Authors' Notes: Hey guys! Sorry about the long wait, but I like to get good marks in school so unfortunately that takes up a lot of my time. I won't keep you any longer so here it is... the next chapter...
Chapter 8
A Little More Information Would Be Helpful
I took two slow breaths. I couldn't let the crowd behind me distract me or discourage me. The Rangers didn't react well when a sorcerer had snuck unnoticed into camp and to top it off it was a girl. Now they were supposed to believe that this infiltrator is a Ranger, well an apprentice at least. Even the other apprentices stopped their own testing to watch. Don't all Rangers have the same discomfort of being put on display when it isn't necessary? No, Silas, you need to focus. There were seven targets spread from fifty meters to two hundred meters away and in my quiver I was only allowed to have seven grey shafted arrows. I will admit it was fun to watch Crowley, Will and Halt's expression as I started pulling out my weapons. Crowley actually looked impressed that I had hidden them and they weren't discovered even when searched. I was just glad I didn't have to wear the fur coverings on the boots to hide my arrows anymore.
"I knew something looked familiar!" Will called out once I pulled my bows from inside my staff that he retrieved for me. I smiled at him and began restringing the bow, finally making me feel safer knowing that it wasn't just a useless stick.
"And where would you be hiding your knives?" Halt questioned as if he was testing me.
"Those are a little trickier to get to."
They allowed me to get changed out of my costume. Firstly, they went and brought Celeg to me because they didn't want me going out where many Rangers would've liked to interrogate me. Celeg neighed happily when he saw that I was here. It took me a minute to calm the horse down enough to grab fresh clothes out of the saddle bag. Crowley was considerate enough to drape a blanket: to give me some privacy to change. I striped down, tossing my costume to the side. The only part that I was interested in keeping was the specialized corset that Mrs. Padavick had made for me. I would've kept it on, but it didn't move with me and there wasn't the slightest possibility to do any actually fighting in it. Telling Mrs. Padavick that would've made her lock me up in one of the rooms upstairs, just for considering that idea that I would be fighting. It might come in handy one day, plus Crowley wanted to know how I hid my weapons.
"There won't be this much privacy as a Ranger you know." Halt said still not sure that how I could be a Ranger. I finished binding my chest and pulled my shirt over my head followed by my vest and double scabbard belt. I yanked on my comfortable soft soled boots and threw Beck's Ranger cloak over my shoulders. I won't be able to cheat tonight if they were going to accept me.
"Give me a while to get used to other males than my grandfather." I replied stepping out from behind the curtain.
"Well she certainly looks the part." Will said and the other two Rangers looked up from what they were doing. I smiled at him because I had started to sway one of the Rangers to my side.
"That's not the part that she needs to prove." Halt said huffily.
I tried sleeping in the Crowley's tent last night, but my nerves got the best of me. There was no doubt that Crowley wanted to make sure everyone was awake so he would only have to tell everyone once that I was going for the test.
A disapproving Ranger stood behind me, his eyes boring into back uncomfortably. The other apprentice Rangers had just finished when I stood beside them. My tester, I wagered was morally bound to his traditions. Becks had already warned me about some of the Rangers. He told me that no matter how hard I would try they would have difficulties accepting me. He also warned me that my tests, I if was to ever take them, would be twice as hard as the others just because they didn't want me and would try and make me leave. What they didn't know was that I was more than ready for them.
I raised my recurve bow, arrow knocked and at half draw; luckily, I was only going for the bronze oak leaf at this time, so I still had time to master the long bow. My tester didn't hesitate when he saw that I was ready.
"Right!" He barked and I shot the arrow at the target next to the center target. I didn't have time to double check if I hit the target or not, but how the arrow left my fingers I knew it had found its mark. "Center! Far left! Second right! Left! Second left! Far right!" As I had guessed he called the targets faster than the other apprentice's tests. All seven arrows had found their mark in the center of each target. Hiding my smile only worked a little because my tester huffed critically at my success when he saw my face as I turned around. The only looks of approval came from Crowley and the three apprentices beside me. I couldn't see Halt or Will's face because they had hidden them in their cowls like most of the other Rangers did making it impossible to differentiate between them. That was only the first test though and there were three more to pass: Stealth, knife throwing, and tactical thinking.
They all stared at me, and they could all tell that I was squirming under their scrutinizing gazes. I hope this wasn't a patience test because I was about to fail. I looked at Crowley but his facial expression told me nothing of the decision he was supposed to make. I had passed each test with flying colours. As soon as the other apprentices had finished, Crowley called a meeting for all Rangers, who had at least five years under their belt and didn't already have an apprentice. As soon as they were all gathered they fell silent and began the torturous five minutes of shifting their gazes from me to Crowley, then back to me. Any time now Crowley. Keeping a crowd full of impatient Rangers waiting probably could be one of the worst things you could do, even as an apprentice Ranger I knew that.
"Would you please get on with it?" I turned and to my surprise, it was the last ranger I thought would give in.
"We all know she passed the tests." Crowley said and there were a few grunts from the gathered. "But to be an apprentice she needs a teacher. So don't rush me Halt, unless you want to take charge here."
"I'm still trying to get rid of my last apprentice." Halt said as cheerful as any grim-faced Ranger could get, as he pulled the cowl down on the Ranger sitting next to him. A smiling Will showed up from under his cowl and nudged Halt with his shoulder. It was really strange and caught me by surprise seeing the Rangers show affection, even if it was in a brotherly. Well, I of course only knew one Ranger before this and I had become accustomed to his lack or minimal acts of affection. He also had reason for not being affectionate, and it has been a long, bumpy way since the day my father left him.
"Why are you two even here?" Crowley asked forgetting that he was still holding onto my fate, something I wanted.
"You asked us to help you make a decision and a right match, because we've known her the longest." Halt said with a wolfish grin as he leaned back in his chair. Some experts you guys are, knowing me for a few days and only as a sorcerer. Crowley rolled his eyes as he turned to the front.
"Well, try this the old fashioned way. Do we have any volunteers to take Silas Reinhart as a temporary apprentice until Beckett is back?" I didn't get my hopes up from this crowd. They all shifted uncomfortably and looked away or scratched their head when I looked at them. It was hard to tell if it was because I am a girl or they are still suspicious about my magic. Only Halt, Will and Crowley know that it is real, so I guess it is the former and not the latter. 'Please, someone volunteer.' I prayed in my head.
"Wait, where's Gilan?" my head perked up and I immediately turned to the sound of the voice. It was Will and he was searching the crowd but apparently didn't find what he was looking for.
"Last I heard, he was moping over some girl and has been in his tent for the last two days." Halt said idly.
"Gilan, do you object to taking on this apprentice?" Crowley said in loud voice. Then everyone looked around, but there was no reply. "That's settles it." Crowley said with a smile on his face and the other Rangers in the crowd relaxed and departed knowing they wouldn't have to take care of this little girl. But something was bothering me. I couldn't put my finger on it but there was something familiar about the name Gilan. A name like that was rare to come by, but because of the amount of suitors Mrs. Padavick picked out for me, it was lucky if I could remember their names halfway through dinner. Still that name didn't seem to fit anywhere.
"Ready to go and meet Gilan?" Will said placing a hand on my shoulder snapping me out of my thoughts. Truthfully, I was actually a little nervous, even more than I had been for the tests. How was this Ranger going to react to the fact that he now has an apprentice and that she happens to be a girl?
"If anything, it will get him finally out of that tent and report to me." Crowley chuckled. Will ushered me forwards, but he couldn't move me.
"Wait a second. Why are you sending me to go and fetch him? Shouldn't you go and break the news gently to him first?"
"We've already tried talking to him and it's more like talking to a stone wall." Will nodded.
"Beside, a fresh face and voice might be beneficial. Even meeting you might make him forget about losing his girlfriend." Crowley, Halt and Will shared a look. I glared at all having an inkling feeling I knew what they were thinking.
"Let me get this straight. You're sending me in because you don't want to deal with an emotionally broken Ranger?"
"Plus we think you might have a gentler touch with these sorts of things."
I glared at them wondering if I could cause them pain for even thinking about that.
"I might remind you, that I was raised by a Ranger, so my gentle touch will be as useless as yours." I was really tempted to threaten them in saying I would turn them into frogs. Luckily, they still could take away this bronze oak leaf I wore proudly around my neck. Of course they might have a hard time prying it from my cold dead fingers, but they would have to find me first.
"This way Silas." Will called and I scurried after him. "Gilan's not as bad as he sounds." He tried to ease my visible worrying. "He's... well you'll be spending quite a bit of time with him so you'll be able to figure that on your own." I rolled my eyes at him and Will laughed pleasantly.
"Thanks Will" I said sarcastically.
He led me to close to the outside of the camp. The tents seem to become more and more spread out the further we ventured on. Until at last we came to three tents all lined up under the protection of the branches of a big oak tree. I stayed a step behind Will as he walked up to the tree furthest from the trunk. He smiled encouragingly at me before opening the flaps of the small tent with one arm. I froze as I saw the profile of the face inside. Quickly, I hit Will's hand down, so that its inhabitant didn't have the time to see who was bothering him. It finally hit me: why the name Gilan was so familiar. He was the only other Ranger I had met all those years ago.
"Believe me, Gilan is the one Ranger who won't care that you are a girl, I can almost guarantee it." Will tried again to be encouraging, but I still had his wrist in my grasp.
"I can't go in there."
"Sure you can." Will tried again but he couldn't fight off my hold.
"No, you don't understand. I've met Gilan before a..."
"Well time for reunion then." Will interrupted and used my stunned state against me and was able to break free from my locked fingers. I stepped behind him, so when he opened the tent flap Gilan would have to come out to see me. "Make something of yourself Gilan. I have someone you have to meet." A groan came from the tent and a mass appeared from the inside. The tall Ranger slowly stood up not looking pleased that Will had interrupted his grieving. "May I introduce to you," Will gestured to me, saw how far away I was and had to pull me by the arm. He then tore off my hood exposing my face. "Silas Reinhart, your new apprentice." Will said with a smile and took a step back. Gilan starred at me like he was seeing a ghost. I smiled at him awkwardly, trying to hide the fact that his handsome face was the only face that made my stomach flutter like this.
"Silas?" he asked, his mind probably remembering the last time he had seen me.
"The one and only." I smiled and gave him a mock curtsey, holding my cloak out like a skirt.
"What are you doing here?" Gilan looked around, probably looking to see if I was in any danger and needed his help again.
"Well, Crowley, Halt and Will were too scared to even try and get you back into the real world so they sent for me." I joked.
"I do believe that I was the one who got him out of the tent while you were to freaking out about being reacquainted with your lost love."
"We were never... I mean, we only..." We both said and stopped at the same time. We then mistakenly turned slowly to Will. A cunning smile spread across his face because he had heard more than enough to make something of it.
"Sure, whatever you say." Said an unconvinced Will as he backed away into the shadows and disappeared into the trees.
"Not to be rude or anything Silas," Gilan scratch the back of his head. "But what are you doing here? I'm mean, this is a top secret Ranger Gathering, and did your grandfather bring you here for some reason?"
"Well it's kind of a long story and I'm thinking Crowley might want to help explain it, so to sum it up in a few words: I'm now your apprentice." He was not expecting this answer because he was frozen, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"What?" He asked as if he didn't hear me the first time.
"Well that's better than I thought it was going to turn out. How about we go and talk to Crowley I'm sure you'll believe him more than me." I grabbed Gilan's arm and towed him behind me. It took me a while to navigate the confused Gilan through the camp; luckily, he was nimble on his feet so he didn't trip on anything. "Crowley." I called at the edge of his tent, not sure if I was actually allowed to invite myself in. Crowley appeared out from behind me making the not-all-there Gilan jump and me almost. For some reason, I had forgotten that Crowley at one point must have been a Ranger, making unseen movements one of his own skills.
"Glad I can still scare some of the Rangers." He smiled and showed us into the tent. Crowley was about to say something, but as soon as we were inside Gilan took opportunity of the momentary silence.
"What do you mean she's my apprentice?" He exclaimed. Even Crowley looked a little stunned at this out-bursting Ranger.
"Well you missed a few days in the real world, and I think they were rather important."
Gilan calmed himself down. It was hard to tell if this was his normal self or if he was still emotionally unstable at the moment, having only met him once for a few hours.
"Can you please explain to me what I've missed then?" Gilan said softly, watching his tone.
"I would suggest we sit down because it is rather a long story. Silas could you tell the first part of the story, he'll need to know everything anyway; might as well get it all over with at once."
I nodded as I sat down. I looked over and Gilan was patiently staring at me with his warm_ eyes waiting for my story. Stop it Silas! Why are these thoughts even coming into your head? And now you're just stalling even more.
"You know that Beckett is my grandfather." Gilan nodded. "Well, even before we met for the first time he was secretly training me to be a Ranger. Actually, it was that year that he went and asked Crowley about it." I regrettably saw Crowley's expression when I mentioned that we had met before. Great now he and Will are going to have something to talk about behind our backs. "Anyways, it was decided that I wasn't going to take the test until I was able to take the full test and prove that I was as capable as any man."
"Then why are you my apprentice?" Gilan furrowed.
"That's not even the half of the story." I smiled astutely. "That's my problem; I haven't mastered all the skills yet." I said rather sheepishly.
"What skill d..."
"You'll find out later" I interrupted. "As I was saying, the reason I am here and why I haven't mastered everything is because Becks has been kidnapped." If Gilan had anything on his mind other, well anything reminding him of his girlfriend, he had completely pushed it to the back of his mind now he was in full Ranger mode. He patiently listened to my story, with no further interruptions. Crowley and I both waited at the end of my tale for all the information to sink in. Really, I was just worried what was going on in his mind, because his face showed nothing when I mentioned I had magic.
"There still is one thing that I don't understand." Gilan pondered aloud. "You said that they sensed magic and that's why he was taken away, but they would've had to see him before and him disappearing for them to think that he has magic."
"Well Luther probably guessed that Becks was some sort of sorcerer when he came to get me, seeing as he just popped up out of nowhere, in his eyes at least."
"Hold on a minute!" It was the first time Crowley had spoken in a while, shouted was more like it. "Who's Luther?"
"He and Maverick are the two men that are the leaders of the traveling circus."
"So now you're on a first name basis with the men trying to take over the kingdom?" Gilan asked.
"I haven't met Maverick or else I probably wouldn't be the one standing here to tell you this, but Luther was rather insistent on trying to get to know me." I shrugged
"What do you mean?" Gilan eyed me charily.
"He tried several times to persuade me into joining me, helping me like a damsel in distress, giving me his sob story of having no one to share his travels with. He also was kind of confused on why I would turn him down; how could any girl pass up a handsome man with lots of adventure to thirst that longing." I stopped remembering that I was talking to men; even in a sarcastic tone they gave me strange looks. Well Gilan's was leaning back towards his heartbroken self, but Crowley's expression kind of scared me. It was as if he just came up with the most devious and brilliant plan, and for some reason he knew that I wasn't going to like it.
"Silas please go find Halt and Will for me please."Crowley composed his face but there was still that mischievous glint in his eyes. The ability to read minds would've been a useful magic power. Unsure if I wanted to turn my back on Crowley, I nodded, pulled my hood over my head and ducked under the canvas flap of the tent.
At least everyone dressed the same here so the un-approving rangers wouldn't be able to spot me as easily. But they are Rangers, there is only so long you can keep something hidden from a Ranger. It took a while to search the faces of fifty Rangers to find the ones I was looking for. Of course I wasn't familiar enough to find them through my magic fingers, not to mention everyone had the same shape to them so I could only sense where the next Ranger was for me to check. Back in the spot I had dragged Gilan out of his tent sat the two Rangers sipping a deliciously fragrant coffee, but my withdrawal from the substance would have to last unfortunately a bit longer.
"And what can we do for the mysterious Silas this fine evening?" Halt asked, his lips hinting at a smile. I took off my hood a little disappointed that they weren't so easily tricked.
"How did you know it was me?"
"I made sure to familiarize myself with your aura so I won't be fooled twice." Halt said, his dark eyes dancing in the fire light.
"In other words, you have more of a feminine walk than the rest of the Corps." Will said his face in a smile. Either he didn't see or he was ignoring the fact that Halt was giving him a look that could put him six feet under.
"Crowley wants to see you." I said pleasantly. I didn't have a comeback worthy enough for them so I decided changing the subject was for the best.
"Took him long enough." Halt said as they stood up, downed their coffees and dusted off their cloaks. They threw their cups by their seats and followed me back to the big tent. I didn't bother putting my hood back on, the other Rangers might as well start to get used to it. Secretly, I was ecstatic that Will and Halt had more or less forgiven me and accepted me. So with Crowley and Gilan that makes five down and forty-five left to go.
Both Crowley and Gilan stopped conversing when we invited ourselves in. I simply followed suit and sat at one of the tables. Much to my demise it was right beside Gilan, and Will happened to chose the seat across from mine. He arched an eyebrow and smiled knowingly at me. I quickly replied back with a glare, one that I knew Mrs. Padavick would have scolded me and how I should act more like a lady. It wasn't fast enough because Will leaned back in his chair victoriously as Crowley and Halt were now curious to why I made that face, meaning that Will could easily tell the older Rangers making this a whole lot more uncomfortable. I was going to have to watch this one.
"Will and Halt you will not be going on the search for Beckett." Crowley said plainly, breaking the stares off of me. Crowley put his hand up before those two had the chance to whine. "Don't worry I have another task for you. Besides for this task I'm thinking we need a knight and with Horace away at the moment you're one member short of your task force."
My brow furrowed. What did he mean we need a knight? Where was he going to get one at short notice?
"I've already told Gilan this, but he and Silas are going after Beckett." I failed at keeping my smile hidden. "You said it yourself earlier, the only way to stop magic is with magic. And with the new information about the leader, Gilan and I came up with the best cover story."
"What new information?" Will asked curiously. His question was sloughed off so he turned to me, I simply mimed locking my lips and throwing away the key, smiling playful at Will.
"What were their movement patterns, so we can get a start on finding them." Gilan asked and we all leaned over the map as Will and Halt traced their tracks. Halt and Will worked quickly and placed markers on the map.
"Lucky for us they are an ever growing group so they can't move that fast. Plus they have to stop to keep up their facade of performers." Halt stated.
"But there pattern is scattered, and all we know is that they hit the smaller towns so it will be impossible for us to guess which ones they have hit and where they are now." Will continued.
"If it hadn't been for Silas and her dragon we would have them by now." Halt murmured loud enough for everyone around the table to hear. I raised an eyebrow at him. I resisted the urge to talk back but I had a better way.
"Well we know where he's going." Everyone looked at me surprised. I grabbed a marker and placed it on Castle Araluen. "Eventually he will make his way over to King Duncan; they're just looking for enough people to start the takeover. If they started in Iberion, they must've sail over in Celtica and are zigzagging their way around," I slowly moved the piece that they had designated for the circus, showing them what I meant as I spoke "and if I'm correct, this will be there course. It's been almost been a month since they were here" I pointed at my Faciem Cliff, my village. "My wager, based on their size and this arch, they would be around here, Forest Land." I smiled at them and placed my hands on my hips proudly. If they weren't emotionless Rangers their mouths would be gaping open like a fish', but their eyes told me what I wanted to know. I am a Ranger after all, and aren't all Rangers trained in tactical thinking?
"How do you know all this? How do you know they came from Iberion?" Will fired questions at me. I laughed quietly, rolling my eyes.
"This is what happens when I accidently smile at someone."
"Just think what she will be able to do when it's on purpose." Crowley said excitedly. My eye twitched. I just realised what Crowley was going to make me do.
"What do you mean?" Will asked then gave me a quick sly look before turning back to Crowley.
"Silas is going to join the circus." Everyone seemed to like the idea, everyone but me.
Next part is dedicated to Athena Silverwolf... Thanks for the idea!
Beckett POV
They threw me to the hard, uneven, dusty ground. It would've been alright if they had remembered to untie my hands first. Like every other day, they didn't care nor listen so I had to pick myself off the ground. The others in this musty tent coward near the back when they flung me in hoping they wouldn't be next. It was easy enough to intimidate these people into our captor's wishes, but they liked to keep them in here just as a precaution.
For their group of so called power beings they really weren't that special. I know one could float an inch off the ground, and another said she can talk to ghosts. Well, I raised Silas so I guess I was expecting the same calibre. I am still waiting for a hint of how they think they're going to take over the kingdom. It won't be with this lot trembling in here.
Of course they are wasting all of their efforts on me. Every time we stop for longer than a few hours it's the same routine. They pull me away from my fellow prisoners; retie my hands because they haven't figured out a way to knot them that I won't be able to escape. Then Maverick and a few of his muscle men try to force me to use my powers. I could tell he was getting frustrated. It was a good thing he needed these imaginary powers of mine or else his big friend probably wouldn't stop. They didn't believe me anyways, so why even bother at this point. "You're strong but we still have time to break that."Maverick would whisper darkly after he was finished. As long as I kept my mouth shut they would return me to the tent every evening.
This accumulation of power might take longer than you think Maverick. If you're trying to get magic out of people like me then it will give my Silas time to find the other Rangers and return with a plan. But Silas is smart enough to figure out a way to find the Rangers. They'll need her if they want to find me and stop them. All I can do now is to wait. Well that and maybe one more thing.
Authors' Notes: Oooo what does Crowley have in mind? Any guesses? And finally Gilan is back in the story and yes he will be in it for the rest, at least in the background or something but we're not getting rid of him. Hopefully I have portrayed all John Flanagan's characters and did them justice but I can't really compete with the author. Thanks to Athena Silverwolf for the idea of having Becks POV, I think it was a great way to finish the chapter what did you think? If you have any questions leave them in a review and they will be answered to the best of our ability. Also if anything is unclear please tell us so we can change it. We love idea and you might even have a part dedicated to you. What we're trying to say is... REVIEW PLEASE
Love, C & M
Firefly 1939- Thanks so much for the review, it really means a lot to us. Hope you enjoyed this chapter =]
Mrastleyghost- Hopefully I did better this time about trying to describe more instead of using "her Ranger skills". I'm still working on describing and I think I'm slowly getting better. Thanks for the constructive criticism and for the review!
Dash99- Thanks for the review! Did you come close to guess that this would happen?
Adrianna- Well hopefully you didn't die because you wouldn't be able to read this or the next chapters. I'm glad you liked it. That was really my favorite part too. Thanks for the review.