The ranger watched from the castle walls, bow in hand. In the courtyard a traveler in a gray robe was surrounded by knights. She lifted the massive longbow till her arm was level and took her right hand and reached into her quiver, she drew one of the twenty-four broad-head arrows that a ranger made and used. Adjusting the bows positioning one last time she focused on her target, the knight in front of the traveler, and in one fluent movement, with accuracy that could only be gained by thousands of hours practicing constantly, knocked, drew, and fired, making little to no sound throughout the entire process. The arrow sped forward and passed just inches from Ruairi's ear, and had he not been trained, he would've turned and it would have caught his jaw, then smashed through the man's armor and into his heart, sending him flying back a few inches, and he lay still on the stone. Without allowing a smile to cross her face she had another arrow knocked and the bow was at her side as she waited for the next part of the plan to work. She had known earlier that Ruairi was going to be here, thanks to Roy, and had planned the assault. She would climb to the wall as Roy would hide as a guard and they would wait for Ruairi to be surrounded. Then she would take out the first guard signaling Roy to attack. Then he would charge them with the two hand sword he used. So far she had done her part and had the second arrow on mere instinct and as a pre-caution. Roy had been delayed and she was nervous, but her extensive training said otherwise. As she began to question the plan she was told it worked as Roy charged down the courtyard and cut down the guards without any hesitation, something only a battle-hardened, blood-stained warrior could do. He looked at Ruairi and the ranger could hear them talking but not the exact words up until he said her name. "Mari!" he called, waving, as Ruairi looked at her suspiciously. It was obvious he was surprised at her equipment. Not many rangers, all amateur archers around nowadays. She thought with a slight laugh.
Mari landed softly on her feet after dropping from the eight-foot wall, a show of immense skill. She held up the all-important silver oak leaf amulet the signified her as a ranger and said in her normal, soft voice. "Mariota, Ranger Number 47, assigned to travelling with this moron." She said, adding the last part as a joke to Roy, which she followed up with a quick wink and smile at the angry sixteen year old. She herself was no older then fifteen but she liked to think of herself as better, thanks to her superior intellect, as she called it. She was nearly two thirds as big as the boy with absolutely no muscle whatsoever, which helped a lot in running and concealed movement. Ruairi looked at her suspiciously still and she realized her cowl was still shading her face. She pulled it off then. She wore a pair of folding glasses and had pale skin. Her silver hair fell to her shoulders and seemed as though it was permanently wet, and she had big, blue eyes with seemed as though they could stare into a person's mind and soul, tearing from them everything they thought to be private and personal. Ruairi's suspicions were confirmed as she said "I understand you are looking from Rian, Ruairi." She was calm through it all. "I am." He said. "WE'LL HELP!" Roy yelled, anxious to be part of the conversation. "We'd best be going," Mari said, shoving past Ruairi and walking to the castle doors, Roy followed. It was obvious that the girl was the brains and the boy was the brawn, Ruairi saw no problem in that. Not really understanding what had just occurred he followed, cautiously at first and then warming up and regaining his royal demeanor.