Chapter 6
Authors Note- I am so sorry for the long silence! :( I have no excuse. On another note, thank you to all my reviewers! They were all very helpful and they got me excited to write this chapter when I finally got around to it :) Please continue to review and feel free to leave suggestions for future chapters. Not saying I am necessarily going to use them, but I would enjoy the ideas since two plus heads are better than one! :) This chapter was harder to write since I deviated from my original script. Happy New year everybody!
Meanwhile, Gilan had finished heaping monstrous proportions on Halt's plate which he insisted on making. The size would have made Horace proud. His mentor exchanged an annoyed and slightly amused look with the younger man, when he caught sight of the mountain of food that was piled on his plate.
"Trying to fatten me up Gilan? Making it so that I'm easier to kill?" He said with heavy sarcasm.
"No one can kill you." Gilan retorted, Halt allowed a slight smile at the compliment of his invincibility, but it faded to a glare when the young Ranger continued, "… Besides even if someone could, why would they waste their time on a fat, old hedgehog?"
"Thank you for looking out for my well-being." He responded icily.
Gilan nodded happily, "Anytime." He said breezily.
Halt snatched his plate from the grinning young man's hand and stalked past him, leading the way to one of the many campfires that brightened the camp, muttering something about using his former apprentice's head for a pin cushion in the near future just loud enough for Gilan to hear, and wipe the smirk off his face. Perhaps he could have left out the "old" part and picked a slightly less fat animal to compare the prickly ranger to. Knowing he would be paid back in kind in the near future, Gil sighed and hurried to keep up with his insulted friend.
Halt led the way to a campfire that the rest of their companions were gathered around. The makeshift, temporary village, which was set up on the outskirts of the ruined city, was alive with hurrying people, soldiers and prisoners alike. An agreement had been set up between the local ruler and Selethen saying that the captured Tualaghi bandits would stay here under armed guard to rebuild the city that they had economically and physically destroyed. Horace, the two Skandians, Evanlyn, and the Wakir in mention, were all seated around a comfortable fire, quietly talking about nothing in particular. They all looked up, surprise written on all their faces when they spied Halt. The oldest ranger always ate in Will's tent; if he was here he could be bringing good news.
"How's the boy?" Multiple people had spoken at once by Erak's booming captain voice drowned them all out.
Pleased to deliver good news Halt replied, "He's awake but he's sleeping again."
He and Gil settled down beside each other with Horace on Halt's left and Evanlyn on Gilan's right. Halt placed down his plate of food, felt five pairs of eyes on him and looked back up again. He was not disappointed; everyone present was staring at him expectantly waiting for him to release more details about their injured friend.
Suppressing a small laugh the bearded ranger continued, "His first words were 'Can I have some of your coffee?'"
The circle around the campfire rippled with amused chuckles, with a "That figures" coming from Evanlyn's direction.
"Sounds like 'es on the mend then. Young en's always do bounce back fast." Svengal remarked.
"Well he's got a long way to go still before he is back to full capacity, but he should be able to be on his feet by the end of next week." Halt contradicted softly, not wanting to get anyone's hopes up.
The lot nodded their understanding and fell into a compatible silence. Selethen and Gilan were thinking and reminiscing about the wild past few days, while gazing into the red flames of the near fire. The Skandians and Evanlyn were distracted by the livid culture walking by their campsite, watching the glowing lights of the torches and other fires and as well as the vibrant colors the locals wore. Halt was eating but was determined not to eat the whole giant serving despite his hunger, since it was his own rebellious way of showing Gilan that he was not fat nor old. Horace was doing a combination of all three, wolfing down his third helping of exotic food. When the two Araluans were finished eating surprisingly it was Selethen who broke the silence.
All his thinking made him remember a piece of information that he had intended to tell Halt, "By the way I had something I was meaning to tell you, one of the prisoners escaped from one of the cellar where my men were detaining them. Hit a guard over the head with a wooden mallet that must have been stored in there. We haven't been able to find him yet. But I have everybody on high alert in case he tries to break his fellow criminals out."
Out of pure curiosity Horace asked, "Who was he?"
Selethen glanced at him before he addressed the whole audience; their interest was aroused, he could tell, and they welcomed the distraction from thinking about Will's predicament, "Umm I don't remember the name, but coincidentally it was the same deserving bastard who Halt stabbed a couple days ago.
Halt's attention really cued in then, he remembered the pipe dream threats the man had uttered about Will. They had been disregarded at the time, but now that he was free and unaccounted for, the threats seemed to be much more tangible and life -like. As soon as he had the thoughts pass through his brain, he stiffened in some sixth sense. Gilan and Horace, who were also present for the little scuffle, became tense as well. It made sense for the escaped man to come after the person responsible to his defeat as well as his own friend's deaths. Will.
Halt was the first to react, he jumped up and darted back through the crowd, weaving his way toward his apprentice lying vulnerable in his bed sleeping, Horace and Gilan had come to the same realization and were close behind him. The others were confused but followed anyway.
Halt busted through the ten flaps and slid to a halt (no pun intended) in horror. Horace and Gilan, who were right on his heels, almost toppled over themselves, each other, and Halt as they tried to stop abruptly. They managed to slide to the sides in time for them to stand three abreast, staring in bitter anger at the sight before them. The recently liberated bandit was occupying the space Halt normally sat in; he had pulled the chair closer though so that it was touching the side of the cot. A large knife was twirling casually in his right hand which was stretch out over Will's neck, coming dangerously close, at points, to their unconscious friend. The others soon entered the tent, they remained quite behind Halt, their unanimously chosen speaker.
The Tualaghi broke the tense silence, " I was wondering how long it would take for you to come back to your abandoned post."
Halt clenched his jaw at the insinuation that he had abandoned Will, but then he controlled his raging emotions behind a mask, effectively giving nothing away. He could sense Gilan do the same beside him; Horace made a valiant attempt but you could still see a small amount of rage and worry flitting through his eyes.
"Well I'm here," Halt replied curtly, "What do you want?"
"I want nothing more than to slice this boy open and let you smell his insides while I gut him; after all he did to my friends I think he deserves it," This time the whole party present tensed; the murder continued, "but regretablly for me I will not do that at this moment. Unfortunately this pathetic human being is worth more to me alive at the moment…. He's going to get me out of here. Me and every single one of my compatriots."
"And how will he help you do that?" Halt asked, he was just stalling for time; he really didn't want to know what plans the sick man had in store for Will.
"Oh he will do nothing other than assure your complete corporation, while you and the dear Wakir release all my colleagues with plenty foot, water and horses. We will then make your friend here accompany us a short ways on our journey to insure our escape, when we are far enough out we will leave him in relatively good shape. You can comply now or you can decline and I will eagerly carve in to this boys flesh"
Halt felt his heart sink to his toes, he had to resist the urge to look down and see if he could see a bulge in the tip of his boots to prove his feeling correct. Instead he stared intensely at the hostage negotiator. The man, if you could call him that, had fallen silent, waiting for a response. All eyes had turned to Halt, who seemed to be deep in thought.
The tension was so thick Horace doubted even Halt's armor piercing arrows could have punched through it. He, along with the others waited breathlessly for Halt to make a decision. The ransomed, who had yet to give a name, had switched from twirling the knife to brushing it millimeters above Wills neck, as if giving him a phantom shave.
Horace held his breath as Halt opened his mouth to give his answer, "How do I know you'll even keep your word?"
"You don't. But you don't really have a choice; I guess you'll just have to trust me." The man replied smirking evilly.
That did not instill a lot of confidence in any of them. Horace was silently begging for Halt to say no and to find another way but before he could Halt replied, "Alright fine, but we need time." Halt hoped to find an opportunity later on if the man gave them enough.
"You have four hours. Better hurry."
A/N- Did anybody guess who the mysterious, sinister man is? I apologize, it seems very cruel of me to leave your guys hanging for so long and then come out with this short chapter. I have already started writing the next chapter so I will hopefully have it published by Wednesday. Please leave me ideas, I would love to hear them! Also it goes without saying but everybody else says it so I might as well be "original"… PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEWS ARE LOVE! (whatever that means) :)