Disclaimer: I do not own Sabriel nor any of the characters or places within this story. They belong to Garth Nix.
Vigil
It was darkening in the room. Touchstone rested his hands near hers on the bed, feeling afraid to touch her. No, not afraid, unworthy. He raised his head slightly and looked at her. Sabriel had always been very pale but there had been a life beneath her pallor. Now, it was flickering subtly just beneath her skin, like a candle caught in the wind, unknowing of its fate.
She had come back to him when he had called her, that terrible night, but she had lost so much blood it was uncertain whether she would recover. With tear-filled eyes he prayed to the Charter murmuring her name in uneven breaths.
He had lost track of how long he had been at her side. Only moving slightly and averting his eyes to protect her privacy when the nurses would change her bandages.
Sabriel, he called to her in his mind once more.
He took in her wild, raven-black hair, her pale skin, her barely closed eyes that suggested light slumber rather than recovery from a horrible injury, her just parted lips that he desperately wanted to bestow warm kisses upon, to taste, to worship.
"My love…" He surprised himself hearing the words he had thought unspoken.
"Sabriel." He tried again. "Come back to me…."
She continued to slumber.
On the fourth day after the long battle, there had been no change. Nurses had tried to convince him to rest, but all he knew was Sabriel. Barely daring to touch her hand, he placed his head next to it on the bed, and sought repose.
Another long day of waiting, but he had resigned himself to wait as long as Sabriel took. Even if that meant waiting for a day that might never come. After all, he had already lost two hundred years of lifetimes. Clenching and unclenching his fists he continued gazing upon the sleeping Sabriel.
"Oh Charter, please…please bring her back."
He had lost track of what words were in his mind and what words left his lips. All he saw was Sabriel.
My love...
A sennight passed bringing little change. The flicker of hope in Touchstone was beginning to wane but he continued to pray and call upon Sabriel as best he could.
The night fell in deep purple and blue sheets around Wyverley. Touchstone could barely ponder the beauty of the dusk, instead remembering that night, and the piercing cry of Sabriel when…
If only I could have protected her!
Tears of frustration, and longing filled his eyes again.
"Sabriel…."
"Mmmhmmm?"
He raised tear-filled eyes to her face incredulously, and felt more hot tears run down his cheeks when her beautiful eyes looked back at him.
"You're alive! You're…" A sob caught in his throat and he bent his head trying to compose himself.
"Come here…" She said more sweetly than he had ever remembered her to speak.
"Here…?"
She motioned to herself, and he obediently embraced her, terrified of hurting her.
She ran gentle hands through his curls and peppered kisses all over his hair.
"Thank you, Touchstone." She murmured close to his ear. He tried, but all the emotion of the past days welled up in him, and spilled from his eyes. He pulled back, embarrassed, and attempted to brush his tears away. Sabriel was faster. With gentle touches she wiped his eyes, and kissed his parted lips.
"Sabriel?"
She smiled at him.
"My love?"
He blushed deeply and averted his eyes again.
"I thought…that is…well you are…"
Sabriel locked pale arms around his neck and drew him in for another kiss.
"As you are mine." She whispered against his lips.
"I love you, Sabriel." He softly spoke against her, and gave in to delectable suppleness and sweetness of her lips.
Her reply was lost between their eager mouths, and mingled breaths.