A/N: A fireside chat as Halt and Horace travel to Skandia to find Will.
The prompt was "It's all for nothing". It fought me all the way and I'm not entirely pleased with how it turned out, but staring at the open doc on my screen wasn't making it better either, so this is what it is.
The fire had burned low, leaving only faintly glowing coals. Horace stared into their depths as the reds and oranges flickered, a pensive frown on his face.
"You should get some sleep," Halt said, interrupting his musings.
Horace blinked and refocused his gaze. Halt sat on the other side of the fire, cloak wrapped around him and hood pulled up against the chill of the night air. His face was cast in deep shadow.
"How do you do it?" Horace asked.
Although he couldn't see it, Horace was sure Halt raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to be more specific."
"You've given up so much; your position, your life, your home." Horace leaned forward. "How do you know it won't all for nothing?"
There was a long pause, then: "I won't let it be for nothing. That isn't an option I'm willing to settle for."