Alyss' Return: She Lives

Chapter Ten: Will and Halt

Will was heading towards The Heaped Platter to visit the beautiful Catherine. He was going to admit his love to her and he wasn't planning on making a fool out of himself either. He was working out strategies on how to admit his love for her in his head and, in the midst of his thoughts, he didn't realize that he had stopped in front of The Heaped Platter already. 

He gathered his courage and walked in through the door. Jenny saw him and smiled. "I'm guessing you're here to see Catherine." She said. It wasn't a question, but Will answered it like it was by just nodding. Jenny shrugged. "I'm sorry, Will. I haven't seen her since yesterday when she went with Halt to speak in private." She said.

Will's heart sank. He was glad he didn't bring a bouquet of flowers. That would've made him look like a foll for sure. His face went from that pleasant smile to the saddened and serious look that he had when he lost Alyss. Jenny knew the look all too well and she went over to reassure him. "If it helps, she never once spoke about leaving you, if that's what you were thinking." She said. 

Will nodded. "I'll go talk to Halt." He said.

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Will exited Castle Redmont in anxiety. Halt and Pauline weren't at the castle and he was getting worried. In the few days that he had known Catherine, he knew that she wouldn't leave him without telling him where she was going before she left to go anywhere.

He went back to his cabin and found Halt sitting on the veranda. "Halt, you have to help me." He said as he reached the veranda. 

Halt raised one eyebrow. "Something wrong?" He asked his former apprentice. Will nodded. "Yes. Catherine's gone and I don't know where she is." He said.

Halt placed both of his hands on his former apprentice's shoulders. Will looked Halt in the eyes and sighed. "Jenny said you and Catherine had a talk in private." He said. Halt nodded. "I can show you where she and I spoke." He said.

Will and Halt began from the Heaped Platter after they had saddled up their horses to sense for any danger. Will followed his former mentor as he retraced his steps toward the clearing. Right before they entered the clearing, Halt spotted a new pair of footprints and went to examine them.

"These are a man's footprints, Will. She might have been captured." He said. Will's heart sank deeper until he saw the same footprints reversed and saw two thick lines next to them. "Catherine could have been dragged off." He said. Halt nodded. "It looks like he's a day a head of us, so we'd better get on with following him if we hope to rescue Alyss."

Will looked at Halt and raised an eyebrow. "Halt." He said. The older man looked at him and raised his eyebrow in turn. Will and Halt stared at each other for some minutes before Will spoke. "You called her Alyss..." He said.

Halt's eyes went a little wide as he realized his mistake. "Oh. I'm sorry, Will. It's just..." Halt hesitated, fearful that he'd given Catherine's true identity away before she could tell him herself. Will just shrugged. "It's alright, Halt. Catherine reminds me of Alyss too." He said.

Will walked over to tug to wait for Halt before leaving. Halt sighed as he mentally kicked himself. Damn, that was too close. He thought. 

Halt trailed behind Will as they followed the footprints that might lead them to where Alyss was. 

That might have been a bit too close for even my own comfort. He thought

Since when did you have a comfort zone around Will? Abelard asked.

Since I discovered that Catherine was Alyss. Halt thought. He didn't want to speak out loud because Will would have heard him speaking. Abelard snorted. You're hopeless. The horse said.

Halt glared at Abelard but continued to argue. It might help to know that she said she would tell Will on her own time. He thought

Abelard stayed quiet whilst Halt looked at Will, who was examining a change in the set of footprints.