"Small mouse," a voice called from one side of Alyss and she jumped nearly two metres into the air.

"What do you want?" she snapped at him and walked away from the window she was looking out. Please stay away for a long time Will, she thought and looked up at the man in front of her.

"Is lover-boy out of the way?" he asked, just to double check. He already knew the answer but he was making sure that Alyss wasn't going to lie to him to try and save herself.

"Yes," she replied and sat down on her lounge. "What do you want with me?"

Will let Tug have his head and understanding that his master wasn't in the best of moods, Tug went as fast as he could for a little while. After the sudden jerk that nearly sent Will flying off the saddle, he seemed to get the point and held on. It took some work but soon Will was laughing as though nothing was bothering him. Halt rode alongside, happy that Will had stopped moping at least for the moment.

Eventually however both man and horse had to reluctantly return to the real world and did so suddenly with a jerk.

"What am I to do Halt?" Will asked his ex-mentor.

"Let her think it over for a couple of days. I will asked Pauline to talk to Alyss but understand that if she has decided that she isn't ready for this decision yet, then nothing you can do will change her mind," Halt warned. Will sighed in response and lent down onto Tug's neck. At the feeling, Tug snorted and threw his head upwards.

Two hours passed and as light descended into dark and hope into horror, Will and Alyss were both doing things that either didn't want to be doing.

Will was sitting at his desk with a candle beside him writing the report and evaluation that came every year, preferring to be spending time with Alyss.

Alyss was cooking dinner for the man in her quarters wishing that it was Will and that they were both going out to Jenny's place. It was what had been agreed on earlier in the week and only the most recent events had caused this plan to change.