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

CHAPTER FOUR:

It seemed everything went in slow motion in front of her, first she heard Horace cry before she even felt the pain in her knuckles, she watched the boy fall to the ground, eyes shooting daggers at her, the cheek bruising a deep blue and purple colour. She heard Will's thud to the ground behind her, felt his hand tug her arm, and before Horace could regain footing, they both ran from the scene.
They were swamped by the crowd in the middle of the Market Town Square when they decided it was safe to to stop running. "You punched him." Will said breathlessly, his body bent, his hands resting in his knees, saying it more to convince himself in to believing what had happened.
"I punched him." The girl said, trapping a stray rock from the ground and chucking it in frustration with herself, thinking of the consequences. Knowing what she did about the cruel boy, he'll blab to someone who will most likely tell another, until it manages to reach someone of importance like Sir Rodney or worse, Baron Arald. Then they'll blab to Halt and once that happens, she shut her eyes to block out all the possible punishments Halt will make for her.
Dishes, mucking out the lean-to, paper-work, a week in the kitchens.
A hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned half-expecting Horace to be there giving her a blow to the face, but thankfully just Will, concern painted on his features.
"Your hand." He quickly grabbed it, a graze running along her knuckles. She quickly pulled it away, not wanting to look at it, not wanting the reminder.

Who was arrogant and cruel enough to treat someone so poorly?

She looked at Will now, her turn in giving the look of concern. "Does he always treat you like that?" His face dawned with embarrassment, knowing if he said yes he would get the same look that Jenny and Alyss give him.
He shook his head, the attempt in shrugging the question off casually seeming almost impossible. He saw the look starting to rise in her eyes, in his poor attempt in denial.
He had to do something.
"I have to go, things I need to do." He forcefully mumbled out, turning away to the castle.
"Will," the girl called after him, the way she said it felt foreign to her, "wait." He turned to face her, the look in his brilliant brown eyes seeming shocked.
It suddenly dawned on her why saying his name felt so foreign to her.
"How do you know my name?" The words that came out of his mouth seemed impossible to get out, a lump rising in his throat as the possibilities of her knowing his name could lead to.
Who was she?
Is she dangerous?
What does she know about me?
If she's willing to punch Horace, what else is she capable of?
Squirt's eyes went wide, a feeling of exposure swamping her. How could she explain? She couldn't. It wasn't time.
Now it was her turn to avoid the question. "I have to go, things I need to do." She didn't wait for Will to try and stop her, she didn't even look back, she just turned away and disappeared into the crowd.

Was it always going to be like this? Keep things to herself? Get into trouble and wait to be punished?
She figured being a ranger would give her freedom. She could do something she was actually good at, something she could make others know her strength. She was sick of being seen as a weak little girl, she didn't want to be underestimated.
Growing up, she has trained herself to learn the ways of a ranger by Halt. She knows what she is in for, she's ready. She longs for the day to have her own fief, where people know the amount of power she has.
But now, all of a sudden, Will has come into the picture, she knew Halt's intentions for Will, and when she met him today, something had changed in the way she saw the future.
Having someone next to her felt relieving, even though she got herself into a lot of mess, she had someone by her side, and it felt comforting.
And when she had to push him away, she suddenly felt cold, even though the sun was beaming down on the village, she felt the lonely cold surround her again.
It wasn't just about the skills of being a ranger for her anymore, it was about finding a place in this cruel world where she can have someone by her side. And growing up, with the Rangers, it always felt like there was something that they were keeping from her, Halt, Gilan, Crowley, she always felt like there was this barrier between them, but when she was with Will she felt no barrier until he asked her about his name.

Something didn't feel right.