Takes place just after Erak's Ransom and Will has just become a Ranger. I wrote this for Language Arts project on Erak's Ransom.
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"Will!"
Will groaned and slowly got up from his bed. It felt like just a minute ago he was getting in his bed after his long lasting graduation party. Now it was time for him to go off to his own fief that he was now the Ranger of. It still seemed new to him.
Halt was already done with making breakfast when Will stumbled into the flower invested little kitchen.
"Finally," Halt muttered as he passed Will his plate of food and sat down next to him. Will chewed his food slowly and gave his now former mentor a weak smile.
Breakfast was a slow one and Will felt a surge of sadness as he realized that this would be the last time he would be eating at this able after being yelled at to get up out of bed in the morning. Will would really miss the grim Ranger's presence. He though about how he used to feel nervous in Halt's company all those years ago. Will smiled. Now it was nothing like that. Halt had grown to be such a great substitute father over the years. Then he sighed. Now I've got to leave, he thought, I'll be on my own.
"Okay, Will," Halt said quietly as he got up from the table and put the plates away. "It' time to go."
Will nodded and they walked out toward where the horses were and Will's little pony was looking at them expectantly. Will took hold of Tug and lead him to the clearing in front of Halt's little cottage in the woods. There he could see all of his friends gathered to send him off. He smiled again. They were all there. Horace, Alyss, Gilan, Erak, Svengal, Baron Arald, Sir Rodney, Jenny, and some more of the people that he had grown up with at Castle Redmont. Halt stood in the background, seeming to fade into it as he did so.
Horace was right next to him first. He gave Will a proud smile and then threw his arms around him in a hug. Will smiled into it as he wrapped his arms around his best friend.
"Bye," Horace mumbled as he shook Will's hand in that way that young men do when they don't know what to say to each other. Will nodded and turned to Alyss.
Her ash blonde hair sparkled in the sunlight as she threw her arms around his shoulders. Will had to move his face to look up at her because she was so much taller than him. He could feel everyone's eyes on them as they held each other for a long time. He'd known Alyss longer than anyone else in the clearing and she meant much to him.
"Travel safe," She whispered after she gave him a goodbye kiss. He nodded and pulled away. "Write to me." She moved away from him with a sad smile.
"Okay," He smiled back at her and watched as she began to walk away.
Gilan was next in line. His handsome face seemed to radiate off joy and his eyes shown with pride. Again Gilan was much taller than Will and with his large body and sword hanging from his cloak, he looked much like a mixture of a knight and a Ranger. He shook his friend's hand with a huge smile.
"Bye, man," He smiled and slowly walked away. Gilan was always trying to make things way more dramatic. "Good luck!" Gilan yelled as he was already in the doorway of the cottage.
"Thanks, Gil," Will said.
He looked around and found that everyone seemed to be moving out of the clearing. They were all waving to him and yelling praises as they walked back toward the huge castle.
Only Erak and Halt remained in the clearing. Gilan was probably raiding Halt's kitchen for food to eat. Horace was visiting with Alyss on the verandah. Erak looked at Halt and they seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes. Then Erak shrugged and he ran up and caught Will in a huge bear hug that only a true Skandian could give.
"Will," He smiled. "Listen. I'm still sorry for what I did."
Will pushed the apology aside and just smiled at the pirate. He missed the gigantic Skandian. He was a kind guy at heart.
"Bye, Erak," He whispered. "Come around Seacliff sometime."
Seacliff, he had learned, was going to be his new fief from now on. It was a few days ride east from Redmont and was one of the only islands along the coast of Araluen. Halt had told him that the Ranger there had gotten old and retired so that left the spot open for Will to fill in.
Erak nodded and walked away awkwardly. Will could tell that he still felt bad for giving him away as a slave and being the cause of him almost dying from drugs and almost freezing to death even if it was all those years ago and they were great friends now.
Now it was Halt's turn. This is going to be interesting, Will thought as he walked slowly up to his former mentor. Halt sighed and embraced the young man whom he had started to love as a son.
"Travel safe, Will." He said as he let go of the young Ranger. "I'm…very proud of you." He said.
Will nodded and moved toward Tug. He said, "Thanks Halt."
Tug looked at him questionably and then gave him a look that clearing said, finally. What took you so long? Will smiled as he got onto his little pony. Tug moved his head and stood still as he waited for Will's command. His ears went strait up and he stared ahead of him listening for anything.
Will gave Halt one more smile and gave Tug the Ranger command to begin moving. He looked up into the sunlight. He remembered back when he was fifteen years old and freaking out at the idea of being a Ranger's apprentice. Now it seemed like he was meant to do the job. Now he was read to start a whole new adventure in his life. He was going to be taking control of his own fief in his country. He smiled at the thought. Just a few months ago he was worried that he was not up for it and now just a few months later he realized that Halt's faith in him was true. To keep waiting and saying you're not ready will never work because he really is ready for this. Now he was going to be a real Ranger. He's going to be the graduated type of Ranger with the shining silver oak leaf to wear around the neck. Time to go, he thought as he crossed the final pasture, marking his leaving off the castle's grounds.
