I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't kill me! I'm late...

I have an explanation as to why this is so late! First I wrote it and tried to upload it and it wouldnt do it, and I didnt think it was fanfiction because the website let me load other things. So I put the file on a flash drive and decided to go down stairs where we have a different computer and download it down there, but then I went down there and it wasnt on the flash drive and so I went back upstairs and it wasnt on the computer anymore, so I had to rewrite it which I procrastinated...and it was a mess...BUT I finally got it up! ya! (dont kill me)

Anyway I'm not gonna talk anymore because you've already wait long enough!

Read and Relax! :)

The golden leaves crunched under foot as people pooled into the town at Redmount for the harvest day festival.

It was a fun day for everyone, the adults got the day off of work, they got to relax and enjoy the company of people they didn't already see every day. While the children, some having the day off if already helping at the family business, got to run around, being able to play games and have a good time with the company of others.

Everyone was invited, and the ward children were no exception. Most of the castle staff headed down to the festivities, the Baron himself as well, and they lead the children down to the town.

"I heard that they have a big harvest of strawberries this year, so they're going to be giving strawberry tarts out!" Alyss passed on to her fellow ward mates, who were all huddling together excitedly.

"Don't get your hopes up," Horace said bitterly, "Why would they be giving them out for free, that would be stupid."

Will looked at him before looking back at Jenny and Alyss who had disappointment written on their faces.

"Well if it's true and they had a big harvest even if they aren't giving them out for free, they would at least be cheap," He said in hopes of lifting there spirits.

"That would make sense," George agreed, sensing Will's meaning of telling them that.

Squealing excitedly they ran ahead of the boys, and Will gave Horace a bitter glance before heading ahead with them.

"He's just trying to get the girls to like him because he likes them. What a suck up," He said to George, but George looked away, not willing to even listen about Horace's bad mouth about Will. He didn't like the way Horace thought about his ward mates.

Closing his mouth and frowning Horace concentrated on staring daggers at the back a Will's head, with all the curly brown hair that had grown in the last couple years.

They were never fond of each other, and as the years rolled by they had grown farther and farther from being friends. Horace went out of his way to make an unpleasant comment about Will, and soon it seemed Will did too.

To busy staring at Will, Horace barely realized that the air filled with the scent of animals, not too pleasant of a scent, but soon was overlaid by the scent of foods, pastries, breads, meats.

They were soon surrounded by what seemed like an endless sea of people, they passed different stands holding all kind of different things, games, food, even some filled with merchants who were taking advantage of all the people in town for the day.

"Will, where do you think they might have the strawberry tarts," Jenny asked after taking a sweep of the area.

He shrugged, "I have no idea, maybe…"

Whatever he was saying was cut off as Horace raced up to them, "Look, look!"

Everyone turned their heads to where Horace pointed; Will gave him a irritated look before following suit.

Assuming that Horace was pointing to the sign that seemed to be right in the path of his finger he read it out loud.

"Harvest Festival Haunted Hay Ride," he said squinting to see in the dark, "no charge for children under thirteen."

"Let's go," Horace said excitedly, all the other exchanged looks. The girls looked fearfully at each other, and George stared at him, a look at that asked if he was crazy. Will looked at the ground; he didn't want to be the first to admit he's rather not go.

"What, are you all scared," Horace asked snidely, looking at Will, almost making it like a dare to him.

"Fine," Will said angrily, though he tried to hide it, "Come on you guys, it'll be fun."

Seeing Will agree, Alyss agreed, followed by Jenny then finally George, and they all headed off towards the forest where an arrow on the sign pointed to.

Halt muttered to himself as he glided through the group of people, unnoticed.

"This is ridiculous; I don't see any reason to have to come to the festival. I'm sure Baron Arald just thinks I'll have "fun." This isn't fun; fun is at home in the silence with a cup of coffee."

Sighing he looked over the crowd looking for, any threat to this years fine festivities, as the Baron had put it.

"What, are you scared?"

Halt turned his head to see, not ten feet away, young Will and his ward mates seemingly argue over something.

"Fine," He watched Will say, "Come on you guys, it'll be fun,"

"What could they be up too," Halt thought, and as he watched them slowly making their way through the crowd. Taking a glance back at the crowds he concluded there wasn't anything to do there anyway, and followed the kids to their destination.

Horace had led them into the darkness of the woods, lit only by a couple of torches here and there.

They hadn't even gotten on the ride and Will was already stiff with fear, and he was trying not to look back. He had the strange sensation that someone was watching them, but he reasoned he was just scared.

As the ward children followed the rocky path he felt everyone stiffen around him, and he relaxed a bit, if they were scared too it was ok.

After everyone almost tripping on the multiple rocks jutting from the path, they saw a man standing by a rickety, make-shift gate.

"Hey kids, have you come to ride?" He asked, and received an answer of enthusiastic nods, they were now excited for a little scare. "Alright then, hop on up there."

He motioned to a medium sized wagon that was filled to the brim with hay, and strapped to a large jet black horse.

Letting Jenny and Alyss go first the three boys quickly hopped up after, sitting there in the thickest of the hay were two older boys, looking about fifteen.

Mumbling a quick hello the five ward children parked themselves in a thick bundle of hay and watched as the man that had welcomed them close the gate and walk over to the horse.

Hopping on he gave the reigns a little pressure and the horse started off in a walking speed. The only thing lighting the darkness was a small torch that the man had set in a metal holder on the side of the rider's seat.

The crisp night air began to swirl around them, and the only sound that could be heard was squeaking and crashing as the wheels rolled and feel in the holes of the path.

Soon the trees began to rustle and something popped out, and before Will could identify it, it merged back into the blackness of the trees.

Shifting closer together the kids looked around waiting for what would show up next. Suddenly a man on a horse burst out of the trees behind them and followed, and that wasn't the creepy part.

The man didn't seem to have a head, and when Jenny realized this she let out a startled scream, and with that they heard the figure laugh. A dark, menacing laugh, and with that divulged back into the trees.

The two older boys laughed at the younger girls fright and Will watched them. One was tall, much taller than any of them he had a light brown colored hair, almost mouse colored and chiseled facial features, along with piercing blue eyes.

The other had black eyes that caught Will's own eyes, and raven black hair, much like the horses coat. They both sported wicked grins, and dark clothes that he couldn't make out.

After watching them Will missed whatever had just come out of the trees, but it must have been scary because all the others looked scared. He was surprised none of them screamed, probably to make it so the older guys didn't laugh.

Watching out again he scanned the surroundings not seeing anyone, when suddenly he felt someone grab the back of his collar.

"What are you doing," he screamed as he tried to turn around to see who exactly was doing it.

Before he mustered up the strength to break the iron grip another figure road out of the trees, he held what looked like a bloody sword and looked like he was covered in blood.

Holding back a scream Will tried to break free but he was held almost over the edge of the cart as the man with the sword came closer.

"Hey, what are you doing, let Will go," Jenny and Alyss called from where they sat.

"What makes you think you can do that," Will heard George call.

Squirming as the scary, bloody man came closer, Will tried to look away, but it there wasn't any point, he couldn't.

Though he could see out of the corner of his eye Horace struggling against the black haired boy as he held him back.

Seeing Horace trying to help him he struggled more, and finally the boy let go and flung backwards.

Startled to see why he had suddenly done that he noticed that deep in the bark of the tree an arrow was buried.

Halt grunted in satisfaction as the arrow flew right passed the kids head and into the tree he had chosen. He held back a smile as Will looked around him for the answer to what had happened, and saw his gaze land on the arrow.

Letting his small smile show through to himself he backed off into the trees.

"Maybe this is a little better than a cup of coffee at home." He whispered to himself as he walked back to him little cabin in the woods.

Yes, I know the beginning was kinda like the last chapter, but the ending wasnt, right? I thought it was cute to write.

I dont have much to say today, which is werid...*looks around wonder what kind of world I'm in now*

Anyway, I hope you liked it, and if you didnt, well I'm glad you have an opinion but I don't really care.