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

Chapter 7

Karina watched Hal and Abby spar from the kitchen threshold. She smiled to herself as she saw the two children she loved most train together. Karina wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and shivered as a gust of cold air blew into the kitchen.

"Shut the door, lass. You'll give us all a cold." Thorn said. He was helping her in the eating house today because he said his other plans were cancelled because of the weather. Another foot of snow had blown in the night before. She continued to watch them from the window as she washed some of the platters. Abby was gaining on Hal, who was getting tired from fighting the snow. But Abby was lighter then Hal and danced lightly across the top layer of snow. Hal tripped over a rock hidden beneath the snow and he toppled backwards, just as Abby was swinging her sword at him. She lost her balance and fell on top of him. Karina smiled as she saw the two of them burst into laughter, laughing so hard they were soon holding their sides. She went to the door and called for them to come inside and dry off.

Abby was soon sitting by the fire wrapped tightly in the blanket with Hal. She glanced over at him to see him grinning. She elbowed him in the ribs and the two of them began to giggle. Karina smiled to see her children getting along so well. She passed them both mugs of coffee and passed Abby the honey jar. Karina had learned that Abby only drank coffee if it had honey in it.

Once the two of them had finished, Karina told them to go get into clean clothes and get ready for the ceremony. That day was Abbys fourteenth birthday, and the day they would be bound together as a family. Abby would finally be Karinas daughter, legally.

***

The second Will and Maddie were on the Skandian shore, Will marched straight up to the great hall. Some Skandians tried to stop him, but he went straight to Eraks quarters. Maddie had to run to keep up with him. He didn't even knock, he simply barged right in. Erak was reading a report from one of the last raids when he was startled by tthe scruffy looking ranger standing in front of him.

"Where is she? Where's Abby?!?" Will said forcefully. Erak rose an eyebrow and stood.

"Will, she doesn't want to see you." He said carefully. Will glared at him.

"I don't care. Take me to her now." He said. Erak let out a deep sigh and called in a messenger.

"Take the rangers to Karinas eating house." He said. the messenger nodded.

"Yes Oberjarl." He said bowing his head. Will and Maddie followed the messenger down to the village and too the eating house. He left them there outside the kitchen door. Maddie knocked, trying to be more polite then her master would be. A boy around eighteen opened the door and a look of confusion passed over him.

"Do you know where we can find Abby?" Maddie asked. The boys eyes widened breifly before he bit his lip and shook his head.

"Last I heard, she was off with Jesper, Stefan and the twins." came a gruff voice behind the boy. Will knew the voice from somewhere.

"Thorn?" he asked. Thorn came out to see them.

"Will Treaty! You've grown a bit lad." He said smiling. Will smiled a bit at his old friend.

"So where can we find Abby?" He asked. Thorn let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

"She won't want to see you lad." He said. Will glared at him.

"I want to see my daughter, Thorn." He said. The boy now intervened.

"Abby is happy here. Don't take her away." The boy said. Will glared at the boy. Thorn places his hand on the boys shoulder.

"Hal. He is her father. They deserve to talk it out with each other." He said. Hal glared at Thorn.

"Let me show you where she is." Hal said bitterly.