A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've been so stuck on this story, and I'm attempting to put the finishing touches on another, oh well.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice. I don't make any money from this story.

Araluen Castle:

Will had hoped that he could get out of telling Gilan, but Crowley had taken him straight there, told Gilan there was something he wanted to say, and left.

Will and Gilan stared at each other for a few moments, before Gilan finally said, "What did you want me to know?"

"Nothing, honestly. Crowley walked in on me using my saxe to cut myself and-"

"He what?" shouted Gilan, standing up in surprise.

Will flinched back out of surprise, more than anything, but Gilan noticed, he suddenly seemed confused, "What's wrong?"

Will mumbled something.

Gilan sighed, "Halt- we, that is Crowley, Halt, and I think there is something more to your story. Halt brought it up yesterday. We've noticed that you have been easy to scare, loud noises, sudden movements, sharp words, any of it will make you flinch. Touch or even just close proximity makes you panic, and you've been avoiding us."

Will didn't say anything.

"We are worried, any of things in Skandia was cause enough to make someone jumpy, that's not what's worrying us, it's that you are still jumpy. You're in a completely different part of the world than Skandia, you're not near any Skandians, Morgarath and Ragnak are dead, you're just about as safe as you can be, you've been that way for weeks. Will, please, just tell us, what's wrong?" Gilan realized he was begging by the end of his sentence, and tried to calm himself. Really, what was so bad Will couldn't tell them?

Will sighed, "I… I don't really remember a lot of it, they drugged us to prevent escapes or rebellions. With warmweed. But, every day, just for a couple hours or so, there was an overlap in drugging time, I could think coherently and remember things that happened the past few days. Apart from those moments, I can just remember the feelings, no specific feelings.

The Skandians were aware of this, I think. Most of the beatings seemed to take place around then, at any rate. They- it- that was also prone to-," Will paused, taking a deep breath he said, "That was when they came in for the day and they would rape us."

Will found he couldn't look Gilan in the eye. Instead, eyes were downcast, looking at his feet and his face was turned slightly away from Gilan. Why was he even telling Gilan this? How would Crowley react? Was he going to tell-

Will looked up suddenly, "Don't tell Halt," he blurted out suddenly.

Gilan seemed to startle from whatever daze he had been in. "Why not?" he asked.

"I don't want him to know. What will he think of me?"

"Well, I don't know Halt, I don't think anyone can claim that, but I wonder how we've been so blind. It fits very well, with what we know. Secondly, I'm impressed you bounced back so easily, I wouldn't have."

"A lot of it's a facade," Will admitted. "It helps if you have a rather hazy memory, too. It's not clear really, I was still partially under the effects of the warmweed."

"I'm sorry, Will, but I'm going to have to tell Halt, at least, and he'll tell Crowley," said Gilan, regretfully.

"Why?" asked Will. "Evanlyn knows, she agreed not to tell as long as I explained it myself if I was caught."

"I don't want to Will, but warmweed is sometimes used medicinally, we can't risk people not knowing and giving it to you, therefore, Halt needs to know," said Gilan pleadingly.

"Alright, fine, but why does Crowley need to know?" asked Will.

"As the Commandant, he keeps track of all major injuries rangers or their apprentices acquire so that they won't be sent on jeopardizing missions as far as possible. For instance, someone who lost their apprentice to a scotti raid wouldn't be sent to negotiate a peace treaty," explained Gilan.

Will thought for a few moments, looking for any way out, but he finally said, "Fine, tell them."

"Would you rather tell them now or later?" asked Gilan.

"Now," said Will.