The Mirror's Tale (Further Tales Adventures) Read Online Free Page A

foreboding place in the shadow of the mountains, Wills histrionics only grew worse.
    “I wish it was me they were sending,” Bert said. “I wouldn’t mind seeing The Crags again. That’s even closer to the Dwergh. Maybe Uncle Hugh would let me go out on the patrols. If there’s a fight with those tunnel rats, it’ll start there.”
    Will had tucked his face between his knees. Bert heard him sniffing. He rolled his eyes. His brother was his best friend, but he could be a baby at times. How could his father even think of sending Will to The Crags?
    “It should be me that goes,” Bert said. Wait, he thought. “It
can
be me.”
    “What are you talking about?” Will’s head rose. He rubbed a sleeve under his nose.
    Bert chuckled. He was smiling again. “It’s so obvious! I’ll go in your place. It’ll be easy to fool them; they can hardly tell us apart as it is! Here’s what we’re going to do….”
    “Good-bye, Bert,” said Bert.
    “Good-bye, Will,” replied Will.
    They’d said their real farewell an hour before. This one was just for show. They hugged and thumped each other on the back.
    “You’ll write to me, won’t you?” whispered Will. “Parley says he’ll be going to The Crags soon.”
    “I’ll write, and so will you,” said Bert into his brother’s ear. He straightened up, winked at Will, and walked over to the carriage where his father and mother waited. It was a small carriage with broad wheels, drawn by a pair of horses. Four people could have fit inside, but the only passenger for this journey would be him.
    The driver, Matthias, was occupied with the reins. Asmall escort of four mounted soldiers waited nearby. Their horses tossed their heads and pawed at the ground.
    “We thought you’d prefer the carriage, Will,” his mother said. Her voice was as flat as the castle pond on a windless day. “I’m sure Bert would have insisted on riding a horse if it was him that was going.”
    You’ve got that right,
Bert thought, suppressing a smirk. “Of course, Mother. Thank you,” he said with all the meekness he could manage. “I’m sorry about what happened. About everything.”
    “You can prove that you’re sorry by behaving yourself at The Crags,” his mother said.
    “Exactly,” the baron said, opening the carriage door. “In you go, Will.”
    Bert stared at the ground and let his shoulders slump, doing his best impression of his brother. His parents were fooled completely. It made him feel triumphant and sad at the same time.
How can this be so easy?
    The door closed. His mother walked away, and a moment later his fathers head poked in through the window in the carriage door. “Will, before you go … I realize this won’t be easy for you. I know it scares you to leave home.”
    Bert forced his bottom lip to tremble and pretended to wipe a tear from the inner corner of his eye. “I’ll do my best, Father,” he said.
    “I’m happy to hear it.” The baron frowned at the driven “Matthias, give us a moment,” he called up.
    “Yes, my lord,” the driver said. He hopped down from his seat and wandered over to talk to the escorts.
    The baron leaned even farther into the carriage. Bert sensed that he was about to hear something important.
    “Will … There are two things I need to tell you before you go. First, I have a mission for you.”
    “A mission?” Bert asked. He had to fight to keep his enthusiasm in check. “What kind of mission?” he said, letting his voice crack.
    “I want you to keep an eye on your uncle Hugh. I’ve gotten the sense that he might be up to something at The Crags.”
    “Up to what, Father?”
    “You must know that Hugh has always been jealous of me, how the king favors me, and how I became baron instead of him—even though he’s the older brother. And he was furious when I ordered him to occupy The Crags as an outpost. He considered it a kind of exile. I sometimes fear that he may be trying to set up his own little kingdom up