(Please don't kill me. You'll know why I'm saying that when you read the chapter. My defense is that if you kill me you won't know how this story ends)

By the time Daniel and Maddie had reached the courtyard things had escalated to a mass of chaos.

People were hugging the sides of the walls in fear of getting caught in the cross fire while the stable hands tried desperately to control the raging horse. It's hooves lashed out at anyone that came near and was never still, always dashing to one side before twisting to the next at a breakneck speed. It's neigh's were close to that of a rage-filled scream; nothing but pure fury.

"Damn." The muttered curse signaled the arrival of Halt in Gilan as both Rangers arrived at the scene. "Maddie, go help clear the are until that horse is secured, Gilan and I will get that blasted horse under control." Daniel back to his mentor, "What will I do Halt?" The older Ranger looked at him before jerking his head to the other side of the courtyard. "Make sure that if it gets loose that it doesn't get out to open ground. Once that happens we will never be able to recapture it." With that, the group broke up to its assignment. Maddie started helping people reach a safe area while Halt and Gilan went straight for the horse. Daniel skirted the edge of the courtyard to not catch the horses attention and block the horses path to the open fields beyond Castle Araluens walls.

Daniel watched with a dry throat as the man he considered his father (A/N- That's a little creepy when you think about it) suddenly put himself into an uncomfortably close distance to the horses thrashing hooves. Gilan approached the horse from the opposite side as Halt and at a small nod, Halt suddenly surged forward to the horse. The quick movement caught the mares attention and she snaked her neck at Halt in an attempt to snap her teeth at his hand- missing by mere centimeters. It was all that was needed for Gilan to spring forward with the grace of youth- unlike Halt, and snag the horses halter. Holding fast, Gilan braced his feet against the stones of the yard and held the horses head as still as possible.

Using the newly risen opportunity to the best of its advantage, the stable hands quickly clipped a lead rope to the halter, making it easier to control the horse. The tension started to leave Daniels shoulders as he saw the situation start to come under control.

Only to see it unravel in seconds.

In his haste to follow Halts orders, Daniel had forgotten the entrance to the courtyard from the path that came from one of Castle Araluens parks- which in turn served as a small access point from the path that led to the docks.

Now emerging from this entry point was none other than the Assembly. In the front was an array of guards- ranging from the wild Northmen of Skandian Sea Wolves to the desert dwelling Arridian soldiers. At first they seemed oblivious to the trouble in the courtyard, but a quick cry of alarm was all it took to alert the horse of another exit.

With a scream of triumph and a new burst of strength, the horse savagely tore the ropes from the hands of the stable hands and the two Rangers- barreling at a breakneck pace to the park entrance; and eventually, the open fields and forest. To Daniels horror, one of the Arridian soldiers fell back over a discarded water bucket in his quick attempt to flee from the path of the charging animal.

In a mater of seconds he had an arrow notched and flying in their direction. Not at the soldier, nor at the horse. But at the open gate between them. For you see, as a security measure, three guards would guard the gate there to check the people that entered through it. Now, it was abandoned and the gate wide open. The soldier on one side, the charging horse on the other. Daniels arrow flew at the gate now, slamming into it so the force sent the gate flying shut just as the mare reached it. Being prepared to charge past the wooden gate, and not jumping over it, the horse skidded to a stop, slamming it's chest into the gate as it neighed in frustration.

With new determination, the stable hands- now in the company of a few knights, forced the horse to follow them until they managed to secure it into a stall at the far back of the stable.

With the threat gone, Daniel turned to where he had last seen Halt to meet his mentors eyes watching him. In a swift movement, Halt gestured in the direction to which the horse was taken. "Make sure it stays there this time. Maddie, Gilan, your with me." Daniel watched with some dismay as the three walked by as they stared helping clean up the destruction left behind.

Little did he know that as he turned to walk in the direction of the stables that he didn't see Halt look after him and give an approving nod- nor that as he had fired the arrow that he had done so in the presence of the world leaders. Or that as confusion and chaos of so many people talking and walking about that he missed someone trying to get his attention.

>>------->

"So, Halt shows up and the courtyard is taken over by a charging horse. Sounds about right."

"Oh stop it Svengal."

"What? It's true! Whenever and wherever there is a Ranger, there is bound to be trouble in some shape or form following."

Once the gate had been re-opened, the Assembly was able to make its way back to the throne room where they currently were, and once again, waiting for Halt. To the side, Urmar was talking urgently with Cielema and one of his guards. The one who had nearly been trampled by the horse. Shigeru was having a conversation with Selethen and King Sean while most of the Skandians were grouped together, leaning against the table. The Barons and Rangers alike were talking, about what had just happened and trying to see how it was connected the arrival of the Redmont Rangers. Just when it seemed that they had been there for ages, Maddie entered the throne room.

Horace, who had been talking with Sir Rodney looked up as his daughter came in, but took a few seconds to realize it was her since her cowl was up. "Maddie!" She looked around until she saw the source of the call and started walking in his direction instead. "Morning Father," she said cheerfully, only to have her mood darken when her mother came to the little group an gave her daughter a hug that took her breath away. "Oh thank goodness your alright." The youth rolled her eyes. "Mom, I'm fine. Really, I am. Gilan and Halt had me far from the reaches of the horse." Cassandra stepped back from the embrace and examined her daughter to make sure there wasn't even a hair out of place. Horace couldn't help smiling as he watched his wife fuss over their daughter, the relief that she was safe all to evident.

At that moment, Gilan came in and was instantly surrounded by at least a dozen Rangers- Crowley included. They talked in low tones but the message was obvious. Gilan wouldn't say anything until Halt was there.

Off to the side, Lady's Pauline and Alyss were standing near each other, watching Barons and Rangers alike greet Maddie and try unsuccessfully to have her tell them of her recent travels. Like her mentor, she kept a closed mouth and almost seemed a little embarrassed at all the attention. "She's changed," Pauline said, breaking the worried silence between herself and her former pupil. Alyss nodded. "Leave it to Halt for him to come up with a genius idea such as that one."

"That one" referred to when Halt suggested that Gilan take on an apprentice, and that apprentice being Princess Madelyn. At the time, Nightrider attacks had been starting to become more frequent. Of course there had been sightings for years beforehand, but never any large-scale attacks. It had been a pleasant day when it had happened. Gilan had been visiting Jenny at her restaurant after he had just returned from a mission. His wife had been running the restaurant as usual, well, almost anyway. She had decided that their six-year-old daughter should start learning how to be a headwaiter. As he rode up to the little village, the restaurant was suddenly set ablaze. In all the confusion and running people, Gilan couldn't reach the restaurant in time. Jenny had been separated from their child as the crowd pushed them apart and had lost a hold of her. While mother and father desperately searched for the little girl, it was only after the fire had been put out that they found her broken body under the charred debris of the Heaped Platter. The girl had run back inside in fear and hope that her mother was there to make everything better, just as the roof came crashing down.

It didn't take long to find the source of the fire. Multiple reports of a dark figure being seen entering the Heaped Platter before the fire, then calmly exiting right before the fire had spread to the main part of the restaurant was all that was needed to identify a Nightrider. Gilan had fallen prey to a bought of darkness. He became reckless, going after rumors of Nightriders for weeks on end without telling anyone. Jenny had tried hard to help him, as did the rest of his friends, but no amount of talking could ease the feeling of his daughters loss and the deep-seated revenge that burned within him.

As for the princess, she had become out of control. She constantly disobeyed her parents and put herself at risk by sneaking out to the forest at night. To solve both problems, Halt had suggested that Gilan take Maddie as his apprentice. He would become to distracted to focus on his obsession of revenge and Maddie would become disciplined. Needless to say, that plan had worked. Pauline was going to say something else, but stopped when she saw a third figure enter the throne room, instantly followed by a fourth.

Without knowing it, both couriers sighed with relief as they moved forward to greet Halt and Daniel. Halt gave his wife a reassuring nod to signal that everything was okay. Alyss paid them no attention as she walked to her son, hugging him tightly when he was close enough to do so. Daniel for his part sensed the tension of the past few days in her right hold and felt that he would be brushing her concern away if he resisted her hold. Making sure not to embarrass her son too much, Alyss pulled away an held him at arms length, studying him. "Are you alright?" She eventually asked. Daniel nodded. "I'm fine, really. Halt and Gilan were the ones in the most danger, not me." Alyss considered that before relenting, but only a little. "I suppose so."

Before anymore could be said, a cough behind Alyss alerted her to the sudden presence of Umar and Cielema. Umar performed the traditional desert greeting to the two and his wife have a respectful bow of her head. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything." Alyss smiled kindly at them, "No, just making sure that Daniel has been behaving himself while he was off running in the forest for the past few days." Daniel rolled his eyes in mock horror as he protested, "Mo-om," he groaned, drawing out the word to two syllables. Cielema studied the youth before her with intense curiosity. As if reading her thoughts, Alyss nudged Daniel and whispered for him to lower his cowl. The wife of the Bedulin Aseikh gasped softly and placed a hand over her mouth.

When she removed her hand, her mouth was twisted in a soft smile and her eyes shone. "He really does look like him." Alyss smiled in return. Umar gave a short laugh, "Shoots like him too! I suppose this is the second time I've had to have my thanks given to a Ranger for saving Faisal." Umar stepped forward with his hands outstretched. Daniel mirrored the movement, though only offering one hand and the Bedullin leader shook it firmly in a silent way of "thank you". When both stepped back, Umar waved to someone behind his wife and someone else stepped forward; Daniel recognized him to be the soldier. Faisal produced the arrow that had saved his life and handed it out to its owner. Daniel gratefully retrieved it from him. "Thank's, that's one less arrow I have to make." The soldier grinned, "And thank you. I would have been killed by that horse if it weren't for you." The apprentice Ranger shrugged in embarrassment and mumbled "your welcome."

Before the conversation could go anywhere else, a signal from King Duncan alerted everyone that it was time to hear what had happened in the Redmont fief.

Daniel had tuned out most of the conversation, doing his best to not fall asleep and look engaged in the conversation. It was when Halt spoke his name that he came to full attention. "...was covered in wounds and blood," Halt said, interrupted from the quiet growl of assent from the Skandians. Ignoring them, he continued his verbal report. "We tried to stop as much of the bleeding as possible, but there were too many wounds. Gilan had just returned with the medical kit when she first spoke. That caused a stir among the Assembly. "She? The Nightrider was a woman?" Questioned King Sean.

Halt nodded. "Yes, the Nightrider was a woman. What she had to say," he continued, "was something I didn't expect." If the fact that the Nightrider had been a woman caused a stir among the group, then hearing Halt admit that he wasn't expecting something definitely did. "What was it that she said?" Inquired Lord Nimatsu, leaning forward to see Halt better.

Halt paused a bit to make sure he had the attention of everyone in the room-which was highly unnecessary-before he continued with their report. "Daniel, repeat what the Nightrider said." It was a test to see if his apprentice could deal with being the center of attention during a time like this and to see if he had been paying attention at all. The youths face instantly flushed slightly with embarrassment at being the sudden center of attention, but slowly and clearly repeated the Nightriders words so that everyone could hear.

"'We are not the ones who kill and leave destruction behind us. We were betrayed by one of our own, who turned bitter at the world and decided to use our knowledge against his enemies. We tried to stop him but there were so many who had turned as well so many threats from every side that we were stretched thin. You will find the answers you seek where the rain meets the sky and rock. Where the Eagle strikes his prey and claims rule to the sky,' Daniel quoted flawlessly, doing his best to still his racing heart and not break down and take what was probably unnecessary deep breaths. Halt gave another one of his unseeable nods while the others thought hard over the Nightriders words. Only when he was finished did he remember he had forgotten something. "She said something else." He said in what his mind thought to be a shout, but continuing nonetheless. "She nearly whispered it. I think it's a name of someone, but I'm not sure. She repeated 'Madiko' until she..." He trailed off, not quite sure that saying 'till she died was something you should say in front of the most Royal and dignified of people in perhaps the world. But his awkwardness went unnoticed to them as they continue to plunder the meaning of his previous words. That is, until the silence was broke by an agitated voice.

"Well, now that everyone else has their answers answered, perhaps yeh can explain why we were summoned hear, I've got horses to train and 'dis is wastin' my time!"

•Oh my goodness that took longer to write than I liked it to! Not to mention that I have been snowed under with school work and the worry of UIL. Now add the thought of district-wide auditions for bands again! So hopping I get Mr.Holt again, I would die of boredom in 3rd and 4th bands and positively crack under the pressure in 1st band. SO NERVOUS BECAUSE IM HAVING ISSUES WITH MY FLUTE! Well, er-- anyway! Read the following and please give me your opinion!

(Possible)Story Description:
Order and chaos, two things that many believe to be the same thing. But all Rangers know that they are one in the same. The order and routine that comes with being a Ranger and the constant thrill of not knowing what the next day will bring.

Only this time, the balance of a certain Rangers life has been tipped and is heading down the familiar road of the unexpected.

Ranger Will Treaty is on a solo mission with the simple task of rounding up a few bandits, ten heading of for the last few days of the annual Rangers Gathering.

But perhaps, this seemingly simple task turns out to be something that could lead to something bigger. Something that could go far beyond the borders of Redmont or the political realm of Araluen.

Goes past the boundaries of order and chaos.

Okay!..so...yeah...haveagoodnightormorningordayandpleasedontkillmebye!
~SO•

*Runs and hides under a rock*