The Ranger and the Thief (Book two of The Ranger and the Thief series)

Chapter Three

The full moon was covered slightly by the clouds and Willy let out a sigh as he ran his fingers over the fine grained wood of the Herons hull. He ran straight to Bearclaw creek, Where the Heron was moored.

"What are you doing here?" He heard a voice ask behind him. He spun around to find Bente, leaning up against the shed that his uncle Hal used for storage and invent contraptions. Her blond curls hung over her shoulders and he could see her grey eyes in the light of the moon. She lifted up her skirt so she could walk through the snow to stand by him.

"I come here to let out my anger." Willy said quietly. She rose her eyebrows.

"Why are you angry?" She asked innocently. He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." He mumbled. She smirked.

"My daddy says when someone says that, then there is something wrong." She said. Willy let out a small snort of laughter. Bentes father was a book worm. He also was a memeber of the Heron crew, that's how Willy and Bente met. Her father, Edvin, was the healer and the cook of the crew. Bente seemed to inherit her fathers brains.

"I guess so. But it's not something I wanna talk about." He said. She placed her hand on his forearm and he froze as he felt her touch through his shirt.

"Tell me." She said. He glanced her way and was mesmerized by her beauty. Wait? What?

"My gatherfather came today with my great grandfather. They told me how in a month, MJ is leaving for Araluen. He won't be back for four years." He said.

"So you're mad he's leaving?" She asked. He scoffed.

"Are you kidding me? I'm relieved! I won't get beat up by him any more! I can focus on training." He said. She looked confused now.

"Then why are you mad?" she asked. He was still very conscious that her hand was still on his arm.

"Because he gets to go to Araluen. I've wanted to see where I've come from since three years ago! The first time MJ got to go." He said. She was very confused now, but didn't bother him about it.

"Are you excited for Brotherband training?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. I know the same thing will happen to me that happened to both of our fathers. Nobody likes me, and I'll be forced into a brotherband." He said. She looked shocked.

"I like you, Willy." She said. He bit his lip.

"You're the only one." He said quietly. The two of them stood in silence for a moment.

"Why were Lance and MJ crowded around you this morning after you had talked to me?" She asked. He went pale.

"Um... Well, they....They wanted me to steal your money." He said shamefully. She took a step back and stared at him in horror.

"Willy? You didn't ... did you?" She asked, her eyes filling with tears. He shook his head quickly.

"No. I couldn't. You're the only one that is nice to me, I couldn't lose your friendship. MJ tells me to steal from my almost friends to make them hate me, he does it for a reason. I couldn't steal from you, so they tried to beat me." He said, his gaze fixed on the Heron in front of them. He heard her gasp.

"Did...Did they hurt you?" She asked. He shook his head.

"I got away. Although MJ did call me an Araluen swine and said he wished I had never been born. That hurt me." He said looking at his feet. Bente said nothing for a long time. She was one of the few children in Skandia that didn't care that MJ and Willy were half Araluen. Her father had taught her that they were all people too, and shouldn't be treated any differently.

"It's not true, Willy." She said. He gave her a small smile and they both turned around when they heard the crunching of snow under feet coming towards them. It was Will. When he reached them, he placed his hand on Willy's shoulder and took of his cloak, drapping it across Willy. The eleven year old boy had run out of the house with out a coat or vest, simply a thin shirt. Unlike Bente, who was bundled high in coats and warmers.

"Willy, what happened back there?" Will asked. Willy shrugged and stared at the ship before them.

"I don't know. I guess I got jealous. MJ always gets to go to Araluen. It's not fair. He's met queen Cassandra and Sir Horace, Even Princess Madalyn! And I'm stuck here, where people hate me." He said. Will let out a sigh and led Bente and Willy to the shed, where they opened it and sat inside among Hal's papers and contractions. It was only once they were inside the shed, did Willy finally take notice to Bente. He shook her hand and introduced himself, much to her amazement. She was standing in front of the legendary Will Treaty!

"Willy, come back to the house and we'll all sit down and talk about this." He said. Willy shook his head.

"I don't want my dad to know." He said. Will rose an eyebrow.

"Willy, you're father deserves to know, so does your brother." He said. Willys eyes widened as he shook his head.

"No!" He said rather forcefully. Will shrugged.

"Fine, have it your way." He bent down and picked Willy up, flinging him across his shoulder. Willy tried to free himself from his grandfathers grip, but Will was way stronger then the small boy. Will looked over at Bente.

"Can you find your way home, Miss?" He asked. she nodded, dumbfounded by everything that was happening.

"Will, put me down!" Willy yelled. Will smiled at Bente.

"Goodnight, Miss." He said politely before turning around and carrying Willy back to the house.