A/N Hehe, sorry I'm late again. When will I learn that I cannot start watching anime when I want to get things done...
Geeky43: And you still don't know who the master is. But I will tell you this, it's not who you think he is. And I hope I ace them too. Probably not, people just think I'm smart when I'm not.
Something like me: Yeah... I am a very cruel person. But here's the next chapter.
ScbaStv: I'm sorry but you have to wait a bit longer for the reveal. But it defeneatly will play a part in the story from now on.
DISCLAIMER: I'm tired. It's the same as always.
Chapter 9.
Will.
"Halt it's been nine days. Shouldn't she be awake by now?" I ask the older ranger.
"I don't know Will." He says. I stare at him in shock. Halt doesn't know?
"What I do know, is that we're going home tomorrow. We have to leave before the storm season, like Erak told me. Or we'll get caught in a storm, I heard the stories I'd rather not do that." He says. "Freya and Alex are coming too. They insist, Freya because she's worried, and Alex because he's free and wants to go back home. We leave early with Erak's ship. I already sent word out to Auraluen. So they know we're coming. I told them of the treaty and asked if they could tell Gilan." The last sentence is softer, and a bit hastily cut off.
"Okay." That's all I have to say. I don't know what else there is to be told. Nothing really. So I turn around and go look for Evanlyn and Horace.
I find them both next to May's sleeping form. She's in a room in Freya's house. She's been taking care of her ever since we got May back. Freya thinks it's her fault, that she should've gone with her. Sounds like a certain ranger I heard of…
"Any changes?" I ask the three others in the room. All shake their head.
"Nothing. Not even a twitch from her fingertips." Freya sighs. "You kids get some sleep. I'll watch her, we leave early tomorrow." She continues.
Early the next morning everyone is ready to go. They carried May abord earlier. At least she won't have to be sick again. Halt on the other hand… I had no idea the old ranger would be even more grumpy as usual. Everyone just leaves him alone. The days pass, and everyone tries to deal with what happened int their own way. No one sees much of Freya and Alex. They're nearly always below deck with May. Sometimes Erak visits them, but he has the ship to worry about. I never thought Alex would care. But then again I've seen stranger things happen. Every now and then Alex comes up to find something to eat. But that's about it. Horace and Evanlyn are nearly always together. If you see one, the other isn't far behind. Only now I realize that everyone has someone to talk to about what happened. Freya has Alex and May, though May won't answer. Horace has Evanlyn. And Halt has the sea to worry about. I could talk to Erak, but he's busy running the ship. Maybe I can go to tug. He, Abelard and Kicker are below deck aswell. Deciding that would be the best option I go to find them.
"What am I supposed to do Tug?" I ask the pony when I see him. "Nothing, there is nothing I can do. May is unconsious, Halt is seasick, Freya barely talks to anyone but Alex and Erak, Horace and Evanlyn are always together, And there's nothing I can do." I look into Tug's eyes.
"I know, it isn't my fault. But I can't help it, I feel guilty for what happened to May. I don't know why, I just do. Tug, what will Gilan think when he finds out? Do you think he would be angry at me? He asked me to protect May, and I failed. How can I face him?"
"He won't be angry at you Will." I turn around and see Halt standing behind me. He looks less sick than usual.
"He won't?" I ask him in disbelief.
"No he won't. If there's anyone to blame, it would be the man who did this to her. I'm the one who promised him i'd get her back safely. I didn't find her when she was hiding right under our nose. But that man… He's the one who took May."
"Technically Alex did that." I say.
"Don't get smart with me, you know what I mean. That man took May. He tortured her, and he did all this. I'd like to know why." He finishes. "When Erak's men got back to that house to take away the man. He was already gone. Or he has woken up on his own and walked out of there on his own. Something I highly doubt, because it was only about half an hour later. Or someone dragged him out of there. A sencond man. Someone who is an ally of him. That sounds a lot more plausible. And more frightening, because that means there are more people after May." I stare at Halt.
"I didn't know he escaped. What if he comes after her again?" I ask him.
"Then we'll be there to protect her." He says.
Freya.
"Come on child. Please wake up. There's nothing to fear anymore. You're safe now. You can wake up." I say to May. No response, as usual. I let out a long sigh and close my eyes.
"Still nothing?" Alex asks. He's been here with me almost the entire time. He hands me a piece of bread. I take it and nod my thanks.
"No, nothing. Not even a twitch of her fingers. I fear that if she doesn't give a response soon…" I tell the boy.
"How soon?" He asks.
"A week. If she hasn't moved by then. We'll lose her forever." I admit to him.
"Is there anything we can do to help her?" He asks me.
"I do not know. Talking. Hearing familiar voices might help her. I wonder… Yes that could help her think she's safe now. You see she is like this, because it's a form of protection. She's thinks she's in a dangerous situation, and has blocked her mind from her body. A way to protect her from the pain. I think that maybe hearing a voice she hasn't heard in a long time might help her." I say.
"Like who's voice?" Alex asks me.
"Gilan. The man she has told me a lot about. Hearing his voice might make her think she's safe again. It will help her believe she isn't in Hallasholm anymore. However, I'm not sure. It might not work."
"But there is a chance it works?" He asks.
"Yes." I say turning my gaze back to May.
"Then it's worth a shot. How long untill we're in Auraluen?" Alex asks.
"Two days. Maybe three."
Three days later we see the castle Auraluen. It would be a beautiful sight, if it where under other conditions. Everyone is above deck. One of the Skandians is carrying May. There are a lot of people at the dock. Including two figures in ranger cloaks and the king himself. As soon as the ship is docked Evanlyn runs to him and jumps into a hug. Will, Erak and the other Skandians get off the ship too. Only Halt, Alex and the skandian with May, and I stay on the ship. We've put him a little away from the side of the ship. The king lets go of his daughter and walks to the ship.
"Halt, why are you staying there." He asks the old man.
"My banishment ends in a week. I can't." He says. Now this is new to me. Will turns around and stares at his mentor.
"Banished?" He asks.
"Nonsense Halt. One week doesn't matter to me. You've brought Will back. I think I can reward you with one week less of your banishment." The king says. Halt nods once and gets off the ship.
"It's good to be home again." He mumbles. One of the figures in ranger clothes steps forward to Halt.
"Halt… Where, where is she?" He asks. This mus be the Gilan I've heard so much about. I signal the Skandian to follow me and I walk to the two men.
"You're Gilan I pressume." He nods and I keep going. "I do not know how much you know, but something happened in Hallasholm. May got hurt. Badly. She has been unconsious for a while now." I step aside to show Gilan her. He freezes and stares.
"No." He says, his voice barely audible. He rushes forward to her and puts his hand on her cheek.
"Gilan…" Halt starts, but he's cut off by Gilan.
"Get her to the infirmary. Now, I'll follow you soon." He commands a man next to them and the Skandian. He nods and follows the first man. Gilan turns around to Halt.
"You said you'd bring her back. Safe. I don't see how this is safe Halt." With that he runs after the man and the skandian to catch up with them. The other man in ranger clothes stops Halt from running after him.
"Let him be. For now. He's just shocked. How would you be if someone brought the one you love back with some serious damage. He's affraid of losing her, and he isn't thinking right." He says.
"I know Crowley, but I can't help it but to feel guilty. He's my friend, and I broke a promise to him." Halt says. His voice just as it always is. Only with a slight hurt tone to it.
I take the opportunity to sneak away and follow Gilan and May. I can see Alex already did, so I just follow him.
We find May in a room with Gilan next to her. She is like always not moving. It's almost as if she's dead.
"How long has she been like this." Gilan asks. His voice cold. I'm shocked at first. He has his back turned to the door. Then I remember he's a ranger.
"Twelve days sir." Alex says besides me.
"Don't call me sir. Who did this to her." Gilan says, still not turning away to look at us.
"I do not know his name. He always made me call him master." Alex says, before he can continue Gilan jumps up and pins Alex against the wall.
"Your master did this to her?" He asks. His voice dangerously hostile.
"Yes he did. Not Alex, let him go Gilan. May told me about you. She spoke so highly of you. That you're always in good spirits. That you always manage to see the light when it seems so dark. She told me you'd be the sweetest man you'd ever meet. Tell me that man still lives." I say before Gilan can hurt Alex. He looks at me for a while, then lets Alex go.
"You're right. He didn't do this. Sorry, Alex was it? Then you must be Freya." He says. I nod and extend my hand.
"I trained May to use her abitity to her maximum potential. I was about to let her leave Hallasholm, she was going back to Auraluen when she got taken away." I explain. He looks at me and nods.
"I'd like to know what happened. Can you tell me?" Gilan asks me.
"I can only tell you what I know." I tell him. Gilan nods and I start my story. About the time we first met. About how she discovered her other forms. About the inn and how she and Alex met. About her training. About what happened to Will and how she helped them get away. When I come to the end of the training Alex takes over.
"I was ordered to gain her trust, then take her to my master when the time was right. I didn't know what he was going to do with her. He only told me it would be a family reunion fo some sorts."
"Every one of her family is dead. That doesn't make any sense." Gilan interrupts him.
"She did seem to know him though." Alex says back. "He wanted May to swear she's obey his will. And she denied that. He'd torture her mentally and physically and she's still deny it. I caught her speaking to herself softly once when master just finished. She kept repeating the same names over and over again. Gilan, Halt, Will, Daniel, Horace, Rosemary, Evanlyn, Alaric, and Freya. I know most of those, but I never heard of Daniel, Rosemary, and Alaric. That was three weeks before you came." He says. "Erak, Will, Freya and Halt found out where master was hiding her, and came to get her back. By then the damage was already done, and they found her like this." Gilan nods a few times.
"She blocked her mind from her body, as a form of protection. To lock out the pain. We don't know when she'll recover. Or if she'll recover." I say the last sentence a lot softer, but in this silence it's still clearly heard.
"You must be tired and hungry from a long journey. Go and find the others. I'll watch over her for a while." Gilan says. "If you see Halt, tell him I'm sorry." I nod and take Alex with me. He clearly wants to talk to May alone. Well talk, more like speak and hope she'd wake up. On the hallway I close the door behind me and signal Alex to follow me.
"Lets find the others." I tell him before going the same way we came from.
Gilan.
"May? I know you're there… Somewhere. If you'd just please wake up. I already lost you once. I can't lose you again. I know it may seem like you're not safe, that you're still in Hallasholm, but you're not. You're in Auraluen. And you can wake up now. Please. I need you to open your eyes, move your fingers, anything." I take her hand, but get no response.
"Please May… Please, I.. I need you. I... I love you." I let my tears run down my face and I don't care. I just want her to wake up.
I hear the door open and close, but I don't look up.
"Gilan?" Halt asks. I still don't look up. "I, I brought something to eat for you. I know you and you'll let yourself starve again." He says.
"Thank you." I tell him. I get up and turn around. The cowl of my cloak is pulled up, and I don't take it down. I want to walk over to him when something stops me. It's faint, but it's there. May doesn't let go of my hand, and is holding it with little force. I stare at it in disbelief, then look at her face.. Nothing's changed. She's still asleep.
"Gilan?" Halt asks.
"She… Moved." I say, still not believing it. I try to get my hand out of hers, and she responds by holding it tighter.
"She moves. Halt she doesn't let go!" I say happily. I sit down again and rub my thumb against her cheek.
"Open your eyes." I tell her. "May, please open your eyes."
"I'm going to find a docter, stay here." Halt says. Like I'd leave May now. He stands up and runs outside.
"May, I know you can hear me. You're safe now. You can wake up. Please let me see those beautiful eyes of you. Let me see they're still the same. Please May, please." Her eyelids tremble a little and slowly, she opens her eyes.
"May!" I nearly shout, I rush forward and hug her. "You're back."
A/N Here, I gave you something happy. I have to admit. I wrote that she died like three times. But I couldn't let that happen. So yay she lives. Now if you excuse me...
*Starts watching another episode of death note*
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