Okay guys. Hope you enjoy this last update! Although I may be going over and revising everything in the chapters. Yup, you're reading this correctly. This is my last chapter/short. Sorry everyone, just couldn't keep up and was fallin behind, so I'm sorry everybody but it's the very last time.

"Hey June, go get the mail, would ya?" Carter said, sipping the lukewarm coffee he made an hour ago.

June grumbled something, but got up from the floor where she had been sharpening arrowheads. She walked out the door and picked up the three letters on the porch. One was red, the other two she recognized as letters from Simila, and orders from Crowley.

She walked back in picking at the seal on the red letter. Carter looked up, snatched it from her and pulled a knife out of his sleeve and cut the envelope open. He handed it back to her with warning that if she got a paper cut he would pour salt on it for being stupid.

She slipped the paper out of the envelope and unfolded it. It read:

Dear June,

We have been in the middle of negotiations of a peace treaty with a southern country across the sea. It makes some of the finest wines, fruits and has a fairly large military force. They have agreed to the terms of the treaty, but on one condition. That a member of the Ranger Corps marries into the royal family, ensuing peace and good trade over the next generations to come. This being said, the king is looking for a wife, and being that you're the only female Ranger, you have been selected to seal the treaty. I hope to have you're agreement soon.

Your King and Your commander

King Duncan

Crowley

She stared at the piece of paper for several seconds before looking back at Carter who was staring at her with his head propped up on his arm. He blinked twice and returned his glaze to the orders from Crowley before looking back.

"I just got orders that I'll be going on a solo mission in disguise to find a bandit camp and neutralize it." He said blankly, grudgingly getting up.

"I was just informed that I'll be sealing a peace treaty with a southern country that specializes in fruit and wines." June said, not truly realizing what this meant.

"How?"

"Marriage with the royal family there."

"…Oh hell no," Carter snapped, getting up with a sudden burst of energy and marching out the door.

"Where are you going?" June asked.

"Oh, to shove a letter down Crowley's throat and have a nice long chat with the ruler of this country." Carter smiled.

"Carter! Listen, you said yourself that if I can make a big event happen, then other female Rangers will wish to sign up! And you yourself said that its easiest to make a peace treaty like Will! So this is my big chance, if I can seal this, then possibly this will bring about a whole new age of Ranger Corps!" June protested.

"But-

"No! I accept this and I will make it happen."

Carter looked down in defeat, getting off Smoke with a grunt. He sat down and leaned back against the horses leg. "Let's just see what they want." Cater said, looking at June, silently wishing she had refused the negotiation.

An hour later they had arrived at the castle, and soon found the ambassador of the country. He welcomed them with a bow, and straightened up. He was a short plump man, and reminded Carter of a bowling ball, except with a head and a mustache.

"So what the hell am I giving up my apprentice for?" Carter snapped, sitting down in a chair across from the man.

"Um…sir, you're the master of this fine young lady?" the man asked.

"Yeah, now answer my question, and don't call me her master, I'm her teacher." He snapped.

"Yes sir, um… the soon-to-be ruler of our kingdom, Prince Andrew, wishes for a wife, however, many ladies of the court has been turned down. Until he heard news of the female Ranger here, he jumped at the chance, and was very excited to make the treaty. Um…here's his picture." The man pulled out a black and white photo and handed it to Carter.

The man in the shot was tall, slightly taller than Carter, broad-shouldered with blonde hair and dark eyes. In the shot he was sparring with a mentor, and hand the opponent off balance but Carter couldn't tell if he meant a thrust or a side slash next from the angle.

"He enjoys chess, and sparring with the nobles of the court. He has a strong opposition of crime and has already thought up several new laws in order to decrease criminal acts." The bowling ball said.

Carter glared at the picture before handing it over to June, who stared at it for several moments, "I guess he seems nice enough, may I meet him first?" June asked.

"Why of course! I do believe that we have a ship docked that is ready to sail home, I shall send a messenger that we will have a guest on board. I hope you enjoy the three day trip to our fine land!" the man said cheerfully.

Carter found himself wanting to kick him just to see if he'd bounce off the walls like those rubber bouncy balls Will gave him for anger management. Two of which he had managed to squeeze completely out of shape.

"Sir would you like to accompany us?" The man asked.

"No thanks." Carter replied, gritting his teeth.

Carter watched as the two saddled up and started heading to one of the port town. He instantly regretted not going as he watched June fade out of sight. He cursed himself, kicking the stone wall. He sat down on the stool by the window, trying to clear his mind of everything.

In the end, he couldn't and it seemed it would always fade back to one emotion, and one image. He gave a shout of annoyance, startling a passing guard. But he ignored him, his hands covering his hand.

"I'm such an idiot." He said, getting up and kicking the stool out the window.

He watched the wooden object whirl around in the air until it cracked and splintered to pieces on the edge of the castle wall, narrowly missing the guard on duty. He smiled as the guard looked around of the culprit, and once finding none, sat down on the wall and waited for something else to happen.

~With June~

The trip had been wonderful, spent tasting fine wines that Carter would kill her for, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. She marveled at the taste of the sweet cucumber she just bit into as she sat down on the ships railing.

They were pulling up into port, and she found it exciting as she watched all the new people waving and cheering at the ships return. The man, Charley as it turned out, explained that this ship was one of the finest in the fleet, and many of the crew were family members from the town.

"This is amazing!" June shouted, watching the colorful red, yellow and green banners that dotted the shoreline.

"Indeed, wait until you see the castle!" Charley said, smiling.

Currently, June was gapping at the artwork of the paned glass windows, the seemingly one piece of stained glass that made up the beautiful picture of a cross. The was then lead along to the courtroom by Charley who at the door bowed and opened the door for her politely.

June smiled and walked in, and almost instantly felt nervous as she meet ten eyes all trained on her. One was the king's, the other was a prince's, the head chief, the battle master's, the royal scribe, a librarian, and four others June had no idea who were.

She nervously stepped forward, focusing only on one foot in front of the other until she was standing in front of the king and prince. She looked up and met the King's hard blue eyes, and also the prince's light blue eyes.

"Good evening m'lady." The prince said, stepping forward.

"Good evening sire." June said, bowing awkwardly.

"No need for the bows, after all, you're a Ranger. I'm Andrew; this is my father, Arthur. It's a pleasure to meet the first female Ranger. I'm sure it must have been very challenging." He said, smiling warmly as his father dismissed the others.

"You have no idea…" June muttered and returned his smile, "I'm June."

~Carter~

Carter paced around the deck of the ship and then stomped on the wooden railing, successfully cracking the oak. He grimaced as a throb started in his foot, but continued pacing. As he passed a crewman he handed him a gold coin.

He continued kicking the piece until it finally cracked off. He smiled, satisfied now and handed another gold piece to the crewman, which was actually the captain. The captain sighed and looked at the young knight sitting on a barrel next to him.

"He like this often?"

"Unless you hand him about a gallon of coffee and several loaves worth of toast. Or every Tuesday. But today, I doubt he would stop pacing for more than a second if you gave him that." Simila said.

"Why?"

"His apprentice is being married off to a foreign country. And he just figured out he's in love with the chick. So now his mad at himself and her, but mostly he's mad at himself, however since he can't kill himself, he's kicking the railing." Simila said, staring blankly as Carter started kicking the other side.

"Well…at least I'm getting paid of this." The captain muttered.

~Later~

"JUNE!" Carter shouted as he hopped the railing and landed heavily onto the dock the feet below. "JUNE!"

Simila groaned and waited for the plank before following after Carter who was running person to person looking for her. "Carter, slow down! You have no idea how bad cramps are! Especially when it's from BEING THROWN AOUND LIKE A RAGDOLL!"

There was a quiet silence from the Ranger before a quiet, "Please don't kill me later," right before he took off running towards the most important looking building. Which JUST happened to be where June was.

"June!" Carter called as he kicked open the door.

He stopped and put down his foot and he quietly observed the scene. June was blushing and smiling, a guy who he assume was a prince was kissing her hand. The king was smiling. A guard was staring at his like he was cat ear attached to his skull, and seventy other people behind him were glaring at him.

Carter mentally shrugged and walked the rest of the way in. June and the Prince stepped away and June managed to wipe away most of the blush. Carter unconsciously started walking faster and behind him Simila was laughing from the doorway.

He stopped in front of June and glared down at her, "June, when did I tell you goodbye?" He asked simply.

June frowned, confused by the question. Cater answered for her, "Never." He smiled and ruffled her hair, "Because I don't plan on giving you up until I die, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm too stubborn to die."

Then he stepped past her and address the King and prince. He regretfully knelt on one knee, and his head he was screaming and thousands of mini carter's were screaming and dying because he just knelled before someone.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to say that my apprentice cannot accept the terms of the treaty as she is currently taken and in training still. Therefore it is impossible for her to come here and still hold the title of Ranger. As she still has not received the Silver Oak leaf from our Commander Crowley nor his sub commander Halt. I apologize for the discomfort able problems I may have caused." Carter said, gritting his teeth through the whole speech.

"Her title as Ranger holds no important value to me. June is a lovely girl, he rank doesn't matter. And what do you mean taken?" Andrew said, frowning.

Carter rose, a smirk plastered on his face. Everyone in the court frowned at his expression. "She's taken, exactly what I said," And he turned to leave.

"By who may I ask Ranger?"

Carter kept walking until he was upon her, then he grabbed her up in a bridal style carry, not missing a stride in his step as he walked toward the exit.

"By who Ranger? I command you to inform me!" Andrew shouted.

Carter pivoted on his feet, a sharp halt and jolt in his step. June glared at him from his arms and his smirk suddenly grew bigger.

"Why Your Majesty, she's mine." Carter said, turning sharply and hiding the kiss he had with her.

He left the officials in a shock and confusion. And he left the whole nation, in an uproar, because he stole the prince's bride. And he stole her heart too.

~Alternate Ending~

(Starts when Carter enters the building)

Carter ignored the glares, but gritted his teeth at the attention. He hated being watched, and he was going to hate it even more if this ended like he thought it would.

"June!" He called, walking down the hallway to where she stood in front of Andrew.

She looked at him, a slight frown on her face, but also a look of confusion. He still had a chance to make it right.

He kept walking, ignoring the looks, the questions, the threats, and the orders. He just had to say one thing. His footsteps came only as a quiet muffle thump, but it sounded like a landslide to him and his heartbeat was almost as fast as an arrow. And when he stopped, he had to wonder if his heart had to start again because it seemed to disappear.

He ruffled June's hair one more time and sighed, looking up to the roof as if looking for an answer that would solve the problems he caused.

"June…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a whole lot of things in my life, but I'm sorry the most for what I've done to you. For getting you caught up in my life, and its problems, for screwing up yours and for hurting you in the past. I'm sorry for giving you the trouble of having to deal with me on a day to day basis and getting you addicted to coffee for a whole summer." Carter paused, his head snapping down. "I'm sorry that I somehow fell in love with my crazy apprentice. And I'm sorry about having to make you choose." He took another deep breath, "I love you."

June froze. Her breath hitched, her heart skipped a beat as she was struck with Carter's words and the apology. She realized almost instantly how much it had taken him to actually say this, and also to do it in front of a king and the royal officials. But she also thought about how much she was helping her country.

Andrew was nice, he was kind, and he loved. And he was something Carter never was, he was peaceful. June had started getting tired of Carter's reckless behavior in fights. And she was tired of all the violence in his life. She was prepared for mild violence and a major battle every once in a while. But other times she just wanted to be able to take a quiet nap and forget about it all.

Carter was compassionate, she knew he would love her, and he was protective of her. He had lost an arm to rescue her. And he had even broken it for a chance to rescue her. He'd traveled across the world and kidnapped Simila to help him get her back. He'd taken the blame and he taken the sacrifice. And the permanently stitched line on his right arm proved it. But he was to wild, at least his life was she needed some time just to rest from it.

"I'm sorry Carter…I can't…I'm…I…I just can't…I'm sorry…" June mumbled.

Carter sighed and turned around. Silently walking out of the building, and who was quickly followed by Simila. He walked out of the building, and quickly out of her life.

"Carter, are you crying?" Simila asked, noticing a wet line streaking down Carter's face.

"Simila, you know those moments where you just lost a drinking contest to a girl that's half your size, age and has a ridiculous laugh?"

"Yeah, it sucks."

This is like one of those, so shut up." Carter growled.

Simila fell silent. And Carter quietly got back onto the ship and retired to his room. Hot tears streaking down his face. Grudgingly he wiped them away. He hand found the wooden bed post and he grabbed it.

After a minute, he wiped his face and walked back on deck. He sighed as the cast off only an hour later and he waved good-bye to the City of Wine, and also the most important girl in his whole life.

As the city faded from his view he glance down at his right arm. He cursed and slammed it at the wrist against the railing. He heard a crack and he winched. Then he sighed again.

Two years later, carter retired from the Rangers, he declined both the offer of a new home, and the gold oak leaf. Instead he wished to keep the Silver. Crowley obliged. He retired having the more battle wounds and scars than rangers even soldiers that were twice his age. Only a month after he retired he had his right arm removed again. He said he wanted to forget something important.

"Carter." The voice called him out of his musings.

In response to the voice he snatched the red apple out of the air with hand. He looked down at the person who threw it and met the face of Simila. Carter furrowed his brow as he looked at the scruffy beard Simila had developed.

"Go shave brat." Carter snapped, clearly not in the mood to deal with the young warrior today.

Simila sighed, carter had become quite foul tempered after her leaving. He stared at the man for a while longer before looking up into the clouds. "I wonder how she's doing." He mused out loud.

Carter grunted, "I gave up my right arm again to forget." He rolled off the tree branch, hitting the ground on his feet and walked into the woods, throwing his hand up as thanks for the food to Simila.

After a while he found the clearing. He killed the rushing memories he felt as he walked in. He had long ago wreaked every practice target, every quiver and extra bow he had and now the clearing was bare. Lone for one toppled tree he cut down. He sat down and munched on the apple. Mindlessly he tried to slip away and block every memory he had. He had been trying that for two years now he thought.

Sighing he threw the finished apple core into the woods. Only a minute later a rustling came from the bushes in that direction. He glance with a bored expression at the plants. A wolf slowly came out. He stared at it.

The once brown or black coat had faded to a dull gray or maybe a dark tan and flecks of white had appeared in some places. The wolf's usually ferocious eyes looked blank and dull in lack of interest. Carter also noted the missing forepaw. In response both the wolf and the man snorted in dull humor.

The something that carter hadn't done in a long time happened, his lips twitched as his old smirk appeared.

"I bet I lost more than you."

~Two months later~

"Will you seen Carter?" Simila asked as the younger warrior approached the Ranger.

"Not a glimpse of him, why do you ask?" Will replied, a confused look upon his face.

"Well usually I come down about every week and talk and I share an apple with him and this week he's not here. In fact I haven't seen him at all this week. I was wondering if you had." Simila explained.

"No I haven't seen him." Will answered.

"Huh…weird." Simila muttered.

Carter other hand was laughing as he thought right about now she'd be getting it. He snorted ad rubbed his companions head. The wolf barked happily as Carter walked down the road, a billowing molted green cloak now fixed onto his shoulders and a smile on his face as he thought about the package. It had taken a while to get it and Crowley would kill him once he found out, but her didn't care.

Across the world the queen of a nation opened a package and almost immediately dropped it and screamed. Inside, clutched in a death grip, was a skeleton hand, and its fingers were tightly curled around a worldwide symbol that made all men and women fear. However, this wasn't quite the symbol. This was in bronze. The queen clutched her chest as she calmed herself and looked inside the package.

There was a letter next to the skeleton hand and she took it gingerly. She opened it carefully. She pulled out the letter. It was faintly familiar writing as she read.

I'll assume that it's still intact. Since you've gotten this, that means you must have maintained just enough bravery to take out this letter and avoid the hand. Congrats, you aren't as horrible as I thought you'd be by now. So I sent you the two things you took from me when you left. As I can't send the third until I'm death, I guess I'll get Simila to cut it out a mail it to you.

Let's start with the tales savvy? I quit the Ranger's two year back, a month later, I removed this arm. I'll assume you've softened up because of palace life and spare you the gruesome details. However, when I retired, I had a total of 236 scars. I am now twenty. I have wounds that any mortal man would have died from. However, I have only one thing to thank you for now and that is helping me met Simila. I have nothing else to say but this.

I may not have been able to love you always, but you never were the one to take things in a slow relaxed manner. You never liked slow. You never like peacefulness. So I guess you just quit halfway through on me huh? Nice to know my last few months were half-assed. Thanks. I guess I'll make you work to even get a scrap of bronze that means nothing to you.

~A Heart-Broken Fool

Enjoy the gift. I won't advise breaking the fingers off. Or else they'll be a second surprise.

The queen fainted. And across the world, a young man was joining the Rangers for the second time in his life.

Yesss people I rewrote the end of it here because I didn't like it! thanks for putting up with me and Carter and occasionally June's ramblings and yes this is the very last chapter of Ranger's Apprentice. O.O I might write a sequel. If you're lucky (dun dun DUN like on the piano.) Okay on a sidenot do you guys think June got what was coming on that? Did she deserve something harsher? And in the comments you can guess what the surprise is. Enjoy. ^_^ on another side note, did you know that if you leave an animal carcass next to an ant pile for about a month, it will be picked clean?