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and his home without having to plan a route。 From hunting and fishing trips he knew the way so well here that he thought he'd be able to keep on going confidently even。after dark。 At intervals he waded into the shallow stream； crossing and recrossing it； sometimes trudging in the water for long stretches。 If the Duke's men were going to e after him with keen…nosed tracking beasts； it might help。。。
He feared pursuit； and listened for it constantly。 But when he tried to picture in his mind exactly what form it would take； it looked in his imagination rather like the militia that Kenn had had to join and drill with periodically。 That was not a very terrifying picture。 But of course the pursuit wouldn't really be like that。 It might include tracking beasts； and aerial scouts； and cavalry； and warbeasts too。。。 again Mark saw； with the vividness of recent memory； the mangled body of the catlike creature that had tried like some hurt pet to crawl away and hide。。。
His thoughts never could get far from the burden that he was carrying； the awkward bundle tucked at this moment under his right arm； wrapped up in a blanket newly stained。 Townsaver； let the gods name it whatever they liked； hadn't really saved the town at all。 Because it was not the town that the intruders had been trying to attack。 They had been after the eminent visitor； and nothing else。 （And here Mark wondered again just what a seneschal might be。）
Mark supposed that the intruders had been bandits； planning a kidnapping for ransom … everyone knew that such things happened to the wealthy from time to time。 Of course as a rule they didn't happen to members of the Duke's family。 But perhaps the bandits hadn't known just who their intended victim was； they'd seen only that he must be rich。
And the victim had e to the village in the first place only because of the sword itself； that was what he had wanted to see and hold； what he would probably have taken away with him if he could。 If only he had。。。
The killing of Jord and of Kyril had probably been pletely accidental； just because they'd been standing in the bandits' way。 And the bandits had attacked Kenn only because he was holding the sword； and had gone on holding it。 Mark； struggling now against tears； recalled how his brother had looked like he wanted to throw the weapon down； and couldn't。 The sword had taken over； and once that happened there had been nothing that Kenn could do about it。
So； if the sword hadn't entered into it； Mark's brother and father would both be still alive。 And the Elder Kyril too。 And probably even the Duke's cousin would be alive and well cared for in his abductors hands； to be sent home as soon as a ransom was paid … or； perhaps more likely； released with abject apologies as soon as the kidnappers found out who he was。 Yes； the sword had destroyed warbeasts and bandits。 But it had also brought ruin upon the very town and people that its name suggested it might have saved。。。
On top of all the other deeper and more terrible problems that it caused； it was also a damned awkward thing to carry。 And the more time that Mark spent carrying it； the more maddening this paratively minor difficulty became。 He continually tried to find a safe and fortable way to hold the thing while he walked with it。 In a way his mind weled this challenge； as an escape from the consideration of difficulties infinitely worse。
After he washed the sword he tried for a little while carrying it unwrapped； but that quickly became unfortable too。 The only halfway reasonable way to carry a naked sword； particularly one as keen…edged as this； was in hand； as if you were ready to fight with it。 Mark wasn't ready to fight； and didn't want to pretend he was。 More importantly； the weight borne that way soon made his wrist and fingers ache。
Careful testing assured him that the edges were still sharper than those of any other blade； knife or razor that he'd ever held； if he were to try to carry this weapon stuck through his belt； his pants would soon be down around his ankles。 And； to Mark's vague； unreasonable disappointment； it was soon obvious that the sword was not going to rust because of its immersion in the river。 The brilliant steel dried quickly； and in fact to Mark's fingertip felt very slightly oily。 With a mixture of despair and admiration he stared at the finely mottled pattern that seemed to lead on deeper and deeper into the metal； under the shiny surface smoothness。
Before he'd walked very far after the washing； he had paused to rewrap the sword in the still…wet cloth； and tied it up again； leaving a loop of cord for a carrying handle。 Mark slogged on； shifting his burden this way and that。 If he hung it from one hand； it banged against his legs； if he put it over one shoulder like a shovel； he could feel it threatening to cut him； right through its wrapping and his shirt。 Of course； with the sword tied up like this； he wouldn't be able to use it quickly if he had to。 That really didn't bother Mark。 He didn't want to try to use it anyway。
Mark kept fighting against the memory of how Kenn had used the sword … or how it had used Kenn； who was as innocent as Mark of any training with such a weapon。 In the militia exercises； Kenn had always practiced with the lowly infantry weapon； a cheap spear。 Swords of even the most ordinary kind； let alone a miraculous blade like this one； were for the folk who lived in manorhouse and castle。
And yet。。。 this one had certainly been given to Mark's father。 Given deliberately； by a being who was surely of higher rank than any merely human lord。
Gods and goddesses were。。。 well； what were they？ It struck Mark forcibly now that he'd never met anyone but his own father who'd claimed convincingly to have any such direct contact with any deity。
Nor； it occurred to Mark now； could he remember meeting anyone who had sincerely envied Jord his treasure； considering the price that Mark's father had had to pay for it。
All this and much more kept churning uncontrollably through Mark's mind as he trudged the riverbank and waded in the stream； meanwhile listening for pursuers。 From the time of Mark's earliest understanding； the sword； and the way his father had acquired it； had been among the given facts of life for him。 Never until today had he been confronted with the full marvel and mystery of those facts。 Always the sword； with its story； had simply hung there on the wall； like a candlesconce or a mon dish； until everyone who lived in the house had grown so used to it that it had almost been forgotten。 Visitors asking about the odd bundle had received a matter…of…fact answer； one they'd perhaps not always believed。 And the visitors repetitions of the story elsewhere； Mark supposed now； had probably been believed even less often。
And Vulcan had said it was called Townsaver。。。 thinking again of the town's saving； Mark had to fight back tears again。 Now； as in some evil dream or story； the cursed burden of the sword had revealed itself for the curse it truly was； and now it had e down to him。 He was the heir； the only surviving son； now that Kenn was dead。。。 he knew that Kenn was dead。 The swo