I know I know REALLY short but its all I can do atm because in the next chapter quite a bit of time has passed. thank you all for my reviews! Im currently sitting on 195 so if you want to be the 200th get in there quick! thats about all I have to say so as always..

ENJOY!..

Chapter 23 - Moving On

The large table was a mess of war plans, battle tactics, maps, markers and numbers; Gilan was taking barely any of it in. He was standing a way back from the table observing Halt. The older Ranger was half-heartedly discussing the pros and cons of having a Unit or so come onto the Plains from the north, arond the coastline side of the Thorntree Forest.

It had been four days since leaving the small camp near Morgarath; three and a half days riding and now organising a war.

Halt had been determined to stay, he thought...

"But you have to go Halt!"

The senior Ranger turned on him, "I don't have to do anything."

Gilan opened his mouth to argue but Halt cut him off angrily.

"And don't you give me any of that stuff about how it is my duty Gil. Don't you think I've given enough for this country? Over twenty years I have been roaming and wandering a lonely life for the good of this country and its people. I have lived through one war with this maniac already and I really think in these circumstances I deserve to take a break and do what I think needs to be done, which in this case, is staying right here."

Gilan sighed. "Look Halt, I know how badly you want to stay here but just think about it reasonably. If you stayed here you would be by yourself, if the opportunity arose to get to Will you would have no backup or support and even with your skill and experience you would almost certainly get caught. And if somehow, you managed to get in alive and unseen you don't know what condition Will will be in, you might not be able to get him out on your own. There is too much left to chance Halt and it's not worth the risk," he saw Halt about to argue some more, but this time he jumped in first. "How do you think Will would feel if you went in to save him, all by yourself, were caught and killed or tortured. Imagine what that boy would put himself through..." he paused. "Much the same of what you are putting yourself through now, do you really want that?"

There was silence and Gilan began to feel a small burst of triumph, he knew, even before Halt said anything, that, somehow, he had gotten through to his former master.

And then Halt sighed. "Damn you, Gil," he stood. "I think I'm getting too predictable, either that or you have spent way too much time with me over the years," he grumbled and walked off.

Gilan smiled, Halt was right, five or so years of his apprenticeship plus the years after they had been friends, Gilan knew Halt too well...

Halt, he would admit, was taking it all much better than he expected. He had been prepared for Halt to sulk all the way to Castle Araluen, then have a big outburst at King Duncan for ordering him to leave, luckily however, and surprisingly, though Halt was very quiet on the trip, he didn't seem to sulk and he greeted his King as anyone else would, but with a little more familiarity; they had been friends for years after all.

It was evident that Halt was far from all right but considering, he didn't seem to be too bad. He smiled slightly and began to think that maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out all right.

Hours? Days? Weeks? Months?

Will had no idea how long it had been since Lukas had left him. Everything was a blur.

He was so numb. He wished he could be hot or cold or hungry or thirsty but he was not, he was simply numb. There was no other way to explain it, he couldn't feel anything. Try as he might he couldn't move, whether from the drug Lukas had given him or lack of energy it was difficult to tell. He knew he should be shivering from the cold, after the night he had spent in the pelting rain and vicious wind, maybe was was shivering. He really just had no idea. All he knew was that he wanted out. If that meant being saved or simply closing his eyes and not opening them again he didn't care, as long as he got away from this maniac and this war and pain and turmoil.

It was all too hard...

told you it was short :/

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luv u all..

passion.