Ranger's Apprentice I: Arising Danger

| Chapter XXV

I couldn't believe my ears. Will just told me it was confirmed, about James and me. Our bond was connected by blood. We are brothers. "Can I see him as soon as possible?" I asked Will.
     Will nodded his head and walked out of my room.
     I lied my head back on my pillow and closed my eyes for a moment. I rubbed my face with my hands and sighed, trying to get my nerves under control. I only looked up when someone sat down on my bed. I looked at my side and saw James with crossed arms. We were both quiet for a moment, until James dared to say something. "Are you mad?"
     "Mad?" I repeated, completely surprised. "No, I ain't mad. I am just a bit upset, that's all."
     "You're such a girl," James chuckled. Then he imitated me fainting.
     "You're exaggerating," I said, pushing his shoulder. We both laughed and then we were quiet for a moment.
     James suddenly gave me his hand and helped me to sit down on my bed. He then placed his hand on my shoulder and asked: "Are you okay that we are brothers?" Without waiting for my answer, he continued saying: "If not, then I'll just disappear out of your life and you won't ever see evidence of my existence, okay? I will completely ignore our blood connection and I will juist treat you like I would treat others. And I will. . ."
     "Hold on one second, would you?!" I firmly interrupted James. I cleared my mind and slowly said: "So, you basically say that you will deny our relation if I am not comfortable with it?"
     James slowly nodded his head. "Yes."
     I raised an eyebrow. "Dude. . . Serious?!" Then I smiled and said: "Come on, brother, I'll get over it!"
     James smiled, seeing my playful smile and said: "Need to get used to your habits." Then he started tickling me under my armpits. I was forced to lie down and try to avoid his hands and fingers. But at some point I had to give up my resistance. I finally gave up and laughed even more. And in the end, we both lied down next to each other on my bed. I eventually fell asleep, finally relaxed and without nightmares.

It was the next day that Charlotte had decided to visit me. I was doing a lot better now. My mind was clear and bright — my physical wounds needed more time to heal (That doesn't make any sense, actually. They say that your mental wounds need more time to heal and sometimes they don't even heal. But in my case, my physical wounds needed more time.).
     Charlotte knocked on the door and I was the first one to jump up and run to the door. I let Charlotte in, while gasping for breath when she walked past me. She was so damn beautiful and her parfume — damn! When James noticed me looking at Charlotte with an idiotic smile on my face, he friendly tapped my shoulder and coughed a little. I came back to my senses and walked Charlotte to the back of the house, where we both sat. I told Charlotte about what happened yesterday and noticed how interested she was in my story, and how touched she was.
     When I was finally done with talking, James came to join and brought us a bottle of water. "Well, guess it's my turn to tell the story, isn't it?" It was a rhetorical question, but Charlotte and I both nodded our heads.
     James cleared his throat and started telling. "I am sixteen now, a year older than Silver. Right after I was born, our father brought me to Whitby Fief, so I could grow up there in one of the most important fiefs in the kingdom. Our father knew it would be safe there because there was an army and a Ranger and all that stuff. After father had brought me there, he returned to the war and fought the second wave. I grew up on a farm, owned by a friend of our parents. And when I turned sixteen, that friend allowed me to choose a job. Since our father was a Ranger, I chose to become a Ranger. Mainly because I wanted to follow our father's footsteps. Why did you choose to become Ranger?"
     I shrugged my shoulders. "I wanted to become a knight, because our mother is one. I wanted to be brave just like her. And I wanted to take revenge in any way I could think of to avenge her death." I then chuckled, remembering the Wargals. "And I got my revenge!"
     James too chuckled. "So, what are you gonna do after you're healed?"
     "I'm gonna visit our aunt," I answered.
     James frowned. "Do you know our aunt?"
     I sadly shook my head. "Baron Arald was given a small letter and a super large letter by our aunt. And she wished to stay anonymous. So I have to search for her."
     James sighed. "That's gonna be tough. You don't assume she lives in Redmont Fief?"
     "I believe she doesn't, indeed," I agree. "So I have to search the whole kingdom, and maybe even Picta, Celtica or Hibernia or another country. Maybe even Skandia!" I then chuckled. "Imagine that! Our aunt a Skandian woman!"
     Charlotte laughed and commented: "Then she is just like your mother! A warrior!"
     Now it was James' turn to laugh. Then he got serious again. "Whatever you're gonna do in your life, I'm following you." He gave me his hand.
     I smiled and grabbed his hand. "Thank you!" I nodded and added: "Same for you. If you ever need someone, just give me a call and I'll be standing at your side!"
     James gave me a friendly hug and then looked up to the sun. Then turned to Charlotte, asking: "And what are we gonna eat for dinner?"
     "You're gonna eat vegetables!" Charlotte said.
     "That's my girl!" I commented.
     Charlotte gave me a kiss on my neck and then said: "And I'll make something with rabbit for you!"
     "What about me?" James asked. "Am I gonna get a kiss too?"
     Charlotte rolled her eyes and then leaned over to James. "Nope!" she said and then smiled.
     "I better get inside," James said, while walking into the cabin, leaving Charlotte and me alone.
     I watched the sun setting. At some point, Charlotte gave me her hand and I took it. She rubbed the back of my hand with her thumb and said: "You're gonna do great things in the future, I am sure!"
     I smiled and was about to reply when we heard James' voice from inside. "Where's my dinner?"