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[makesthings]

Nothing had changed. Sam knew things wouldn’t have, but it was still strange to come back to his workroom with everything the same. Nick’s letter was sitting on his desk where he’d pieced it together and he could feel where The Book of the Dead was hidden in the cabinet.

He had to find a way to get to Nick, he pulled down the almanac to calculate where Nick might be now, biting his lip in concentration. It looked like he was near the Wall and possibly Edge, which was close to Red Lake where all the trouble was happening. Since Nick was clear with all his visas, there wasn't a good way to stop him from going farther into trouble.

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Eventually, there comes a knock on the door.

[makesthings]

The knock interrupted his thoughts and he tasted blood from his lip as he yelled,

"Yes! Who is it?!"

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“Me!” Ellimere says cheerfully as she breezes in. “I hope I’m not disturbing the act of creation or anything?”

[makesthings]

"No," He shrugged and waved at his projects, things hadn't been going that well even before Milliways.

There he'd had some projects but his thoughts of what he had to do kept getting in the way.

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Sameth so rarely let her into his room anymore, Ellie takes her time in looking around. So many things she didn't know - not even the tools, but the faded Charter signs in the air.

They were signs she'd be hesitate, even refuse to use herself. "What are you making?"

[makesthings]

"Things, nothing you'd be interested in,"

He says, she hadn't been for a long time unless he was making something for her or her friends.

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"How do you know?" she snaps, stung.

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"Toys," he snapped while picking up the batsman, which swung its bat and froze, "I'm making toys. I know it's not a fit occupation for a Prince and I should be asleep getting for a fun new of dance classes and Petty Court, but I...can't sleep,"

He ended wearily. This truly hadn't changed, in Milliways perhaps what he made meant something, here it was a foolish hobby.

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He sounds so bitter, so frustrated, that Ellie forces her resentment down. Now isn't the time to have a screaming match about-

Well, about things. Unimportant things.

(Even if part of her wants to stamp her foot and go yes, I am interested, you pushed me out first)

"Neither can I," she says, forcing her tone to be even as she finds a chair and sits down. "I'm worried. About Mother."

[makesthings]

Long ago he didn't mean to push her out, he's just never been good about talking about what he makes and she likes explanations.

Then it became one of the many things that he should be doing instead of his duties, "She said she'd be fine. The Great Stones will heal her."

In Milliways he saw that they had though seeing her there never felt quite real.

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"This time," Ellie points out, half in the tones of a worried daughter and half in the tones of a future queen. "She needs help with her work, Sam, and you’re the only person who can do it."

[makesthings]

"I know," He looks at Nick's letter since he doesn't want to meet her gaze.

There's nothing else for him to do, he has to figure out how to be Abhorsen-in-Waiting, "I know."

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“Well,” Ellie continues, half uncomfortably, “I just wanted to say that studying to be the Abhorsen is the most important thing, Sam. If you need more time, you just have to say, and...I’ll reorganize your schedule.”

[makesthings]

He looked at her and felt quite surprised,

"You mean take time away from the Bird of Dawning, or those afternoon parties with your friends' stupid sisters?"

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“They’re not—” She visibly stopped herself, taking a deep breath. "Yes. Things are different now. Now we know what’s going on, I shall be spending more time with the Guard myself. Getting ready."

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"Ready?" He asked nervously, "So soon?"

His thoughts went back to Mogget in Milliways and his pushing Sameth to come back here and do what he must, whatever that was. He hadn't thought he'd have much time but maybe some.

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“Yes. Even if Mother and Dad are successful in Ancelstierre, there’s going to be trouble. Whatever is behind it all isn’t going to lie still while we stop its plans." Sometimes, Sam's lack of guile, lack of a sense that people could take advantage of weakness, caused her to despair.

"Something will happen, and we need to be ready. You need to be ready, Sam." She hesitates, and gets to her feet. "That’s all I wanted to say."

It's not, but that's all she can find the words for. The other things are...unimportant.

[makesthings]

People don't make sense to him, he can find the weaknesses in metal and stop them but not in people.

As she left he stared into space, he had to become a proper Abhorsen-in-Waiting. In a way he knew he would since he returned, there was nothing else for Mogget to be pushing him towards.

Everyone was depending on him and Nick was too, Nick who hadn't seemed well those moments in Milliways. Clearly he had to save Nick first, he'd meet with his father before he left and explain that he had to ride out to find him.

That way he'd be doing something and it wasn't running away just being a good, dependable friend. He nodded to himself before going to bed and for once dropping off almost at once.