Pulling Back Part II: The Festival

AN: Horace isn't bullied by the three idiots at the Battleschool.

Halt and Will had made it into Redmont and Halt had dismounted Abelard along with Will, Halt had told his apprentice that he would be able to meet up with his friends from when he was a Ward. Will had just nodded and continued to be silent causing Halt to be angry.

Quick Flashback

Halt and Will rode silently on Abelard; Halt's horse. Halt had tried many times to get Will talking but he soon found out that Will would only answer in one word sentences or not answer at all.

"Alright what exactly happened on that magical walk? I'm getting tired of how you're acting boy; you're a Ranger's apprentice now so start acting like it!" Halt said furiously when they were right outside of Redmont.

"Like it matters! I never even wanted to be a Ranger!" Will shot back, matching Halt's furiosity, his voice showing heightened hostility.

"So that's what this is all about then?" Halt asked looking at the boy with guilt; he never really imagined that Will would take being a Ranger's Apprentice this bad. Will opted not to answer and so now here they were in their current situation.

End of Flashback.

Halt looked at Will, Will looked at Halt, both sharing an understanding in their eye contact. "Meet back here in about four hours that should give you enough time to catch up with your….friends." Halt muttered the last part and started wandering off, there were people everywhere. The people laughing and celebrating whatever the heck festival they were celebrating.

Will looked around and also followed Halt's example and started walking, more like wandering around. Will roamed around and looked at the stalls that were almost everywhere the vendors all in there merry mood made Will sick to his stomach. He let his guard down and just wandered around aimlessly, it's not like he had anything really planned. The one thing he knew that he was going to do was find his friends, he wasn't sure if he should tell them about Morgarath as he had overheard Halt talking with Baron Arald; the Fief of Redmont. Will sighed and started looking around for Alyss, Jenny and George, he wasn't so sure if he and Horace were friends though. Finally he smelled something good and he knew that he would be finding Jenny in no time!

Will followed the smell and found Jenny laughing with Alyss and George and unfortunately Horace. With a small smile he left towards the group and was spotted by Jenny and Alyss who started to call him over, he saw Horace's lip twitch into a grin that showed that he was happy to see the other boy. (Shocking!)

"Hey Will!" both girls called out and once Will had reached them they dragged him to the table and made him sit down, "So Will where have you been lately? We haven't been able to see you at all!" whined Jenny and at that everyone looked at Will; they hadn't known that he became a Ranger's apprentice.

"Yea and what are you doing now since you got turned down from the other Craftsmen!" Horace chuckled, but he knew that, well he hoped that Will would take it as a joke.

"Well now that you mention it….the Baron had told the Craftsmen not to accept me because Halt the Ranger here in Redmont wanted me as an apprentice." Will replied bitterly, and then looked at the others. "What do you guys think of your new jobs?" Will asked, trying to lighten up the mood a bit and also trying to take the spotlight off of him. He hated the fact that he had a job that he hated while everyone got the jobs they wanted. He was also majorly jealous of Horace who had gotten into the battle school.

Everyone just stared at him a little guilty; Horace turned his face away, guilt eating at him. Horace had been lucky, he was having fun, and he would get to be a knight. "Well Sir Rodney has moved me up and was going to have me demonstrate what I have learned to the Baron and see if he would want me at the castle." Horace said with great enthusiasm, "What about you guys?" Horace asked, trying to get Will o cheer up.

"Well I've learned so many things and ALSO I made us all a cake for the festival!" exclaimed Jenny as she showed off the white cake to her friends. Next was Alyss who was a diplomat, and a fine one at that. George the scriber and finally Will.

"Well I've been doing stuff" Will said, not even giving a hint of what he was doing.

"We figured that part out but what exactly have you been doing?" Alyss asked,

"Oh…I learned how to use a bow, and how to throw knives." Will said, trying to make it seem as uncool as possible which actually worked as he saw Horace snicker at that. "You guys I'm going to go walk around." Will announced and headed out, Jenny looked taken aback as she had just served him a piece of the cake she made. Horace told them to stay at the table while he got up and started following him,

"Will wait up!" Horace called out and joined up with Will slapping him lightly on the back.

"What are you doing?" Will asked irritated at the fact that Horace had followed him; he was hoping to be able to leave and start thinking on what Morgarath would say to him.

"Well you seem kind of, I don't know weird. You're acting differently. What's really the problem?" Horace asked and stopped Will from going forward. Will widened his eyes at what Horace had done.

"I'm fine; please step out of the way." Will said and tried to side step Horace but the bigger boy stepped where Will had wanted to step. "Please move" Will repeated, hissing in annoyance.

"No, not until you tell me what's wrong!" the other insisted and was about to seize the boy's shoulders, Will anticipating something like this ducked and gave a sturdy kick to Horace's stomach. Horace had defiantly not anticipated something like this. He doubled over and clutched his stomach, "What the hell did you do that for?" Horace shouted and once he recovered his breath he lunged for the boy and pinned him down, hate running through his eyes, before he could further insult Will both Halt and Sir Rodney who had watched the turn of events came rushing over.

"Break it up both of you!" Rodney exclaimed Halt glared at Will, Will could feel Halt's glare burning a hole through him.

Will glared back and pushed Horace off, "What?" he snarled and stalked away, heading towards more people who would hopefully hide him from the others. He walked around with his head in his thoughts, not paying attention to where he was walking; he kept at it for another three minutes until he collided with someone else. As Will feel down he glared up at the offender, who only chuckled darkly,

"Hello Will, I see you are doing much better since our talk." Morgarath said with a chill.

"M-Morgarath!?" Will exclaimed in confusion but got a shh from the other, "What are you doing here?" he asked in a hushed voice so others around couldn't hear him.

"I came to tell you that the next time we meet you'll be coming with me, I don't want you staying here any longer than you have to." he hissed and started to help Will up.

At that moment unfortunately Halt and Sir Rodney decided to come along and see what was troubling Will, he saw Will walking with another guy around their age probably and both wondered how Will knew the guy. But the thing concerning them was that they had never seen a guy like him around.

Morgarath noticed that they were being followed so he acted casually and softly told Will that they were being followed.

Will nodded and an idea came up, he turned to Morgarath and told the man the idea. "Will I don't think it's a good idea for you to drink though," Morgarath said with a frown on his face, he would protect the boy with his life if needed-he growled at what was happening; he was getting attached!

"That's the only way I can think of! I pretend to be drunk and you offer to take me back to the cabin. Come on, it's almost perfect!" Will said with a cheeky smile on his face, with a wary sigh Morgarath reluctantly agreed and followed Will to a table where you could get any kind of drink.

"Just don't drink to much Will." Morgarath said and took a seat across form Will so he could keep an eye on Halt and Sir Rodney.

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"Heeeeeeey buddddddy-wassaup?" Will asked, slurring his words, the smell of alcohol radiating off his breath,

"Will you're drunk." Morgarath sated bluntly but earned a giggle in response.

Halt and Sir Rodney watched the Will, shock written on there faces. Halt tsked and shook his head,

"My, you have an interesting apprentice Halt. I thought Rangers where not supposed to get drunk like that." Rodney said with a grin on his face, he knew for fact Ranger's didn't really dare to drink so much because they needed to be able to keep a watch out for anything suspicious that was or is going on.

"They aren't supposed to but...I have no idea what he's thinking lately. He seems to be getting more and more distant as the days pass and-well-I'm getting worried. Rodney do you think I made the right choice for requesting him? I mean I took so much away from him." Halt whispered and looked down at the ground in shame.

While the Rodney tried to convince Halt that it wasn't his fault and that it was most likely the right thing to do Morgarath and picked up and slung Will over his shoulder and started to take the boy away to god knows where.

A few minutes of telling Halt those kinds of words and the pair noticed that Will was gone and so was his companion.

"Damn it, we have to find Will!" Halt hissed as he realized how careless he was for letting his emotions get in the way. So Rodney and Halt set out on foot and with Halt's amazing tracking skills they tracked down the two guys. Will was slung over the other guy's shoulder and they were headed towards Halt and Will's cabin.

"Looks like everything is alright." Rodney said and the Battle-master and the Ranger left to go back to the festival.

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Morgarath shook Will awake and told him to wash his face and gather the things he needed. Morgarath left Will and trusted the boy to not take to long. A few minutes later Will came out of the cabin with nothing but his ranger equipment and a spare cloak. Morgarath gave a nod and the two were off to Gorlan.