The ride back to home to Redmont was uneventful. For three days the party traveled almost leisurely, taking their time as they rode through the familiar territory. Will felt that everything looked the same, but somehow it had all changed in his perspective. The brief time that he had spent with Liam made him realize just how much he'd been blessed.
Will may have been orphaned as a baby, but he was by no means alone in the world. Since the time Halt had delivered him to Redmont's ward, Will had been shown nothing but love and care for his well being. He had "siblings" that shared his life at the ward, and became his dearest friends. Poor Liam had no one now, and Will was determined to make sure he was able to stay at the ward as he had.
Halt urged Abelard closer to Will. "Liam has a question for you." Halt nudged the boy.
"Mr. Will, can I ride with you?" Liam asked a little sheepishly. It was the first time he had requested anything, and Halt guessed that it was because he was getting nervous about leaving their company. The thought that he may be bored hadn't crossed his mind.
The grizzled ranger couldn't help a smirk at the comment. " 'Mr. Will.' Isn't that precious?" his words thick with sarcasm. " He doesn't know you very well yet, does he?"
A broad grin creased Wills face as he reached over and helped Liam across to join him. The little boy looked up at him, then reached out and hugged him warmly. It was an uncomfortable reaction but Will graciously deigned to return the gesture. Will wasn't used to such affectionate attention. He much preferred Halt's stoic tendencies.
The day was waning and as the sun began to set, the crenellations on the battlements of Castle Redmont suddenly appeared over the treeline in front of them. The red, iron-stone glinted in the low angled sunlight, and was sharply contrasted by the purple and pink hues that tinged the clouds. The rangers were more than pleased to be nearing home. This short excursion had turned out to be almost epic in it's entirety. It was wearing on Halt's already strained nerves.
"I'm going on ahead to the castle. You take Liam and get him cleaned up, and feed him. I need him to make a good impression when he finally meets the Baron." Halt studied Will's face. There was a slight look of terror hidden in his eyes. "You'll be fine. After all, he isn't a baby."
Will blinked in disbelief as he watched his mentor canter away. He looked down at the dirty, dusty little boy. His appearance presented more of a job than Will knew how to deal with. His hair was scraggly, and unkempt, his fingernails were much too long, and filthy, the clothes that he wore didn't even fit. The young ranger was at a loss for how to "clean him up", as Halt so candidly put it.
"Well, you heard him. Lets go see about getting you ready. Got any ideas how to do that?" Liam smiled up at him, and Will rolled his eyes. "Didn't think so."
"Oh, Will, he is so cute! Where did you find him?!" Jenny was making over Liam as if he were some stray dog. "I could just eat him up!" She was fussing over him so, that neither she nor Will had noticed Alyss enter the courtyard outside the kitchen.
"So, can you help me." Will pleaded. "I have to have him ready to meet the Baron, so that Halt can talk him into letting him stay in the ward."
Alyss came closer as she heard the desperation in her friend's voice. "I'll help." She said, her soft voice startling them both,
"I'll help too!" Jenny chirped, as she took Liam in one hand and Alyss in the other, leading them away to begin the transformation.
"Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how much I..." There was no need to say more, for the two girls had already disappeared into the kitchen. "appreciate this." Will finished the statement, to no one in particular.
He milled around the courtyard for an hour, waiting for the trio to emerge from the closed doors. He was beginning to question his decision to ask for help, when finally the doors parted again to reveal a very different child.
"How,...He's so... He.." Words to describe what he saw escaped him. "This is amazing!"
"You're welcome." Alyss smiled. "It was nothing. This little fellow is so sweet, and he can tell such funny stories. Why didn't you ever tell me that you snored?" she asked innocently.
Will ignored the jab, and instead circled Liam, taking in the changes that had been made. He wore a plain green tunic cinched with a thin leather belt, and dark leggings that actually reached his ankles. The tattered breeches he'd been wearing, hung only just below his knees. Somehow the girls had even gotten him a new pair of boots that fit him perfectly. His hair was trimmed neatly, and had been brushed until it lay flat to frame his small face.
"I thought we'd never get the knits out of that hair!" Jenny giggled. "Doesn't he look perfect? I think the Baron is sure to let him stay."
Halt slammed the door to the Baron's study and fumed into the anteroom where Will and the newly refashioned Liam waited patiently, in agonizing silence.
"The Baron refuses to hear reason! He simply won't give an inch on this, and it makes no sense." The gray bearded ranger was running his hand over his beard in irritation. "In all my years of service, I haven't asked one thing of him and..." He was cut off as the door to the study opened and shut once more.
Halt had been so consumed with his bitter tirade that he hadn't noticed his apprentice ghost by him and enter the other room. He stood stunned and almost went after him when Liam reached up and touched his weathered hand. "Mr. Halt, are you angry because of me?" the innocent eyes melted the normally icy, expressionless face.
Halt huffed, but calmed himself to speak civilly with the boy. "No, I'm angry because..." he stopped himself short of saying something unfit for juvenile ears. "I'm just angry that's all." It was a weak response, but at this point he didn't care.
"My papa always says that being angry doesn't help anyone. It only gives you heartburn." His little hand was patting Halt's, and he stared up to see if what he'd said had any affect on the man .
Halt couldn't quite stifle the snigger that was hiding in his throat. This boy probably didn't even know what heart burn was. "Your papa was a very wise man." he managed to say straight faced. He ruffled Liam's hair. "Let's hope Will has more luck than I did."
"Baron Arald, ..sir..um, My lord,.." He always fought with which address was correct. "I don't understand. Is there anything that can be done to change your mind?" Will respected this man very much, and didn't want his view of him to be tainted by a misunderstanding.
"I can't change the rules for every sad, sob story I hear. I explained to Halt, I can only take the offspring of those in my service. There isn't any room for more wards at this time." The baron cast his eyes to the desk in front of him. He really wanted to help but he was duty bound to make sure that the wards already at Redmont, wouldn't be shorted because had placed too many children there to be cared for properly.
In a last ditch attempt Will stepped forward and peered into Arald's eyes, "But you took me, sir. Liam saved my life. I have to do something to help him. Please..." He could feel the moisture rising in his eyes. He tried desperately not to let it spill over onto his cheeks, but one slow tear trickled it's way down to his chin, and he refused to draw attention to it by brushing it away. He stood stubbornly and waited.
The baron was quite fond of this young man. Will had saved his own life not so long ago, and he understood the feeling of debt that was gripping the boy. "Alright Will, I acquiesce. Liam can stay, but you have to talk to Master Henrick and explain why I am sending him yet another mouth to feed."
The air in the room instantly became lighter, and Will nearly jumped up and down as he repeatedly thanked the baron. "You won't regret this, I promise he won't be any trouble."
Baron Arald showed Will to the door, and in opening it, he stole a glance out at Halt who gave a subtle nod of acceptance of the situation, when Will bounced out and announced that the baron had consented to let the boy stay.
"Just can't do it, eh? There's no way, eh? You've gone soft in your old age." Halt harangued. He held no ill will toward the baron. He understood the position he was in, and was grateful that he had changed his mind. "Thank you, Arald."
"That boy of yours is as stubborn as you are. You really train them well." The baron thudded Halt on the back and made his exit, leaving his friend to tend to the matter of taking the new ward to his new home.
"Can I take care of it, Halt? There is something I need to do." Will asked solemnly.
"If you think you can, be my guest. I have reports to write anyway. Might as well get started now." Halt said his goodbyes to Liam, shaking his hand firmly. Liam shook the hand that was offered him, then slipped past it to embrace the shocked ranger. Halt was never one for physical shows of affection, but managed to hug the boy back. He untangled himself quickly and left his apprentice to his obligation.
Will directed the way to the ward, and conducted Liam to a seat outside the wardmaster's office. "Wait here, I have to go and see the master before I take you to him." Liam was trembling a bit and the older boy knelt down to face him. "Don't be scared. I'm just in the other room. I'll be back in a second. I promise."
Will knocked on the tall wooden door, just as he had done so many times before, only the purpose of his visit was much different this time. He still felt a strange, subdued fear gnawing away at his insides.
"You may enter," came the deep reply from inside the office. The young ranger permitted himself a moment to collect his thoughts, then pushed through the doorway to stand in front of the man who had been a symbol of authority to him for so many years. It was a curious satisfaction to face him now as an equal.
Will nodded modestly, and drew himself up to his full height. "Master Henrick, the Baron Arald has sent me to deliver another ward into your care." He was employing all the diplomacy that he could muster. This was out of his element, and he had to rely on what he had heard others say to guide his choice of words. "He also said that I may need to explain the reason why he deemed it necessary to send you another mouth to feed. I was..."
The ward master held up a hand to forestall any further explanation. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure the baron knows what he is doing. I'm not one to question his judgment, I'm sure it will be fine." He stood and crossed the room to measure the changes that he'd seen in his former subject. "You've grown. It's nice to see you again, Will."
"Do you think so?" Will hadn't thought that he looked any different. Perhaps it was just that it had been so long since the ward master had seen him. The unexpected observation broke the tension between them, and the former ward felt he could speak more comfortably now. "I hadn't noticed, I feel the same."
"You have." Henrick assured him. "Why don't we go and meet this new fellow." He said as he led the way out into the corridor.
Liam was nowhere to be found and Will had a sudden start, but then saw that he had found his way to the other children. He was easily talking amongst them as they made their way to their bedchambers. Will pulled Master Henrick into the shadows, deciding, as Halt had, that it might be best if no one associated him with the boy. He explained to the ward master how he and Halt had come by the child, and the horrors that he had endured. He told of the way Liam had saved him from being strangled to death.
"He sounds like a remarkable young man, much like another young man I know." Henrick smiled a genuine smile. "I will do my best to take care of him. You can say goodbye to him if you'd like. If I'm right, he'll be settling in for the night." the ward master began to walk back to the childrens' rooms, but Will stopped him.
"No, that's ok." Will handed Henrick the bundle he'd been carrying, "These are all that's left of his belongings. I'll need to be getting back to Halt and report that Liam is alright." He turned to leave, when a thought pulled him back. He stood awkwardly, shuffling his feet from side to side. "Master Henrick," He thought of how to say what he was thinking. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me, it's my job." Henrick was cut off before he could say more.
"I mean, thank you for not giving up on me. I know I was...a handful,...and I'm...sorry.", Will felt relieved to have it out in the open and a weight was lifted.
The ward master put his hand on Wills shoulder, "Like I said, it's my job."
As Will rode back to Halt's cabin he couldn't help thinking of all that had transpired. If he had decided to pursue knighthood, how would his life be now. If he hadn't been given the chance to study the arts of being a ranger, would he still be the same person. It was all too philosophical to ponder in his tired state.
Night was all around him with the chorus of crickets being accompanied by cicadas high in the trees, as they whired their zizzering song. He knew he would miss having Liam around. Perhaps, when he was a ranger, with his silver oak leaf, he would be permitted to have an apprentice. If it were to ever happen, he knew just the boy he would choose.