Here is chapter four. In this chapter Cathal gets his Ranger horse. Although this chapter was cut short because it was getting rather long. Reviews please.
I am not a guy and I don't live in Australia so please don't mistake me for John Flangan
Chapter 4
Gilan led the way to the room Arald had offered for Cathal and Merida. Cathal let his gaze sweep through the castle and memorize the way to the room. Gilan felt doubt in side of him. Cathal wouldn't get close to him and every so often his hand would drop to the hilt of his knife. Gilan stopped abruptly a short distance away from their room and turned to Cathal.
"Cathal before I show you your room could we play a little game?" Gilan asked. Cathal raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of game would we be playing?" Cathal asked.
"Well I ask you any question I want and you must give me a truthful answer and then you ask me any question you want and I must give you a truthful answer," Gilan said.
"That isn't much of a game," Cathal replied slowly.
"Oh come on Cathal it will give us a chance to know each other and you can go first," Gilan said grinning. Cathal hesitated for a second then sighed.
"Ok, how long have you known Halt?" Cathal asked. Gil was slightly taken back by the question.
"A long time Cathal. Halt used to visit my father and when I was fourteen I followed him into the woods and he flung me into a nearby stream. After that he took me on as his apprentice and we have been real close ever since," Gilan replied. Cathal nodded.
"I guess it is your turn," Cathal said softly. Gilan pursed his lips for a moment. What would help him and Halt connect with Cathal.
"What was it like growing up as a prince?" Gilan asked.
"I didn't grow up as a prince. My mother didn't want that life for me. I grew up like any normal child except they put me to work in the stables when I got older. I preferred it that way. I wasn't prince material so why bother pretending I was," Cathal replied. Gilan nodded.
"Halt grew up the same way I feel. Your turn again," Gilan said.
"I feel like you and Will have a father son bond with Halt. Are you his later in life kids?" Cathal asked after a long pause titling his head to one side.
"No we aren't," Gilan replied softly. "For the longest time Halt has been watching us and we think of him as a adoptive father, Will especially seeing how he is an orphan, but Halt isn't our father," Gilan said. Cathal seemed to sigh a little with relief.
"That is good to hear I suppose…your turn," Cathal said. Gilan pursed his lips for a moment.
"What was your family like?" Gilan asked slowly knowing he would be hitting a touchy subject. Cathal didn't shake though. He acted like he half expected the question to come.
"My family life was nothing to brag about. When I was five my mother left me searching for Halt I was looked at funny because I was born out of wedlock. My mother told my uncle I was his son so he wouldn't kill me but Ferris never treated me well. The lady who actually raised me was named Monica. She was old though and had been around the castle since my father was a boy. Halt's sister Caitlyn looked after me as well when she could but she had to be a mother to Sean. When she died I couldn't handle the stares or the guilt of living in the castle anymore and I fled," Cathal said in almost one breath his shoulders shaking a little. Gilan regretted asking the question.
"I am sorry Cathal I didn't realize…," Gilan started then stopped. He wasn't sure how to explain the sudden urge to pry into Cathal's past. He wanted to help Halt get better acquitted with Cathal as well as he wanted to understand him better.
"It is alright Gilan. I understand your curiosity and to be honest I expected the question to come. My past is something that is painful to me," Cathal replied. Gilan nodded feeling slightly relieved.
"Well I suppose it is your turn," Gilan said.
"Last round ok," Cathal said. Gilan nodded.
"You ask your question then we are done," Gilan promised. Cathal nodded and bit his lip. Gilan waited patiently.
"Why do you wear a sword? Will, Halt, and Crowley don't have one," Cathal said.
"My father is Sir David, the King's Supreme Army Commander, so naturally when I was a young boy my father wanted me trained. When Halt took me on as an apprentice he let me continue my sword work," Gilan explained.
"That makes sense I suppose," Cathal replied.
"Your rooms for the night I suppose we will see you both in the morning," Gilan said gesturing towards their rooms.
"Thanks Gil and you will," Merida said smiling. Gil returned the grin and left the two of them alone.
"How did it go?" Alyss asked when Gil reached Will and Alyss who had been waiting for him outside of the castle.
"I think it went ok we will be seeing him tomorrow so we will see," Gilan said.
Even though Will and Alyss weren't married the two love birds spent a lot of time at Will's cabin. Gilan opted to sleep on the couch.
When morning came everyone but Cathal and Merida had gathered outside in the castle courtyard. Halt, Pauline, Crowley, Horace, Cassandra, and Jenny were all there by the time Gil, Will, and Alyss arrived.
"So what we doing today?" Gilan asked desperately wanting to get out of wedding planning so he didn't have to be reminded he still hadn't asked Jenny out.
"Well we were thinking about getting Cathal a Ranger horse," Crowley said.
"Great mind if we join," Gilan asked hopefully.
"Well the plan was for us boys to have a day out to get to know Cahtal better while the girls stay with Merida," Crowley replied.
"Sounds like a lovely plan," Will said.
"Except they aren't here at the moment," Gilan pointed out.
"Well I don't recall you mentioning a meet up time for them," Pauline said. Gil shrugged and looked at Halt. The Ranger didn't seem that worried.
"I am sure Cathal will show up shortly," Halt said. Sure enough Cathal and Merida arrived within the hour.
"Sorry we are late I kind of slept in," Merida said. Pauline smiled at her. Cathal's slight blush suggested she wasn't the one to have slept in.
"Don't worry about that you aren't too late," Halt replied.
"So what is happening today?" Merida asked. For the first month or so Cathal and Merida would be dependent on the others for some help settling in since neither of them knew Araluen very well.
"Well the plan is for us guys to have a day out while you girls have a day," Gilan said.
"Sounds great," Merida said quickly before Cahtal could object. He gave her a very hard look though. Gil and Will were instantly reminded of Halt.
"Then we better get going," Will said grinning. Alyss headed back towards the cabin to pick up Ebony and her five nine week old puppies. Cathal shifted uncomfortably as everyone scurried around him. Pauline sensing his discomfort pulled him to the side.
"Everything will be fine Cathal you go with Halt. I want to assess Merida for Courier potential anyway," Pauline said.
"This will get you a chance to know Halt better anyway," Merida added when she joined him after seeing him talking with Pauline.
"Yea but there are still so many people there," Cathal complained.
"Come on Cathal have a day out and enjoy it for me please," Merida said. Cathal sighed he had the hardest time saying no to his girlfriend.
"Alright," he complained. Merida grinned and kissed him.
The group of guys headed towards the Saddler farm when they got about three miles out they stopped Horace however. The knight and soon to be King nodded his understanding and dismounted Kicker giving the stallion a rest while the others continued on.
"You are getting a Ranger horse Cathal," Crowley explained as they got closer.
"I like Piper," Cathal said. Crowley glanced over at Halt and grinned. He remembered Halt's reaction to getting a Ranger horse.
"Ranger horses are better for Ranger purposes. Piper you can pass off to Merida if she becomes a courier but Ranger horses have massive amounts of speed and stamina," Halt explained gently. Cathal shrugged. He really didn't want to give up Piper but he supposed he could try for another horse.
"Hello Rangers," a cheerful voice called as he hoppled out to meet the four Rangers and Cathal.
"Hi Old Bob," Will said grinning.
"Well a new Ranger here isn't there…a little old," Old Bob said.
"Bob this is Cathal my son," Halt said. It still felt weird for him to be saying that.
"You have a son?" Old Bob asked in surprise.
"It's complicated," Halt and Cathal said at the same time. The other three Rangers turned at them in surprise.
"Well I got five horses for ye in the stables," Old Bob said after the long pause. Cathal dismounted and left Piper where he was before heading to the stables.
Sure enough five three year old horses were watching him curiously. Two were bays, one was a chestnut, one a grey, and the final one was black. Old Bob waited outside of the stable while Cathal checked over each horse. One seemed to be calling to him however. It was the black at the very end of the line. When he reached her he got a good look. It was a mare that was solid black except for the white blaze and white sock on her hind leg. Other than having a black coat color she looked exactly like Gilan's horse Blaze. She was taller than the other horses with a slightly more regal appearance. The mare certainly caught his interest.
"Hey girl," he said. The mare moved forward and nibbled on his fingers.
"Ye found un?" Old Bob asked. Cathal turned and the horse breeder was smiling at him.
"Yea I kind of like her," Gilan said.
"Her name Princess. I call her that because when she was a youngster she always was a little aloof with me. Her damn is Guinevere, Gil's old horse," Old Bob explained. Cathal nodded. If she looked like Blaze it would make sense he supposed.
"Can I take her out?" he asked. Old Bob nodded and Cathal hooked a lead rope to her and headed outside into the riding yard. Princess easily kept up with him when he jogged around the yard. When they stopped Cathal looked over her completely as he had been taught. Princess snorted almost insultingly at him while he worked but Cahtal ignored her and Princess let him check her over. When he was finished he grunted.
"All good for ye?" Old Bob asked.
"Yes she is can I ride her?" Cathal asked.
"Of course," Old Bob said as innocently as he could. Halt debated telling his son the Ranger secret. Then he shrugged his son would find out soon enough. The three other Rangers were trying to hide their grins. Once Cathal had tacked her up he saw her turn and look at him expectantly. Cathal frowned. That was a very unusual thing for a horse to do. He looked over his shoulder where the four Rangers and Old Bob were watching him. Their expressions were innocent a little too innocent.
"Are you five not telling me something?" he asked.
"We didn't say anything," Crowley said hiding a grin. Cathal snorted at them and then turned back around to Princess. He swung nimbly in the saddle but the moment he did all hell broke loose. Princess went on a bucking rampage and all Cathal could do was hold the reins and horn tightly and pray he wouldn't be thrown.
When Cathal was finally thrown free of the saddle he landed with a loud thud the air being knocked out of him. Once he had air back in his lungs he let go a string of curses that Halt could have sworn would only come from Ferris. Princess threw her head up and whinnied and Cathal could have sworn she was laughing at him.
"You behave like a Princess to," Cathal complained rolling over and getting back on his feet. Gil, Will, and Crowley were all laughing hard while Halt ducked under the railing and went to his son.
"You alright?" Halt asked softly.
"Other than my dignity I am fine," Cathal growled and looked pointedly at his father. "You knew that was going to happen," he added.
"Yes it is a rite of passage," Halt explained. Cathal rubbed his back.
"So how exactly am I supposed to ride the horse?" Cathal asked.
"Pass code," Gilan said when he joined Halt. Cathal raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds like a fairy tale," Cathal said.
"It's the truth. Ranger horses are trained that way," Halt said. Old Bob joined the group.
"Princess's is Royalty is in my blood," Old Bob whispered to Cathal.
"Tell her the code when you go to mount," Gilan said cheerfully. Cathal thought he was a little too cheerful.
"Royalty is in my blood," Cathal whispered to the mare when she turned her head. Princess threw her head up and nodded several times.
"Be my guest," Halt said.
I had to throw Cathal off his horse :). Is it bad I am already planing children for the characters already and none of them are married yet? All though Horace and Cassandra are in wedding planing. Will and Alyss aren't engaged yet. I know he asks in book ten but I am with Alyss he needs to try harder :p. I have plans for Ebony's five puppies.
