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Chapter Two

Halt woke early that morning. Well, earlier than usual. He didn't know why, maybe it was some subconscious instinct or simply a good night's rest. Halt would never know. But he woke early.

He stretched his tired muscles as he stood and yawned. He scratched the back of his head and thought that he would soon have to give his hair a trim soon; it was getting a bit long.

The old Ranger, being no hurry especially because he woke up earlier, took his time to get undressed out of his night clothes and redressed into his Ranger clothes, leaving his cloak for the moment. He wore brown breeches, a green shirt, soft-toed leather boots and the ever-present Oakleaf on a chain around his neck.

He was moving out into the small kitchen area to put on a pot of coffee but as he exited his room he vaguely became aware of a faint, horrible retching sound coming...Will's room?

Swiftly he moved to his apprentice's door and knocked softly. "Will?" his voice also soft, just in case he was hearing things and his apprentice was still sleeping.

But almost straight away thoughts of Will sleeping were dashed away as he heard the almost reply of "Halt" but it was cut short and a horrible retching noise took over.

Immediately Halt threw open the door to find a truly pitiful sight in the space behind it. Will was propped up against the cabinet, on the opposite side of the room o his bed. The bed sheets were twisted around his lower half and pulled up to his chin. He looked to be sweating profusely although he was visibly shivering. There were dark circles around the boy's eyes, as if he had not slept all night and the water jug, assumedly empty, was lying toppled over on the ground a few feet away.

Will's eyes, normally so bright and alive, appeared almost lifeless but they said more than any words could. They were needing, pleading, begging for help.

Without delay Halt was on his knees beside Will.

"Will! What's going on? You look terrible." As he spoke he placed the back of his hand against Will's forehead and almost recoiled at the heat radiating off it. "Will?"

The boy closed his already slitted eyes as Halt's words pounded through his head.

"Will! Look at me, open your eyes."

But he squeezed his eyes tight as the pounding in his head increased. He wished Halt wasn't shouting.

"...head...hurts." he managed to say, followed by a soft sob that became caught in his throat. He began coughing again.

Vaguely he was aware of Halt leaning him up and forward and a calloused hand rubbing smooth circles on his back but it was no comfort.

The coughing was probably the worst. It took so much effort and sapped the energy from him but it was energy that he didn't have.

Eventually he stopped and found himself too exhausted to keep himself up. He slumped sideways into Halt's chest, breathing shaky breaths.

Halt pulled back the sheets from Will, who gave a wanton moan at the loss, silently picked him up and took him into his own room. There he laid him on the bed. It was much more comfortable, slightly bigger and Will's was probably covered in sweat, besides, Halt's room was bigger and therefore made it much easier to move around and care for the boy. Will tried feebly to kick the covers away but Halt simply pulled them back up shushing him. "Be still."

After that Halt left the room briefly and returned with a bucket of cold, fresh water and a cloth. He dipped the cloth in the water and ringed it out. He dabbed the cool material on Will's neck, then worked his way up to his cheeks and finally wiped back his tangled bangs before re-dipping the cloth and placing it on his forehead.

"Will?"

His voice was gentle and Will opened his eyes a little to look at the caring face above him.

"Is there anything you want?"

It took him a few moments to register the words, then he gave the slightest sideways movement of his head.

"Ok," he said, then indicated to the bucket. "There's water here if you need it, please don't try to do anything. Just sleep."

He saw the panicked question in his apprentice's eyes, where are you going?

"You're very sick Will, and I don't know why. I'm going to go down to the castle and find a healer." He walked over to the door, "Try to get some rest while I'm gone."

"Don't leave me." Will's voice was raw and scratchy but also barely audible. "...don't want to...be alone..." he almost sobbed.

Halt went back over to him, "Hush. You'll be fine. I won't be long, I promise."

Not long after Halt left Will began to drift in and out of sleep. His thoughts were muddled and confused and he was not sure when he was awake. He knew he should probably have something to drink but he lacked the energy to reach an arm out.

Uncomfortable he rolled onto his stomach and in doing so the cloth fell from its place but he could not really care less though after a while he found he was hot. He tried to push down the covers with his legs but the movement ended up only tangling them. Great, he thought.

Halt saddled Abelard quickly and jumped into the saddle. He rode to the castle fast, not wanting to leave Will alone at all, let alone for long. He had to admit, he was worried. Will was severely sick. He doubted that the boy slept at all the previous night and he cursed himself. Will had probably spent hours on the floor, feeling miserable and Halt had slept right on. How could he not have heard his coughing?

He shook his head and cleared his thoughts, he would be able to berate himself later, right now he needed to get a healer.

Abelard's hoofs were harsh on the cobbles as they arrived. Halt swiftly jumped off his horse and dropped the reigns. He knew Abelard wouldn't go anywhere.

He thought as he jogged up the stairs. He needed to find Tom, the castle's best healer. He went quickly to his chambers and knocked but there was no reply.

Damn.

His thoughts raced, the best thing would be to ask Baron Arald, after all, he seemed to run the place.

On his way up to the Baron's quarters he passed a few servants going about their business. He reached the door and rapped his knuckles harshly on the wood before stepping in, not bothering to wait for a reply. He knew that the Baron would be up at this early hour, people in power always were.

"Halt?" Baron Arald asked in surprise, looking up from a pile of paperwork on his desk. "What can I do for you at this early hour?"

"Arald," he greeted gruffly. "Do you know where I might find Tom?"

"The healer?"

"Yes. Will is very sick."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." And he really was, he had grown to quite like the boy, always cheerful. "I heard that Lady Helen has fallen ill, perhaps you could try there."

The Ranger nodded his head in thanks then turned and exited.

He took all the correct twists and turns, went up and down all the right stairs until he reached Lady Helen's door. He knocked and, this time, waited.

The door was opened by an elderly man, shoulder length silver hair and intelligent, bright blue eyes.

"Tom."

"Halt?" he asked surprised.

"Are you busy?"

"I, uh, I'm tending to Lady Helen, I won't be long if you want to wait," he opened the door a little more and moved aside.

Halt stepped into the small antechamber. "Thank you."

Tom went through a doorway, supposedly to Lady Helen's sleeping chambers. He waited impatiently by the door. And waited. And waited.

And waited.

Finally Tom came back into the antechamber. "So, what can I do for you Halt?" He headed for the door, which Halt opened and they stepped out. Halt headed straight out the door, making his way instantly to the castle gates.

"Will's sick."

"How so?"

"I don't know. He just woke up, I've never seen anything like it. He's got an extreme fever, he's coughing, having trouble breathing, hot one second, freezing the next, he looked like he barely slept a wink last night...Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"I'll have to examine him."

"Of course," Halt agreed.

"Then I can tell you what is best for him."

Halt nodded.

Tom paused, thinking. "You go back, try and keep him cool for now. I need to get some supplies and I will be up there shortly."

Halt nodded, then turned on his heel, whistled Abelard over and headed back to the cabin.

its kinda only short but yeah...I'll try and update asap but I can't really promise anything.

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