Sorry, I know I haven't posted in a while, TO MUCH HOMEWORK! For all those inquiring to Halt's whereabouts, here he is!
Disclaimer: Don't own it
CHAPTER 4
As I watch the sun peak over the horizon, a yawn escapes from between my lips. I slide down the tree, ready to try and get some shut eye before I have to help around the house.
When I reach the cabin stairs, hoof beets echo through my hazy thoughts. I turn as the sound registers. Halt comes into view followed by another ranger with his cowl up. Halt's hair is now totally gray and his age is also starting to show. He's so old I've lost track.
Halt reins his horse in near the steps and swings down, then he lets his horse's reins fall. As the chestnut horse he was riding starts to wander away, a pained, sorrowful expression comes over Halt's features. He grabs the reins and ties them on the fence of the corral, where Tug and my mom's horse are grazing. The other ranger follows, but instead of tying his horse, he just drops the reins.
Halt's expression reminds me about Abelard. I adored that horse as a small child; he was always so tolerant and kind. I always wished to have a horse like him. Everyone was devastated when about 10 years ago Halt, on a journey home from visiting Gilan, was ambushed by bandits. Halt tried to fight them off, but their numbers were too large. As Halt started to be overwhelmed, Abelard charged the bandits and helped fight them off. After the fight Abelard collapsed. He had sustained too many injuries and was bleeding out onto the road. Three days later, a very depressed, weak, scrawny Halt was recovered from the road, where he had passed out from dehydration. He was found lying on Abelard, who was given a proper burial in a clearing in the woods, where he had liked to graze and doze, in the summer months. Halt has admitted to me that he believes the bandits were hired to kill him by one of the many enemies he had made over the years.
"Isabel! Come help an old man unsaddle his horse." Halt calls to me. I comply and after the Ranger's horses are taken care of, I invite them inside.
As they sit down in the living room, I go into my parents' bedroom. I walk over the threshold to my father's side of the bed. I gently tap his shoulder, but he doesn't wake up. I try to shake his shoulder, but all he does is groan and roll over. I finally just take the vase of wild flowers on the window sill, I don't pour the water all in on rush, I pour it in a small steady stream. He sits up quickly and grabs the vase out of my hand.
"I'm all wet! Izzy! I just got to bed a while ago, do you mind!" He yells and gives me a murderous look.
"Halt and another Ranger are waiting in the living room. They want to speak with you. Did my singing keep you up?" I give a fake gasp, like I care, "Oh, I'm so sorry." I turn to leave, out of the corner of my eye I see my mom waking up.
A few minutes later Mum and Dad walk into the living room fully clothed and ready for the day. While had waited, Halt and I had talked, but the other Ranger had remained quiet. It kind of gave my the heebie-jeebies, but after awhile, I just decided he was going to be all stiff and Ranger-like, and I started to wonder if he was actually sleeping.
"I see you're finally up, Will. About time. Sounds like you had a nice wakeup call. What with all that yelling, I thought you might be having a party." Halt greets Will. Then greats my mother, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, "Morning to you to, Alyss." I had wondered if they had heard Dad in the small cabin.
Dad sits down, his face turning red. "So, what brings you two to my cabin today? And who is under the hood?" The other Ranger quickly throws back his cowl. It takes me a moment, as surprise strikes me. I take in the long, black plated hair and the dark eyes that are almost black. Then it hits me, this Ranger is a woman! One of only two in the corps.
"Sorry, how rude of me, I am just so used to my hood." The women says in a very pleasant voice. She looks to be stunningly beautiful and in her late twenties.
"Good to see you again, Akeline. I didn't see you at the gathering this year." Dad greets her.
Akeline, so this was Gilan's apprentice. She's my idol, although I've never met her. I hear about her all the time, she is on the Ranger Corps Special Task Group. My dad used to be part of it with Halt and Horace, but he retired and went back to being a normal Ranger after Mum got pregnant with me. He wanted to be around more, and so he got stationed at Redmont. It is my dream to become a Ranger and to be part of the Special Task Group. Gilan, Akeline, and Xavior, a knight, now make up the team.
Hope you enjoyed
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