WARNING: This contains neglect and some abuse so if you would rather not read that/relive that sort of thing, I completely understand! Please stay safe mentally, physically, and emotionally everyone!

Disclaimer- I don't own the Ranger's Apprentice, nor will I ever.

Chapter 1-

Halt still wasn't sure how it had happened. What it was supposed to be was a check up on Will, to make sure he was thriving properly at the ward. He was going to observe for a while, then slip away unnoticed and check up again in a year or so. It would've been unusual and alarming for anyone if someone had spotted him watching the children, but he was a ranger, and no one did. Besides, he had a right to make sure the child he'd put in the ward was alright, did he not? Halt was confident that Baron Arald wouldn't mind him checking up on the children at any rate.

Halt had slipped in early that morning, just in time to watch the children eat breakfast. He had easily identified Will as the curious, talkative little brown haired boy with bright eyes. He was animatedly chattering to a small, serene, blonde haired girl who was sitting next to him. She seemed interested enough in what he was saying, while the other children were focused on their food more than his conversation. Halt noticed that Will seemed to have already finished eating, and he supposed that explained why he was talking instead.

There were three servants in the ward with the children, two maids and the matron of the ward. None of them noticed Halt, however, so he didn't spare them much thought, and continued to watch the children play after breakfast.

During lunch, Halt had noticed that Will was fed quite a bit less than the other children. He tried to find a reasonable explanation for it, but seeing as Will wasn't the last served, he couldn't. While the servants talked amiably to the children about the affairs of the castle, when Will tried to add something in, he was shushed or ignored.

After lunch, the other children were allowed to go back out to play. However, the servants made Will stay behind to help them. Halt hadn't been sure at first if this was a regular occurrence, or a day to day changing thing to teach the children responsibility. He had prayed it was the second option, but with a look at the sad, resigned look on Will's face, Halt had known it was the first.

Around evening, the servants had called the children in for supper. Halt saw that Will was served last, and not as much, even less than at lunch! With growing anger, he had also seen that while Will struggled through washing up for bed by himself and lifting the water jug; the other children were helped. Halt had almost revealed himself when Will climbed up a shelf to fetch a towel and the shelf had started wobbling. He was four! The servants should be getting things for him that he couldn't reach! Why wasn't Will being treated fairly? Why was he being neglected like this?

Halt felt his heart twist in his chest when the other children were tucked in and Will put his own self to bed. The only goodnight said was his own to the servants as they left, who had no word in response.

When the final candle had been blown out and the servants long gone, Halt had slipped out. He and Abelard had headed home, thoughts falling through Halt's head. He finally came to a conclusion as to why Will was not being treated the same- the servants didn't know who his parents had been. Despite Will also not knowing them, having no control over being left, being the same as the other ward children, the servants didn't see him the same. They probably thought his mother had been pregnant outside marriage and hadn't known what to do, or that his parents had simply decided they hadn't wanted a child. The servants probably thought the note was false. Who knew if these things had been voiced or implied to Will either. Will didn't deserve this.

Halt sighed and stared up at the moon, whispering, "I'm so sorry, Daniel. I'll fix this, I promise."

Yes, I'm jumping on the Halt and Will adoption train too. It's just so cute, I can't help it! But as always, I accidentally made it angst-filled, and I think it's a bit of a twist than usual to have Will be four, rather than a little baby. This is my first multi-chapter fanfic, so leave a review if you think I should do more! Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!