Duncan, while Halt is on trial for treason: But why, Halt? Why do this to us all? Halt, who has been asking to go after Will for months now: as per my last email,

Duncan: have you seen Halt anywhere?

Crowley: that information is highly classified and strictly confidential

Duncan: you have no idea where he is

Crowley: not a clue

King Duncan and Lady Pauline from the Ranger's Apprentice series :] Is it still considered a fanart if I don't like Lady Pauline?

Anyway - that's probably the last one of that quick busts series. At least for now. Maybe someday I'll draw more. (I'm currently on the second book and there aren't really any more characters left to draw.)

Thank you all for your kind words under these last few posts, it was really fun :]

During the battle

Sean, shouting something to his soldiers in Hibernian:

Duncan:

Duncan: Right!

Duncan, yelling to Halt: What did he say?

Halt, riding between the two armies, speaking with a stronger accent for some time, thanks to coming to terms with his own history:

Halt, yelling translates Sean's words into the Common Language:

Duncan:

Duncan: Right...

Duncan, yelling to Crowley, as Halt is already far away: And what did he say?

Crowley, having over twenty years' experience of hearing Halt's accent when he's pissed off:

Crowley, yells from the Rangers units, and he actually translates Halt’s words:

Duncan: Right... fine, yeah, yeah, we do the same!

Very simplistic and light-hearted (but also very honest) approach to the matter but Macbeth not being able to take a seat because of Banquo's ghost just appearing is one of the top moments EVER in literature for me, no matter how many times I read/watch Macbeth I will ALWAYS gasp bc of it. Maybe it's the fact that, for obvious reasons, the moment is put very plainly ("Enter the GHOST of BANQUO and sits in MACBETH's place"...if Macbeth were a novel, and I were the author, I'd put it just as plainly) , maybe it's the fact that the scene going on from there is absolutely striking and, on a certain degree, heart-wrenching, I don't know. But yes. Top moments from Macbeth for sure. One of my personal favourites by Will. I. Am Shakespeare.

Duncan's the one talking btw

Duncan: I’ve organised your messages into three categories. Duncan: “From Halt”  Duncan: “Death Threats”  Duncan: and “Death Threats From Halt”

Everyone, please imagine with me the moment that Duncan found out Cassandra and Horace were getting closer and romantically involved. At some point, he had to realize that the idiot reckless boy who he watched singlehandedly pull off the most impossible kill in Araluen duel history was going to marry his EQUALLY STUPID RECKLESS DAUGHTER and become his SON-IN-LAW.

You cannot tell me that man didn't need a stiff drink that night as he realized the future of his family tree.

duncan: is it really so much to ask for you to keep him in check?

crowley: your majesty, i can either run the corps or i can attend to halt. i cannot possibly do both.

'Why did no one recognise Halt as the Prince of Clonmel?'

Since that question is making the rounds right now apparently, I figured I'd give my opinion on the matter: I believe that Halt is victim of the Superhero-Syndrome.

Let me explain. The Superhero-Syndrome is basically what you see in shows like Miraculous Ladybug. The Superhero, though they only wear another outfit than they usually would, is not recognisable for other characters in the show. Whether these other character are the smartest of the bunch or not is another question. Translating this phenomenon onto Halt, however, I do believe that the other characters are smart, so why didn't they recognise the 'superhero'?

Let's talk about Duncan first. By the time Prince Halt died, he was trapped by Morgarath. If the news of the death reached him there (which I doubt with all my heart), then he wouldn't have cared about it. Afterall, he was trapped, Morgarath was on the rise, his father was dead-sick and he's got his relationship with Rosalind to work on (though that one was more on tbe back burner I assume). So why should he care more than '[random servant 2], get a scholar to write a condolences letter'?

When he met Halt, the latter acted in many ways, but not in those of a crown prince. Duncan would know, he was one himself at the time. Seeing the way Halt acted, I don't think that the thought that Halt and Prince Halt are the same person even crossed Duncan's mind, they are just too different. And still, he had other things to worry about than a dead prince he never met.

What about Crowley, then? The information that some Hibernian prince named like his good friend died reached him well after he met Halt, I am sure of that. Maybe even a year or so later. He has no reason to know this fact beforehand, simple as that. And again, I don't think he would've even considered that Halt and Prince Halt are the same person. Sure, Halt might have had some tells that he grew up wealthy which Crowley would pick up on far more likely than Duncan, but there wouldn't be many of them. Even if Crowley picked up on them and noticed that the death and the appearance of his friend line up, I don't think he would have gone as far as thinking of Halt as Prince Halt, because the hints are too little and subtle. If Halt was the prince, he would've had to flee his country immediately after the faked death, and he would've had to act more like a prince, unknowing of the life of commoners, and not like a small grizzly bear high on autism with ranger skills, right?

And for all the other characters, you can argue in a similiar way: Halt doesn't act like a prince, and they simply don't have the time or head space to consider that Prince Halt and Ranger Halt are one and the same person.

Nothing. Just me and my mental image of Arald and Duncan being like proud parents of their respective rangers and constantly arguing whether Halt or Crowley is better and having mediaeval equivalent of proud parent stickers on their swords or office chairs.

[Image ID: the meme of a car speeding onto a highway off ramp. The highway is labelled "calmly and rationally greeting the prince"; the off ramp is labelled "complaining that people in Araluen are unusually reluctant to throw themselves out of windows"; and the car is labelled "Halt meeting Duncan for the first time". /end]

(Will and Halt)

There we go, all the kitty cat sketches people requested plus the Wilyss that made me want want to start drawing cats in the first place. You can see the dip in quality as we go

parent-teacher conferences for Halt, coming to see Will's and Gilan's teachers and Principal Duncan and Dr. Malcolm who teaches chemistry and Professor Dulacy who teaches English and Coach Rodney the gym teacher and Mr. Chubb the home ec teacher and

and ex-school board member Morgarath is there to see Foldar's teachers too and

@peapodsinspace PLEASE

Duncan and Sean’s first meeting

Sean: Hi, it’s really nice to finally meet the 'first ever not really an asshole while royal' Uncle Halt’s friend!

Duncan:

Duncan, in tears: He said THAT??

Will, Halt and Horace having a meal with Duncan

Will, sitting next to Halt eating quite neatly

Halt, eating his dinner in a Haltish way (not with the best manners but they are there): so I’d say-

Horace, finishing his 2nd plate and burping loudly: that was delicious! Can I have some more

Halt:

Will:

Duncan:

Horace: uh. Please?