The Unseen Army (Gilan x Reader)

Beneath The Surface

Y/N's eyes fluttered open to the sight of Gilan beside her, trying to suppress a grin. This was no abnormal thing. It had happened at least a couple of times a week for the past year.

Today though, he seemed a little more excited than normal.

"What are you planning this time?" Y/N lift herself up onto her elbows and tried to blink away the grogginess of sleep.

"Mmmm," Gilan hummed and pressed his lips together. "Not planning anything."

"Then...what?" She asked.

"You might want to come see for yourself." He held out his hand to her.

Taking it, the girl was hauled up from the ground and she stood with Gilan. He motioned for her to leave the room and as she did, he followed behind, draping her cloak over her shoulders to help stave off the cold morning.

His hand on her shoulder was warm. Almost too warm. Just the feeling of it completely distract her from the sight of Halt also greeting her first thing this morning with an unusually keen smile.

If what these two were planning was a warm surprise, Y/N was amazed by how unsettling they could make it.

Halt rose from his chair and for a brief moment there was a fleeting sense of terror that ran through the girl. That fear of being unrecognizable and kicked out the door as if she were some intruder.

But this was far from that, regardless of the fear she felt. Halt reached behind his chair and produced to the girl an oddly shaped piece of intricately carved wood. It took her a second to recognize what it was, but when she did, her mouth fell agape. It was a slingshot. A not overly common weapon used in Araluen, but the perfect kind for someone like her.

With a raised brow, Halt wait for her reaction.

"It's beautiful." It was carved with careful detail and small etchings along it.

Halt nod, as if in thanks. "It's yours."

Y/N's eyes shot up to him. "What?"

"You've earned it." He motioned for the girl to raise her hands and she did so. Gently, he placed the slingshot in her palms and closed them around it. "I would prefer to send you out there with a bow, but I see how cumbersome that might be as a messenger. And I'm not sending you out there any longer without anything. I see this as a good compromise."

She hesitated. "But I don't know—"

"Gilan and I will teach you." He tried to ease her anxiety. But he knew there was hardly any teaching he would need to do. Y/N was smart and a quick learner.

Ever since she had arrived, Halt had noticed how observant Y/N was. She watched everything he and Gilan did and could replicate nearly everything they did on the first try. Sure, there would still be a learning curve. But she was capable enough. A slingshot of all things wouldn't take long to figure out.

"I don't know what to say." She choked on her words. "Other than thank you."

"You're welcome." Halt acknowledged. Then, reaching over the table, he dragged forwards a couple of fabric wrapped bundles. He tossed them both to Gilan. "Now, you two have some deliveries to make at Redmont."

"What...is in here?" Gilan wrinkled his nose up in confusion.

"Those are your lunches." Halt grumbled. "This is what you need to keep safe."

It was a letter. Simple and unassuming. But it was obviously important if Halt was sending it to Redmont with his two apprentices and not the usual courier.