Ranger's Daughter

Chapter Three

“So… um…” I begin uncertainly. I have no idea how they will take this.  Everyone seems happiest over dinner so I thought that this would be the best time for them to hear this. That way they won’t be so mad when they hear what I’ve done.

   “Yes?” My father asks. He seems excited. Probably thinks I’ve chosen to be a Courier like he expected. Boy, does he have another thing coming.

   “I…” I trail off because at that moment, someone knocks at the door.

   “Come on in!” My parents chourus. Halt walks in. I breathe a silent sigh of relief. He looks at me questioningly. I shake my head.

   “Halt! I didn’t realize you were coming. Did you hear about Carter? A knight in the family!” My father says excitedly. Dad is always excited. He seems like he is still 20 years old. Halt and Gilan (another fellow Ranger) and Horace tell us that he’s always been this way. They’re all so proud of Carter. My parents treat us like we’re equals, but I know better. Everyone else only thinks about my perfect twin.

   “Congratulations. Always knew that you’d turn out well, Carter. I’m very happy for you. But that’s not why I’m here. Will, Alyss, do you know where your daughter was today?” Halt asks, knowing the answer. Everyone’s head swivels toward me.

   “I assumed she was at the Picking of her brother, then went to find her own job to Pick,” my mother said slowly.

   “Then came home and forgot to mention her Pick?” Halt asked rhetorically. “Your right. Truly, she did all of those things. But do you have any idea what she chose?”

   “No…”

   “That’s because your daughter was at my house after Carter’s Picking. And do you have any idea what she was doing there? I’m not going to wait for you to respond to that. I might die of old age before you answer. She wants to be a Ranger.”

   This was met by stunned silence. Heads turned towards me once again. I was just so darn popular all of a sudden, wasn’t I?

   “No, she doesn’t. I thought she wanted to be a King’s Courier! You’re joking Halt! That’s a first,” Dad said. I thought I might cry.

   “When have I ever joked, Will? Obviously you don’t know your daughter very well. She doesn’t have Alyss’s cool head, she has your temper. She’d make a terrible Courier. No offense, Claire,” he said to soften his statement after he saw me start to open my mouth. “She’ll make an excellent Ranger once I’ve trained her a bit,”

   “Now you just listen here Halt…” My father started.

   “No, you listen Will. I chose you because you had the natural ability. Your son will make an excellent warrior. But you have a daughter who knows what she wants. She’s a strong, independent young lady and you should be proud. What does it matter that she doesn’t want to be a common housewife? Will you make her do it, Will? Will you make her give up her dream?” Halt said softly. “Before you decide, I want you to see her in action. Come outside and watch,”

   Everyone filed outside and Halt winked at me. I got my weapons, the nice ones that I had spent weeks making. I rarely shot them. I turned around in time to see Halt pinning a piece of paper the size of my fist to a tree nearly seventy feet away. I could hit it. I could hit anything up to a hundred feet away. I notched, aimed, and released in seconds. As usual, the thud of the arrow hitting the middle of my target was satisfying. I looked to my stunned little family and raised my eyebrow.

   “How ‘bout them apples?”

   “But you’re a girl!” My father spluttered. I inwardly sigh. You’d think he would’ve realized this earlier. He thought so little of my gender. I was about to tell him so but my mother and Halt beat me to it.

   “Just because…” my mother said coldly.

   “How many times have you been saved…” Halt began evenly.

   “Enough!” he waved them off. “Alyss, I know that her being a girl has no impact on her mind, but boys are simply built to be stronger. Halt, I know I’ve had my backside saved by Alyss and Cassie time and time again, but this is no life for a woman. Think of all the things we’ve done. Many are things that I’m not proud of. You think this is a life I want for my daughter?” he said angrily. Time for me to intervene.

   “Dad, I know you’re upset, but this is what I want. I’ve always wanted it. And…”

   “That’s enough out of you young lady. I can’t believe that after all we’ve done for you to ensure you have a good life and a nice career that you want to throw it away. And as for you, Halt, how could you do this? How could you get her hopes up and make me the bad guy? You knew that I would take it like this when she asked, didn’t you? my father said, furiously calm, ”Don’t lie to me, Halt.”.

   Halt was taken aback, but he would not show it to his former apprentice, I knew. “I did know how you would take it, Will. But how you take it is no matter. This is the life your daughter wants. Who are you to take it away from her?”

   “I’m her father, that’s who. And how dare you say that my opinion is no matter. This is my daughter we’re talking about!”

   “I meant what I said, Will. Claire is quite old enough to make her own decisions now. I have accepted her as my apprentice. That is that.”

   My father looked as if he were about to say something, then sighed defeatedly. He looked at me with grim acceptence. “So this is what you really want, huh? A life of secrets and spying and death?”

   “No,” I said strongly, because I knew that this was very possibly the most important moment of my life, the moment that would define what kind of person and daughter I was. “I want a life of adventure.”

   “Then I suppose I can’t stop you,” and he smiled. This day seemed to be turning out so mushy I thought to myself as I ran into my father and hugged him for all my worth.

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I know. not much going on yet. just give me a few more chapters and i'll come up with something good. i promise! i'm open to suggestions! 

ps- sorry about all the editing errors. i would blame spellcheck, but it's probably just user error