Ranger Apprentice One-Shots

Tangled Memories pt3

The ride to Castle Araluen was quiet, but there wasn't anything unusual in that. Halt rarely spoke much. From time to time, Will caught the ranger rubbing his head, or shaking it as if it bothered him. His anxiety increased, and he wished he could talk to Halt without him getting suspicious all over again.

 They reached the town outskirts at last; more buildings and people dotted the scenery, and Will nodded a greeting to several that waved at them as they recognized the famous duo. As he turned back to face forward, he noticed they were taking a side street. One that led right past the orphan's home. Even after several years, it gave Will a strange feeling to look back on the place that had been all the home he knew, until Halt took him under his wing.

 To his consternation, instead of riding past Halt stopped. He cleared his throat. "Excuse me, uh, sir. What are we doing here?"

 "I'm checking on one of the wards. Stay here, I won't be long." Halt prepared to dismount as Will's mind raced over what he had just said. Ward? Did he think Will was still here?

 "Wait!" Without thinking, he grabbed hold of the man's cloak. Halt turned steely eyes in his direction and he stammered over his words. "Please, the message w-was urgent. I-I'll get into trouble with Baron Arald, if we're late."

 "You said nothing of it being urgent, earlier." Halt's tone was curt and dismissive. It stung Will to the core but he had to push it aside and focus. Halt needed him to, whether he knew it or not.

 "I didn't? I'm sorry, sir." It wasn't very hard to look meek and crestfallen, as he released Halt's cloak. With a huff of annoyance, Halt nudged Abelard on. "I'll have to stop on the way back, then. They don't train apprentices like they used to, apparently."

 The sigh of relief was silent, as they rode into the castle at last. Sliding off of the horse, Will tried to steady his thoughts as he followed the man along the corridors. He had gotten this far, but still no closer to a solution of how to get Halt to see a Healer. Before he was halfway ready, they had reached the heavy oak door and Halt's knuckles rapped upon it swiftly. "Come in!"

 Baron Arald looked up from his desk, a smile erasing the line of concentration as he recognized his callers. "Halt! Will! Good to see you both; what brings you here?"

 Behind Halt's back, Will tried to signal Arald, but Halt turned around at that moment to look at him. "I thought you said this was an urgent matter, boy?"

 The look on Baron Arald's face was one of dumbfoundment. This was far from the usual tone the Ranger used with his apprentice. Will broke the silence that had become heavy. "I did, sir. Yes, Baron Arald wanted to see you right away!" His eyes signaled the man.

 "I did?" As Halt looked back toward him, Will nodded his head, hard. "Oh! Yes, I'm so sorry, Halt. I uh, wanted to see you after your accident. Make sure you were alright."

 "Arald, has everyone in the castle suddenly gone mad? First this boy, and now you, are pestering me about my injury! I haven't had one, and you didn't need to drag me from my cabin just to ask that. A letter would have been just fine." Arald's eye twitched, and Will felt sympathy. 

 Speaking slower, he made a soothing gesture with his hand. "I see that, my friend. I was just..overly worried. Will," his voice raised a fraction, " If you would be so kind as to fetch the battlemaster for me?"

 More than happy to fetch help, Will slid out of the door while Halt remarked, "That reminds me, it is almost choosing day again, isn't it. I have something I need to ask you about that..."

 Once alone in the hallway, Will gave way to some of the tension that had held him fast for the last hour, and leaned against the stone wall. It gave little comfort, and he closed his eyes in misery. Halt had lost his memories..or rather, they had become tangled. Would they be able to unravel them, or had he just lost his mentor? "There is nothing good out of inaction, I need to fetch help." With an effort, the young man staggered down to where the battle school was drilling in the courtyard.

 It took several moments to explain to Sir Rodney. Once he was able to grasp the enormity of the situation, however, the battle master was all about action, striding quickly toward the castle. "We must have a Healer examine him, but how to do it, is the question. "

 A moment later, Sir Rodney and Baron Arald faced a very enraged Halt. "I will not see a Healer, I have no need to!" Halt fairly shouted the words, and Will found himself flinching from where he stood at the doorway. Cutting off their protests, he all but shoved Will aside as he left the room. "Don't waste my time. I have other things to do."

 "Halt-" Will started to follow, but Sir Rodney called him back. "No, Will. It's best to give him time and space."

 "But, what if he runs into trouble out there, without all of his memories? " A horrifying picture of Halt forgetting his ranger training flashed upon the young man. "I can't just leave him. He wouldn't leave me." 

"Will, stop!" Deaf to their voices calling him back, Will ran as swiftly as he could to where they had left the little Ranger horse. Once the courtyard was in sight, his pace slowed and then he stopped, leaning against the wall again for support. Halt was already gone.

And Will felt more alone than he had ever before.