Disclaimer: Just a fan fiction, not created by John Flanagan. All characters used for my amusement.

Will's Song

It was a nice enough day to make him more than happy to play outside. It made things much better that she'd come back this morning, and he was proud he'd swayed her from spending time at the castle to come back with him. He kept her entertained by singing, and playing his mandola. When he was tired of singing, he was more than pleased to accept her kisses, and repay them until they got to talking again. Then before the conversation ran dry, he'd strum another cord, keeping her there a little longer. He'd been lonely after all.

"Want to hear something new?" He smiled at her. "I've been practicing it while you were gone. It's nothing too good though, just something I wrote."

"A song you wrote?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, I borrowed the melody from a couple of songs I know, but I thought up the words."

"Sure, I want to hear it. Come on Will."

His grin grew. "Don't be too critical of it okay? I'm just a Ranger after all."

She held back a giggle as he strummed another cord.

There's a place dear to me

The place I've lived my life.

But more important than she.

Is the Woman that waits,

The one whom hopefully, will become my wife.

He looked back over to her gauging her reaction, she was silent, but he knew she was thinking about something.

With duty to my Fief,

Duty to my King,

I'm bound to cause her strife.

Yet still she waits,

The woman who will become my Wife.

No other man would know,

Why she'd love me so.

And while I'm far away,

I miss her just the same.

Everyday,

Distant but just the same.

When I return,

And I always shall.

No matter how long she'll take.

Every time I'll feel our love reborn.

He paused again, at some point she'd moved to sit beside him. Smiling lightly as their eyes met she moved to kiss him.

"You like it? Well…so far?"

"It's very lovely. You stopped rhyming in that last verse."

"I'm not so good at writing songs." He replied. "But I've got good inspiration."

"I'm going to be your wife then am I?"

At that they both laughed. "Well you're the one who's been telling everyone that since we were little."

She looked back at him expectantly. "One more song? Just one more before we go for dinner?"

He grinned. "I suppose I could sing one more." He tried another cord.

The door to the cabin opened abruptly and Halt gave him a pained expression. "I think I've suffered enough."

"Halt! I thought you were at the castle. When did you get back? How's Pauline..?"

"Questions, Questions, Questions! If you weren't making so much racket you would have heard us come back."

"Alyss, was I making a horrible racket?"

"Apprentices are always infernal racket." Halt replied. "I thought you were skinning a rabbit for dinner when we come back."

"Just ignore him Will. I enjoyed your music. He's just sore he's been looking for an excuse to see you and he couldn't think of one until today."

Will smiled at Alyss. "We're popular tonight."

"Well of course. I was hoping to talk to Pauline about everything that happened. But someone absolutely needed me to come with him."

"Well I missed you. Usually I'm the one who's away somewhere. I'm not used to being here while your gone. I don't know how you do it."

She smiled at him, not taken by surprise by his words, but more than relieved to hear them. She was impressed by him more than he knew, and the feeling was mutual. He watched her smiled, and returned it and for a few moments they were like any other young couple in love. Giddy with what could happen. That was until Halt cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm going to dinner. You've kept us waiting long enough."

Will glanced at him as he left the verandah, then he moved to put his Mandola in it's case. When he looked back again Pauline gave him a smile before she followed after the older man. He knew Alyss would wait patiently for him as he put the instrument away, after all, she'd waited longer to see him countless times before.

A few paces away Pauline caught up with Halt. "Doesn't he remind you of someone, just a little?"

"I'm afraid only Gilan could equal him in being a nuisance."

She held back a laugh just barely. "He's much more quick to realize things then his mentor after all then. Don't bother looking back, he's going to end up coming along just after we get in there. I do feel bad you ruined his fun. I was looking foreword to the end of his song."

Halt scoffed. "I did a favor, he doesn't have anything else after those few verses. He made up the last one as he went on to keep her entertained. He's my apprentice after all, maybe when he finishes writing it he'll be ready to take the next step."

"How long do you think that will take then, since you know him so well." She replied.

"You think he's quicker than most?" Halt asked.

"I do, he's very clever. I don't think he'd ever need to throw a Baron into his moat." She stressed the last bit, causing him to frown.

"I think it's safe to expect a wedding in…maybe five years."

"I don't think it would take nearly that long. He's not stubborn like you are, maybe two at most. That's what I think. You see, your apprentice you may know very well, but my assistant can be very persuasive. She'll bring it down about three years."

"It took him nearly three months to make those first two verses. Which do you think is more determined?" He asked.

"They both seem to be about equal today, it depends on if there's a boy or girl their age around."

He turned to her, an eyebrow raised. He stopped completely in his tracks. "Is that so?"

"Completely true. If you see a boy their age go to talk to my assistant, you can expect your apprentice to do something to stop it. Don't you make that face, you've been the same way for years. And if someone says something bad about her, well, you wouldn't want to know what he'd do. I think he might result to throwing them into the Baron's moat."

He smiled. "Well, he'll be in hearing range shortly, should we continue this conversation later?"

"We probably shouldn't, but we will. Besides, you've been bursting at the seams to see him anyway. What were you thinking you'd like his advice on?"

"Oh, just something I think…..music may solve."

Happy Valentine's Day. XD Just the kind of fan fiction that tries to make its way to the computer after book 6. I hope it's all right, wouldn't want to offend any Alyss/Will shippers out on the internet. I think they're an interesting couple, but Halt will always still be my favorite character so I had to give him a cameo. I'm trying to think of a very Halt fan fic, maybe one with Gilan, or maybe Crowley….