An: some warning, a hard chapter coming up. abuse implied.

Chapter 5

Cries in the night

The crowded living conditions meant that Halt and Will had to share a Hammock. So on Halt's orders they acted like it was training exercise, one would sleep while the other would watch but always Halt made sure that Will was close to him, because with the crowding came the fighting, drinking and gambling. Halt had a bad feeling that because of the boredom that would hit the skandians soon and the frustrations of the two crews as they fix their ships that Will would soon be a target.

For now, the evening meal was over and there was a massive sack full of plates and other dinner things to clean. To clean them it was easy, just take them to the water's edge and use the salt water to clean them. Will looked over at Halt, he could tell that he was exhausted.

"I will do those, Halt, you can rest, besides I am younger"Will said adding a chuckle.

Halt for his part just raised an eyebrow and said " if you are going to laugh about it, you can do the rest of the weeks as well" Will nodded. Knowing he had just left himself open for that remark.

"Well I will say this for them, Halt. They are enthusiastic eaters and don't leave much on their plates" said Will as he took the sack down to the beach, leaving Halt to get some sleep that he had been craving all day.

Slagor licked his lips as he saw the young slave down by the water's edge, his mind on what he was doing. Slagor advanced on the boy "well, well, well... what do we have here? the younger slave all on his own. Erak said you are broken, I think not. Boys take him to the ship" he said as Will tried to fight and yell for help but it was not going to happen. Even Halt could not hear him from down here.

In the morning Halt was looking around for Will. The boy had not come back. Halt could see the calm faces of the skandian crew of Slagor's ship. He suddenly had a horrible thought. Halt went outside and gazed down to the spot that he and Will would take the washing up. The sack was still there. Will would not have left that there thought Halt. He turned his head left and right, Will was no where to be seen.

Halt then thought back to the calm faces of Slagor's crew and their looks at Will over the past days. Then it clicked and he raced down the breach to Slagor's ship, he quickly climbed in and down into the hold.

Halt searched from room to room until he came upon a room that smelt of blood, sweat and sex. He found Will naked on the floor, his clothes in the corner of the room. Halt gently picked Will up supporting the fragile body.

Halt saw a bowl of water on a table on the wall. so he sat on the chair nearby and cleaned Will up. He could see he had been crying all night, the bruises, cuts were nothing to the abuse his lower body had suffered.

"I failed you Will. I am sorry" he said, as memories of a small, busy figure, that asked too many questions and brought light and love into his heart. He remembered him as he cared for his horse Tug and the happiness that he had shown when he was told Tug was his own, Halt had known that Will had never had much of his own growing up in the ward.

Will had, had a lot of irrepressible spirit but also he had courage and ingenuity and loyalty. As Halt looked at Will, right now he could see he was a broken child, but what was lost could be recovered and he would see to it that Will would make a great ranger.

As Halt placed Will in the chair, he heard the boy gasp and try to move his hands to cover himself up, soft tears were falling from his eyes. Halt gently pulled Will's clothes back onto the shaking boy. Halt could feel his on eyes moisten with tears as he finished.

Will cried out, and Halt cradled the boy to his chest. Halt talked softly to Will telling him that he was here and that he would never leave him again. Halt carried Will to Erak's ship knowing that Will would be safer there. He also knew that he would likely be flogged within an inch of his life for not doing his jobs but Will was more important, Halt knew that he had to get the shivering boy warm, To help him survive the shock of what had just happened.

"Slave Halt where be you? you and that boy had better get here now" a skandian yelled out. It must have been coming from the beach, the sound was a bit far away to be coming from the deck of the ship.

Will's eyes flashed open but all he could see now was a dark shadow, and a pair of arms that were around him on the bed they were laying on. Then he heard Halt's voice talking to him, before everything faded to black.

Halt looked at the now sleeping apprentice, seeing that he was resting easier. He decided he would go and see what the shouter had wanted, but before he could even open the door, Jarl Erak stood there, whip in hand.

"Please my lord before you use that you must realize why I did not work today" Halt said clearly. He knew that the captain needed to see the truth and when Erak nodded he continued "Will was battered and raped to the point of death and I have been caring for him so that he will survive the shock of it"

"And who was it that laid him so low?" the skandian captain asked. He could now see the bruised and cut up boy sleeping in the bed. Who ever did this will pay, they almost cost me money Erak thought.

"Have you seen how calm Slagor and his crew are this morning?"said Halt. Then he saw the Jarl's eyes widen. He could see the message had got home.

"Don't worry I will deal with this, and seeing as we are putting to sea tomorrow, your only job between now and when we land again in skandia, is to take care of the boy" said Erak before turning around and marching out of the door.

Latter on as Halt was getting Will to drink some water, the crack of a whip could be heard.

An: poor Will but at least the skandian captain dealt with the horrible men that hurt him so bad. review please.