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Twelve Years Old
“Ally, come inside, dinner is ready.” Will called out the door.
Alyson came running back from the stable, Onyx and Ruby barking as they chased her. She didn’t slow as she approached the house, leaping over the stairs and launching herself thru the front door. She crashing into a chair which she spun around on its legs and then collapsed into it.
“Did you wash up?” He father said, not bothering to turn around from the counter where he was slicing bread to go with their stew.
She sighed dramatically but dragged herself up and to the bucket that sat outside. She slashed some water on her face and roughly scrubbed at her nails. They were short stubs but still somehow manage to get clogged up with mud everyday.
Once she finished she went back inside where her father had set their dinner out, as well as two bowls and two spoons which sat across from each other. Alyson took her seat and ran her finger over the worn letters that were carved in the side. When she was 6 she had insisted her father wrote her name on the chair with his saxe knife.
“Why?” Will asked.
Alyson huffed, “Because Timmy sat in my seat at school and when I told him it was mine he said that my name wasn’t on it so it wasn’t anybodies! So I need my name on this chair incase anyone tries to sit in it!”
Will smiled and compiled, it was a simple task, and even if it wasn’t, Will wasn’t one to deny his daughter something if he didn’t have too.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you since breakfast, what trouble were you getting into today?” Will asked as he ladled soup into her dish.
“Who said I was getting into trouble?” Alyson countered.
“Your history of mischief.” He said dryly.
“Well, history was wrong then because I was a saint today.”
He grinned, “Is that so? Should I ask Baron Arald to commission a statue in the town square? After all, not every fief had their very own saint.”
“I think a plaque would be sufficient.”
“Consider it done. Now tell me about these saintly activities so I know what to have inscribed on the plaque.”
“After breakfast I went over to the Fletcher’s. Ms. Fletcher was sick so I helped with the baby. When Mr. Fletcher came in for lunch, he tried to give me a coin for helping but I told him that a nice mug of coffee with plenty of honey would be payment enough. He wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with me drinking coffee, but I told him that we always drank coffee and you said it was more important than water. I’m not sure if he agreed with that though, since he gave me milk instead, but he also gave me a biscuit so I guess that’s okay. When I was leaving, he tried to give me the coin again and said it wasn’t right for me to work all day and not get paid. So I took it to make him feel better but when he wasn’t looking I slipped it into the pocket of his coat that was hanging over the back of a chair. He didn’t even notice!” Alyson was out of breath by the time she was finished.
“Sounds like you were very busy. That’s nice of you to not take his money.” Will smiled.
“You said that we need to help other people, and I don’t think they have very much money and I don’t need it so why should I take it for helping them.”
It was true the Fletchers didn’t have money to spare, but Adam Fletcher was a kind man who never wanted to take advantage of the generosity of others. That coin very well could have been all they had left until the market at the end of the week. Alyson returning it discreetly saved them from empty stomachs and wounded pride. She couldn’t see the full picture, but she had instinctively known the best way to manage the situation.
“You are a very kind girl Alyson. I’m proud of you.”
She grinned at her fathers praise. It came often, but it was never disingenuous and she never got tired of hearing those words.
They chatted while the ate, Will telling her what he could about the paperwork that Crowley had sent over from Castle Araluen.
“I just don’t understand why apprentices insist on getting into so much trouble, it’ll take me a week to clear this up. And he’s not even my apprentice, shouldn’t Ranger Banks be doing all of this?” Will groaned.
Alyson laughed, “you said that they had to go off on a mission.”
“He could have taken the paperwork with him.” Will muttered. Paperwork had always been his least favorite part of being a Ranger, and now it was all he did. Crowley would continuously send him stacks to work on. Sometimes it was looking for clues or evidence, sometimes it was evaluating the work of younger rangers, and sometimes, like today, it was cleaning up the messes other rangers made. Will was a people person and knew how to compose a report that kept everyone on friendly terms. It was monotonous and slow, but it allowed Will to keep his silver oak leaf without having to leave Alyson to go on missions.
There was a chorus of soft whines and Will looked down to see three pairs of chocolate eyes looking up at him as if he held the key to their happiness. Which, seeing as he had a warm beef stew in front of him, he essentially did.
“No you little vultures, this is my dinner, you three already had your dinner.”
Three heads cocked to the side in unison. Will sighed and looked at his daughter, she tilted her head a looked at him with wide eyes.
“All of you are master manipulators. Honestly, whenever a ranger needs information, he should just send you four in, the crook will cave in no time.” Will said as he stood and collected the three dishes that were laid out on the front porch. He poured half a ladle full into each bowl then put them back down onto the floor. The three border shepherds gobbled the stew up, licking the dishes clean.
“You should be happy they like your cooking.” Alyson teased.
“I’m being controlled by three dogs and a twelve year old girl, it’s a good thing the only ranger work I do it paperwork.”
“That’s not true dad.” Alyson said seriously. “You’re also controlled by Tug.” Her serious face broke out into a wide grin. Will threw his cloth napkin at her.
“You’re a pain. Go wash the dishes before I make you sleep out in the stable.” He said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably.
Alyson knew it was an empty threat (and a terrible one, she loved sleeping in the stable, especially on cool summer nights like this one) but nonetheless picked up their bowls and carried them outside to wash them. Ruby and Onyx followed, her constant twin shadows. Their mother, Sable, stayed inside, curling up by the fire.
“That’s a nice idea old girl, I think I’ll join you.” Will sat down by her, back leaning against the sofa, feet outstretched to the fire. Sable shifted and leaned against his legs, resting her head over his knees.
Outside he could hear Alyson shouting cheerfully while Ruby and Onyx barked along with her.
“Where do they find the energy?” Will asked Sable. She just thumped her tail against the floor twice.
“You’re right, I’m sure we had that kind of energy once upon a time. But kids, or pups in your case, really takes it out of you.” He rubbed her ears.
By the time Alyson came back inside, Will and Sable were both dozing on the floor. She grabbed the heavy quilt that hung over the back of the couch and laid down, resting her head on her fathers lap. She pulled the blanket over them and let the steady breathing of her father and Sable lull her to sleep.