Belloc frowned at that. "Have you not asked Baldric for provision?"
Brogan fixed the old wizard with a look. "He would have granted me provisional exemption, in order that I not be charged with dereliction. In fact, he freely offered as much. But you and I both know that he would not have agreed to allow me the freedom to travel, first to your home, then to the town of Alin."
Belloc fixed him with a sharp look. "And why would you make such a journey?"
Brogan managed a wan smile. "When you arrive at your home, messages will be sent out to places, including Alin. I will bear those messages for you, in exchange for permission to join you that far."
"Meaning you are not going to give answer, and that Alin is your destination!" Belloc's sharp look took on the added depth of understanding. "During times of war, in our secret hearts we all of us have some notion of where the most important battle will be." He gave the younger man a look that was beyond Brogan's years to understand. "At the last, do not forget that life's battles and the battles fought in the course of waging war are often one and the same."
For a long time afterwards, Brogan considered the old wizard's words because they disturbed him, and was long frustrated because he couldn't discover the reason why.