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A soft tap at my door jerked me upright。 I crossed the room swiftly； smiling to myself。 I was still smiling as I swung the door wide。
〃Good； you're up！ And almost dressed。 I was afraid from the way you looked last night that I'd be dragging you out of your bed by the scruff of your neck。〃
It was Burrich； freshly washed and brushed。 The lines across his forehead were the only visible signs of the last night's revelry。 From my years of sharing quarters with him； I knew that no matter how fierce a hangover he might have； he would still rise to face his duties。 I sighed。 No good asking quarter； for none would be given。 Instead I went to my clothes chest and found a clean shirt。 I put it on as I followed him to Verity's tower。
There is an odd threshold； physical as well as mental。 There have been but a few times in my life that I have been pushed over it； but each time an extraordinary thing happened。 That morning was one of those times。 After an hour or so had passed； I stood in Verity's tower room； shirtless and sweating。 The tower windows were open to the winter wind； but I felt no chill。 The padded ax Burrich had given me was but a little lighter than the world itself； and the weight of Verity's presence in my mind felt as if it were forcing my brain out my eyes。 I could no longer keep my ax up to guard myself。 Burrich came at me again； and I made no more than a token defense。 He batted it aside with ease； then came in swiftly； one； two blows； not hard； but not softly either。 〃And you're dead；〃 he told me； and stood back。 He let the head of his ax sag to the floor and stood leaning on it and breathing。 I let my own ax thud headfirst to the floor。 Useless。
Within my mind； Verity was very still。 I glanced over to where he sat staring out the window across the sea to the horizon。 The morning light was harsh on the lines in his face and the gray in his hair。 His shoulders were slumped forward。 His posture mirrored what I felt。 I closed my eyes a moment； too weary to do anything anymore。 And suddenly we meshed。 I saw to the horizons of our fixture。 We were a country besieged by a ravenous enemy who came to us only to kill and maim。 That was their sole goal。 They had no fields to plant； no children to defend； no stock to tend to distract them from their raiding。 But we strove to live our day…to…day lives at the same time we tried to protect ourselves from their destruction。 For the Red…Ship Raiders； their ravages were their day…to…day lives。 That singleness of purpose was all they needed to destroy us。 We were not warriors； had not been warriors for generations。 We did not think like warriors。 Even those of us who were soldiers were soldiers who had trained to fight against a rational enemy。 How could we stand against an onslaught of madmen？ What weapons did we have？ I looked around。 Me。 Myself as Verity。
One man。 One man； making himself old as he strove to walk the line between defending his people and being swept away in the addictive ecstasy of the Skill。 One man； trying to rouse us； trying to ignite us to defend ourselves。 One man； with his eyes afar； as we squabbled and plotted and bickered in the rooms below him。 It was useless。 We were doomed to fail。
The tide of despair swept over me and threatened to pull me down。 It swirled around me； but suddenly； in the middle of it； I found a place to stand。 A place where the very uselessness of it was funny。 Horribly funny。 Four little warships； not quite finished； with untrained crews。 Watchtowers and fire signals to call the inept defenders forth to the slaughter。 Burrich with his ax； and me standing in the cold。 Verity staring out the window； while below； Regal fed his own father drugs。 In the hopes of stealing his mind； and inheriting the whole mess； I didn't doubt。 It was all so totally useless。 And so unthinkable to give it up。 A laughter welled up from inside me； and I could not contain it。 I stood leaning on my ax； and laughed as if the world were the funniest thing I'd ever seen； while Burrich and Verity both stared at me。 A very faint answering smile crooked the corners of Verity's mouth； a light in his eyes shared my madness。
〃Boy？ Are you all right？〃 Burrich asked me。
〃I'm fine。 I'm absolutely fine；〃 I told them both when my waves of laughter had subsided。
I pulled myself up to stand straight。 I shook my head； and I swear I almost felt my brain settle。 〃Verity；〃 I said； and embraced his consciousness to mine。 It was easy； it had always been easy； but before； I had believed there was something to lose by doing it。 We did not meld into one person； but instead fit together like bowls stacked in a cupboard。 He rode me fortably； like a well…loaded pack。 I took a breath and lifted my ax。 〃Again；〃 I said to Burrich。
As he came at me I no longer allowed him to be Burrich。 He was a man with an ax； e to kill Verity； and before I could stop my momentum； I had laid him out on the floor。 He rose； shaking his head； and I saw a touch of anger in his face。 Again we came together； and again I made a telling touch。 〃Third time；〃 he told me； and his battle smile lit up his weathered face。 We came together again with a jolt in the joy of struggle； and I overmatched him cleanly。
Twice more we clashed before Burrich suddenly stepped back from one of my blows。 He lowered his ax to the floor and stood； hunkered slightly forward until his breath came easy again。 Then he straightened and looked at Verity。 〃He's got it；〃 he said huskily。 〃He's caught the knack of it now。 Not that he's fully honed yet。 Drill will make him sharper； but you've made a wise choice for him。 The ax is his weapon。〃
Verity nodded slowly。 〃And he is mine。〃
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Verity's Ships
IN THE THIRD summer of the Red…Ship War； the Six Duchies warships were blooded。 Although they numbered only four； they represented an important change in tactics to defending our realm。 Our encounters that spring with the Red…Ships swiftly taught us that we had forgotten much of being warriors。 The Raiders were right； we had bee a race of farmers。 But we were farmers who had determined to take a stand and fight。 We quickly found the Raiders to be resourceful and savage fighters。 This was true to the extent that none of them ever surrendered or were taken alive。 That； perhaps； should have been our first clue as to the nature of Forging and what we actually battled； but at the time it was too subtle a hint； and we were too busy surviving to wonder at it。
The rest of that winter passed as swiftly as the first half had dragged。 The separate parts of my life became like beads and I the string that ran through them all。 I believe if I had ever paused to consider the intricacy of all I did to keep those parts separate； I would have found it impossible。 But I was young then； much younger than I suspected； and somehow I found the energy and time to do and be it all。
My day began before dawn； with a session with Verity。 At least twice a week Burrich and his axes were included。 But most often it was Verity and I alone。 He worked on my Skill sense； but not as Galen had。 He had specific tasks in mind for