Well here it is finally, a new chapter! Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I ALWAYS love reviews! And sometimes, they make me write faster...(hint,hint) Feel free to suggest ideas!
Will slowly drifted back into consciousness, unable to stop himself from waking and leaving the comfortable warmth that surrounded him. Then his mind kicked in.
When was the last time he'd been warm and comfortable? And why was he now?
Suddenly, the nights events came flooding back to him.
He opened his eyes, and sat up with a start, but immediatley gasped and slammed his eyes shut again, as a sharp stab of pain ran through him.
A strong pair of hands gently but firmly pushed him back down." Easy now", he heard a deep voice say.
Will opened his eyes again to see a bleary figure standing over him. "Where?",he said in a hoarse whisper. His throat was parched and sore desperate for moisture.
"Don't try to get up". Will heard the gruff voice say."Your not well enough yet".
Will blinked to clear his vision, and saw the figure warp into the man that had saved him. For the first time, Will had a chance to see the Ranger's features, as his face was not covered by his cowl and he wasn't wearing the mottled cloak. The man had an unkempt short beard, and his choppy, black hair was flecked with grey. He had a strong angled jaw, and his skin was well tanned. But his most prominent features were his calculating, deep grey eyes that were at the moment studying him. If the man was not frowning so much, he might have been handsome.
He watched the man warily through weary eyes, as he turned and fetched a cup, which he then held to Will's cracked lips.
"Drink", he commanded.
Will obeyed, resisting the urge to take large gulps of the refreshing cold water, and sipping it slowly instead. The Ranger watched with a glint approval until Will had had enough.
"Where-" Will said again, but was cut off.
"On a bed", the man replied tersely.
Will looked in surprise at the soft surface he lay on, and realised he was on a bed. The last time he'd slept in a bed was-
He couldn't remember. His head ached, and his chest felt like it was being crushed by an enormous weight.
His gaze returned to the man again, and he said hoarsely,"Who are you?"
He was genuinely interested in the man's identity, but was also trying to distract him as he tried to get his wrap his sluggish mind around what had happened and where he was. The Ranger sat down on a chair next to the bed and crossed his arms.
"Some call me Halt", he said shortly.
Will's hazey eyes surveyed the room he was in with interest, looking for any chance he might escape. It was a small room sparsely furnished and simple, the walls were made of wood, and it looked like it hadn't been used in a while. There was a window on the far side of the room, through which he could see the sun shining through dark trees. The door on the opposite wall was slightly open, though he could not see through it. Will guessed this was a spare room, and he was probably in some kind of cabin.
Will's head was starting to spin and his heart beat rapidly as he realized he was trapped and he had no chance of He shifted his gaze defeatedly back to the Ranger, Halt, who was watching him with interest.
"What's your name?" Halt asked, not unkindly
Will looked warily at him, his expression guarded. Finally he replied.
"Will", he said simply. Not bothering to hide the weariness in his tone.
His head pounded, and he briefly closed his eyes to try to relieve the pain. He heard a shifting noise, and opened his eyes to see the man get up and retrieve a small bundle of herbs from a nearby table. The ranger held them out for Will and said "Put these under your tongue until they've melted." "It will help relieve the pain."
Will took the drug and did as he was instructed. He noticed for the first time that his hands were no longer bound by the heavy pair of shackles, he stared at his wrists in confusion, not remembering being able to remove them himself. He realized the Ranger must have taken them off after Will had lost consciousness. Will looked up at Halt, his vision starting to spin and blur around the edges as the effects of the drug he'd been given started to make him sleepy.
"You should rest now",Halt said as he sat down again on the chair beside the bed.
Sleep begged Will for attention, but he struggled to stay awake for a little more.
"Thank you." Will slurred, and before his eyes slipped closed, he caught the surprised look on the grim Ranger's face. Then sleep finally overtook him.
Halt watched the boy, Will, close his deep brown eyes, and fall into unconsciousness as his breaths slowed.
Halt found himself trying to figure out the boy. Physically there was nothing very unusual about him,he looked to be around fifteen, but was slim of build, and was shorter than average for his age. He was small and slight but he had lean muscle and wiry strength. His face had a slightly elfish look, and he had a straight nose and a mop of unruly, thick brown hair. He would have been considered handsome, that is, if he was not currently bruised around one eye, had a blood soaked bandage wrapped around his head, and didn't look half dead from starvation. The boy had slept for a whole day and a half and he was in desperate need of food.
But what made Halt interested in him besides the obvious inquiries of his predicament, was the hard determination in his eyes, and the trained awareness Halt had seen when the boy had observed the room. The boy should have been extremely disorientated when he'd woken and probably wouldn't have been able to concentrate on his surroundings with his head pounding and breaths coming in ragged gasps. But the boy had seemed to posses a calmness and concentration, that impressed Halt.
Halt wondered where the boy had come from and why he was so badly injured and in need of nutrition. He sighed, knowing he'd have to wait for the answers to his questions until the boy woke again. Halt strode silently toward the kitchen to get a much needed cup of coffee, leaving the mysterious boy to sleep undisturbed.
Hope you liked it! It might take me some time to update because I've started school, but again I really, really LOVE reviews! Until next time, this is "Katy Fairfax"!
