More major x infinity OOC-ness from Halt!
Disclaimer: Hey there! Ranger's Apprentice is not owned in any way, shape or form by me, but it is by John Flanagan.
It was night. I heard someone slip out the door and go to the side of the Baron's tower. I sighed. Why did Will have to do this? Then I remembered. He had come in looking dejected after the Choosing, and wouldn't join in the light-hearted horseplay everyone was engaged in (I, myself, was talking to Midnight, of course). So I jumped out of my window, not making a sound, and went over to Will. "Do you want some help, Will?" I whispered. He almost jumped, but at the last moment he realised it was me. "Oh, um, y…yes, p…please, Rae." He stammered quietly. "So, what's the plan?" I said. "Well, I was going to climb up the Baron's wall, sneak inside, and get that slip of paper." He replied.
I tilted my head in curiousity. "What piece of paper?" I asked. "Oh, um, the ranger slipped a piece of paper to the Baron." answered Will. "Ok, then, I'll come with you." I said. He agreed, somewhat reluctantly, and we began. We made our way over to the wall as soon as the sentry wasn't there, and started to climb. Well, Will did, but I just stayed back and when I was sure that he wouldn't be spotted by the sentry, I simply jumped up to the top of the ledge and perched there. When he was up, too, I slipped inside and, as I did so, I saw a shadow. Halt. I decided to let Will find out himself, so I signalled to Will and he came in. Will reached for the piece of paper on the Baron's desk. A hand on his arm stopped him. "What do you think you're doing?" Halt hissed. "I…I'm trying to…" I intervened, as Will stuttered and tried to find a way to explain what he was doing.
"I heard Will sneaking out to come here and take a look at that," I gestured towards the paper, "piece of paper, so I came out and asked if he wanted help. Will agreed, so I came in with him." I explained calmly. Will was now looking thoroughly confused. "But," he began, "how did you… how did you hear me?" I winced slightly. Halt noticed and he looked intrigued… great, now my powers were going to have to be explained to two people. I might as well reveal myself to the whole world. Though, I mused, that might just happen, seeing as I'm going to be a ranger, and who knows what I'll do? Hmmm… I might just do a bit of scrying on that subject… Halt interrupted my train of thoughts. Hmph. I must have gotten lost in thought again. That happens far too often for my liking.
"Are you all right, Raven?" he asked, only the slightest bit uncertain. "Hmmm… oh? Oh, yes, sorry sir," I said, "I was just thinking about something…". Halt looked impatient now. "Well, is what you're thinking about important?" he replied. I huffed. "Of course it is. If it wasn't I wouldn't be thinking about right now. I'm an apprentice, I'm not ready to think, am I? Well, not on matters that I don't know much about, but still!" I retorted. Now he looked shocked. "H…how d…do you know that saying?" he stammered. A corner of my lip curled slightly in amusement, but I shrugged. "I don't know." I replied honestly. "But I just remember it. I knew it before I came to the Ward."
Now Halt looked intrigued. She's a bit of a mystery, that girl is. I nearly jumped out of my skin, I was that shocked, and then I realised what had happened. I had accidently listened in on Halt's thoughts! My traitorous mouth had spoken before I could close it, though. "You really think I'm a mystery, Halt?" I asked in an amused tone, before I could slap my hand over my thrice-damned mouth. Halt gaped at me, before hurriedly closing his mouth and focusing his attention back on the matter we first had at hand. "So, what are we going to do about you two?" he said. I listened intently. There was someone breathing and moving about slightly in the Baron's sitting room. The Baron himself must be awake.
"The Baron's awake, isn't he?" I asked, relatively cheerfully. "He's going to talk to Will about what he's going to be." Now Halt looked… what was the word/s for that look? Hmmm… really shocked? No, definitely not it… super shocked x 1 000 000? No, that's not it either… hey, how about… super-duper shocked x infinity? Yeah, that's about it. Ever so slowly, Halt nodded. Then he managed to school his face back into its' normal expression. Grimness*. "And while Will's talking to Baron Arald, you're going to talk with me." He said. I nodded.
Halt leaned against the wall. "So, what's with all this strangeness going on around you?" he asked gruffly, narrowing his eyes slightly. I fidgeted and looked at the ground. "Well?" Halt said, narrowing his eyes even further. "Well, Halt," I said, "I can't really tell you right now." I looked around nervously. I didn't want to talk, because anyone could hear. "Why not?" Halt asked, clearly starting to become annoyed. "Because right now anyone could hear us," I explained, "and I really don't want that to happen. Can we talk about it tomorrow, in your cabin?"
I ended on a half pleading note. He nodded. Then sighed. "Well, I guess you had better go back to the Ward to get some sleep. You do have to be up early. Remember, 6 o'clock. No later." Said Halt. Then I had an idea. "Halt, what time do you wake up?" "Dawn." He replied. I bit my lip. "Could I come to your cabin around that time? Then we have plenty of time to discuss my 'strangeness', as you call it." He nodded again. Then he went down the stairs, but not before melting into the shadows. I could still see him, but only just.
I slid into the Baron's study once again. I didn't feel like using the stairs. I walked silently to the window, and after a glance left, right, up and down, I jumped out of the window and landed silently on the balls of my feet.
*Is that even a word? I honestly have no idea, but my spellcheck hasn't complained, so I guess it's all right.