Ranger's Apprentice: The Tantalizing Tales

Present

In the end, all that they are, all that they want to be, is four friends having a good time.

~~~

They had sought out each other quite soon after everyone had left the dining room. Despite the much needed break that came with celebrating a royal friend's birthday, both of them still had leaps and leaps of work to do.

Alyss had made herself comfortable on Will's bed, sitting with her legs crossed as her hands moved around several of the notes and papers and files that surrounded her. Occasionally, the young diplomat sighed, for instance when she noticed that she was holding the wrong file, or when she realised that another point had just been added to her to do list. This to-do list lay next to hair on a pillow and she sometimes leaned over to write something down on it. Pauline had commented on this position and these movements several times throughout her apprenticeship, alerting her mentee that it was not the easiest on her back. But it was the most comfortable and therefore most productive position and, as old habits so often are, was hard to let go of.

On the other side of the room, Will hung back lazily in one of the big and soft chairs, one leg over the armrest, a report in one hand, a pencil in the other. A second pencil sat tucked behind his right ear and the tip of his tongue peaked out from between his lips, the ultimate sign that the young Ranger was completely concentrated on his task. One of his legs softly bounced up and down, paying tribute to the energy that was raging inside.

It was completely silent in the room, except for the occasional rustling of papers or scribbling of notes.

Until the door slammed open. Within less than seconds, Will had jumped out of the chair, knife in hand, ready to face and withstand any threat that dared enter his room. He lowered his arm when he recognised the visitor.

"Evanlyn! What-"

The princess seemed unfazed at the saxe knife that was aimed at her face. Unbothered, she said: "Good. You're both here. Come."

Will made eye contact with Horace, who was standing behind the princess. The knight seemed equally confused as to why he had been brought here and even seemed a little taken aback by the princess's violent and determined storming into the Ranger's room.

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" Will asked.

Cassandra crossed her arms at that and raised an eyebrow. Her chin was high in the air, challenging him.

"I'm the Crown-Princess, this is my castle. I don't knock. Now come."

"But my bo-"

"You don't need your boots. Come."

Behind Will, Alyss had put down her papers, noting the interaction with interest. She now passed him and followed the princess as she walked into the hallway. The diplomat winked at Will, an amused smile on her face.

"I think we better come."

It was somewhat of a curious sight, the four of them marching through the Castle hallways. They were all legends, after all. Yet they looked nothing like the tales sung about them described them. A crown-princess, who had played important strategic and commanding roles in several wars, but without a crown on her head. A knight, the youngest ever, who had been declared the Crown's champion just a few months earlier, but without a sword or insignia. A courier, who was personally responsible for numerous ceasefires and important treaties, but in leggings. A Ranger, who had ensured peace in every single battle of importance in the last two decades, but without his cloak.

And none of them with shoes on their feet.

Will had given up on asking questions that he knew would not be answered. Instead, he almost blindly followed his royal friend down the stairs, through the hallways, towards... towards the ballroom?

He'd guessed correctly. Cassandra entered the large room before them, and they gallantly followed. Large tables and several chairs were stacked against the walls. Some ornaments already offered some decoration, others lay neatly folded in baskets. From behind curtains, music sounded.

"They're practising for tomorrow's ball," Cassandra explained.

"So we probably... shouldn't be here?" Horace queried, somewhat nervously. He was looking around them, as if King Duncan himself could come barging in any second, scolding them for being in the ballroom that was being prepared for tomorrow's festivities.

Cassandra threw another look in his direction and the knight put his hands up in defence.

"Right," he said.

"You're the Crown-Princess, it's your castle."

But Will couldn't take it anymore.

"What are we doing here?"

It's not Cassandra, but Alyss, who answered. She was watching the silhouettes of the musicians behind the curtains, fascinated by their every move. Enchanted by their every sound.

"We're here to dance."

Cassandra's glance of annoyance at Horace and Will's stupidities disappeared and she beamed at her, happy that at least one other person seemed to understand.

"Indeed."

She offered Alyss her hand, which the Diplomat accepted, and it wasn't before long until the two had conquered the dance floor, leaving their partners behind in the doorframe.

Will and Horace watched, as the two young women danced around the room. Alyss elegantly, thoughtfully, Cassandra without thinking and unrestrained. Yet both young women moved equally loosely, carelessly, freely.

The men were content watching them, big, stupid grins lighting up their faces. Both of them were enchanted, not just by the sounds of the musicians, but by the two women who danced on those sounds. It seemed almost impossible and yet those goofy and idiotic grins grew when the women returned to pull them onto the dancefloor with them. The four of them followed the sound of the music, hair messy, feet bare.

For a few moments, as they danced and danced and danced, they didn't have anything else to think about. For a few moments, as the musicians played and played and played, the world was no bigger than the room they danced in.

And just for those few moments, they were no legends.

No Ranger, no Diplomat, no Knight, and no Crown-Princess.

Just four friends. Four friends that danced around, jumped around, twirled around, that laughed and smiled and loved.

For as long as the music sounded and their movements and minds were free, there were no fates of Kingdoms or Empires resting on their shoulders, no lives of innocent people in their hands.

There was no past. No future. Just the present. Just them.