The Icebound Land

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, addiction, and substance use.

Halt and Horace enjoy a delicious meal in the inn, including coffee; Horace sweetens his with honey, earning Halt’s mock disapproval but making them both think of Will. As a band begins to play a lament, Halt privately weeps, thinking of how much light the boy brought into his dreary life and how proud he is of him. Halt gives Horace some money to tip the musician, who plays a new, more triumphant song, at least until the door opens and an intimidating knight with a white raven insignia enters the inn.

Halt quickly assesses the room and notices that the knight focuses on Horace, and everyone seems nervous at his appearance, but Horace does not notice until he is the only person applauding the music. The knight approaches Horace and introduces himself as Deparnieux, insulting Horace all the while. Horace refuses to rise to the bait, only infuriating the knight more. Deparnieux privately assesses Horace as a young and untrained warrior—nobody to fear—and announces himself as the warlord of the region, in control of everything and everyone. He accuses Horace of being a thief, which Horace denies; Deparnieux, accusing Horace of calling him a liar, draws his glove to slap it across Horace’s face, but before he can, Halt shoots it out of his hand and pins it to a beam across the room.