(no subject)
Title: Small Words
Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice
Rating: PG for now
Pairing: Halt/Will eventually
Summary: "The boy Will has the potential to be trained as a Ranger. I will accept him as my apprentice." Halt never could've guessed the impact those few, small words would have on his life.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.
Chapter 1
Will entered Halt’s bedroom with fresh bandages and a bowl of steaming water, placing them on the small table by Halt’s bed. Halt sat up, muttering his thanks. Will decided it best not to disturb his master any further and left, heading outside to tend to the firewood that needed chopping.
Halfway through the mound, Will stopped to take a break. He noted vaguely that it didn’t take him quite so long to split the logs as it used to. He absentmindedly fingered the bronze oak leaf that hung around his neck.
Since being injured, Halt had become more stubborn than ever. At first, he’d acted like nothing had happened-like he wasn’t injured, and hadn’t almost lost his life. Will decided to finally take a stand and tell his mentor to rest. Halt had muttered something about his duties to his kingdom and duties to Will, but Will had countered it with a winning argument. “What use are you to the kingdom or me if you’re injured like this? Don’t worry. I’ll do my chores and keep up with my training and help you out around here. Just try to rest.”
Halt considered the notion, then sighed resignedly. “If you really want to be a help,” he said, “make me a cup of coffee.”
Since then, Will had kept his promise, and Halt, in return, had kept to his room as much as possible. It pained Will to see his master like that; he knew Halt hated being confined; he knew Halt needed to keep busy, needed to feel important, but what other option did they have?
Halt had been recovering nicely, and could even ride Abelard again. But his wound was still not fully healed, and Will worried that if Halt strained himself too much-which, if Will knew Halt at all, he’d do-the injury would break open again and they’d be back at square one.
Will was about to get back to chopping when a messenger rode up in front of him and dismounted. “Is Ranger Halt in? I have a message from the King.”
Will hesitated, unsure as to how to answer. “Yes...”
The messenger waited expectantly, then asked, “Can you go and get him?”
“I’m his apprentice. Could I take the message to him?”
The messenger narrowed his eyes at the stubborn boy. “Fine.” He handed Will a scroll and mounted again. Will didn’t bother to watch the man ride off, instead hurrying straight to Halt with the scroll. Halt unrolled it and read it, and for the first time in weeks, a hint of the old Halt returned. He rolled the scroll back up and shoved it into his pocket. “Feel like going for a ride?”
Once they’d spent a few days tracking the wargals, Halt was back to normal completely, and, apart from the occasional spasms of pain that still ran up his leg, there was almost no sign that he’d ever been injured. Will was silently grateful his master was back to normal; he liked his teacher to be strong, to be someone one whom he could depend. Will liked the feeling that no matter what, Halt would be able to get them through anything.
Fandom: Ranger's Apprentice
Rating: PG for now
Pairing: Halt/Will eventually
Summary: "The boy Will has the potential to be trained as a Ranger. I will accept him as my apprentice." Halt never could've guessed the impact those few, small words would have on his life.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.
Chapter 1
Will entered Halt’s bedroom with fresh bandages and a bowl of steaming water, placing them on the small table by Halt’s bed. Halt sat up, muttering his thanks. Will decided it best not to disturb his master any further and left, heading outside to tend to the firewood that needed chopping.
Halfway through the mound, Will stopped to take a break. He noted vaguely that it didn’t take him quite so long to split the logs as it used to. He absentmindedly fingered the bronze oak leaf that hung around his neck.
Since being injured, Halt had become more stubborn than ever. At first, he’d acted like nothing had happened-like he wasn’t injured, and hadn’t almost lost his life. Will decided to finally take a stand and tell his mentor to rest. Halt had muttered something about his duties to his kingdom and duties to Will, but Will had countered it with a winning argument. “What use are you to the kingdom or me if you’re injured like this? Don’t worry. I’ll do my chores and keep up with my training and help you out around here. Just try to rest.”
Halt considered the notion, then sighed resignedly. “If you really want to be a help,” he said, “make me a cup of coffee.”
Since then, Will had kept his promise, and Halt, in return, had kept to his room as much as possible. It pained Will to see his master like that; he knew Halt hated being confined; he knew Halt needed to keep busy, needed to feel important, but what other option did they have?
Halt had been recovering nicely, and could even ride Abelard again. But his wound was still not fully healed, and Will worried that if Halt strained himself too much-which, if Will knew Halt at all, he’d do-the injury would break open again and they’d be back at square one.
Will was about to get back to chopping when a messenger rode up in front of him and dismounted. “Is Ranger Halt in? I have a message from the King.”
Will hesitated, unsure as to how to answer. “Yes...”
The messenger waited expectantly, then asked, “Can you go and get him?”
“I’m his apprentice. Could I take the message to him?”
The messenger narrowed his eyes at the stubborn boy. “Fine.” He handed Will a scroll and mounted again. Will didn’t bother to watch the man ride off, instead hurrying straight to Halt with the scroll. Halt unrolled it and read it, and for the first time in weeks, a hint of the old Halt returned. He rolled the scroll back up and shoved it into his pocket. “Feel like going for a ride?”
Once they’d spent a few days tracking the wargals, Halt was back to normal completely, and, apart from the occasional spasms of pain that still ran up his leg, there was almost no sign that he’d ever been injured. Will was silently grateful his master was back to normal; he liked his teacher to be strong, to be someone one whom he could depend. Will liked the feeling that no matter what, Halt would be able to get them through anything.