Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's apprentice, nor the characters used in this story.
(A/N): SO! This here is the beginning to an AU I've had for a really long time, in which, after bk6, Alyss is presented with a really awkward situation of being proposed to by someone she's only known for a few years. Upon hearing this news, Will goes to speak with Alyss, only to have a major case of miscommunication, and leave before speaking with her. Will refuses the special task force placement and instead asks for the Norgate placement, and because of that Alyss eventually accepts the proposal.
The beginning partially lined up with a request I received, so I decided to finally put this AU down on paper! Please review if you've read, any criticism is welcome! (Also deciding on whether or not to keep this a one-shot, or continue writing out the AU. Thoughts? Also, please review!)
anonymous asked: "Hello! Ive read your stories on ff and I really liked them. I also saw that you took prompts on tumblr. So...How about a Will/Alyss angst. Where Alyss is harrassed, by preverted bad guys. And Will finds out. Gets so mad and beats the crap out of them"
Walking down the hall towards Pauline's office, the last thing Lady Alyss expected was to run into Percy Lyon, a Courier out of Caraway that was transferred a few years back. Recently, Percy had been hard at work, and she hadn't seen him around - Mainly because she hadn't been around. She had just gotten back to Redmont after her winter in Macindaw with Will and Horace. And Keren, she thought wryly.
Turning the corner, she felt a light, gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Uh, excuse me? Alyss?" She turned to see Percy. Equal in height to her, with short light brown hair and hazel eyes, he almost seemed like a toned down version of Will, if you ignored the height. Where Will's features were handsome and dark, Percy's were handsome and light. She smiled at the man she was comfortable to call friend, and tilted her head in question. He smiled in return, and continued on with saying, "I've been meaning to ask you a question, but you left for the northern mission before I could ask."
"Oh," she glanced backwards, towards Pauline's office door. She'd arranged to meet with her former mentor at three that day, and she had already been pulling it close when she turned the corner. "What was it? Sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush."
"That's fine," he nodded, and she thought he was about to let her go, but just as she was about to turn away, he continued. "It's just a simple yes or no question, so it won't take too much time." She hid her annoyance behind another smile. and nodded for him to continue.
"Alyss . . . Will you marry me?"
. . . "That's why I want to form a Special Task Group," the commandant said. "And I want you and Halt to run it."
Immediately, Will's mind went to the worst. A Special Task Group, with Halt, would probably move him to where ever Halt was. Halt was Redmont, as always. The younger Ranger looked away. After hearing Crowley's news from Halt about Alyss' recent engagement, he really didn't want to go back there, for whatever reason.
Hearing Crowley finish his speech of what it would include, which he hadn't listened to, Will heard the commandant say, "Mind you, you're yet to tell me if you accept."
"Let Gilan take it." He took a few steps away from the stump Crowley sat on, ignoring the surprise that even the skilled Ranger before him couldn't conceal. Looking back towards the Gathering Grounds, he could see people moving around.
"Wha-wai, huh?" Was what the commandant replied with.
Will turned back, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Give the job to Gilan. He'd probably be the better fit."
"Bu-but didn't I just go through why you'd be the best choice? Either way, Gilan's got Whitby?"
He shrugged. "I wasn't listening. Mix it around. Gilan would be taking Redmont leaving Whitby open. That leaves your choices to be either sending me to Whitby, or Harrison to Whitby, and me to Norgate."
The confusion and surprise on the commandant's face was still evident, even as he said, "Well, which would you prefer?"
Again, shrugging, Will partially turned away. "My personal opinion? I know Norgate better than Whitby."
"And how did you become aware of this, Your Majesty?" Horace shifted in his seat. He really wasn't sure if this meeting was formal or informal. With his recent success in Macindaw, Duncan has been more open with him, also letting him into confidential meetings by saying that he was a new 'member'.
"Considering the circumstances, Horace, let's just keep it to first names." Being fairly familiar with the Ranger commandant beside him, Horace nodded. He'd been called in rather suddenly, and upon seeing only the King and the commandant, he'd gotten rather tense. When he heard that there was apparently a leak of intel in Redmont, of all places, he began his checklist.
Will had moved out of Seacliff and out to Norgate a few years back, and while he wasn't the Redmont Ranger during his time at Seacliff, he was there often and was trusted. With him being so far away, now, there was no possible way he was the leak.
Halt, Alyss, Pauline, and the Baron were all long-time trustees of Duncan's, excepting Alyss, but Horace had known her for their entire lives.
But then there was Alyss' husband, Percy. Him he didn't know as well. Horace had met him a few times, such as whenever he visited Redmont, or at their wedding. Horace frowned. Whenever he thought of Alyss' wedding, he could never help but to think that something was wrong with everything that happened there. It was obvious that both Alyss and Will liked each other, after everything that happened in Macindaw, and yet she had still agreed to marry that Percy fellow. What got to Horace even more was that Will didn't wait, or come down, for Alyss' wedding, leaving straight away for Norgate, not even stopping in Redmont. It had been awkward to be at his sister's wedding without his brother.
"We need to clear this up fast. You already have Halt and Gilan in Redmont, and I'd like to send you, Horace, and another Ranger there."
"Isn't that a bit conspicuous? People will question the sudden appearance of the Ranger Commandant, along with another Ranger and a well-known Knight." Crowley sat forward in his seat next to Horace. Horace nodded, conceding that he had a point. Duncan shook his head.
"Who cares? Even if it does tip off the leak, it could just tell us whoever it is. We already know that it must be someone in the high-levels, so if upon your appearance a high-ranking official leaves, then we may have our leak then and there."
The Ranger shrugged, not really bothering to argue with Duncan's plans. He had a Gathering next week, and would be telling the three other Ranger's about their includement.
Duncan dismissed them, with a good luck, and a message for Horace saying that if he called him 'Your Majesty' again in front of comfortable company, he'd be dismissed from duty. Horace smiled, and nodded, and began to follow Crowley out the door. Something made him hesitate, before he touched Crowley's shoulder as they left Duncan's office.
"Who're you gonna choose as the extra Ranger?"
The only response Crowley returned was a mischievous smile, before he turned his back and walked out of the room.
Plodding north from the Gathering was the only thing Will really didn't enjoy about his placement in Norgate. Everything else was good enough. Maybe not what he once had, and had the opportunity to get again, at Redmont, but it was a close second. And, with the recent constant Scotti raids, he was kept busy, and the Baron and Battlemaster became a little less pompous, and a bit more serious.
Tug didn't mind the long rides in between Gatherings, and as long as he didn't push himself too hard, neither did Will.
"Will! Hey, seriously, why do you ride so fast?"
Turning in his saddle, he saw Crowley riding after him with two other Ranger falling in behind him. It was easy to tell who each of the Rangers were, considering the horses he saw, but he also figured they recognized him because he was wearing his standard winter uniform, which was different from the normal Ranger's standard winter clothes. He wore his black, white, and grey cloak, which would blend easily with the winter scape of Norgate. All the other Ranger's were just wearing thicker cloaks.
As Crowley, Halt, and Gilan made their way to him, he stopped Tug, and sat comfortably until the other three caught up with him.
"What?" He asked as they fell in beside him, thankfully the road being wide enough to handle four horses abreast.
"Need to ask a favor of ya." Crowley rode comfortably beside him, with Halt on his other side, and Gilan on the other side of Halt. Will glanced warily between the three of them.
"And is it something that requires all three of you?"
"Actually," Halt said, "yes. All four of us would be involved."
Will shook his head, and glanced at Crowley. There had been a weird relationship between them ever since Will had refused his placement in Redmont. Now the commandant seemed to be acting normal, or at least to him. "What the hell could be going on that would require the presence of three Rangers and the Commandant?"
"And Horace," Gilan added.
"Intel leak. Big one," the commandant glanced behind them, as if he was expecting someone to be following them.
"Four Rangers," glancing at Gilan, Will quickly added, "and a Knight," then he look back at Crowley, "Still seems to be an overkill." Crowley shrugged, and grinned. Beside Will, Halt rode along, grim as usual. It must be in Redmont, the Norgate Ranger reasoned, that would be the only excuse why both Halt and Gilan would be here. But why do they need me?
"You coming or what?" Crowley grinned a mischievous smile, and the only thing Will could think, was that there was more to it than Crowley was saying.
The last time Will had ridden in Wensley was the last time he had visited Alyss, had been a happy memory. Upon the news of her engagement, though, it soon became bitter.
Although, whenever he had ridden into the small village, he would receive welcoming smiles, some greetings, sometimes even old friends walking up and walking alongside him until he rode over the bridge. This time, however, all he received was confusion. He heard some "Welcome back!"s, but they were all directed at Halt or Gilan, and people were even recognizing Crowley. Was he a ghost or something? Were they ignoring him? Was his cloak blending in that easily?
His cloak.
The standard winter cloak didn't work for the northern fiefs, so he wore a black, white, and grey dappled cloak instead of the green, brown, and grey version. They didn't recognize him because of his cloak, and he hadn't shaved recently, resulting in a scruff.
He shrugged to himself, grinning. Not being recognized by people who watched you grow up? He was getting good at this.
They passed over the bridge, and the calls of welcome, at least for the three other Rangers, slowly faded away.
"Horace here already?" Gilan leaned forward in his saddle, looking towards Crowley ahead of him. Will rode beside Gilan, and the two of them were behind Halt and Crowley who were riding side-by-side as well.
Crowley glanced back briefly. "He should be. If not, I'd be worried. He had a few days head-start on us, not including the three days for the Gathering, or any of the time we spent traveling back here." Now they were riding beneath the portcullis, and Will glanced around the courtyard. Stable boys were glancing out of the stable, wondering if they were needed. When their eyes found the Rangers, they grinned and realized they weren't needed.
They walked their horses into the stables, brushing off the stable boy's weak offers of assistance. One glance around, and his eyes immediately caught sight of the large, very familiar, black battlehorse near the back. Will walked Tug over to an open area beside Kicker, and quickly brushed down his horse.
"Okay, we have to go to a meeting with the Baron, so we might as well go -"
"Crowley, I need to check in with someone, stall a few minutes?" Will called over.
The commandant gave him an odd look, "It's nearly night, who the hell would need to talk to you now?" Will was already gone, though, out the back of the stables, not waiting for his commandant's response.
Alyss tapped the note in her hand, wondering what she could do with it. She couldn't burn it, she needed it for later. But where could she successfully hide it, without it being found? She warily glanced down at her dress, namely the bodice of her dress.
"Alyss!" Someone hissed behind her. She spun, her hand instinctively unsheathing her dagger, and bringing it up in defense.
On the windowsill in front of her, crouched a figure dressed in a familiar assortment of colors. Colors that reminded her to Will Barton, the Bard, from Macindaw. She dropped the dagger, and smiled fondly at the figure.
Will Barton, my foot, she thought, unknowingly quoting Lord Orman.
"Will? What're you doing here?" She walked forward to embrace him, and he swung his legs inside, and swept her into his arms. They were old friends, who haven't seen each other for quite a while, so she didn't really mind the fact that she hadn't left the window open. As they parted, she stepped back, and Will sat down on the inside of the sill, comfortable, as if he regularly climbed inside her bedroom through her window.
"How've you been?" He leaned back, partially, and for a moment it seemed as if he was going to fall backwards. He didn't show any concern.
"It's been fine. How come you've never visited?" Alyss crossed her arms.
"I've been busy! Plus, it's kinda hard to 'visit' for the weekend when I live a good two week's ride away."
She gave him a look, and her voice suddenly went cold. "Horace told me you volunteered for the Norgate position."
Will flinched at her harshness, and was unable to find words for a moment. "Wha-"
Scowling at him, she turned away. "Denied the Redmont position, volunteered for Norgate, and refused to visit. Not even for the wedding, Will. Don't think that I'm not pissed at you."
Before he could respond, out in the apartment a door opened. "Alyss, you here?"
"Stay here." The courier snapped, before turned towards the shut bedroom door.
"Why?"
"Because Percy probably won't appreciate you climbing through our bedroom window, considering how scandalous that sounds."
"I'm a friend!"
She opened the door, and left, without responding.
Out in the apartment, Percy was standing in front of the door, a small smile on his face. It got marginally larger as she walked out of their room. There was nothing in her hands, the letter being stowed someplace hidden.
"What's with the arrival of four Rangers?" He asked, moving towards her. He planted a small kiss on her cheek, before moving around her into the sitting area. She turned with him, her eyes never leaving him.
"Halt and Gilan live here." She shook her head, feigning confusion.
"Yeah," her husband responded, "But I saw two others ride in with them. Crowley and one in a black and white cloak. Also Horace is here. What's going on?" He stretched out on the couch, moving rather smoothly. Alyss moved so she stood on the other side of the couch, looking down on him.
"Well, Horace usually comes here to train at the Battleschool. Crowley always is coming back and forth from here and Araluen giving missions. But you say there's a fourth Ranger? In a black and white cloak?" She forced herself not to glance back at the bedroom door, knowing it would give Will away. Instead, she glanced forward, out the window.
"Don't the northern Rangers have cloaks like that because the standard cloaks don't blend into the snowfall?"
"I believe so. I don't know any northern Rangers, other than Will. But he hasn't visited for a few years now."
He swung his legs off the couch, and stood up, facing Alyss. His hands in his pockets, standing comfortably, with a small grin on his face, most women would find him attractive. And she had too, once.
"C'mon, honey. I know you know. You don't want to confide in your husband? You know I would never tell."
Realizing what was coming, Alyss crossed her arms and turned her face away. "It's confidential. You're not a high enough level to be confided into, darling."
He moved around the couch so he was standing in front of her. His smile was gone, replaced with a small frown. "But aren't we married? I thought we agreed on no secrets? Don't you love me?"
Blood rushed to her cheeks. She wished she could draw her dagger on him, but she kept herself faced away, acting as if she hadn't heard what he'd just said. She made sure her face stayed neutral.
Inside the bedroom, Will's head snapped up upon hearing a loud, harsh slap. The voices he'd been hearing clearly beforehand suddenly went deathly silent. He slowly stood up, and walked noiselessly to the door. Placing an ear against the hardwood, he strained to hear if the voices went silent or quiet.
Out in the sitting room, Percy was walking out of the apartment, a scowl on his face, instead of the usual handsome grin. Alyss leaned against the back of the couch, watching him go, a hand to her cheek.
As he heard the door closing, Will opened the bedroom door. Alyss saw him do it, but didn't turn to face him. She continued to glare at the door, her free hand gripping the hilt to her dagger.
Will leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "So, how're things with you and your loving husband?" Will whispered, before he could check himself. That was harsh, he knew.
That's when she finally faced him. Dropping her hand from her cheek, which was flushed red, she forced herself to walk calmly past him, back into her bedroom. Will turned to face inside the room, which was now dark with the setting of the sun. "Alyss -"
"Everything's fine, Will," she said. "I think it's time you go. I'm tired." He sighed, resigned. He moved towards the window, instead of the door. He put a leg over the ledge and a hand on the sill. He hesitated going over though, and glanced over at his friend's back.
That's when the front door opened with a bang. Boots stomped over to the bedroom door, which was wide open. Alyss faced the door, and Will froze on the sill as Percy stood in the doorway. He ignored his wife's defiant look, though, and kept his eyes on the Ranger in the black and white cloak.
"Treaty," he said coldly.
Will nodded politely, and said in return, "Percy. How're thing's going?"
His question was ignored, however, as Percy narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you doing in my bedroom? With my wife?"
"No offense, but Alyss isn't your wife. Yes, you two are married, but she's her own person." Will moved partially, so he was facing the pair inside the room more. His leg was still hanging out the other side, based against the wall, but he turned the leg that was inside so it looked as if he was just sitting on the sill. Percy didn't notice.
"I wasn't saying it claiming to own her," Percy snapped, stepping forward. Behind him, Alyss looked blankly at his back.
"And yet," Will frowned, "you were."
Percy hissed, and started towards the Ranger in the window. Will used his foot that was based against the outside wall to push, and he straightened his leg on the inside so it would just slid out. Alyss gasped, and Percy stopped, wide-eyed.
Because, basically, Will pushed himself out of the third-story window.
"No one high enough to know the intel getting leaked is untrustworthy, though," the Baron, growled. "It has to be getting out some other way."
His office was getting rather warm, with all the people gathered inside, and the fire blazing against the coldness outside. Horace stood leaning against the wall beside the window, while Crowley and Pauline sat in the straight-backed chairs across from the Baron at his desk. Halt stood beside his wife, and Gilan stood on the opposite side of the room as Horace. The only person missing was Will, but he for some reason ran off, not telling Crowley where he was going. Horace had an idea as to where his friend had gone, and, considering the time, figured that Percy would be kicking him out soon. That was why he was standing beside the window, knowing Will's preferred entrance to the Keep.
Crowley opened his mouth to respond to Arald, but was interrupted when a tap sounded on the window shutters that were closed beside Horace. Everyone turned, confused.
Except Horace. Instead, he turned, and opened the shutters, revealing a man cloaked in black, white, and grey, crouched on the ledge. He grinned as the Knight opened the shutters, and slipped underneath his friend's arm, crawling into the room.
"What the hell, Will?" Gilan laughed, covering his mouth with a hand. "Why don't you just use the door?"
Will unclasped his cloak, and shook it a bit before hanging it near the fire. His clothes were the same as his cloak, a mixture of black, white, and grey. He shifted the arm-guard on his forearm, and turned to face Gilan. "What? Climbing is way easier than going inside."
"Than using the stairs, you mean?" Crowley snickered.
"Yes," Will turned to Crowley, his face completely serious. Beside the Ranger of Norgate, Horace shut the shudders, hiding a smile.
"Now that our last member is here," Pauline said, hoping to pull everyone's attention away from Will's entrance, "can we actually start debating this problem? We need to catch whoever is selling this information."
"Wait," Will leaned against the wall next to Horace, a frown on his face. "Alyss isn't being included in this? I would think with her rank she'd be here."
Baron Arald shook his head. "We'd figured to keep it with whoever Duncan sends, you, Horace, and Crowley, the people who would handle is otherwise, Halt and Gilan, and the person who's information is getting stolen, Pauline. And me, of course."
Will was shaking his head before the Baron had finished speaking. "No. Send someone for Alyss, she can help."
The Baron sat back in his seat, surprised by Will's objection. No one else in the room seemed to be as surprised as him, but Halt had a raised eyebrow, Pauline had a hand covering her mouth, and Gilan and Crowley were openly grinning. Only Horace seemed confused. "How can she help? Does she know who it is?"
His friend shrugged. "As far as I know, no, she doesn't know, specifically, who the leak is. But she can help, that I can guarantee."
When Alyss finally walked through the door to the Baron's office, her cheek was back to a normal shade, but the blank look was still spread out on her face. When her eyes actually registered that there were four Rangers, including Will, Horace, Pauline, and the Baron, in the room, the neutrality was changed to curiosity. She knew that they were coming, but not why. The letter she had had earlier was just a short notice that there would be two extra Rangers in Redmont for the time-being, as well as Sir Horace.
"Now can we continue?" Arald asked Will, irritably. Not waiting for Will's response, he continued. "So, now that everyone is here, and that we've had plenty of time to consider the reasoning as to why we are here, any ideas?" As he was speaking, Crowley had stood up and offered his seat to Alyss. She smiled at the commandant, and sat down next to her mentor. Crowley stood next to Gilan, at the wall.
"If it's the couriers that are missing the information, than it's either a courier that's the leak, or someone close to a courier," Will stated, studying his nails. He rolled up his sleeves, as if he didn't notice that the fire had died down partially, and that the cold was seeping into the room now.
"All of my couriers are completely trustworthy, Will," Pauline turned to face her husband's former apprentice, "You of all people should know that."
Will shrugged, and loosened the collar of his shirt. "And I do know that, Pauline," he smiled warmly at her, "but Redmont gets plenty of transfers. Transfers you personally didn't train."
Pauline seemed to consider his suggestion, but before she could respond, Alyss spoke. She had inferred the subject of the meeting from what Will had said of 'missing information'. "If we are speaking of a leak in intelligence, Will, then it'd have to be a higher up, like Pauline or myself. No transfer can get critical information because transfers can't get to higher levels as long as they are not in their original fief."
That's when Horace spoke up. "That's true. But what Will points out are technically the only way this information is getting out, unless someone is sitting outside doors, listening into conversations."
"Except that doesn't explain for the written information," Halt muttered.
"That leaves it being someone close to a higher up," the Baron leaned forward, interested. "But that would mean either the courier is sharing information that they shouldn't be unknowingly, or that their friend is blackmailing them?"
Everyone was silent for a bit.
"Not necessarily," Will had a knowing look to his face, and he seemed to be staring at Alyss. There seemed to be a hint of sadness to his eyes as well.
"Not necessarily what?" Horace nudged his friend with his shoulder.
"Meaning, not necessarily a friend. Arald said that a friend could be blackmailing the courier."
"Who else?" Alyss said quietly, finally meeting eyes with the northern Ranger.
Will shrugged. "Maybe a spouse?"
Horace pushed Will against the wall outside the Keep, carefully away from where everyone else was speaking. "What the hell was that?"
Will, who let himself get pushed, leaned against the wall. His hood was down, and his sleeves were still rolled up, but he at least had his cloak on. To Horace, who was practically shivering in the cool air, it almost seemed as if Will was immune to the cold. "What was what?"
"You know something. You know who the leak is, don't you?" Horace hissed.
"Even if I did," Will started to tighten the collar of his shirt, looking away from Horace's eyes. Even though he wasn't trained in it, the Knight could easily tell when Will was hiding something or was lying. "I've got it covered. Everything will probably be over by tonight, if not tomorrow."
Narrowing his eyes, Horace crossed his arms, and glared at Will.
"What? Don't worry, it's not going to cause anything serious."
"This isn't going to get you stabbed, is it?" Horace growled. It had happened before. Will trying to slyly solve a problem, without drawing attention to it, and him nearly getting killed because of it.
Will shook his head firmly. "No. If I'm right, which I am ninety-nine percent sure that I am, he's not someone who can hurt me. At least, not seriously."
Horace shook his head, and looked away from the Ranger. "Where're you staying? Castle or cabin?"
"Cabin with Gilan. It's easier." Again, the Knight shook his head, and walked away, without even a 'Goodnight'. Will straightened his collar, and continued to lean against the wall. The voices around the bend of the Keep slowly faded away, as everyone else retired for the night. Still he waited.
Someone walked around the Keep, and leaned against the wall beside him.
Alyss was wearing only a thin cloak, and her regular dress, so to anyone else, they would have questioned why she was still out there.
Wordlessly, Will again unclasped his cloak, oblivious to the cold, and held it out to her. All she did was stare at the garment. He gently grabbed her hand, and pulled her from the wall. He swung the cloak around her shoulders, and clasped it for her as well. She grabbed the edges of the cloak, and wrapped herself up.
"He didn't hit you again, did he?" Will whispered.
She looked away. "No." Her slouched position gave her lie away though.
"Tell me you're not going back there. At least for tonight."
"No. I asked Pauline and Halt if I could spend the night with them. They didn't ask questions, just agreed, saying they'd set up the spare bedroom with extra blankets." She still refused to look at him, instead looking at the wall across from the Keep.
"Mmm," Will followed her gaze. Suddenly, he held out his elbow to her, an odd gesture. "Would you like an escort?" There was a small grin, in his eyes, his face completely serious.
Alyss finally looked at him. "I can take care of myself, Will. If he hits me again, I'll . . ." But a look from Will made her trail off. She settled her hand on Will's elbow, still clutching his cloak with the other.
"He won't be hitting you again. Trust me."
Walking through a completely silent forest usually unnerved people. For Will, it was just an indicator that his plan was a success.
Will halted Tug, and patted his horse's head. "Good boy. Just a bit longer, then you can rest." Then he turned to face Alyss' husband, who, when Will stopped walking, had stepped out onto the path. "Percy."
"Treaty. Just thought I'd tell you to leave my wife alone."
The Ranger shrugged. "I leave her alone when she asks. If anyone needs that message, it's you." Anger flashed in the man's eyes, and he stepped forward angrily. Will moved his cloak to the side, and placed a hand on his saxe knife, showing off the large blade.
"She's my wife. I've got a right to tell you to fuck off," he snarled.
Will seemed to consider that for a moment, but he easily came to a decision. "Actually, no, you don't. Traitors of the Crown don't get too many rights, little less than someone who beats their wife."
Percy went silent, glaring at the Ranger.
Scoffing, Will turned away, and seemed to move to mount Tug. Behind him, Percy drew a dagger, and walked, as silently as he could manage, toward Will's back.
Will heard him anyways, and had actually figured that's what he'd do. Attacking a Ranger isn't something you'd do straight out.
While Will had shown him his saxe knife as a deterrent, what Percy hadn't noticed was that his other knife wasn't in its sheath. With a single foot in a stirrup, he spun quickly, bringing the hilt of the small dagger across the courier's cheek. He fell onto his back, grunting, but not knocked out. Will hadn't hit aiming to knock him out, just to hinder.
Stepping down from Tug's stirrup, Will placed a knee on Percy's chest. Percy then tried to bring the dagger into Will's exposed ribs, but the Ranger anticipated this move, and caught his wrist. He slammed in into the ground above his head, causing his hand to let go of the knife. He then forcibly caught Percy's other wrist, and brought it above his head like the other. He easily held the man's two wrists in one hand, and used his other to shove his throwing dagger at Percy's throat.
He cringed, expecting the Ranger to just simply shove the dagger into his throat. But all he felt was a harsh prick at his throat.
"Don't think that I don't know the shit you've pull with Alyss," Will hissed in his face. He pushed the dagger edge deeper into Percy's throat, causing a good amount of blood to roll down his neck and into the grass. Will didn't seem to notice it, though, and leaned closer into Percy's face, until they were practically nose to nose. "And don't think that I'm oblivious to the fact you're a traitor."
"No . . ." Percy whispered, hesitantly.
"Shut. It." Will snarled, and continued to apply pressure to the dagger. "I have no problem with slitting your throat right here, right now. Realize that." He paused for a moment, and relented on the constant pressure on his dagger. There was a small pool of blood on the ground beside Percy, but it wasn't flowing enough to kill him. He gulped, and nodded numbly, staring in fear at Will's face, which was dangerously expressionless. There was fury in his eyes though, an amount that unnerved him. He'd never before seen anger like this. He'd pissed plenty of people off in his time, drunks, nobles, commoners. He'd done enough for people to want to kill him, but never before had he seen rage like Will's.
Will now spoke more clearly, but still in a whisper. "The only reason why I don't just slit your throat here, is because you are married to Alyss. As much as she hates you, she would not appreciate me just cutting your throat and being done with it."
"Wouldn't the others question my disappearance, as well?"
The Ranger of Norgate laughed, a sound expressing true amusement. Percy continued to stare at Will's face, terrified. Who laughs when they threaten to slit people's throats? A madman!
"Nope! Because you'll be disappearing anyway! Whether I slit your throat or not, you won't be remaining in Redmont, or Araluen for that matter."
"What? B-but, you can't do that!"
"Oooh, you bet I can!" Will laughed again, but again began to press the throwing dagger into Percy's throat, so he couldn't respond. "Because if you do, if you approach Alyss again, if you are in visual sight of her, and I find out, I will find you, and I will kill you. In fact, I also have the authority to fucking slit your throat if I wish, because you've been selling the Crown's secrets after beating your wife to get them." Will applied more pressure to his knee, making it hard for the man below him to breathe. "But, I have a feeling that Alyss wouldn't like you getting killed, because she'd probably blame herself. So y'know what? Get the fuck out of this country. I'll be notifying my commandant of what you've been doing, so you'll be hunted. If you step within the borders of this country, everyone will be hunting you. They will know first thing in the morning, so you better get going. Don't even go back to that apartment, because I can assure you, you don't need anything there." Will pushed him into the ground as he stood up. He stood over Percy's terrified figure for a moment, before turning back to Tug.
"Get the fuck out of my sight," Will snapped, before mounting Tug, and riding towards Gilan's cabin.
Will leaned against the Keep, in the same spot he and Alyss last saw each other. He'd just finished telling everyone, minus Alyss, as Pauline and Halt had let her sleep in, about Percy 'confessing' to Will. He had evaded the questions on why he hadn't arrested him, but everyone seemed to have gotten the silent message, even if it seemed to have been relayed by Horace.
Horace had also glared at Will, but with a question in his eyes. Will had shaken his head, and motioned that he'd explain later.
Just as he'd expected, Alyss rounded the side of the Keep, this time bundled up more than she had last night.
"Have you seen Percy, Will?"
Will shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about him, Alyss. He can take care of himself."
She moved in front of him, forcing his eyes to remain on her. "Everyone keeps apologizing to me. Do you know what that's about?"
Again, feigning as if he was thinking, he let a grin through, partially. "Well, I heard that someone accused him of being the intel leak. Apparently he told someone, and then ran off. If you think about it, the intel leak started a little after your marriage to him."
"He didn't just 'tell' this person, did he?"
"Hmmm, well, that's what I heard."
Alyss crossed her arms, and stared at Will. Their eyes remained on each other for quite a while, a silent understanding passing between them, before she finally turned away. "I guess that means you'll be returning to Norgate, then?"
Will mimicked his previous shrug, grinning. "Maybe I'll visit."
Someone was pounding on the door.
Horace lifted his head from where it rested on the table. No one had stopped him from doing so, but only gave him proud looks when they saw how tired he was. He didn't understand why, though. He didn't do anything. He'd only questioned his friend's methods.
"Someone open the damn door, please." Duncan asked, a hand rubbing his temples. Horace didn't see who eventually opened the door to their meeting room, but he was thankful they stopped whoever was banging.
A sweating, dirty, tired messenger stood at the door, with two guards standing to either side of him. It looked almost as if he'd just jumped off his horse.
"Your Majesty, I bring news from Norgate. The Baron says its an emergency. The Scotti have invaded, taking down Macindaw swiftly. I was sent out when we got the news of Macindaw's fall, but I do not know how far along they are to Castle Norgate."
The Scotti have invaded Norgate?
Being a commanding officer, Horace knew he should be more worried about the possible loss of the fief, the death toll of Araluen's citizens to keep it, and the threat Picta was now to their country. But the only thing he could think about when he heard those words, was that Will, his closest friend, his brother . . .
Was still the Ranger of Norgate.