Chapter 12: Bonds

A Month Ago: Ranger Gathering

Lea had finished setting up her tent next to Will's and had sat down with him and Halt when a familiar voice called a greeting from behind her and Will stood up to greet the newcomer.

"You both beat me here again!" Lea turned towards the voice and saw a taller man approaching. Even with his cloak around him he could be considered of thin stature and he stood just slightly shorter than Gilan. The man had dark brown hair that curled slightly around his ears but was kept short enough that the curls didn't have real form. A bright smile sat beneath amber eyes that shined in the sunlight and Lea stood to greet him as Will approached the man, clasping his hand and pulling him into a hug. "No matter how early I think I am you always beat me"

"It's good to see you Ansalon" Will said releasing the man and smiling at him as he watched his gaze set on Lea.

"You're late." Lea said smiling and stepped forward to hug her friend

"Well I had to give my reports to Crowley before I did anything else" Ansalon said as he released Lea from the hug stepping back and looking to Halt. "Good afternoon Halt" He smiled warmly at the older Ranger and Halt nodded a greeting back.

"No need to just stand around." Halt said "Come and sit for a bit. Your father is already here I assume?" Ansalon nodded and sat down between his two friends while Halt stood. "Keep my seat warm for me while I go talk to him will you?"

"No problem" Ansalon replied as Halt walked off towards the command tent.

"So how are things at the border?" Will asked. Ansalon's fief was just north of Araluen's border with Celtica and the Ranger assigned to that fief was in charge of patrolling the border regularly.

"Same as usual. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Quite quiet actually" Ansalon said. "What about you two? Anything interesting lately?"

"Not particularly." Will said "Things are always quiet on the island. A few illegal trappers but that's nothing new"

"A group of teenagers have seemed to be making a game of how much vandalism they can get away with before I can catch them." Lea said with a sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with them. Recently they've taken to stealing pies from the kitchen and plastering them on the castle walls" Will and Ansalon nodded thoughtfully.

"You could send them washing dishes for a few weeks?" Ansalon suggested "That may dissuade them from sneaking into the kitchen in the future at the least"

"Perhaps" Lea said "Seoul would find that punishment quite fitting. He might like to take them there himself." She smiled at the thought. She rather liked the Baron she served under, he was kind but firm where he needed to be and he was always fair. She turned a smooth, palm sized stone over in her hand as she thought about Ansalon's suggestion. It should work well enough.

"You still have that thing?" Ansalon was looking at the rock in her hand and Lea looked down at it. To be honest she hadn't been aware she'd pulled it from her pocket. She shrugged. "Didn't I give you that when we were still apprentices?" He smiled slightly and Lea waved her empty hand.

"It helps me focus. It's smooth and easy to turn over in my hand" Lea said. That was true. The small river stone had been polished so it had a slightly blue hue and sparkled in the right light. Truth be told any other river stone could serve the same purpose. But she liked this one. "I haven't found another one this blue." She looked towards the command tent. "I suppose just about everyone has shown up by now." She said, trying to change the subject as she replaced the rock back into her pocket.

Will have Ansalon an encouraging look but Ansalon waved it away and stood up.

"I guess we should go get ready to listen to Crowley drone on for the rest of the night." Ansalon said and his friends nodded.

"I always forget about this" Will said, standing. "As if I don't think about it, it won't happen." Lea snickered and followed the boys towards the center of the gathering grounds.

"Well this year wasn't incredibly eventful." Lea said "So hopefully he doesn't have a lot to say"

~

Present Day: The Next Morning

Will and Lea rose early and headed downstairs for breakfast. Barley, the friendly barkeep, greeted them from where he was working behind the counter as they came downstairs. They sat as the bar and returned the man's greeting.

"I hope you both slept well" Barley said as he set down a little jar of honey between them and Lea and Will got a whiff of coffee brewing. He was quick to remember what people liked. "Apologies for the commotion last night. It's been a little less than lively around here lately."

"It's no problem." Will said as Barley set mugs down in front of the both of them. "We're no stranger to critics."

"Though these three were a bit more critical than we're used too" Lea said with a kind smile. "I don't suppose you know what the deal is with them?" Barley poured them both a mug of coffee and leaned on arm on the counter between them. This early there wasn't much business other than the people staying at the inn but Will and Lea were the only ones up this early.

"Just between us?" Barley said "I love the business but I could do just fine without the three of them. Trouble is all they've been."

"That's what is looks like" Will said, stirring honey into his coffee. "Haven't you brought this up with the guards?" Barley scoffed.

"Good for nothing that's what they are." He said with a frown. "Nowadays all they do is patrol the castle grounds. If anyone else goes missin' I'll have to go and ask Geldon for some assistance."

"Geldon?" Lea asked. "Who's that?" So they didn't know Geldon was dead yet. That's good.

"Ah he's the Ranger around these parts" Barley said, a smile returning to his face. "A right solid one too. Always does good by us here. He'll know what to do." Lea nodded and took a sip of her coffee.

"What are these men even trying to do?" Will asked. "Besides cause trouble." The frown returned to Barley's face and he sighed.

"Trying to rally townspeople I suppose" He replied "They've already convinced a good number. Well not those goons, their leader."

"Rally them for what?" Will asked, they could hear a horse approaching from the road into town.

"Getting them up in arms. Against the King I heard. It's no wonder the guards have all holed up in the castle. They must've heard it too." Barley replied. "It's a load of nonsense. They're wasting their time."

"Their leader?" Lea asked. "You talk like you've seen him."

"Oh yeah" Barley said. "Though I hardly saw him so much as I heard him. He wears this mask over his mouth. Tall guy, dressed in dark clothes. Only saw him once though, the day they arrived in town. Two weeks ago? Maybe two and a half. He gave a pretty passionate speech about the state of our government. If he was just talking about our Baron I might of agreed with him to be honest. But to talk about the King like that?" Barley shook his head. "Sure the King's done some stuff I haven't quite agreed with but he's always had our best interests at heart. That I'm sure of." Lea and Will exchanged a glance as the door to the inn opened and Barley stood up straight to greet the newcomer. "Good morning! You're a welcome surprise here Sir Knight!"

Will and Lea turned to see Horace walking up to the bar in his knight uniform.

"Good morning good sir!" Horace returned Barley's greeting. "I was hoping to get a room at your lovely in for a few days if there's one available" Barley looked a little confused.

"Surely you could stay at the castle Sir?" Barley asked. "My little inn isn't exactly Knight quality" Horace waved a hand at the barkeep.

"I suppose I could. But I'm not exactly in the mood for all of the formalities." Horace said, taking a seat at the bar a few seats down from Will. "Besides, the people are always more genuine the farther away from the castle you get." He smiled and Barley laughed.

"Well I suppose you make a fine point!" Barley set the pot of coffee in between the two Jongleurs and walked over to the Knight. "What can I get you this morning Sir Knight?"

"No need for all that. You can just call me Horace." Horace smiled and Barley nodded recognition, noticing the Oakleaf on his tunic for the first time.

"Ah Sir Horace! Of course! I knew I'd seen that emblem before!" Barley laughed again. "What's a Knight of the realm doing in our small town?"

"Just some routine business at the castle" Horace replied kindly. "Apparently your Baron wanted to have a word with someone 'A little more important than a squire' so here I am" Barley nodded.

"Well you certainly are Sir" Barley said. "Now what can I get ya?"

"I'll have whatever you've got cooking for breakfast" Horace said with a smile. "And a cup of that coffee I smell"

"Another coffee drinker!" Barley said a little surprised. "We don't get a lot of those" He looked over at the Jongleurs. "You two have some competition for your pot!"

"We're happy to share" Will said as he slid the coffee pot down the bar to Horace. "The more the merrier after all"

Horace raised his mug in thanks and took the pot gratefully.

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