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fenders that lined the wharf。 sabriel threw up a line； but before she could leap ashore and secure it to a bollard； a street urchin did it for her。
鈥減enny for the knot；鈥潯e cried； shrill voice piercing through the hubbub from the crowd。
鈥減enny for the knot； lady？鈥�
sabriel smiled； with effort； and flicked a silver penny at the boy。 he caught it； grinned and disappeared into the stream of people moving along the dock。 sabriel鈥檚 smile faded。 she could feel many； many dead here 。 。 。 or not precisely here； but further up in the city。 belisaere was built upon four low hills； surrounding a central valley； which lay open to the sea at this harbor。 as far as sabriel鈥檚 senses could tell； only the valley was free of the dead鈥攚hy； she didn鈥檛 know。 the hills； which made up at least two…thirds of the city鈥檚 area； were infested with them。
this part of the city； on the other hand； could truly be said to be infested with life。 sabriel had forgotten how noisy a city could be。 even in ancelstierre； she had rarely visited anything larger than bain； a town of no more than ten thousand people。 of course； belisaere wasn鈥檛 a big city by ancelstierran standards； and it didn鈥檛 have the noisy omnibuses and private cars that had been significantly adding to ancelstierran noise for the last ten years； but belisaere made up for it with the people。 people hurrying； arguing； shouting； selling； buying； singing 。 。 。
鈥渨as it like this before？鈥潯he shouted at touchstone； as they climbed up onto the wharf； making sure they had all their possessions with them。
鈥渘ot really；鈥潯nswered touchstone。 鈥渢he pool was normally full； with bigger ships鈥攁nd there were warehouses here； not a market。 it was quieter； too； and people were in less of a rush。鈥�
they stood on the edge of the dock； watching the stream of humanity and goods； hearing the tumult； and smelling all the new odors of the city replacing the freshness of the sea breeze。
cooking food； wood smoke； incense； oil； the occasional disgusting whiff of what could only be sewage 。 。 。
鈥渋t was also a lot cleaner；鈥潯dded touchstone。
鈥渓ook； i think we鈥檇 best find an inn or hostelry。 somewhere to stay for the night。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she was reluctant to enter the human tide。 there were no dead among them； as far as she could sense； but they must have some kind of acmodation or agreement with the dead and that stank to her far more than sewage。
touchstone snagged a passing boy by the shoulder as sabriel continued to eye the crowd； nose wrinkling。 they spoke together for a moment； a silver penny changed hands； then the boy slid into the rush； touchstone following。 he looked back； saw sabriel staring absently； and grabbed her by the hand； dragging both her and the lazy； fox…fur…positioned mogget after him。
it was the first time sabriel had touched him since he鈥檇 been revived and she was surprised by the shock it gave her。 certainly； her mind had been wandering； and it was a sudden grab 。 。 。
his hand felt larger than it should； and interestingly calloused and textured。 quickly； she slipped her hand out of his； and concentrated on following both him and the boy； weaving across the main direction of the crowd。
they went through the middle of the opentopped market； along one street of little booths鈥攐bviously the street of fish and fowl。
the harbor end was alive with boxes and boxes of fresh…caught fish； clear…eyed and wriggling。
vendors yelled their prices； or their best buy； and buyers shouted offers or amazement at the price。 baskets； bags and boxes changed hands； empty ones to be filled with fish or lobster； squid or shellfish。 coins went from palm to palm； or； occasionally； whole purses disgorged their shining contents into the belt…pouches of the stallholders。
towards the other end it grew a little quieter。
the stalls here had cages upon cages of chickens； but their trade was slower； and many of the chickens looked old and stunted。 sabriel； seeing an expert knife…man beheading row after row of chickens and dropping them to flop headless in a box； concentrated on shutting out their bewildered featherbrained experience of death。
beyond the market there was a wide swath of empty ground。 it had obviously been intentionally cleared； first with fire； then with mattock； shovel and bar。 sabriel wondered why； till she saw the aqueduct that ran beyond and parallel to this strip of wasteland。 the city folk who lived in the valley didn鈥檛 have an agreement with the dead鈥攖heir part of the city was bounded by aqueducts； and the dead could no more walk under running water than over it。
the cleared ground was a precaution； allowing the aqueducts to be guarded鈥攁nd sure enough； sabriel saw a patrol of archers marching atop it； their regularly moving shapes silhouetted； shadow puppets against the sky。 the boy was leading them to a central arch； which rose up through two of the aqueduct鈥檚 four tiers； and there were more archers there。
smaller arches continued on each side； supporting the aqueduct鈥檚 main channel； but these were heavily overgrown with thornbushes； to prevent unauthorized entry by the living； while the swift water overhead held back the dead。
sabriel drew her boat cloak tight as they passed under the arch； but the guards paid them no more attention than was required to extort a silver penny from touchstone。 they seemed very third…rate鈥攅ven fourth…rate鈥敗oldiers； who were probably more constables and watchkeepers than anything else。 none bore the charter mark； or had any trace of free magic。
beyond the aqueduct； streets wound chaotically from an unevenly paved square； plete with an eccentrically spouting fountain鈥攖he water jetted from the ears of a statue； a statue of an impressively crowned man。
鈥渒ing anstyr the third；鈥潯aid touchstone； pointing at the fountain。 鈥渉e had a strange sense of humor； by all accounts。 i鈥檓 glad it鈥檚 still there。鈥�
鈥渨here are we going？鈥潯sked sabriel。 she felt better now that she knew the citizenry weren鈥檛 in league with the dead。
鈥渢his boy says he knows a good inn；鈥潯eplied touchstone； indicating the ragged urchin who was grinning just out of reach of the alwaysexpected blow。
鈥渟ign of three lemons；鈥潯aid the boy。 鈥渂est in the city； lord； lady。鈥�
he had just turned back from them to go on； when a loud； badly cast bell sounded from somewhere towards the harbor。 it rang three times； the sound sending pigeons racketing into flight from the square。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 that？鈥潯sked sabriel。 the boy looked at her； open…mouthed。 鈥渢he bell。鈥�
鈥渟unfall；鈥潯eplied the boy； once he knew what she was asking。 he said it as if stating the blindingly obvious。 鈥渆arly； i reckon。 must be cloud ing； or somefing。鈥�
鈥渆veryone es in when the sunfall bell sounds？鈥潯sked sabriel。
鈥渃ourse！鈥潯norted the boy。 鈥渙therwise the haunts or the ghlims get you。鈥�
鈥渋 see；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 鈥渓ead on。鈥�
surprisingly； the sign of three lemons was quite a pleasant inn。 a whitewashed building of four storys； it fronted onto a smaller square some two hundred yards from king anstyr鈥檚 fountain square。 there were three enormous lemon trees in the middle of the square； somehow thick with pleasant…smelling leaves and copious amounts of fruit； despite the season。 charter magic； thought sabriel； and sure enough； there was a charter stone hidden amongst the trees； and a number of ancient spells of fertility； warmth and bountitude。 sabriel sniffed the lemon…scented air gratefully； thankful that her room had a window fronting the square。
behind her； a maid was filling a tin bath with hot water。 several large buckets had already gone in鈥攖his would be the last。 sabriel closed the window and came over to look at the stillsteaming water in anticipation。
鈥渨ill that be all； miss？鈥潯sked the maid； halfcurtseying。
鈥測es； thank you；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 the maid edged out the door； and sabriel slid the bar across； before divesting herself of her cloak； and then the stinking； sweat… and salt…encrusted armor and garments that had virtually stuck to her after almost a week at sea。 naked； she rested her sword against the bath�