Will woke up before the sun the next morning.
He dressed in his normal manner, then put on the cloak. Halt had told him to look and act like he did when they had first met. Will could sum that up in one word. Intimidating. Halt had appeared intimidating when Will first met him.
Will put on his bronze oak leaf pendant and looked in the mirror. He adjusted his posture to where he stood tall, but not so much that it didn't look natural. Will grabbed his bow and quiver. He ate a quick breakfast then saddled up Tug and another horse, one that Halt generally used for pack. Will had in his spare time trained it to be ridden as well. Will then started the ride to town. He went through town attempting to carry the air of silent strength that Halt did, but never felt he was doing a very good job. He still felt nervous. His original fear had been having to share Halt. Now he was supposed to train this apprentice when he wasn't even too fond of her existence.
"For Halt," Will told himself. "I'll do it for Halt."
Little did Will know he was actually quite successful in his attempt. People cleared the road to give him room. They didn't know he was just an apprentice. As far as they knew, he was a full-fledged ranger. Someone to be feared and respected. Someone not to get on the wrong side of. The hood hid Will's face, which was useful as it was much more difficult to determine his age if you couldn't see him that well. While Will was short, he was also well muscled from months of training with Halt.
He told Tug to be silent and appeared behind Ryvira.
She jumped, but only slightly.
"Ryvira." Will said, keeping is voice low and controlled. He was trying to replicate the tone Halt used, and whether he thought it or not, he was successful. "Follow me."
She nodded wordlessly.
Will led her to the horses.
"Can you ride?" He asked.
"Well enough." She answered.
Will didn't help her onto the horse, though that might have been considered polite. Halt said to train her. Will fully intended on doing just that.
Will tried his best to remain silent and mysterious on the way back. He was doing a good job. Ryvira was less persistent than Will had been when it came to asking questions.
She had asked a few to begin with, similar to the ones Will had asked.
"What does a ranger's apprentice do?" She asked.
"You'll see." Will had replied. A bit later she asked how much farther. Will turned and gave her that look Halt always gave him when he asked a pointless question. She didn't ask anything else after that. Eventually they came to the old cottage that Will, Halt, and now Ryvira called home.
Will held the door open to Ryvira.
"Where is he?" Ryvira asked, "You were with another ranger yesterday."
"He had business to attend to." Will answered, lighting the stove.
With Ryvira's help it didn't take long for Will to cook up a soup of sorts. Will realized he hadn't taken off his cloak and did so before sitting down to the table. He kept the pendant on though. Will and Ryvira sat down to their meal.
The meal started out silent, but then Ryvira said
"You're younger than I thought."
"So?" Will responded. Ryvira changed the subject.
"Are you going to tell me your name?" She asked. Will looked over at her from the corner of his eye.
"It's Will." He said.
"How long have you been a ranger Will?" She asked.
"As rangers and ranger's apprentices, we don't ask useless questions." Will answered, "We pay attention and answer them ourselves. We learn by watching and imitating. Not by asking." Will restrained the impulse to jump. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh. It was almost scary to him how much that had sounded like Halt. He hadn't even been trying then either. All this, it was more instinctive to him than he expected.
"Oh." Ryvira said.
"Finish eating." Will said, "We need to start training." Ryvira was finished in a few minutes. Will relaxed surveyed the weapons, trying to seem as if he were doing something while he thought. So far it seemed that the less he tried to act like Halt the more he did. He was trying too hard he realized. He was stressing out about this. That was going to be his failing point if he kept doing it. Will took a deep breath and relaxed, letting his leadership instincts take over. Halt hadn't wanted Will to copy him entirely.
He had wanted him to train Ryvira. If Will was going to do that, he was going to do it his way.
What is most important? Will thought. What would be the best thing for her to learn? What would keep her alive? For the next few hours, Will worked knife self-defense with her.
"I thought rangers preferred to fight from a distance." Ryvira commented.
"You are not entitled to 'I thought's yet." Will said without thinking. "You will learn things as you figure them out, or as I reveal them to you." Will started acting subconsciously, his thoughts drifting away from his actions and words. He was somewhat irritated at Halt for leaving him here with so much responsibility. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it all. He scare he was going to have to share Halt with Ryvira. Will didn't want things to change between him and Halt. He liked them the way they were. It seemed almost cruel of Halt to make Will train the girl that he hated before he even knew her.
Even so, Halt had asked him to. Will would do it if it pleased Halt. Will focused himself on teaching Ryvira a particular movement she seemed to be having trouble with.
"What is the other ranger's name?" Ryvira asked, after successfully completing the move, however so slow.
"His name is Halt." Will answered. He knew that there was no way for Ryvira to know what Halt's name was unless she asked, so that made it a good question.
"How long will he be gone?" Ryvira asked.
"Until the end of the week." Will said, "Enough questions. Now stab me."
"Pardon?" Ryvira asked, confused.
"Try to stab me." Will repeated.
"I don't want to-" Ryvira said, but was cut off.
"Even if it got past me it wouldn't hurt me. It's just wood." Will said. She did as he asked.
Before Ryvira knew what had happened, Will had her in a neck lock. "What did you do wrong?" Will asked.
"I don't know." Ryvira said.
Will tightened his hold on her arm slightly, pulling it just enough to cause discomfort.
"What did you do wrong?" He repeated, in a little more hostile voice.
"I don't know." She repeated. Her voice was calm, and Will could sense only a hint of fear.
"Think about it." Will said. She closed her eyes then a moment later opened them.
"I stayed in one spot." Ryvira said, "I didn't move. Then when you grabbed my arm I pulled against you, but the harder I pulled the tighter your grip got. I was fighting against myself somehow."
"Always assume that you enemy is taller, heavier, and stronger than you." Will said, immediately releasing her.
They continued training and by the ending of the day Will would have grudgingly told Halt that he agreed she might have some potential.
They ate supper and before she was allowed to go to sleep, Ryvira had to assist Will in cleaning up the cottage. "A gift from Halt." Will had referenced. Will had given orders, but he also helped, continuously busying himself with some task, though he left most of the labor to Ryvira. Eventually Will told Ryvira that the cottage was clean enough.
Ryvira lay awake for a few minutes, and Will made sure she was asleep before going to bed himself. In the kingdom as a general rule the more authority you have the later you rise.
With the rangers it is the opposite.
Halt had always made sure he went to bed after Will, and woke up before him. It gave him an untouchable air, as if he was so strong he didn't even need to rest. Will hadn't meant to do that. It just felt right.
A/N: Keep the reviews coming! I'm always open to suggestions and corrections! Be sure to tell me what you thought of this chapter!
A/N: Keep the reviews coming! I'm always open to suggestions and corrections! Be sure to tell me what you thought of this chapter!
