Meeting by Chance
A/N: Oops, my hand slipped... I don't know where this one came from, it was just a little plot bunny that wouldn't stop pestering me until I put it on paper. This will probably only be about two chapters in length. I hope it proves enjoyable though. Thanks for reading.
Summary: Will and Gilan met each other before Will's first Gathering, but neither of them realized it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing: not the amazing world John Flanagan created, nor the characters therein; all I own is my deepest respect and my pencil. Any profit I might get is purely sentimental.
Meeting by Chance
Gilan was going to be spending the next month doing extra chores and, on top of that, he was quite possibly going to lose his day off at the upcoming harvest festival; Halt hadn't decided yet. All the grizzled Ranger was certain of was that the boy was going to be in serious trouble. His frown deepened. He urged Abelard forwards to keep pace with the servant in castle livery as they made their way along the shadowed road to Castle Redmont.
Halt had suspected that something was amiss when Gilan hadn't come back before dark. But he hadn't guessed that what had held the boy up was anything like what, he had just been told, had happened. Halt had sent his apprentice to get some meat from the butcher for their supper — and he had been almost two hours late in coming back. Gilan did have a bit of a penchant for getting himself distracted sometimes, but even he wouldn't have gotten distracted for nearly two hours.
In fact, when he hadn't shown up, Halt's first reaction had been worry. Gilan hadn't taken his bow or his sword with him when he left. It was just meant to be a quick trip to Wensly Village, after all. But if he had run into trouble, Halt had known that he wouldn't have anything but his two knives with which to defend himself. Not even that, Halt had realized when he'd seen the two knives in question sitting on the table next to Gilan's whetstone. It appeared that his young apprentice had left in such a hurry that he had forgotten his knives as well.
Halt had then tried to tell himself that running into danger in Wensly Village wasn't all that likely. It was more likely that Gilan had simply gotten himself volunteered into helping one of the villagers — that was what had kept him the only other time he had been late after all. But the grim Ranger had been unable to shake the feeling that something was off. So thinking, he had grabbed his bow and his cloak, which was hanging next to Gilan's — the boy had yet to finish mending it from where he'd torn it on a branch during unseen movement practice earlier in the day — and had headed to the door of his cabin.
He had just reached for the knob when he'd heard Abelard's warning call that someone was approaching. Shortly after, he'd heard rapid hoof beats approaching the cabin. At the sound of a knock on the door, Halt had looked through the spy-hole to see the servant in livery — a man who had been almost incoherent with nerves and excitement. It had taken Halt a while to make any sort of cohesive sense out of him.
Long story short, he'd been informed by that servant that his apprentice had gotten into a fistfight with the sons of a visiting nobleman and was currently in the castle infirmary. The nobleman was furious. Baron Arald had requested Halt's presence immediately.
Halt shook his head and cursed softly as he continued following after the servant. This was Gilan's second year as a Ranger's apprentice, he really knew better…
~x~X~x~
Earlier that day
~x~X~x~
Will counted the seven small coins in his hand for the sixth time that afternoon. He really didn't have to; he knew exactly how many there were. He also knew that their number wasn't suddenly going to change just because he'd looked away. But he couldn't help making doubly sure of them.
It had taken him several weeks of doing odd jobs around the castle, during free time after lessons, to earn the coins. Now he was finally sure that he had enough. It was not a moment too soon; Alyss's birthday was tomorrow.
Not too long ago, one of the ward matrons had taken all the children of the ward to Wensly Village as a treat. Will remembered distinctly that, in the weaver's shop, there had been a beautiful woven bracelet with no less than three Celtic metal beads woven into it. He had noticed how it had caught Alyss's eye, and remembered too that her birthday wasn't far off. The very next day he'd gone to the castle laundry to see if there was need for another worker.
The bracelet's price had been seven coppers…and he had seven now. He touched his finger to each one, moving them slightly in the palm of his other hand, counting them slowly one last time before he placed them in the small drawstring pouch at his side. He nodded to himself.
He shifted slightly to a more comfortable position on the high branch of the tall fig tree in the castle courtyard that he was currently perched on. He was grateful for the thick screen of leaves that surrounded him, offering both shelter and privacy.
The last thing he wanted was for Alyss to discover his plan for her birthday present, or to hear any sort of sarcastic remarks: "have you forgotten how to count?" he remembered one of his ward mates, Horace, asking him scathingly the week before when the bigger boy had caught Will counting and recounting his meager amount of coins.
Will frowned at the thought of Horace, and then brushed the matter from his mind. He had bigger problems to think of at the moment: such as figuring out a way to sneak out of the castle to get that bracelet. The children of Redmont Ward weren't allowed to just leave the castle and wander around without supervision… but that had never really stopped Will in the past.
All sneaking aside, Will supposed that he could always ask one of the matrons if they would escort him to the village; but they were often very busy, and even a little stern. There was no guarantee that they'd say yes — and Alyss's birthday was tomorrow. Besides that, it was something he wanted to do himself. He'd earned all the coins by himself and wanted to be the one to get the bracelet and bring it back all on his own too.
He moved his hands so they were gripping either side of the branch he was sitting on as he thought on how he would make it out of the castle without notice. Try and sneak past the sentries when they weren't looking? Try and climb over the battlements and then down the walls?
He was still puzzling over it when he heard the sound of cartwheels entering the courtyard. He scooted a little further out on his branch and moved a bough slightly so that he could see out. It was a covered cart being pulled by a plow horse. It was probably supplies being delivered to the castle storerooms, and it gave him an idea.
About two hours later, the wagon trundled out of the castle walls, empty of supplies but not entirely empty. Will peeked out between the back flaps of canvas that covered the wagon's top. He watched the red walls of Castle Redmont growing steadily further away.
The driver slowed a little as the cart trundled over the removable bridge that spanned the Tarbus River. Will prepared himself. Once they passed the bridge, the road forked; one branch headed towards the farmlands and the other headed towards Wensly Village.
They crossed the bridge and Will leaped off the back of the moving wagon, landing a little awkwardly. He stumbled, trying desperately to keep his footing. He only just managed it. He ducked behind a nearby bush until the wagon was out of sight. Then he set off down the road to Wensley Village, grinning at his success.
He headed happily down the street, half walking, half skipping, taking in the sight of the bustling lively village of people going about their daily business. He smiled at a few people he passed and, for the most part, they smiled back. All the while he was scanning the street, looking for the weaver's shop.
He eventually found it. The door was wide open so he stepped inside, heading towards where he had last seen the bracelet hanging on display. He had a momentary fear that perhaps someone might have already purchased it during the past couple of weeks. He let out a sigh of relief; it was still there.
The woman who ran the shop smiled pleasantly as she saw Will.
"Looking for something in particular?" she asked and he nodded.
"I wanted to buy that bracelet," he said eagerly, pointing to the article of jewelry in question.
"For you?" the weaver asked impishly as she took the bracelet down from where it had been on display and placed it on the counter between them. She had to look over the edge to speak with him; the counter was taller than he was.
Will looked surprised by the question for a moment before he laughed, shaking his head. "No, for my friend Alyss. It's her birthday tomorrow."
"Oh, so it's for a special lady is it?" the weaver asked, then added as an aside, "that'll be seven coppers."
Will thought about that for a moment as he reached for the coppers. Then he nodded again as he passed them up to the woman. "I guess she is a special friend. We've been friends for…well, for forever," he divulged. "I've been saving for a long time to get it for her."
The weaver handed him the woven band and then, taken in by his large, bright, eager brown eyes and sweet and friendly manner, she cut him a length of pretty ribbon.
"Go down the road a ways and see if you can't find some pretty wildflowers for your friend." she winked at Will. "Girls love that sort of thing."
"They do?" Will asked.
"They do; trust me," the weaver said. "You can tie the bouquet with this ribbon. Then, when the flowers fade, she can use the ribbon for her hair."
"Alright then," Will said, smiling at the woman. "Thank you," he added as he practically dashed outside, intent on finding flowers.
It was sunset when Will started heading back towards Wensly Village so that he could take the main road to Redmont Castle. In his hand, he held the flowers that he had gathered in the surrounding fields and woods. All he could think as he walked was of how pleased Alyss was going to be. Alyss had always been his very best friend and he wanted so badly to find a tangible way to show it. He couldn't wait to see her face when he gave her the bracelet that she had wanted, along with the ribbon and flowers. He felt an unreasoning sense of happiness and expectancy and it lightened his steps.
It was because of this that, when he passed the group of four boys loitering by the roadside, he did nothing but smile pleasantly. He wasn't immediately worried when the boys nudged, smiled and whispered to each other as they gestured in his direction. They detached themselves from the trees they had been leaning against to move towards him, surrounding him and cutting off his path.
Will stopped in his tracks, still smiling, but now there was a little impatience in the expression; the weaver had warned him to put the flowers in some water as quickly as possible after picking them. He didn't want to give Alyss wilted flowers.
"Hello," he said to the four boys none the less.
"Hello," they said back; although, the way they were crowding into his space was starting to make an uneasy feeling rise up in his stomach.
"We've seen you before, at Redmont Castle, haven't we?" the tallest one asked. "You're one of fat Baron Arald's ward brats."
Will's eyes widened slightly at the boy's daring and nerve to speak ill of the Baron and then looked closer at them. He realized that they were right; he had indeed seen them before. They were the sons of a visiting nobleman. He had come across them a few times in passing around the castle. There were four of them. The youngest was about twelve or thirteen and the oldest was probably around sixteen or seventeen. The middle two were twins.
All of them were dressed in fine clothes and Will could discern in them a lofty sort of attitude that he'd seen in a few nobles when they were faced with peasants. None of the nobles of Redmont had it, but several castle visitors over the years had. Before Will could even nod in response to the oldest one's query, he spoke on.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was running an errand," Will replied, friendly enough, despite his new sense of wariness. Then, when the boys showed no sign of letting him go on his way, he added, "please, I have to get back."
"Hear that? He has to get back," one of the twins said, sneeringly.
"Don't let us stand in your way," the other twin added.
"We have to go back to Redmont ourselves," the oldest said then. "Why don't we walk with you; we wouldn't want you to run into any trouble."
"No we wouldn't." the youngest one put in sibilantly. "That would be… dishonorable."
Then he caught Will by the shoulder, before he could protest, and moved him along with his elder siblings. Will was fully wary and uncomfortable now. He didn't know what it was that these boys wanted, but he was certain that they didn't mean well towards him. They had him completely hemmed in. There was also a hint of malice in their manner that was ringing alarm bells in his mind.
"Let me see those," the oldest son said suddenly, gesturing towards Will's bouquet of flowers.
Will didn't want to give them to him; but, surrounded and pressed in on as he was, he realized that he didn't have much choice in the matter. What could he do? If he was a mighty knight like his father had been, he would have no trouble… but he wasn't a knight — yet — and there wasn't anything he could really do but comply. Reluctantly, he passed them over.
The oldest son snatched them. They all stopped moving forwards as he looked the flowers over. Then he removed the ribbon from the bundle and let the flowers drop to the ground where he promptly stomped on them, grinding the delicate petals into the dirt of the path.
"Oops," he said, taking the ribbon and ripping it along its length then tossing it to land on the crushed flowers.
Will's cry of protest was lost as one of the twins shoved him so hard that he fell, sprawling awkwardly on the ground. Will stared at the ruined flowers and ribbon in horror... But the boys weren't finished yet. The youngest caught sight of the woven bracelet that Will was clutching desperately in his left hand. He grabbed Will's wrist and twisted until he let go.
"What's this?" he sneered. "A bracelet for your girlfriend?"
"Give it back!" Will cried desperately, holding his throbbing wrist and getting to his feet — only to be pushed down again.
"A peasant like you doesn't need a fancy bracelet like this," he said, passing it to his oldest sibling.
"Especially not since all a pathetic ward brat like you can do is live off the generosity of your betters… like a leech," a twin added.
"Too girly for me," the eldest said of the bracelet, drawing his small knife from his belt.
"Don't!" Will yelled, leaping to his feet again and grabbing at the oldest boy's arm.
It was too late. Will saw his bracelet — the bracelet he had spent weeks working to earn, the bracelet that Alyss had wanted so badly — cut into rough pieces to lie, mud-stained, near the ruined remnants of Alyss's other presents.
Will knelt near them and felt the beginnings of tears start to build in his eyes as he stared at the ruins of all his hard work, of his careful plans, his hopes of making Alyss happy, of giving her the best birthday and birthday present she had ever had. It had all just slipped through his fingers like sand: all because of a senseless display of cruelty and malice. And all those so-called nobles could do about it was laugh — the sound grated in his ears as the tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Is the worthless ward brat going to cry?" one of the boys sneered.
Will couldn't see which one had said it, but he no longer cared. All he wanted was to get away. But it was obvious that the bullies weren't about to let that happen. Will clenched his teeth, feeling a slow coal of anger burning amidst the sorrow and pain. If they weren't going to let him go, it would be better to go down fighting; that was what his father would have done, what a true knight would do. He was certain of that.
One of the boys reached towards him. Will swatted their hand away as he rose to his feet, throwing himself at the youngest son. His only thought being to try and fight his way through the weakest part of their ring and escape.
The success of his attack didn't last very long. The youngest son was much bigger and stronger than he was, and more skilled. Will's best advantage, his speed and agility, didn't help him much when he was trapped by their ring. He was struck by a nasty blow to the face. He felt his lip split and he reeled, his vision exploding with stars. He lay on the ground, stunned.
"Pathetic little rat tried to attack me," the youngest son snarled indignantly.
"We should teach him his place… and maybe next time he'll remember it," one of the twins sneered.
Will tried to back away, but there was nowhere to back away to. His eyes widened in fear as the other twin took out a riding crop from his belt and moved forwards. Will tried to shield himself and then cried out in pain as the boy hit him with the crop across the arms and chest. The three quick but forceful blows stung badly and Will felt more tears building in his eyes. The twin brought the crop up for another hit and Will found he couldn't look away.
Then, suddenly, the twin stopped mid-blow as he was interrupted by an almost cheerful sounding voice.
"What's going on here?" it asked.
A/N: Thanks again for reading! The next chapter should be up in a few days if all goes well. I wish you all an amazing day!
Side Note: I have come to the conclusion, over the course of the RA books and the fourth and fifth books of the Brotherband Chronicles, that Gilan is probably about only about five years older than Will (nine at the very upper limit)... I may be wrong, of course; Gilan's age had never been specifically specified. But in the Brotherband book Slaves of Scorro, which takes place after Horace and Cassandra are married, Gilan is "not yet thirty himself", so he cant be all that more than five years older for that to be true. So that's what I had in mind when I wrote this. That said, I don't think its too far fetched for the two of them to have, sort of, come across one another by chance.