Treaty's Daughter (Book one of The Ranger and The Thief series)

Chapter 5

~Two years later

      "No! Please no!" Edvin begged. Abby and Jesper giggled as Edvin tried to snatch the map in Jespers hand. Jesper was quick though, and danced out of Edvins reach.

"Come on Ed! You've been working on this stupid map for weeks now, come have some fun!" Jesper teased. Edvin glared at the two of them and shook his head.

"I promised the Oberjarl I'd have that map finished by a week from now." He moaned. Abby rolled her eyes jokingly at the older boy. Jesper handed it back.

"You're so boring." She said. Jesper laughed at her remark and took her hand, leading her away from Edvin.

"We can watch the match without him." He said. "Besides, The twins will meet us up there." She looked at him with a smug look. He laughed and pulled her through the village of Hallasholm. The two of them could hear the wrestling match taking place in a field a little ways away from the city. The match was between Lugion Deepwaters, and Frother Blacksmith. Abby was betting on Frother since he had been kind to her when she had first arrived in Hallasholm. He had made her a intricate iron sword that had images of the Skandian Gods etched into the grip. She and her surrogate brother Hal would spar often. He was amazed by her skill at first, and began to teach her some of the things he was taught by Thorn.

   "Fancy seeing you here, Milady." She heard one of the twins say. She smiled as Ulf and Wulf approached them from the right.

"I wouldn't miss a good match." She said, digging her elbow into the nearest twin.

"Is Hal going to meet us here?" The other asked. She shook her head.

"Hal and Stig are at the shed working on the ship." She said. The twins nodded their understanding and they all carefully watched the match. It wasn't too long before Frother had Lugion pinned underneath him. When they announced the winner, Jesper groaned as he passed Abby a coin. She smiled as she took it and slipped it into her shirt. Jesper glared at her as he watched her place it where she knew he wouldn't even try to regain it.

    After the match, the four of them walked through the village streets. The rest of the crew was off doing other things. Stefan said he wanted to mimic some girls and trick them into thinking he was cute. Ingvar said he would be taking care of his three year old nephew, Which Abby didn't find safe since he was as blind as a bat. Edvin was making the map. Stig and Hal were working on the ship, And Lydia was out hunting that morning. As they were walking, The twins began to argue and they soon left, leaving Jesper and Abby to walk together.

"So why aren't you hanging out with any of your other friends today?" Jesper asked, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. She gave him a sad smile.

"I don't have any other friends. None my age at least. No one wants to befriend an Araluen." She said. Jesper said nothing for a moment, they just continued walking towards Karinas eating house.

"I don't understand why people have to put labels on people." He mumbled. She nodded a bit.

   They reached the eating house and Jesper wrapped her in his arms, their usual way of goodbyes. When he pulled away, he had a grin that made Abby feel uncomfortable.

"Bye Abby." He began to walk away. As his back was turned, he held up a coin over his shoulder so she could see. She gasped in horror and quickly looked down her shirt and saw the coin was gone.

"Jesper! I will get you for that!" She yelled at him as he began to run away. She didn't know what made her more mad, that he had stolen the coin, or that he had somehow reached down her shirt to get it...

***

The next morning, Abby started the bread dough and ran outside the fetch water from the well as she heated up the ovens. As she ran outside, she was startled as she was greeted by a man she had never met. He did not tell her his name, but he simply informed her that the Oberjarl wanted to see her right away. She ran back into the kitchen and told Karina she would be back and than ran up to the great hall.