Chapter 13

Skipping down the frosty hall way Evanlyn whistled cheerfully, bringing her own personal warmth and light and filling the corridor with it. She mainly got her optimism for life from Will. He seemed to be happy wherever he went and optimism radiated from him infecting her in a good way.

"You seem unusually happy." A familiar deep voice spoke out to her, and she could tell from the way he was speaking that he was trying to hide a chuckle. She turned at the sound of his voice and saw Horace standing at the beginning of the hall way with his heavily muscled arms folded across his just as muscular chest. She had walked past him so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't realised he was there.

"Oh hey Horace." She smiled at him warmly. He smiled back in a friendly way as he took long strides catching up to her with in seconds.

"Hey Evanlyn." He put his arm around her shoulders and it took quite a lot of effort on her part to make sure her knees didn't buckle. When on earth did his arm become so heavy? He didn't seem to notice her moment of confusion and he started talking again the way he usually did when he was around her.

"Seriously this shield bearing business is tough to the extreme. I mean this sounds like it's going to be an extremely bloody war and Will and I will be caught up in the middle of it. The training's going good so far it's just that Will's quite worried. I sure am glad you're not going to be there." He eyed her nervously as he was talking, waiting to see her reaction.

"Wait why is Will worried?" She immediately smiled when she heard Will's name then it changed to a frown at Horace's statement.

"We-ell, I mean he's doing great he's really good at shooting and directing the archers and all that but he doesn't get the timing right, to be honest I'm quite worried about it too but I don't want to be a pain to Will when he's already worried about the same thing I mean I'm not going to help if I tell him that I think he's got it all wrong and I have no solutions to our problem." He frowned, deep in thought and then looked towards Evanlyn, and seeing more confusion on her face he took a deep breath and began again.

"Look you know the way the whole shield bearer thing works don't you?" seeing her nod he continued "Well since Will is having to direct the archers and shoot the Khajin he's having a difficult time knowing when the archers have knocked their bows so he when he's ordering for them to shoot most of them haven't knocked their bows yet and only half of them are ready to shoot so only half the arrows are flown at the enemy. That means the enemy is likely to be less hurt. It's really frustrating him. He's taking on too much pressure on himself." He saw understanding dawn on Evanlyn's face.

"So basically all he needs is someone who can tell him when the archers are ready." She asked. Horace opened the maple wood doors for the both of them as they entered the eating hall. The massive room buzzed with excitement at the upcoming war and laughter at each other's jokes. They noticed Halt and Will sitting together nursing their coffees while deep in conversation. They made their way towards them.

"Well yes, it's simple enough really but the problem is we don't have enough people as it is so who's going to tell us when the archers are ready?" Horace asked meaning the question to be rhetorical. They sat down opposite the two coffee addicts and Horace almost spluttered over his drink when he heard her answer.

"I am." Certainty ringing in her voice.

"WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?" Horace barked. So far Will and Halt were too busy discussing Slagor's punishment to greet their companions but at Horace's outburst they felt compelled to. Both their heads snapped up and Will smiled at Evanlyn and watched her blush with huge satisfaction. To distract her from Will's glorious gaze she turned to face Horace.

"No, I'm not being crazy I'm being logical." She said calmly, aware that many Skandian eyes were fixed on her.

"Oh so you think getting yourself killed is logical?" Horace huffed. Evanlyn felt like smacking him as his naturally loud voice attracted yet again more attention from the Skandians. Thankfully Halt interjected on Evanlyn's behalf and serenely told him to shut up before he was forced to cut his ears off as punishment. Horace turned a tomato red and Evanlyn took this chance to retaliate.

"Look who's talking, you're a knight you're not exactly in any position to be discouraging me from fighting, you have to take that risk in every war you fight."

"Yes well I can handle that I mean I'm not a girl like you." Horace blurted. He instantly became aware of his mistake and looked across the table to see Will shaking his head and glaring in a warning. It was too late.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" She asked. It was great discipline on her part that she hadn't already smacked him, since everyone knew how sensitive she was to being underestimated. Halt interrupted again, sensing a brutal fight in the making.

"Back up the oxcart will you and why don't you two tell us what's been going on before this escalates into something dramatic." Evanlyn turned away from Horace still insulted by his remark, to explain her idea to the rest of them. She suddenly realised it was a mistake to be telling Will this since surely he would think the same as Horace though on the contrary, he seemed to warm up to her idea with enthusiasm. Halt like Horace was a little more reluctant.

"You do realise Evanlyn that you're father would have my head if you didn't come back home in one piece?" Halt asked sternly. Will answered for her.

"Yes but I'm sure we can dig some kind of ditch or something to keep her in so that she's safe, and all she has to do is tell me when they're ready."

"Safe." Horace snorted. Will glared at Horace.

"Well what other choice do we have Horace? No one else will be willing and Evanlyn's the person I trust the most." Halt looked at all of the three faces and knew in his heart what his answer would be.

"Alright Evanlyn you can go." He seemed almost exasperated when he said it. She beamed at him then left the hall without touching her food. The same couldn't be said for Horace, who as soon as he saw it gobbled it down in three minutes.

"Will I need to talk to you follow me." Halt got up swiftly and went towards the doors out of the hall and Will, perplexed joined him. Horace was too keen to notice any of them go and soon the afternoon sun spread its rays to the two newcomers outside.

"What is it Halt?" Will was standing behind his mentor, confused at his demeanour.

"Will you need to keep an eye on Slagor." Halt's topic starter completely stunned Will who hadn't even given any thought to the burly Skandian.

"Why? Has he done anything?"

"No not yet." Halt turned to see Will shrug nonchalantly. "It's about what he will do. He's been humiliated twice now Will and that gives him a strong motive." He wanted Will to grasp the seriousness of this issue. Halt wouldn't be around to sort this out, he had a load of problems already stacked upon him and he needed to know Will would know what to do.

"He won't go near her, I'll make sure he doesn't." Will growled. He pictured her blood oozing out and shuddered as a reflex.

"There's something else Will." Halt was still looking at his apprentice but this time with an odd look on his face. Will noticed.

"What?" He asked.

"You need to talk to Horace." He saw Will frown. "He fancies Evanlyn Will or haven't you noticed?" Halt blurted awkwardly. He wasn't the type of man that found these controversial topics hugely embarrassing but he felt his apprentice had a right to know.

"What?" Will asked. He knew Horace liked Evanlyn they had got on well after all, but fancy was never a term he would have used to describe their relationship.

"It's so obvious. Seriously am I the only one who notices these things?" He asked more to himself.

"Well you probably would Halt, after all you don't have a wife of your own." Will jibed, though it was half hearted. He was still brooding over Halt's new piece of information on Slagor.

"Look Will, the both of you are best friends and I wouldn't want to see you hurt because of this. We have two days until we have to ride to our designated location. Try and talk to him before the war actually starts." Halt scrutinised Will's face and saw nothing but fire to get his revenge on Slagor. Halt sighed. Sometimes it was so hard to get teenage boys to listen to you. He knew Will had heard him though; he was too well trained as a Ranger not to have done.

"Will?" He asked softly. He saw him snap out of schemes for revenge.

"Yes Halt?"

"Think about what I said."

"Sure thing don't worry." But Halt could tell Will's thoughts were miles away. He nodded at his apprentice gruffly and turned on his heel to prepare for the upcoming war.