Authors Note: This is my first fic, and it takes place after the battle in The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. I obviously am not John Flanagan, and do not own any of the rights to any of HIS characters.
I will, however, create some new threats and new characters.
This chapter is mostly just banter because I want to get the interactions down before I get too far ahead of myself. I hope I do alright and give whoever decides to read this a fun time. Here goes nothing…..
Chapter 1: Trees do the Darndest Things
"How did it come to this?" Will growled to himself. He knew that he could perform much better than he was showing right now. If only he could take the knight.
"Just face it, you haven't been able to beat me yet, and you never will. I'm much more seasoned than you are." Halt said with the smallest trace of a smile touching the end of his mouth.
"That's not how I would put it, but I guess we can say that you're just more 'seasoned' than I am." Will tried desperately to hide the smile that he knew was trying to poke through and show the pride that he had in the timely comeback. Horace however, did not mind laughing at the grim-faced Ranger who was currently schooling his best friend in a rather heated match of chess.
"Oh, is something funny Horace? Or should I say 'Kurokuma'?" Halt shot back with just the right amount of a serious tone that made Horace wonder if he was in any danger from a lightning fast slap to the back of the head. Either way, Horace decided it was best to move a little farther away from the grizzled man. By now, Horace knew that it was better not to mess with Halt about his age. At least, not too much. Horace thought with a laugh to himself.
"It is a term of great respect you know…" chimed Will from a relaxed position on his stump.
"Be quiet over there Chocho, and make your move." Halt said with a lighter tone to show his former apprentice that he meant no harm in the joke.
Will had forgotten that he was still in danger of losing this game. Halt had wreaked havoc with his two knights and taken almost all of his pawns and one of both his knights and bishops. However, Will did have a plan, using his queen he took one of Halt's knights. He had failed to see the trap that had been set by his former mentor and he fell soon thereafter to the old ladder move.
"You still jump into situations too fast, no matter how many times I tell you," Halt began, and Will couldn't help the feeling of being a first year apprentice again when he would tend to break cover right at the end of the stealth trainings and sacrifice cover for speed. He smiled at the thought.
"Come on now children pack up your toys, it's time to move out again." Alyss called from across their camp. Evanlyn snickered at the thought of the three accomplished warriors as children, especially Halt.
The caravan still had a long trek through the country side of Nihon-Ja. Will could feel the beginning chill of fall creep through his cloak, but he loved the look of this foreign land and he loved looking at the tall blonde next to him. The tall, elegant, blonde courier was all he could think about these last couple of weeks. Ever since the fighting stopped, he had been trying to figure out the best way to ask her to marry him. Now, seeing her hair dance in the breeze, and the corners of her mouth turned towards the sky in that disarming smile that she had, he couldn't wait for the perfect opportunity. She would Mrs. Alyss Treaty.
Will was so far into his dream world, that he hadn't noticed a low hanging tree branch that seemed to have its targets set on his forehead. He felt it whip across his head, as it hit with a loud, CRACK, Horace and Evanlyn nearly fell off their horses laughing, Alyss hurried over to Will to see if he was okay, after she figured out that he was, she joined in on the laughter as well. Halt simply held his head in his hand. He saw the whole scene play out and decided that it was best to just let nature run its course… Literally.
"I'm glad you two up there were worried about me!" Will called at Horace and Evanlyn out of embarrassment more than anger.
"They say you Rangers can come straight out of the trunks of those trees, I figured that a little twig wouldn't have caused you too much trouble!" Horace bellowed, going into another fit of laughter. He knew his sides would hurt for more than a few minutes after this.
"Oh whatever…" Will said under his breath as he was now rubbing the rather sizeable lump on his head.
"Halto-san, Chocho, Emperor Shigeru would like to see you." One of the Senshi that guarded the emperor said as he was riding at a rather brisk pace from the back of the caravan. "Kurokuma, you are wanted as well, there is food in a cart next to the emperor." The Senshi added as an afterthought for the warrior whom he knew had a reputation for eating.
"We will be right there." Halt replied with a shallow bow from his saddle.
"I wonder what Emperor Shigeru wants? Do you think there's trouble?" Will asked with an eyebrow raised.
He was answered by a similar raise of the eyebrow from Halt and a snicker from behind him that could only have come from Horace.
"What's so funny Horace?" Will turned in the saddle to get a better look at his best friend.
"That was two questions…." He said before he began to giggle again.
"Damn it all…."