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

Chapter Sixteen

Life at Flinchshire Estate was usually boring, but that night, Lord Flinchshire returned home with a girl and a brood of Skandians. It was the most excitement the house had seen in years. Willy and Hal kept the crew mainly silent, but several burly boys in a large house does not go unnoticed.

Willy caught sight of several maids whispering amoungest themselves as they passed by. He even saw some of the older maids glancing at Hal, much to Willy's disgust.

"Vance." Lord Flinchshire called. A young man around twenty came up to the Earl. "Take our guests and show them their rooms." He then turned to Willy. "I'm sorry, but we are a bit cramped at the moment, you wouldn't mind sharing?" Willy shook his head and he and the crew followed Vance up stairs.

Willy was put in the same room as Hal and MJ. There was only one bed, so Hal took it, claiming that since he was older, it would hurt his back to sleep on the floor, dispite him sleeping on the hard deck of Wolfwill for the past two weeks. MJ and Willy took the floor. One of the maids brought them extra blankets and extra clothes since all of their clothes were wet from the storm, including their spare ones.

***

The next morning, Willy woke up startled as MJ clamped his hand over his mouth. It was still dark, but getting lighter as the sun rose from the sea. MJ held his index finger to his lips to silence him.

"What is it?" Willy whispered. His brothers actions had caused him to be wary. MJ stood and Willy followed his example. He slipped on his soft toed seal skin boots and followed MJ out of the room. MJ seemed to ghost across the corridor, and Willy had to follow in his suit, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Being a thief taught him how to be quiet, so him and MJ were evenly matched.

"What is going on Mik?" Willy asked MJ.

"I saw a maid go by a minute ago. We're following her." He said. Willy glanced around, not seeing any maid.

"MJ, I think you're loosing it." Willy said. MJ grabbed his wrist and pulled him around the next corner, where a young maid around Willy's age was carrying some bed sheets.

"Excuse me."MJ called to her. She dropped the sheets in fright and turned around, paler then the sheets on the ground. She knelt down to gather up the sheets, but Willy beat her to it. He folded them all carefully the way his mam had taught him and placed the folded stack in the pretty young maids arms.

"What is your name?" MJ asked. She was about to answer when a woman with a scowl etched permanently on her lips and dressed in black answered for him.

"Lynnette! Have you replaced the sheets..." She trailed off when she caught sight of the two brother's. "Oh dear me, I'm sorry sirs, was she bothering you?" She asked. Head maid, Willy presumed.

"I need to talk with Lynnette, if that is alright madam. Can you find someone else to finish her chores?" MJ asked. Lynnette became even paler.

"Has she done anything wrong? Because I can have her punished if..."MJ stopped her.

"She has done nothing wrong, madam, in fact, quite the opposite." He turned to Lynnette, who rose her eyebrows in wonder. "My brother, Willy can finish your chores. Just show him what to do." The head maid was still in shock, but she then ushered Willy to follow her. Willy glared at MJ as he was pulled away.

Lynnette glanced over at the ranger, and MJ held his arm out to her for her to take. She bit her lip and set the sheets on the ground before taking his arm and hooking it with her own. MJ led her back to the room he shared with his brother and uncle. Hal was still asleep on the bed, so MJ smacked him upside the head with a pillow. He bolted up straight and glared at him, and that's when he noticed Lynnette in the room. He rose an eyebrow and gave MJ a questioning look.

"I need you to get out." MJ told his Uncle. Hal's eyes widened and glared at MJ. MJ rolled his eyes as he realized what his uncle was thinking as he glanced from MJ to Lynnette.

"MJ, your mother would never forgive you if you stole a poor girls innocence. " Hal said. Lynnette blushed deeply and MJ glared at him.

"I just need to talk to her, you Idiot. Gorlogs breath man!" MJ said in disbelief. Hal seemed to relax a little and he stood and left the room with a smirk. MJ sighed when the door shut. He gestured for Lynnette to sit in one of the chairs while he took the one oppesite of hers. She sat on the edge, as if ready for flight. MJ looked her over, watching how she was nervous from her posture.

"My name is ranger MJ." He told her. she nodded, swallowing hard.

"I'm Lynnette, sir." She said. MJ smiled a bit.

"I saw you walking down the hall, and wouldn't have seen you if you didn't sniff." He said. Her hand subconsciously went to her nose, and she turned a bright shade of pink. "What I'm saying, Lynnette..." She stopped him.

"Please call me Lynn, sir. Only Madam Louise calls me Lynnette." She said. He nodded.

"Alright. Lynn, what I'm saying, is you have the potential of a rangers apprentice. Before I came here, my commandment said I needed to find an apprentice to help me protect Skandia. And I think you are that ranger. What do you say?" He said. Her jaw slowly drifted open as she heard his proposition.

"Me? A ranger?" She asked in disbelief. He nodded.

"You'd have to come with me to Skandia. But what do you say? Will you be my apprentice?" He asked. She bit her lip and he could tell she was thinking hard about it. She finally nodded.

"Yes sir. I'd be honoured." She said. He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Then call me MJ." He said. She gave him a shy smile and he dismissed her. She left the room, beaming and ran to tell her friends.