The Life of a Ranger, Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction

Chapter 26

Hi. I am back for another chapter. I know I'm taking forever with them, but so much is happening these days. Hope you like it.

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   Errol and the young woman look on in confusion. Sensing that the two need to talk, the young woman excuses herself. Errol gives Halt a concerned look. "You don't mean the big, scary beasts that Morgarath used to try and destroy his enemies?" Halt nods absentmindedly. Errol shakes his head. "How can that be? I thought you killed all of them."
   "It must have been like how you said. They had an offspring. We should have seen it coming." Halt spaces out again. At least, until Errol realizes something. "Wait. If it's here, then it must be hunting someone. Who's it hunting?"
   Halt stares him for ten minutes before sudden horror comes over his face. "We need to leave. Now."
   Errol gives him a look, not quite understanding. Halt grabs Errol's arm and drags him outside, almost running. Errol stumbles along, struggling to stay upright. "We need to warn the Baron, don't we?"
   Halt halts and spins around to face Errol. "Don't you see? It's after you! You need to get to safety now!" With that, Halt leaps onto Abelard and Errol quickly copies him after a few minutes of shock. "What? Why?"
    Halt ignores his questions and snatches Midnight's reins to bolt. Too late.
   A guttural scream pierces the air from the forest. A brown blur speeds towards them. Quick thinking Halt swiftly shoots an arrow through its eye. Even as it roared with pain, they were off.

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   Will quickly assesses the situation. Tug was in front of the girl, defending her against the men with an assortment of weapons. The wargals, scared of Tug, are hanging behind the attacking men. Although, Tug is holding his own fine, clearly, against 15 men, more constantly coming, he won't last long. Will quickly unhooks his bow and shoots three arrows in quick succession. Three men go down, but nine men take their place. Will realizes that there's no way he can stand successfully against all these people and wargals. He has one chance to escape with his life. He runs to Tug's side and leaps on his back. Another three arrows are shot off at three more men. He grabs the girl and lifts her up into the saddle behind him.
  Of course, some provisions are left behind, but Will prefers that to their bodies being left behind. An arrow whizzes past his ear. The girl screams in fear as one grazes her side. Will heads straight in the direction of the castle. The bandits give up the chase after a few seconds of galloping. Will slows Tug down into an easy canter. Thankfully, the castle was just about a hundred leagues away. Tug easily handles the distance and within the next three hours, they saw the towers of the castle rise up in the horizon. Will rides through the gates and orders the guards to close the gates. Sir Rodney runs up to him. "Ranger Will! What's this about closing the gates? Is there trouble out there?"
    "You bet there is!" says Will. "I'd like to explain now, but I think I'd best wait til I see the Baron, so I don't have to repeat myself."
   Sir Rodney nods. "Come with me, then. Will you bring the girl?"
   "Yes. The information she has may be important. I haven't been able to question her yet, so this is a good time as any."

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   "The wargals are out, again?!!" Rodney draws his sword at the Baron's exclamation. Baron Arald mirrors him. They stand like that for a few minutes before realizing that there's no wargals to attack there. Will nods. "I understand your reactions. I was shocked at this, too."
   "But who could have brought the wargals out of the mountains? And why?" asks Arald.
   "Maybe we'll get some answers if we get those bandits, now!" exclaims Sir Rodney. He jogs out the room shouting, "Soldiers! Saddle up and be ready to ride in five!"
   Arald and Will look at each other. They didn't even interview the girl yet.
   They turn to the corner of the room. The girl's twiddling her thumbs as she waits for her to be needed. She realizes that they're looking at her. "Yes?" she asks nervously.
   Will pulls up a chair next to her, with Arald copies him.
   "OK. We don't know what's going on here, so to figure it out, we need you to tell your story. Is that alright?"
   She glances down. "I suppose so. I don't know why you be wanting to listen tuh me for. I'm no good for nut'ting."
   Arald looks at her with pity. "Do you have any parents?"
   She shakes her head. "No."
   "Who takes care of you then?"
   "My uncle does. Or he did. He took me in, when my parents died. Not that it matters any more."
   Arald lays a hand on her shoulder. She immediately flinches and recoils from him. He realizes that her uncle must have beaten her a lot. "You know what? After you tell your story, you can live here in the ward. They will treat you very kindly there."
   The girl sits up. "Really, mista?"
   At his nod, she launches out her seat to hug him. Arald freezes for a few seconds before returning the embrace. "Now, about that story?"
   The girl sits back down and nods. "Yes, o'course. Well, I'll start with my name. My name is Irene, but I'm just called Rene... "
 
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  Irene's Pov
 
   "I come from an unimportant family that became a complete accident. My father was a runaway slave who met a servant who was to be my mother. They ran away together until they were found and killed for desertion. I was only three weeks old at the time. They placed me with my uncle and aunt. I was fortunate to have a home so I was to repay them by working for them. It was hard, sometimes, I guess. I - I had food. And shelter." I shake a bit as I think about it. Will and especially Baron Arald, look at me with sympathy. I shake my head and sit up straighter.
  "Anyway, today, it was just another day at the inn. I was sent to gather berries in the forest and when I returned, I heard these weird noises, something like people grunting at the same time. The first thing I saw when I left the forest was a body. The body of a girl like me. There - there was a gaping hole in her - her c- che- che- est." The image overwhelms me and I break down in tears. The Baron gathers me in his arms and I sob into his shoulder. Baron Arald looks up and sees the murderous look on his face. Arald realizes that his own would look the same way feeling the deep anger boiling in his stomach.
   "They will pay for this. Whoever they are." Arald says.