Holy crap, I'm back, writing RA fics. Hi everybody! Anyway, this fic contains characters that I made up, in my RA 100 Themes Challenge, and you probably won't get this story if you don't read the drabbles that they're featured in (I'm not sure of what numbers they are, but a few of the times are Light, Break Away, and Innocence.), so you should do that.
His steps are loud, entirely too loud, but he's never gotten the hang of being quiet.
"Found you, Dan!" Aurora's voice is gleeful, gloating.
His eyes squeeze shut and his hands fist as he clenches his jaw shut, biting back the sarcastic reply that rises.
At least in that way, he's like a Ranger.
He doesn't like this game, never has, in the way that Ben and Aurora do, this game of hide and seek, when they play at being Rangers.
He'd be a horrible Ranger, and he hates that too. Hates his incompetence at this, the practice for what will surely be his future, what he will be chosen for in a week's time. Daniel Treaty, son of the famous Ranger Will. How can he be anything else?
As he lies in bed that night, he tries to only think of walking silently and shooting straight, and not of the thunder of horses hooves and clash of swords that he dreams of.
With his father, he shouldn't want to be a knight.
On Choosing Day, he is sick. Not anything real, physical, but he can't eat breakfast for fear of it making a reappearance. His father looks at him, concerned, and he forces a smile.
He can only be a Ranger. His own grandfather didn't even become a knight.
Inside that tower, it's like a reunion, the Craftmasters all friends from those days long ago. Will and Alyss, now married, Jenny, the Royal cook, George, Scribemaster, and Horace, Battlemaster, married to the queen.
Dan steps forward when his name is called, and when he is asked what he wants to be, the wrong thing slips from his lips. He stares at the floor when he is looked over, and the reply surprises him.
"Well, why don't we give it a try? If it doesn't work out, you can always transfer."
With a gasp, the boy looks up at his Uncle Horace, and risks a glance at his father.
He finds him smiling, the pride and encouragement so visible he wonders how he didn't notice it before.
His father will always be proud. Dan doesn't have to be a Ranger for his father to love him.
Although, unfortunately, Aurora will still give him orders, when she becomes a full Ranger, and he becomes a knight.
So, I need some criticism. I need to know what I need to improve, some things that I missed, and so on and so forth. Any criticism is welcome, so long at it's constructive. Also, I wrote this in under half an hour, so it's pretty shitty. I may improve it, if it's suggested. So readers, review!