The Story of Two

Chapter 1

    "Try and eat something Will. Tomorrow's a big day after all." Jenny, a blond, pretty, and cheerful girl, gestured toward Will's plate, which had barely been touched, and smiled at him encouragingly. Will tried to return the smile, but it was a failed attempt. He picked at the plate, which was piled with his favorite foods. Tonight his stomach was knotted tight with tension, anticipation, and nerves, he could hardly swallow a bite.
    Tomorrow would be a big day, he knew. He knew it all too well, in fact. Tomorrow would be the biggest day of his life, because it was Choosing Day tomorrow and it would determine how he would spend the rest of his life.
    "Nerves, I imagine," said George, setting down his fork. He was a thin, gangly and studious boy, who was interested in rules and regulations and with a talent for examining and debating both sides of any question or argument sometimes in great length. "Dreadful thing, nervousness. It can just freeze you up so you can't think straight, you can't eat, can't speak."
    "I'm not nervous," Will denied quickly, noticing that Horace had looked up, ready to say a snarky comment.
    George nodded several times, considering Will's reply. "On the other hand," he added "some nervousness can actually improve one's performance. It can heighten your perceptions and sharpen your reactions. So, the fact that you are worried, if, in fact, you are, is not really something to be worried about, so to speak."
    A small smile crept onto Will's mouth. George would be a natural in legal profession, he thought. He would almost certainly be the Scribemaster's choice on the following morning. Perhaps, Will thought, that was at the heart of his own problem. He was the only one of his wardmates that had fears about the event that was to take place in a little more than twelve hours. A sudden thought came into his head. He looked around only to see five of his wardmates.
    "Have any of you see Ashlyn. She should be here by now," Will asked. The others shook their heads. "I'm right here," everyone looked up to see Ashlyn leaning in the door frame in her brown cloak. She was not like most girls and was often scolded for "Not being lady-like." While most girls were sitting inside knitting or cooking, she was in the woods doing God knows what. She was average in height and was on the skinny side. She had long brown hair, which she refused to cut, and that was always in a braid. "It keeps my hair out of my face," was what she always said. For some reason though, she was soaked.
    "Why are you soaked," Jenny said trying to hold back a giggle. Ashlyn gave her one of her infamous glares.
    "I followed Halt into the woods," Ashlyn replied bluntly. Obviously, not wanting to discuss the topic. But Alyss pressed on.
     "That doesn't explain why you're wet," Alyss said now curious to why their Ward mate was soaked.
    "He caught me and threw me into a river," Ashlyn replied hesitantly. Everyone looked at her for a while, deciding if she was serious, then they all looked at each other and started laughing. " Yeah, yeah, laugh if up," Ashlyn said unhappily. "So, why are we talking about nervousness," Ashlyn said trying to change the topic. "Will's nervous and not eating," said George. "I'm not nervous," Will said. "Because I totally believe you," Ashlyn said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
    "He ought to be nervous!" Horace scoffed. "After all, which Craftmaster is going to want him as an apprentice?"
    "Hey Horace, could you, I don't know, shut the he . . .," Ashlyn started before Alyss interrupted her.
    "Ashlyn! Language," she scolded. "I'm sure we are all nervous," Alyss continued. She directed one of her warm smiles at Will. "We'd be stupid not to be."
    "Well, I'm not!" Horace said, then reddened with embarrassment when Alyss raised one eyebrow and Jenny giggled.
    "Horace as I was saying, could you shut the hell up," Ashlyn said completely ignoring Alyss's earlier comment. Alyss gave a sigh, disappointed in Ashlyn's choice of words.
    Ashlyn knew Alyss was going to say something like that, she always does. She, like the rest of her wardmates, knew she had already been promised a place as an apprentice by Lady Pauline, head of Castle Redmont's Diplomatic Service. The fact that she was nervous surprised Ashlyn. Alyss always had a calm aura around her. She very good at working out situation. Ashlyn knew she would make an excellent Courier.
    Jenny would obviously go to the castle kitchens to become an apprentice to Master Chubb, Redmont's head chef. He was well-known throughout the kingdom of the banquets he served in the castle's dining hall. Jenny loved food and loved to cook, and she was good at it too. Her easygoing nature and good sense of humor would make her an amazing addition to the staff.
    Horace's choice would would be Battleschool for sure. Catherine looked at her wardmate in disgust, while he ate the food in front of him. Horace was big for his age and a natural athlete. He is the type of boy Sir Rodney looked for in his apprentices. The chances that he would be refused were nonexistent.
    Then there was Ashlyn. No one, for sure, knew what she wanted to be. She usually kept to herself when the wards discussed Choosing Day. She always said that they would find out on the day. She was mysterious that way. Nobody knew much about her past and where she came from. One day, when she was eight months old, a woman came with her in her arms claiming her parents were dead and her father died in the battle against Morgarath, an old enemy of the kingdom. That's all she said along with a name Ashlyn Brazewood.
    She has never been never much of a lady. She never wears a dress, she is always outdoors, and she always is wanting to learn something new. She would often go into the woods anytime she was free. Ashlyn was always looking for a new adventure. Most of the women in the castle had thought it was just a stage and when she got older she would grow out of it. Will smiled at how wrong they were. At one point in time, the Baron made Ashlyn take lessons on how to be a lady. That was quickly canceled, seeming how Ashlyn almost showed up to the lessons and when she did, she would prank her teachers.
    Ashlyn was lost deep in thought thinking about the next day. She was actually a little worried, which was strange because she never really had any worries. She wanted to be a Ranger, but she was nervous that her gender might stop her. She knew that people frowned upon women fighting, even though she could probably fight better than quite a few boys. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Horace began teasing Will. Again.
    "Still planning on applying for Battleschool, Will?" he asked through a mouthful of potatoes. "Better eat something then. You'll need to build yourself up a little"'
    "Horace could you, like I said earlier, shut the hell up," Ashlyn said, almost yelling the last part.
    Horace, completely ignoring Ashlyn's comment, snorted with laughter and Will glared at him. A few weeks before, Horace had heard Will telling Alyss that he really wanted to be picked for Battleschool, and he had made Will's life miserable ever since, pointing out on every possible occasion that Will's small build is unsuited for the rigorous training of Battleschool.
    Ashlyn knew that Will wasn't going to be selected for Battleschool, but she knew he wasn't destined for a life of farm work either. She, honestly, had no idea what Will would be selected for. What made her nervous was the chance that he would be apprenticed as a Ranger and she wouldn't because Halt already had Will. She already had something planned incase she didn't get picked. The day after choosing, when everyone goes to who they were apprenticed to, she was going to walk to the farm she was assigned to go to. Then, when she was out of sight of everyone, she would slip off into the woods and become a bounty hunter of some sorts. She knew it was selfish, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to stand working on a farm for the rest of her life. She was, once again, drawn from her thoughts when Horace spoke.
    "You need muscles to get into Battleschool, Will. Real muscles," he said glancing at the others around the table to see if anyone disagreed. "Horace give it a rest. I am sick and tired of you two fighting. Do you want a repeat of last time," Ashlyn treatened, her temper slowly rising. The other wards were growing nervous, remembering the last time Ashlyn's temper got the best of her. Let's just say, both Will and Horace had a huge bruise on their faces for two weeks. They focused on their plates, aware of the uncomfortableness is the room. When they continued, ignoring Ashlyn, she let out an audible groan.
    "Particularly between the ears," Will replied and, unfortunately Jenny couldn't refrain from giggling while Ashlyn let out an annoyed groan standing up from her seat, getting ready to punch the two in the face again. Horace's face flushed and he started to rise from his seat as well. But Will was quicker and he was already at the door before Horace could get out of his chair. He yelled a final insult after his retreating ward-mate.
    "That's right! Run away, Will No-Name! You're a no name and nobody will want you as an apprentice!"
    Ashlyn's face became even more angry, if that was possible, and gave him a hard punch to the arm. Horace winced and gave her an angry scowl. "Do you really have to do that. You know it bugs him yet you still continue to make fun of him because he doesn't have a second name. Can you two, please, act like adults for one day," Ashlyn said angrily. Then she left to her room knowing Will, most likely, wanted to be alone.
    Ashlyn got to the girl's dormitory and looked under her bed. She pulled out the bow that she made. Almost everyday when she was thirteen she went down to a weapon smith and he taught her to make a bow. She finished the bow and immediately begun practicing. She has been practicing almost everyday since. She swung the quiver over her shoulder, held the bow, and jumped out of the window. When she landed she walked off into the forest. Hidden underneath some leaves and branched was an old archery target. Ashlyn had made it out of straw she found laying around the castle's stable. Ashlyn knocked her bow and started shooting. After she emptied her quiver, she decided to stop and go to bed for the time being. For she had more plans that night.

A/N
Hey guys! So this is my first story that I have ever posted to the public, so I would love if anyone could give me any tips or stuff like that. If you guys have any ideas please let me know. I would be glad to use some of them. I will try to update two to three times a week. Also, some of the characters might be a tab bit OOC, because I'm kind of new to this whole fan-fiction deal.
-Catherine