Ruins of Gorlan Read Online Free PDF Page A

special.
    "Tell me," he said to the eager girl, "what would you do with a turkey pie?"
    Jenny smiled dazzlingly at him. "Eat it," she answered immediately. Chubb rapped her on the head with the ladle he carried. "I meant what would you do about cooking it?" he asked.
    Jenny hesitated, gathered her thoughts, then plunged into a lengthy technical description of how she would go about constructing such a masterpiece. The other four wards, the Baron, his Craftmasters and Martin listened in some awe, with absolutely no comprehension of what she was saying. Chubb, however, nodded several times as she spoke, interrupting as she detailed the rolling of the pastry.
    "Nine times, you say?" he said curiously and Jenny nodded, sure of her ground.
    "My mother always said: 'Eight times to make it flaky and once more for love,'" she said. Chubb nodded thoughtfully.
    "Interesting. Interesting," he said, then, looking up at the Baron, he nodded. "I'll take her, my lord."
    "What a surprise," the Baron said mildly, then added, "Very well, report to the kitchens in the morning, Jennifer."
    "Jenny, sir," the girl corrected him again, her smile lighting up the room.
    Baron Arald smiled. He glanced at the small group before him. "And that leaves us with one more candidate." He glanced at his list, then looked up to meet Will's agonized gaze, gesturing encouragement.
    Will stepped forward, nervousness suddenly drying his throat so that his voice came out in barely a whisper.
    "Will, sir. My name is Will."

Chapter 4
    "W ill? Will who?" Martin asked in exasperation, flicking through the sheets of paper with the candidates' details written on them. He had only been the Baron's secretary for five years and so knew nothing of Will's history. He realized now that there was no family name on the boy's papers and, assuming he had let this mistake slip past, he was annoyed at himself.
    "What's your family name, boy?" he asked severely. Will looked at him, hesitating, hating this moment.
    " I… don't have…" he began, but mercifully the Baron interceded.
    "Will is a special case, Martin," he said quietly, his look telling the secretary to let the matter go. He turned back to Will, smiling encouragement.
    "What school did you wish to apply for, Will?" he asked.
    "Battleschool, please, my lord," Will replied, trying to sound confident in his choice. The Baron allowed a frown to crease his forehead and Will felt his hopes sinking.
    "Battleschool, Will? You don't think you're… a little on the small side?" the Baron asked gently. Will bit his lip. He had all but convinced himself that if he wanted this badly enough, if he believed in himself strongly enough, he would be accepted-in spite of his obvious shortcomings.
    "I haven't had my growing spurt yet, sir," he said desperately. "Everybody says that." The Baron rubbed his bearded chin with thumb and forefinger as he considered the boy before him. He glanced to his Battlemaster.
    "Rodney?" he said.
    The tall knight stepped forward, studied Will for a moment or two, then slowly shook his head.
    " I'm afraid he's too small, my lord," he said. Will felt a cold hand clutch his heart.
    "I'm stronger than I look, sir," he said. But the Battlemaster was unswayed by the plea. He glanced at the Baron, obviously not enjoying the situation, and shook his head.
    "Any second choice, Will?" the Baron asked. His voice was gentle, even concerned.
    Will hesitated for a long moment. He had never considered any other selection.
    "Horseschool, sir?" he asked finally.
    Horseschool trained and cared for the mighty battlehorses that the castle's knights rode. It was at least a link to Battleschool, Will thought. But Ulf, the Horsemaster, was shaking his head already, even before the Baron asked his opinion.
    "I need apprentices, my lord," he said, "but this one's too small. He'd never control one of my battlehorses. They'd stomp him into the ground as soon as look at him."
    Will could only see the Baron through a watery blur now. He