A/N: Hello, sorry for the long delay been getting all my last minute coursework and stuff out of the way for my stupid G.C.S.E's in a couple of weeks time, which means I've been doing revision in most of my lessons not writing my fan fics as I would normally :-P lol. Well thanks for the reviews and hope you like this chapter, and maybe you might not have to wait so long for the next one.
The sun was starting its climb in the sky. A sliver paperwing stood waiting on its launch site on one of the palaces towers. Two people stood near it. One dressed in the silver keyed surcoat of the Abhorsen, holding a bundle of red and yellow, while the other dressed in the red and yellow surcoat of the royal line.
"Make sure Daddy doesn't get in to much trouble." Sabriel chuckled kissing the sleeping Ellimere on the head and handing her over to Touchstone.
"Be careful." He said kissing her lightly on the cheek then stepping back to allow Sabriel to climb in to the waiting paperwing.
"Of course" Sabriel waved calling up the Charter Marks for wind to help her speed on her way.
Touchstone looked up and watched the paperwing fly off in to the sky. He had excused himself from his duties for the day to spend the day with Ellimere while Sabriel tended to her duties as the Abhorsen. Touchstone looked down at the sleeping Ellimere who had woken up and started sucking on the corner of her red and yellow blanket. "You don't want to eat that." He said taking it out her mouth; he chuckled as she grabbed hold of his figure instead.
Touchstone walked around the corridors with a screaming Ellimere in his arms. He had feed her and changed her and still he didn't know what was wrong. He made is way to his bedroom, and sat down in a chair near the warm fire. Ellimere who was still crying, but not so loudly was glad to be still for the time being.
"Well if I had known that sitting down would calm you down I would have sat down ages ago," he said rocking the baby in his arms who had curled her self up and was gently dozing off. Touchstone yawned as the flames of the fire flicked in the evening air.
She dragged her heavy feet as she walked towards her room from the paperwing launch; it was a good job it wasn't far. Yawning she turned the corner and made the last few steps towards her room.
Sabriel smiled as she walked through the door at the sleeping Touchstone with his daughter curled up against his chest. She took a few steps towards the bed, feeling slightly light-headed. Sabriel was only a few steps from the bed before she collapsed causing the candles to flicker.
Touchstone stirred from his sleep hearing a soft thump. Yawning he looked around the room trying to find where the sound came from. He got to his feet and noticed Sabriel. "Sabriel?" he asked putting Ellimere in the cradle next to the bed so he wouldn't drop her.
"Sabriel!" he said again bending down to pick her up and put her on the bed. Sabriel stirred as he carried her. "Touchstone." She whispered smiling weakly
"Sabriel what happened? You're covered in dirt and blood!"
"I'm ok now I used the Charter Marks for healing to help me, all I need is some rest and maybe a bath." She said, "How was yours and Ellimere's day?"
"What ever am I going to do with you," he said walking back over to the bed with a bowl of warm water and a cloth. "She's asleep at the moment so lets try and get you cleaned up a bit before we start on me. So are you going to tell me how you ended up like this?"
Sabriel bit her bottom lip, not wanting to upset or worry Touchstone. She watched him dip the cloth into the water then gentle wipe away most of the dried blood and dirt off her arms.
"So…" He said dipping the cloth back in the bowl so he could wipe the mud off her face.
"There was a bunch of Shadow Hand and Dead Hands, near the coast, I think some necromancer is controlling them but I'm still short on facts and stuff to jump that far yet. For all we know it could be something else. So don't worry."
"But I do worry." Touchstone said putting the cloth back in to the bowl. "What if you came back worse or something what would I do…"
Sabriel lifted her hand and put a finger on his lips to cut him off.
"I know you worry" she said "but I'll be fine I cant bring you with me every time, even if I want to, Ellimere needs her dad as play with if I'm gone sorting out the dead. So now can I know how your day was?" she asked trying to change the subject.
Touchstone got to his feet and put the bowl on the dresser near the cradle and lifted out the sleeping Ellimere. He wrapped a blanket around her as he carried her over to Sabriel. "We've had a busy day, went for a number of walks." He said "before sitting down in front of the fire." He placed Ellimere in her mothers out stretched arms, then sitting down on the bed next to her.
"She looks so peaceful" Sabriel said curling up next to Touchstone.
Touchstone chuckled, remembering the day's events. "She's had a busy day," he said yawning
"Sounds like you have to" she yawned "and me," She said resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes.
Once Sabriel was asleep with Ellimere curled up next to her, Touchstone carefully got out of bed and put Ellimere in her cradle and a blanket around Sabriel. Blowing out the candle he climbed in to bed.