Disclaimer: Characters/places belong to Tamora Pierce
A/N : I know it's really short... sorry!
"It's been three years!" Neal hissed. "She needs to get out and find someone, have a good time."
"She has a child, Nealan," Alanna snapped. "She can't just go running around with strange men. You know her better than that."
"I should have brought Dom's body home," Raoul said quietly, looking at the ground. "It would have given her closure. She just can't accept the fact he's not coming home."
The others looked at each other with expressions of sympathy. "It's not your fault, Raoul," Alanna said finally, gripping his shoulder. "There was no time, Kel understands that."
"Well she can't do this alone!" Neal continued tactlessly. "The boy deserves a father."
"I think she has been managing quite well with regards to the child," Alanna retorted, glaring at her ex-squire. "Kel loves that little boy, and Ilane and Piers love tending to him when she's called away for duty."
"Neal's right," Raoul argued. "She needs to move on. She deserves to be happy."
"She will be," Alanna insisted. "She's still hurting. What she had with Dom was…special. Irreplaceable. Just give her time."