Author's Notes~

Go ahead, shoot me. I haven't updated since September and December is right around the corner. For the longest time I had this chapter started, but I was contemplating on how to continue writing-wise. Sometimes it's not always eating putting your visions on paper. ^^' Plus I was, ah, rather busy. But hey! At least I'm not dead anymore!

Anyway, I got back to one of you via PM (which I don't normally do~) and had a delightful discussion. :) Another reviewer I know asked about how the Arridi warriors managed to get to Castle Macindaw since it was far inland. Well, I figured that the Norgate fief itself was large and a border fief looking at a map of Araluen online and to me it seemed plausible that they could make their way to Macindaw without rising suspicion since there isn't a lot of them. But that was my vision of it, potentially it could be a flaw. ;)

I'm terribly sorry that I'm lacking in review replies this time around, but I was absolutely thrilled by the some of the feedback I got. :) I was astounded by your review, Searching4sanity and it helped get me really going with this chapter. ;D

Please enjoy~!

Dance of the Crimson Knives

Chapter Ten

Crimson.

There wasn't even much of it. Yet the faintest hint of it burned Will's eyes. He hardly registered what happened, but suddenly the sickly scent of blood slithered under Will's nose. As a Ranger he's been in the heat of battle, he's faced death and caused death, he's seen blood and smelled it in amounts more massive than this mere trace. Still this trace stung him most of all.

All he did was react. He had everything right. It was one shot of many he had made in the past; he drew, pulled back, aimed, and released. Damn that savage alpha! Faustus was a true fraud of a Ranger. One that should be damned to Hell for eternity. Will's hands shook violently and he sent his bow clattering to the ground, but he managed to keep his grip. When was the last time he missed his target? One only feet away from him? When had the arrow gone somewhere he wanted to avoid?

Silence hung eerily in the air. Faustus was unharmed. There was a grin plastered on his face. Pulled in front of him was Alyss, her eyes wide and her body hunched slightly over as her hands groped at the arrow that protruded from her upper arm, blood squeezing between skin and wood down her now-torn clothing. She was obviously attempting to hold back her pain, her teeth gritted together and releasing only the faintest hisses of pain. The pain he, Will, had caused.

"A-Alyss..." the young Ranger murmured in a horrified voice, feeling his eyes water.

Faustus drank it all in, straightening himself and grinning slyly at Will with his toothy smile. "See what happens when you act so rashly Will Treaty? Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from me. Apparently you didn't learn enough from your mentor." His eyes flickered over to Halt briefly as he mentioned the senior Ranger. Halt had his bow at ready, his face now hidden under his cowl. Will found it impossible to read Halt's shadowed expression, though at the moment he was thinking little his mentor, for his eyes were trained mostly – solely – on Alyss. Now they shifted to Faustus and, as a lone tear escaped him, flushed with pure fury. "Damn you!" he raged.

It was just as Will said it did Horace finally have enough. In a blink his sword was unsheathed and he knocked its butt into the gut of the Arridi warrior next to him. Havoc ensued.

The Arridi warriors at once drew their weapons without even waiting for an order from Faustus, but soon they began to fall under Halt's speedy arrows. But Will didn't care about the clashing sword or the zipping arrows, not even for the wriggling Arridi warriors helpless on the ground. He bolted over them towards Faustus and Alyss. Faustus backed away from the fray and took his leave, bolting out the door and gone in a flash. If will kept running...he could catch him!

And leave Alyss?

The Courier was struggling with the pain of the arrow. His arrow. Will was torn. He hated Faustus, he wanted to give that traitor what he deserves. He wanted to pierce his bloody heart and rid him of the world. Faustus was a ruthless fake-Ranger who abused his gifted title and turned into nothing short of a heartless monster who thirsted for blood. Will hated Faustus.

But he loved Alyss more.

Not sparing the doorway another look, Will tore himself away and knelt down by Alyss, not caring that the tears slowly, one by one, streamed down his cheek. He acted as though they weren't even there as he gently took Alyss more comfortably to his arms, gently laying her down. Let Horace and Halt take care of the Arridi soldiers, they were wrapping it up anyway.

"I'm so sorry..." he murmured in a near-cracked voice as he took his Ranger's cloak and gently wiped around the arrowed wound. He gripped the arrow. "Very sorry." And he pulled it out, causing Alyss to barely hold back a cry of agony as the arrow was ripped from her flesh. Will stroked her cheek comfortingly as he took off his cloak and pressed on the wound, blood sinking into the fabric.

Standing behind Will was Horace and Halt, now done with the Arridi warriors. They weren't dead, only wounded with their moans as proof. They still had to think of Selethen; they didn't want to kill friends of their friend if they could help it.

"Malcolm can tend to her," Halt said softly. He hadn't forgotten what the skilled healer had done for him when he had been poisoned; he had the utter most trust in him. The senior Ranger knelt down next to Will, who was keeping his cloak pressed gently onto Alyss's wound and tenderly stroking her cheek. His eyes weren't red, yet the tears still came. Halt had nothing to say to his former apprentice; and it pained him. Halt had never seen a loved one fall to his arrow, used as a shield by the enemy. He pushed his cowl back, revealing the intense worry that had filled his eyes for Alyss. Halt was quite fond of his wife's apprentice and it hurt to see her like this.

Will managed a small nod, failing to speak. He slid his hands under Alyss and lightly lifted her up, careful not to jostle her too much. Horace spoke up as Will went to take Alyss into the other room so she could be comfortable on the bed. "I'll get Malcom," the knight offered, not waiting for an answer before bolting off.

Alyss now lay unconscious on the bed provided in the next room. All Will could do was sit by hopelessly and hold her hand as though letting go would lose her, even with the assuring fact that, as long as Malcom was on his way, things were going to be fine. However there was more irking him.

It felt like ages until Horace finally returned with Malcolm to attend to both Alyss and the Arridi warriors. He ushered Will away as he worked with the Courier, concerned that Will would protest to anything he might have to do. It was standard, Will supposed, even if he didn't like being asked to leave.

Will held his head low in the other room, his hands clamping together where he sat. One day brought what felt like a year's worth of grief. He didn't even look up as his mentor came to sit next to him, though he didn't speak. Together they sat in silence, knowing that it was all they could do before getting their thoughts together.

When Will finally did speak, his voice was dry and quiet. "He was right there..." he said. "Faustus. He was feet away from me – from us – and he escaped. We had him. And he got away."

"He lost his castle," Halt replied with a shake of his head. "He managed to seize a castle with a small band of Arridi warriors and he failed to keep it. Now he's on his own again with no Arridi warriors."

Will wasn't satisfied. "He left with...with that smug look on his face...!" Will bit his lip and clenched his fists.

Halt now stood up abruptly, catching Will a bit off guard, and stared down sternly at his former apprentice. "No Ranger lets the enemy get to them," he said firmly. "No matter what they do. Once you let them take a mental stab at you, they've won. That's what happened today. He baited you mentally and you took it." He softened. "But you managed to let go by letting Faustus go for Alyss. That's how we're going to win against him."

Hesitantly Will looked up at Halt, staring at him for a long moment before speaking. "Have you figured that this whole time?"

"Only just recently do I know that," Halt corrected. "Believe what you will, but once Faustus was a fine Ranger, a damn good one at that by skill and soul. Something snapped in his mind and now his will is gone and mind clouded. Whatever venom he drank he wants to feed others. That's what he's doing. That's how he's winning." After Halt finished, he stood there for a long moment and looked down at the silent and thoughtful Will, who's gaze was astray.

Before anything else was said, Malcolm opened the door with bundles of herbs for the Arridi warriors. He gestured to the other room with his head. "She's fine now. Tired, but fine. Arm wounds are usually nothing to concern too much about as they are rarely ever fatal."

Relief overflowed Will's face as he rose to his feet and dipped his head gratefully to the healer. "Thank you Malcolm, yet again. It'll be impossible to repay you in this lifetime." What Will could have possibly done in the past without Malcolm's assistance...Will had feared the worse. It was thanks to Malcolm he still had Halt to be here to guide him. Now Malcolm aided the love of his life.

"You know better, Will," Malcolm said with a kind smile. "Healing is what I do. Go in and see her."

Will gave Malcolm one last nod of gratitude before briskly moving past the healer and into the room. There on the bed was Alyss, her head propped up by pillows and her arm bandaged up nicely; he saw no visible blood stains. As Malcolm had said, the Courier was indeed tired as Will could see by her half-closed eyes and her steady, sleepy-like breathing. Upon seeing him, her eyes lit up significantly. As though it hadn't been Will who caused her suffering.

"Will!" Alyss breathed, happy to see him as he walked forward to take a seat by her bed. Despite it all, Will couldn't resist a smile to see her happy and well. Instinctively he reached out and stroked a loose strand of her sunny hair out of her face. "Good to see you awake and alright," he said softly.

The Courier placed her hand over Will's as he stroked her hair. "I've heard of Couriers who have gone through worse," she said, shrugging it all aside. How could she do that so easily? Did she not remember what had happened? Will was almost afraid to bring it up. No, he was afraid.

"You sure about that?" Will asked, biting a little of his inner cheek as he said so.

Alyss tilted her head in confusion at Will and gave a small, unsure laugh. "Of course. I mean, I'm not dead so already I'm out of the running." Sadly there were accounts of Couriers killed on their missions, albeit rare, but always possible.

Perhaps Alyss could, but Will couldn't just let it go. "Have any of them been shot by someone they loved?" It was a question Will found physically painful to ask and nearly visibly winced when he asked it.

Traces of her laugh and smile were washed away and turned into a deep frown etched on her face. Carefully she lifted herself up, gently moving away Will's hand as he tried to stop her, and placed her hand on Will's shoulder. "You know I don't blame you," she said. "All I care about is that I'm fine, and that the arrow wasn't meant for me. You know that."

"But I was careless," Will protested. "I wasn't being a Ranger. I acted before I thought. My foolishness got you hurt. I..." he shook his head. "I wasn't thinking...of anything else but piercing his heart as soon as that dagger touched your skin."

For a moment Alyss was silent. Then she smiled and said in a sly whisper. "Do you want to know a little secret?"

This caught Will off guard and he lifted his head. Alyss laughed lightly and gestured for her to lean closer with her finger. Will, unable to resist his curiosity, leaned forward so that his face was inches from the Couriers.

Alyss just barely tiled her head forward and murmured softly in his ear. "Flesh wounds like these come and go. Love's here to stay. That's what matters."

Her soothing words sunk into Will like warm spring water fresh from the waterfall. His eyes drifted close in thought and a smile slipped onto his face. He had been a fool after all. Alyss, as she was so often, was right. The Courier knew what went on, she knew the circumstances, and still she was willing to move forward with something she knew will last forever.

Will just opened his eyes as Alyss leaned forward and stole from him a long and quite- needed kiss, her good hand wrapping around his neck as she claimed him for her own. Forever.

With a gentle click the door shut behind Will. He left Alyss sleeping peacefully on the bed without a trace of further worry. Malcolm was still tending to the Arridi warriors, although he was finishing up. With their wounds wrapped and their lives spared, the Arridians did nothing to Halt, Horace, or Will. Rather they kept their heads down, cradling their injuries. Enemies they were, but they were honorable. Now they won't lay a hand upon the Rangers or the knight.

Still in the chair was the dead guard Will had interrogated. The arrow that was in this head had been removed, the wound cleaned and respectfully covered, and his eyes closed so that he appeared to be no more than a man who dozed off in his chair on any given day.

"Alyss is well," Will informed his friends, the small smile on his face a source of assurance to Halt and Horace. The young Ranger glanced at the Arridi warriors before looking back again at Halt and Horace. "Have they spoken?"

Halt shook his head. "Only subtle mutters among themselves," he answered. "And scarce ones. They've mostly been quiet." He looked carefully at each warrior. "They're alive, Faustus probably hadn't expected that."

"You think they have answers for us?" Will's voice was quiet so only Halt and Horace could hear, though his gaze swept the kneeling group of Arridi people.

"I'm sure they have something," Halt answered with a small nod. "More than what the guard had to offer." Of course the question was, as they all knew, would the Arridi warriors be willing to speak to them?

Either they overheard or they've read their mind. One Arridi warrior, the leader among the group, took a stand and dipped his head to the three. He was blue-eyed and dark skinned from time under the sun and he wore the typical Arridian wear. "We have answers," he said. "And we will talk." The Arridi warrior straightened himself. "Faustus has threatened one of our own. By order of our king or no, we do not serve those who point blades at our friend." The said friend, Will noticed, was surrounded almost protectively around the other Arridi warriors. The leader continued. "I am Wade, the friend you have spared is Lucius."

Will nodded to each Arridian as he was introduced. "Thank you," he said, glad that perhaps they would now have the Arridi warriors on their side. At least this group. "All we're looking for is to cease the bloodshed of our own friends." He felt his own heart ache as he thought of Crowley, and he knew that Halt felt it as well, only worse.

"And that we respect," Wade said. "For that I will tell you that our orders from our Emrikir were to accompany Faustus in taking over Araluen, taking back what long ago belonged to Arridi and more." Will nodded at this, remembering what Selethen had told them. Wade continued. "We did as we were told. Many of us opposed to it all, but Emrikir Aatu was firm with what he wanted, and we didn't want to disappoint him or our country. So we were shipped to Araluen told that we were to serve Faustus."

"Aiding him in killing the Rangers," Horace quipped in accusingly.

Wade visibly winced at the knight's words and nodded reluctantly. "Yes, and that," he confessed. Out of the corner of his eye Will could see a scowl appear on Halt's face, but the senior Ranger knew better than to let his emotions drive him and remained otherwise calm.

"What is Faustus's goal? What will he gain from all this?" Will questioned. Why did he feel it worth to throw away his title?

"We don't know." Now Lucius spoke. "He wasn't specific. He only said that he no longer cared about the fate of Araluen and saw more potential with Arridi. That's all."

They were getting no answers and Will had to force himself to maintain his grip and temper. "We have some friends missing," Will said. "Lord Orman, Gilan, and Harrison. The last two are Rangers. What became of them?"

Wade ducked his head as he spoke. "One middle-aged man was killed by Faustus. He was with Lord Orman when we took the castle and dead before Lord Orman was thrown in the dungeon."

Harrison...Will sorely thought. Harrison had been a respected and loved Ranger in the corps. Some years ago he had been repositioned in the Norgate fief. "So we know Lord Orman is in the dungeon," he said, relieved that at least he was still alive.

Halt nodded to Horace. "Find a guard to take you there and we'll have Malcolm tend to Lord Orman." He paused and glanced at Wade. "Was he injured when he was captured?"

"Relatively unharmed. Faustus had hoped to use him as some kind of hostage I believe," Wade answered.

Without another word, Horace left to take care of it, leaving Will to continue questioning the Arridian. "And Gilan?" he went on to ask. "He was another Ranger who was sent up here to investigate and alert Norgate. Did you come across him?" Will didn't realize the small vibrations in his hands from his nervousness of the question. He could see Halt now intensely watching Wade, leaning forward and waiting expectantly for an answer.

Wade's fingers tangled together, hesitating only a little before carefully proceeding. "We did see a young Ranger from the walls of the castle," he began. "Faustus ordered us to remain inside the walls of Castle Macindaw and out of sight. We did as he said. As Faustus tells us, he caught the young Ranger by surprise and dumped the body somewhere. Your friend is dead."

Your friend is dead.

Horrid words those were.

Will didn't realize how much he was shaking, or how wide his eyes had become as he shakily rose to his feet. He could barely register the soft sorry he was receiving from Wade, his hands had become fists and water blinded his vision.

"Gilan..." Halt said softly. The harsh reveal was like a stab at the senior Ranger's heart upon the fate of his former apprentice. To himself he had always said that, even including Gilan, it was Will who most of all was special to him. More than ever now did he regret ranking his apprentices as he did. First his friend and now his once-apprentice? How much further was that bastard going to go? He could feel a single wet drop slide down his cheek, perhaps the first of many more to come.

"No..." Will spoke, his voice soft and firm in a way that caught the attention of all those present. "You said so yourself Halt, we can't let Faustus win like this." There was a flicker of strength in his eyes. "It was Faustus who claimed to have killed Gilan. I won't take his word. Not a chance!" Will was done letting Faustus toy with him. Until he physically could see Gilan for himself, Will will not believe anything.

Despite it all, Halt cracked a small smile. How shameful it was that he was ready to let it all go after what he told his apprentice earlier. He lifted himself and gave a nod to Will. "How right you are. We aren't giving Gilan enough credit."

Behind them the door swung open to admit Horace and with him the familiar pale sallow-faced lord. Orman, weakened, was right with Gilan and looked on at Will and Halt. Even with his weakened state by Faustus, Will noticed how significantly Orman seemed to have improved; he looked more formidable and stronger, the dark shadows under his eyes gone and a new strength to his overall character.

"I believe I again owe you a thanks," Lord Orman said, dipping his head to each in turn. "Twice my castle is taken from me, twice you come to my rescue." There was a dash of shame in his grateful tone.

"I take it Faustus fled the castle," Halt said after nodding in return to Lord Orman. "There is little sense in going after him at this point."

Lord Orman narrowed his gaze curiously at Halt. "What is it you propose we do then?" He was seeking to redeem himself and Macindaw. Will leaned in closely, he too perked curiously at what Halt proposed on doing.

"Nothing," Halt said. "The other Rangers have already been alerted and actions are being taken. I believe King Duncan wants them all to meet up at Castle Araluen. Chasing Faustus around has proved useless to us. It's about time he comes to us."

Author's Notes~

There you have it! Reviews are loved and I'll try not to take so long next time around.

Although I'm unsure as to how often you'll be getting updates. I'll try to update as often as I can, but I can't make promises. Although I do have a rule for myself 'one ficlet at a time' I'm already making plans for future fics. Sadly they aren't Ranger's Apprentice. ^^' But don't worry, Dance of the Crimson Knives isn't a fic I'll be forgetting. ;) I like to finish what I start.