Will watched her as she slept. This girl, no, this woman, was now part of him. A week earlier Alyss had only been his friend. Now she was his wife, and he still felt that it was a dream. It was what he'd always dreamed of, and now that it was reality, it was as if his dream would never end. Part of him was afraid that he would wake up, and a very different reality would take over. He reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. She stirred slightly, and as he touched her he knew that this was real.
As the first warmth of sunlight beamed through their bedroom window, the young newlywed rose from his covers and found his way to the kitchen. He and Alyss had been on a week long break from their normal duties, as they spent their honeymoon in his secluded cabin. Halt's old cabin. The only real home he had known since leaving the ward at Redmont. Even at Redmont, Alyss had been there.
He hated to see this day come. The day when life would resume it's everyday monotony. The honeymoon was over today, and he didn't want to leave his new bride so that he could go to carry out ranger duties. Even so, he began making the coffee that would get him moving to do just that.
"Why didn't you wake me?" Alyss' sweet voice startled him and drew him out of his pensive mood. "I'm your wife now, Will. I should make your coffee." She hid a smile as she said it, knowing that their relationship would never be like that. Her life as a courier prevented her from living a domesticated life as a housewife. Likewise, Will couldn't very well give up his obligation of defending Redmont fief.
Will caught her up in an affectionate embrace. A week ago he never would have held her this closely, but they were now connected more tightly than any embrace could bring them. "I couldn't bring myself to make you get up yet. I was hoping to sneak out. That way I wouldn't have to say goodbye."
"Oh Will, you act like we will never see each other again." Alyss understood how he was feeling. She too had wished that they could just spend one more day together. Now it was her turn to languish over the time they would be apart.
"I'm sorry. I just waited so long to have you to myself, and I don't want it to end. You're right. I'd better get going, Halt will be wondering where I am." Will abandoned the idea of having coffee, and hurried to get dressed. As he donned his scabbard, checking to see that each knife was sharpened and polished, he remembered how good it felt to wear his weapons. He hadn't needed them for days. It wasn't until now that he realized how much he missed it. He reached up to pull his cloak down from its hook by the door when his wife appeared if front of him carrying a steamy cup.
"You really didn't think I could do it, did you?" She said with a slight smirk. "Don't worry, there is honey!"
He looked at her over his mug. "Alyss," Will paused as he wondered how his next words would sound. " I love you."
Alyss pecked him on the cheek and sent him out the door to gather Tug . She watched as a few moments later he disappeared into the forest that surrounded their little cottage. "I love you, too." She said wistfully.
In the third level of the keep tower, Halt and lady Pauline had their suite of rooms. Will climbed the steps, taking two at a time. He didn't think that he could ever get used to living somewhere that was so difficult to get to. Just going down to breakfast would cause physical exertion.
The young man raised his fist to knock on the door, when it opened before him, leaving his hand to suddenly swing at thin air. "I thought I heard you out here." Halt could still tell what who was at his door. Even without the creaky, wooden veranda of his cabin, the older ranger had senses like a cat. He had adapted well to this altered life. All rangers feel more at home in the wild of nature. It's what makes them perfect for the job of scouting and scouring the fields and forests of the kingdom's fiefs, to insure the safety of all who lived there. When you had been a ranger as long as Halt had, a little while of the creature comforts was enough to curb the desire to roam. And with a wife like Pauline, roaming was something that was no longer appealing.
"Hullo, Halt. You wanted to see me?" Halt had sent word three days earlier that Will was to come to the castle when the term of his vacation had ended. The senior ranger knew that he couldn't take the young man away from his wife before then. It was an understood law of Araluen that the men serving the king, who had just been married, couldn't be made to perform their duties until they had been given a week to spend with their new bride.
Will entered the comfortable living quarters where there were several cushioned chairs and a plush settee where he saw Pauline reclining with her left foot propped up on the arm of the seat. It had been bandaged from her toes to her ankle and Will felt a rush of concern. "Pauline! What happened? Are you all right?" He went to her side and she held out her hand to him. He took it, giving it a warm squeeze as he studied her leg.
"Oh, I'm fine!" she said easily. "My fool mare stepped on my foot. The healer said that I will be able to walk again in a couple of months. I think the one you need to worry about is my husband. He can't stand to sit by and see me in capacitated."
"I can't stand to sit by and be ordered around, while you have to sit and do nothing!" Halt retaliated. He turned to Will with a sense of purpose in his eyes. "I called you here to ask a favor from you. Pauline is scheduled to take a document to the high kingdom in Galica. She won't be able to go now, and I was hoping that you could talk to Alyss about it. She would need to leave in five days, and it would only be a fortnight, then she would return"
Will was dumbfounded. He had only been married for seven days and now he was expected to tell his wife that she had to leave him? It was unusual for the head courier to send someone else with this request.
"I thought it would be best if she heard it from you. It will be hard for her to leave now, and you could help her deal with it better." Pauline was swiveling to place her injured foot on the floor so that she could look squarely at the young ranger.
"I don't understand. Can't you send someone else?" The fears that Will had been having seemed to be unfolding before him, and he was to be the one to deliver the message.
"There are several others in the service who could carry it out, but they are all called away on other missions. Alyss is Pauline's closest and most trusted courier. She is the logical choice." Halt walked over to put a hand on Will's shoulder. "I can't give you preferred treatment, Will. You knew when you married Alyss that this was part of her life. It is the same for Pauline. They knew it when they took their oath of service. And we knew it when we fell in love with them. It's just how it is."
Will slumped into a chair and hung his head. He'd hoped that this wouldn't happen for a very long time. "It's just not going to be easy. I'll speak to her when I get back from Wensley. I have to make a quick check on something."
"Very well." Pauline agreed to give some time to think of how to approach Alyss. "But it must be dealt with today, in order for her to have time to prepare. She will need to be briefed of the details and given her charge."
Will rose and headed to the door a little downhearted. He gave a short goodbye, then dismissed himself. He went to the stables to find Tug, and his temperament was quickly picked up by the intuitive little horse.
Who died? Tug's attempt at humor wasn't appreciated by his master.
Alyss is leaving, and I don't want to talk about it.
Tug gave a shake of his head, Fine. He seemed to say.
Will found his way to Wensley, and headed straight for the jeweler's small trade house. Inside he found the slender, balding man hanging over his work bench as he repaired broken ring.
"Hello Spivey," Will greeted him. "Is it finished yet?"
Spivey knew immediately of what the ranger spoke. "Yes 'tis!" His enthusiasm showed in his face. It was always a joy to create his marvelous little pieces, and then to show them off to the ones who had requested them to be made. He bustled over to his locked cabinet, where the treasures were kept, then produced the item in question. "It turned out beautifully! Your design was really quite genius in simplicity."
Will reached out to claim the trinket. A thin, silver chain hung between his fingers as he looked it over in approval. On it, was a dainty silver locket embellished with tiny flowers. When it was opened it revealed an engraving of heartfelt endearment. 'To Alyss, with all my love, Will'. Will hadn't been able to afford this wedding gift before the wedding, but came now to make his final payment. He could take it to Alyss to soften the blow of having to leave him so soon after being wed. "Thank you Spivey. It is wonderful. Well worth the wait." The jeweler nodded appreciatively.