Halt sighed, raising an eyebrow at the huge stack of paperwork he had been avoiding for several days. Most were field reports from other fiefs that he needed to look over and a few he needed to complete himself. A large stack to his right needed to be delivered to Baron Arald and Crowley as soon as possible, a task which he would normally be happy to delegate to Will. However, he had sent Will out hunting for a rabbit for the stew, his last errand for the day. But it was nearly dark out and the tiny cabin was surrounded by mountains of towering snow drifts. Will had been hard at work all day running various errands and completing all the tasks that Halt said he felt were necessary to advancing his education on a frozen, snow day and Halt knew his young apprentice would be looking forward to a hot cup of coffee and a bowl of warm stew (prepared by Halt) in front of the roaring fireplace. He certainly didn't wish to be trudging around, cold and wet, in the dark for another hour or so fulfilling another man's mission.
"Assuming he returns in a timely manner," Halt muttered, remembering the last time he'd sent Will out on his own to catch dinner. A disaster that resulted in a nasty rash, some angry villagers and a missing Tug. But these reports had to be in by midnight. Another sigh. He resigned himself to the fact that he would have to deliver the reports himself.
"Blasted reports," in a decidedly unHalt-like show of regard for the rules, he fretted over getting the reports turned in on time.
A whinny from Abalard and an answering neigh from Will's mount broke into his thoughts.
Ten minutes later, he heard the sound of tired legs dragging up the front porch steps and an exhausted looking Will burst through the creaky cabin door in a swirl of wind and snow.
"Your back…finally." Was all Halt said, though relief was coursing through him at the sight of his intact, though worn apprentice holding a sizable catch in one hand.
Will stared at his mentor in disbelieve, slightly deflated. He had been in and out of the cabin all day (more out than in) patrolling the fief, practicing his weapons skills and assisting locals in small tasks around the village. He had left just over an hour ago in search of some meat for tonight's dinner with a promise from Halt that this was his last errand. The results of his hunt came in the form of a half-frozen rabbit, now dangling almost to the floor from his right hand.
Given the fact that the temperature had dropped to below zero he had impressed himself with the swiftness with which he had tracked, caught, and skinned the large animal. He was chilled to the bone, freezing and now more than a little resentful at Halt's lack of praise for his performance. Nonetheless, he was silent as he tossed his snow encrusted cloak over the back of a table chair, dumping his bow, knives and boots on the floor by the door, and sank gratefully into the coach near the blazing fire.
Though he didn't say it, Halt was more than a little impressed with Will's efficiency, however, he had a pressing matter on his mind. He was about to announce his exit and leave some instructions on how to cook up the stew when he spotted something: The snowy cloak left on the wooden chair by Will was beginning to melt, dripping peacefully in the warmth of the cabin.
Halt glared at the wet cloak, now dripping onto his freshly finished wooden chairs, warping the wood and ruining the beautiful sheen. He coughed loudly in obvious disapproval in Will's direction. Exhausted, his apprentice with eyes closed, soaking up the warmth emanating from the fireplace, ignored what he thought was Halt simply clearing his throat.
"Will! Get your wet cloak off my chair before it warp. And put your equipment away. You know better than to throw your gear into a corner without polishing it first." Halt growled in an unnecessarily loud voice.
Will groaned in protest and opened an eye to glare at the offending cloak, under which a small puddle was now forming. He pulled himself up from his cozy berth. Before he could deposit his cloak onto a hook by the door Halt spoke again.
"Don't bother hanging it up. you're going need it while you deliver these reports to the Baron."
Will turned pleadingly to his mentor, biting his lip.
"I just spent all that time chasing after that damned rabbit in this infernal frost. I thought we were going have dinner soon. And besides it's getting dark."
Halt's exasperated tones broke into Will's complaints.
"That's enough backtalk from you, young man. The Baron needs those reports. And while you're out there you can send these off to Crowley." He said handing Will a leather pouch of papers, "the stew will be here when you get back. Now get going!"
Reluctantly, Will turned to go out but then instantly turned back to his mentor, not looking Halt in the eye. He knew from Halt's tone what the look would be. A dangerous, warning expression. He didn't like when Will questioned direct orders, and Will, already walking on thin ice, said,
"Could I maybe ride Abelard? Just this once. Please Halt, I'll be careful,"
"You have a horse of your own, boy! What do you need to galivanting off on mine for?"
"I'd rather walk than ride Slugger anymore today," Will complained. Tug had torn a tendon in his hind leg the previous week and was convalescing at Old Bob's, leaving Will with Slugger, an obstinate horse with an obnoxiously wide, boney rump. He was close to retirement though still loaned as an alternate to any ranger in need. He had been the only horse available when Will and Halt showed up, and Will had begged Halt to let him go without a horse. During Tug's absence, Will had taken to nagging Halt about riding Abalard when Halt didn't need him.
Halt rolled his eyes. He'd had just about enough of Will's incessant complaints about that horse.
"Then walk if you've a mind to. I don't care, just get those reports out as soon as possible and be done with it."
"But Halt, couldn't I just- "
"Will, for the last time, if you bring that horse up again, you'll be sleeping outside for a Week! Leave the horses, boy! Walk yourself up to the castle, deliver those reports. You'd better be there and back within a half hour or there will be hell to pay. Now go!"
Recognizing the frustration behind his master's words, Will turned on his heel and was out the door in a flash, the last of Halt's warnings slipping through the door just before it slammed shut. Halt watched, with only slight sympathy as his chilled-to-the-bone apprentice struggled through freezing snow drifts nearly as tall as him. Then he chuckled to himself contentedly as he settled into the chair that Will had just abandoned with some coffee and got to work on the remaining stack of papers.
When Will entered the cabin more than an hour later for what he hoped would be the last time that day, he found Halt busily tending the rabbit stew, chopping garlic and onion, and throwing in handfuls of herbs. The fumes of hot thick juicy stew permeated the little cabin and even found its way into the little stable where Slugger and Abelard were snuggly sheltered.
"I'm back…finally," Will announced sarcastically, mimicking Halt's earlier greeting. Halt merely grunted in reply and placed a steaming bowl in front of him, making no mention of Will's late appearance. Will had no doubt that he would indeed mention it the next day, in his morning training session.
Silently, they tore into a loaf of warm, tender sourdough, slurping down the scalding stew that was richly flavoured with dried herbs, tender juicy pieces of rabbit complementing the thick chunks of soft potatoes and slightly mushy carrots.
"Gilan said you never actually made him sleep outside as punishment," Will said boldly. The he added, "In the winter."
Halt looked up at him, "And when did you talk to Gilan about my disciplinary methods?"
"Just now," Will said around a mouth of potato and rabbit.
"What? Gilan is here? In Redmont?" Halt asked wonderingly.
"Yeah, he'd just arrived when I got there."
"In this weather, is he crazy? What the hell is he doing here, then? It's a long way from Seacliff." Halt mused.
"I dunno," Will replied, "Didn't think to ask him."
Halt looked up from his bowl abruptly and stared at Will for an uncomfortably long time. The silence forced Will to look up and meet his mentor's gaze.
"You saw a man who lives two days ride away, from here, arrive, in a blizzard, and you didn't think to ask what he was doing here? May I inquire as to why not?"
Will's gaze slid away from the dark gray eyes boring into his, "I dunno," He repeated, I didn't really get a chance to."
They ate in silence for many moments more, Halt eyeing his apprentice suspiciously, when they heard the faintest of warning cries from Abelard and Slugger, alerting the Ranger's to a presence outside.
"Sounds like that's him now," Will said smugly, "You can ask him yourself." Halt glared at his apprentice.
"Is that so?" He said standing up to peek out the window, "And what makes you so sure that it's Gilan? You think he's crazy enough to make the trip all the way out here from the castle in a blizzard?"
"I did it!" Will said indignantly.
"You had to," Halt smiled grimly at the boy.
As it turned out, it was in fact Gilan, who, after depositing Blaze in the stable, burst into the cabin in a flurry of snowflakes. He dropped his gear by the door and plopped into a chair next to Will.
"Are you crazy?" Halt hissed at his former apprentice, "The worst winter we've had in decades and you come all the way from Seacliff in this weather!"
"Great to see you, Halt!" Gilan said cheerfully, ruffling Will's still wet brown hair. He frowned when his hand came away dripping gently, then wiped it clean on Will's tunic.
"Hey! Hands off!" Will protested irritably, slapping Gilan's hand away. Happy as he was to see Gilan, he was irritated with Halt and now Gilan's antics were just adding his frustrations.
"What's wrong with the two of you?" Gilan inquired, grinning, pouring himself a cup of coffee and digging into the plate of stew that Halt placed in front of him.
"We were just fine until you showed up," Halt muttered.
"Speak for yourself," Will interjected, but quietly so only Gilan could hear.
"I don't suppose you came all the way from your fief in a blizzard for some coffee and stew from my table." Halt continued.
"Actually, I had an important reason for coming here tonight but if you don't want to hear it…" The glare Halt cast at his former apprentice would have shriveled another, but Gilan merely offered a maddingly superior smile across his clean-shaven face.
"Gil!" Will wailed.
"Spill it, Gilan," Halt growled, a hand drifting dangerously close to his Sax.
"Alright!" Gilan held his hands in a placating manner, "Duncan is organizing an annual Couriers meeting at Araluen, and he would like you two there as well as me and of course Crowley, to act as security. There are going to be couriers from all around the country, lots of important high ranking officials in one place and the King wants it to be as secure as possible."
Halt was frowning, the type of expression that Gilan knew to mean he was about to be very difficult on purpose. Before he could intervene, Will spoke in a carefully casual tone,
"Will Lady Pauline be going?" he asked. Gilan, seeing Halt perk up slightly at the mention of the tall, graceful Courier, felt the nasty urge to mess with the two of them.
"No, sorry Will, she and Alyss are leaving today on a mission, and they won't be back for another two weeks."
Will's face fell, but Halt narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Gil," Halt began, "How is this an annual event if it's the first time it's happening? Also, why does there need to be for Rangers to look out for things. After all, 'One riot, one Ranger' and this isn't even a riot. And another thing, why do they need a couriers meeting. Sound as though they're trying to copy our Gathering."
"First, this will be the first of many annual meetings," Gilan answered patiently, "And with hundreds of couriers swarming the place for three days, Duncan wants to ensure the absolute safety of some of the nation's top officials. Also, I don't think it's copying, it's just a good idea for Duncan and Cassandra to be able to mix and mingle with all the nation's couriers and for them to get to know each other. There has never been a huge meeting of all Couriers in one place before. The King wants it to work out and have things go smoothly." Will's voice broke in to Gilan's explanation.
"Don't you think Lady Pauline's mission could wait for a bit. I mean, if this Courier thing is such a big deal, she, of all people wouldn't want to miss it…" he trailed off at the expressions of amusement painted of his companions faces.
"Will," Halt started painfully, "They are coming. And, don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to spend with your girlfriend," he finished dryly.
"But he said…how did you…she's not my-," Will felt like someone had set his face on fire. He wished they would stop staring at him with those big stupid grins.
"Oh please, didn't you see that little smirk on his face when he said they weren't coming. He was pulling your leg, Will."
Will looked from one to the other frantically, still a bit dazed at Halt's words "your girlfriend." Was it really that obvious?
"Anyway," Gilan's voice dragged him back to the present, "It'll be in three weeks' time, but the King wants us down there two days before they arrive to help prepare security and the like.
"I guess we'll be there, then," Halt said dryly.
Oh, and one more thing. We're going to escort Lady Pauline and Alyss to Castle Araluen when we go since it'll be safer with us even than them travelling with an escort of armed guards."
Both Will and Halt brightened visibly.