17 years later...
Emily took a deep breath as she rode along the main road going back to Araluen Fief, and to the castle itself. Her strawberry blonde hair was cut short - almost to a boy's length - and her coal black eyes scanned the road and the trees to the sides and beyond. Her gaze never stayed in one place for long.
Such was her Ranger training, which she had finished nearly three years prior. She lived in a small cabin in the trees in Redmont Fief, with one of her adopted fathers, Halt. She had completed her training with him as well.
Dancer, her horse, trotted along the road, seeming to be as happy as her rider was about going to see Crowley. Emily shook her head, looking down and patting the horse's neck.
"We'll be there soon," she told Dancer, who shook her mane happily.
The bushes nearby rustled with the sound of someone approaching before a boy about 17 years old stepped out in a molten gray cloak similar to that of a Rangers. His hood was off his head, showing his platinum blond hair which he had long and pulled into a ponytail. His dark eyes took in the girl and her horse and he grinned.
"Hello there! You must be a Ranger. Emily, right?" He asked, his appearance was almost the spitting image of his father's if not for his face and his smaller, less muscular build. The boy was quite handsome and he had the bad-boy look with him wearing a black tunic and matching pants and boots.
Emily looked up, pulling Dancer gently to a stop a few feet from the person standing in front of her. She looked wary, and her hand reached to the hilt of her saxe knife.
"That I am," she said, her tone guarded. Why did he look so familiar? How did he know her name?
"I'm sorry to ask you this, but I do not know who you are. Your name?" She asked, her gaze moving around to scan the trees for any sign of movement. She was on guard now, Halt and Crowley's training rushing through her mind.
His eyes widened and his lips formed an "oh" before he raised a hand, a rose forming in his hand. "You might know me, I was a baby when we first met. My name is Garath," he said, bowing before he held the rose out to her.
"A gift for you?" He offered.
Emily tried to force the surprise off her face. Garath? She shook her head, trying to find an escape route.
"No...No, you can't be Garath...He can't have found me.." She said, barely keeping the panic out of her voice.
He tilted his head and laughed. "You're funny big sister. For a Ranger, you're wearing your emotions on your sleeve," he said, tucking the rose away.
"And as for how I found you, well, I have magic. Courtesy of father's blood, which runs through both our veins," he said.
Emily forced herself to take a deep breath. Garath was right. She had always tried to hide her magic - especially in front of the senior Rangers who she counted as uncles to her. She could tell she was letting her emotions get away with her, as she could sense the black mass forming around her shoulders and hands.
She distracted herself by petting Dancer. "What does daddy-dearest want with me? He wouldn't have sent you unless he had a reason."
"Making assumptions I see. Ever thought that I may want to meet my older sister?" He asked, looking hurt. Then he shook his head, becoming serious. "But you're right, father sent me to bring you to him. But I know you better than he does, and I know you won't come. It's a pity he won't let it go until he's dead," he said, sighing.
"He wants his heir back," Emily said, suddenly understanding. "But I don't think you want that. I think you're just like father. You want his throne, and I'm in your way to get it."
His expression fell and he looked down at his feet. "We've only just reunited and already being accused of being as much of a tyrant as dear old daddy."
Emily shook her head. She tapped Dancer with both of her feet, and the horse started to walk forward. "Well, I could care less about daddy-dearest," she snapped. "I'm going to visit the people who actually love me and took care of me for all these years."
"Okay, thank you for confirming what I already knew. Just don't be upset if he sends his wargals after you. Father doesn't take no lightly," he said. "Though if he does launch his attack, which he's planning to, I wouldn't shed a tear if someone killed him," he said.
Emily lightly pulled Dancer to a stop again, her stomach tightening into knots. She didn't want to put the King or Crowley in danger. "You never answered my question," she said, trying to cover the shake in her voice. "What did he send you after me for?"
"Because while wargals make for great minions, they're idiots, so he wanted to get me to bring you to him, not that I intended to. I'm not the perfect little Angel he wants me to be," he said. "I'm a rebel!" He declared, throwing his fist into the air while grinning.
"He wants a soldier. I'm not his weapon to use against the Kingdom anymore. I promised Duncan I wouldn't go into the Mountains. I never want to go there..." she let her voice trail off for a moment. "But if it puts the King at risk if I don't go..."
"Sweetie, from one magic wielder to another, I can promise I'm more experienced and stronger than you. Not to brag or anything, but even father doesn't know what I can do," he said, giving her a sly look. Then he shook his head.
"Well, guess I'll catch you later!" He called, turning and heading down the road at a calm pace.
"Wait! I'll go. On one condition." Emily called to him. She had made up her mind. If her going to see her father would keep Crowley and the King safe for now, she would take the chance of being hurt or killed.
He looked back. "And what is that?" He asked, his eyebrows raised.
"You have to promise that my family here won't get hurt," Emily said, sitting straighter. "No Ranger, no apprentice, and not the King. You have to leave them alone...at least until the war. Please."
"Who said I was going to hurt them? I'm actually surprised you're even considering going. I thought you hated father," he said.
"I do," she snapped at him, sounding like her father. "But I do care about the fact that he'll hurt my family and possibly kill them if I don't go with you."
"He'll kill them anyway. He wants to control Araluen," Garath answered, giving her a look. "But if that's what you want, then I won't stop you. I'll give you the rest of the day, then meet me at Halt's Cottage. And yes, I know where it is," he said.
"You had better leave Halt and Will alone," she said, glaring at him. "If you don't I will end you."
He sighed. "I'm not gonna touch them. I swear on my magic," he said. He looked at her. "And when I swear by magic, if I break it, I lose my magic," he explained.
Emily nodded, turning Dancer around and starting to head home. She had a plan for telling Halt, Crowley, and Duncan about what she was doing.
Her stomach was still twisted in a knot as she came to the cottage in the trees. There was no whiny of a horse, so Emily guessed that Halt had gone with Will to do something. When she dismounted, she looked at the stables and wasn't too surprised when she saw movement in the doorway.
Garath walked to Halt's cottage and crossed his arms, leaning against a tree in the yard, his hood now covering his face as he watched Emily silently, waiting to see what she'd do. If she turned, he probably wouldn't be seen until he decided to reveal himself.
Will stepped out of the stable and into the sun. Emily had to smile, despite the fear that coursed through her. "Will! Is Halt here?" She asked, walking toward the stable.
"No," Will replied. "He had to see the Baron." Emily let go a tiny sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Will asked.
"Oh, nothing. I just got orders from Crowley. Personal ones," she added before Will could ask. He nodded, before turning and going back into the stable. Her smile faded, and she entered the house, scribbling a quick note to Halt before packing what she needed and left the cottage that had been her home for so long.
As she dismounted, she stared at the cottage, not sure if she would see it again. Shaking her head, she turned Dancer around, trotting away from the cottage.
Garath emerged and watched her calling out. "Be back here by Sundown!"
Emily shook her head; Garath had thought of everything. "I'll try!" She called back, not looking back.
Will walked out of the stable, knife in hand, looking to see if Halt had returned. In his few weeks of being Halt's apprentice, he'd learned that Emily and Halt had a different relationship than master and apprentice, but he'd never stopped to ask what that was.
After waiting a few minutes to see if he could hear anything else, he seemed to shrug and walk back into the stable.
Frostbite: I have two characters I absolutely adore writing for in this story, and Garath is one of them.
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