As a ranger, Ryder had considered patrolling the wilds something of a duty. Rangers never truly belonged anywhere. They only wandered and took occasional jobs. Ryder was no different. He wandered helped when he was asked and returned to the wilds. The only difference Ryder had truly prided himself in was that he never took the roads for long. He enjoyed the pathless ways filled with mystery and unseen land. Or, at least, land that no one bothered to see. He often found the greater journeys that way. But like a turn of a coin this day would prove him wrong.
He was low on supplies. The closest town was, perhaps, two miles. "It'll be best to start that journey now," he said to his ever faithful horse. Vos was his name. A name his friend gave him. Ryder was unsure why being his fellow ranger never told him his reason. However, the black horse would simply keep the name and go by nothing. But he was quite smart as a horse to be sure. "Come along, back to the roads."
Vos whinnied and turned around without a tug or a lead from Ryder and trotted to the road himself. As I said, he was quite intelligent for a horse. Ryder often wondered if he was truly a horse. Perhaps Vos was a cursed man who wanted to be a horse. Perhaps he accepted to be a horse. Or perhaps Vos was truly that intelligent and he would be yet another unsolved mystery of nature. Regardless, Vos knew exactly where to go and knew his friends and enemies. The journey was nearly done, the town in sight beyond the horizon, when suddenly Vos stopped.
"What's wrong?" Ryder asked.
Vos did not move. His ears twitched and turned. He grunted quietly.
Ryder knew what this meant. "What do you hear?"
Still Vos did nothing. He turned his head towards the forest they had nearly left. Another path was not far.
"Is it bandits?" Ryder asked. He knew when Vos was alert like this he could heard danger. His ears were much more astute than a common horse or man.
Vos bobbed his head three times with a quiet whine. Ryder smiled. "Then let's see what trouble we can prevent. Find them."
Vos turned fearlessly and lead his rider towards the forest and to the attack. They could see just barely as a caravan was being robbed and a man and two woman were being harassed.
"Hold still!" Shouted a bandit, "Or I will cut your arm!" He hand,Ed the poor young souls roughly as she struggled and kicked him just right. He stumbled back and his friends laughed at him. "I thought you said you were holding her!"
"Only her arms, fool!" Laughed his friend. A can do nothing for her legs unless you use a rope."
"Let go of me!" She shouted, "for the love of all things holy let go and stop this!"
"Be silent Katie! Don't provoke them!" Pleaded the older woman.
The man was gagged and roped, but he fought with all his strength to stop them from touching his daughter and wife.
"Well, it seems like a civilized bunch," Ryder jested, "come on." Vos trotted forth without a sound or detest. "Good evening gentlemen."
The bandits, six of them, looked at Ryder as he approached. Some of them pointed their blades two other had pointed their bows. The one with the girl in hand lifted his knife to her neck. They stared at him hostilely.
"Leave, Ranger, this isn't your business," said the one who had threatened Katie earlier.
"No, it isn't," Ryder agreed. "I was only trying to get by if you would let me. The other ways take miles and will only add to my trip."
"No! Please! Help us!" The girl begged in tears. "We've done nothing wrong by them, please they will kill us!"
Ryder cleared his throat and said as to ignore her, "Ah, if you were going to gag her, would now not be best?"
"What? You..." a cloth was forced in her mouth she looked upon the ranger with spit.
The bandit grinned at her then frowned at him. "If you want to pass do so quickly. Hurry, before we change our minds!"
"Of course, friend of course, no need to shout. Come Vos, let's...pass."
Ryder passed them up until he heared the bows slowly relax when he said, "You know, I think I change my mind." It a split second, Ryder's bow was drawn and two arrows released taking out the two bowman. He jumped off from Vos who had turned quickly and changed and kicked a bandit. Ryder drew another arrow and killed the bandit holding Katie. A third arrow was drawn as he landed and the bandits stopped moving. "Move and this next one will be for you. Leave and drop everything you have."
The bandits looked at each other. Reluctantly, they listened. Katie watched in relief. She had always knew a ranger would never turn his back upon the suffering. Once the Bandits were empty handed Ryder had approached and threatened them once more, "If you want to pass do so quickly. Hurry, before I change my mind."
The bandits listened and passed without another word or movement. They took off at a run as Ryder watched them. "Keep an eye on them, would you, Vos?"
Vos bobbed his head and stomped on the path. He watched for the bandits movement. Ryder in turn took out his knife and romped Katie's gag. "I do apologize for that. If I had tried anything earlier none of us would probably had survived.
"Thank you so much all the same," Katie smiled. "I am Katie. This is my mother Myrtle and my father, James."
"It is nice to meet you," Ryder smiled cutting her loose. "You and your family." Ryder removed Myrtle's gag and cut her ropes.
"Bless you, Ranger. We thought you would pass us by for sure!" She cried.
"A ranger dies not turn away from trouble. No matter the numbers. Had there been too many I would have improvised. You'd be amazed how clumsy the bandits can be. They are no army. Fortunately..." Ryder released James and helped him too his feet. "We only had six. Of course, do not forget to thank Vos for his efforts. He is the one who found you."
Katie approached Vos who turned for only a second from watching the roads. "And He was very brave and loyal to have fought beside you and lead you here to us. You must be a gift to your master." She smiled as she pet Vos.
"Friend," Ryder corrected, "The way I see it, he is a gift indeed, but mostly a friend. Though all friends are gifts, aren't they?"
"Please, What is your name, Ranger?" Asked James. "Who do we owe are lives?"
"If it is a debt to pay that you must know then I shall not answer. It is not honorable that a ranger keep debts in his pocket for profit. Come now, town is nearby. I will take you there and then leave you...I have much ground to cover."
"Of course, thank you, ranger." James bowed. Katie however looked at him oddly.
Ryder whistled. "Vos, come now. Lead us there." Vos trotted over and Ryder mounted him. He rode behind them as they got their caravan in motion. There horses were startled but unable to run in the attack. Now they were calm and ready for work. As they continued their journey Katie sat at the back of the caravan. She continued to talk with Ryder along the way.
"So, how much ground have you covered, Ranger?"
Ryder lifted his eyebrows and thought for a few seconds. She could not see this because if his hood. "Well, I suppose no less then two hundred miles."
"Where do you come from?" She Asked now leaning in the gate of the caravan.
"The southern badlands," Ryder replied, "I was raised there for a time. I am traveling north to meet a friend. He did not say why. Just that he needed my help."
"Have you met others like us?"
Ryder shook his head, "No, you were the first sign of trouble. But I don't take roads or paths. I prefer to travel the wilds."
"What have you seen in the wilds?" Katie had grown curious of this Ranger now. There was something different about him. It that she had many many rangers to know, but unlike the few she met he was different in some way.
Ryder shrugged and looked away. "There is too much to explain. It is best seen with your own eyes."
Katie turned to see what he was looking at. The sun was setting behind the distant mountain is the north. "Then perhaps one day...I will. But I am no fighter, I cannot protect myself like you."
Ryder faced her. She could just barely see him smile. "There is no shame in living peacefully. Don't let it restrict you from visiting different places. Bandit attacks are not so common as you like to think."
She smiled back. "I hope you are right."
"I am a ranger, why wouldn't I be?"
A few seconds later they heard James call. "We are close to town now!"
Ryder rode to the front. "Good, it will be nice to settle down for a moment."
"Why don't you come to our inn?" Myrtle offered, "Stay for the night and depart tomorrow."
"It is the least we can do," James agreed.
"I suppose," Ryder replied after some thought.
"Wonderful," James smiled. "The please, follow us."
They entered into town and traveled some ways before stopping beside the Porter inn. And elderly man greeted them and shook hands with James.
"I thought you would come back today, thought you are later than expected."
James apologized. "I'm sorry, my friend, I was held up by bandits. This ranger saved us before it was too late."
"Good heavens," Said the man, "Bandits? I am very thankful for you, Ranger. What should we call you?"
"Ranger is fine." Ryder replied. The man looked at him oddly. "It is a custom that we remain anonymous, forgive me. We prefer our reputation be shared in our community as to encourage people's support for all of rather than one of us." Katie struggled to carry some supplies in as she passed by. "Allow me." Ryder took it from her before she had hurt herself.
"Thank you," She smiled, "Please, this way."
Katie led him to the kitchen where they met an excited little boy. "Is that a ranger, Katie?"
"Yes, Alex, he rescued us along the way home," Katie replied with a smile. "He agreed to stay the night."
"Wow, a real ranger!" He exclaimed. "I'm Alex, I want to be a ranger some day too." Alim extended his hand to Ryder.
Ryder took it and smiled, "A pleasure to meet you. Why be a ranger? There are many other things to study rather than land and travel."
"My grandpa says rangers are keepers of the peace. They aren't as good as nights but... I'm not a noble, so I can't be one. But maybe one day I can make our name noble and become one anyway."
"That is an ambitious dream," Ryder smiled, "I pray you don't give it up. It is rare to find ambition anywhere in these lands nowadays."
"Really think so? Thanks." Alex smiled scratching his head.
"That's enough ambition for one day, Alex. Go take this to the costumers." Katie said handing him a tray of three mugs. Despite Alex's size, he handled the tray well with a single hand.
"Yes Katie. Good bye, ranger." Then Alex was gone.
Katie giggled. "He's dreams of many things. Mostly that which is impossible."
"If we didn't have anyone to dream the impossible none of it would have been made possible." Ryder replied.
Ryder joined the inn costumers at the tables to take his place as a costumer himself. Vos was being well taken care of outside. While he waited for his food he had been reviewing his map. Alex had come to join him and the two shared a long talk together about the duties and lifestyle of a Ranger. Night had come and the inn fell quiet. Ryder was alone with a single candlelight. He had only three ales this night, but he had with him a forth that he barely touched. He spent most of the evening plotting his path and marking his discoveries. Soon he could hear light footsteps coming from behind him. He looked back and Katie was still dressed but her feet were bare.
"I thought you were still up. Do all rangers stay so late at night?" She asked as she placed her candle on a table. She sat next to him still unable to see his face.
"It is common, yes," he replied softly to keep the quiet if the night.
She was running out of questions to ask him. At least those that weren't personal. She couldn't fight it anymore. He was often reserved from what she could tell but she wanted to know him. She had to. "Why do you wear your hood for so long? Would it not be more comfortable to let it down?"
Ryder stared at her and looked back at his map. "It's another custom we tend to live by."
"Your customs seem almost no different than a thief," she giggled.
Ryder couldn't help but see she was right. The hood, the anonymousness. It all was little different than a thief.
"Please remove your hood." She pleaded.
Ryder saw no harm in it now. He fought with himself a moment but found courage to abandon custom for one night. He removed his hood and looked in her eyes with a piercing gaze she did not expect. She could not say a word. "Am I that ugly or perhaps you think I wear a mask as well."
Katie shook her head, "No! Not at all. You look..." she could not describe him lest she embarrass herself with a lack for poetry. "I had never thought such fairness existed with a man."
Ryder lifted his eyes in surprise. A smile crept onto his face. "I do not think that I would compare to a knight though." He chuckled a little at himself.
"Yet..." Katie turned away. "You are so much more handsome than any knight I have seen. I have seen more knights than rangers and have found them all lacking when compared to you." Katie and Ryder both were shy. He had not heard a woman call him that and she had no understanding why she had to insist in her point.
"I thank you. But I think you are far more fair than I."
Katie blushed. "You think me to be fair?"
Ryder looked at her once again. He asked himself the same question. He gazed at her, her skin pale, her eyes blue, and hair blond. She was far more than fair. "I could say you were but still be called a liar."
Katie giggled and asked, "Why is that?"
Ryder was silent for a moment. Finally he would answer, "Because you are beautiful."
Katie's smile disappeared. They stared at each other with what the candlelight provided and leaned closer together. As second passed and they moved closer. It had seemed too long that their lips had finally met.
In the morning, Ryder had shared a quick meal with them them stepped outside. "I thank you for your hospitality. It was very kind and if the best I have had."
James bowed, "Thank you again, ranger. Please com back anytime. You are always welcome."
"I won't forget it," Ryder bowed back and gave Katie one last smile. "Farewell."
He lead Vos away on foot through the town. Katie watched as his image shrank. Finally she took off running towards him. "Ranger! Ranger wait!"
Ryder turned and asked, "What can I do for you, my lady?"
She stood there unsure of what to say. "You...will you...um, you will return won't you ranger?"
Ryder chuckled. "Call me Ryder."
Katie widened her eyes. Did he say his name?
"Take my name, as promise that I will return. That way you will recognize me better."
"Ryder," She echoed his name. It sounded so strong. So fitting for a ranger like him. "I will...be safe...and thank you." She gripped his hand and brought it to her heart to kiss. He did the same before she could let go and kissed hers.
"Until we meet again." He smiled. He mounted Vos and clicked his tongue. Katie smiled at the ranger. She waved and again wished him good luck as he disappeared into the town to gather supplies and leave. He did have plenty of ground to cover after all.