Ranger Apprentice One-Shots

Part 6 Grief For Ferris

 SPOILERS. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK 8

 Unpacking their gear and starting preparations for camp, Horace sneaked glances out of the corner of his eyes, to where the Ranger worked in silence. They were a days ride from the Kingdom where Halt's twin brother, Ferris, had met his tragic end. Yet the ranger said nothing and was even more taciturn than formerly.

 He supposed it was only natural-the twin brother had tried to have Halt killed several times, and then was letting the Outsiders take over his kingdom without a fight. He hadn't been loved much at all. But still...Horace shook his head. Some people grieved differently, the young knight reflected.

"I'll get some wood for the fire." Halt's voice broke into Horace's thoughts, causing him to jump a little. As he looked up, the Ranger scanned the campsite and nodded to himself. "Don't think we'll have trouble, but keep a lookout all the same."

"Right, Halt."

**

As Halt strode into the forest, he found his thoughts drifting to the past. It was a struggle to pull them back to the present, yet he needed to stay focused. The trees here were carefully maintained, the farming land of a good, cared for sort. He went farther into them then he had intended, in his search.

 Where the woods dipped, Halt found a stream and took a moment to search it in the off chance it might provide them with fresh fish. It proved too shallow, however, with a pool of only two feet at one section of the bank being its deepest spot.

 As Halt looked down, he saw his reflection and caught himself staring. His beard was gone, having been shaved for the disguise when he posed as Ferris; his cloaks hood, having fallen back, revealed his hair also cut in the manner Ferris did. It unnerved him for a moment, as his dead brother's face peered up at him. And then the realization of what he had lost truly came to him.

 And Halt cried. Not aloud, not sniffling..the tears were down to his chin before he even realized. He didn't cry for the brother that was; a man who had tried to kill him. He cried for the brother that had been, before greed made him jealous. He didn't cry for Ferris the King. He cried, for Ferris the brother that could have been, in a grief that was maybe all the more deep for what had not been.

**

Back at the campfire, Horace measured the coffee carefully and set it on the fire. Halt had taken a lot longer to fetch wood than necessary, he thought, but again-he wouldn't ask questions.

 "You say the stream didn't have any places for fish?" he asked again.

Across from him, face hidden by the cowl of his cloak, Halt grunted. Then, he stirred. "We'll leave at the first light. Need to catch up to Will as soon as we can."

 Horace thought of the cold morning and sighed deep down inside. The price one paid for having a Ranger friend, he thought, checking the coffee pot.