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

Chapter Nineteen

    MJ and Lynn walked along the path silently as they made their way up to the cabin. It was a little above the base of the mountain that over looked Hallasholm. MJ knew there was a small hunting cabin towards the top that he had visited many times.

  The cabin was hidden in a small clearing surrounded by pine trees. The air and ground smelt of rain from the night before and there was a slight crisp in the air from the declining temperatures due to autumn turning into winter.

   MJ was greeted by a loud neigh as he approached the cabin and stables. Maple wasn't to thrilled about being left alone with the pack horse and MJ's mother, neither of which were great company. MJ chuckled and patted her mares neck as he passed by her stable.

"That's Maple. She's a rangers horse. We'll get you one too soon, but they are in Araluen and we must pick her up in three weeks. For now, you'll ride Sue, the pack horse." MJ explained to Lynn. She nodded her understanding and followed him into the cabin. MJ took off his cloak and hung it on a peg by the door along with his bow and quiver. Lynn looked around the clean cabin, noticing a small vase of yellow wild flowers on the table.

"Your room is straight through there. You can unpack, just don't take to long, we're going to my grandmothers eating house for dinner." He said. She nodded and closed the door to her room behind her. It was a neat and tighty room, small, which was perfect, considering she lived in the servants quarters her whole life. It was the first time she would ever get her own room.

   Lynn finished unpacking and she left her room and came into the sitting room, where MJ was writing a letter at the table. She noted how he stuck the tip of his tounge out when he was concentrated. She felt her stomach full of giddiness when she saw his dark brown hair fall into his eyes. She had to admit, he was very good looking. He wasn't even trying to be decent, either. They had spent the past two weeks cramped in a ship together, and he still made her insides tingle.

   Get a hold of yourself, Lynnette! She yelled at herself in her mind. He's your mentor for goodness sake! He wouldn't like you anyways. Sadly, her mind was right. It was wrong of her to like her mentor. She suddenly wished she had gotten an old man for a mentor, rather then an eighteen year old boy, that was attractive. She shook her head, no she didn't wish that. She could compose herself.

   Lynn looked at MJ, who hadn't noticed her presence yet. She cleared her throat to get his attention and he glanced up at her to acknowledge her, before returning to the letter. He finished up a minute later and blew on it to dry the ink before enclosing it in an envelope with an oakleaf stamped on it.

"What's the letter about?" She asked him as he tucked it into the pocket of his jerkin. He went over to the peg and grabbed his cloak, tying it quickly around his neck. He turned to the door and opened it.

"You." He said, before stepping outside. Lynn felt the tingles return. She shook herself to clear her head. She ran outside after him after shutting the door. She ran to catch up with him.

"Me?" She asked, slightly out of breath. He nodded, without looking at her.

"Yes, to the commandment, Gilan. I had to tell him I have gotten an apprentice." He said.

"Oh." She said, she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. He nodded and they continued to walk in a comfortable silence.

  Five minutes later, they arrived at the eating house. It was closed, but MJ slipped around back and opened the kitchen door, stepping aside so she could go inside out of the night air. She stepped in and heard the room next to them filled with laughter and voices. The kitchen was full of warmth from the ovens and the crackling fire in the corner. MJ shut the door. The voices paused in the next room.

"I think that's MJ." a new voice said. MJ gestured for her to follow him and he led her into the large dining room, where several people sat around a table full of food. the faces were both new and old. Hal, Willy, Jesper and Abby were there, but there was also an older woman with her gray hair pulled back in a bun. She looked a lot like Hal. The next was a bearded old man with straggly hair and only one hand, the other was a wooden clamp. The last two were a four year old girl with brown hair and darkish skin, uncommon for Skandians. But then Lynn noticed that the woman next to the girl had tan skin and black hair. She was stunning.

   The old woman stood and smiled as she saw MJ and Lynn. She walked swiftly over to MJ and kissed him on both of his cheeks.

"It's so good to have you back Mikkel." She said. All the years of telling her his name was MJ, she refused to call him that, saying he was named Mikkel Jr for a reason.

"It's good to see you too, Grandmam." He said. Karina turned to Lynn and studied her over before smiling.

"You must be Lynn? Will and Hal have been telling us about you for the past hour." She said. Lynn noticed Willy flinch as Karina said his name. She also refused to call him Willy to often, since 'he was named Will Jr for a reason.'

"Yes,..." Lynn bit her lip.

"Karina, dear." Karina said smiling. She looked up at MJ. "She's pretty, Mikkel, maybe you should consider keeping this one once her trainings finished." She said nudging MJ with her elbow. Lynn blushed, and she could've sworn MJ did also, but the dim lighting and his years of training to hide his emotions made it hard to tell. MJ rolled his eyes at his grandmother and they took a seat at the table, piling their plates high with the delicious food. Lynn was introduced to the whole family, and learned the names of them all. The one armed seawolf was Thorn, Karinas husband, and Hal's and Abby's stepfather. The tan woman was Lydia, Hal's wife, and the little girl was Evangeline, their daughter. They talked throughout dinner, and they all asked questions about Lynn and her past, which wasn't too exciting, being born into service. Around nine at night, Hal and Lydia took Evangeline home because it was her bed time. At eleven, MJ stood and gestured for Lynn to do the same.

"It was nice catching up, but it's been a long day." MJ said. The others nodded.

"It was nice meeting you all." Lynn said before following MJ out of the eating house.

"You are lucky to have such a great family." She said as they walked along the dock back towards the cabin. MJ chuckled a little.

"They can be pig headed, but I love them. My real grandfather lives in Araluen." He said.

"Is he your grandmothers first husband?" She asked. MJ bit his lip and shook his head.

"No. My mother was adobted by Karina. She hadn't married Thorn yet. Uncle Hal's real father died when he was four years old. He grew up not knowing him. Thorn made sure he had a father figure still and got him through his teenage years." He explained. Lynn rose an eyebrow.

"If your Mothers real father is still alive, why was she adobted by Karina?" Lynn asked.

"After mothers mother was killed, grandfather went on a revenge chase, leaving my mother to fend for herself. She was only eleven years old. She went to her godfather, Gilan, and stayed with him for a bit. But a few days later, Hal and his crew, including my father, ran into her om the beach. She asked if she could go with them and they took her here. She was adobted by Grandmam and uncle Hal and married my father." He explained.  She nodded her understanding, but something stir confused her.

"Your name is Mikkel?" She asked. He nodded. "Then what is the J in MJ?" she asked.

"Jr. Mikkel Jr." He said. "And Willy's is Will Jr." She still didn't understand.

"Jr? So who are you named after?" She asked.

"I was named after Mikkel, Hal's father, the one who died when my uncle was only four years old." He said.

"And Willy?" She asked. He paused for a second, wondering if he should tell her the truth.

"Our mothers father, Will Treaty."