A/N: okay this chapter is a little bit shorter and probably a lot more messier than previous chapters. I'm really sorry about it, but it's quite hard to post a good chapter every day while trying to do my research project from school. Today is an extremely busy day and I just didn't have time to check the whole chapter and add some more. I hope you will forgive me.

Day 9

Baron Arald watched the ranger arriving at the castle. He smiled at the thought of Halt's face when he would realize what was happening in his fief.

He walked down the stairs and met the small and stocky ranger. The red hair was clearly visible from under the cowl.

"Crowley how wonderful to see you this time of year!" he said joyfully. Nothing brought more happiness than people gathering around he thought.

The two men shook hands and went inside. Crowley remained silent, knowing that people might talk if there was a strange ranger in the castle. So when they finally reached the private room of Arald he took his cloak off and smiled broadly.

"Well where is our little devil?" he asked, eager to hear more about the plans for the coming days.

Arald's face fell as he answered "Will has gotten sick yesterday, probably because he had too much to do. I got a note from Lady Pauline saying he is getting better fast so he should be running again by tomorrow, knowing him."

Crowley could see the humor in the situation. It came to no surprise for him that Will had worked himself sick to keep a secret from Halt, especially when you considered they lived together under the same roof.

"Hah, seems like he could use some help from the masters of celebrations don't you think." Crowley knew Baron Arald loved festivities so it should be easy to gather enough supplies.

"I was thinking the same thing as you! You should look at what I bought, it's downstairs in the cellar. No one will find it there and Halt will never look there." An evil grin spread around the Baron's face and it made Crowley more than curious.

They walked to the cellar and Arald opened the door to show what was inside. Crowley burst out into laughter, tears rolling down his cheek. If it wasn't for his body getting older he would be rolling over the ground right now, laughing for eternity.

"This… HAHAHAHA…. Is... HAHAHA….. the most…. HAHAHA…. Terrible thing….HAHAHA…. I've ever seen. Halt will kill you for it, but I would gladly give my life for you if you give this present… HAHAHA."

He grabbed his stomach feeling his muscles getting sore from laughing, but somehow he couldn't stop. Even Arald had started laughing and the two of them were like little children giggling. Eventually they decided to close the door, because they couldn't stop laughing when they kept looking at it.

With pain in their stomach and tears still running down their cheeks from laughter, they went back to the private room.

After a while the two had come around and starting discussing practical matters. Baron Arald was the first to stop the terrible giggles.

"So I think it would be best to lure Halt out for a day, preferably more days so we can arrange everything. Do you have any genius ideas?"

Crowley still having hiccups from laughter thought about it. "Well I could come to him and say there is an urgent mission. I'll convince him that Will is not ready to come along, that would give you some time to make preparations."

But Arald immediately saw a problem with that, "how would you tell Halt that there is a mission in his own fief, if there was something going on then Halt would know it."

Crowley nodded "I was thinking about something in Whitby, it's not far away from here but important enough for Halt to go there."

"Okay that's settled then." The two men smiled at each other still not entirely over their giggling fit.

"Tea? Why don't I get coffee?" Will looked at the tea as if someone had told him there was mud in it.

"Because you're sick, coffee is not good for you right now." Said Halt grumpily. He was happy his apprentice looked a lot better again, but he had no desire to get into a discussion.

"I'm not sick anymore, the fever is gone, you said it yourself. Please just one cup of coffee."

"The fact that your fever is gone, doesn't mean that you're better suddenly. You are still shivering, I can see on your face that your head still hurts, so no complaining." Halt saw the mouth of his apprentice open once again and decided to shut it immediately "one more word about your coffee and I'll send you straight back to bed."

Will's mouth closed immediately. It had cost him all he had to convince Halt this morning that he could sit in the living room. Actually it was mostly thanks to Lady Pauline he was allowed to get out of bed. She had given Halt a meaningful glare, which somehow convinced him.

Halt remembered this morning when he had breakfast with Pauline. Will was still asleep and all seemed fine, but still he had to check everything.

Of course Pauline had noticed the dark eyes staring every second into the room where Will was sleeping. "You know he doesn't get killed if you stop watching, right?" she asked while taking her tea.

"Just making sure the fever is not back or anything, I don't want to mess up his training anymore than it already is." Halt knew he didn't convince her with his explanation. She knew perfectly well that Halt was still worried and he was still blaming himself for what happened. But Pauline decided to play along with his explanation.

"Yeah sure, that does also mean he will be training by tomorrow, right? I mean he looks alright, he can probably take a walk outside in the afternoon today when he wakes up."

It got the effect she wanted, Halt's eyes shot up. "No he's not going anywhere today or tomorrow. He can go outside when I think it's safe again."

"Halt we had the discussion yesterday already. Promise me you don't keep him on a leash. He can make decisions for himself perfectly fine."

Halt nodded in defeat, she was right and he knew it. In just a few years Will would have his own fief and own responsibilities. He had already shown he was quite capable of taking care of everything, including himself.

"Fine I promise. But don't look at me if he does something incredibly stupid."

As if Will's unconsciousness knew this was the perfect time to wake, he tried to sit up in his bed. Halt had immediately stood up and asked how he was feeling. Aside from a headache and feeling he could still sleep for days, Will actually felt pretty fine.

He wanted to get out of bed but was pushed back by his mentor. Immediately a cough came from the other room and Pauline was staring at Halt. Halt knew his days of torment were only beginning as he had to give Will some space to make his own decisions.

Lady Pauline walked away from the cabin, back to the castle. She had made sure that Halt wasn't such a worrywart anymore, to great relief of Will. But she knew Will couldn't get out of the cabin today, while he was still slightly sick. So she had to inform the others and make sure everything was still going according to plan.

When she walked through the forest she noticed a presence behind her, but she didn't see anything. She took up the pace and got her little knifes ready. She could almost feel the breath tickling in her neck.

"So how is Will doing?" with the speed of an hyena she turned around and almost hit Gilan with her knifes.

"Gilan, why the hell would you sneak up on me like that?" she yelled losing all of her usual grace.

Gilan was utterly astonished by the outburst. He thought he had been loud enough not to scare her but clearly he was wrong. When he had seen her taking the knifes out he thought it would be best to speak up, also a mistake.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew it was me" he said with a sheepish smile.

"Well clearly not, next time try humming or something so I know it is you. You rangers are always far too quiet."

Again Gilan smiled but decided to change the topic. "I'll try next time. Anyway, how is Will?"

"He's getting better, just a slight cold it seems. He was out of it yesterday but this morning he seemed a lot better."

"That's great, when he collapsed two days ago I really thought it was something more serious. Halt hasn't find out anything right?"

Pauline shook her head, "No Will had been mumbling in his sleep about the preparations, but I managed to keep Halt away from him. I don't think he really suspects something."

"Well luckily it is just a few days 'till Christmas, I don't think it's healthy for any of us to do all this. I almost forgot to tell, but I saw Crowley arrive at the castle this morning so it's probably best if we meet them there. Let's see what those two are planning."

Pauline smiled, she had known Arald for quite some time now and knew he was always going beyond every limit for festivities. Crowley was a man of great mischievous and she feared those two men together would make Christmas a living hell for Halt. But maybe if he survived this year's Christmas, he would be willing to celebrate it in private with her next year, she thought

Oh guys, I would really like to tell you what the surprise from Baron Arald is but I'm afraid you have to wait. This surprise was my whole motivation to write this series, and right now I'm literally Crowley, laughing like hell.

Okay again this wasn't my best piece and I'm truly sorry. I'll make it up to you guys.

Hope you still enjoyed it, and I'll see you again tomorrow!