It wasn't often that the friends fought. Both grew up in the castle wards of Redmont so they knew the importance of family but family's do fight.

Horace wasn't even sure how this occurred he and Will never have an argument sure they had loads when they were little but since then they had become best friends. But Horace couldn't ignore the feeling of slowly diminishing anger towards his friend. The fight had been petty when it started yesterday, someone had said something stupid and sparked a long burnt out flame. Both had said things they regret Horace winced now at how he had shouted at Will.

"Horace, Evanlyn won't be harmed it wasn't that dangerous!"

"Excuse me for caring about my wife and not allowing her to be captured by blood thirsty Skandians!"

He didn't know why he said that because it was a complete lie. He knew that she had acted that night at the burning bridge of her own accord and it wasn't Will's fault they had gotten captured. He had used it as petty leverage to get a reaction out of him, and boy had he gotten one.

"Said the man who stood by and watched as we fought for our lives."

He remembered the dangerous spark in his eyes as he said that, suddenly Horace understood how people could be afraid of the Ranger he called his best friend. They were now attending a meeting in which they were sitting, not together like they usually would but they were sitting as far away from each other as possible, listening to the information Baron Arnald was spewing at them.

Will felt sick to his stomach, he and Horace were sitting in a fairly crowded room, he had talked or made eye contact with practically everyone but him. Halt had even questioned why they were acting so distant and Wills eyes teared up slightly at the thought of it. He missed Horace, the fight was only for two days now and in their younger years they had held stronger grudges but this time it was different. This time if one of them didn't say something, Horace would go back to Castle Araluen and Will would go back to the little cottage in the woods, both oblivious to each others regret. He was so busy in thought that Will didn't notice everyone leaving the room until Halt had all but hauled him out of his chair, dragging his former apprentice by the neck of his cloak and out of the doors.

"Thanks Halt I-"

"Will," he put a hand on his forehead in mock exasperation. "Surely this has gone on long enough, just hug and make up already."

"Believe me Halt I really want to, I miss him and now he's leaving tomorrow. But we both said things, I was horrible Halt! And what if he never forgives me? What if this is the way things end? What if-" he dashed his sleeve over his eyes quickly to unobtrusively wipe the teas that were forming in his warm brown eyes. Halt saw the action and wrapped his arms around Will. The gesture made him feel just that tiny bit better. Plus Halt never gave hugs, (except he would always give one to Will but he wasn't to know that.)

"It doesn't matter what you said because you're sorry now and that's all that matters, okay?" He gently rubbed Wills back.

"Okay."

"Thank goodness for that." Halt said releasing him from the hug. "Because this is driving me nuts." He laughed at that.

Horace was chatting with the Baron outside the meeting room as a familiar voice appeared behind him. "Sorry sir, would it be alright if I could steal Horace from you for a bit?"

"Of course, you've done so much for me, lord knows you deserve a break you to." And he walked off to find Halt, who had mysteriously disappeared to avoid said man's presence.

"Hey," he shuffled his feet nervously, not meeting Horace's bright blue eyes.

"Hey." They stood in uncomfortable silence for a while, until both of them spoke at the same time.

"I'm sorry." They finally looked each other in the eye and laughed.

"Horace I hope you can forgive me because what I said was downright petty and mean and unacceptable and-"

"- wrong and spiteful and obnoxious." He finished for him. "I know Will and of corse I forgive you but what I said was all those things to, I had no right to bring up the bridge. Will you forgive me?" He began to look at his feet much like his friend had done at the beginning of this exchange. Suddenly he was enveloped by a bear hug from Will, who had to stand on his tiptoes slightly to wrap his arms around his neck.

"I already have." Horace tightened his grip on his best friend, safe in the knowledge that their friendship could only grow stronger form here.