iii.

"Halt, have you thought how you will tell them about her without the need to alarm them?" Will asked his mentor when they made a brief stop to water the horses on a nearby creek. They had waited for Gilan at their set crossroads but when time passed and the tall Ranger hadn't arrived, they decided to push on ahead knowing Gilan had a good excuse for his lateness. They still had a couple of hours of sunlight and the Gathering Ground was now a few miles away from the creek. Maiah had gone a little to the side with that strange pet of hers and with the hushed voices she would never hear their conversation.

"The only way would be to introduce her as your apprentice." Halt answered barely moving his lips.

"My appr—What! Halt, that is crazy. I barely graduated a few years ago, I can't possibly have an apprentice yet."

"Well, I don't think it is possible I have one this close after you. Besides, you were the one who found her."

"Maybe she can just introduce herself there." Now that the Gathering was only an hour's ride away he started dreading they would call them traitors before Maiah was able to give her warning. If she wasn't shot down when entering.

"A stranger in Gathering Grounds will be shot down before she can even open her mouth."

"She can enter as another Ranger. I know it's not very honorable for me to be saying this, but she will eventually talk to Crowley."

"Sorry to crush your plan, Will, but every Ranger knows the way another looks. And she has a peculiar way to her walking. And what about that cat of hers? It never leaves her side."

Will thought for a second, watching her as she bent down to wash her face. Her hair fell to her side almost reflecting the flowing water. To her side, Nox drank thirstily its tail curved up as if to feel anything that came from behind them.

"Although they wouldn't be as suspicious if she went to Crowley as our prisoner." Will finally said looking at Halt trying to make out his expression.

"And then we can tell him what it really is all about." The bearded man said. "I'm still not convinced by the story, but I'm sure that's as good as it'll get. I won't be the one telling her the plan though."

"Maiah, would you…" Will's voice trailed off as he turned to find the spot she had just been completely deserted. His eyes looked around trying to find the cat or the blond cascade. In the trees around them there was no one to be seen. With fear in his eyes, he turned to his mentor looking for help. "Where is she now?"

Trying hard to suppress their growing anxiousness, the two Rangers looked into the dark trees eyes searching for the missing girl. Will knew of her ability to disappear and that of her cat, but Halt still looked for the regular signs of some inexperienced person hiding.

"She's as good as a Ranger." Will whispered. Halt wasn't too impressed by this but sharpened his eye anyways and searched closer. She had to be somewhere close, if she had covered too much distance she would have to run and that would mean her escape would be a noisy one. No, she was still there.

"And I think I know what scared her away." Halt said frustrated with a roll of his eyes. "I saw you already, Gilan. Come out."

With a bright grin in his face, Gilan walked to meet the two Rangers, standing tall. From the opposite side Blaze advanced slowly knowing stealth was no longer needed.

"Hey, give me some credit, I watched you for almost fifteen minutes." The newcomer chuckled. Halt wondered how it was possible for this old apprentice to continue with his traditional sneaking even on an emergency call. "Give or take a few minutes it took me to catch up to you."

"And scared her away." Halt reproached still looking through the woods.

"What, or who, is this her you are looking for?" Gilan asked shaking Will's hand while the younger's gaze swept through the trees.

"There's no point in you knowing now that she's gone, is there?"

"Oh, Halt, don't get all moody, now." Gilan called with a smile. "The Gathering doesn't start until tonight. You've got some time to look for your lost her."

"It's not moodiness, Gilan." Will warned quietly behind Halt's back as the Ranger went closer to the woods. Slowly, the smile on the face of the newest member of their party faded.

"He's a harmless fool, Maiah." Halt called to the trees and Gilan wondered if what he had scared was some dog. After all, when Will had acquired one it constantly showed it was an advantage having two warning bells rather than one.

And then Gilan saw shrubs moving right where it had been empty before. Suddenly, a white spot appeared among the dark woods and slowly the figure emerged taking shape as it did. When it lifted its head up Gilan was surprised to find a girl eyeing him carefully. His mouth felt dry—something that didn't happen very often—and for a second he froze in place. "I, um, didn't…I didn't mean to scare you away." He stammered regaining his self-control—somewhat.

"Who are you, and what did you do with Gilan?" Will teased as he walked back to Tug.

"I'm sure you two will finally find some talking partner that is able to stand the interminable tumble of words you two can come up with." Halt said raising an eye brow at his former apprentice. "Maiah, this is Gilan."

"Nice to meet you." She said cracking a grin and moving more easily to where Gilan stood. He observed her casual, yet graceful, strides unable to answer her.

"Er, yes, thank you." He stumbled over the words as they left his mouth before he could think of them. "I mean…I didn't…nice to meet you, too."

The idea came into Will's mind as he watched Gilan turn back to his horse somewhat blushed. "Halt, Gilan could take her."

Being the ones without knowing what was going on even though it all referred to them, Gilan and Maiah looked at each other trying to make out the riddle. It went on as Halt answered back, "I'm not sure we can pull it off any more. Perhaps our latest idea is the best one."

"Well, I doubt they will think you could take one, I mean, you would just kill it. And I…"

"Yes, I see what you mean. Perhaps—"

"I don't." Maiah interrupted, frowning. Gilan was surprised to find someone who wasn't afraid of Rangers and dared to interrupt their conversation.

"The thing is," Will started, searching for the right words. He wasn't sure how to tell a person they would need to become prisoners all of a sudden. Scratching the back of his head, thinking, he continued, "we can't bring you into the Gathering just like that. They would strike you before you even explain why you're here. And since you are a little too old to be an apprentice the only way will be if you act as if you were Gilan's prisoner."

"My prisoner?"

"His prisoner?"

"It won't be real;" Halt assured both. "Just on our way into the Gathering Ground and Crowley. After that they will have little reason to kill you."

"And why isn't she your prisoner?" Gilan asked, not wanting to have to be the one humiliating her. He knew it wasn't a pleasant thing to be a prisoner even if it was just for some hours.

"Because somehow you look more like the kind who would bring one to Crowley not sure what to do with her." Halt said.

Gilan thought about it for a second. He was right, of course; Halt had already had experience with taking his own decisions, and Will was just a little on the young side to be taking someone of his age as prisoner especially since Rangers often saw the two of them arriving together. That only left him as an option. He wasn't sure what the whole business with Maiah was exactly, but if Halt was doing it there was a reason behind it; and a good one at that.

Maiah made a loose braid and ruffled her hair as she put twigs in it. The shine had been dulled with dirt and her pale face smeared with mud. If she was going to be their prisoner at least she had to look like if she had put up a fight and had been roughly treated. At Will's insistence she removed her soft cloak rolling it up and packing it among his belongings. Finally, she held out her arms for Gilan to tie a rope around her wrists.

"I'm truly sorry about this." He whispered as he tightened it while Will and Halt prepared to leave. As he did so, Gilan noticed she had scars around her wrists; they were light, almost unnoticeable, but he could feel the bumpy and smooth feeling as he tied the rough ropes. They only had about an hour left of sunlight and the sooner they left the sooner they would arrive to the Gathering. "I wish it wasn't me the one who had to make you go through this."

"I'm sure I'll like it better." She said in that off handedly way of hers, smiling up at him through her lashes. "Besides, there's nothing else you could do, and it will only be for some time."

"I still think we could have found something better."

"Ready?" Halt called. Pulling the rope that bounded her hands, Gilan walked to Blaze to tie it on the saddle.

"I still think there's something missing." Will said looking at her critically from his horse. "It's just…her clothes. They look too well kept to be of some peasant even through the dirt."

"Well I can't really do much about them." She replied without need to look down at her clothing. Cotton shirt and breeches; nothing too elaborate.

"I know, but…" Will sighed knowing he was making a huge deal out of something that wouldn't be really that important. They would only need the disguise for their entrance; just had to make sure to not make it big or draw attention to her.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Halt assured hurrying the three young ones back to the road. For the rest of their ride Maiah would have to walk, but seeing her resistance in the morning he doubted she would complain about it. "There's just one last thing. You will have to give up your bow."

"Oh." She said for the first time sounding reluctant of following with the plan. She bit her lip as she tentatively unsung it from her arm and handed it over into Will's extended hand. "I guess I'll also have to give you this."

At her words, Nox came from the woods holding in her mouth a long object wrapped in clothes. The cat delicately set it at her feet and watched as its owner retrieved it.

"What is this?" Will asked when Maiah handed it to him. It was heavier than he had anticipated and suddenly felt a strange feeling running through his hand and up his arm.

"Well, you might think I'm a little crazy but that is actually what I care about the most. Just keep it safe."

Neither of the three Rangers had seen her carrying the package, but realized she might as well had had it in the folds of her cloak. Without further questioning, Will set it carefully in his luggage and the four set out to the end of their trip. As they got back into the road, Gilan reluctantly tied the blindfold around her head only to hear her dismiss the trouble it would cause her. As they proceeded, he made sure she wouldn't trip or get hurt; although, he had allowed a small slip for her to look at the ground, he doubted it was enough to keep her from falling if something was out of her field of vision.

They arrived to the Grounds as night fell, a few fires visible from a distance as Rangers started readying for the night. Maiah couldn't see the place, but felt her insides give a jolt of anxiousness; she didn't fear talking to the Corps Commandant, but rather not being heard and killed thinking she was just a spy. Flashes of the duel came back to her sending shivers through her body that added to her nervousness gave her goosebumps. Unaware of what went through her mind Gilan quietly apologized for having her out in the cold. She dismissed it with a slight shake of her head.

However, the fact that she was acting right then prevented her from falling into a panic attack for, no matter how scared she was, acting had always been one of her strongest qualities and now that she was impersonating a prisoner and peasant girl she decided she would make the best of it. She hung her head low as they moved along and tripped from time to time on purpose to seem like she was dead tired. At first her "capturer" tried stopping, but after assuring him everything that happened afterwards would be totally false, he continued getting a little more into the game glancing back at her when she lagged too far behind and pulling lightly on the rope. She was convinced there were no doubts left as to what she was doing tied to the horse by the time they entered the Gathering Grounds and dozens of expert eyes watched Gilan taking the peasant rebel into the command tent. Feeling the eyes on them, he tried his hardest to keep a steady pace and continue without much hurry.

Pitching their tents, Rangers watched the newcomers with some curiosity—especially their little souvenir. Will, being the youngest, dismounted and started looking for a spot to pitch their tents while Gilan and Halt proceeded into the pavilion followed by the small pale figure tied to their horses. A couple of the present disapproved of someone bringing in an stranger into their meeting, while others felt that perhaps they had been a little too hard on her; she looked small and fragile, and being a girl they should have given her a better care. When she tripped once again these Rangers realized she had probably walked a long way.

"Is Crowley available?" Halt asked when they arrived to the pavilion. Gilan waited to the left and a little behind his old mentor while the prisoner started moving her head listening to the sounds around her as if finding some hope for the first time. Most witnesses had gone back to their tasks but those who took a little longer saw how Gilan pulled the rope to get her a little closer to his horse. It was obvious he didn't trust her.

"I'm here." Said the old Ranger coming out grumbling. "If it's not grizzly Halt and our swordsman."

Both Rangers nodded in greeting before Halt dismounted. Without need to be told, Abelard walked back to where Will had started setting camp. "I see everyone was wise enough to arrive today."

"As a matter of fact, my friend," Crowley said. "You three are the last ones to arrive."

"We had a little held back." Halt said nodding towards Maiah.

"I can see that." Crowley grunted angrily. "I would appreciate your explanations for bringing her here."

"That's just what we need to discuss." Halt assured him. "But somewhere without so many ears."

Up until then Gilan had remained in his horse if in some unexpected event some attack broke he could pick up Maiah and race off into the forest until Halt fixed things. When Crowley signaled them to follow to the back, the tall Ranger dismounted and untied the rope from his saddle. They watched Blaze find Will before following the old Ranger.

"You okay?" Gilan asked under his breath allowing the older men to go on ahead.

"Don't worry." She said offering him a quick smile from under the cloth.

"So what is all this about?" the Commander asked annoyed, stopping abruptly so that Gilan almost ran into him. With a wave of his hand, the Commander of the Corps signaled for them to untie the blindfold.

"Crowley, I know you are angry at us bringing a stranger into camp," Halt started trying to reason with his old friend. "However, you will find there is a huge reason for it."

Maiah watched with dread as the man took her in. His eyes scanned her seeing everything she was. For a moment she wondered if the Baron would have been less intimidating than this old man.

"Where did you find her?" Crowley finally said looking at Gilan.

"It was me, Crowley." Will said just arriving from setting camp. Crowley wondered if there ever was something strange that Halt wasn't involved in. Or Will for that matter.

"Well, then, speak up. She's not really a prisoner, is she?"

"That was the only way to get her close without them shooting her down." Will answered, unable to meet his gaze. "If you would allow it, I think it will be better if she was the one explaining everything to you."

"Very well, then. But hurry, girl. I haven't got all night."

Maiah could count the times she had been left speechless in one hand; today, as Crowley stared her down, was one of those times. "I come from Mazoniria. South from here." She said knowing she would have to speak some time and that was a simple but important part to her whole mission. "My name is Maiah Moonshine. And I'm here to warn Araluens about the invasion that has been planned against you."