Ranger's Apprentice - Rescue

Chapter 3

Author's Note: See paragraph 3, the last sentece. I am Nigel. XD

"Might I point out that we've tried this once before, and it did not have the effect you desired that time either?"

 Lady Pauline, head of Diplomatic Services at Redmont, was seated across from Baron Arald in the man's office. She was elegantly poised on the edge of her chair, her face a mask of contempt. Though no onlooker would ever be able to tell just by looking at her, Pauline had a great deal of trouble on her shoulders at the moment.

She and Nigel had worked side by side for years. When Nigel had lost his young apprentice, and a promising one at that, during the boy's first solo mission some weeks prior, Pauline had instantly shared in the concern and worry for the boy. She had tried to comfort her friend, but Nigel was rather awkward when it came to human contact and had taken to barring himself up in his office, burring his sorrows in paperwork.

As if this hadn't been enough for the craft masters and Arald to deal with, Halt was now in a vaguely familiar mood, and had been for some weeks. It was a mood that Pauline and Arald had only seen in him once before, when Will had gone missing on a wolfship and Halt had been denied the opportunity to go after his apprentice.

Then, Arald had briefly asked Pauline to talk to Halt, in hopes that the woman could quell the Ranger's ill temper. In doing so, he had also insinuated that Pauline and Halt fancied each other, a fact that many had taken notice of but had remained unspoken for years.

Now, with Halt in nearly the same temper as Will had left on his first solo mission, to retrieve Nigel's apprentice, Halt was once again consumed with a bad temper. Arald, desperate to restore the peace in the fief, had asked Pauline to his office, once again requesting that she give a stab at comforting the older man.

"I can't possibly see how trying could hurt," Arald told the lady, careful this time not to mention the obvious air of favor between she and Halt.

Pauline, aware of what Arald was thinking but appreciative that he held his tongue, was silent for several minutes. Last time, she had been able to appease the baron with an alternative, by sending Halt to accompany Alyss on a mission. Now, however, there were no upcoming tasks for the friendly young blonde, and Pauline could think of no other excuse to deny the baron's request.

She sighed inwardly, though her outward composure never changed. Slowly, she nodded.

"I will try," she told him evenly. "But I make no promises. Halt is a difficult man."

At that, Arald had to smile.

"That's putting it mildly," he said. He watched for a smile from Pauline, but the diplomat made no such expression. Arald sat back in his chair, briefly rolling his eyes.

There is no sense of humor in these people, he thought to himself. Then he waved a dismissive hand.

"Well, thank you, Pauline. I'll see to it that it's made known I owe you a favor."

This time, Pauline smiled kindly.

"No need for that, Baron," she assured him. "I'm sure we can both remember such a thing between ourselves."

With that, the woman rose and left. Arald watched her go, a frown on his face.

Suddenly, he was uncomfortable with the fact that he was in the mysterious woman's debt.

____________________

Halt was tending to Abelard, and unknowingly muttering to himself in a low, unpleasant voice, when the dapple gray pony gave a warning. Instantly, Halt was alert. Not on guard, as Abelard's warning had held no air of a possible threat. Still, Halt couldn't help but wonder who would be visiting a Ranger's cabin unannounced.