Meetings

It didn’t take long for William Paris to get the message that Alex was looking for him. He quickly went through his deliveries at a record speed and shortly thereafter appeared on the doorstep of Nelly’s Bed ‘n’ Breakfast. Running his hands through his brown curly hair, he knocked on the kitchen door. He didn’t know why, but he was feeling rather nervous even though he frequented the B&B at least once a week.

A short plump woman appeared at the screen door wiping her hands on a faded green apron tied around her generous waist. “Oh, hello young William.” She greeted warmly while opening the squeaky door. “What brings you here? I haven’t ordered anything to be delivered today.”

Will stepped into the spacious kitchen taking in the tantalizing aroma of a cake baking in the oven, no doubt a desert for tonight’s dinner. “No, ma’am, you didn’t place an order. I’m actually here on a personal call.” He rubbed his sweaty palms down the front of his shirt to smooth out any wrinkles, “Alex left word at the shop that she wanted to see me.”

Nelly gave the young man a knowing smile which caused him to turn a bright red much to her delight. “I see. I’m afraid she’s not back yet but you’re more than welcome to wait on her here. I could use a little company myself.” She winked at him causing the boy to blush once again.

Clearing his throat he accepted the offer to wait and took a seat at the small round table in the kitchen while Nelly fixed him a glass of iced tea. “You’ve taken a shine to my girl, have ya?”

Will choked on his beverage causing some of the liquid to spill down the front of his shirt. Taking the back of his hand he wiped his chin, using the time to compose himself. “What do you mean, Miss Nelly?”

“Ah, now, don’t be shy about it, boy. Any fool can see that you two have taken an interest in one another. I think it’s sweet.” With a huge grin plastered on her round face she continued with her work in the kitchen.

“Meaning no disrespect, but I think you’ve misread our friendship, Nelly.” He tried again to take a sip of the tea needing desperately to replenish the moisture in his mouth.

“Could be,” came the offhand remark as the chopping knife came down with a loud thud on a head of lettuce. With skilled hands she quickly prepared a salad while the clock on the wall ticked the minutes off.

The tinkling of the bell above the main door announced Alex’s arrival. She burst into the kitchen eager to show Nelly her new holsters that George had made but came to an abrupt stop at seeing Will perched at the table. Their eyes locked for a moment before both turned away.

Nelly again grinned at the situation but refrained from any comment. “Hello, dear, we were just talking about you. Let’s see this getup that George made for you.”

Alex quickly stepped into the center of the room to show off the holsters’ design and use. “This is going to make my life much easier.” She said enthusiastically while replacing the shotgun in its sheath.

“I hope so, dear.” Nelly had a way of speaking to people as if they were children which could sometimes be annoying as well as endearing. “Supper won’t be ready for another hour yet, why don’t the two of you have a seat in the parlor while you wait. Will, you might as well stay for dinner too; we could use an extra voice around the table.”

Will agreed to stay and the couple retreated into the privacy of the appointed room. “So what did you want to see me about?” He asked nervously, taking a seat on the wicker couch.

Alex quickly revealed her idea about teaching the shopkeepers how to protect themselves, thus ending their need to pay somebody else for the service. “After all, what’s to stop somebody else from taking advantage of them once I’m gone?”

Will had been able to follow everything up until this last statement. He could see the girl’s lips moving but he was unable to focus on the words. All he could think about was “once I’m gone.” "What in bloody hell does she mean by that?" He wondered.

“Will? William!”

“Huh?” he stared into the face of the beautiful creature across from him and realized that she was asking him something. “What was that again?”

“You’re not listening to me, are you?” she flung up her hands in exasperation. “What was the last thing you heard?’

Will strained his brain to remember but the only thing that kept coming to mind was her leaving. Shrugging his shoulders he looked down at his dirty white sneakers angry with himself for becoming distracted. He was startled by a gentle touch on his back and realized that she had quietly came to stand beside him.

“Is it possible for us to train these people to protect themselves?” she repeated patiently. Will looked up at her with those big brown eyes and she felt her knees grow weak. “You’re just hungry. Stay focused.” She chastised herself silently.

“Yes, I do believe it’s possible, but what’s this ‘we’ stuff?”

Clearing her throat as well as her mind Alex tried to answer. “Well, I need some help and I would really appreciate it if you could work with me. I know you’ve got Trumper’s but we could work around your schedule. I can train you on some weapons first and then you can help me teach the others.”

“I don’t need any training, thank you.” He answered with a grin, “I already know how to use a weapon or two.”

This set them up for a conversation that carried them through dinner and on into the night. It seems that Will was quite efficient with the bow and arrow. Apparently while in his youth he had befriended an elf who taught him the skill and eventually presented him with an elven bow. Besides this, he was a traffic swordsman and could use a knife rather effectively thanks to his stint aboard ship. By the time the two parted ways that night, Alex was sure that she had “deputized” the right man.


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“Are you sure it’s him?” asked Lith of the cat.

The orange tabby gave the elf an indignant look at being asked such a question. “Of course, I’m sure. I would recognize that boy anywhere.”

The ethereal figure ran a delicate hand down the cat’s back. “I’m sorry, old friend. I trust your eyes.”

The cat purred contentedly under the affectionate caresses.

“Is Rufus still watching the girl as well?”

The cat suddenly jumped to his feet twitching his tail irritably. “Don’t even get me started on that buck-toothed creature. The hours I’ve had to sit there listening to his endless ramblings. It’s torture, I tell you, plain and simple.”

“I know it’s not easy, but we must watch the girl. I don’t know why she’s here but her presence has caused a great disturbance in many ways. The fact that the centaurs are keeping a watch on her is reason enough for concern.”

The cat was busy licking a delicate paw in an attempt to calm himself. “You’ve explained this before but I still don’t have to like being by that jack rabbit.”

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“Interesting, young William and the girl crossing paths – I never saw it coming.” Glottack pawed at the ground contemplating this bit of news. “What of the others?”

“Still holed up in that shiny tower down town. There’s a whole mess of them up there now, the kids finally found the one eye.”

“Hmmm, I didn’t think it would take them too long once Viatoris spoke to them. Has there been any more sightings of the wise one since he last spoke to the children?”

“Not since he went to visit a frightening fellow named Carnes”

Rubbing a muscular hand across his bearded jaw the centaur paced the forest floor lost in thought.

“I hate to bother you, Glottack, but how much longer do I have to watch that girl? That prissy cat is getting’ on my last nerve. All he does is glare at me and twitch his tail. You should see the disgusting things he eats – rats, birds, moles…it’s not right for an animal to eat meat. Just wrong it is.” Glottack let loose a deep belly laugh causing the brown rabbit to hop around. “It’s not funny I tell you!”

“No, it’s not, Rufus, but I enjoy it all the same.”

The two parted ways, Rufus muttering under his breath about that “darn cat” and Glottack lost in his thoughts about the ever impending war.