Halt's Ranger Apprentices- John Flanagan Ranger Apprentice fan-fiction

CHAPTER TWO:

The rising sun spilt a warm light across the village, the sun shooting past as many buildings as it could in the already busy place. People holding foods and goods, others rushing about to and from the castle, and some kids were playing tag around in the square making a nuisance, but Will didn't even take notice, he was too busy staring off into the distance thinking about the choosing day tomorrow. Tomorrow.

"What am I kidding? I can't compete with Horace? Why can't I get my growth spurt?" He whispered to himself the doubt and horror drowning his tone, the goosebumps sending chills up his spine, feeling as if he were immune to the warm sun above him. It was then when he became aware of someone calling his name he turned toward the voice.
It was Alyss.
He smiled and waved at her and started to head towards her then he heard another voice calling his name somewhere in the crowd, a deep, low voice that was cruelly familiar to Will, he decided to ignore it and hope that the voice would give up. He kept heading towards Alyss and then suddenly felt a tight grip around his arm, pain rushing through him as he was hurled against a wall.
Horace's eyes, the usually taunting enjoyment dancing in the caramel colour locked with his own dull brown eyes. He turned to Alyss hoping for some sort of help, but he noticed she had already been distracted by her friends pointing at some boys at the other end of the Village Square
"Are you deaf or something"? Horace asked, the bully's tone matching the creased face. Will, still pinned to the wall, searched for some sort of weakness to get his shoulders free from his grip, so he could punch Horace in the ear and ask him if he was deaf but he knew that Horace would get the better of him, like always, so he replied in a reasonably calm tone.
"No." Horace smiled but not in a nice way, in the kind of way you would smile at someone if you were forced to.
He noticed the boy's eyes flicker to beside him before letting go of Will's shoulders, the sudden feeling of freedom loosening up his tight chest. The brown eyes followed where the caramel ones had ventured, to find Baron Arald walking nearby, his belt tight around his waist causing fat to overflow past it.
"Then why didn't you turn and come to me when I called you?" The sweet tone almost sickening as Horace stared at him, almost making it believable that he was genuinely nice. But they both knew the drill; play nice for the ones who want to see it, but once all authority was out of sight, no more playing nice.
Baron Arald turned a corner, disappearing in the crowd, then Horace not even giving Will a chance to answer started to talk again. "Oh, I know you didn't want to talk to me because you knew I can beat you, like I always do, am I right"? Will dropped from Horace's unwavering gaze and started to shuffle his feet.
"No." he said innocently and Horace started to laugh, the second prior you could've recognised him as a nice and decent boy, now you could only see him for what he truly was, an angry jerk.

"Yeah right you wimp." Horace laughed some more, a grim one at that, and started to turn and walk away his long strides and big shoulders showing the pleasure of how he treated Will. "Oh," he paused like a thought had just hit him, "Lunch is ready if you want it, I can't guarantee Alyss will be here, or even enjoy your company." For years of growing up, the constant joke Horace had managed to keep going was that Alyss would never be interested in him, like Will could never manage to be with her. Although Will had denied feelings for her for all those years, the anger always sprung through him. Although Will couldn't physically hurt Horace, the big boy too strong, muscular and arrogant for him, Will had always found another way to attack Horace, one that always helped him.
"Horace, we both know the real reason for that joke," Horace turned around his face a mix of confusion and anger as he saw where this was going, "you just want another reason to talk about her." red with anger and embarrassment of Will insulting him like that, he took a step forward, some people around them had quietened, including Alyss, he mouth slightly agape.

"I'm gonna get you Will!" Horace screamed out and started to run towards Will, Will seeing the movement started to run away towards the Castle Courtyard. Although Will was small, and not much compared to Horace, he was always able to out-run Horace.
Will, his heart beating faster by every step Horace tried to gain on him, he made it to the courtyard and ran to the closest tree and started to climb without hesitation. Horace screamed in rage, the boy smashing his hand on the tree, he couldn't match Will's speed or balance to climb the tree. Horace stopped, looking up to stare at Will who was gripping to one of the highest branches of the tree.

"Come down, or I'll make you starve." Will didn't move.
Horace stormed towards the castle to go eat lunch. Will waited for Horace to be out of sight and started to climb down the tree feeling his stomach grumble.
He huffed as he hit the ground again.
I'll teach him, he thought, one day I will.