Horace glanced at him, then understanding dawned and he moved away from the knight, taking a seat by the edge of the fire. There was absolute silence in the room now. The townspeople gazed at the two men confronting each other, wondering where this impasse was going to end. Only two people in the room, Halt and Deparnieux, knew that the knight was trying to gauge his chances of drawing his sword and cutting down the archer before he could fire. As Deparnieux hesitated, he met the unwavering gaze of the Ranger.

     I chose this paragraph because it shows how Horace has adapted to Halts subtle gestures and attitude, as well as introducing a new and dangerous enemy. Horace is a battleschool cadet who simply follows orders and has a natural ability with weapons. Halt is a seasoned veteran Ranger whose grim demeanor is often taken more seriously. After a short time Horace has grown accustomed to Halt who had known only on occasion and never spent any amount of time with the grizzled Ranger. The fact that Horace has adjusted so quickly is a marvel. As for the new character, Deparnieux, he is a black clad, underhanded thief, who calls himself a knight. The fact that he did not pursue a confrontation is a hint that he will play a bigger part to come.