Truly sorry for the long wait but finally here it is. Trust me, I've been trying really hard to keep to my deadlines but I have been really busy with school right now and my schedule is kind of full right now. I hope to be done with everything I need to turn in next week so by mid-March I will be writing more often and posting faster.
Please don't forget about this fanfic, I know it's a pain to be left in cliffhangers but I am sure the story will turn out pretty good and I will be trying hard to hurry up the process.
Thank you again for all your reviews, I really enjoy them and they make me want to hurry in my chapters.
x.
"He trusts her now, doesn't he?" Will asked and Halt thought he heard some resentment in his words.
"I think by now he has realized either he trusts her or he fails." Halt answered as they settled in one of the small sitting rooms at the castle. "She is our only resource against them."
"I don't think she's only a resource anymore." Gilan added gravely, meeting Halt's eye to show the grizzly Ranger he meant it.
"Of course. Which is why Arald is talking with her." Halt replied, hiding his own feelings towards the girl. They remained silent for some time until Halt finally decided to speak. "You must be careful. I know you two are great Rangers and don't need anyone to take care of you, right? But we don't know what we are up against this time."
"Well, we had Prowessa and Maiah." Will said in an attempt to reassure Halt who instead realized how much experience he still lacked despite all the quests he had survived.
"Prowessa was different, Will." Halt replied as he worked himself into one of his lectures; he had to remind himself, however, that Will was no longer his apprentice and held back the knock on the head he had prepared.
"She was better. Wouldn't that tell us the rest are less skilled? Maiah said so." This time Gilan nodded for approval bringing Halt to the verge of exploding.
"You two nitwits! When I tell you to be careful is because you have to be careful. I don't care in how many continents you've fought or what battles you've won because I've been to most of those anyways and many more which give more than twice as much experience, so listen to me. We can't just assume Maiah knows everything about everything."
"She's not hiding anything from us, if that's what you are saying."
"That's not what I am saying."
"Do you not trust us, Halt?" Will asked somewhat hurt at his mentor's insistence. He appreciated the advice Halt gave him from time to time when he faced a big issue, but now it was almost as if this was his first day as an apprentice and Halt would still need to save his life.
"I trust you, not those out there." They remained silent for a while. There was not a single sound in the room as the younger Rangers realized Halt hadn't tried to make them feel inexperienced but rather was worrying too much and being their father.
Gilan lowered his gaze and found a sudden interest in the red and gold carpet under their feet, finding it still had a few fluffy spots where it had been saved from being trampled on. For a second he had believed Halt was trying to baby them even when he reminded himself Halt wasn't really that kind of individual. Now that he thought about it with more clarity, there was no way Halt could have thought of patronizing himself over them even when he had told them he was more experienced. But that was simply the truth and they had led him to say it out loud. He knew they owed Halt an apology yet when he lifted his eyes to meet his friend's dark ones he realized the older Ranger had already forgiven them for being "young and judgmental." Unable to help it, he chuckled at the absurdity of the whole event.
"In either case," Halt continued with a clear of his throat. "I have a feeling Prowessa realized she had to give in and her time was up. I don't believe that gap she left was an accident or exhaustion."
"But, Halt, that means…"
"I know my skills, Gilan. And I know in that combat she had the upper hand."
"Why would she let you kill her then?"
"Something is missing. I am not sure why she gave in but I am positive of her realizing her time was done."
"But wouldn't she know if she got you she would be free?"
Halt was contemplating the events of that morning. He had to admit for a second he thought the woman would finish him off though remembered there was a glint in her eye that showed she had deflected the blade on purpose just in time. He had seen the speed she could swing her sword yet when he had slowed down she had followed his pace instead of using that to gain her freedom. Furthermore, when he finally was able to penetrate her barriers he immediately knew she had allowed him to do so yet so discreetly no one would ever know unless they had been looking at her straight in the eye like he was. There was not a hint of surprise at being caught, no sudden attempt at stopping him from continuing. She had let him finish her and still she had won because she had played every single one of them the way she had wanted them to. They had all feared her and taken shelter in whatever Maiah said.
More so, she had taken all the information with her.
Halt was about to present his conclusion to Will and Gilan when he was interrupted by running outside. It wasn't loud and raucous but rather soft, almost inaudible unless they were listening. Knowing Maiah was the only one who could manage such thing they hurried to follow though by the time they got to the corner of the hall she was lost from sight. As they looked after her deciding which way they should follow Arald met them, breathing hard and shaking. Leaning against the wall, he looked back at the three sets of eyes that asked for an explanation. Seeing his flushed state the Rangers decided to allow him to catch his breath until he was ready—as long as it was a quick recovery.
Finally, when the Baron was able to speak again, he began. "I have no idea why she came out like that. She asked about the weapons and some vials? I believe she might be headed towards Rodney's offices. Though can't understand her hurry. She seemed pretty shaken, however. Do you believe we should warn the guard?"
"Only so they let her through without delays." Gilan said as he began thinking of what was happening. With Will and Halt close behind, he ran out towards the academy.
"I really need to see Sir Rodney." Maiah repeated for the hundredth time as the snobby apprentice at the door held her back. By now she had tried all approaches that could come to her mind including begging.
"You have nothing to prove you can go in there." He said looking down at her before going back to looking at the polished surface of the ring his father had given him when he had entered the academy three years before. He realized he quite liked to have the tiny blonde begging at his feet and made sure she saw who he was so that she would bend to his will. He had never seen her in his life and doubted she was from around. He could see she wasn't from the country though there was no other place she could come from unless she was from some other fief in which case it wouldn't make sense she was here since she would probably be looking for a job. Nevertheless, as he stared at her down his nose he found her factions appealing, especially the tiny pinkish nose that made her resemble a pixie from the old tales, and that narrowing of her eyes as she glared at him.
"I really do need to see him." She replied this time erasing her frown and making a begging face that could have melted him down had he not been enjoying his power.
"I told you, you have no business here. You don't even look like one of those couriers. Bet you can't even use that knife you carry to chop your vegetables."
She had an urge of taking "that knife" she carried and show him not only vegetable got hurt; however, that would probably send her straight to the hangings since he had the upper hand by being from Araluen. She still wasn't used to being treated like a dog and at times made her homesick; not a single boy would dare diminish a woman in such way, much less a Seer. Nevertheless, she bit her tongue to prevent the reply that came to her mind and instead looked for another way in. As if summoned by her thoughts, she spotted Sir Rodney walking with one of his knights just a few feet away from where the boy was holding her back. Knowing that could be her only opportunity, she called him hoping he wouldn't ignore her like the others had. And felt the boy's hand slam over her mouth as soon as the words had carried over.
From the moment he had seen her, Rodney knew that regardless of what the Rangers said she would bring him trouble. He had been discussing important tactics for the cavalry with Sir Morton when he heard her calling his name. as if her interruption wasn't enough, when he finally decided to turn she had the boy that had kept watch on the ground struggling to get her. However, before the Battlemaster could even think of walking their way his student pulled her down, slamming her on the ground, and swung his iron fist straight at her head while he held her still with his other hand pressing down on her chest. She was agile and slippery, but not strong enough—probably due to her size and complexion—and in a second the boy would destroy all she ever was without her having a chance of fighting back.
The cry caught in the knight's throat as he realized the girl would become dust in less than a second. He ran, already knowing the outcome and chastised himself for letting it go that far. However, instead of hearing the bone cracking there was silence. Maiah had caught his fist midair and held it with much struggling though unharmed. Not even Maiah would ever know what made her able to match the strength of the student at that instant but at the moment all she could think of was how to prevent her own death.
"Belford!" Morton called from behind the Battlemaster, breaking into the boy's concentration of smashing the flea that had made him look like a fool. "Belford, stand up now. I will not tolerate this behavior in the battle school, understood?"
"Yes, sir. But she…"
"She just saved your place in this school, boy." Rodney added almost too angry to contain himself from knocking the young ones' heads together. "Had you finished your job you would be heading home this very second."
"I am well aware, sir. However, I would like…"
"This is no place to do what you like."
"She stepped inside without authorization." He blurted out quickly before they sent him away. "I had warned her against it."
Maiah remained silent, knowing Rodney still wasn't as fond of her as the rest, yet itching to explain and get done with what she had come to do in the first place. To this end, she made no reaction as the boy quickly explained how he had shoved her back and away from the gate and slammed his hand against her mouth to stop her crying; furthermore, he exaggerated the way he had tripped him and finally how he had reacted on instinct.
"Watch what you say, boy. You just admitted being fooled by a girl." Morton said with a smile, sure the student was just doing his duty though didn't take away the punishment that awaited him.
"Well, Morton, I wouldn't say that with the approaching conflict." Morton flinched when he heard the sardonic tone and felt that chill Halt had always caused him. In a second he understood why Rodney had looked so distressed at Belford hurting the girl; she was the tiny maggot that had been warning them, or causing trouble, for the last weeks. Not only would hurting her anger the Baron as it would cripple any chance of figuring out what was coming, but it would mean antagonizing the three Rangers who had adopted her as a pet.
"Everything alright?" Halt asked, addressing Maiah now.
"I should ask the same." Rodney said sourly, motioning for the boy to move along. However, the Battlemaster noticed how Gilan looked at the boy as if memorizing his face in case more trouble arose. "Why the sudden rush to meet me?"
"I need to see Prowessa's weapons." Maiah responded quickly glad to get down to business. "I think there is a way I can figure out her plans—at least part of them."
"By looking at her weapons?" Morton inquired voicing everyone else's question.
"Seers carry more information in the blades of our weapons than on our person, Sir. Unless she decided to store it in her grave."
"This way." Rodney said forgetting about any trouble the girl had risen in the past minutes and eager to learn anything that would help them. "Though I assure you we've looked through them already and we didn't get much."
"You could look forever if you don't know what it is you are searching." She replied as the door to Rodney's study opened. On his desk were the six knives of the two Seers, spread out and parallel to each other, placed from largest to smallest. She went straight to the desk with a quick pace, as if trying to remain calm even in the worst scenario.
Gilan observed Maiah closely as she looked at the blades of the weapons. She was careful to avoid touching them directly as it was highly probable they had been poisoned. There was a permanent frown on her face as she tried deciphering whatever message it was they kept secret in their weapons which only intensified the clenching feeling in his stomach as he awaited for any clue as to what was going on. Even when such secrecy meant Araluen was lost without Maiah, the Rangers couldn't help their curiosity at learning more about the mysterious peoples across the ocean and their traditions and ways. Maiah had made it clear Mazoniric society was much more different in the aspects of honor and conserving the empire, not to mention the emphasis on a matriarchal society, however, Gilan couldn't help but wonder how much more was there that a single individual would never be able to tell.
At the same time, Halt realized it was this bewilderment that other nations felt when faced with Araluen's Ranger Corps. In a way, they had finally met their match; and he knew he wasn't the only one who disliked being in such a position. The whole strategy of Araluen had always been greatly supported by the information provided by Rangers, they had proved to be the turning point to ensure their victory. Yet now they went blindly to confront the new empire which until a few weeks ago had never even been dreamed of. All they had was Maiah's word for it and no way to learn more about the techniques and way of fighting of the invaders. He came to understand that if Maiah wasn't with them, if she somehow failed them, Seers would be the downfall of Araluen. And he doubted that finishing two of them and taking one away would stop the advancing power or give Araluen an easy victory.
"Would you recall where they are buried?" Maiah asked, breaking the silence as she set down Prowessa's lamniatti.
"Prowessa?" Rodney asked, confused at her question.
"Both of them. I need to—"
"You plan on digging them out?" Morton couldn't believe what he was hearing. "They…that's outrageous! They have been buried almost for a week now."
"Which is why I need to do it as soon as possible." She turned to Sir Rodney with pleading eyes. "I know what I am doing."