"So... What exactly should I report this incident to be? I mean, how do we classify it?" Sir Nigel asked timidly. He was sitting in the Baron's office in Castle Redmont, in an official meeting with the King.

Redmont Castle had been carefully cleaned and repaired so that all evidence of the long struggle that had happened just the day before was gone. The support troops from the nearby fief returned to their homes, and everyone was moved back into Redmont within a day. Which was as a good thing, because a day later, King Duncan travelled officially to Redmont to receive reports on what had happened. Halt held the official meeting in the Baron's office in the late afternoon. Will also came, as well as Pauline, Rodney, and the Baron.

Sir Nigel had sat in the corner, frantically writing down everything as the official report was given. After it had all been reported, the King sat back and rubbed his beard for several minutes, thinking about everything. In that silence, Nigel had finished writing everything up on the official form. But he hadn't classified the document yet.

The King glanced up. "I still don't quite understand what you're asking..."

Nigel pursed his lips. "I mean, when I file this official report, I have to put it in a certain folder. For military situations we have only a few file classification categories, such as a battle, siege, hostage situation, intelligence and or espionage, training incident, miscellaneous... But we don't tend to use miscellaneous for anything except some specific types of operations, usually involving Rangers."

He nodded at Will and Halt, who smiled slightly. "I had a miscellaneous once," Will said. "I remember because I had to ask you what I should classify it as when I was doing the report."

Sir Nigel smiled. "Yes, I remember that, Ranger Will."

Halt said, "I've had at least a couple miscellaneous jobs... But most of the time now, I make you do the paperwork, so I wouldn't know." Will scowled at him.

"Back to the matter at hand," said the King. "What did you last classify it as? I think that's how the rule goes. The last thing the operation was officially classified as is how it goes in the paperwork."

Halt pursed his lips. "Well, the last one I remember was Rodney declaring it a standard siege operation."

"Official. Official siege operation," Will corrected, and it was Halt's turn to scowled at him.

"Whatever. So, I guess that means..."

But he trailed off as Will leaned forward, chewing on his cheek. "See, I don't know if it can be classified accurately as a siege... Because for most of the time, it wasn't a siege."

"Yes, but remember the rule. Whatever it was last, that's what you classify it as." Halt sighed. "But I do see your point. It was, for the majority of the time, a hostage situation. Even when you got everyone else out, since you were still in there, Will, you were still considered a 'hostage' in technical terms."

Will muttered glumly, "But I wasn't a hostage... Not really. I was mostly sneaking around."

"Yes, but technically, we had to treat the situation like that. But then, once you got out, it became a siege."

Will glared at Halt, but didn't push it, since he knew that Halt was right.

The King glanced back and forth between Halt and Will. "So... Now that we have established that, we have to get the parameters for the report."

Sir Nigel asked, "So first on the list:  parties. Who against who?"

Halt answered, "Araluen versus seven Genovesans and their men."

"'Araluen'? Really? Don't you have to be more specific?" Will said disbelievingly.

"Well, I could get more specific and start listing everyone with their titles, but that's too much work. I tend to just use 'Araluen'." Halt noticed that Nigel was smiling a little.

"Yes, I always enjoy checking over Ranger Will's reports more than yours, Ranger Halt. He is always much more specific then you are. It makes for a more interesting read, and is more useful in the long run."

Halt scowled a little and sat back in his chair. Will grinned at Nigel.

"I think we'll stick with Halt's original suggestion," said the King tiredly, already sensing that the two tired Rangers were not going to back down. He glanced furtively at Nigel to keep it moving, and Nigel nodded slightly.

"Alright, next thing." Nigel said. "How many soldiers on the side of Araluen?"

"Five hundred, not counting the ones that joined our ranks after they escaped," said Halt.

"And on the opposing side?"

Halt looked at Will, who thought about it for a moment. "I'd say probably forty hired men, along with seven Genovesans."

"How long was the siege? In hours or days."

Will glanced and Halt, who shrugged. Will hesitated before saying, "Uh... Ten minutes? Give or take a few... Minutes."

"Does the form do minutes? If it doesn't, just add a new line in." Halt leaned over the page with Nigel and helped him.

King Duncan turned to Will, raising an eyebrow. "Ten minutes?"

Will nodded sheepishly. "I told you. It was a hostage situation for over four hours, but it was only a siege for ten minutes." The King nodded.

"And, last but not least, the outcome?" Nigel said, looking up from the page with Halt.

"Araluen 'won', I guess." Will phrased it almost like a question, but no one responded, thankfully.

"'How outcome was achieved'..." Nigel prompted.

"Well, uhm, the target of the invaders was replaced by... Paperweights... And then we waited for them to try to escape. Except they... Threw a smoke bomb... And then we caught them running away." Will stuttered a little as he said this, and everyone just looked at him and Halt blankly. Will went a little red.

The King raised both eyebrows. "Paperweights?... And smoke bombs..." He trailed off as he thought hard. Halt studied the King's face to see his reaction.

"Well..." The King looked up and smiled widely. "That's one way to lay siege. Paper weights and smoke bombs. I'll be talking about this one for years." He let out a big jolly laugh. Will joined in, along with Nigel, and Halt grinned. "This was definitely a strange siege."

Halt said, "I think a better word for it, Your Majesty, would be a 'surprise' siege."

The King tilted his head. "And why is that?"

"Well, the siege was definitely a big surprise, what with the stampede of galloping horses. Then it wasn't even a siege. And when we actually laid siege, it was for ten minutes... on three men."

"Very true. I suppose we will use 'surprise'. The Surprise Siege. Very fitting." King Duncan glanced over at Nigel. "Well, I think that's all we need for now, right, Nigel?" The scribesmaster nodded. The King stood, and the rest of them stood too. Halt and Nigel rose smoothly from their chairs, but Will groaned a little as he prepared to heave himself painfully up, and the King forestalled him with a hand. "Don't get up, I know how much that hurts." Will nodded his thanks and stayed seated. "Thank you, Nigel, you may go."

Nigel scuttled out of the room, hunched over the report, muttering, "I think this one is another miscellaneous..."

Once he had left the room, the King held out his hand to Halt. "Halt, I've already said this so many times I think we've both lost count, but let me say it again. Thank you for everything you did to save this castle."

Halt shook his hand firmly. "All in a day's work, Your Majesty. It's what I do. But I think we both know who should receive most of the thanks. I mostly just tagged along." He nodded towards Will, and the King nodded. Then he turned and walked out the door.

Now only Will and the King were left. The King went over and sat down next to Will. "Will..." He started softly. "I know that this particular job was a lot of work for you, that it was a difficult one. I know you sacrificed a lot." Will glanced up at him, his eyes a little wide. Duncan leaned in a little closer and spoke softly. "Halt told me what you did in here... The plans. He told me what you were willing to do for all those people. First of all, can I just say that normally, at least try to save your own life. You aren't really a... Shall we say, a replaceable asset. Halt doesn't train that many apprentices, and he certainly doesn't train any apprentices to be as damn good as you." Will smiled shyly at this. But Duncan reached over and took Will's hand firmly. "I know that this in no way compensates for what you did, but thank you. Thank you for, once again, saving this castle."

Will turned a little red again. "Your Majesty, just as Halt said, all in a day's work. It's just what we Rangers do. I don't need compensation..."

"I know you don't, but that just makes me feel worse." Duncan shook his hand.

Will smiled, and said, "Well, I'm sorry for making you feel bad, sir."

Duncan let go of Will's hand and stood. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Will." Then he waited while Will slowly pulled himself to his feet, trying hard not to wince. Duncan again took his hand once Will was standing. "Listen Will. Halt told me that the Genovesans said something to you when you captured them, and that it disturbed you. I know you've had dealings with them before.. Just take my advice. It's not good to hold these sorts of things in. You've got tell someone. Holding it in will only make it worse. Will you promise me, or at least, promise Halt, that you will tell someone?" Will saw the compassion in Duncan's eyes, and nodded resignedly. I'll tell Alyss. But no one else. I don't want them to worry.

"Now, do me a big favor, and go home to your wife. You need to rest up for a good long while. I've broken a few ribs in my time, and they really do hurt, so you can know that you at least have my sympathy, since I know that Halt tends to be unsympathetic, along with some of your friends... Like a certain knight, and perhaps another rather taller Ranger." He raised his eyebrows down the hall where Halt had disappeared. "I've already told Halt and Crowley to give you some time to yourself. I need you to heal quickly so that just in case something else happens, you're all ready to go. That's an official order, understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Will grinned, and Duncan showed Will out the door.

Will bowed slightly and left the room, heading down the hallway. He reached the end of the hallway and, rather than turning left for the stables, he turned right. He heard Duncan's voice at the end of the hall again. "Will, that's not the way back home, is it?"

Will turned and grinned. "I am going home, Your Majesty. I have to go check the diplomatic corridor for my wife to see if she's still here or not."

"And then after that, you're going home, right?" Duncan asked.

"Yes, sir, of course. I can't ignore an official order," Will joked.

"No, you can't." Duncan gave him one last suspicious stare, complete with one eyebrow raised, and the he ducked back into the Baron's office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Will smiled to himself as he made his way to the diplomatic corridor, where he knew Alyss's office was. He passed a few other Courier's offices, and came to one nearer to the end of the hall. He leaned inside to see Alyss sitting behind her large desk, surrounded by stacks of papers. She was rifling through a stack and chewing on the butt of her pen, deep in thought. She didn't even glance up as Will leaned in. She murmured something under her breath and jotted something down on a scrap of paper, then cursed softly and rifled through a second stack. Will let her work for a moment longer, and then asked softly, "Almost ready to leave?"

Alyss jumped a little, gasping softly, and looked up. Seeing that it was only Will, she relaxed back into her chair, putting her face in her hands and laughing a little. "Only a few people in this castle can sneak up on me like that. You happen to be one of the few, Crowley, Halt, and Pauline being the others." She pulled a sheet of parchment out of the middle of the stack she was searching through and jotted something else down, then she slid the paper on the bottom of another stack and set everything aside. "Yes, I am nearly ready. Just need to drop something off at Pauline's - " She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, then got up and moved around the desk. Will stepped aside for her to get by, and they both strolled down the hall towards Pauline's office at the end of the hall. Alyss pulled out a file from her bag and dropped it into a large box on the corner of Pauline's desk, and then they exited the office. "I should ask, are you ready to leave as well? What did the King say?" Alyss said curiously.

"Well, he wanted to officially congratulate us in a public setting, but Halt and I both declined. So he basically just said thanks, and we filed the official report all together." Will fell silent after that short explanation, and Alyss urged him on.

"And? That meeting was much longer than that. What else did he say?"

"Well..." Will scratched his neck awkwardly. "He... He said that I was very good at what I did, and he gave me an official order."

Alyss raised both eyebrows. "Really? I thought he rarely ordered Rangers around in the first place... What did he order you to do?"

Will smiled. "He told me that I had to 'do him a favor and go home to my wife'. He even told Halt and Crowley to leave me alone for a few days so that I can have some time off. I'm supposed to 'heal quickly so that I'm ready for my next mission' or something like that."

Alyss laughed. "Well, I wish I got orders like that. Mine are mostly 'do this' and 'don't do that'..." She trailed off. "So he really ordered you to take time off?"

"I know, I was a little surprised too."

"Well, I think you definitely deserve a little time off. Make that a lot of time off. You've been working so much lately, and even before that Genovesan business, you hadn't had a break in a long time. And then of course, the events of two days ago were rather harsh on you... On everyone here. I think everyone is going to take it easy for a few days, just until we all recover."

By then, they had crossed the outdoor courtyard and opened the door to the stables. Will opened Tug's stall door, and he walked him out. Alyss scanned the stalls of horses, and then sighed. "I forgot. I didn't ride into work today, I walked. I don't have my horse with me at the moment."

Will gestured to Tug. "I think Tug can handle two of us. It's not too long of a ride anyway."

You think I can handle you two? You think? I'm insulted. Tug dipped his head to the right moodily.

Will glanced at Alyss, and then replied silently, Oh, don't be like that. You think you're indestructible, but you're not.

No, I don't think that. I just know that I can protect myself much better than you can protect yourself.

Oh really? Will almost snorted, but he remember that Alyss was there, and he abruptly stopped, so it sounded like he was choking.

Alyss glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "I know you and Tug are chatting, but are you alright? Inhale a fly or something?"

Will looked suspiciously at her. "I - uh - I wasn't chatting... I was just checking his girth." Will leaned over and tugged on Tug's girth strap, which was as tight as ever. Tug came as close as a horse can to smirking at him, and Will stuck out his tongue at him.

Alyss rolled her eyes at Will as he straightened. "Not chatting? I don't think so. It's alright, really, I know how much you love him. But then again, I also know that you will never be comfortable talking to Tug with anyone around..."

Will squinted suspiciously at her, hiding his bewilderment. I'm not normally comfortable talking to Tug with other people around, but maybe it's different with some other people... Right? He thought about the fact that he had just been uncomfortable with Alyss. If I'm not comfortable talking to a horse with my wife present, then I'm not comfortable talking to a horse with anyone present. "I suppose... You're right."

You're talking like I can't hear you again. Remember, I can hear you even when you don't say it out loud. Tug snorted.

Will rolled his eyes as led Tug out of the stable. He checked on his straps on last time, and then stiffly put his foot in the stirrup, swinging his other leg around so that he straddled Tug. He tried not to wince as he did so, and failed miserably. Alyss sighed a little as she heard his slight gasp and pain flashed across his face. But she didn't say anything, since she knew that he was on the mend. Will settled himself for a moment, and then extended his good arm to Alyss so that she could mount behind him. Alyss eyed the hand, both eyebrows raised. "Will, I know you're just being polite. But really, I can mount by myself, and I know that even that small gesture probably hurt. So don't even try."

She gently pushed his arm back at him, then grabbed the horn on the saddle and swung herself up behind Will, putting her hands on his shoulders as she mounted and steadied herself. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist, below where she knew his ribs hurt. She squeezed gently, and Will nodded. "Yes, right there's good. Just don't move your arms up any further." He let her settle a bit more, adjusting her bag so that it hung comfortably across her body and off one hip. "All set?"

"Yes."

Will was about to squeeze his knees around Tug, but then added, "I'll warn you right now, we'll have to go very slowly. I've tried to have Tug go faster than a walking pace, but - "

"Will? Are you going home or not? It's been what, ten minutes since I told you to leave?" Will turned in the saddle and saw that King Duncan had come down and was crossing the courtyard. He had called out to him, interrupting his conversation with Alyss. He raised both eyebrows at Alyss, and smiled at the King, calling, "Yes, sir, I was just leaving."

"Good, because it's taken you quite a while to get to that point. Considering that you'll only be able to move very slowly, you should really get a move on if you want to be home for a relaxed dinner, or did you forget what I told you earlier?" He said as he walked up to where Will and Alyss were mounted on Tug.

Alyss smiled at him, and said, "Of course, Your Majesty. He was just warning me that we weren't going to be able to go very fast. I'll get him home as quickly as I can."

The King smiled at her. "Thank you, Alyss. I can always count on you to set him straight." He turned around and started walking away. But he called over his shoulder, "When I turn around, you had better be gone, Ranger Will."

Will smiled at the King's back, then gently squeezed Tug with his knees, murmuring, "Go on now, but easy, easy," and Tug started off smoothly in a slow walk, headed for the main gate. Will winced as Tug bounced slightly on the rough stone floor, but then relaxed as his gait smoothed out almost immediately. Alyss hugged Will's back gently as they moved out of the courtyard, then turned her head a little and looked back at the distant form of the King. He nodded his head to her, and she nodded back, turning back around.

Alyss muttered, "I didn't realize just how serious he was about getting you home until... Well, that."

"Well, now you've seen it for yourself. I have a feeling that if I even show up near the castle he's going to send guards to breath down my neck until I leave."

"I don't think so. He just wants you to heal... And recover."

As they rode across the drawbridge, which had been newly repaired, she heard Will mutter, "I don't think I'll ever be able to cross this drawbridge without thinking about that smoke..."

"I think, in time, it won't be so bad. And nothing like it will probably ever happen again, at least, those Genovesans sure won't be coming back. You got rid of them completely."

"Yes, I suppose..." Will trailed off, thinking deeply.

They clopped off the drawbridge and onto the dirt path leading towards the village. Alyss decided that she was going to ask him, that she had waited long enough. "Will, I know that you've been... Upset... Ever since the events of two days ago. I was just wondering if there was anything you... Wanted to talk about."

She felt Will stiffen a little, and heard his soft reply. "Alyss... I don't need to talk. Really, it's alright. I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

He nudged Tug off into a smaller path that went around Wensley through the forest. She hugged his back gently pressing her face into the back of his cloak. "No, Will, I can't. You aren't alright or fine and you haven't been for the last few days. And I know that your ribs are hurting you, so don't try to tell me that's only what's bothering you, because that's not it." She lowered her voice. "I know it was what that Genovesan said to you. I know that's it, and you need to tell me."

She felt Will sigh, his rib cage expanding and contracting smoothly under her arms. "Alyss..."

"Tell me." She put some steel in her voice, hoping to make him tell her.

"Alyss, I don't want to tell you."

"Why? Why don't you want to tell me? But you haven't even told me what you don't want to tell me, so how can I understand?"

Will laughed lightly, though it was a sad laugh. It echoed mournfully through the dense trees on either side. "Now you're just confusing me." He fell silent again.

Alyss squeezed him tighter. "Why don't you want to tell me?"

Will struggled to speak. "I... I don't want to tell you because... Well, because I don't want you to have to feel what I feel. It... It hurts too much. I don't want you to hurt like this. Not after what you already have to deal with."

Alyss felt her eyes welling up, and she forced the tears back, clearing her throat. "But I don't want you to hurt either. You don't deserve it, not after the things you did. The only way to get rid of that hurt is to tell someone."

"But... It's a burden. I don't want to just hand you the burden of what I'm feeling, it's not fair."

"It won't be a burden, not to me. And you know that life isn't fair."

"Are... Are you sure? Really, I... If I tell you, you'll have to keep it a secret. I don't want others to find out about it. They'll only worry, and I don't want that."

Alyss could sense he was almost ready to tell her. "Of course, I won't."

Will sighed again, and sat in silence for a moment gather his thoughts. The trees rustled peaceful around them. Then he said, "So... I suppose I'll start from the beginning. Do you remember that mission that Halt, Horace, and I did in Clonmel, the one where Halt got poisoned and all that? It was a few years ago."

"Yes, of course I do," Alyss said softly.

"Well, the Genovesan that I captured to find out what poisoned Halt was named... Bacari."

Alyss felt him stiffen as he said the name. "But none of the Genovesans you dealt with two days ago was called Bacari, right?"

"Yes, but... Well..."

Alyss urged him to continue. "So..."

Suddenly it all came out in a flood, a torrent of words, and Will couldn't stop. It was as if the dam of fear had broken, and now all the hurt that had been previously held back came rushing out. "Well, I asked Mario why he hated me so much. Because the sort of hatred he held for me can only come from a personal reason. I had to have done something to him or someone he knew to elicit that sort of anger. And he said to me... 'Bacari was my brother.'"

Alyss sat in silence for a long moment, thinking and absorbing. "So - "

"Do you remember what else I did to Bacari, Alyss? Do you remember what I told you years and years ago?" Will was suddenly anguished, his voice louder and harsher, all the hurt tumbling out of him, overwhelming him. "I killed him. I threw a knife at him, this bloody knife - " He ripped his throwing knife out of his belt and brandished it in front of him, his hand shaking. " - and I hit his throat. And I - I can still remember... How much blood... It spurted..."

Alyss felt the tears welling up again, but she again forced them back, determined to stay strong for Will. "No, Will. Don't do that to yourself. You know - "

"And you know what else Mario told me? You know what else?" Will was now shouting, not at Alyss, but at himself. "He told me that Bacari had been his 'beloved little brother'. That I had 'taken him from him'. And now all I can think about is what I did to him. What I did to... Them."

Will fell silent for a long moment, breathing deeply. Alyss was now having a hard time holding back her tears. But this time, when Will spoke, his voice was soft and shaky. "I see things like that, and sometimes I wonder... If this is all even worth it. If being a Ranger is worth it."

Alyss shook her head back and forth, saying, "No, Will, don't you dare say that. It - "

"Alyss..." His voice was cracked and broken. "I see him. These last few nights, when I close my eyes, I see him. I haven't slept at all. Because he's there, in my dreams, whispering to me, 'You killed me. You killed me and now my brother is alone.'"

Alyss couldn't stop the tear from running down her cheek, but she quickly rubbed it off on the back of Will's cloak. "Will... Stop." She reached around his torso and grabbed Tug's reins, and Tug sudden came to a stop. Will looked with surprise at Tug. Normally, the only person who could order a Ranger horse to do anything would be the Ranger who owned it. They were trained that way. But this time Tug stopped for Alyss's command, and now he had even turned his head to the side and was staring at Will. Even my horse is worried about me. Great.

Alyss swung down off Tug's back, and then she held an arm out for Will, who leaned heavily on her as he dismounted stiffly, but managed to do it without wincing. He stepped away from Tug, turning around and wringing his hands, moving off into the grass along the path. Alyss walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Will, is there anything else troubling you?"

Will looked at his feet, and said softly, "I suppose... I'm just... I think I'm being overly close minded about this. I'm not upset specifically about this, it's more in general. I look back at all the things I've done, and I wonder... How many little brothers have I killed? How about big brothers? Fathers? Uncles? Mothers? Daughters? Sisters? Maybe not directly, but how many have died because of something I did? How many..." He trailed off, his head hanging, his voice broken.

Alyss hugged him for a moment longer, letting the silence wash over them. Then she released him, walked around and squared off in front of him. "Will, listen to me very carefully, because I'm only going to say this once." She took his hands in her own. "You killed Bacari for a reason. You killed him because he was threatening the lives of your friends. You did the right thing. You did not murder him in cold blood, which means you are not at fault. Do you understand?"

Will looked up at her in dismay. "But - "

"Will, you don't kill for enjoyment, for vengeance. You only kill when you have to, for self defense or for the sake of someone who is being directly threatened. I have never, ever, in all my years of knowing you, heard about any situations where you killed someone for any other reason than self defense or justice. And the people you killed, well, this sounds harsh, but think about it logically:  they all deserved it."

Will looked up at her with a new light in his eyes, and she pushed on. "You only kill people who are true threats to our kingdom. And even then, you only kill when absolutely necessary. Most of the time you just arrest them." She squeezed his hands, staring intently at his face. "Bacari deserved what he got. But he made the choice when he tried to hurt Horace. And those other Genovesans? They also deserved what they got. But they made the choice to not resist... And ultimately live longer. And now their blood isn't on your hands. The King will deal with them. See, Will, you give them a choice. And they choose whether they want to live or die. It's not your fault if they choose to die. And it's definitely not your fault if they have a family that's back home waiting for them. Because they are the ones who abandoned them. You simply did what was right."

Will looked deep into her eyes, absorbing what she said. "I understand. I know..." Will blinked a few times. "I came to terms with all this years ago... I don't know why I'm suddenly not okay with it again. When I became a Ranger, I knew that I would have to kill people. And I came to terms with that using that exact reasoning. I don't know why... I forgot..." He put his hands over his face and rubbed, sighing heavily and turning away.

Alyss waited a moment, and then said, "Will, it's alright. It happens sometimes that everything you thought you knew can suddenly be... Put into a new light, and suddenly you don't know what to think. I know about that more than you probably realize."

Will turned around, puzzled. "Really?"

"Yes... I had to come to terms with my parents a long time ago. My mother died when she got sick after I was born, and my father died in the war, which you know. But for a long time, especially when I was quite young, I struggled with it, thinking about how maybe I killed my mother... But then I figured it out."

Will looked stricken, and walked over to her, taking her hands. "I'm sorry, Alyss. I shouldn't have - see, this is why I didn't want to tell you - "

"Will, I'm fine. I'm past that now. And I know that you are too. Mario... He was trying to rattle you. Did you see the look in his eyes as he was lead away? Since he couldn't get at you by hurting you physically, he tried the emotional approach. He just wanted to hurt you, Will. That was his main goal. Who knows? He could have been lying just to make you upset."

Will nodded a few times. "I suppose. Then he's a very good actor, because... I definitely believed him." And for the first time in two days, Will actually smiled. A warm, tender smile that reached his eyes and filled them to the brim. "Alyss... I'm sorry. About working so much, about leaving you alone, for refusing to tell you about this..."

Alyss smiled back at him, mirroring his own warmth. "Don't apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's your job, I completely understand, as my job is sometimes demanding as well. And I'm just glad you finally told me. It was killing you not to."

"Yes, it was." Will said. His voice had returned to its normal timbre, cheerful, happy, and just a touch mischievous. He glanced around the forest, seemly noticing the warm evening sunlight peeking through the branches for the first time.

"Now, are we ever going to get home? Or do you want to sit here for a little while longer and contemplate life more deeply?"

"Well, you were the one who stopped us." Will walked over to Tug and swung himself back on. "I wonder if the King would send a scouting party after us. Just to see if we got home or not."

"Based on what I saw just a few minutes ago... I wouldn't put it past him. We really should get going." Alyss swung up behind Will again, and Tug, who was uncharacteristically silent, started moving smoothly again. "You're cooking tonight. Just like most other nights."

"Good. I was thinking... Rabbit stew."

"So long as you teach me so I can make it while you're gone."

"But I already showed you just a short while ago!"

"Yes, but I forgot again, remember, I'm no great shakes at cooking."

"Good thing I am. Tonight, write it down while I show you."

"Deal." Alyss went quiet, and they both sat in peaceful silence, listening to the evening birds in the forest.

Will nudged Tug a little. Don't you have something to say? You've been really quiet.

No, I don't. That's all the sort of thing I don't trouble myself with. It just wastes time that could be spent eating. Tug plodded onward, shaking his mane. Will had no response to this, so he kept silent. He felt Alyss's warm body settle against his back, and he smiled to no one in particular. Today was a good day, he thought. And tomorrow will be even better. They both rode off down the path towards their little cabin the woods.

THE END

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That's it. The end. The Surprise Siege is finished. C'est fini. Done. That last chapter was the longest chapter I published out of the whole story, almost 6000 words! It took me ages to write, too, because I rewrote Will and Alyss's last conversation about five times before I was satisfied... You could call me a perfectionist. Not always a good thing to be. But anyway... I can't believe it's done! Be sure to please vote if you enjoyed, and please please please! leave a comment telling me what you thought of this story. A big thank you to all my amazing readers and followers, you guys are the best! Thanks for reading this story and sticking with it all the way to the very end. Also special thanks to RangerLizzyTreaty48 for being an especially supportive reader!

And now, of course, if you haven't gotten around to reading my other fanfiction, The Battle of Mackindaw, go check it out!

I am planning to write another fanfiction on the Ranger's Apprentice Series, and I'm thinking about incorporating it into the beginning events of The Royal Ranger... Or maybe not... I haven't quite decided yet. I'm also taking suggestions, so if there's any ideas floating around out there, I'd love to hear them! Thank you all! ❤️❤️❤️

Update 9/21/15:
Hey guys! A lot of people have been asking about a sequel, and I have started writing one! It's called The Rogue Tribe. If you wanna keep reading, go check out my profile page to find The Rogue Tribe! Hope to see you all in my third book!