Chapter 14

The gruesome collection of men thundering across the patchy snow covered countryside certainly was a sight to behold as the army made their journey to the assigned location so they could have a strategic advantage over the Temujai's and Skandia had a small glittering chance of winning the tedious life killing war. Along side the basic troops the four foreigners had taken their place a little behind them as all but Horace had soon realised that being amidst them made them more susceptible to being unintentionally trampled on.

"I wish they would be a little quieter, what if the Temujai's see us and decide to unexpectedly attack?" Will asked his mentor, self doubt creeping into his voice as he saw the mercenaries slap each other heartily on the back while offering never ending bottles of morbid tasting alcohol. Halt looked at his young apprentice then answered.

"I don't think it really makes a difference; even if they did see us they wouldn't be able to do anything about it since they're hardly likely to attack in unknown territory without three to one odds, they're smarter than your average troop." Halt saw Will nod his head in understanding, then fall silent. He took this moment to address the issue that had been bothering him since he last saw him. "Will, you've changed." He looked deep into his dark brown eyes and saw those eyes look up from the ground in which he had been watching. His apprentice sighed for the time being. Though it wasn't a sigh Halt had heard before especially not from Will. "Tell me what happened in Skandia. Please." Halt rarely used words that made him sound desperate but now he was. After he had arrived to the site of his crying son and the Temujai guards gathered around the princess, both Araluans had remained silent even though they had been asked questions about their sentence several times. Their silence was subdued as if there were too many horrific accounts to relive if they told their tale. As if there were too many healing scars to reopen. Horace soon after filled with joy from assuring both his friends were safe forgot the incident altogether though the young pair weren't so lucky for Halt didn't. Every day after, he sought for an opportunity to gather the both of them alone and heavily interrogate them though what with the preparations for war the time had vanished as quickly as he had surmised the thought. Now he was alone with his apprentice who was regarded as the son he never had, with time to kill he decided he might as well start now. Previously whenever he had analysed his and Cassandra's behaviour he knew they had been affected badly. Their mannerisms had changed like the transition from summer to winter. From warm and bubbly to cold and fearful. Their sense of self protection had decreased somewhat from the little he could gather. Especially Will's. All he had been informed of by Erak was that Will had been appointed to be one of the yard slaves, though the grave definition of those words he had yet to understand. Will's face grew hazardously old as Halt was picking along the fine thread that had taken Will so long to sow. The thread that sealed all his wounds and kept him capable of continuing from one day to the next. Undoubtedly there were ghastly moments when the sight of the yard slaves working grindingly day in day out in the ever decreasing temperatures had grated on the young student and the constriction of his windpipes had barely made it accessible for him to breathe. Whether the pain was psychological or physical he could never tell. He had an inkling it was both.

"Halt please." Will choked. He was already panic stricken at the upcoming war; his mentor wasn't helping by directing him to the dark unforgiving territory of his time in slavery.

"I'm sorry Will but I have a right to know." Halt knew he was on unstable ground here and the slightest of mishandling could send him deep into the abyss of forever unknowing. He had to handle this matter cautiously and therefore approached the issue with a demeanour very unlike his outward persona. Gentleness. Repeatedly he had seen the young man struggle to deal with his predicament and knew he was a dam. A dam waiting to burst.

"I know you do Halt, but some things are better left unsaid." Will replied unsuccessfully attempting to persuade Halt into dropping the matter, though he didn't know that this was exactly what drove his mentor to wanting to find out more.

"True" his teacher acknowledged "though some things are better let out." He answered. Will looked behind him to see his two friends gently chattering, bickering over nonsense that was unimportant. He turned his head back round and gathered his thoughts wishing he was brave enough to face the truth. He knew he wasn't ready to face it. Though he also knew that if he prolonged this moment any more he would never be able to face it. And that was a dangerous path to turn to.

"What have you been told so far?" Will could feel the sensation of the fine silk coming out of his wound as he asked the question as if it had been a literal bandage.

"All I've been told was that you were sent to be a yard slave." His mentor concluded. He knew patience was the key to unravelling the truth though every fibre in his being wished Will would hurry up and help him understand the pain he was going through. Will took a huge gulp of air and huffed it out noisily as his palms began sweating and his heart beat accelerated.

"I don't remember what happened to me." He said. Halt frowned in anger.

"What do you mean you don't remember?" He enunciated each word carefully restraining his annoyance at the disappointing answer. Months of waiting and this is what Will had to show for it. He felt the disappointment swelling up inside him.

"I don't remember." Will said. He didn't know how to make those words any clearer. "Look ask Evanlyn she knows." He said directing the spotlight to his former companion.

"But I want to know from you." Halt said still confused.

"Evanlyn come here for a minute please, sorry Horace." Will called out as he verbally dragged her away from her delightful discussion with the muscled apprentice.

"Yes why did you call me?" She asked, her face still red from laughing with Horace. Will felt a flash of jealousy run through him as he regarded her, though he kept his emotions well under control.

"Halt wants to know what happened to me during slavery." As soon as those words were mentioned her face changed from her natural glowing skin to a paler corpse like being. She looked at Will as if seeking permission and he gently nodded to her knowing he would regret doing so soon after she opened her mouth. Halt intrigued by this turn of events leaned in closer to make sure he heard every word she said. Her mouth opened, and with that a tale of absolute sadness came with it.

I am truly sorry for the extreme delays in updating this story but things came up and life got in the way. Here is another chapter from me, this one is relatively shorter than my others as I believe a good variety of chapter lengths never did anyone any harm. Hopefully you'll like it and let your opinions be known by reviewing and thanks once again for providing me with useful constructive criticism I would also like to personally thank TaylorLoe for reviewing on every chapter which was really appreciated. Thanks again to everyone else who has taken the time to read this as well and don't forget to review.