After a few minutes, Jade led Aaron into the taproom of the inn, taking the hood from her head.
Her hair was a dark brown in color, so dark, Aaron guessed, it had been mistaken for black on many occasions. Ignoring his staring, Jade walking to the counter where another woman was seated. The woman smiled as Jade walked up to her. "Well, isn't it the Ranger Jade!" The woman said, raising and pulling Jade into a bear hug. "It's been forever darlin'!"
"Just since yesterday, Mama!" Jade said, trying to slip out of the hug she was trapped in. "Please let me go?" She asked, and then nearly hit her head on the wood desk.
"Look at this! You've got a boyfriend now!" Mama said, casing both Ranger and FBI agent to turn shades of red. "Don't be embarrassed now. What's his name?!"
"Aaron, ma'am." Hotch said, and Mama laughed.
"Ain't he a polite one? Unlike that other Ranger that's been courtin-"
"Mama!" Jade nearly yelled, looking like a teenaged girl. "It's not like that! Aaron just needs a room, until I can get the apprentice Crowley had me babysit off with his mentor again. It might be a few weeks, and he needs work. So I…." Her voice trailed off. She was busy thinking for a moment.
"Don't worry about it." Mama said. "Besides, I owe you that much. Sense the accident…"
Jade shot a baleful glance at her mother before turning to Aaron. "You can call her Mama. Most people do. She works the inn and helps out with my paperwork….and my cooking. I'll be back in the morning to see how things are going." Jade walked past him, not waiting for an answer. She waved her good-byes and left. A few minutes later, the sound of hoof beats greeted their ears as it past the inn.
Aaron approached the desk slowly. Mama laughed, and walked out from behind it, leading Aaron to a table. She clapped at one of the servants. "Fetch some coffee, cream and sugar, please." She said to the boy, who hurried off. After a moment she looked at Aaron. "I might have something for you to do, until Jade has something figured out. I have some chores that need to be done, but can't do them since I've aged." She snorted. "Jade offers to do them once in a while, bless her, but can't since her duties as a Ranger take her elsewhere. I don't have time to be waiting for her, so maybe you can do them?"
Aaron thought about it for a moment. While Jade did make the point earlier that he needed money, he wasn't sure what 'chores' meant to people around here.
After a moment, he nodded slowly. "I'd be happy to help."