Ranger's Apprentice One Shots

Love As Deep As the Oceans

Inspired from this headcanon I found: 

Will is biracial: half Araluen, half Arridan.

His skin is much darker, although Halt first took it as being a farmer's tan. Daniel was a ship hand, which was how he met Will's mother. His boss' ship had docked in a coastal Arridan town, and during the time the two had fallen in love and gotten married.
After that, the two decided to lay down their roots, and start a family. However, in the first town in Norgate they had lived in, Will's mother was harassed by the locals for her headscarf, so they moved south hoping for more welcoming towns.
They found it, in the small farming town on the border between Aspienne fief and Redmont. Will was born soon after the move.

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The waves lapped against the hull of the ship, sounding almost like nature's moan. The sun reigned the heavens, but not long ago, the crew had been ravaged in a storm so fierce they lost several men and most supplies. Their beautiful ship crabbed awkwardly to the sand, beaching itself and collapsing from effort. Now, the soft swish of palm trees and warm sun only made Daniel scowl. Yes it was beautiful. Yes, it was warm. Yes, it was peaceful.

But it was fake.

Or at least, Daniel knew that any second, Nature could turn on them like an angry god.

"Haul her off!" cried the captain. The crewmen had already begun unloading the ship, dropping bulks onto the ground. Each bag made a hard gravel noise as it collided with the sand. Those who weren't dropping things ashore, cleaned the deck from salt and sea, or tied in the massive masts.

"Daniel!" shouted Mathew, the Captain's second hand. "Stop slackin' and get to it!"

Swearing a sailor's curse under his breath, Daniel obliged, smiling with fake cheerfulness at the other man. The two had never gotten along, and at this point, Daniel didn't even attempt to try. The bad blood between them ran as far as the ocean itself.

He swung a bag of cloth over his shoulders, grunting as the weight turned out to be more than he expected. He nearly lost his balance from the swing, but thankfully, managed to keep his footing.

On his way off the ship, he passed one of his best mates, Kellan. Kellan was a bit shorter than average, funny to the bone, whether he meant to be or not, and way too good-looking. Next to Kellan, Daniel felt like a five year old with his mother's powders on.

"I bet you a shilling Mathew is going to take a swing at Josh in less than thirty seconds," Kellan murmured, grinning, to him.

Side-glancing at him, Daniel frowned. "Why would he?"

Kellan held up a hand. "Just wait. Deal or not?"

"Psht," Daniel scoffed. "You're on."

He should've known better.

In only twenty seconds, Josh tripped on a loose plank of wood, tumbled into Mathew, causing them both to fall onto the deck. Mathew growled at Josh, shouting curse after curse, and almost in reflex it looked, cuffed Josh by the ear.

Daniel frowned at the scene, then raised his eyebrows coolly when Mathew saw the two men watching. Kellan nudged Daniel in the ribs, grinning. "See?" he said. "I told you. Cough up."

"I don't know why I'm friends with you," Daniel retorted, fishing through his pockets. He pressed the coin into his friend's palm, a sinking sensation in his stomach as he realized he was running low. Payday was two nights from now, but that was only one copper.