Will held up the arrow, trying to catch better light to see if the feathers were straight. From what he could tell, they were, and he put the new arrow down with a satisfied sigh.
It was the last day of the Gathering, and afterwards, he, Halt, and Horace were due to go to Hibernia. He wasn't completely sure about the details, but he assumed that they were going to Clonmel to help Halt's nephew Sean with something.
Standing, Will brushed off his lap, and looked around him. Most Rangers, and apprentices, were relaxing. Most of the testing was finished, as well as the updates that the commandant had to give. No apprentices graduated this year, so there was no party, and no one retired. No one moved fiefs, meaning that everything was staying as it was. Easy. Halt was with Crowley, at a nearby fire, while Gilan was off with the horses.
Feeling a tug at his sleeve, Will turned. Behind him stood one of the middle-year apprentices, although at the moment, Will couldn't recall their name. He smiled, and raised an eyebrow in question. The boy seemed nervous, but he didn't back down when Will motioned for him to say something.
"Ahh, Will . . . " the apprentice hesitated, looking up to him. He was- no she, her hair was cut short. Will smiled at realization, finally knowing he was speaking to. Her name was Peyton, apprenticed to a Ranger named Tate. Peyton continued, having gathered her courage, "I've—I've been confused, about something, W-Will, and Tate, my master, isn't usually open to these kind of questions . . ."
Tilting his head, Will motioned towards the log he had just gotten up from. They sat, Peyton curling her hands atop her knees, and looking to the ground. Her eyes were wide, and she seemed scared, but she took a breath anyways, and continued. "So . . . I really don't know how to describe it, but lately I've just felt . . . weird, with being labeled as a girl," she paused, sneaking a glance at Will, before looking back to the ground. She clenched her fists and jaw, and took a deep breath. "But, you see, 'boy' doesn't feel right either, and I just don't know what I should do?"
Will smiled softly. For some reason, apprentices, and even sometimes graduated Rangers, came to him sometimes. At first, he was annoyed because he thought it was because of his supposed fame. After awhile, though, Gilan had said something that it was because he was just a trusting guy. And within a close-knit group like the Ranger Corps, that was understandable. Maybe.
The point was that Will vaguely recalled someone else saying something like this.
"Actually, Peyton, I think I may know someone who can help you more than I can. But I do have experience with what you're going through, and there's nothing wrong with that. I know Tate, as do you, and if you tell him your final decision, I'm sure he'll be fine with it," Peyton's head had shot up when he started, and the nervous apprentice still refused to look at him. But they stood as he stood, and followed without hesitation when he began to walk. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, and there's actually quite a few more people within the Corps like you than you probably think."
Together, they walked down the length of the Gathering Grounds, one following numbly in awe as the other looked for someone else. Someone who had said something similar to him, years ago.
And there they were.
"Micah! That you?" Will slapped a hand on the shoulder of a younger Ranger, blonde hair up in a ponytail around their head. The Ranger jerked their head up, having been half-asleep from boredom.
"W-wah?" They looked around them, confused. When their eyes landed on Will, they smiled, and patted the log beside them. "Will! Hey, whatcha need?"
Shaking his head, Will gestured towards Peyton behind him, the apprentice's eyes switching between the two of them. "Micah, this is Peyton. I think they have a few questions for you," turning to Peyton, Will smiled. Now whispering, Will motioned back towards Micah, "Peyton-Micah. They went through something similar to you, and are fairly open about it. They won't mind any questions you might pose, so don't worry. If you need anything else, I'll be back where you found me the first time."
They nodded, still looking between Will and Micah. Seeing the look in his eyes, and seeing Micah, Peyton smiled.
"Thank you," they whispered.