Chapter 8

The evening light bounced off the rows of silver cutlery and platter, on the platter rows of chicken legs, beef steaks, lamb stews all the different types of meat a man could wish for in heaven. The food, the sunlight and the aroma all intoxicated Horace with the sweet smell of finger licking grease. He was a growing boy after all and growing boys rarely missed opportunities to eat food like this. Especially Horace. There were no vegetable platters or any sort of steamed greens but Horace didn't mind, essentially he was a carnivore resorting to greens when there was no meat available. He sat down next to a burly Skandian who was already tearing at the mutton leg as if it was fluff while taking deep draughts of his ale tankard that was beside him. He sighed gratefully while filling his silver plate with vast amounts of meat and filling his tankard with plain water.

"How you can eat like an overgrown pig is beyond me." The unfriendly voice of Halts rang out to him as he saw him settling down directly opposite.

"I do not eat like an overgrown pig thank you very much; I eat like an overgrown boy." Horace replied distinctly.

"Oh please if there were no Skandians in the room right now you probably would have eaten everything in here edible or not." He said while successfully hiding a grin.

"Look I don't like seeing food wasted. Why is that such a bad thing to you?" The answer to that question however was not answered as Halt sniffed while gathering warm food on his plate and without looking up greeted Will.

"For some reason Horace feels like eating like an overgrown pig." For a second Horace felt confused wondering who Halt was talking to then jumped as he saw Will smirking behind his back.

"Well Halt I don't see why that's a surprise, we always knew Horace was destined to be a bachelor that swore his life to marrying just food." Will replied in a carefree manner. Perhaps if Halt had looked up to see his young apprentices face he may have noticed a shadow of doubt and anxiety from time to time but as it was Halt was too intent on the food to notice. Horace did look up to see Will's face but him being no master of perception couldn't make out anything unusual with his small friend.

"Well are you planning to sit down or are you going to stand there like a buffoon, the both of you humiliate me enough as it is." Halt was still concentrating on cutting the succulent pork cutlets gathered on his plate. Will grinned at the jibe.

"No actually I just needed to speak with Horace for a second about our plans for the archers and shield bearers." He nodded to Horace as a motion for him to get up while Horace looked wistfully at the meat filled plate but rose anyway to accompany Will out of the front doors. He thought Will seemed awfully quiet tonight and was curious as to what was going on but when he looked at his friend's face he saw no emotions gathered on it. They walked on in silence. Once they were out of the hall Horace noticed Will's face change instantly to an expression of concern.

"Will what's wrong?" Horace was beginning to feel concerned. He knew Will was usually very calm under pressure and knew how to handle situations critically, the thought of his friend being worried about something made Horace feel naturally anxious.

"Horace, Evanlyn's missing." The bluntness in his tone was unmistakeable as Will paced up and down the warm corridors that had long wooden poles with fire on top every 10 metres or so. Horace looked confused.

"Missing? I thought you wanted to talk to me about the shield bearers? And wasn't she last seen with you?"

"Well initially yes but I was practising and I didn't see or hear anything happen to her." Will decidedly ignored the previous question.

"Well you should have." Horace replied forcefully. "After all you are a Ranger. How could you let this happen? How could you be so careless?"

"Woah calm down I told you I was practising and you know that takes a lot of concentration." Will was on defensive mode now and he thought that Horace was laying it on him a little rough. "Besides she could be anywhere I haven't checked every room yet I just thought you ought to know that's all." Will made a placatory gesture and Horace calmed down a bit. Only a bit. He was worried though. He had come to like the small pretty girl and the idea of losing her made him feel weak and irresponsible.

"How many rooms have you checked?" Horace asked a little sceptically. Will eyed him carefully since he realised Horace was obviously on edge he told the truth.

"I checked her room, her maid's room; I asked her maid and anyone who may have been associated with her. No one knows where she is but she could just be wondering out on her own."

"No Evanlyn wouldn't be that careless." Horace countered then a thought occurred. "Hey did you tell Halt yet?" Horace asked quickly.

"No. I thought it was best not to since he already has enough on his plate without this and if this does turn out to be Evanlyn being careless then it would have been a waste of his time."

"I told you EVANLYN WAS NOT CARELESS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HER WAS YOUR FAULT!" Horace shouted the last eleven words. Will actually recoiled two steps back. He had never witnessed his friend to be out of control like this. Usually whenever Will saw him Horace looked calm and peaceful yet deadly. This Horace though was an enraged teenage boy that was taller than half the Skandians, and Will recognised his friend's desperation and realised that he was just as anxious and nervous as Will was.

"Horace relax. Calm down"

"Don't tell me to calm down when I'm angry that just makes me angrier!" He said in an exasperated tone but at least that tone was different from his tone of anger. Will had already made his plan from seeing Horace's grim face.

"Right Horace. We're going to find her. We're going to find her together."

"Agreed" and so both boys turned their backs from the hall and the food inside it and walked with sheer determination in their stances. Both faces set with a motive. Find Evanlyn.