Deren waited a long time. He paced the distance of the hall, he thought, at least a hundred times. He began to count his steps as he went, and then he counted the tiles beneath his feet. When the door opened at last, Deren turned and walked forward, stopping several feet off to once side. Eodwine, exiting the room, saw him at once and stopped to address him. Deren was surprised that he remembered his name.
“I greet you, Deren.” There was a short pause, and Deren wondered if he was supposed to say something. Haleth stood behind Eodwine and waited, too. "What may I do for you?" Eodwine asked then.
“Well, nothing exactly, sir,” Deren said at once. “I was coming to tell the commander that I want to be part of the search party, if you will have me.” His dark eyes flicked towards Haleth briefly and then settled on Eodwine again. “I understand that the Queen’s cousin has been abducted and the Queen is anxious to have her back again. I am willing to do anything to help in this endeavor and follow Haleth, or you, whoever is to take the leadership, until our goal is achieved. Will you have me?”
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