Alyss' Return: She Lives

Chapter Two: Will

Will and Maddie rode into Danvers Crossing just after sunrise. He had taken all the children home now that Jory Ruhl was dead and so were his men. Maddie was still recovering from the wound she suffered from during the fight with him. She sat on her horse, hand on her leg and her leg out of its stirrup. No need to put tension on it just yet. He thought.

Once they reached the castle, they were refused because almost everyone was still asleep. "Almost?" Will questioned the guard who had refused him.

"The servants are up. Not the rest of the castle." The guard replied. "Now go." He added. Will shook his head, but turned away. No sense in getting into another fight. He thought. "I'll come back later." He said over his shoulder.

They stayed at the inn for a while and ate a nice warm meal and drank some coffee to wash it down. They left the inn when the sun was well past the point when they had previously gone to the castle. "You want to head back to the castle?" He asked Maddie. The girl nodded. She's been close to silent since the fight.

They made their way to the castle and, this time, they weren't denied entrance by the guard. He dismounted and helped Maddie do the same. He helped her through the door that separated the courtyard from the inside of the castle.

He helped her up the stairwells and through the halls until they came to the Baron's office. He knocked three times.

No answer.

He slowly opened the door and was about to call out, "hullo, anyone here?" When a young maid came in and began sweeping the ashes from the fireplace. He entered the room further and she turned around to see them.

Whether she sensed them or just turned around by chance, he had no idea. He studied the girl as she looked at them. Black hair with silver-gray eyes and she seemed to have perfect, soft-looking skin. She wore a beige dress and white apron. The sleeves of the dress were rolled up to prevent them from becoming dirty.

The look didn't suit her too well. But that wasn't to say she didn't look absolutely beautiful in Will's eyes.

"May I help you?" The girl asked. The question startled Will out of his studying her.

"We're looking for the Baron of this fief." He said.

The girl shook her head. "I'm afraid the Baron is out this morning. Would you like to leave me with a message for him?" Before she even finished speaking, Will was already shaking his head.

"No. We'll be off," he replied gently, then as he stepped toward the door, he stopped to add, "Oh, what's your name, miss?"

"Catherine Altright, sir." The girl replied. Will squinted his eyes at her in suspicion and she smiled at him. The reaction caused him to flinch. The smile seemed to know what he was thinking, seemed to alleviate all suspicion that he had about her. As he stared for a few seconds, he could have sworn that his heart missed a few beats.

He nodded to himself, mentally kicking himself to pay attention. "Well, Miss Altright, I'll check in later to see if the Baron's here by then." He told her.

Catherine nodded. "I'll make sure to let the secretary know of your presence here in Anselm. Where will you stay?" She said.

The question grabbed Will's attention and he stood there for a moment, and Catherine seemed to take that chance to detail her question a bit more, "Just in case the Baron needs to send for you, where will you be staying temporarily?"

Will thought for a moment, rubbing his newly forming beard. "We'll be at the Inn at Danvers Crossing." Will replied.

Catherine nodded. "Very well. I'll be sure to let the secretary know of your presence." Said Catherine. Will nodded and turned to go down the hall. He was nearly at the top of the stairwell when he heard a voice call, "Ranger!"

He ran back to the room, leaving Maddie behind as he did so, and poked his head back into the room. "Yes?"

"What's your name? I want to leave the secretary with more to go by. I'll want it to be more urgent, as the Baron doesn't see to matters like two Rangers around his fief soon enough. Now, your name?" Catherine explained.

Will came into the room and he crossed the room, coming closer to her. There was no real reason to. But then again, there was also no reason not to. Catherine looked more and more nervous as he approached. Then, as he stood in front of her, he replied in a quiet tone, "My name is Will Treaty. My friend you saw is my apprentice, Maddie. Now keep quiet to the village." He told her.

Catherine nodded, gulping as she did so. "Good." Said Will. He stepped away from her and grinned. Then, he quickly exited the room, stooping at the door to add, "don't forget to wipe the shutters of the dust that settled on them."

With that, he left the room and joined Maddie at the top of the stairwell. "What was that about?" She asked.

He shook his head. "She wanted to know my name to make a report sound more urgent. Apparently, this Baron doesn't see to two Rangers soon enough." He explained. It's good to hear her speak again. He thought.

He heard footsteps following him and Maddie and heard a soft "excuse me" behind him. He turned around and there she was.

He moved out of the way and she quickly moved down the steps. For a reason that Will did not know, he kept catching glimpses of her backside. He shuddered.

The movement caused Maddie to look at him. "What?" She wondered. Will shook his head and looked at her. "It's nothing. It's just..." He left the rest of the sentence go unsaid, therefore unheard. Maddie prompted him to continue. "Just what?"

Will shook his head again. "Nothing." He replied.

He knew the one word answer would make her suspicious. But for some reason, he didn't care. As he reached the bottom of the stairs. He saw a knight following Catherine.

Will saw the knight's hand slowly part from his side and touch Catherine's backside. His face grew hot with anger at the knight for treating a woman like that. Catherine seemed to feel the same way.

Will saw her dress move and the next thing he saw was the knight keeled over, nursing his foot. Will realized that she had punished the knight for grabbing her backside.

He calmed down and the heat in his face died down. He shook his head. That woman has a lot of courage to hit a knight like that. He thought.

Now, for some odd reason, he felt that he had to see Catherine again. And once he was outside, he felt like running back in, calling out her name.

He was beginning to fall in love all over again.