Prologue: The Birth
She was born the first day of the new year. Lirael was just as proud as her husband, Sameth at having their first child just five years after the return of the Destroyer. Her parents dubbed her Dierel, she was the child of all four bloodlines: Abhorsen, Wallmaker, Clayr, and Royal. Sabriel went to first see her granddaughter the moment she heard her half sister was in labor, which was about a full moon after the babe was born. She flew by Paperwing, Mogget at her side.
"What do you think of Lirael having a daughter? There has never been a child of all four bloodlines. I think she'll be the best Abhorson in a long time." Sabriel said happily before whistling for a stronger wind.
"Dierel will do fine." Mogget admitted grouchily.
"Dierel is her name? Wonderful!" Sabriel said cheerfully singing.
When they arrived at the Abhorson's house, they met the happy Lirael in the rose garden, Dierel in her arms.
"Hello, sister." Lirael said, weary but still joyous.
"So, this is little Dierel. How adorable! Where is my son?" Sabriel said taking the offered child into her arms.
"In the study. He's been making a new Charter sword." Lirael said, as the last bit of swaddling clothes left her arms. Sabriel went up to the study to greet her happy son, the baby still in her arms.
"Isn't she wonderful!" he sighed as he placed the glowing Charter sword on his desk. "When does Lirael have to leave again? She said she wanted to be a good mother to Dierel. I think she should stay for-"
"Sam, you know I didn't come just to see Dierel. She has to come with me." Sabriel said to her now sad son.
"Just another day or-" "No." Sabriel said kindly, but firmly.
Sam sighed. "Let me say goodbye."
While the happy family celebrated the birth of Dierel, a powerful necromancer shoved his way back into Life, now more than just a member of the Greater Dead. Since his death at the hand of Lirael the Golden Hand, he had become bitter and hated the Bloodlines more than ever. When he heard of the daughter's birth, he immediately set about to plan for revenge against his untimely death.
Lirael tried her best to raise her successor, using every spare moment. She found Paperwings more and more useful, even if they where hard to control. Her hard work paid off. Dierel was destined to be the next Abhorsen-in-waiting, for at the age of sixteen, she closed the cover of The Book of the Dead. There was often shuffling, so that the young girl spent summers watching the Clayr, participating in matters of state, reading The Book of the Dead, and helping her father in his study.
She was born the first day of the new year. Lirael was just as proud as her husband, Sameth at having their first child just five years after the return of the Destroyer. Her parents dubbed her Dierel, she was the child of all four bloodlines: Abhorsen, Wallmaker, Clayr, and Royal. Sabriel went to first see her granddaughter the moment she heard her half sister was in labor, which was about a full moon after the babe was born. She flew by Paperwing, Mogget at her side.
"What do you think of Lirael having a daughter? There has never been a child of all four bloodlines. I think she'll be the best Abhorson in a long time." Sabriel said happily before whistling for a stronger wind.
"Dierel will do fine." Mogget admitted grouchily.
"Dierel is her name? Wonderful!" Sabriel said cheerfully singing.
When they arrived at the Abhorson's house, they met the happy Lirael in the rose garden, Dierel in her arms.
"Hello, sister." Lirael said, weary but still joyous.
"So, this is little Dierel. How adorable! Where is my son?" Sabriel said taking the offered child into her arms.
"In the study. He's been making a new Charter sword." Lirael said, as the last bit of swaddling clothes left her arms. Sabriel went up to the study to greet her happy son, the baby still in her arms.
"Isn't she wonderful!" he sighed as he placed the glowing Charter sword on his desk. "When does Lirael have to leave again? She said she wanted to be a good mother to Dierel. I think she should stay for-"
"Sam, you know I didn't come just to see Dierel. She has to come with me." Sabriel said to her now sad son.
"Just another day or-" "No." Sabriel said kindly, but firmly.
Sam sighed. "Let me say goodbye."
While the happy family celebrated the birth of Dierel, a powerful necromancer shoved his way back into Life, now more than just a member of the Greater Dead. Since his death at the hand of Lirael the Golden Hand, he had become bitter and hated the Bloodlines more than ever. When he heard of the daughter's birth, he immediately set about to plan for revenge against his untimely death.
Lirael tried her best to raise her successor, using every spare moment. She found Paperwings more and more useful, even if they where hard to control. Her hard work paid off. Dierel was destined to be the next Abhorsen-in-waiting, for at the age of sixteen, she closed the cover of The Book of the Dead. There was often shuffling, so that the young girl spent summers watching the Clayr, participating in matters of state, reading The Book of the Dead, and helping her father in his study.