AN: I know this chapter isn't really good or exciting and that's why I'll upload more chapters. The next one also isn't that fun, but I still hope you'll enjoy!
Have fun reading and review!
Chapter 12
Halt had Will tied on his horse with his hands behind his back. He had the reins of his horse and the rope that bound Will tied to his saddle.
He had all the information about '053' safely stowed in his mind and wanted to quickly return to Castle Redmont. He would let the soldiers guard the boy and during dinner he would sit with his peers in the orphanage. That was a temporary solution, he still had to go to the King.
How did he get the name 053? What was his real name?
He saw the big castle, he rode towards it and looked at the boy. He saw his eyes filled with admiration and he smiled a little. Maybe he was just a regular boy.
"You want me to give shelter to a murderer!" Baron Arals looked at him like he was crazy, "between the children? No, I can't allow it."
Halt felt a headache coming up. They had this discussion for fifteen minutes already.
"He's just a kid! It's only temporary, Arald." Halt looked at him with his infamous look, but he knew it would do little good. Arald was more a friend than just a baron.
"No! And this is my final answer!"
"Arald, it is a week at most. I must return to the forest to settle my affairs and I can't do that if I have to watch him constantly." Arald was thinking, he had a point. There were plenty of soldiers who could watch him and it was unfair to say no. He sighed in defeat and told him the boy could stay in the castle for a while.
Halt nodded gratefully. "I'll put his horse in the stables and the boy is with the guards. I want him to become permanently monitored by 4 soldiers." Arald stared at him.
"4 soldiers? For a little boy? Isn't that a little exaggerated, Halt? ' Halt shook his head.
"The boy is a trained killer. There should be four soldiers. Let him eat amongst the children." After he had said this, he walked away.
Will's hands ached. He's currently sitting in a room where a bunch of soldiers were watching him. Normaly he could handle 4 guys, but he was unarmed and he didn't want to take his chances. He would wait for the perfect oppurtunity.
It had been just after noon and he felt his stomach rumbling with hunger. Would he get to eat something? He opened his mouth to ask, but the soldiers ordered him to come along.
After a minute he was in a small dining room. Four children were sitting there at a table, waiting for the food to arrive. He stopped and looked at the soldiers. They poked him in the back so that he would keep walking. He sat down at an empty chair and four pairs of eyes were looking at him. He decided to ignore them, unless he was asked something.
"Who are you?" Damn, it had already begun. He closed his eyes for a moment and looked at the boy.
"I'm 053." Another boy laughed.
"What is that? He asked your name, not your favorite number." The boy glanced at his friends, watching if someone else thought it was ridiculous. Nobody laughed with him and that made him angry, this kid was strange!
"My name is really 053." Will said without an ounce of humor in his voice and his eyes looked coldly at the boy who was trying to make him look ridiculous. Nobody said anything and they waited uncomfortable for the food to come.
"So ... why are you here, 053?"
Again he looked up. The girl had blond hair and was a little chubby, he saw only curiosity in her eyes and he felt fine with that.
"I have to wait here until I can see the king."
"Why are there four soldiers with you?" Asked the nerdy boy.
"They keep an eye on me." He said simply.
"Why?"
Before Will could reply, the chefs came there with the food. Everyone seemed to forget about him for a moment and he felt completely fine. He didn't like it to be the center of attention.
The food tasted fantastic. He got all kinds of things he had never tasted in the camp, even pudding! He was so happy, he liked it here!
"Want to go play outside?" Asked the chubby girl. What did she mean?
"Play?" The other girl also nodded with excitement.
"Yes! Come! We can play hide and seek?"
Will felt a bit embarrassed. What was hide and seek?
"Uhm what is that?" He asked a little unsure. The others looked at him in disbelief.
"Have you never played hide and seek? Come on! We'll explane it to you." The slim girl took his hand and he was startled by the touch. It only lasted for about a second, but he saw that the girl had noticed. She didn't say anything but simply took him by the hand so they could go outside. They explained the rules, and he thought of his training. He was good at being unseen. As long as he continued to sit still, it was difficult to see him.
They played for an hour already and he had never had so much fun. His smile was permanantly fixed on his face. What a fun game!
Halt looked from a window at the children playing outside. Apparently they were playing hide and seek, the boy was very good at it. He frowned. The boy had talent, in other circumstances, he would be perfect for the Rangers. He watched for a few minutes and then went back to his cabin to write a report.
After another hour, the soldiers called Will. He had to return to his room. He frowned deeply. This game was the perfect chance to escape! Why didn't he do it? He just shrugged. Don't waste you energy on things you could've done.
He had even made friends. The chubby girl was called Jenny and the slim girl was Alyss. The nerdy boy had not given him his name and the big guy was called Horace.
He didn't really like Horace. It seemed like he only sought a fight and that made him angry. He had to laugh a little at the thought that when it came to fighting, the boy wouldn't last a minute. He would like to experience it. He only restrained himself because he had a lot of fun and knew that if he was fighting, he had to go straight back tohis room.
The soldiers told him he could take a bath and while the tub was full, he stood before the mirror. He looked horrible! The black sand was still on his body and in his hair and the cut on his cheek was no longer visible by all the dirty sand. That reminded him of the wound in his arm. He took the bandage off and saw that the wound was full of sand and other dust. He would need to clean it.
He grabbed a rag and dipped it in the bath water. He carefully dabbed the wound clean and he soon saw that the wound was pretty deep. He'd have to go see a healer.
He decided to enjoy his bath and then he would tell the soldiers he wanted to go to a healer.
Halt thought deeply, the boy looked very different with the children. Perhaps it would do him good if he stayed here for a while. He wrote it in his report to Crowley and also thought to tell him that the boy was good at being unseen.
He told Crowley that if the boy grew older and realized that how he lived was wrong, he would be a perfect apprentice.
He also wrote the obtained information about the camp and finished his report. He let it send as soon as was possible and now only had to wait for an answer.
The soldiers had brought Will to the healer, his arm and cheek were now being looked after by the nice man. Will looked around and saw an open window. It was only the 2nd floor ... when he landed well and rolled to distribute the pressure on his legs, he should make it without getting an injury from it. It could also end with a broken leg, so he decided that if he had no plan by the end of the week, he would jump out this window.
It was impulsive, but he didn't want to die.
He was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts when the healer returned with an oil. He smeared it on his cheek and arm, which was sutured now, and bandaged his wounds afterwards. He had to come back every day to lubricate the oil again and get clean bandages and he was damn happy. This gave him the chance to escape when he thought it was necessary.
The soldiers escorted him back to his room where he went straight to bed.