So what's up? I'm finally back! Yeah, sorry I haven't been here. I wish this story was a bit more popular. But hey, it's only the beginning. Who knows? I'm going to try and update my other RA fic 'Identities Crossed' today. Maybe. So yeah, read and review! Please!
Mz. Padfoot14: You are one awesome reviewer! Thanks for always reviewing! And we'll see more from him!
Tessi: For the first review, I really wanted to make this different from my other story. This is probably a lot more personal and funny :) For the second, we have two questions answered! As of Yeremey's doom... well. xD You could say it's somewhat like that.
Lafd: Thank you! I try to fit in with the crowd but keep in some originality ;) I KNOW! ISN'T IT AWESOME? And yeah, I totally am cool!
Still 22 years ago...
Redmont fief was settling down for the night. All excitement had passed from the day and now the relaxation of the night was brought in. Mothers would be wrapping up dinner. Children would be begging their parents for stories before they went to bed. But not Yeremey. The youth sighed tiredly. It had been a very long and eventful day. I deserved it though, he thought bitterly. Sonera had been given the okay by Tom, the healer. And he had talked with her about it. Yeremey told Sonera of the seemingly harmless prank and he apologized profusely. She had responded by giving a gentle smile and accepting his apology. She had long been the target for most of his pranks, though none as serious as the one give to her that day. But he still felt wrong, still felt guilty.
He was walking along some street that he didn't know the name to. He walked slowly, lazily, and he kicked at pebbles. Everyone was inside their homes but Yeremey kept walking down the unknown street. A large building caught his eye and he turned his head to look at it. He studied it for a moment before realizing it was the Ward. This is where the orphans were raised. For a moment, he thought about his own life. He had his own parents. Sure, they didn't really understand why he felt the need to prank everybody but they loved him. His mind wandered for a bit. He wondered how the orphans lived, how they were raised. He made a mental note to stop by some time (during the day) and meet them.
It was awfully nice for Baron Arald do that for them, he thought. And then it clicked in his mind. He ran all the way to the Baron's office. Perhaps it had been too late. Maybe he was already in his quarters, refusing to see anybody. The panic made him run faster. Finally, he approached a bricked building. Of course, most of the building were bricked. But this one was familiar to him. He let himself inside and climbed the stairs to the Baron's office. He reached the door and paused for a moment. He could heard voices inside. He bent down and looked through the keyhole. For a moment, he felt guilty but his curiosity overwhelmed any other emotion. He could catch a few slight words such as "marketplace" "boy" and "keyhole". He immediately stood but the door swung open. There stood a young man, somewhere in his early twenties, with mousy brown hair and blue eyes. Despite the fact that Yeremey had just been caught eavesdropping, the man had an amused look on his face. Yeremey took notice of the patterned cloak that he was wearing and the massive longbow hung on his shoulder.
"Are you going to just stand there, or come inside?" he asked, a smirk playing on his face. Yeremey hesitated before stepping in. The man closed the door behind him and gestured to a seat next to him. Without waiting, the Ranger plopped down into the seat. He was strangely happy, wearing a smile on his face. Hesitantly, he sat down.
"I'm Will. Will Treaty. And you are?" the man introduced himself.
"Yeremey." he answered back, a bit confused as to what was going on. So this was the famous Ranger Will. He had expected someone more… well a bit more muscled, tall, and serious. He didn't expect to see a lanky young man of average height and a carefree smile. A throat clearing alerted him to the fact that the Baron was still there.
"Ah, yes, Baron Arald," he began hastily. "I've been meaning to talk with you."
"So late in the night?" The Baron askedlooking slightly amused as well.
"Well you're talking with the Ranger, aren't you?" he shrugged before clapping a hand over his mouth. "UM, I mean, I didn't exactly mean that Baron, your lordship-"
His babbling was interrupted by the young Ranger bursting out into laughter. Yeremey merely stared in shock. He was so utterly confused by all of this.
"You are so awkward it reminds me of myself when I was younger!" Will laughed and put a hand to his head before looking back to the Baron with a toothy smile. "I apologize for the outburst, your lordship."
The Baron huffed before turning back to Yeremey. "Yes, my boy, what is it that you wished to speak of with me?"
Yeremey shifted uncomfortably, looking to the Ranger then back to the Baron before speaking. "I wished to speak of the incident in the market today," he confessed.
Baron Arald stroked his beard. "Yes, that poor girl poisoned in the market, was it?"
He winced but he knew that it was true. He took a quick glance towards the Ranger, who was watching him, before making his decision and putting on a steely face.
"Yes, sir. The whole thing is my fault. I was the one who put the flower in her food as a prank. I thought it would just give her some... embarrassing side effects. I gave her a big dose. I didn't mean for it to happen," he confessed and his leg tensed in anxiousness. For a moment, nobody spoke. Then, the person who Yeremy least expected to say something, did.
"I thought as much," Will surmised and he eyed the young boy. Yeremey did nothing but stare with his jaw open.
He quickly shut it with a dumbfounded, "What?"
Will nodded and shared a look with the Baron. "Ranger Will was just discussing his theory with me when you decided to ah, eavesdrop."
Yeremey's leg went limp. "But how?" he questioned with a note of disbelief.
"I noticed you coming back from the woods. A bit odd for a boy to go alone into the woods, especially with that look of mischievousness on his face," Will teased slightly, a smile on his face. That is, until he recalled Sonera's situation. "And then the guilty look I saw on your face when I saw that girl laying in the street looking half-dead," he deadpanned with a dark look in his eyes.
Yeremey couldn't believe that the Ranger had observed so much of him. He had never believed the rumors that the Rangers dabbled into the Black Arts but he could see where they had come from. These mysterious cloaked figures seem to have eyes everywhere. He hung his head in immense guilt. Will's eyes softened at him before turning back to the Baron.
"I cannot allow this to go unpunished, young Yeremey," the Baron stated and Yeremey lifted his head to look at him. Then he nodded.
"I realize that. It's why I came here."
An emotion flashed from Baron Arald's eyes but it passed as quickly as it had come. Another surprise from the Ranger came.
"Might I suggest a punishment, my lord?" he asked with a slightly terse hint. The Baron gave his consent and Will stood up and came over to him, whispering something into his ear. Yeremey watched and his leg tensed up again. Baron Arald nodded in approval. Will clapped his hands.
"Then it's settled!" he looked strangely delighted. Yeremey waited and a lump in his throat made him swallow nervously. Then, the Baron took over.
"Your punishment will be as said. You must help Ranger Will with his duties for a week. That includes staying with him in his cabin."
His jaw dropped again. He had expected perhaps community service, or even a night or two in the dungeons. Never had he imagined that he would have to help the Ranger. For a week!
"What?" he choked out. Will's eyes glimmered with laughter.
"Basically, you get to be my servant for a while," he said with a wink.
"Will," the Baron warned, "don't push it."
"Ah, don't worry. I'll have him doing more than carrying around my things," Will answered with a small smile. Immediately, it drew suspicion to Yeremey. He himself always had that look when he was about to prank somebody or when he knew something embarrassing about Sonera. God help me, Yeremey thought.