The Burning Bridge- Character Reaction

12

"Here, Crowley."

"Pass it!" Will chuckled and threw the book at the Commandant. Crowley caught it with little effort, flipping back to the right page before beginning to read.

"By the way, I vote a lunch break after this," the sandy-haired Ranger added. The others nodded their assent, and he began to read.

SIR MONTAGUE KEPT ALYSS WAITING FOR OVER AN HOUR BEFORE deigning to receive her.

Arald raised an eyebrow. "I have a feeling this is going to be interesting."

Halt and Alyss waited in the anteroom to Montague's office. Halt stood to one side, leaning impassively on his longbow. Montague was an oaf, he thought. As a Courier on official business Alyss should have been greeted without delay. Obviously aware of her youth, the Master of Cobram Keep was attempting to assert his own importance by treating her as an everyday messenger.

Will frowned. "An everyday messenger?" he began, but Alyss squeezed his hand.

"It's alright," she told him.

He watched the girl approvingly as she sat, straight-backed and erect, in one of the hard chairs in the anteroom. She appeared calm and unflustered in spite of the insult she was being offered. She had changed from her riding clothes when they were a few kilometers from the castle and she was now dressed in the simple but elegant white gown of a Courier. The bronze laurel branch pin, the symbol of her authority, fastened a short blue cape at her right shoulder.

For his part, Halt had left his distinctive mottled Ranger's cloak folded on the pommel of Abelard's saddle. His longbow and quiver, however, he retained. He never went anywhere without them.

Will felt his cheeks heat as Halt turned to give him a pointed look. "That was years ago, Halt!" he exclaimed. "Can't you let it go?"

"If Horace hadn't have been there..."

"Halt, dear." A warning was in Pauline's tone, a warning that told Halt if he kept on with it, he'd regret it.

Alyss glanced up at him and he nodded, almost imperceptibly, to her. Don't let him make you angry. She returned the nod, acknowledging the message. Her hands, which were clenched into fists on her knees, slowly relaxed as she took several deep breaths.

This girl is very good, Halt thought. Will smiled; that was an understatement.

Montague's secretary had obviously been well briefed by his master. After peremptorily waving Alyss to a chair and leaving Halt to stand, he had busied himself with paperwork and resolutely ignored them—rising several times to take items in to the inner office. Finally, at the sound of a small bell tinkling from beyond the door, he looked up and gestured toward the office.

"You can go in now," he said disinterestedly. Alyss frowned slightly. Protocol dictated that a Courier should be properly announced, but the man obviously had no intention of doing so. She rose gracefully and moved toward the door, Halt following. That got the secretary's attention.

Crowley snorted. "Oh, this should be interesting."

"You can wait here, forester," he said rudely. Crowley snickered. Without the cloak, there was little to distinguish Halt from a yeoman. He was dressed in simple brown leggings, soft leather boots and a green surcoat. The double knife scabbard had apparently escaped the secretary's notice. Or perhaps he didn't realize its significance.

"Of course, he didn't seem too bright to begin with," Alyss said lightly. Halt smirked.

"He's with me," Alyss said. The unmistakable tone of authority in her voice stopped the man cold. He hesitated, then rose from behind the desk and moved toward Halt.