Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, made possible by the Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. I have only borrowed his creation and I make no money. For this story I have used several other Rangers from the books, though I've also added my own. I do this only in the hope to entertain…
Author's Note: No harm shall come to the characters that can't be fixed with enough coffee…
Chapter 18
Crowley had read and re-read the reports so many times there was no need for him to do it again. Instead he poured coffee, handing Pauline a mug. Taking a second one and putting a spoon of honey in it before handing it over to Halt.
His friend accepted it, drinking the hot brew though he seemed to have little enthusiasm for it. He had made no move to take any of the food, but Pauline handed him one of the pies. They would need to keep their energy up if they were to accomplish anything, and they both knew it, though the food held no appeal for them.
Finally, Halt laid down the last paper, leaning back with a frown as Crowley poured the last of the coffee. It had been keeping warm on the hearth, as the shadows in the room grew longer and candles had been lit.
"You see it to then," it was not a question though there was a hopeful note in Crowley's voice. "It is not just me?"
"Something's not right, that's sure enough," Halt scowled at the paper.
"I do not know Harcourt at all really, but it does seem rather peculiar," Pauline agreed.
"At first I thought it was shock, and grief, but I'm not certain anymore," Crowley fiddled with his mug. "I started thinking I was fooling myself, that I was just refusing to accept the facts, but I've been over and over that damned report so many times, and I still get the same feeling."
"Will was unconscious, he never knew what happened," Halt nodded slowly, as if to himself.
"And Harcourt is rather, vague, on the matter," Pauline tapped a finger to her chin. "He seems very careful in how he words himself, yet there is a distinct uncertainty to the phrasing. He's being very careful not to say exactly how Gilan died…"
"Gorlog's teeth!" Halt exploded into a curse he had learned from the Skandians. "If he did something he's not admitting that's what got Gilan killed, I'll put an arrow in him myself."
"I've been thinking I should go there, have a talk with him, but if he thinks we're doubting his report on what happened, he'll never tell us more than he already has," Crowley cautioned.
"He'll tell us what I want to know," Halt growled as he dropped a hand to his saxe knife.
"We can't do that, and you know it," Crowley shook his head. "I rather want to myself, but if we did, it would be the end of the Ranger Corps, there'd be anarchy if the others got wind of it. Like it or not, and I personally hate it, we have to be more subtle."
"So what do you want to do?" Halt demanded.
"I thought I'd go there, and ask him a few more questions, strictly for the sake of dealing with that band once and for all. I doubt he'd be too shocked if you were along, and asked a few hard questions of your own. He'd know you wanted to know more about what happened, and that band has to be dealt with. At the moment, I'm loath to send anyone else."
"We'll deal with them," Halt decided. "They'll pay for what they did to Gilan."
"Are you telling Will?" Pauline interjected.
"No," Halt's tone softened. "He'd insist on going along, and I don't want him to do that."
"We could be wrong, and it could be nothing more than Harcourt having been unable to string together a comprehensive report," Crowley sighed. "Or, we're right, but he's just trying to hide exactly what happened, either thinking he's protecting us, or, if he made a mistake, trying to cover it up. Either way, Will's taking it hard, he's not in a frame of mind that I'd trust him on something like this. It's too dangerous."
"I suppose that makes sense," she mused. "When will you leave?"
"Tomorrow," Halt decided. There was no point in delaying, the sooner they got started, the sooner they would find out what had really happened.
Will's report had been short, and a little jumbled. As he had been unconscious for part of it, it was no wonder.
Harcourt's report was equally jumbled, as if he had not been fully able to make up his mind what he should say, moving forward, going back to point out a detail. If it had been only hours after the incident Halt could have understood it. The shock of losing a Ranger, any Ranger, might have done it. Yet they were supposed to be better trained than so, even in the face of tragedy. Several days later he should certainly have been able to formulate a comprehensive report.
Yet here they were, with a mess of information that told him that Gilan was lost, was gone and he would never see him again. With not one word saying how he had actually died….
That was really the odd thing, it did not say he had been shot, nor that he had been cut down. Harcourt's report did not even in so many words state that he was actually dead, just that he was gone. While Will in his misery tried to claim blame for his demise even in the report.
As much as Halt was afraid to hope, only to have it crushed, he found it more than odd. If Harcourt had actually seen Gilan die, then why did he not say how? If he had not actually seen him die, then why hadn't he tried to organize a rescue attempt? They could have gone back to the castle and asked the Baron for men. They would not have been denied.
Yet there it was, clearly stated that Gilan was gone, and yet not how….
No, unless he went there and found out for himself he would never rest. He had gone to Skandia to get Will back, and he would have done no less for Gilan.
"You'll need supplies," Pauline decided.
"I've already taken care of it, it'll be ready when we leave," Crowley offered a weak smile. "I've been going over these time and time again trying to figure it out. Eventually I took them to Duncan to get permission for us to leave, he gave it right away. I just need to let him know when we leave, and it will all be ready."
"Good," Halt did not even ask what kind of supplies he meant, Crowley knew what they would need as well as he did. He would have made sure they had the essential equipment.
"Then I suggest we all get a good night's sleep," Pauline decided. "You'll want to make sure to get an early start."
Crowley nodded, pushing to his feet. Pauline eyed him carefully, he looked weary. Crowley had always been energetic, not quite as much so as Gilan, but quite enough. It had many times been stated to be something to his advantage as he worked tirelessly towards their goal. Gilan's death however seemed to really have taken something out of him. She did not wonder, knowing he'd taken it very personally.
Halt did not show it easily, but she knew him well enough to know he was still reeling from the shock, and he would need a chance to get to terms with the news before they set out.
"Yes, yes, we should," Crowley looked around himself, seemingly to see if there was anything that needed his direct attention. There was nothing immediate, he had made certain of that. "We should all go to bed so we can set out at the break of dawn."
Halt nodded his agreement as he stood himself. There really wasn't much more to say at the moment, and he found it hard to find something he wanted to say. There seemed to be a lump of ice still in his stomach. It seemed hard to believe that Gilan was really gone, the boy who was so full of life and energy he always drove Halt half mad.
Pauline put a hand on his arm as they left the office, she wanted to reassure him that it would be alright, but she knew that without Gilan, it wouldn't. Halt might be more expressive with Will, because Will needed that. Gilan got confused and uncertain by the same things Will craved. He had never needed to be told he had done exceptionally well, even if a brief word of praise had always seen him light up in a smile. He had started his training in Battleschool very young, and Battleschool did not waste much time on praise. They let you know when you had done wrong, and you had to figure out that if they said nothing, you had probably done it right.
When they had not seen each other for some time, a quick embrace was really all he needed.
Will filled a very important role in Halt's life, he allowed him to feel needed, gave him someone whom he could mother when the mood struck him. Which was a lot more than Halt would ever admit. Gilan had been far more likely to object to the same treatment, smiling, and pointing out that he did have a vague idea of what he was doing. Halt liked to growl and say he did not really, but it was all in good jest. Gilan had always been very capable and well knew how to take care of himself.
Which made it all the more shocking what had happened, how anyone could have gotten the better of him. She could not believe it, and she knew it would affect Halt deeply.
He would blame himself, for not having been there, for having gone with her and not been there to go with Will. It wasn't his fault, it could have happened at any other time, for any other reason.
Gilan was very capable, and after Halt himself and Crowley, the one she had always thought the most skilled. Will was rapidly gaining, but he lacked Gilan's experience. He didn't quite have his way of putting the pieces together.
She watched silently as they entered their chamber and he made no move to change for bed. Instead he stood himself by the window, gazing out into the rapidly darkening world.
"I always thought I'd know…" He had been so certain of it, that he would know if something happened to his apprentices, yet they had simply gone about their day with no idea. Nothing had changed, he had not felt a thing. "I was certain of it…"
"I could just picture him, walking in, smiling," she shook her head. She could, because it had not fully sunk in yet. They were in shock both of them, and she stood beside him, leaning her chin on his shoulder. Fortunately, he had never minded that she did that, because she loved to rest her cheek against his chin. The beard could be a bit of a bother sometimes, but she was used to it by now and relished the sensation. "I never known anyone so cheerful, he always made me smile."
"You didn't have to deal with him every day," Halt managed a small smile.
"You can't fool me, you loved it," she mused. "And no matter how tragic this is, and how hurt you feel, don't pretend anything else. It's not fair to him and it's not fair to you."
"You're right," he nodded, slowly. "Never thought he'd get under my skin the way he did, but it didn't take him long."
"Gilan was special," Pauline stated. "Nothing can and nothing ever will change that. Now, you'll leave early tomorrow, I'll stay here until you return. And I intend to see you both off, so let's get some sleep."
"Yes, we had better," Halt agreed as he followed her to bed.
TBC Please review, the caffeine addicted Cricket is hungry…
