Ranger's Apprentice Oneshots

Embarrassing Gilan

I based the story on this quote from The Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Chronicles).

"Gilan shrugged apologetically. 'I may have got the times a little wrong,' he admitted." 

The quote is during the time in the church when they have to climb the roof because Gilan got the praying times wrong.

Onto the story!

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"Why do we have to do map reading? It's so boring." Charm complained to her mentor, Gilan. 

Gilan sighed in frustration. This was the third time Charm had said that, and he was annoyed. Is this Will's secret sister? There seems no limit to her questions. He said slowly, speaking as if he were speaking to a three-year-old, "Because, if you're planning an attack and forgot to mention that there's a river in the way, everyone will be pretty annoyed, won't they?"

"Yeah, but that just proves-" A knock on the door of the cabin interrupted Charm. Gilan opened the door, smiling and hugging his friend.

"Charm, this is Hal, one of my closest friends. Yes, he's a Skandian." Gilan answered Charm's question just before she opened her mouth. "Hal, this is Charm, my apprentice." They shook hands, and Hal smiled at Charm.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were busy." He apologised. "I thought you said you were free today."

Gilan frowned at Charm. "I did until I had to answer all her questions, and we didn't get map reading done. Let me just finish this map reading and I'm all free. But you'll have to practise your archery." Hal chuckled.

"Oh, c'mon, Gilan! Give her a break. She can come to meet Lydia, they'll get along well. Besides, it's not every day we come over." 

Gilan finally relented. "Fine. But we will finish this map reading," he added firmly, glaring at the two, daring them to argue. They wisely kept quiet.

"So! Charm, what were you saying?"

"Oh, right! I was saying that that just proves that you need to pay attention to small details. That doesn't mean you have to be good at reading maps," she said.

"That's right, Gilan. You have to pay attention to detail." Hal grinned slyly, and Gilan had a worrying feeling about it. He was proven correct a second later. "You know, Charm, Gilan once didn't pay attention to a detail, and we got in serious trouble."

Gilan turned red and hoped to change the subject, with no luck. "Anyway! Map reading-"

"What were you saying, Hal?" Charm was curious. She needed some blackmail on her mentor and this was the perfect chance.

"So, Gilan and I were in Socorro catching some slaves, and we had to find a renegade ship. To do that, we had to climb up a tall church tower, and Gilan told us the times when the praying would happen. He said that the praying for one of the gods was at midday, so we went up at 10. When we finally spotted the renegade ship, we heard-"

"That's enough! Map reading is very impor-"

"Tell me more, Hal!" Charm interrupted, begging Hal. Hal grinned at Gilan, who groaned, holding his face in his hands.

"We heard footsteps coming up. We had to climb the roof of the church, and then Gilan decides to tell me he got the times wrong."

Charm laughed so hard her sides hurt. "And then? And then?"

Hal continued, grinning at Gilan, who looked like he wanted to disappear. "They didn't see us. Gilan had to drag me up the roof. After the praying-mind you, it was the longest one- we went down and I had a cramp. So yes, paying attention to details is very important."

Charm and Hal laughed, grinning like maniacs. Gilan glared at Hal. Charm was asked politely, commanded, begged and threatened not to tell anyone else, and she just grinned mischievously.

Gilan had a feeling that despite his pleas, the news would somehow leak out.

He wasn't wrong.