Ignoring History - Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction

Chapter 39

"Speak." His voice was barely a whisper. His anger came swift when Tiller refused to answer again. "Speak!"

"No."

Crowley stood up so fast that he almost toppled over. He towered over Tiller, practically breathing onto him. His saxe threatened to cut through skin.

"Crowley..."

"Don't you dare lie to me," Crowley said, ignoring Berrigan. "Did you do it?"

"So what if I did?"

A chorus of whispers broke out from where Stanley and his men observed, but Crowley wasn't listening. He had already known about Tiller's involvement in Morgarath's reign, but none of the anger in the world could have matched what he felt now that it was confirmed. Now that Tiller himself said the words.

Blood roared in his ears as he stared down at Tiller, who finally seemed to have some kind of sense knocked into him. The fear in his eyes did nothing to ease the growing fury in Crowley's heart. If his anger was boiling before, it was spilling over now.

"Do you regret it?"

There was a heartbeat.

"Yes."

Crowley moved so fast that no one could react. He grabbed Tiller by the collar and yanked him up so that they were eye to eye. His saxe clattered onto the floor.

"Crowley!"

With all the strength he could muster, Crowley threw Tiller onto the table. His heart pounded. The world spun around him.

"Don't lie to me." He couldn't recognize his own voice anymore. It came out as a low, creeping snarl—menacingly.

"Why?" he said. "Why did you do it?"

A hand grabbed his shoulder before Tiller could answer. Not even a second had passed when Crowley spun around. He ducked away and traded places with his assailant. Both of his punches were deftly blocked, but that didn't stop him. Crowley only saw red. Sweeping his leg out, he didn't register what he had done until after Berrigan had fallen onto the ground.

"Ow!" the older ranger hissed, rubbing at one of his kneecaps.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Berrigan's eyes snapped over to Crowley's within the second. "You need to pull yourself together," he said. He winced when he pushed himself back onto his feet, blocking Crowley's view of Tiller.

"You don't know what I need or don't need."

"No?" Berrigan said. "I know that you'll regret this when tomorrow rolls around."

"No, I won't."

"We need him alive."

"He can rot for all I care."

"Can you live with that?"

"Can't you?"

"You're angry."

"Angry?" Crowley snorted. "People are dying because of him. They did die because of him!"

"Killing him won't do anything to fix that."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about what happened to Egon."

Berrigan clenched his fists. He took a step forward. "He was my friend as much as he was yours," he said. "We were doing this job long before you were even an apprentice."

"That doesn't change the fact that he—" Crowley jutted his finger towards Tiller. "—is the reason that Egon's dead."

"Killing him won't change it either!"

"An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth. I say he deserves to die."

"He could have information!"

"Move out of my way."

Berrigan didn't move an inch. "No."

"Berrigan..."

"I won't do it."

"That was an order."

Berrigan's eyes flashed. For a brief second, his jaw dropped in surprise, but he recovered quickly. His eyes were like steel when he answered.

"No."

"No?"

"I don't take orders from you."

"I am your Commandant!"

"I answer to the King." Berrigan glanced over to where Duncan stood at the door before meeting Crowley's eyes again. "You do, too."

There was a pause before Duncan gave his verdict.

"I will not stoop to Morgarath's level," he said. "He stays alive."

Crowley scoffed. Taking one last look at Tiller, his eyes roamed over his cowing figure. One look at the terror in his eyes was all Crowley needed to see to know that the man knew nothing of Morgarath's plan. His loyalty had done him no favors.

"Pathetic," he said before storming away.

Somehow, he left the chamber even more silent than when he had first entered the room. 

Oh man, oh man... An update a third week in a row? Unheard of. 

But if you can't tell, I'm trying my darnedest over here. The goal is to FINALLY finish up this story before the end of the year. I don't know how long I can keep up the weekly updates (especially in these coming weeks --- final exams are coming quick!), but I shall try my best. 

Anyways, Crowley is really going through it. And I gotta say... I don't blame him. Dude's been through so much the past sixteen years with no time to sit down and process everything. Now that he finally has some semblance of time, his grief is hitting hard. 

As always, I love reading your comments. Remember to leave a vote, as well! 

P.S. I was digging through my Google Drive and found some very old plans for a Caitlyn O'Carrick fanfiction. I won't say that it will for sure happen, but who knows? After I finish this, maybe I'll write yet another RA fanfic. 

(that is, if i don't get distracted by the other ideas floating around in my head)