Chapter 21

I adjusted my seat in my saddle for probably the tenth time in a minute. My nerves and excitement were boiling over. I felt uncomfortable all over again and shifted once more. When were we leaving? The waiting was killing me as the minutes ticked by agonizingly.

"Twelve," Edmund said, grinning at me from his seat on his battle horse, Thunder. Because of his own height of six foot and the height of his horse, Edmund seemed to tower over me and I had to look up at him.

"Twelve what?" I asked, feeling my eyebrow furrow.

"That's the twelfth time you've shifted in your seat," he pointed out. "But who's counting?"

"Obviously you."

"Where is Halt anyway?" Edmund asked and I turned around, scanning the courtyard for any sign of the grizzled old Ranger. However, like my previous attempts, it came up empty.

"I have no clue. What in Araluen is he doing?"

Some ten minutes ago, Halt had left us saying that he had to do some last minute business. Ten minutes wasn't a long time, but when you were waiting impatiently, it dragged on, seeming indefinite.

The saddle felt uncomfortable all over again and I changed seating. This time Caesar turned around to face me her huge brown eyes, asking me why I kept on moving. I was just about to answer her like I did Wolf but stopped myself. I didn't have to explain my actions to a horse, or anyone for that matter. I just made a face at her and she turned back around.

"Thirteen," Edmund added.

"Shut up." I looked down at Wolf, who was currently catching a few extra minutes of sleep, and wished that time would pass quicker.

I heard a whinny and turned to see Halt walking over to stroke Abelard. He had moved so silently that I hadn't even heard him cross the hundred metres into the courtyard.

"Halt, can we go yet?" I asked, my voice coming out whiny, but I didn't care because I wanted to leave already. Halt looked at me and then continued to pat Abelard, saying something under his breath. He then took a piece of parchment sealed with red wax and the Ranger insignia and put it in his saddle bags.

"Hurry up, Halt," Edmund put in, his patience running out as well. "Why did you wake us up so early if you were just going to waste time later on? I could have slept for an extra half an hour."

"Patience is a virtue," Halt said as he mounted Abelard.

"Laziness is a sin," I retorted instantly as Edmund grinned at my comeback.

"Good one."

"The youth of today is so rude," Halt muttered as he nudged Abelard forward and we both copied his actions so that we rode three abreast. The feeling of Caesar moving underneath me made me feel excited all over again as I felt her barrel shaped body move and heard the noises of her hooves on the stones.

"And you wonder why," Edmund smirked.

"We didn't exactly have good role models," I added.

"Haven't you ever heard the verse: if you respect your elders you will live a long and happy life?" Halt asked looking at us with a look of triumph on his face.

Edmund coughed. "That's what old people say." Halt scowled as Edmund and I laughed.

"If we didn't have somewhere to be, I would throw you in the moat," Halt warned, his dark eyes menacing. I directed Caesar away from Halt as he smiled evilly.

"Luckily we do," Edmund continued and I gave him a look, pleading with him to stop because I could tell that Halt was already concocting ways in which to pay us back.

"One day you will regret that," Halt said simply.

"Can we go faster?" Wolf asked with a quiet bark, and I looked down to see him walking beside Caesar. He was right, we were travelling quite slowly and at this rate we would never get to Caraway, let alone go there and get back in time for the funeral.

Suddenly feeling a bout of confidence, I urged Caesar to a canter and her short legs moved faster beneath me. The sound of her hooves intensified as she pulled away from Halt and Edmund. The wind blew through my hair, splaying it behind me. It was cold and refreshing and I was just wondering how much faster Caesar would go when I was interrupted.

"What in Araluen are you doing?" Halt called and I quickly pulled on Caesar reins, coming to a complete stop as Halt and Edmund caught up.

"Going faster," I answered, wondering why Halt looked annoyed at me.

He sighed. "You do realize that fast horses make more noise." I nodded as my eyebrows knitted together. Of course Caesar would make more noise as she ran faster, after all the courtyard floor was made of stone.

"And we're trying to be quiet," Edmund added, smirking at my look.

"Oh," I replied pathetically.

"Try not to wake up all the guests of the castle," Halt said gruffly. "It is early. The sun is not even fully up."

"Sorry." I felt stupid and annoyed that I was being told off. I wanted to do everything perfectly so that I could learn faster and become a Ranger.

"Just make sure you learn from your mistake," Halt said. I felt my face go red. I hated being told off and I hated that it was Halt who had found a flaw in me.

Halt urged Abelard forward so that we were travelling in a V formation with him in the front, and Edmund and I behind him.

"Don't be embarrassed," Edmund said and I looked down, not wanting him to see the extent of my blush.

"I see your blush," he continued with a slight laugh.

"I hate messing up."

"Like Halt said: as long as you learn from your mistakes, they're a good thing."

"Still..."

"It's his job as a mentor. He can't just say that everything you do is good, because otherwise he would be lying and you would never improve." What Edmund was saying made sense but I still decided to try to not mess up again.

Soon we arrived at the gate to the castle, which was guarded by a small group of sentries. Upon approaching, Halt showed his silver oakleaf necklace from under his cloak and they immediately let him pass, as well as us since we were in tow. I saw that Peters was one of the guards and smiled at him.

"It's pretty early to be up," he said, grinning when I scrunched up my nose.

"Halt made me get up," I explained. "Otherwise I would still be curled up in my warm bed."

"When Halt calls, you have to answer."

"Or face the consequences."

"Peters, stop gossiping about me." Halt growled, turning Abelard to face us slightly.

"We're just singing your praises," Peters grinned. I smirked and saw Edmund do the same beside me.

"Remember the last time you did that?" Halt said and Peters' eyes widened in alarm as he clamped his mouth shut immediately. Halt nodded to himself as Abelard's hooves clattered over the drawbridge.

"Tell me," I begged, knowing that whatever story lay behind this would be hilarious.

"Yeah, come on, Peters," Edmund added, a merry glint in his eyes.

"Never in a million years." I saw the determined look on his face and knew that he wouldn't relent.

"Well, see you later, then, Peters," I said as he mock saluted me.

"What about me?" Edmund asked in feigned hurt as he pouted. I felt myself smile at his pout. It was really cute. I slapped the thought aside.

"I like your girlfriend better," Peters said simply, sending us both red as beetroots.

"She's not…" Edmund started.

"He's not…" I said at exactly the same time but none of us finished our sentences, not knowing what else to say.

"That's what they all say," Peters said as he grinned widely. "Or more correctly, don't say."

As we exited the castle we were met by a magnificent sunrise that stretched over the horizon. Pink, purple and orange colours painted the skyline as sunlight streamed through the trees on the perfectly manicured lawn around Castle Araluen. I stopped Caesar and just stared at it in awe for a few seconds.

"It's beautiful," I said under my breath and I heard Edmund mutter something similar. I turned around to see him looking at something over my shoulder. I followed his gaze but there was nothing in his immediate line of vision.

"What's so interesting over there?" I asked pointing over my shoulder.

Edmund cleared his throat. "The light was almost like a rainbow in that direction."

"Where's Halt?" I asked, changing the subject, and I saw relief flood into Edmund's green eyes. Relief?

"There," he said, pointing ahead of us where a lone rider on his horse was stationed in the middle of the highway. We began to move closer to him, but as soon as we started moving, Halt immediately urged Abelard into a gallop, leaving us stunned.

Then Edmund looked at me with a huge grin plastered on his handsome, clean shaven face. "Race you." Before I even had time to contemplate his words, Thunder was speeding down the highway, a cloud of dust pluming behind him, his hooves a blur of black.

"Well?" Wolf asked, looking up at me.

"Oh, right," I said, realizing that I hadn't moved. I clipped Caesar's sides with my legs and she responded immediately, bounding away quickly. One second she was standing stock still and the next she had built up so much speed that I had to concentrate to see anything. She picked her way along the dirt road, knowing somehow to follow the others. I was still in too much shock at the speed that I didn't do anything but try to hold on. I saw a blur of grey under me. Wolf was easily keeping pace and looked eager to show Caesar that he could match her speed.

I moved my gaze ahead and picked out the only two other figures on the highway this morning. Two horses. One bigger than the other, but the smaller one was ahead. Edmund and Halt were way in front and I hoped that Caesar would be able to catch up because I hated losing.

I suddenly felt my stomach turn over and I felt sick. My vision began to swim. The speed was too much. I didn't feel in control anymore. I tried to hang on tighter, desperately. I was going to fall. I couldn't stand this speed. It was the fastest I had ever travelled on a horse and I understood why I had never tried this before. It was terrifying! And not in a good way.

I searched my brain, trying to think of what I could do to get Caesar to stop before I fell off. Was there some sort of action? My thoughts were hazy.

"Stop!" I yelled, but it came out as a half sob. Caesar heard and immediately responded, slowing down until she was walking. I sat in the saddle, my eyes wide as I tried to calm myself down. I wouldn't cry. I refused. I took a deep breath and began to feel better.

Caesar turned her head around to face me and looked sad. Her brown eyes asked if I was alright and apologized for going too fast.

"Are you alright?" Wolf asked, looking up at me. I smiled slightly at both of them.

"I'm ok now." I took another deep breath and got Caesar travelling in a canter, not too slow but not too fast. I knew that I had no chance of catching up with the others, but I just hoped that they would notice that I was no longer racing them and would stop soon.

I looked ahead and felt relieved to see that Edmund and Halt had stopped and were waiting for me.

"What's wrong?" Edmund asked when I reached them, concern taking over his eyes.

"It was a bit too fast for me," I admitted.

"Are you alright?" Halt asked, looking at me closely as worry creased his face.

"I'm fine now. Just I've never gone that fast before."

"Halt won the race," Edmund told me, looking disappointed.

"You guys might be young, but I'm faster than you by miles," Halt said with a smirk at the annoyed look in Edmund's eyes.

"Shut up."

"We have to travel at the Ranger's forced march pace now or the horses will get too tired out," Halt said and Edmund nodded, seeming to understand what he meant.

Before I could even ask, Halt continued.

"It means we ride forty minutes in the saddle at a canter and then twenty minutes on foot so that the horses can travel unburdened while we run at a steady trot. Then every four hours we take a rest."

"So I have to run?" I frowned.

"Don't be lazy," Edmund chastised.

"I'm not. I was just stated the facts," I retorted immediately. If he thought I was lazy, then I was going to show him and outlast them both. My days of walking around Araluen should mean that I was fit enough.

"I guess since the journey isn't too long we can just stop at lunch and then at supper time," Halt said.

We travelled at the Ranger forced march pace as the Ranger instructed. Halt rode out in front with Edmund and me behind him. He seemed to be consumed in thought and wasn't acting particularly chatty – not that the grim Ranger would normally be described in that manner. I found myself and Edmund talking the whole time, the hours moving quickly during our conversation.

For lunch, Halt lit a small fire and began to cook a rabbit stew with the animal he had killed some time that morning. He efficiently skinned off the fur and cut the animal up, browning it in some butter before sitting back to relax.

Edmund's stomach growled loudly and Halt and I smirked at him.

"Someone's hungry," Halt observed the obvious.

"How long 'til it's ready?" Edmund asked.

Halt seemed to consider the question for a while, even though I could see from the look on his face that he already knew the answer. "It'll be ready when it's ready."

"You are so helpful."

"Is that sarcasm I hear?" I grinned.

"No, why would you say that?" Edmund grinned back.

"Please, you two, don't make me throw up," Halt said, shaking his head.

"We all know it takes a boat for that," Edmund said slyly as Halt scowled.

"Dangerous ground, boy. Dangerous ground," Halt growled.

"Does Halt get seasick?" I asked innocently, although Will and Gilan had already filled me in on the answer.

"Mal de mur is the Gallican term," Edmund said.

"Sounds exotic," I teased as Halt's eyebrows lowered dangerously.

"Remind me never to take you two on a trip with me again," he muttered, his voice low.

"I think we should go," Edmund said, pointing to where the three horses were grazing. "I'll show you some riding tips on Thunder."

Halt coughed. "Going on a date." Now it was my turn to scowl at him.

"No, Halt, just no."

"Come on," Edmund said, indicating Thunder, who was still saddled.

"If we do this we're never going to hear the end of it from Halt," I said uneasily. I didn't want to be shown how to ride fast. I was fine with my feet firmly on the ground.

"Scared?" Edmund challenged.

"No," I replied instantly.

"Then prove it." I scowled at him and his smirk. He knew exactly how to force me to do things.

"Fine."

I mounted Thunder, this time not needing Edmund's help. I put my right foot in the stirrup and pulled my left leg over the top before I was sitting quite comfortably. I looked down at Edmund and smirked.

"You learned how to mount!" he said, showing mock astonishment.

I did a bow from in the saddle. "Don't need your help anymore."

Edmund frowned before mounting and sitting behind me. He put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him until my back was leaning on him and I could almost feel his breathing. His left hand sat on my hip while his right hand took the reins. I shifted slightly, not knowing what I thought of the position of his hand. I mean, I didn't mind it at all, but I didn't know if I was ready for it.

"Getting a bit close, aren't we?" Wolf grinned at us. I stuck my tongue out at him when Edmund wasn't looking.

"Should we go now?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered, looking back up from Wolf and immediately feeling slight fear at the height combined with the speed we were going to travel at.

"We'll start off slow," Edmund said, directing Thunder into a trot as we made our way out of the small clearing where Halt had decided to stop. On the way out, I turned around to wave at Halt who just raised an eyebrow at us.

"Be back before midnight," he called and I rolled my eyes.