"This was an original map of Araluen, it shows the original forty Fiefs and their keeps. It even has a listing of the Barons who ruled the fiefs," the wrinkled Scribe Master spoke excitedly, like the old map they were not allowed to touch, was the most fascinating thing in world. He had talked about everything like that. The oil painting of the Queen and her late father King Duncan, the portrait of the late Baron Arald and his wife Lady Sandra, a thick book with the histories of the Fiefs, a scroll he had brought from the island nation Nihon-Ja, the old round shield with the crude oak leaf painted by Ranger Halt while he and Horace where riding across the Gallic countryside, a large boar head that hung in the library.
That had actually been interesting. It was the boar that Halt had slain to save his apprentice and a Battle School student. The girls had been really interested in that, they could have listened to the Scribe Master regale that tale all day long. Evan had also enjoyed that, he had always dreamt of going on a boar hunt. But the Scribe Master was not fond of the subject and moved on quickly.
"Can we do something else?" Peyton raised her hand like they were in a lecture at the Gathering. "I know history is important, but it's so boring," she whined.
"Of course," at least the old man realized that he needed to change the subject. George had little experience with children, but Will had warned him about the girls and the need to constantly keep them interested in a subject. Their quick disinterest of the subjects had resulted in George finishing the four hours' worth of prepared activities in just under an hour. "How about we go down to Lady Helena's office? How would you like to learn the secret code of the couriers?"
Olivia sighed folding her arms over her chest, "We already know that."
The Scribe's face fell looking between the four children. "Already know?" he asked in a mutter that the Ranger children took to be meant for himself. "Will thought that would be something for you to do today."
"Can't we go explore the Keep?" Rachel stepped forward, smiling sweetly at the Scribe Master, her hands folded behind her back. "Or maybe go to the archery range, and you and the Battle Master can watch us practice."
"No," Sir Brian stood up from where he had been watching at a table near the door. "We're not going anywhere where the four of you can cause trouble."
"How can we possibly cause trouble at an archery range?" Olivia inquired, turning her large blue eyes up at the tall Battle Master.
"Will said to stay in the library," Sir Brian crossed his arms looking down at the children. "He told me about your little adventure yesterday."
"He's over reacting," Peyton smiled up at the knight.
Brian raised his brow inquisitively at the girl, "I've never known Will Treaty to overreact."
"Then you must not know him very well," Olivia responded stepping closer to the knight. "He always overreacts to anything we do."
"He is very protective," Rachel added joining Olivia before the Battle Master, her smile broadening. "He was over exaggerating, that's all."
Evan smiled watching the girls trying to persuade the Battle Master. They were trying their best, and Evan could see the Battle Master starting to sway. How was he to know how much trouble the girls could cause? How was he to know that they were playing him for a fool? They were masters of persuasion after all.
"And Will might be gone for hours," Peyton added joining her sisters standing before the hardened knight. "Do you really want to sit in here the whole day?" The question was almost too innocent.
"I'd much rather sit here watching you than risk you escaping," Evan saw resolve enter the knight's features. He was going to keep them in the library. He was going to do as Will advised. He was a lot stronger than most strangers who dealt with the girls; Evan had to admire him for that.
"We would never do that," Rachel's smile was too innocent, her eyes too large. The Battle Master had no idea. "All we want to do is practice archery. You know the Rangers have a motto: A person practices until they get it right. A Ranger practices until they never get it wrong."
"Is that so?" George perked up, always curious about the mysterious Ranger Corps, he wanted to know more. "Do they really say that?"
Peyton managed not to roll her eyes, but her smile faltered slightly. "Yes, they do," she managed to reply in a sweet voice.
"Fascinating," he mumbled to himself, turning to look for a quill and some parchment, "I must write that down, and ask Will about it."
"As true as that may be, we are not going out to the archery range and we are not going out to explore the Keep," Sir Brian's brow fell to a point as he looked down at the girls. "If you are bored with this topic we will move on to something else."
"But we've looked at everything in the library already," Olivia's lower lip puckered slightly looking up at the knight. "And we need to be able to run around."
"You'll do plenty of running once Will comes to collect you," the Battle Master responded curtly.
"But we've done everything we can," Peyton whined slightly, a tactic she found highly effective in most cases. "If we stay here we'll just be sitting until Will and Angie come back."
"I sure I can find something for you," Sir Brian gave a small half smile turning for the door.
The girls grinned following after the knight, only to be stopped at the door by a pair of guards. They retreated quickly from the guards who stood at rigid attention. The guards looked down at the girls and Evan and gave a slight smile.
"Any trouble Scribe Master, sir?" one of the guards asked, his eyes lifting for a moment to look at the Scribe Master.
"Oh, no. We're getting along nicely," George answered wearily, wondering what Brian could possibly have planned.
"Good to hear," the other smiled down at the children. "Not to worry, Sir Brian will be right back."
"Where did he go?" Evan pushed himself away from the table he had been leaning against and started for the door. "And why did he send the two of you in here?"
"We've been watching the door," the first responded. "Special request of Ranger Treaty."
"It's like he doesn't trust us at all," Olivia mouthed quietly to Peyton and Rachel.
"We did sneak out," Rachel reminded her, eyeing the guards suspiciously.
"Yes, but this is ridiculous," Peyton whispered, leaning to toward the other two. "He's become a little eccentric."
"I think he's the first one to actually go about this the right way," Evan spoke in a low voice, but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear him. "Will has more important things to do than chase you three around all day."
The girls huffed glaring at their brother. How many times was he going to inform them of that? Evan smiled in response, unbothered by the looks the girls cast.
"Could you stop repeating information?" Peyton crossed her arms. "I'm tired of everyone talking about Angie all the time."
"Only because they're not talking about you anymore," Olivia turned on Peyton. "It can't always be about you."
Rachel sighed turning to face Peyton and Olivia. "I can't believe you're going to have this fight again."
"Stay out of it," Peyton snapped, pushing Rachel away from her.
"Stop picking on Rachel," Olivia shoved Peyton backwards.
"I don't need you to defend me," Rachel pushed her way between Peyton and Olivia, glaring at Peyton. "And you can't tell me what to do!"
"I can tell you to do anything I want," Peyton dropped her hands to her sides forming fists. "I'm older than you."
"Barely," Rachel returned quickly, her hands clenching to form fists at her sides.
"All three of you stop," Evan pushed the three girls apart. The guards lay their hands on Olivia's shoulders and George took a firm hold on Peyton, Evan placed his hands on Rachel's shoulders to keep her from lunging at Peyton. "We're supposed to be on our best behavior."
"If Peyton wasn't always trying to start fights," Olivia tried to move away from the guards, but they held her firmly between them.
"I do not," Peyton almost escaped from the Scribe Master, who had not expected the girl to try and attack one of the others.
"Yes, you do," Rachel lunged at Peyton, Evan barely managed to restrain her. "If it's not all about you, you make it that way."
"I do not!" Peyton shouted, her eyes narrowing dangerously at Rachel.
"Stop lying to yourself," Olivia shouted from between the guards. "We all know you want to be the center of attention and you'd do anything to be there."
"What is this, 'Turn on Peyton Day'?" Peyton asked shrilly, straining to escape the Scribe Master. She wanted to tackle both of them. She knew she had an attitude problem, that she wanted all of the attention on her all of the time. But Olivia and Rachel had no right to say all of that about her in front of other people.
"Peyton, stop it," Evan snapped. "And you two too," he glared over his shoulder at Olivia while tightening his grip on Rachel. "This is not how we were raised to behave."
"What? Now you're going to pretend to be perfect," Olivia scoffed. "We all know you hate us, so stop trying to be the 'good big brother' and go be perfect somewhere else."
"I never said I was perfect," Evan returned hotly.
"So you do hate us," Rachel spun out of Evan's grasp. He had been so distracted by the comments that he had not anticipated Rachel's move. The youngest of the girls stood facing him with clenched fists; her hazel eyes narrowed farther than Evan had ever seen them.
"Rach," he offered weakly reaching out for her, his anger about the fighting squandered by the look from Rachel. He could have taken it from Olivia or Peyton, but not Rachel.
"Of course, we're just a burden aren't we," Rachel growled, her hands starting to shake.
Rachel stormed from the library. Peyton and Olivia tore free of the hands restraining them, the men were so shocked by the sudden turn of events they forgot to hold the girls. Olivia and Peyton followed Rachel out into the hallway, but that was as far as it went. Out in the hall they separated, moving off to explore the Keep on their own.
Evan sighed watching after them. He should have denied the claims about hating them. But some small part of him could not do it. He liked being separate from them, he liked being Evan and not having to worry about if those three were safe, or happy. Surely he did not hate them, but at the same time, he did.