Disclaimer: I don't own 'Sabriel' or anything else to do with the Old Kingdom series.
Author's Note: This is a retelling of events alluded to by (then) Colonel Horyse when he met Sabriel at the Perimeter in the novel. It doesn't come off as being terribly exiciting but I do have plans for a sequel of sorts...if I ever get the time. Constructive reviews are much appreciated.
This isn't what I expected when I joined the army, Robert Horyse thought as he and a file of men in the chain mail and khaki tried to navigate their way up a boulder-strewn hillside. He'd joined the army for all the usually reasons: a desire for adventures, a chance to see the world - plus the girls always had a thing for a man in a nice uniform. Basic training had served to shatter most of these illusions and his first weeks at the Perimeter garrison had done the rest. The day he'd arrived, he'd been assigned to a burial detail digging graves for a pair of soldiers and the…thing that had killed them.
"Take a good look son," the sergeant on duty had said, "And remember, 'less you want to end up like those poor buggers there."
A rock, kicked up by the man in front of him, clattered down the trail, startling Horyse out of his reminiscence. That was a fool thing to do, get your head out of the clouds Robert, he berated himself. Those who failed to pay attention to their surroundings in the Old Kingdom often didn't live long enough to make the same mistake twice.
It was ostensibly spring on the north side of the wall, but life seemed to come to this strange place only grudgingly. He could swear he hadn't seen a single bird or even an insect since crossing the Wall. The only living things apart from the men were some scraggly brambles and a few twisted pine trees clinging to the rocks.
The soldiers were all tense today; the events of two nights ago had everyone at the Perimeter rattled. Around 2300 hours that night there had been what sounded like a battle just outside the Wall. No one had been able to see what was happening, almost as if the night was conspiring with the combatants to hide them. In any events the sounds that had reached the garrison's ears had been frightening enough. Gut-wrenching screams, and howls that Horyse was sure couldn't have come from any human throat had echoed eerily though the air as well as what had sounded strangely like the faint tolling of a bell. Next morning the scouts reported what looked like the scene of a battle. The ground was torn up like it had been used as a practice range for an army artillery unit and piles of ash littered the ground. There were no bodies, but then there rarely were.
Damn this place is strange, he thought. Not even the birds could always be trusted if you believed what Captain Greene, his commanding officer, said. Some soldiers grumbled about the captain but he wasn't a bad chap in Horyse's option, he liked to shout and bluster but he knew what he was talking about and never asked his men to do anything he wouldn't do himself. When the cards were down Horyse knew who he'd want beside him in combat.
It was at that moment that the captain in question, who was at the front of the line, suddenly gestured for the soldiers to halt then frantically motioned for them to get down. Horyse dropped to his stomach like he'd been trained; all around him men were doing the same, trying to blend in with the scant cover the brambles and rocks provided.
Raising his head slightly he could see Captain Greene whispering fiercely to First Lieutenant Coombs and motioning toward the pinnacle of the hill. Raising his eyes Horyse could just barely make out what appeared to be a person, sitting by himself.
A person, by himself? Here? The chances of that seemed rather unlikely even if it was broad daylight. Horyse felt his heart beat faster, he wasn't unblooded, but this would mark the first time as a member of the Crossing Point Scouts that he had engaged an enemy. He was used to fighting with rifle and pistol but neither of those would work on this side of the Wall. All he had was a medieval-looking broadsword plated with silver.
Lieutenant Coombs left Captain Greene and crawled over to him, "Horyse," he whispered, "The Captain wants you to take half the men and follow him. The rest of us will be circling around and climbing the hill from the other side. Make sure you give us time to get into position."
"Yes sir," Horyse answered him. Alright, time to earn those stripes, he thought trying to quell the nervousness in his belly. The fear was always present every time he went into battle, but experience had taught him to work around it so that it wouldn't cripple him.
With whispers and hand gestures he got five of the ten scouts in his unit moving forward while the rest melted into the rocks after Coombs. "Spread out," Horyse ordered the men, "And keep quiet, the bloke on the hill might know we're coming but there's no sense in shouting it out."
The men separated to do their assigned tasks. Horyse and his men crept after Capt. Greene, hugging the ground and using every scrap of brush to conceal themselves as they climbed the hill.
As they crept up the hill Horyse's sharp eyes never left their quarry, who seemed completely unaware of the approaching soldiers. The man was dressed in a long, heavy cloak and some sort of mail, dress that was apparently common for people on this side of the wall. Squinting slightly, Horyse also he could make out some sort of odd bandolier strapped to his chest, but it was the wrong shape for ammunition, which wouldn't work on this side of the wall anyway. Instead there were strange pouches that looked almost bell shaped. The young solider tensed, recognizing one of the items that he had been told to watch out for. Catching up with Capt. Greene he hurriedly whispered the information into the older man's ear.
"Damn, I was afraid of that," Greene growled and muttered something that sounded like 'necromancer'. The word sent a sharp prickle of fear down Horyse's spine. His father's family was from around Bain and he remembered the stories his granddad had told him about dark sorcerers who brought the dead back to life. Up until now they were just stories, only half believed. But this was no story.
Capt. Greene must have seen the shocked look on his face because he leaned over and whispered, "Wise up Lieutenant, this is what it's like on the Perimeter and if you don't get used to it you won't last very long."
Horyse could only nod dumbly; he wasn't like some of those idiots from the south who refused to believe that the Perimeter just wasn't normal, even when the evidence was staring them right in the face. And he had seen plenty of evidence in the three weeks since he'd been transferred: bodies that mysteriously disappeared from the morgue, the half-seen shadows that stalked through the night and made grown men afraid to leave their bunks, the lone sentries and small patrols that vanished without a trace…. No, this wasn't a ghost story told to frighten a new recruit. This was real.
"I'd just as soon as have the archers shoot the bastard before he catches wind of us," Capt. Greene went on, "But rules are rules: 'any unidentified persons must be detained and questioned, before any action is taken,'" he snorted and shook his head at such idiocy, "Damn interfering paper-pushers! But I'm telling your right now, Lieutenant, don't take you're eyes off him and if it even looks like he's making a move, especially towards those bells of his, kill him quick! Got that?"
"Yes sir," Horyse was proud of how steady his voice was.
If the stranger was surprised when a dozen armed men burst out the underbrush he didn't show it. He sat up straighter when they surrounded him, swords pointed at his throat, but that was all. He held up his hands to show that he was unarmed, "I'm not here to fight," he said in a soft, clear voice, "I've been waiting to talk with you." Now that he was closer Horyse could see that he was a young man, maybe a few years older than him, dark haired and dark eyed with a face that was almost luminously pale.
"Not good enough laddie-buck," Capt. Greene growled, his expression tight and suspicious, "State your name and your business here, and be quick about it!"
Despite his position the man gave no hint of being intimidated, "You can call me Abhorsen," he said reasonably, "And I'm here to talk to your commander about the problems the Perimeter garrison had been facing with the Dead. I believe I can be of assistance to him."
All the soldiers drew back ever so slightly, unaccustomed to hearing someone speak so bluntly about their undead enemy. Used to living in a country where the majority of people would think them mad if they started talking about walking corpses most of the soldiers unconsciously avoided speaking about the subject directly.
Horyse thought he saw a faint smile flit across Abhorsen's face and knew that he had noticed their reaction. "If you test my Charter mark," he went on, "You will see that I'm a servant of the Charter, not of Free Magic."
Capt. Greene gave him a long, assessing look, "If you so much as twitch the wrong way, my men will fill you so full of holes you'll leak like a sieve," he promised grimly.
Abhorsen nodded gravely, "I understand, you and your men run a lot of risks out here and it's well that you're on your guard."
To Horyse's surprise, Capt. Greene lowered his sword and reached forward, well within striking range, to touch the strange-looking mark on the stranger's forehead. The mark flared suddenly with golden light making Horyse blink in surprise and wonder if his eyes were playing trick on him. As he watched, the mark on Capt. Greene's forehead lit up in answer and for a moment the captain's eyes went unfocused as if he was looking at something that only he could see. For a second the young lieutenant thought he felt something, a sense of power and warmth hanging in the air that he couldn't quite see or touch.
Then it was over and the light from the marks faded, and everything returned to normal. Capt. Greene's hand dropped back to his side, "Well, the mark's a clean one," he announced, sounding relieved to Horyse's ears. There were a few sighs of relief from the men and they lowered their swords – though not sheathing them completely. Horyse, not quite sure what had happened, followed suit.
"Now then," announced Greene briskly, all business once again, "My men and I can't cut short our patrol but I'll send an escort to guide you to Perimeter Headquarters. 'And to make sure you don't try any funny business along the way' was the unspoken threat.
Abhorsen merely smiled, "Thank you Captain, that would be much appreciated," he said with good grace.
Greene's eyes roved the men, searching for a suitable victim, "Lt. Horyse..." he barked.
"Sir?" Horyse replied, snapping to attention.
"Take three non-coms and a Charter Mage and take the straight route back to HQ. No stopping or getting side-tracked, and you're not to leave 'Mister' Abhorsen's side until his business with the General is concluded and you see him safely across the Wall again. Understood?"
"Yes sir. I do sir," Horyse had the feeling that this sudden responsibility placed on his shoulders was intended as a test of his abilities.
The captain confirmed his hunch, "Good! Because if you foul things up I'll have you on grave-digging detail for a year! Now on your way."
Horyse quickly rounded up the required men. Sgt. Kimbal, the Charter mage, had been with the Crossing Point Scouts for over a decade. A solid, sensible fellow, Horyse judged he'd be up to handling any 'unusual' occurrences they might encounter. The other three were all experienced men who wore their antiquated swords with ease.
"If you please, sir," Horyse said politely, gesturing for Abhorsen to start down the hill.
The dark-haired man nodded gravely and, settling his long cloak around his shoulders, fell into step with the Ancelstierran soldiers.
The silence became uncomfortable the longer they walked, the abnormal situation and their strange companion had all the soldiers on edge and the silence was so thick Horyse fancied he could cut it with a knife.
"I'm surprised at the large Ancelstierran presence here in the Borderlands," Abhorsen spoke up out of the blue.
"What do you mean?" Horyse enquired with a frown.
"In the Old Kingdom, Ancelstierre has a reputation for shunning magic and all things associated with it."
"They're partly right," Horyse said with a wry smile, "Most people in Corvere and the rest of south Ancelstierre think this is all a bunch of nonsense and that we're a bunch of superstitious lunatics. Of course," he added, "none of them have ever been within a hundred miles of the Wall."
"-But you and your fellow soldiers have learned otherwise," Abhorsen finished.
"They say necessity breeds invention," Horyse remarked with a shrug, "And I suppose that's true of us since if we didn't we'd be in one hell of a tight spot." Not that we aren't anyway, he thought grimly.
"It would seem that despite that your people are still having difficulty," Abhorsen echoed his thoughts.
Horyse knew military protocol and that included not babbling vital information to strangers. "I don't know what you mean," he said noncommittally.
The corner of Abhorsen's mouth twitched into a smile, "Indeed? I have been observing your garrison for close to a month and that is not what I observed."
For some reason the knowledge that this civilian had been watching them for so long (without their even knowing!) was particularly irritating to the young officer. "Oh? And what else did you 'observe' about us?" he demanded, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Abhorsen didn't rise to the bait, instead he regarded Horyse silently for a moment then answered gravely, "That you Ancelstierrans are a resourceful people and what you lack in skill and knowledge you make up for with determination."
"It was said," he went on, shifting his gaze to stare at the darkly clouded horizon, "That in times past Ancelstierre and the Old Kingdom were allies who aided each other in times of need. Perhaps, in this time of need, that old alliance should be renewed."
"It sounds sensible," Horyse agreed, feeling mollified, "But it isn't my place to go deciding these sorts of things, I'm just a lowly Second Lieutenant and a fairly new one at that. But I take it that's why you want to meet with our commander?"
"Partly," Abhorsen said with a brief smile, "I have long believed that we of the Old Kingdom would benefit from closer ties with your country. I only hope it isn't too late."
"What do you mean?" asked Horyse, feeling a trace of alarm at those words.
"I have been...warned that a dark time is coming, one that will threaten both sides of the Wall. There have been signs of it recently, the death of the Regent in Belisaere, the increased activity of the Dead, all of it points to something greater. I fear..." he trailed off, his face loosing its look of calm assurance and for a moment Horyse caught a glimpse of a young man who was burdened by a responsibility that aged him beyond his years. Had he been a fellow soldier, the lieutenant would have patted him on the shoulder or said something comforting, but Abhorsen seemed so cold and remote that any such familiar gestures seemed wrong.
Before the young soldier could say anything, Abhorsen abruptly changed the subject, "I noticed several soldiers bearing the Charter mark in your company, including your captain, but you yourself do not carry it. Why?"
"I...I don't know," Horyse stammered, a bit taken aback by the question, "I never really thought about it to be honest, I haven't been part of the Perimeter Garrison for long. Charter magic always seemed so...esoteric to me," he kicked a rock absent-mindedly.
Come on Horyse, you know better than that, he thought, That's your mates in Corvere talking, the ones who laughed at your granddad's stories...
"And it would pretty much kill any chance of promotion at any post other than the Perimeter," he admitted, lowering his voice so the other soldiers, particularly Sgt. Kimbal, wouldn't overhear.
His companion looked surprised, "Such prejudice against Charter magic seems so odd to me. In the Old Kingdom most children are baptized to the Charter at birth. Even if they never tap into the Charter it affords them some protection, or it did at one time. It's little hindrance to whatever they choose to do with their lives. It's your choice, naturally," Abhorsen concluded casually, "Though if you were to ask my opinion I think you would make a good Charter mage."
"Really?" Horyse raised an eyebrow, not quite believing him. It was hard to imagine a world where magic was common-place. It was disturbing...and intriguing.
"You have the natural sensitivity as well as the self-control that would serve you well," Abhorsen gave him a thoughtful look, "Perhaps you may even have some Old Kingdom blood running in your veins."
"My grandfather's family has lived near the Wall for centuries so I suppose anything's possible," Horyse admitted, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. He suddenly recalled a memory from his early childhood of listening to his granddad talk about his mother who supposedly was a witch who could read the future.
"Think on the matter then," Abhorsen said, giving him a keen look, "But please heed me when I say that the more men who bear the Charter mark, the better protected you country and people will be if what I'm afraid of comes to pass. There are powers out there that are impervious to steel and ignorance will be of no protection against them, for you or anyone."
Abhorsen seemed content to let Horyse chew on the conversation and retreated into silence. The crunch of his boots on the rocky ground echoed across the barren landscape.
Well that's one hell of a thing to be told, Horyse thought, his mind reeling. Soldiers got used to the idea that in the grand scheme of things their individual lives didn't mean much, now to suddenly be told that he mattered that he personally could affect the outcome of events was a shock to the system. He felt like he was teetering on the edge of a precipice and he could either back away and go back to his perfectly normal life or he could jump and maybe, possibly, make a difference. That was, in effect, why he had first been attracted to the idea of soldiering in the first place as a boy.
The small party crested a hill and Horyse could see the massive, dark structure of the Wall and the Crossing Point come into view ahead of them. The boundary between the dismally cloudy weather on the Old Kingdom side and the clear sky and setting sun on the Ancelstierran side was sharply delineated as if someone had drawn a line through the sky. Home sweet home, he thought ruefully and, glancing at his strange companion, wondered why he wasn't happier to see it.