Ignoring History - Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction

Chapter 36

~🏹Halt🏹~

A few days had passed. Halt hadn't seen Morgarath since the day he had arrived at Gorlan, though admittingly, he himself had also been keeping low. During his time alone, Halt had walked the lengths of Castle Gorlan to the point of memory. He was almost certain that he could run through the halls blindfolded. It wouldn't be ideal and he was bound to make a few wrong turns, but it could be done if need be.

More importantly, however, this time alone allowed him to think, and Halt had thought long and hard about anything and everything that could possibly need thinking over. Frankly, it was a bit too much time. It was starting to get on his nerves.

But that was exactly what Morgarath wanted.

Morgarath wanted Halt to accept his job and become his personal soldier, a counterfeit ranger for lack of a better word. He would send him on wild missions and not just assassinations. Coin would no longer be a problem; there would be a house to go back to, a real home if that was possible.

Only thing was, Halt had never once considered the offer.

Even when he was an assassin, he had a semblance of freedom. He was always hiding, but he was still free. That didn't change when he started helping the rangers. No one trusted him, but he was still a free man. He was still given the opportunity to make his own choices.

If Halt began working for Morgarath, he would be signing his freedom away. That was the one thing he would never give up.

So when Morgarath finally requested his presence for dinner, Halt found himself planning his words ten steps ahead of time. He would deflect and distract, not accepting the job but also not outright refusing. It was always a dangerous game with Morgarath, but Halt was more than willing to play.

Because what Morgarath didn't know was that Halt was no stranger to royalty. He was born and raised in the Hibernian courts. Once upon a time, it had been his whole life. It had been years, decades even, since he had been home, but Halt still remembered the deceptive plays of high society. He knew how to fit in; he knew how to lie.

Tugging at the tunic he had chosen out, Halt stared into the mirror. He frowned at himself. Suddenly, he felt the urge to do something about his hair. A strange thought, for he had never cared for his appearance before. Alas, the times were changing, and war was coming. Desperate times called for desperate measures. He reached for a comb.

It didn't take long for there to be a knock at the door. "Sir?"

He didn't answer, instead leaning back into his chair and shutting his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he reviewed what he had practiced, taking in a deep breath. He was already on his feet when the knock came again. Swinging open the door, a frown easily appeared on his face as he scowled at the servant. "What do you want?" he said.

The servant, a young girl who couldn't have been older than twelve, flinched. She stepped back, wide-eyed. "I'm sorry," she said. Her voice came out small. "I thought someone had already told you. The King has asked for you to accompany him-"

"Yes, yes," Halt said, grumbling. He avoided eye contact as he shut the door behind him. "Lead the way."

The girl jumped and shuffled down the hall. "Yes, of course."

Halt followed her, silently mapping the path they took. He straightened up when they took an odd turn, moving away from the dining hall. Instead, they wound up in a more private section of the castle-a more secluded section. Whatever Morgarath was planning must have been off the record. When they arrived at their destination, Halt was surprised to find that he was not the first to arrive.