Sparks Flying - A Ranger's Apprentice Story

Chapter Ten

Will kissed his wife slowly. "I'll see you in a few days," he said softly, so only she could hear.

Alyss nodded. "I love you," she murmured.

Will carefully helped her up into the saddle. "I love you, too."

Halt cleared his throat. "We probably should get going," he said apologetically. "Maddie might wake up soon."

Will stood on the verandah and watched as Halt and Alyss disappeared from view among the trees at the far edge of the clearing. He raised a hand in farewell as Alyss turned in the saddle for one last look.

Earlier that morning, in the pre-dawn grayness, he'd sent Tug to Castle Redmont with a letter for Halt, explaining the situation with Maddie and asking him to come down to the cabin as soon as possible to escort Alyss up to the castle. Halt had arrived within the hour, and Alyss had been ready, with a single bag packed with the most essential things she'd need. She had a small apartment permanently set aside for her at the castle. Her rank as a senior Courier allotted her that apartment, and she'd used it before on a few occasions when weather had prevented her from returning to the Ranger cabin after work.

After Halt and Alyss were gone, Will went back into the cabin, shutting the door behind him. Sable followed him closely, her ears and tail drooping. Will scratched her head, but she simply gazed up at him with mournful eyes before padding over to the fireplace and dropping listlessly to the floor, resting her chin on her paws.

"I know, girl," Will sighed. "I miss her, too." It was true. Will had gotten so used to Alyss's presence there that the little cabin in the trees seemed to be missing something huge. There was a certain emptiness in the room. It was worse when he walked into his and Alyss's bedroom and sat down on the bed. The closet was empty of her dresses, and her hairbrush was gone from its permanent residence on top of the dresser. It was as if she'd never been there.

Abruptly, Will stood and exited the bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. He decided to start breakfast. Hopefully a good, home-cooked breakfast would put Maddie in a good mood and help her get into the right mindset. The sooner Maddie settled in, the sooner Alyss could come home.

Will started up the fire in the stove, setting an iron frying pan on the hob to warm up. He plopped a pad of butter into the pan, watching it pool as the iron heated and the butter melted. Then he cracked some eggs into the pan, setting the iron sizzling. 

While the eggs were frying, he filled the coffeepot with water and set it on the stove to boil, adding several scoops of coffee grounds. Then he flipped the eggs over so both sides could cook evenly. When the eggs were done, he served them onto two plates, then put some bacon in the pan to fry.

Behind him, he heard a door open and close, and bare feet padding across the wooden floorboards of the living room.

He turned around to see Maddie standing at the entrance to the kitchen, her hair messy from sleep.

"Good morning, Maddie," he said. "Breakfast is almost ready. If you would like, you can go clean up in the wash house out back. There's a dressing gown hanging on the back of your door.

Maddie nodded once, then turned to head back to her room. A moment later, Will heard the front door open and close as Maddie went outside.

Will nodded to himself. The progress was small, but it was still progress. Maddie seemed more subdued than yesterday. Hopefully she'd had time to get used to all the sudden changes she was going through.

As Will set the plates on the table, the front door opened again. Maddie came into the kitchen, fully dressed, although wearing the clothes from yesterday, her hair hanging in long, wet strings down her back. Wordlessly, she took the chair across from Will.