"Horace, remember when we were in Gallica, when we challenged Deparnieux?"
Horace nodded. A shadow flitted across his face for a moment at the memory of the evil warlord.
"I remember."
"Well, I said then that I was related to the royal line of Hibernia. Remember?"
"Yes, I seem to recall words to that effect," Horace said. Now it was Halt's turn to spread his hands out in a perplexed gesture.
"Well, then, did you think I was lying?"
…"As a matter of fact, yes."
Halt drew rein on Abelard and the small horse stopped. Will and Horace had to conform to his action, turning their horses so that the three of them faced each other in a rough circle in the center of the road. Halt regarded Horace with a hurt expression on his face.
"You think I was lying? You challenge my basic honesty? I am deeply, deeply hurt! Tell me, Horace, when have I ever lied?"
Horace glared at him. "You told me that you lied!"
Halt was silent for a moment. "I did?" he asked.
"Yes!" Horace replied vehemently. "You said you were a member of the royal house of Hibernia, and I believed you. I believed you again when you said you had lied about it."
"If you're going to lie about lying, Halt," Will butted in, "you should really remember when you do it so you don't get caught like this."
Halt shot a glare at his former apprentice, but before he could give a suitably cutting reply, Horace started speaking again.
"I believed what you said about those girls too."
"Girls? What girls?" Halt asked.
A/N: Just a little something I needed to do. I love Flanagan's work, but this little inconsistency bothered me.
Italicized words are taken directly from chapter 15 of Kings of Clonmel. I claim no credit for them.
Inspiration for my stories can be found on my profile for anyone who's interested.