriel。
touchstone looked at her； sadness and exhaustion vying for first place in his gaze。 he took her hand in his own and traced a line across her palm鈥攁 definite； ending sort of line。
鈥渙h；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 she sniffed and looked at the back of horyse鈥檚 head； eyes blurring； seeing only the line of his cropped silver hair extending just past his helmet rim。
鈥渉e has a daughter the same age as me； back at 。 。 。 somewhere south；鈥潯he whispered； shivering； clutching touchstone鈥檚 hand till his fingers were as white as her own。 鈥渨hy； oh why； does everything 。 。 。 everyone 。 。 。鈥�
the car started forward with a lurch； preceded by two motorcycle outriders and followed by each of the nine trucks in turn； carefully spaced out every hundred yards。 the tanks； with tracks screeching and clanking； took a side road up to the railway siding where they would be loaded up and sent on to wyverley halt。 it was unlikely they would arrive before nightfall。 the road convoy would be at docky point before six in the afternoon。
sabriel was silent for the first ten miles； her head bowed； hand still clutching tightly on touchstone鈥檚。 he sat silently too； but watching； looking out as they left the military zone； looking at the prosperous farms of ancelstierre； the sealed roads； the brick houses； the private cars and horse…drawn vehicles that pulled off the road in front of them； cleared aside by the two red…capped military policemen on motorcycles。
鈥渋鈥檓 all right now；鈥潯abriel said quietly； as they slowed to pass through the town of bain。
touchstone nodded； still watching； staring at the shop windows in the high street。 the townspeople stared back； for it was rare to see soldiers in full perimeter battle equipment； with sword…bayonets and shields鈥攁nd sabriel and touchstone were clearly from the old kingdom。
鈥渨e have to stop by the police station； and warn the superintendent；鈥潯oryse announced as their car pulled in next to an imposing white…walled edifice with two large； blue electric lanterns hanging out the front； and a sturdy sign proclaiming it to be the headquarters of the bainshire constabulary。
horyse stood up； waved the rest of the convoy on； then vaulted out and dashed up the steps； a curiously incongruous figure in mail and khaki。 a constable descending the steps looked ready to stop him； but stopped himself instead and saluted。
鈥渋鈥檓 all right；鈥潯abriel repeated。 鈥測ou can let go of my hand。鈥�
touchstone smiled； and flexed his hand a little in her grip。 she looked a bit puzzled； then smiled too； her fingers slowly relaxing till their hands lay flat on the seat； little fingers just touching。
in any other town； a crowd would certainly have formed around an army staff car with two such unusual passengers。 but this was bain； and bain was close to the wall。 people took one look； saw charter marks； swords and armor； and went the other way。 those with natural caution； or a touch of the sight； went home and locked their doors and shutters； not merely with steel and iron； but also with sprigs of broom and rowan。 others； even more cautious； took to the river and its sandy islets； without even pretending to be fishing。
horyse came out five minutes later； acpanied by a tall； serious…looking man whose large build and hawk…like visage were made slightly ridiculous by a pair of too…small pince…nez clinging to the end of his nose。 he shook hands with the colonel； horyse returned to the car； and they were off again； the driver crashing through the gears with considerable skill。
a few minutes later； before they鈥檇 left the last buildings of the town； a bell began to ring behind them； deep and slow。 only moments later； another followed from somewhere to the left； then another； from up ahead。 soon； there were bells ringing all around。
鈥渜uick work；鈥潯oryse shouted into the back of the car。 鈥渢he superintendent must have made them practice in the past。鈥�
鈥渢he bells are a warning？鈥潯sked touchstone。
this was something he was familiar with； and he began to feel more at home； even with this sound； warning of dire trouble。 he felt no fear from it鈥攂ut then； after facing the reservoir for a second time； he felt that he could cope with any fear。
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied horyse。 鈥渂e inside by nightfall。
lock all doors and windows。 deny entry to strangers。 shed light inside and out。 prepare candles and lanterns for when the electricity fails。
wear silver。 if caught outdoors； find running water。鈥�
鈥渨e used to recite that in the junior classes；鈥�
sabriel said。 鈥渂ut i don鈥檛 think too many people remember it； even the people around here。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檇 be surprised； ma鈥檃m；鈥潯nterrupted the driver； speaking out of the corner of his mouth； eyes never leaving the road。 鈥渢he bells haven鈥檛 rung like this in twenty years； but plenty of folk remember。 they鈥檒l tell anyone who doesn鈥檛 know鈥攄on鈥檛 fret about that。鈥�
鈥渋 hope so；鈥潯eplied sabriel； a momentary flash of remembrance passing through her mind。 the people of nestowe； two…thirds of their number lost to the dead； the survivors huddled in fishdrying sheds on a rocky island。 鈥渋 hope so。鈥�
鈥渉ow long till we reach docky point？鈥潯sked touchstone。 he was remembering too； but his memories were of rogir。 soon he would look on rogir鈥檚 face again； but it would only be a husk； a tool for what rogir had bee 。 。 。
鈥渁bout an hour at the most； i should think；鈥�
replied horyse。 鈥渁round six o鈥檆lock。 we can average almost thirty miles an hour in this contraption鈥攓uite remarkable。 to me； anyway。
i鈥檓 so used to the perimeter； and the old kingdom鈥攖he small part we saw on patrol； anyway。
i鈥檇 have liked to see more of it 。 。 。 gone further north 。 。 。鈥�
鈥測ou will；鈥潯aid sabriel； but her voice lacked conviction； even to her own ears。 touchstone didn鈥檛 say anything； and horyse didn鈥檛 reply； so they drove on in silence after that； soon catching the truck convoy； overtaking each vehicle till they were in front again。 but wherever they drove； the bells preceded them； every village belltower taking up the