voice testing

[ninegates]

There's no good time for me to leave Belisaere. But I suppose if there aren't yet two children to leave behind as well as a husband and a kingdom, that's some small solace. Already I understand what Father meant about not being a good parent. It seems almost irresponsible to think of having a family. Yet there must one day be another Abhorsen - to say nothing of continuing the royal line.

I'm not sure how that will happen if I'm somewhere else, or what you think I'll do while I'm there. My duties make me who I am. Without them, what am I? A slightly more responsible necromancer?

And I see so little of Touchstone as it is. I don't see how he'll be "fine" without me or "won't notice I'm gone." That the distortion of time between worlds would be that immense ... I'm not the right person to take. Everyone has their obligations and lives to live, but this isn't right.

Comments

[bindsthedead]

There are Dead in other worlds, though- and stranger things beside. My- our duties do not end when we leave the Old Kingdom.

[ninegates]

They don't carry quite the same weight. We're needed at home, not in other worlds, where there's no Charter and the Dead are strange. Even if no time passes while I'm away, time will pass for me, and we only have so much of our life to give. The kingdom is just getting back on its feet ...