ii.

"Let me look at that." Will said nearing the girl. She sat a few feet away from the fire with the purring cat lying next to her. Nox didn't even move its eyes when the Ranger got closer. The girl looked up at him from the wound in her arm shying away like if he had just done it to her. He had been the one to injure her, he admitted to himself, but it had been when she was still hidden and he had had no way of knowing.

She had removed her cloak and lowered her sleeve to show pale skin with a nasty smear of blood all over her upper arm. Will got a piece of fabric and wetted it to clean the gash that was deeper than he had first thought when she had pulled the string on her bow with such force. As he saw the girl holding back her expression of pain with a mask of indifference he felt some of his resentment toward her dissipate and with that came his regret of having shot without seeing what it was. It had been his second arrow that had cut through her soft flesh.

"You know," she said trying to distract herself from the burning in her arm as the Ranger cleaned the wound. "If you hadn't shot that time and hurt me the way you did Nox wouldn't have growled and you probably would have continued on your way."

He didn't answer instantly as she flinched so lightly Will wondered if she had really done it. His doubt was settled when Nox raised her head and watched the boy warningly before going back to purring contentedly. "I shot higher to set the arrow above and clear from the shooter." Will replied accusingly, admiring his work. "That you had moved from where you were was not my fault."

She didn't answer. Instead she flinched away with a yelp when he started cleaning closer to the open flesh taking her by surprise. The cat at her side looked at him with accusingly as it licked her hand comfortingly. Will realized this Nox would become more of his enemy that the girl would.

When she allowed him to touch her again he lost no time in setting a bandage and pain relieving herbs. He sat back and watched her look at his work with care. When she was satisfied she spoke, "Well, that's better than I would have done."

"So why are you here?" he said looking at her face for any expressions. She did have plenty of that. Being a Ranger, most of the people he had known hardly ever showed what they were thinking. This girl, however, was as clear as water and still, her innocence told him she meant no harm. At the same time, she could pull thousands of masks that hid her feelings and thoughts.

"I already told you, I need to speak to your rulers." She said without hiding a smile. The way her expressions changed and told everything unsettled him. "Besides, if you are just a bandit, I see no point in telling you about my diplomatic visit."

The game was full in her eyes. Even when she struggled to keep her smile hidden—he saw her corners twitching—her eyes were unable to mask her joke. Aware of this, and angered by his lower position, he grumbled, "I don't know anything about you."

"Well, we will be even in the information about each other. Fair?" she said looking straight into his brown eyes. "My name is Maiah Moonshine and I am a Seer from Mazoniria."

That told him close to nothing. "I don't even know what Mazinirinonia is."

She giggled at his word and shaking her head corrected, "Mazoniria. My kingdom is far South across the ocean. None of yours have ever been there although Skandians did a few rides. That's where I come from. My real parents are actually Skandians, but they abandoned me in Mazoniria because I was too small when I was born. It doesn't really matter though, I think I wouldn't like life as a pirate, would you?"

"So, Mazo-nyra? Is South." He repeated to reassure himself. "and it is a place unknown to all but the Skandians."

She nodded with a smile. Now that they were closer and with the fire lighting the camp Will realized what he had thought was white hair, was in truth blond so pure and light it often seemed to become a shining silver. Her green eyes sometimes became hazel and her almost translucent skin glowed giving her a feeling of being just a ghost. "And what do you do as a Seer?"

"What do you do as a Ranger?" she countered her eyes seizing him.

Now he understood Halt's desperation when, as a young apprentice, Will himself had answered with questions. "Our work is secret."

"I would think your job was about the security of the kingdom, something like the intelligence sector much like we Seers."

He turned astonished. She received him with a smile. "Don't think I don't recognize a camouflaged cloak when I see one? And funny animals that warn the Ranger someone's there? Nox's tail told me you were coming almost a minute before your horse warned you. If you had continued on your way I would have made no move to stop you."

"So back in…Mazo—where you come from—Seers go around with funny looking cats?" he said using her same words.

"Well, there are only five of us and each has a different pet. Not that you must have one, but they are good company. I just chose Nox because she was small and agile like me."

"And what exactly is she?"

"An ocelot." she said petting the spotted head. She looked at him again with a thankful smile.

Will felt a tingling in his fingers as they begged to feel the shining fur of this new found animal. The spots on its coat just couldn't be natural; the camouflage they provided was just too good to be real. In his trip to Macindaw he had been glad to see Shadow's coat helped her melt into the shadows, but this ocelot took it to another level.

"it's not fake, if that's what you think." Maiah laughed. "you can pet her."

Eventually his curiosity won over fear and Will reached out over to feel the cat's head. His fingers felt the softness and immediately he wished he could feel that head forever. The spots were truly part of the coat and even the round little ears had spots on them. Nox closed her eyes in delight and the purring made her whole body vibrate.

"She seems to like you." Maiah said with a giggle.

"It's amazing." he breathed astonished at the feeling. "She's so soft and the spots are totally part of it."

"Well, animals also must learn to survive." Was all she said.

They continued in silence until Nox was asleep though Will suspected its senses were still alert. The fire had slowly turned to hot logs and the night was as silent as ever. Without need to be told, Maiah wrapped herself in her cloak and lying right next to Nox went to sleep.

Will watched her figure as both cat and girl seemed to fade into the shadows. It really surprised him to know Rangers weren't the only ones in the world with those skills. And maybe she's just playing with you. He told himself as he stood and walked to where Tug was, Ebony laying at its hooves. Petting his nose he felt the difference in the cat's fur. He realized he liked the girl and just reminded himself he would need to be careful until he knew her true intentions. He remembered how easily she had stirred him away from his question and reproached himself for it. But tomorrow he would ride all morning with her and would have chance to ask her.

Will sat in the shadows watching her without sleeping all night.

"I'm fine with walking." she said the next morning as they started towards the Gathering. Looking down at her from his horse he realized whether she was fine or not she would just have to walk; perhaps she could have used his pack pony, but that could give her some way to escape, and with a horse—even a pack pony—she could cover a greater distance. Glad that she seemed to enjoy walking, he started back the way he had come although it was a few kilometers away which he doubted she would be able to walk without rest.

"So what is your diplomatic visit about, again?" he asked after some silent minutes had passed.

"Some diplomatic business." she said without looking at him. "Seriously, can't you get that I won't be telling you about it?"

"What I'm starting to get is that you need more time to make up a good story and are just using that to fool me."

"You will know once we get there. After all, you look a little too young to be in this diplomatic business."

"And you don't?"

"Don't be silly. I certainly haven't looked in a mirror for at least half a year."

"That doesn't..." he realized he was taking him away from the subject once more. She was sneaky. "Age is not the matter right now. I want to know what your business here is."

"Are you sure age doesn't matter? Because you sounded quite offended just a second ago."

Will had never met someone who could get in his nerves like she did. Maiah turned everything he said to her advantage and missed nothing. In fact, talking was taking his concentration away from the road.

"You must learn of something they call patience." she said with a smile. She had been keeping pace with the horses for more than an hour now and her voice showed no gasping for breath or winding.

"And I suppose you have lots of that?"

"Yes. I waited in that tree around two days until someone passed by."

"No food?" he raised an eyebrow trying to see through her.

"Mm, I ate berries from my pouch."

"I'm not sure why I'm starting to think you are a liar." he answered sarcastically all diplomatic business forgotten.

"Because you can't believe someone is better than you." she said jokingly. "really, Ranger, why would I lie when I know it won't save me?"

"If you keep talking you will be out of breath soon." he said gravely. He knew he sounded uncannily like Halt when Will had been a youngster but made sure to hide the smile that was growing in his lips. Again, he feared he was becoming like his old mentor.

Maiah sealed her lips for the rest of the hour. However, as they passed a creek she gave a light skip and hummed some unknown tune. She walked ahead of him dancing like a ballerina while the ocelot followed from the bushes. As Will saw her from behind he tried making her out. As Rangers, they had to behave in a manner so as to not attract attention. If Seers were the same he could see why this girl had been sent away instead of staying to protect her kingdom. Then again, it could be a trick to put his guard down.

Will saw the bend in the road ahead where Maiah disappeared. He knew just a few paces ahead of the turn there was a fork on the road, the right one which led to Redmont. He was just a couple of meters away from it when from the side of the road Maiah psssted him. Tug twitched his ears to listen and warned him someone was coming. Will aknowledged it with a pat on the neck.

"They'll see you." she hissed before melting back into the shadows.

But Will recognized Tug's warning as one of someone who didn't mean harm. In fact, Ebony had ran ahead to meet the newcomer. Soon enough he came face to face with a cantering Abelard followed by a black shape with a wagging tail high in the air.

"I thought you would be closer to the Gathering Grounds." Halt said grimly when he found Will on his way.

"Well, I probably would be there if I hadn't had a slight delay." Will replied. "You can come out now, Maiah."

Slowly, a dark figure appeared from between the plants. Halt was surprised when he realized he hadn't seen the girl that had been crouching there. He hadn't been looking for her but he knew if she had been any girl she would have been fidgeting. He watched her as she came into the light, her green eyes never leaving him.

"This is Maiah. Maiah, Halt." Will said as the two figures looked at each other curiously.

"He doesn't look much like a ruler to me." Maiah said breaking the silence once she had studied the bearded man for some time. He looked fierce, but she knew he wouldn't hurt her as long as she behaved.

"He's not." Will said wishing that she hadn't said it out loud like that. Sometimes young people didn't seem to think before speaking; he made sure to include himself into that range. Then to answer Halt's raised eyebrow he continued, "I'm taking her along. She has some business she has to speak with someone of importance." He said the last words with a mocking glance her way. She smiled back without any sign of resentment.

"And what is this you want to say?" the older Ranger asked turning to the girl below.

"Diplomatic business." she answered shortly looking at Will as if checking he was still watching.

"I am the Baron's secretary and therefore must know what this business is about before you can see him." Halt said hiding his surprise at finding someone who dared speak to him like that.

"If you were his secretary you wouldn't be dressed like a Ranger." she answered and by the tone of her voice they could tell she was tired of having to catch their lies. "Shall we get going?"

In a swift movement Halt grabbed her by the collar—she had confidently stepped too close to him—and held her so close to his face his rough beard prickled her chin. Will watched from Tug a little anxious. If she had finished with his patience in a few minutes he wasn't expecting Halt to hold much longer.

"Look here, miss diplomat," the bearded man hissed. "I'm tired of your little game; now, you tell me what this business is about or I'll make sure you never speak again."

"Do it and you won't be alive much longer." She spat back, skillfully getting off his grip. "Nox wouldn't like to see me lying dead."

Halt felt himself being watched from behind and heard a growl. He turned to find a spotted animal that looked as fierce as a dragon watching him from among the bushes ready to pounce at him. Later on he realized he could have easily shot at the beast but what unsettled everyone who set eyes on it was the strangeness of it.

"Well, you will have to hold it for a long time since right now we have more important matters to attend than take a lost diplomat to the castle." Halt said sounding resigned at being somewhat outnumbered. His feelings weren't much different than those Will had felt the night before. "Will, there was an emergency call for the Gathering this morning. We better get there before sunset today. Crowley sounded anxious."

"And what do we do about her?" Will asked nodding to the girl that looked from Ranger to Ranger following the conversation. Now that Halt was there, Will would gladly hand over the issue to his old teacher or at least wait on his advice.

"She will eventually find her way back home." Halt answered dismissively. He started Abelard back to the middle road.

"He's right." Maiah assured Will gesturing for him to follow. She wasn't about to take a large detour from her initial plans.

"I'm not letting someone of questionable trust and uncanny skill loose in the country." Will said stopping Halt in his tracks.

"He's right, too." She said again, the frown turning into a smile. Although she would prefer to find another way to one of the barons they had spoken of, she felt a growing curiosity to see what this Gathering business was about.

"If she's of questionable trust and uncanny skill," Halt started, telling Will to hurry with a glance. "How do we know she won't do something at the Gathering that thwarts the meeting?"

"I just feel safer knowing she would be by my side where I can watch her every move."

Halt munched over this silently, realizing his old apprentice was right. He hated the thought of bringing this unnerving girl along, but the more he thought about it the more he was sure it would be better to keep her by their side; after all, they could defend themselves.

"She has no horse." He finally said, weighting the same implications Will had the night before on lending his pack pony.

"I can follow on foot." She replied brightly. She had completely understood the older man's reaction to her and knew her own mentor would have done the same.

"It's a long way away. And we'll need to canter to get there on time."

"You are wasting more time in thinking about this." She hinted already walking to the middle road. "You can give me a head start if you like but I can keep up."

Will hid a smile seeing his teacher being set down again by the strange archer. Tug slowly followed Abelard as Halt rode ahead mumbling to himself. Will knew this would be an experience he'd never forget and regarded the dog sitting by his side knowing Ebony was expecting it as well.

As Maiah had assured them, she was able to keep pace with the Ranger horses' canter for almost three hours nonstop. She would sometimes run ahead and then simply walk until they caught up. Other times she trotted next to them trying to make a conversation with the two quiet figures. It wasn't that she couldn't talk but rather they wouldn't answer much of her questions. Eventually she walked quietly just a little behind Will though he soon heard her humming and talking with Nox. Horses, dog and Rangers rolled their eyes tired of her bickering.

"Would you please stop?" Halt pleaded from the front. She was way worse than Will or Gilan or Horace or Alyss or any other youngster that he had traveled with.

"Well, I had been trying to start a nice conversation with you." She replied. "Have you thought that if you had kept talking with me you would have won my trust and I would have told you about my business? You may even know about it right now."

"No, she wouldn't." Will put in. "When you arrived I was exactly in the middle of trying to get it out of her."

"You cut me out short before you could win me over." She replied sounding like a know-it-all.

"I thought I had done just that last night when you let me get my bow back." Halt turned at his apprentice's words with an eyebrow arched. He quickly set to amend it, "I let her win."

"No you didn't." She responded running a little to catch up and settled herself between the two horses. "And that wasn't such a big trust. Not the kind one develops by knowing and speaking to others."

"Fine, start now." Halt agreed reluctantly.

"Have you considered that now I will be aware of your plan and not tell you?"

"Then keep your damn secret!" Halt bellowed making even Abelard wince.

Maiah slowed her pace until she was back at the rear of the group. However, both Rangers noticed she had stopped her bickering and instead walked head down and in silence. She mumbled something after a long walk but it was too low for both of the Rangers to hear. Then, she repeated it a little louder than before. "I really do fear for you and your kingdom even though I had never known any of the people here."

Halt slowed down until he had the girl right next to him. Her face now was shadowed and serious—almost as grave as his own—and there was not a hint of playfulness in her green eyes. Something told Halt this girl had been acting so offhandedly just to calm herself down and try to forget the seriousness of her mission; but now that it came down to it she had fire in her stare and graveness in her whole person.

"I told Will I'm a Seer from Mazoniria. I don't think you've heard of this land but I am not lying." The Ranger knew she wasn't. Not even a professional would have been able to look so truthful when saying a lie. "The queen died a few weeks ago all of a sudden. There was no time to get a follower to the throne and therefore they chose her first born, Princess Alia. The thing about her is, she's crazy for power and as soon as she had taken over the throne our whole kingdom became a dictatorship. In the first council she announced she would be taking over the world and show men who the strongest sex was. Taking a map of the ocean she set her first target on Araluen. It was mere luck at first but there was one of our Elders who later told her it was a good choice. You are the strongest of the lands up here and if they take you the others will be a piece of cake. More than half the council opposed her and before long their bodies were found lifeless in the countryside. The only one left is me and before long you will be having their ships on your shores."

"Why would you warn us against them?" Halt said as they continued riding to their destination.

"Because I'm against Alia's tyranny." She said with as much determination as a tiger. "Don't you understand, once she takes over you there will be nothing to stop her from controlling the world. She will not kill all of your people; she will brainwash you, tell you soothing words that will eventually turn your freedom to her. Those who refuse will be punished inhumanly and those who agree with her wickedness will be the rulers of your kingdom. Freedom will become an empty belief in the people's minds without true meaning or shape. The values Rangers and Knights strive to protect will be shattered under her."

For such a little person, Halt thought, she spoke like a monarch. There was no doubt that every word she said was true and as he tried picturing a freedom less world he felt a shudder run down his body. And then he realized she had never even mentioned herself in any of it. She hadn't said that back in her country her head had a price, that she was a fugitive, and that if they found her they would take no pity on her. Alia sounded much like the beasts they had faced in previous wars; if this was true then this queen would make sure Maiah's death was the cruelest and vilest she had even ordered. Now he realized that as she was risking her life to save a kingdom of strangers, he had the responsibility to keep her safe from the viciousness that her country was going through. And that he had to ensure that at least in Araluen she was respected.

"Here, kid," Halt said looking at her with new warmth in his eyes. "If we are going to get those news to King Duncan we better hurry. Perhaps you can ride my pack horse for some time."

She looked up bewildered by the softer tones. She wasn't really tired since her fitness allowed her to run for half a day without stopping; but maybe she could pamper herself for once. And it will take them to the rulers faster, she justified. Tentatively, she adjusted herself on top of the pack horse and held on with her legs like she had been shown as a girl. At the Ranger's signal the four horses broke into a fast gallop, mind not too fast to tire them easily. To the side the cat easily kept up.