Chapter 1

It was very late at night in the town of Wensley, well after the most hardworking or sleep-deprived of people go to bed. Wensley was a town of around three dozen buildings settled next to the river Tarbus, and no more than a short walk from castle Redmont, which makes it a very good place to settle, both for the resources and trading opportunity the river provided, as well as the protection castle Redmont offered with its garrison of knights and men at arms. Naturally, Wensley was a very prosperous town. Unfortunately, however, its prosperity also resulted in it being a common target for crime.

Two figures crouched slowly down the high road to Wensley, both of them were males of medium heights, both of them wore dull brown cloaks with no cowls and were obviously inexperienced at moving stealthily. They made their way past the butcher's shop and the tavern, stopping at the front door of the inn. The inn was the only two-story building in the town, except for the recently expanded and overhauled Heaped Platter- Jenny Dalby's restaurant- so it was easy to spot. Inns, especially successful ones, can earn a small fortune every week, and that makes them common targets for robbery.

"You've got the lock picks?" asked one of the men to the other.

"Of course I do, Jordan! Why would I make me way here with yer if I know I haven't no lock picks on me self?" The other man replied with a thick country accent.

"Whatever, just remember to start picking the lock once you hear my knocking and bail when you don't hear anymore talking."

"Sure." The man said and made his way as stealthily as possible around the inn to the backdoor. Jordan went to the front door and knocked three times loudly. After a few minutes, the sound of locks being unlocked could be heard. A man then opened the door, his hand tightly gripping a cudgel, raising the stick as if about to strike.

"Who in the blazes is still awake this night?" The innkeeper demanded, he was obviously irritated due to his rest being interrupted.

"Just a friendly traveller, no need to be brandishing a weapon. I request nothing but a place to rest of after hard weeks of travelling." Jordan raised his hands in the air in a peaceful manner.

"Traveller, you say? Well, bad luck for you, it's too late in the night, come back tomorrow morning and maybe I'll get you a room and some food." Joel, the innkeeper was in the act of closing the door when Jordan's hand stopped in the its motion.

"But surely you can provide me with some meager food, my supplies have all but ran out." Jordan's tone was insisting.

"No can do, there was a lot more people than expected that came this evening, all the food has gone." Joel shook his head and try to close the door again, but found he was unable to, the other man's hand was keeping the door open and he was using much more force than necessary, Joel was starting to get suspicious. He was about to threaten Jordan with the cudgel if he won't let his hand off the door when a scream of pain came from behind the inn. Joel and Jordan turned their heads to the source of the sound when out of nowhere, a cloaked and cowled figure seemingly stepped out of the shadows behind Jordan and a glint of steel flashed to Jordan's throat so quickly you'd swear the saxe just appeared out of thin air. Jordan's heart leaped to his throat as he noticed the saxe knife, mere centimeters from finishing his life, he could also barely a cowled figure behind him if he just slightly turn his head.

"Move another inch and I'll slit your throat like a goat," The cowled figure said threateningly and Jordan's blood froze. "Jordan Martin, you have been arrested for nineteen cases of robbery in twelve fiefs, including one attempted robbery if you count this. Your accomplice has also been dealt with." As the famous Will Treaty said it, another cloaked and cowled figure dragged the unconscious said accomplice to the front of the inn.

"Here's him, Will." The voice from the cowled figure was obviously feminine.

"Good job, Maddie." Will said, still holding the saxe close the Jordan's throat.

"Thank you, Rangers, you've saved my business," Joel said, gratitude evident in his voice. "If you ever need something, I'll…"

"It's nothing Joel, all part of the job." Maddie said. After they had delivered the two robbers to Baron Arald, who happily ordered his men to throw the criminals in his dungeon, the two Rangers walked back to their cabin, they hadn't bothered to bring their horses that night. "You know, it's amazing how little people tend to look up. I was hiding on the roof with my head peeking out and he didn't sense a thing." Maddie said, as they were walking back to the cabin.

Will smiled. "Oh, don't I know all about it."

Maddie and Will were having eggs and bacon in the following morning. Maddie had mastered the art of cooking in her years of apprenticeship, and had cook both of their breakfasts themselves. In fact, her cooking had arguably become better than Will's cooking and even Jenny had complimented it from times to times. Both of the Rangers were having coffee of course, as was compulsory with Rangers. They would be heading out for the annual Gathering soon, this particular Gathering was very special for Maddie since this was the year she would be receiving her silver oakleaf.

Maddie was slowly sipping her coffee, while in a trance of just staring into space. Seeing this, Will asked. "What's wrong Maddie, is something bothering you?"

That broke her out of her trance. "Well, I was just thinking, it's probably the last day of my apprenticeship, and when I earn my silver oakleaf, I will probably have to go back to castle Araluen when my mom reinstates me, you know how protective she is of me. I doubt I'll be given a fief to watch over."

Will noticed as he smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can solve something out, maybe get Gilan to assign you to a safe and small fief like Seacliff, which was my first fief. And having seen your skill with the sling and bow for five years, I can safely assure that you can handle Seacliff easily."

"Thanks, Will." Maddie smiled back at Will's comforting words.

Thirty minutes later, once the two Rangers have finished their breakfast and cleaned the dishes, they packed lightly for the Gathering and soon have saddled their horses. Maddie energetically mounted Bumper, jumping on to him in one leap. She barely limped now, and was as agile as ever. Before they set out, Maddie gave Bumper an apple while Will gave Tug up to three apples. Seeing it, Maddie asked. "Isn't that too much apples for a horse?"

Will just rolled his eyes. "Oh, first Halt, now you too."

"But still, you could make Tug fat, you know. He'll barely be able to walk without rolling over then."

Tug snorted with indignation. I can eat as much apples as I like, thank you very much.

When Maddie and Will got to the Gathering ground, they found only Gilan and Blaze standing in the middle of the ground. Maddie noticed that all the tents have been pitched up, meaning that the other Rangers have been here. Then where are they? She thought.

As they dismount and approach Gilan, Will and the Ranger Commandant shook hands and Gilan gave Maddie a short hug. Maddie was just about to ask Will why the other Rangers weren't here when pulled out a very official-looking leather folder.

"It's for your graduation as a Ranger." Will said softly to Maddie, suddenly she felt very nervous, maybe she should've tried to get herself on Gilan's good side beforehand. Maybe she should've worn the formal Ranger uniform, though she doubt she'll be able to keep it clean on the way from Redmont all the way to the Gathering ground.

"Ok, now let's get started," Gilan said, opening up the leather folder.

"Uh… yes sir… I mean Gilan." Maddie said, somehow sounding even more nervously than she felt. Both of the other Ranger's eyebrows shot up like an arrow fired vertically from their longbow.

"Sir?" Gilan asked. "You never cared to call me sir." Will realised that what Maddie felt right now was very similar to what he felt during his graduation day.

"And I think your cloak looks like it's of very good quality, it looks like what the Ranger Commandant obviously deserves." Maddie mentally slapped herself for making such a stupid comment.

"Thanks?" Gilan said, not sure how to reply. "Though this cloak is the same as yours, though maybe after you get reinstated, you can ask your mom to give me a raise, or at least a holiday." Gilan added jokingly.

"Okay, let's get started." Gilan said, flicking and scanning the pages of the official form. "You, Madelyn Altman, have trained to Ranger Will of Redmont fief these last five years and blah, blah, blah, gosh these official forms are awfully long are they?" Gilan coughed to clean his throat. "You've shown the necessary skills and proficiency of the weapon a Ranger uses, the longbow, the saxe, the throwing knife and yahdah, yahdah, yahdah. These forms really are long, huh, but then again, I do have to at least pretend I am reading them or your mom would strangle me." Gilan flips a few more pages. "Ah, here it is. You are, in all ways, ready to assume the position and authority of a fully operational Ranger in the kingdom of Araluen, correct?" asking the same question that Crowley asked Will during his graduation all those years ago.

"Uh, yes, sir, of course." Maddie replied.

"So now all you have to do is sign here at the bottom and you'll be an official Ranger from now on." Gilan turned the form over to Maddie and handed over a quill to her. Maddie took the form and signed her signature on it. "Okay, we're done now?"

"Wait, that's it?" Maddie said, a look of puzzlement evident on her face. Then she recovered and continued. "I mean, with all due respect, but I expected, well, I didn't know what I really expected but not this casual 'yep do that and you're a Ranger.'"

"Oh, well, I guess you need to have your silver oakleaf as well, it is the badge of a graduate Ranger after all. Now where is it….?" As Gilan seemingly tried to search himself for the silver oakleaf. "Damn, I think I left it in the pavilion, silly me, old age must be catching up, wait a minute while I go get it, okay?" As he made his way to a large tent sixty meters (200 feet) away.

As Gilan disappeared behind the tent flap of the pavilion, Maddie and Will waited when suddenly, nearly fifty Rangers seemingly walked out from the surrounding tree lines, all yelling "Congratulations!" From far away, Maddie could also spot her mother, the currently Queen of Araluen, Cassandra, also known to her close friends as Evanlyn walking with her father, Sir Horace Altman, the Oakleaf Knight, the Sunrise Warrior and champion knight of the realm.

Maddie ran to her parents and embraced both of them in a hug. "I'm so proud of you." Her mother said, repeated by her father.

Then Gilan stepped out from the crowd of Rangers. "You should've seen your face though. Your reaction was priceless. 'Wait, that's it?'" Gilan nearly doubled over laughing, much to a frowning Evanlyn. "And here is your silver oakleaf." Gilan presented a small ornate pillow, and upon it,a silver oakleaf, her silver oakleaf. Maddie gingerly lifted up the silver oakleaf and carefully pinned it on her chest. She was a full-fledged Ranger now and never had Maddie felt prouder than she was that day.

Thank you for reading my fanfiction (this is only my second so far) and any criticism would be appreciated so I can improve upon my writing.