Will woke up early in the morning. He had grown to being accustomed to it, so if an emergency came up, he would have the ability to wake up at any time and have the willpower to be alert at anytime of the night or day. He decided to put some wood in the stove so breakfast would be ready by the time Delanie woke up. He picked an apple from a bowl of about a dozen of them. He opened the door and stepped outside into the cool air. In the distance, he could see the sun rising atop the trees and could smell the distinct pine that rose from the surrounding trees. He stood on the porch for a minute taking the whole view in. He walked around to the back of the cottage to where the firewood and the single-horse stables stood.
He walked to the stables and patted the weary Tug on the head. He fed him the apple from his pocket and patted him again. Will then picked up three medium-sized logs and walked back inside. He put the logs under the stove and picked up some flint and tinder from one of two cabinets in the kitchen section on the cottage. Will struck a spark and the wood in the stove caught fire. Will sat in a chair and rubbed his back. Sleeping on the couch was uncomfortable, but he'd be able to get over it in a few days. As he said this, the door to the bedroom opened a crack.
Without looking, Will said, " you're up early. I just started making breakfast, so you can stay in your room or you can sit out here with me."
Delanie poked her head through the door and then retreated back into the room. She opened the door and walked out in Will's clothes. Her pocket bulged with a bag of coins and in her hand which she concealed behind her back held Will's saxe knife. Will noticed the bulge of the bag of coins and for a split-second he saw the refraction of light off the hidden saxe knife. She lunged at him and he parried, using her weight to pull her off her feet. The knife flew from her hand and made a shallow cut in her arm. She held it and cried in pain. Will took off the tunic she was wearing and examined the cut. She was covered in scars and cuts.
She tried to cover her bare chest, but after realizing he only had the good intentions, she covered up her breasts and let him look at the wound. After he saw it wasn't too bad, he took some bandage from the cabinet and bandaged the wound. He gave her back the tunic and looked away as she put it on. She looked down as he looked at her, staring blankly at the floor. She took the bag of coins and laid it on the chair she had sat in for dinner. She stood up and went to the bedroom, and Will watched her leave. She emerged a few more minutes later in her original clothes and walked to the front door without a word.
As she undid the latch for the door and Will grabbed her by the arm. She pulled her arm away and crouched in a defensive gesture on the floor. Will backed away and then moved in closer again. He hugged her and she broke down crying in his arms. They stayed there for half an hour and they had breakfast after.
"I should really go--"she said, standing up, after breakfast.
"Nonsense," said Will. "Stay as long as you want."