Strider sat up quickly, casting the heavy covers off and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. It wasn't until her feet hit the floor that Strider realized she was wearing someone else's clothes and sleeping in someone else's bed. The trousers the healers had lent her were inches too long and she was swimming in the oversized plain tunic. Her hand was wrapped so thickly in bandages she could barely bend her fingers. She searched the simple room for her own clothes, but the dress she'd been wearing—Cassandra's dress—had been a shredded ruin the healers had immediately discarded.
Halt's cloak on the other hand had been in much better condition, and the healers had washed it before folding it neatly beside a small basin of clean water. Strider used the basin to rinse her face and smooth her hair back into a tail, her ribs protesting as she reached her hands up. It was difficult with her heavily bandaged hand, and she managed what she hoped was a presentable tail before searching the room for any other possessions. Her knives were nowhere in sight and there were no boots beside the door or beneath the bed.
Strider cast a wistful look at herself in her mismatched clothing and her bare feet, then sighed and stood to head for the door. She had to find Halt and Fell and potentially even Mortimer, although she felt a pinprick of dread at the thought of running into the latter, especially in her current attire. Strider felt awkward at best wandering the castle in her bare feet, but the missing weight of her weapons made her feel entirely naked. With this in mind, Strider grabbed Halt's cloak before carefully poking her head out of the room and glancing both ways. Once she was confident the way was clear Strider slipped out into the hallway and headed out of the medical wing, pausing only once to let a healer know she was leaving.
"Hold on just a moment, I'll get Mistress Beatrice," the woman said as she hurried off.
"Sure," Strider said. "I'll wait right here." The Shadow watched the woman round a corner in her search for the Head Healer before she turned on heel and began to hustle her way out of the medical wing.
"I'd rather run into Morty," Strider muttered under her breath.
Fell walked home to the Shadow's headquarters with a sense of worry dogging his steps. He washed quickly, scrubbing every remnant of the previous night from his skin before dressing in clean clothes. He ate a quick meal of flat bread and cold meat before gathering a few of Strider's things, including a change of clothes and a spare set of boots. He saddled his horse and Strider's and set off for the castle at an easy trot. He made good time and was tethering the horses to a trough when Halt waved to him from an archway leading into the castle.
Fell untied the bag of Strider's things from his saddle and slung it over a shoulder before walking to the Ranger. For once, the Ranger's distinctive cloak was absent from Halt's attire. Fell didn't think he'd ever seen the grizzled old Ranger without it. "Hey Halt, it's sure been a while," Fell drawled in way of greeting. "How are things?"
"As well as can be expected," Halt said. He nodded to the guards who were posted at the entrance and they let them pass without question. Fell noticed the guards were older men who appeared to be veterans of some sort. They weren't the young and inexperienced fighters that had been posted at the entrance the day before. "You've come to collect Strider?"
"Something like that," Fell said. He hoped Strider would be well enough to travel by the end of the day. The thought of her being behind the walls of Castle Araluen indefinitely made Fell's skin prickle with unease. They'd been partners for a long time, but Fell couldn't be of any help to Strider if they were separated by the impenetrable walls of the fortress.
"I wanted to thank you again for your help last night," Halt said as he led Fell towards the medical wing. "Cassandra wouldn't be safe if not for the two of you."
"Glad we could help," Fell said shortly. He was eyeing the Ranger with a bit of interest, trying to discern what angle Halt was playing at. Fell had known the Ranger long enough to know Halt was not one to spend time thanking others for their help, even if he did appreciate it. Fell had a feeling Halt had more to talk about. Sensing Fell's anticipation, Halt simply walked in silence for a few moments until Fell was nearly bristling with impatience. Fell reminded Halt of Gilan, and it was hard not to mess with him, just a little.
"Was there something else?" Fell finally burst out. Halt hid a small smile and gave an easy shrug.
"There is one more thing. I'm heading back to Redmont in three days to handle the Cult that're moving into the area."
"You have enough men to take with you then?"
"Almost," Halt said, "I have just one more person in mind."
Strider peered carefully around the corner ahead, checking for any sign of the Captain of the King's guard. She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to slip around the corner when a heavy hand clapped onto her shoulder.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
Strider would know the ham-fisted individual anywhere, but she still flinched in surprise as she half turned to her captor.
"Morty, what a pleasant surprise," she said. Strider offered him what she hoped was a pleasant smile. It was in fact, a rather poor caricature of such an expression.
The Captain's expression on the other hand was a perfect storm of lowered brows and narrowed eyes. He shook his head and began steering Strider forward with one powerful hand on her shoulder. She made not the slightest attempt to resist and simply let herself be propelled along down the hall. She was suddenly keenly aware of her bare feet lightly slapping the marble floor as they walked.
"When that witch Beatrice began raising hell about a missing patient I should have guessed it was you." Although Mortimer's outward appearance left no question about his annoyance at having to track down Strider he was secretly relieved to see her out and about. She'd been incredibly out of sorts the night before and a part of him—although small—had been genuinely worried she wouldn't make a recovery.
"Well the witch worked her magic, alright," Strider said. "I'm feeling much better, so much better in fact I thought I'd just head on home."
Mortimer scoffed so hard Strider nearly flinched again. "Nonsense! There's no need to go so soon, you ought to stay awhile."
Strider had a sneaking suspicion that Mortimer's idea of a "stay" at Castle Araluen consisted not of another night in the medical wing but a few in the dungeon. The Shadow rubbed nervously at one wrist at the thought of the shackles that would no doubt accompany such a place. She was still rubbing them when they rounded a corner and nearly collided with Halt and Fell.
The Ranger stopped easily, but Mortimer blundered right into Fell. He cursed under his breath before drawing himself up like a bear looming over his prey. "You again," he said at Fell.
"Captain, Strider," Fell says, dumbfounded. Strider raises her brows at her leader as if to say help me.
Mortimer narrowed his eyes, his grip on Strider's shoulder tightening."How'd you get here, Fill?"
Halt coughs and turns his head to clear his throat, once again hiding a smile at Fell's expense. "It's Fell," the leader says. "For the love of everything good in the world, my name is Fell."
"Fill, Foul, Fell, what difference does it make?" Mortimer waved a heavy hand dismissively and glared at the smaller man. "What do you want?"
"I came to get Strider, but maybe you call her Shrider or Shriver?"
"Why on earth would I call her any of those? Her name is Strider."
Fell's brows shot up in surprise and Strider smothered a laugh behind her good hand. His face was beginning to turn red, and he opened his mouth to say something before abruptly shutting it again. Halt stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to stop Fell from trying again or worse, spontaneously combusting right on the spot.
"Captain Gladstone, I was hoping to find you and to have a word," Halt said smoothly.
Mortimer frowned, his mind suddenly filling with a plethora of horrible disasters that may have taken place while he was tracking down Beatrice's missing patient. He let out a gusty sigh and steeled himself for the worst. "What's wrong now?"
Halt gestured vaguely at Fell and Strider. "We should let them go, it's best we talk alone."
Mortimer look pained at the very suggestion of letting Fell and Strider go anywhere other than to dungeon. "Beatrice won't be happy if Strider isn't brought back to her wing," Mortimer said.
"That shouldn't be a problem," Halt said. "I'll let Beatrice know myself that Strider had something very urgent to attend to."
"Well, if you say so," Mortimer said as he lifted his hand from Strider's shoulder. He didn't mind letting the Shadow go as long as the brunt of the head healer's anger didn't land solely on his shoulders. He'd be more than happy to blame it on the Ranger though, and perhaps wondered if Beatrice would finally meet her match in Halt. Now there's an argument I'd love to watch, Mortimer thought to himself.
Strider sidled away from Mortimer and took the bag from Fell's hands. She gave it a quick shake to judge its weight, and a relieved smile broke out on her face when she realized there were boots inside.
"Just one thing," Halt said as he turned back to the two Shadows. He'd begun to walk off with Mortimer close at his side. Now he raised an eyebrow at Strider, and the Shadow immediately began to unclasp the cloak she swung around her shoulders before leaving the healer's wing.
"Oh right," she said as she folded it over an arm and handed it back to Halt. The Ranger smiled ever so slightly, but the gesture didn't quite reach his eyes. Strider had an uncomfortable feeling that Halt must be thinking back to the evening before, when he'd awoken beneath a bed and cloak-less to boot. The look in Halt's eyes suggested he knew exactly who's idea it had been to stash the Ranger in such a place, and that he would in fact not forget the fact anytime soon.
Strider grimaced and gave the Captain and Ranger a little wave as she turned to leave with Fell. "It was a little short for me anyways," she called after the Ranger.
It's been a while! Please R&R and let me know what you think! :)