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

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Will and Squirt were sitting on the lounge talking quietly that night after Halt turned in to go to sleep.

"Are you angry at me for not telling you about Halt being my guardian?" Squirt asked, Will shook his head

"I would have done the same, I've heard you haven't had a good past telling people about Halt being your guardian." Squirt nodded then eyed Will suspiciously

"How did you know that? I haven't told you that before" Squirt said slowly rising from her seat as she said it. Will went wide eyed realising he had said too much and that he would probably have to tell her about her being fond of him.

"No, you did tell me" he said but Squirt saw right through him and she could remember that she didn't tell him that

"No I didn't" she said, then it was Squirt's turn to go wide eyed "Halt didn't say anything did he?" She asked. Will sat there for a while thinking wether he should make up something or tell her the truth but he took too long which confirmed that Halt had said something. "Oh my god!" she said not caring to whisper anymore "What else has he told you that I don't know about?" she asked at this moment Halt came out of his bedroom. His hair ruffled pointing in all kinds of different directions.

"Would you two please try and keep it down!' He yelled. Will sighed in relief

'Halt!" he said "Thank god you're here!" but Squirt cut him off from saying any more

"What have you told Will have you told Will that I don't know about?" Squirt asked. As she was saying this she walked over to Halt in an angry stride and stopped when she was only a few centimetres from his face. Halt looked at Will accusingly. Will seeing this put his hands out innocently

"I didn't say anything" he said and Halt turned back to look at Squirt

"I didn't tell him anything" Halt said but Squirt just laughed

"You're a horrible liar Halt O'Carrick!" Squirt said. Actually he is a good liar but she already knew that he had said that she had trouble telling people about Halt being her guardian and just then he said that he hadn't told Will anything at all. To both of Will's and Halt's relief there was a knock at the door.

"come" Halt said. There appeared a tall skinny man with a scroll in his hand. He wore a dagger at his side and wore the royal crest of Castle Araluen on his right breast and on his left breast he wore the official courier badge.

"Excuse me ranger Halt is it?" the courier asked. He had a high pitched squeaky voice, Squirt thought

"Yes?" halt said uncertainly "What brings you here courier?" he asked. The courier walked forward and handed Halt the small scroll that he held.

"A letter from King Duncan, he told me to look for you and ask for a girl named Squirt?" the courier said. At the mention of Duncan, Halt knew what this was about. Squirt stood straighter at the mention of her name.

"Me?" she asked and the courier looked at her

"Are you Squirt?' the courier asked and Squirt nodded. Halt then handed the scroll back to the courier and the courier handed it to Squirt, who took it with a lot of questions bubbling in her head.

"Is that all?" Halt asked the courier and the tall, high pitched man nodded

"That is all ranger Halt" then the man left the cabin. Halt watched him ride off on his horse through the window. When Halt turned around Squirt was looking at him

"When did Duncan leave?" she asked. Halt hadn't mentioned to her about Duncan leaving and so Squirt just assumed that he was out somewhere at Redmont

"Oh I forgot to tell you that he left shortly after Will came. But that doesn't matter, open the scroll" Halt looked at Will who had a very confused look on his face. "Will sorry, you must be very confused right now" Halt said "Duncan stayed here for a night the other day, long story but anyway would you mind giving me and Squirt some privacy?" Will nodded and went in to his bedroom. Squirt unrolled the scroll

"It's a letter" she said " "It says:

Dear Squirt,

I am summoning you to my castle in a week's time, please don't be late it' important that I talk to you.

Sincerely yours, King Duncan"

Squirt looked at Halt curiously, "What does Duncan want to talk to me about?' she asked Halt, Halt sighed

"He wants to talk to you about what happened the night he stayed here" Halt sighed again but it was a more depressing sigh "There's something some thing that he needs to tell you" they stood in silence until Squirt started to speak again.

"That night..." Squirt said "I noticed that you and Duncan had wet eyes like you had been crying" Halt nodded

"Yes, we had been crying"

"Why?' Squirt asked afraid to hear what his next words. Halt took a deep breath

"I'm afraid that's for Duncan to tell you, which is why he has summoned you' Squit gave a confused look

"Were you two crying about me?" Squirt asked eager to find out what happened that night but Halt avoided the question

"I think it's time you went to bed" he said

"But-" Squirt went to debate but Halt raised his hand to stop her.

"Squirt, go to bed please" Squirt nodded and reluctantly went to bed. Halt did the same. Once Halt pulled the blankets over himself, he closed his eyes to go to sleep but found that he wasn't tired anymore. He stayed up most of the night thinking about how everything was bout to change in a week. He started thinking about all the memories they have together. He remembered when he first held Squirt and hushed her, she instantly went quiet and fell straight back to sleep at his voice. He remembered when she first hugged him and said "I Love You" to him. Suddenly he felt a prickly sensation and his vision blurred. Suddenly drops of salty water slid down his cheek and he fell asleep crying.