The Ruins of Gorlan- Character Reaction

25

"Here, Dad, I'll read next." Cassandra took the book from her father, scanning the first few words before beginning to read.

THE CAMP BUZZED WITH ACTIVITY AS TENTS CAME DOWN and Rangers repacked their equipment and tied on their saddle bags. Already, the first few riders had departed, heading back to their own fiefs.

Will was fastening the ties on their saddle packs, having replaced the few items they had taken out. Halt sat a few meters away, frowning thoughtfully as he studied a map of the area surrounding the Solitary Plain. The Plain itself was a vast, unmapped area, with no roads and few features indicated.

"And the features that are there are miserable," Gilan muttered. Will gave him a wry grin, completely in agreement.

A shadow fell across him and he looked up. Gilan stood there, a worried look on his face.

"Halt," he said in a low, concerned voice."Are you sure about this?"

"I definitely wasn't," Gilan said now.

Halt met his gaze steadily. "Very sure, Gilan. It simply has to be done."

"But he's only a boy!" Gilan protested, looking quickly to where Will was tying a pack roll back in place behind Tug's saddle. Halt let go a long breath, his eyes dropping from Gilan's as he spoke.

Will raised both eyebrow. "You make it sound like you're about to sacrifice me or something." Gilan snorted.

"Maybe," Halt replied. Will chuckled.

"I know that. But he's a Ranger. Apprentice or not, he's a member of the Corps, like all of us." He saw that Gilan was about to protest further, out of concern for Will, and he felt a surge of affection for his old apprentice. Gilan smiled.

"Gilan, in an ideal world, I wouldn't put him at risk like this. But this isn't an ideal world. Everyone's going to have to play his part in this campaign, even boys like Will. Morgarath is preparing for something big. Crowley's agents have got wind that, on top of everything else, he's been in touch with the Skandians."

"Hullo, Erak," Will said. Cassandra chuckled.

"The Skandians? What for?"

"To corner you," Horace suggested.

Halt shrugged. "We don't know the details, but my bet is he's hoping to form an alliance with them. They'll fight anyone for money. And apparently, they'll fight for anyone as well," he added, his distaste for mercenaries obvious in his voice. "The point is, we're shorthanded enough while Crowley tries to raise the army. Normally, I wouldn't go after the Kalkara with a force of less than five senior Rangers. But he simply can't spare them for me. So I've had to settle for the two I trust most—you and Will."

"I'm surprised," Will said. Halt raised an eyebrow.

"In hindsight, I should have asked for someone else." Will rolled his eyes.

Gilan grinned crookedly."Well, thanks for that, anyway." He was touched by Halt's confidence. He still looked up to his old mentor. Most of the Ranger Corps did.

"Actually," Gilan said, glancing over at the senior Ranger. "Most of have to look down when we speak to him." Halt gave him a stinging glare.

"Besides, I thought that rusty old sword of yours might come in handy if we run into those horrors," Halt said. The Ranger Corps had chosen wisely when they allowed Gilan to continue his training with the weapon. Although very few people knew it, Gilan was one of the finest swordsmen in Araluen.