It was a well known fact that the grim faced ranger hated birthdays especially his own. But his apprentice wasn't going to let that stop him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Gilan asked Will sitting at Halt's kitchen table, pouring over various lists and plans of the next day.

"I'm sure, can't turn back now."

"On your head be it." Halt had never specifically told them he didn't want to celebrate his birthday, in fact he hadn't mentioned it at all and it was his former apprentice who brought it up to Will, so really if you think about it and if it does go wrong, its Gilan's fault.

"Hey Halt do you know what month it is?" the tall blonde chided cheerfully as he invited himself into the cabin.

"September." he shrugged gruffly.

"Nope, it's birthday month!" Will looked up from where he had started boiling coffee as soon as they were notified of Gilan's arrival by the horses' greeting.

"Oooo, who's birthday?" he asked excitedly, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Halt's," he tried to ruffle the older man's hair but he dodged and walked outside, shutting the door behind him. The older gave a confused yet amused look to where his old mentor had been standing and to the closed door behind him, then bounded up to where Will was standing by the stove. "He's funny like that sometimes." he elbowed his friend playfully when he only replied with a distracted 'mhm'. "Will," he said cautiously and he turned to face him, a mischievous glint in his warm brown eyes. "Will no." he just nodded a wide smile breaking across his face. "Will," he groaned, putting his head in his hands in a dramatic gesture.

"Just think, Gil. With the two of us planning we could get everything done twice as fast and give him the best birthday ever!" he finished with the stirring spoon up in the air for emphasis. Gilan clasped a hand over his mouth worriedly looking to the door for any signs that Halt had heard him.

"Fine, just so long as you don't go shouting about it and don't poke my eye out with that spoon." he rolled his eyes and removed his hand from Will's mouth when he nodded.

"Thanks Gil, you won't regret it!" he hugged him quickly and turned back to the coffee.

"I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea." Will whispered to Gilan both boys hiding behind a bush in the clearing at the front of the cabin. The plan was Baron Arald, who had been so in the moment the two had mentioned the words 'Halt's birthday', was going to call Halt away to the castle for a couple of hours, giving the others a chance to set up and a few of the guests to arrive. Mind you, Gilan and Will had been mindful that if everything went smoothly and they didn't end up with arrows in them, their mentor might not want many people there so only close friends were attending. Lady Pauline and her apprentice, Alyss, Horace and Cassandra who had kindly made the trip from Castle Araluen as soon as they had received Will's hasty letter. Crowley, who had also ridden with the princess and finally Will and Gilan of course. Arald would insist on riding Halt back, so he could join in with the festivities as well, and also make sure that Halt didn't shoot any of them when they jumped out from behind the trees and various foliage they were all hiding behind. The clearing looked beautiful, they had simple wooden tables and chairs and a mini feast supplied to them very kindly by Jenny who had refused her invitation because her second in command had caught the flu and she couldn't leave the kitchen in the hands of anyone else. There was a few balloons tied around the clearing to tree branches and one to Abelard because Gilan thought that would be funny and a small banner was tied over the porch steps with the words 'Happy birthday Halt' written in green paint because No.1 Will was 90 percent sure that it was his favourite colour and No.2 he wouldn't have forgiven them if it was written in any other colour.

They all waited patiently until they heard the loud booming voice of baron Arald from the other side of the clearing. "You know I'm starting to think that he just doesn't appreciate my skill." he was droning on and even Will could see that his mentor was close to whacking the baron off his horse, as the two began to break through the foliage, Gilan held up 3 fingers and slowly counted down. 3,2,1,0. They all jumped out and shouted, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Halt stopped abruptly on Abelard and surprisingly didn't try to shoot them all. He dismounted in shock and moved to where the group had formed a nervous clump. Will could barely hear him over the thumping of his own heart. "You did all this for me?" his voice came out small and out of all the possible scenarios that Gilan and Will planned for, this was certainly not one of them.

"Of corse we did it for you." Gilan stepped forwards and Will followed behind him. Halt moved towards them both and hugged them, an arm wrapped around each of the boys. The company stared in shock and happiness, it was certainly the most touching moment they had witnessed. Halt murmured a single phrase before releasing them both.

"Thank you." then he turned to face a chorus of 'happy birthday's' and said "I hope someone brought food because I'm starving!" everyone cheered and the rest of the night was spent in a blur of laughter smiles and cake, lots of cake.