Chapter 19
"We need to get him back and fast." Halt said. They were surrounding a huge mahogany table in the Oberjarl's meeting room, discussing tactics.
"I for one agree." Erak intervened, adding a glare to any fellow Skandians with the intent to contradict him.
"Well that was never the problem we all know we have to get him back, otherwise our tactician won't have a peaceful night's sleep." The Oberjarl stated sending a look at Halt's appearance.
Forgotten were the days of the green and grey mottled cloak, or the presentable form in which he kept himself in. The famous Halt had now been reduced to a desperate man, lonely and surly wanting to get his son back. Tattered clothes adorned him and his once cropped black hair lay shaggy and loose, bringing attention to the grey flecks in his hair. He knew he couldn't lose Will this time. Not again. There was no point in grooming himself now, since there was nothing to be done. When the time came and Halt knew he would come into action, only then would he sort out his tangled appearance. He sent a swift glare towards the Oberjarl and continued speaking.
"Most definitely the Temujai's are holding him hostage in one of the surrounding mountains." Halt said certainly.
"Yes but the question is which one? I mean we can't search each and every mountain that would take too long and by that time, they may have been informed of our arrival." Evanlyn added, a frown creasing on her face. That frown immediately turned into one of anger at the next statement directed at her.
"Shut it child! You have no right to be here, this is not your place you are a girl." One of the neighbouring Skandians snarled at her. Before Halt or any one of the more respectful males could intervene to scold him for his discourtesy the girl eyed him frostily and spoke quietly, but those in the room could sense the underlying tones of bitter harshness in her words.
"My place is with Will, I do not care whether the main party going to rescue him is full of males or not what I do know is I will travel with whoever goes to bring him back, so the sooner you accept that I am going and can be of some use to you, the better." She glared at any one else who dared to contradict her but no one did. Apart from that one Skandian the rest admired her bravery and if anything encouraged her to accompany them to rescue him.
Erak cleared his throat noisily. "Yes well I daresay we have to be able to distinguish which one they have Will in so…" It was a mark of how bad the tension surrounding the air was that he felt the need to enter the discussion. More often than not the Jarl preferred to follow orders and leave the decision making to those more adept at the skill. Seeing the murderous glare in Evanlyn's eyes he entered the conversation wearily, distracting the remaining few still watching the good for nothing comrade and the feisty serving girl.
"Well I am pretty sure I will be able to tell which one Will is in." Halt added for the third time since the meeting had begun. He started to look more and more alive as the prospect of regaining Will dawned closer.
"How?" Borsa asked. Only Evanlyn and Horace knew in depth of a Rangers skills however the rest of the party stared at the dishevelled man with a wolfish smile lurking on his face.
"I'm a tracker, it's part of my job to be able to find footprints or clues as to where the enemy are hidden." The others looked around in surprise at this new revelation.
"Well? What are we doing here then why are we not already on our way?" Svengal asked, all too clearly agitated like Erak at the tediousness of planning the mission. He appreciated the young slaves even before they escaped he regarded them with some respect, or as much respect as could be given to run away slaves. After their escape his respect only grew.
"We still need an organised way of getting him out so that we do not waste necessary time and get caught." Horace, to his own surprise said. He for one was just like the many warriors next to him and was burning with anticipation and already wishing he could be on his way, actively doing something to get his friend back.
"Exactly, now do you know what the interior of the caves look like?" Halt asked the Oberjarl.
"Well it was more or less used for miners when we collected slaves so the layout is pretty simple, it's more or less a series of corridors where the miners work." Ragnak replied.
"Wait you mine? I thought there was never much treasure in the mountains?" Halt asked and in spite of himself began to unconsciously file that information away till later where he could write it out.
"You never know what you might find if you dig deep enough." The oberjarl countered. "I guess you already know the lay out then?"
"Of course I do, all I need to do now is get a clear view of the mountains to see which one he is in and then we shall leave at first light." Halt said. He formulated a plan his mind racing at all the possibilities. The others nodded wearily and disclosed this meeting as adjourned. For the first time in a while Halt felt himself smile. It was time to get a haircut.
It was the following day after Will's supposed birthday and still he merrily skipped down the halls hugging any one within reach. Many accepted them with toleration after all who could refuse his radiant glow of joy? The more pessimistic ones pushed him off roughly and muttered of how ridiculous young children were. Still the young boy didn't seem to notice, lost in his own world, the wooden carving bouncing against his skinny chest. He was on his way to the Ward quarters after completing his daily chores of feeding the livestock at the castle when he tumbled over something and fell to the floor in a heap. Abruptly he stood up, brushing off any dirt that may have come to his chain and glared in the direction that he fell in. He realised that it was not something but someone he tripped over.
A young girl looking to be about a couple years his senior was crouched low on the floor, ear pressed firmly to a heavy wooden door that Will hadn't noticed. Clearly she was eavesdropping on some one's conversation and with anger burning inside him like a fever he made his way over to her and knelt down so he could be in her height range.
"Did you know eavesdropping on important meetings is wrong?" He whispered fiercely. The girl to his pleasure visibly jumped back in shock. She turned around angrily to see who had disturbed her and found herself face to face with Will. He noticed that she was obviously not from Araluan. If her dress sense had not told him otherwise it was her appearance. She was tanned, a bit lighter than the colour of coffee and her black silky hair splayed out before her untied, her black obsidian eyes creased with fury as she eyed him.
"That is none of your business." She snapped. She turned once more to press her ear to the door but to her dismay Will continued to argue with her.
"I think it is my business if you trip me up, you should know better than to sit here on the floor waiting for anyone to have an accident like me because they didn't notice you." Will whispered vehemently.
"No one else will because clearly unlike you they will know how to use the pair of eyes they have and not fly around everywhere like a blind baboon!" She was starting to get irritated at the behaviour of this boy and she wished more than anything that he would just shut up and go.
"Blind baboon I will have you know I am far from a blind baboon! What kind of insult is that anyways? Who calls some one a blind baboon?" Will already forgot he was supposed to be on his way to his quarters. This argument was occupying most of his attention. The insult now had prevented him from whispering and his voice had grown louder with each word.
"sssshhhhhhhh!" She hissed at him, her finger on his lips as he was about to retort back. Will froze. From the other side of the door he could hear some grunting and exclamations of displeasure which had something to do with the noise he was making in their argument. The girl next to him looked horrified then springing up with in seconds, she sprinted down the hall way not waiting nor caring whether the young boy followed in pursuit. He did however. Turning round a corner Will found himself in an empty corridor wondering where the mysterious girl had gone to. He decided, rather tactlessly, to call out for her to see whether she would respond.
Suddenly a pair of hands shot over his mouth and before he could do anything to stop them, he found himself being dragged into a room by the collar of his tunic. There was a quiet creak as the door shut and the same girl turned around furiously to meet his gaze. Will found he couldn't quite directly look her in the eye.
"What on earth are you thinking you insolent fool! If my father had found out I was listening in on their conversation he would have killed me." She pushed him violently against the wall. Despite how much she scared him Will blurted out.
"Where do you come from? Why are you here? Who's your father? Why were you eavesdropping? What does-"
"STOP!" The girl almost yelled at him. His unfinished question died on his lips. She sighed tiredly and let go of his collar so he wasn't up against the wall anymore.
"You ask a lot of questions don't you?" She almost smiled at him as he nodded eagerly.
"Yes I do. I ask people so many questions that sometimes they avoid me just so they don't have to answer them." He beamed at her though he didn't know why. Maybe it was the power of the chain making him happy. Then again it could be because he now had a little bit of action in his otherwise dreary life. She laughed quietly at his expression.
"What is your name we seem to be on the same boat we could help each other out ."
"Huh? I have never been on a boat in my life I don't know what you're talking about?" Will asked confused. She laughed softly yet again though almost, Will thought, in a way so that she didn't offend him.
"My name is Shanya." She smiled at him. He smiled back.
"My name is Will, it's nice to meet you." He held out his hand in greeting and she shook it firmly before saying.
"I think we will be seeing quite a lot of each other."
Hey guys I think you want to fish my guts out right now though I don't actually know whether you can fish anyone's guts out but anyways I know sorry is not adequate enough for how late this update is. To be truthful I sort of had writers block and didn't know where to take the story but I do now. Never fear for I am here! I am not promising any regular updates but I will try to make sure that they aren't as long as that one.