Princess Cassandra was attempting to explain to her eight-year-old daughter, the Princess Madelyn, why she couldn't use the frying pans hanging in the kitchen as targets for her sling. She thought that Maddie was old enough to stop being a tomboy and begin behaving like a princess. Clearly, Maddie had a different opinion.

As Cassandra walked Maddie outside to the balcony of her chambers to cool her daughter off, she remembered with amusement when her father had given her the same lecture at her tenth birthday. Her lips twitched as she tried to hide her smile. Maddie wasn't paying attention to the lecture she was being given, though. Her attention was on someone in a gray-green cloak running toward the castle. When she mentioned it to her mother, Cassandra was irritated at first by the fact that Maddie wasn't listening. But when she looked closer, she realized it was a Ranger, and not just any Ranger, it was
Halt.

"Why isn't he riding, Mum?" Maddie was obviously just as confused as her mother. Cassandra didn't answer the question directly.

"Something's wrong. Go find Crowley and your father," she ordered. Maddie ran off at once, her concerned expression mirroring Cassandra's.
Cassandra hurried to her father's office. Duncan was sitting at his desk, trying to make a dent in the endless paperwork that comes with being a king. He glanced up as his daughter rushed in. When Cassandra voiced her concern, he stood up.

"It's probably nothing, but we'll check it out, Cassie," he assured her. Moving quickly, they went down to meet Maddie, who had found Horace and Crowley, at the gate. Halt was slowing down, gasping for breath. When he reached the gate and finally looked up, the others saw something in his eyes that hadn't appeared in a long time: fear.

Once he caught his breath, Halt quickly explained the emergency, skipping the details. Then he swung up behind Crowley, who had saddled Cropper as soon as Maddie found him. Horace saddled his horse, and the three of them rode quickly to the clearing where Will still lay, groaning in pain. Halt realized that there was something besides pain in his former apprentice's voice, and he knew what it was.

"I'm taking Abelard and Tug, Crowley," he said. His friend looked up, confused. Halt elaborated, explaining his desperate plan to save Will.

"I'm going for Malcolm."

Sorry this isn't as long, I only have about one more chapter already done after this, so updates will not be as often.