An Unstable Relationship

Chapter Eight

       Alyss glanced around the dim inn room. 

       "Does being a ranger just mean that you get free stuff all the time?"  She asked flippantly, waving her hand at their given quarters. 

       Will raised one eyebrow in her direction and glared at Alyss balefully.  The girl was reminded, not for the first time either, how much he acted like Halt. 

       "It's people like you."  He said huffily.  "Who disregard the very important and honorable jobs that we King's Rangers uphold."  Will looked hard into her eyes. 

       Alyss met his gaze evenly before bursting into laughter.  The corner of the ranger's mouth twitched up and his eyes sparkled in amusement. 

       "I'm perfectly serious."  Will said, trying hard to keep a straight face.  Alyss giggled even harder at his efforts.  She tugged at his hand and he broke down chuckling with her.  He pulled her into a gentle hug and spoke into her hair. 

       "See what I mean?  No respect." 

                                                           ~◇~

       Alyss crept down the stairwell the next morning, being so quiet that she thought of herself as almost ranger-like.  Will was right in front of her, clopping down the steps like he hadn't a care in the world.  She broke into a quick grin at his expense, but kept walking.  They were only headed out for breakfast and to check on the horses.  Alyss figured that Will would probably want to go looking for Jacob after that. 

       The pair emerged into the main room of the inn - tavern.  The place appeared to be mostly empty, as it should be at should be at an early hour such as this, Alyss thought.  The few who populated it were only those who had drunk themselves into a stupor and now lay passed out in the inn. 

       The innkeeper looked up, startled, upon their entry.  Alyss found it clear that he usually did not have customers up this early. 
       "Morning."  Will announced.  The man only inclined his head in response.  The always curious ranger took a seat at one of the stools occupying the bar and his wife settled beside him. 

       "Well, do you want something?"  The innkeeper asked gruffly.  "If it's breakfast you're wanting, you'll have to wait a few more hours; I don't serve it till the most of my customers are up." 

       "I see."  Will said somewhat thoughtfully.  Alyss could not help but feel a little disappointed; she was hungry. 

       "Could I at least convince you to make some coffee?"  Will asked hopefully, revealing his true intentions for stopping in the tavern room. 

       The innkeeper let out a long sigh, doing a fine job of acting as if he had the hardest job in the world. 

       "I suppose."  He conceded, a tortured look plastered to his features, before moving painfully away to brew some. 

       "You will have to pay for this, though."  He grumbled from behind the bar. 

       "Will do."  Will said with a snicker.  Alyss peered sideways at him, she was not sure if that had been an attempted joke or if he found something about the innkeeper funny.  She decided not to inquire about it. 

       "Here you are."  The man called to them as he poured mugs full of the aromatic drink.  Will flipped several coins toward him, more than enough for two cups of coffee.  The keeper's eyes widened at the money.  His eyebrows arched in a question. 

       "I trust that, should anyone, another ranger perhaps, come poking around here, no word shall be spread of our intentions?"  Will commented, raising one of his own eyebrows, as was common among rangers.