NOTE: It has been eight years since I wrote any fanfiction. As a teenager I produced some god-awful Harry Potter fanfiction that I genuinely apologize for. I have since become a responsible adult with an engineering degree, a decent job, a mortgage, a stock portfolio and significantly better English grammar. Covid made me so thoroughly bored I got back into Fanfiction. Behold the results.
This series is based on The Early Years books. I have story ideas planned for four rangers but might come up with more. Let me know what you think and I will write out the rest.
CHAPTER 1 - Farrel
Young Simon was inordinately pleased with his current lot in life. While his parents were simple farmers, he had always felt like he could make something more of himself. He was lucky to be given the chance to do so when he attracted the attention of the local ranger Farrel, while sneaking through the forest surrounding his parents' farm.
Ranger Farrel had decided the boy had potential and offered him an apprenticeship. That had been but a few days ago, and now Simon was about to arrive at his new master's home.
"There you are, boy!"
Simon was startled. He had neither seen nor heard the ranger approach him, but after materializing out of the shadows the intimidating man was now opening the door to the small wooden cabin the boy had been walking towards.
"Do come in! You can put your stuff in the smaller room over there. Do you drink coffee?"
"Uhh, yes?"
"Good, good. You do not put anything in your coffee or do you?"
"No?"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes.", Simon said, a little more decisively.
"Good, good.", Ranger Farrel muttered once more. "You will not believe what some of these rangers will put in their coffee. There is one, Leander. This man will probably conduct some of your assessments at the gathering, mind you, and he drinks it with milk. Milk!"
Simon was, already, thoroughly confused. He did not know just how much more confused he would soon become. He wondered what the slightly feral looking man would have done if he admitted to liking sugar or - god forbid - milk to go in the beverage. Quietly he sipped the tasty brew as he waited for the ranger to speak again.
"Now I have already explained most of your duties before you got yourself signed up to this. Yesterday's rain has ensured there are sufficiently clear tracks for a first tracking lesson, so we will start with that. However, we first have some household matters to take care of. As I told you before, we have to deal with that ourselves out here in the woods. I will get started on the dishes and you can chop some firewood. Chopping firewood will be your responsibility for the duration of your apprenticeship. The axe is in the shed."
Simon nodded and walked outside good-naturedly while the older man started to fill a tub of water in the sink. The ranger had made it clear that they would take their equal share of the housework so he felt no resentment. He did feel another dose of confusion though, upon opening the door of the small shed.
"Err, ranger Farrel?"
"Just Farrel will do boy. What is it?"
"Well, there is only a battleaxe here."
"So?"
"Do I… Chop wood with the battleaxe?"
"I sure as hell won't. And without firewood there is no coffee. And without coffee there is sure to be anarchy. So yes, please do."
"But, with a battleaxe?"
"What is the problem with the battleaxe?"
Simon was not sure what to say. Shrugging, he decided the ranger must know what he is about and went to pick the axe of its peg in the shed. The moment it came free, however, the heavy weapon fell on the floor. Simon had underestimated the weight of the object and found he could not support it even with both of his hands.
"Ah, Farrel, there does seem to be a problem."
"Well, what is it?"
"The axe, it is too heavy. I cannot lift it."
Farrel's eyes shimmered somewhat menacingly, with an emotion Simon could not quite identify.
"Then get stronger."
Years later, Simon would think back to this moment as he sat with his former master next to a campfire at the yearly gathering.
"Farrel, have you met Halt's apprentice?"
"Yes, I was curious to get to know the kid. Halt has been so opposed to taking on an apprentice in the past, I wondered what changed his mind."
Simon nodded thoughtfully.
"He is terrible at chopping wood. Must be because he grew up in a castle."
"Never mind that, did you see what he put in his coffee?"
"Honey?"
"Yes, honey! Halt is spreading his madness around. It is not to be borne. And to think I used to believe Leander was bad with his milk. At least he keeps that to himself and does not bother anyone else with it."
Simon's face betrayed no emotion. He would never admit it to his former mentor, but on particularly long winter nights when he felt particularly lonely out there in his own fief he himself sometimes enjoyed a well-sweetened coffee and the perkiness only that drink seemed able to bring in the cold. What Farrel did not know would not hurt him, and while Simon had become very strong and Farrel had grown very old, it was still a bad idea to antagonize a man who is that good with a battleaxe.