The figure shifted slightly and that is what drew him to Will's attention. Will drew his saxe knife a second before the figure leaped and struck two inches under a killing blow. Will parried it and elbowed his adversary in the nose and send him sprawling on the floor. The knife had fallen out of the assailant's hands and Will kicked it away from his reach. The person's hood, which had obscured his face from the ranger, now fell back as he tried to get to his knees. Or her knees, he thought. The girl who was on the floor was someone he recognized from a nearby village, nothing more than a thief. She made an attempt to reach for the knife, found it had been kicked out of her reach, then moved back an inch. Will put the knife in its scabbard and knelt by the young girl, no more than eleven.
"Can I help you with something?" he said. His eyes were calm and collective, while hers were cold and filled with pain. She touched her nose with a finger, and satisfied it wasn't broken, drew up with her remaining pride.
"I came to learn from you," she said. Her voice was shaky. She was obviously scared, unknown to what a ranger even was. "I want a second chance."
"A second chance? What do you mean by that?" he said. He could already guess that she was a thief, pickpocketed money just so she could survive day after day. What he wanted to know was why she would come to a ranger to learn about anything.
"That isn't important," she said, "I just wanted to see if you were a worthy master to teach, you disarmed me pretty quickly." All she truly wanted was to rob this ranger blind, a person of such stature had to have a lot of money.
Will was doubtful he could do anything. "I'm sorry, I can't teach you," then looking at her, "but I can give you a warm meal and a bed for the night." He thought about it, and then decided it was the best thing he could do. For now anyway. He picked her up and put her in one of the two chairs at the table and set down a bowl of soup in front of her. She ate it like she hadn't eaten in days. She probably hadn't.
It was gone in two minutes and she looked at the empty bowl, looking for any pieces of mean or vegetables left. She licked the bowl clean and set it down. Will sat at the table with a bowl of soup of his own and started eating it slowly. The girl's eyes looked longingly at the cooking pot halfway filled with the delicious food and he gestured towards it. She nodded quickly and spooned large amounts into her bowl. Satisfied she sat down.
Will, halfway done with his first bowl, watched her with interest. "What's your name?" he asked, and she looked at him quizzically. She didn't remember her name, it had been so long since she had been asked the question. No one had cared for her or even about her for most of her life. She put down her spoon.
"I think it was, um, Delanie I think," was all she could say. She suddenly felt very insecure about herself and stood up. His eyes followed her, unblinking. "I think I'm gonna go.
Will frowned. "Nonsesne," he said, "Delanie, I promised you a meal and a bed. Now you are going to stay here the night, and you won't have to sleep outside." He stood up and walked in front of the door. He crossed his arms, and pointed to the other room. "You can have my bed in there, and I'll sleep out here. If you need anything just ask me, and if you want to eat, there is plenty left."
She bowed her head and walked into the other room and closed the door. She opened the door an inch so he could hear her voice. "Thank you, but I think I should be the one in the less uncomfortable place. Plus, you opened up your own home to me, and all I've done is steal and hurt others."
Will took one look at her and turned away to look at the window. He turned back and said just within earshot, "I was small and unsure about myself at one point in my life too. The only thing that changed that was help from someone who I was unsure about, but I gradually began to like him."
She looked at him like he was a madman. She then shrugged her shoulders and closed the door behind her. Whatever, she thought.
He chuckled.