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“That taught us how to block a sword with two knives. But what if an ax man's coming at me?"
Gilan looked suspicious. "An ax man? I don't recommend trying to block an ax with two knives."
But Will wouldn't take no for an answer. "But what if he's charging at me?" Horace walked over.
Gilan looked away. "Uh...shoot him."
Horace intervened. "Can't, his bowstring's broken."
Gilan gritted his teeth. "Run and hide."
Will kept on him. "There's a sheer cliff behind me."
Horace caught on. "There's a sheer cliff behind him, and his bowstring's broken. What should he do?"
Gilan thought for a moment. "Jump off the cliff, it'll be less messy that way.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“So I sent Halt to straighten matters out. Thought it might be a good idea to give him something to keep him busy."
So what's Digby got to complain about?" Rodney asked. It was obvious from his tone that he felt no sympathy for the recalcitrant commander of Barga Hold.
The Baron gestured for Lady Pauline to explain.
Apparently," she said,"Halt threw him into the moat.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“I wonder," she said. "Does this castle have a moat?"

A group of servants were busy emptying the privy buckets into the moat when they were startled by a sudden drawn-out cry. They looked up in time see a scarlet-and-gold clad figure sail out of a first-story window, turn over once and then land with an enormus splash in the dark, rancid waters. They shrugged and went back to work.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“It would be unthinkably bad luck to be betrayed by a rumbling stomach.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“You really miss him don't you?"
The Ranger nodded. "More than I realized," he said. Alyss urged her horse close beside his and learned over to kiss him on the cheek.
That's for Will when you see him." A ghost of a smile touched Halt's face.
You'll understand if I don't pass it on in person?" he said. Alyss smiled and leaned over and kissed him again.
And that's for you, you jaded, bad-tempered old Ranger."
A little surprised by her own impulsivness, she urged her horse ahead of him. Halt touched his cheek and looked at the slim blonde figure.
If I were twenty years younger...he began.
The he sighed and had to be honest with himself. Make that thirty years, he thought.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“But...what if I mistime it?"
Gilan smiled widely. "Well, in that case, I'll probably lop your head off your shoulders."

Horace and Gilan”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Gilan hesitated. "I wouldn't advise anyone to face a battleax with just two knives," he said carefully.
So what should I do?" Will joined in. Gilan glared from one boy to the other. He had the feeling he was being set up.
Shoot him," he said shortly. Will shook his head, grinning.
Can't," he said. "My bowstring's broken."
Then run and hide," said Gilan, between gritted teeth.
But there's a cliff," Horace pointed out. "A sheer drop behind him and an angry axman coming at him."
What do I do?" prompted Will.
Gilan took a deep breath and lookd them both in the eye, one after the other.
Jump off the cliff. It'll be less messy that way.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“I am the lord of Redmont Fief. He is my tenant. I am his commander. End of story. Ipso facto. Case-o closed-o.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Now, if you two will excuse us, we'll get back to the relatively simple business of planning a war.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Which leaves us to the question, what is he up to?" Evanlyn said.
Will shrugged. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough," he said, and urged Tug forward to take up the point position once more.

They found out the following evening.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“One man may be deceit. Two can be conspiracy. Three is the number I trust.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“I'll find you, Will!"
Then the wind filled the big, square sail of the wolfship and she heeled away from the shore, moving faster and faster towards the northeast.
For a long time after she'd dropped below the horizon, the sodden figure sat there, his horse chest-deep in the rolling waves, staring after the ship.

And his lips still moved, in a silent promis only he could hear.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“The man is a nincompoop and a fool. Even worse, he took me for a fool as well.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“When you can’t see the reason for something, look for the possible result—and ask yourself who might benefit from it.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“How will I ever carry out diplomatic missions without someone to throw unpleasant nobles out the window?â€� “I’ll”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Self-doubt is a disease. And if it gets out of control, it becomes self-fulfilling.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Self-doubt is a disease. And if it gets out of control, it becomes self-fulfilling. You have to learn from what happened...Use the experience to make you stronger.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Displeased is too mild a word, Pauline. I would rather use the word "vexed". I would be most discomforted to know that you were "vexed" my lord, Halt said, with just the slightest trace of mockery in his tone. The Baron turned a piercing glare on him, don't take this too far, it warned him. Then we shall make it "extremely vexed", lady Pauline, he said meaningfully. I leave it to you to put it in the right form. He looked from her to Halt. You will receive the official notification of my displeasure tomorrow, Halt. I tremble in anticipation my lord, said Halt.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“sarcasm isn’t the lowest form of wit. It’s not even wit at all.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“I’ll miss you. How will I ever carry out diplomatic missions without someone to throw unpleasant nobles out the window?”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“My horse went lame about ten days back and I turned him loose.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“The question is,â€� said Halt, glancing at Alyss, “what should we do with him?â€� She hesitated, then that wonderful smile spread over her face. “I wonder,â€� she said. “Does this castle have a moat?”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“It’s a different situation,â€� he said finally. “The attack on Celtica was more of a raid than an invasion. He wouldn’t have needed more than five hundred men for that and they could travel light. To attack Araluen, he’ll need an army—and he wouldn’t get an army down those cliffs and across with a few ladders and rope bridges.â€� Will regarded him with interest. This was a side of Horace that was new to him. Apparently, Horace’s learning curve in the past seven or eight months had gone beyond his mere skill with the sword. “But surely, if he had enough timeâ€�?â€� he began, but Horace shook his head again, more decisively this time. “Men, yes, or Wargals in this case. Given enough time, you could get them down and across. It would take months, but you could manage it. Although the longer it took, the more chance word would get out about what you were doing. “But an army needs equipment—heavy weapons, supply wagons, provisions, tents, spare weapons and blacksmith’s equipment to repair them. Horses and oxen to pull the wagons. You’d never get all that down cliffs like those. And even if you did, how would you get it across? It’s just not feasible. Sir Karel used to say that…â€� He realized the others were regarding him curiously and he flushed. “Didn’t mean to go on and on,â€� he mumbled, and urged his horse forward again.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Gilan took a deep breath and looked them both in the eye, one after the other. “Jump off the cliff. It’ll be less messy that way.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“What about an axman?" he said. Gilan looked at him, nonplussed for a moment.
"An axman?" he asked.
"Yes," said Horace, warming to his theme. "What about if you're facing an enemy with a battleax? Do your knives work then?"
Gilan hesitated. "I wouldn't advise anyone face a battleax with just two knives," he said carefully.
"So what should I do?" Will joined in. Gilan glared from one boy to the other. He had the feeling he was being set up.
"Shoot him," he said shortly. Will shook his head, grinning.
"Can't," he said. "My bowstring's broken."
"Then run and hide," said Gilan, between gritted teeth.
"But there's a cliff," Horace pointed out. "A sheer drop behind him and an angry axman coming at him."
"What do I do?" prompted Will.
Gilan took a deep breath and looked them both in the eye, one after the other.
"Jump off the cliff. It'll be less messy that way.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Gilan," Will said. "I've been thinking...."
Gilan raised his eyebrows to heaven in mock despair. Again the expression reminded Will forcefully of Halt. "Always a problem," said the Ranger. "And what, pray tell, have you been thinking?"
"Well," began Will slowly, "this double knife business is all well and good. But wouldn't it be better just to shoot the swordsmen before he got to close quarters?"
"Yes, Will. It certainly would," Gilan agreed patiently. "But what if you were about to do that and your bowstring broke?"
"I could run and hide," he suggested, but Gilan pressed him.
"What if there were nowhere to run? You're trapped against a sheer cliff. Nowhere to go. Your bowstring just broke and an angry swordsman is coming at you. What then?"
Will shook his head. "I suppose I'd have to fight," he admitted reluctantly.
"Exactly," Gilan agreed. "We avoid close combat whenever possible. But if the time comes when there's no other choice, it's a good idea to be prepared, isn't it?"
"I guess," Will said. Then Horace chimed in with a question.
"What about an axman?" he said. Gilan looked at him, nonplussed for a moment.
"An axman?" he asked.
"Yes," said Horace, warming up to his theme. "What about if you're facing an enemy with a battleax? Do your knives work then?"
Gilan hesitated. "I wouldn't advise anyone to face a battleax with just two knives," he said carefully.
"So what should I do?" Will joined in. Gilan glared from one boy to the other. He had the feeling he was being set up.
"Shoot him," he said shortly. Will shook his head, grinning.
"Can't," he said. "My bowstring's broken."
"Then run and hide," said Gilan, between gritted teeth.
"But there's a cliff," Horace pointed out. "A sheer drop behind him and an angry axman coming at him."
"What do I do?" prompted Will.
Gilan took a deep breath and looked them both in the eye, one after the other.
"Jump off the cliff. It'll be less messy that way.”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“nincompoop”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Gil,â€� Will said,”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Not a bad idea to have a bit of respect shown. Perhaps you could call me ‘sirâ€� as well,â€� he said, turning his face away to study the tree line to one side so that Will couldn’t see the faint trace of a grin that insisted on breaking through. Aghast, Will choked over his answer. He couldn’t believe his ears. “Sir?â€� he said finally. “You really want me to call you ‘sir,â€� Gilan?â€� Then, as Gilan frowned slightly at him, he amended hurriedly and in great confusion: “I mean, sir! You want me to call you ‘sir’…sir?â€� Gilan shook his head. “No. I don’t think ‘Sir-Sirâ€� is suitable. Nor ‘Sir Gilan.â€� I think just the one ‘sirâ€� would do nicely, don’t you?â€� Will couldn’t think of a polite way of phrasing what was in his mind, and gestured helplessly with his hands. Gilan continued. “After all, it’ll do nicely to keep us all remembering who’s in charge of this party, won’t it?â€� Finally, Will found his voice. “Well, I suppose it will, Gil…I mean, sir.â€� He shook his head, surprised at this sudden demand for formality from his”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge

“Do you ever,' the older Ranger said with great deliberation, 'manage to ask just one question at a time" Or does it always have to be multiple choice with you?'"
- Halt (The Burning Bridge)”
― John Flanagan, The Burning Bridge