A.N.: Well, I woke up this morning and decided that I have to finish this chapter, even though I just posted probably yesterday or the day before yesterday(I forgot). True, I have short term memory. Extreme short term memory.
Well then, without wait, and hope you have read chapter 20 already, here is chapter 21. Please R&R as usual and enjoy!
I will be the one who takes away what you had wrongly taken.
Gilan woke. For a second, he didn't know where he was. What was he looking at? He felt a splitting headache coming suddenly. He turned his head slightly. The first ray of sun shone through the window of the King's chamber. The King's chamber?! He sat up in a sudden, memories of the past night replayed in his head. He was there, by the desk. Then a blond teen walked in. Then…Will! He was instantly awake. Will! The assassins have Will! Or rather, Will is with the assassins! Gilan gritted his teeth in frustration. If he had just go check on Will as soon as he heard the door handle creaked, this wouldn't have happened! That blond teen, Archelous if he remembered correctly, was correct. It wasn't just Will's fault, it was also their fault. He sighed and placed his head in his hands. He just don't get it. Why is the world such a mess up place? Why did Will have to run away? Why isn't Will here with them?
"I am sure you are thinking about a bunch of random gibberish just now." Crowley's voice made him look up in surprise, "It is not your fault."
Gilan gazed at Crowley, "But-"
"I really hate to say this, but it is mainly Will's fault." Crowley sighed and held up his hands when Gilan opened his mouth, "From your recall of the incident, Will misunderstood the meaning behind oh-so-stubborn Halt's words and because of that he ran away. It is not your fault, or Halt's. It is just Will's."
Crowley sighed and looked toward the window, "Well, now that I thought it over, it is not even Will's fault, it is the fate's fault. It is just pure coincidence and by chance that Will was by the door when you two were talking."
"That is…" Gilan was at a loss for words.
"Not fair?" Crowley suggested, "Life is not fair, Gilan. Nothing is fair in this world."
"I wasn't thinking of that." Gilan smiled, "I was about to say that I do not believe in fate."
Crowley just smiled and gave another long sigh.
"If you two will kindly wrap up your reunion," Halt grunted from the sideline, "We have business to attend to and reports to make."
"Yes, you are right." Crowley smiled and pulled Gilan to his feet, "We can't keep a king waiting, can we?"
"This is the first big mission I have screw up so badly." Gilan grumbled.
"You got some part of that wrong, Gilan." To his surprise, it was Halt who responded to his whine, "This is the first mission we three worked on and screwed up."
Halt turned and gave Gilan a small smile, "Don't worry-"
"What?" Halt stopped and frowned at Gilan's shocked expression.
"Halt, Halt!" Gilan wasn't sure he was about to die of laughter or of shock, "You just smiled! A real genuine smile! Not one of your trash twitch of your lips!"
Halt's eyebrows twitched in irritation, "Come again?"
"Ah, nothing." Gilan laughed nervously, "Isn't the weather really nice today? Right, Crowley?"
"Yes, it is." Crowley replied seriously, "Halt's smile is like a ray of sunshine."
"Crowley," Halt said calmly, too calm, "After all this is finished, I will give you your divine punishment. Please look forward to it."
"Halt, I was just joking." Crowley said, backing away slightly.
Gilan did not know what the divine punishments are like, but by Crowley, the oh-great ranger's retreat, he knew that it is bad. Very bad.
"Have you found anything yet?" Jenny called cheerfully as she balanced a tray of drinks on her hand.
"No." Horace groaned and coughed, dust filling his lungs.
They had decided to meet again in the library, the archives and the old records' section of the library. After some small persuading, Jenny uncovered more information about this Morten from Gilan. Gilan told her that Morten was an excellent actor with great stealth. He had also given her a portrait he had drawn for the man. Jenny had to admit that Gilan's drawing was really helpful and precise.
"What sections have you gone through?" Jenny asked, placing the tray on a table that was not covered by books or torn pages.
"The history of Araluen section," Horace scratched his head slightly, "The Geography of Araluen section, and the criminal record from about a fifty years ago."
"This guy wasn't even alive fifty years ago, Horace." Jenny sighed, "And why will he be in the history of Araluen? And lastly, why is he part of the geography of Araluen?"
"Well, you know." Horace smiled unconvincingly, "Maybe he was a big general and such. Maybe he claimed a lot of land. Maybe he was this really wealthy guy so he have his own biography in the history of Araluen and the geography of Araluen."
Jenny rolled her eyes, "Sure, if you say so."
Horace climbed down from the ladder he was using and sat down heavily besides Jenny, "I am beat."
"What a weak spirit, Horace." Jenny complained, "Alyss is still working so hard."
"Will is her boyfriend." Horace complained.
"And you are his best friend." Jenny pointed out, "That make you about equal, doesn't it?"
"Alright, alright." Horace sighed and reached out for a cup, "Let me drink mine first."
After the first mouthful, Horace nearly spitted it out, "What is this bitter drink?"
"It is called coffee," Jenny explained, "Will's favorite. Because you are his best friend, so I thought you will like it too."
"How does that work?" Horace grumbled and stood up, "Alright back to-"
"Horace, Jenny!" Alyss's voice echoed in the confined room of the library, "I think I found that creep-I mean, that guy!"
Jenny leaped to her feet and ran toward the sound of Alyss's voice, "Really?"
They found Alyss somewhere in the back shelves, sitting on the dusty ground with a large book in front of her. Horace and Jenny took their place around her.
"Isn't that him?" Alyss pointed to a black and white picture on the book.
Horace leaned in, "That does but I am not sure."
Jenny pulled out the drawing she was given and placed it lightly beside the photo, "Does it?"
The three of them leaned in close and compared the two photos and exchanged a look.
They smiled and said simultaneously, "That is him."
"So what does he do?" Jenny asked, looking back down again, "Why will he want to kidnap Will?"
"Gil said that Will went to this Morten." Horace pointed out, "Not kidnapped. He went voluntarily."
"Well," Alyss signed and scanned the page, "Why don't we just find where this creep is and drag him back to question him?"
"Creep?"
"Yes, creep." Alyss said, then her eyes brightened, "I know. Why don't we give him a name? Morten this and Morten that is starting to sound so creepy. That guy does have a weird taste for names."
"Why don't we call him Creep." Jenny suggested, "I don't want to waste my time."
"Creep it is."
"How does that have anything to do with our conversation?" Horace said to no one in particular.
"Liam, can you walk?" Arch asked his companion in concern.
William's arm was placed on top of his shoulder and he had a hand around his waist to keep him from falling. Arch tried to transfer his body heat onto Liam, for he was cold, too cold to be considered normal.
Arch received no response and he flapped William's arm slightly, "Hey, I asked you a question, Liam."
William cracked open one of his eyes and rasped, "I have a broken arm, Arch. If you don't stop that, I think you are going to break it off completely. And besides, aren't I walking?"
"No, you are just dragging your feet." Arch complained, "And you are too heavy."
"Thanks for the compliment." William remarked dryly and tried to support some of his weights by his own.
He nearly blacked out in pain as soon as he stood and Arch caught him as he stumbled, "Easy there. I never said you have to walk."
"But you asked me if I can walk."
"That I did." Arch nodded with a grin, "But I never said you have to. It was a question, not a request."
"The request was implicated in your question, Arch." William complained.
There was a moment of silence as they both made their way slowly toward the forest.
Their speed was maddeningly slow but Arch knew that they have no other way. The attack from the younger ranger called Gilan had damaged Liam severely. He had damaged the bone in both of his arms, heaven knows how, during the hit and when he fell, his own knife had cut him on the chest. It was not a large gash but the amount of blood poured out told him that it wasn't small either. If he wasn't in this situation, Arch would probably be laughing out loud at how one can harm himself with his own weapon. But unfortunately, he is in this stinking situation and he couldn't find anything funny about it with Liam's dead weight partially on him. The sleeping gas will probably knock the rangers out for the night. He thought absently, it will give them plenty of time to reach their castle. Home.
After what seems like eternity, they arrived in front of the forest. Arch decided to take a rest and sat down heavily, gently placing his partner on the ground. He took out a small piece of cloth from his pocket that who know how got in there and wet it. Gently, so that he doesn't hurt Liam in accident, he wiped away the dried blood that stuck Liam's shirt to his chest. He knew that there is nothing much he can do right now except to get him back to the castle as fast as he can.
He lied down besides Liam and looked up at the sky. It is quite dark out here and he can hear the gurgling of the frogs in the rivers and the chirping of insects. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze. It was refreshing, unlike the wind under glare of the sun. That is what he enjoyed about being an assassin so much. It gave him free reigns to roam the night, when everyone else is asleep. He turned to watch Liam. His eyes were closed and he was breathing evenly. As he watched, Liam shivered. Arch smiled, the way he-
Arch sat up suddenly. Liam shivered! Heaven save him if Liam comes down with a cold. Sir Morten will kill him instantly, well, maybe after his Lord hacked and chopped him into a million pieces, presumably he isn't dead by then.
He hurriedly kneel down and got Liam onto him in a piggyback style. Liam stirred slightly but Arch took no notice as he leaped across the river in a light footwork.
"Giving me a piggyback ride?" Liam chuckled by his ear.
Arch flushed, "Shut up. I am embarrassed to death here."
"But there is no one here." Liam pointed out weakly.
"It hurts my pride. My reputation." Arch retorted, "You will receive your punishment as soon as you are healed, Liam. You will pay my pride back."
"Your bride? You have a bride?" Liam joked, pretending to mishear, "I can't pay you your bride back if she ran away from you, Arch."
"If you don't shut up this instant," Arch looked around and spotted a tree, "I will hang you there upside down until you do."
"Scary…" Liam's voice slowly trailed off and Arch smiled.
So this is what it feels like to have an annoying little brother…He thought.
Guest/Guest 2: I see you removed the '2' in your name... Hmm, I am seriously wondering who that guest reader is going to be...No idea. Totally not sarcastic. Yup, totally not. I know this might be a little bit late considering the situation, but thanks for all your reviews! They really encouraged me to write.
Little Wishlet: I am not sure why either. You know I always read my work once after it is published and no matter how many times I refreshed the page, the new chapter just won't show up! So I got mad and quit... Well, that aside. *cough* Well, I am gonna throw Will on another mission before I let them be together. Ga, I just told you-. Okay, calm down, calm down my self... Breath innnnnnn. this isn't the end of the world. Anyways, Peace out! and have a great day. Or night, depends. :D