NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice!
Hey everyone! Wrote this while taking a break from schoolwork. Enjoy!
The Gold-Bronze Oakleaf Chapter 2
Redmont Castle was settling down. The day after tomorrow they would have a holiday. The sentries began to take up their places. It would be a long night for them. The servants bedded down in their quarters or went home to their families. Soon everything was dark except for the Baron's office. He still had a few things to do before he could head for bed. None of it was overly important but, like the others, he wanted it done before the ceremony day.
Will lay in his bed, eyes closed. However, he far from asleep. His ears listened as the nurses went around their final circuits. One opened his door, came to side, and checked him overly gently. Anger seethed inside Will. He knew that the nurse was not trying to hurt him, rather than not trying to wake him up. She mumbled something to herself then left. A few minutes later, everything was quiet.
Will's eyes opened and he sat up, twisting his body so that he did not hurt his side. His feet softly touched the polished wood floors. Silently he moved, getting on his clothes. He had practiced this many times, both day and night. Now, however, it was not practice. Slipping over to his door, Will picked up his boots. He would not need them until he was outside the infirmary. He looked out his door in all directions, even up. Seeing none, he slipped out and headed for the main door.
Once outside, Will darted into the shadows and pulled on his boots. Then, with great care, he slipped through the shadows. He knew his path all too well by this point. Will moved easily with the shadows, every sense attuned to the highest degree. He was a Ranger apprentice, no matter what they said. Biting his lip, Will peered around the hall to the servant quarters, just as he had done earlier that day. Seeing no one, he darted across to the shadows beyond. Again, no alarm was raised. Nodding to himself, he moved onward.
Soon he felt the fresh mark that he had made. However, this time there was no one to stop him from moving onward. He ghosted forward, ignoring the pain that starting to form from his leg. If he was to impress Halt, he had to ignore and forget his pain. He never knew how long he would have to creep in order to do his job. Stopping, Will eyed his new predicament.
His hall now met with the main one, leading to ceremonial hall. Will knew that it was decorated and finished, ready for the upcoming day. He formed that half smile again. He did not want thanks, or gratitude, or praise. All he wanted was his bronze oakleaf. Not even Halt was going to stand in his way. His eyes darted around, finding the different hiding spots he would need. Carefully he slipped into the first, then the second, then the third.
"I'm not sure about it," came a deep voice.
Will froze, his heart in his throat. That had been Baron Arald's voice! Turning his head, Will spotted the man striding down the hall. Sir Rodney walked beside him. Will's heart relaxed a little. They had not spotted him…yet.
Rodney nodded carefully, "It would be a shame, my lord. After all, I've seen how he has been acting. The decision didn't go very well with him."
"He will have to understand at some point," Arald sighed. "Poor Will. I can't even imagine what it is like to lose the one thing you want the most."
Will felt his muscles tightening. They knew nothing! Obviously they were agreeing with the doctors and Halt. Why was everyone trying to stop him? Did not anyone want to see him overcome the odds!? Will eyed them as they approached. Hopefully they would not spot him.
They did not. Will remained completely still as they walked away. That half smile appeared on his lips. They were exiting the building by the same door he needed. Will silently moved forward, seeming to hop from one shadow to the next. The two knights never even looked back, never even suspected that he was there. After all, they thought he was sound asleep in the infirmary. Reaching the door, the two men walked out. Will darted forward, stopping the door from closing then slipping out. Had the two knights not been talking, they would have heard the delayed closing of the door. However, they moved on, too deep in their conversation.
Will moved through the shadows. The guards were trying to stop people from entering, not leaving. Silently Will slipped behind them. As he past the stables, Will picked up a coil of rope. He going to need in. He soon spotted a canvas and a blanket. Drawing near, Will saw that these were leftovers of an old camping kit. Wrapping the stuff together, Will headed for the wall. It might just come in handy.
Reaching the top, Will paused uncertain. Torches were lit at intervals, making it difficult for any shadows to appear. Will knew that if one torch went out, a guard would sound the alarm. Making a decision, Will stood erect, grabbed an extra spear, and started walking. Hopefully no one would recognize his small form. Hopefully no one would realize the sudden "extra" guard. Luckily, no one did. The torch light distorted Will's small form to any eyes that were watching him. Seeing and recognizing the spear, most dismissed him from their thoughts.
Soon Will reached an area where the shadows ruled. He knew why. Down below was a small strip of land between the wall and the moat. He knew that this strip was only there to keep the moat from destroying the wall. Beyond that, it was thin, weak, and slippery. Taking a deep breathe, Will hurled the rope over the edge, tying the top to his spear shaft then setting the shaft between two stones. Certain that it hold his weight, Will began his descent.
Soon he reached the end of his rope. However, Will was still a good twenty feet from the ground. Silently cursing himself, Will began to search the wall. Hopefully his leg would hold long enough for him to climb down. Finding some hand and footholds, Will released the rope and climbed down. It was slow and hard. Will clenched his jaw tightly shut as his leg and shoulder began to scream in pain. However, he kept going. He was so close to being free from the infirmary, from people telling him that he could not become a Ranger. Soon he would prove them all wrong.
His left foot finally touched solid ground. With a weak sigh, Will set his right leg down. Uncontrollable muscle spasms began to come from his leg. Will ignored it however. He was used to having this happen when he pushed his leg too hard and did not listen to the pain. His shoulder throbbed painfully as well. This, however, he could fix. With his left hand holding the wall for support, Will's right hand began to rub his shoulder gently. Slowly but surely the pain ebbed away. Tomorrow would be a different story.
Putting his back to the wall, Will surveyed the moat. Now he had to get across this. The moon, at that moment, tore itself away from the clouds. Will would have shouted for joy if he was not trying to be quiet. Faintly seeable beneath the surface of the water was a path of rocks. When the moat swelled, this path would be unusable. Now, however, the moat had decreased enough to where Will to use it. Grabbing the canvas and blanket, Will began to hop from one rock to another. The moon had partly gone behind the clouds again. It gave enough light for Will to see his path but not enough for the guards to see him. Soon Will leaped onto the far shore. Smiling, Will dashed into the forest.
A few minutes later, the alarm went up. The late night nurse had found Will's bed empty and he was not in the privy. The guards were now going crazy, trying to find the wounded boy. However, by the time they found the spear and rope, Will was long gone. The hope of finding him was only one who trained him…
Halt.
