The Search for Will

Chapter 11

     Halt just happened to be on his way home from talking to the Baron about Cole when he heard a tumbling crash, then a distant scream. He gently pulled on Abelard's reigns and the horse turned sharply to the left, rushing through the mature trees. He pulled out his longbow and set an arrow on the quiver.

     As they arrived, Abelard slowed and Halt enveloped the scene around him. Two on top of one. They seemed to have it covered. He heard horses to his left and saw a man and two children, the man mounting up.

     "He's getting away!" Yelled the child behind the wood logs. Halt had already seen him. He rushed to the man and the horses, now cantering off the path through the trees. In a second, Halt pulled back the bowstring, aimed, and fired, hitting the kidnappers shoulder as the horse turned sharply right.

     The man grunted and fell off his horse. Halt fired another arrow, killing the man as Abelard rushed past. The horses still galloped fiercely through the trees. Abelard nickered and gained speed quickly, in no time running parallel to the horse carrying the two children. He quickly fired an arrow through the rope tying the two horses together, pinning them both to a tree.

     Then the rope ripped from the force of the horses tugging, and they were off again. But not before Halt had caught hold on one's bridle. They slowed down together, letting the other horse escape. The girl was still unconscious, so Halt turned the horse around and led him back through the trees to where they had all began.

     It had been an easy fight. Hardly worthy of mention, Halt thought. But he knew there would probably still be dreadful paperwork to do in the aftermath.

     Halt hated paperwork.

     Once back, Halt helped the brother down from the horse so they could untie his sister together. His mother was unconscious too, so Halt helped them inside.

     "Thank you, sir," the young boy said to Halt before he left. He nodded atop Abelard and turned around to go.

     It was then Halt noticed the third horse missing, along with the four townsmen still laying on the ground in pain. Whoops. He had kind of forgotten about them. He followed the path in the woods until he saw they had left the path and veered right. The horse had practically dug a trench through the thick undergrowth with it's weight.

     But Halt left it there. He and Abelard turned around and went home to the welcoming cottage he lived in.

***

     "Gilan!" Halt called after Blaze gave his warning nicker.

     "You're back a little late, Halt," his first year apprentice said, Halt having entered the small house. "I made lunch."

     "Eat it on the way. Pack your backs and get Blaze saddled. We leave immediately."

     "What do you mean? What happened? Where are we going?"

     Halt rolled his eyes inside at the triple question response. Why had he ever signed up for an apprentice again?

     "I'll tell you on the way. Hurry up!"

     Gilan rushed outside and saddled Blaze, feeding him an apple. He packed his bags in a flurry, while Halt got some dried fruit and meat from the cupboard, putting them in a bag. "Don't forget my spices!" Gilan called as he went out the door to fill their canteens. Halt added Gilans personalized mix of spices to the bag of food.

     Once they were all ready, having locked up the cottage and such, they set off, sure enough, eating lunch on the way.

     "So." Gilan said through a mouthful of food. "What's up?"