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If you worry you'll lose.. Chapter 1, part 1

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Literature Text

"If you worry you'll lose, you probably will"


Chapter 1, part 1



Morgarath and his army were reaching the Three Steps Pass, from there they could go into the mountains from there. Wargals were walking and growling rhythmically, as they used to. Their scary grumbling had already given the creeps to more than one courageous knight.

Will was sitting on his bay horse and thinking about recent events.  For all this time he had had Halt’s figure in his mind. Even if the man’s face was hidden by hood, the boy was sure he saw disappointment in his eyes. He was sure that his mentor had been angry at him. After all, Will was a ranger! Okay, maybe an apprentice but he still was a member of the Corps. He should not let it happen at all! And what had he done? He let Morgarath and Skandians kidnap him, as if he was a child! The youngster knew that he was over-whelmed and that was crushing him from inside. For some people it would look strange but the feeling of helplessness was causing him bigger pain than any tortures. Notwithstanding this, there still was a flame of hope in his heart, giving the boy belief that all is not lost. But, with every another step, it was growing weak.

The constant clanks of weapon and wargal’s growling were also adding to his pessimistic thoughts.

“You are Halt’s apprentice, aren’t you?” Morgarath suddenly asked with his voice full of coolness.

Will jerked when he heard The Dark Lord’s question. He only averted his gaze, trying not to show his emotions. But he did not answer. The ruler of Mountains of Rain and Night was not looking at the boy. He fastened eyes in the road in front of them. He did not wait for the reply, he had already got it. The young apprentice’s reaction for the older ranger’s name was enough to guess the truth.

“What’s your name?” asked the former baron of Gorlan.

“Will,” the boy whispered.

“So you can talk,” Morgarath mocked and speeded up his horse. The current pace was definitely too slow for him.

The teenager’s mount also got a move on to catch up its companion. Some time passed. Slowly, the last rows of wargals were walking out from Three Steps Pass to tableland. The landscape here was totally different than the Araluen’s fields’ scenery. Instead of green meadows, overgrew by abundant grass, there was only the grey ground which scuffed up lots of dust with every step. Trees, so beautiful and majestic on kingdom’s area, here were only hardscrabble poles. There weren’t any animals too, except of insects which were buzzing and attacking everyone. Even the Sun seemed to shine really weakly in this land, deprived of life. One could say that this place was entirely forgotten by Mother Nature. No wonder Morgarath had chosen it for his seat. Only a few would be brave enough to come there of their own free will. And that was just the thing. He did not want any uninvited guests on his area.

But at that moment, Morgarath had not the time to contemplate the nature. He had to control the return of army to his main fortress. In their current situation, it might last for few days.

He looked at the sky. There were only two hours left until twilight. They should find a place for night’s lodging before the time passes. It was not safe to travel here at night because of predators which began hunting at dusk.

Morgarath did not care about his soldiers – they were not very important for him. He only needed them to fight. So the place they would go to… was not his problem.

While going through the tableland, he saw an ideal location for the rest. He gave order to set out his tent and left his soldiers to their own devices. If they want, they can prepare lairs. But he didn’t mind.

Then, he reminded himself about the one, little detail. Namely, about the young boy who was still sitting on his horse.

Will honned in on the nearby landscape to feel as little pain in his wrists as it was possible. Maybe it was not the first time he was there but he was getting shivers at the very thought of spending the night here.

Morgarath was looking at the boy for a while. He saw a change in his posture. The young ranger was not so terrified as at the beginning. There was something in his physiognomy which surprised the Dark Lord. Perseverance? He felt that this teenager might turn out to be a very interesting person…




In the place, far apart from the tableland, the two rangers were having a very important conversation. We can most certainly say that they were friends.

It was a small glade, surrounded by thick forest, lest nobody undesirable could hear the talk. Spreading trees and night mist, which blocked out the forest cover, were adding that place a mysterious atmosphere. The only light was coming from the fire. Even the moonlight had problems to get through the branches of trees. In the air it was possible to hear the noise of burning wood and the quiet dialogue of two people.

“Halt, I understand that it’s important for you to find this boy… But you know the princess is much more important now.”

The second man looked at his friend through squinted eyes. He had already knew it. Above all else, he was a ranger and his devoir was protection of the kingdom. And, following on from this, he also had to protect the royal family. But Halt could not just stay without doing anything, when he knew that somewhere there Will was waiting for his help.

“I’m aware of it but Will is one of us and we cannot leave him now! There are forty-nine other rangers in the Corps, you can choose someone else.”

“Please, Halt…” said Crowley. His tone clearly signalized what he was thinking about sending someone else for this difficult, dangerous journey. “You are the best of us. This is the mission of utmost importance and only you can take it.”

Grumpy ranger did not say anything, he only pulled a face called “Why that is always me?”.

Meanwhile, thanks to his grey-green cloak, an observer stood only a few feet away. He was listening to the conversation with attention, at the same time trying not to be discovered. He knew that if he moved even for an inch, all would be lost. As a ranger, he hadn’t got problems with it. He could stay like that for hours.

Suddenly, silent rustle in the bush behind him caught his attention. He turned his head to check, what the source of the noise was. But he also tried not to attract the two men’s attention. Unless gilan had been trained, he might have laughed.

Only a few meters from him stayed Horace whose tunic had been fastened by the branch. The boy, with anger on his face, tried to disengage from the trap. He still hadn’t seen the ranger who was standing almost next to him. After all, the young knight had not been taught to pay attention to his surroundings, so it was little wonder that he didn’t pay attention to anything else except his clothes at this moment.

Gilan looked at him with compassion and, trying not to make any noise, walked closer to help the apprentice. Next, he caught his arm and, as quietly as it was possible, he forced the boy to hide behind a tree.

“Gi…?” the knight wanted to ask but, immediately, the ranger’s hand appeared on his face.

“Not breathe a word,” the youngster mouthed. He looked at Horace with anticipation. The boy nodded and then, both of them turned their heads in the glade’s direction.

“Halt? So, what is your answer? Do you agree?” they heard the Corps commander’s voice.

Abelard’s owner was silent for a while. He gripped his fists. He was a member of the Corps, he swore an oath and he had to abide by it… It was the most important. He was repeating it like a mantra. But nothing could squash the voice in his heart which haunted him.

“What’s going on?” asked  curious Horace, as silently as he could.

“Crowley is sending Halt for a quest, to find the princess,” whispered Gilan.

“The princess?”

“Yes, Horace. The king’s daughter.”

“I know what the princess is,” the boy said with a miffed tone. “What happened to her?”

“She was kidnapped by Skandians,” explained Gilan.

“Kidnapped…? But… how?” apprentice asked with puzzled voice.

The ranger did not answer and only placed a hand over Horace’s face just in case his volume alerted Halt.

“You are kidnapped when the other person captures you without your permission, understand?" he finally took pity on the young knight. Gilan kept wondering about boy’s lack of deduction.

“I know what it means to be kidn…!” he said too loudly and the older companion’s hand appeared on his mouth again.

He fell silent but his face turned red from anger. Or maybe it only seemed for Gilan like this, because in the darkness, which was lighted up only from fire, it was not clear to see anything.

“Crowley… I…” they heard Halt’s voice.

Both of them moved their look on him, waiting for the answer.

“Gilan, but what about Will?” suddenly whispered Horace, when the taller man took his hand. His voice was full of yearning to his missing friend.

“I don’t know, Horace… I really don’t know…” Gilan answered and tears misted his eyes a little bit. Even if he did not know Will for so long, he treated him like a younger brother. And maybe that was the reason he couldn’t forgive himself that he left the boy alone in Celtica. After all, he still was a child… Okay, maybe not completely but… Gilan was responsible for him.

Loosing himself in thoughts, the ranger loosened his grip. Horace immediately took advantage of this situation. Gilan caught him in the nick of time.

“You lost your mind?! What did you want to do!?”

“But Gilan,” the boy said desperately. “If Halt goes for a quest to find that princess, what will happen to Will? Only he can help him...”

“I know it but we cannot do anything with it…”  the ranger spoke but, before he could say something more, he got strong kick on the shin from the younger companion. Horace sprang to his feet and ran to the glade where the two men were sitting. They, seeing or maybe just hearing somebody, immediately turned in the direction of the noise. Halt nocked an arrow on the bowstring and drew back. But then he realized who the uninvited guest was. As soon as the young knight stood in front of two rangers, Gilan ran after him, gimping a bit.

“Horace, don’t…!” he passed over in silence when he realized what he had done.

Crowley looked at newcomers with confused look.

“May I know what are you doing here? This is a restricted meeting,” he said.

“Oh…” the young ranger didn’t know what to say. He lowered his look at the grass abashedly. “We are really sorry… We didn’t want to bother you…”

“Halt can’t go!” shouted Horace, ignoring his companion’s contriteness.

The grumpy ranger lifted up his brow but before he could say something, Crowley interposed:

“Young man, that’s not your business. You shouldn’t barge in our talk.”

“But what about Will?! Morgarath will…” Horace could not finish. He lowered his head, not to show tears misting his eyes.

Gilan came closer and put a hand on his shoulder, looking at his sadly.

“I understand you are worried about your friend but in current situation the kingdom’s goodness is more important,” the commander said. He understood their dilemmas but he could not do anything with them. Responsibilities were responsibilities and no one could discredit them, even for personal cause.

“And… What if someone else would go on the quest?”

“Who are you thinking about?” asked Halt.

“I’ll go,” said the boy, surprising even himself.

“Horace…” Halt started. “You can’t go. That’s a difficult, dangerous mission and you aren’t ready  for it.”

“But I…” the boy spoke but this time his statement was broken by the commander of the Corps.

“You think you’ll fend for yourself?” he asked. “I’m not doubting in your fighting abilities but you are still an apprentice. Besides, you don’t even know the language which is needful in that kind of quest.”

“And what if a knight goes with me?” It was possible to hear supplication in Horace’s voice.

“A knight?” Crowley pondered over this proposition. “What do you think?” he asked Halt who was standing next to him with inscrutable face.

“That should be a very talented knight… But we cannot expose the Kingdom, sending one of the older, adept knights. I’m sure Morgarath will attack again.”

“And what if it is someone less accomplished but talented? If the Kingdom manages without him?” asked surprisingly Gilan who had already lost his confusion. “For example, a talented knight, freshly out of the Battle School?”

“My friend’s son may be fit for that kind of quest. He is an excellent swordsman,” said Crowley.

“Really?” asked Gilan and Horace together. Both could not believe that the commander of the Corps had just condoned their proposition.

“What are you talking about, Crowley? Even if they are trained, they are still children,” Halt remonstrated.

“The person who graduated from Battle School is not a child anymore. And all the more I can say it about Michael, the son of Sir John Verney from Araluen."

The short ranger only murmured something. He was not sure if this idea is good. Meanwhile, Gilan looked at young apprentice.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked with care in his eyes. During their legation to Celtica, he had come to like that boy and it was obvious that the quest seemed to be really dangerous.

“I’ll do it. Don’t worry, I’ll fend for myself.”
Ok, that's the first part of Chapter 1 of the story about Ranger's Apprentice. I hope there aren't so many mistakes... If you see some, please, tell me! I'm only translating this and english is not my first language ^^

The autors of the original fanfick are :iconkasumi1580: and :iconyohao-asakura: :D
If you are interested in reading in polish, visit our blog


Prologue, part 1

<- Prologue, part 2 ~*~ Chapter 1, part 2 ->

This story is a fanfiction. All rights to John Flanagan :)
© 2013 - 2024 Yohao-Asakura
Comments3
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ObiWanSkywalker178's avatar
It's an intriguing read and don't worry about the translation, it's near perfect.