Pauline drowned herself in her work for the next two weeks. She had no idea where Halt was or if he was okay. Crowley had come to visit her to try to cheer her up and make light of things for her and it had helped to a point he told her stories of Halt when they had first met and of their younger days which cheered her up slightly. But when several weeks had passed and their wedding day had come and gone she grew even more worried, she began having horrible dreams at night, she had told Crowley of the dreams.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry yourself over" he had said in his usual cheery tone.

She had wanted to believe him but when they persisted she knew something was amiss, until one night a rider came to her home.

At first she thought it was a dream and she was hearing things but then she heard the knocking again she quickly got up and put on her dressing gown and ran out to the hall looking down into the entry hall. Her father was already there with a servant both obviously having just been woken and in their sleeping things. Her father held up the candle as the servant opened the door. Crowley stood at the door.

"What do you want at this time of night?" he asked grouchily.

Pauline's mother was at her side now she touched her daughters arm feeling her beginning to shake.

"It's the ranger Halt he's been wounded" Crowley said.

Her father looked concerned while he would not have chosen Halt to be his daughters husband he was betrothed to her and only a fool would think she did not care for him "is it serious?" he asked.

"He will live sir but is in a bad way" Crowley stated "I did not mean to disrupt your night but I thought the Lady Pauline would wish to be with him."

By now Pauline had already rushed to her room and changed and was hurrying down the stairs "you were right to come,Crowley. I will go with you."

Pauline's mother was right behind her "be strong my dear he will be alright."

Pauline hugged her mother "I knew something was wrong I just knew" she said quickly then turned to follow Crowley out to the stables.

She could not have told you who or what she passed on the way to the fief or who spoke to her in the hall on the way to the medical wing it was all a blur but her world seemed to stop spinning when she stood in the doorway to a darkened room. She could see a form laying in the bed very still apart from the slight rise and fall of breathing. A nurse brought her a candle.

Pauline touched the elderly woman's arm before she could leave "please... what happened?"

The woman saw the worried look on her face "he was attacked by the Kalkara, the Baron made it there just in time lucky for him."

Pauline felt her heart racing in her chest "Kalkara don't usually wander so close to the Fiefdoms"

"Strange things happening to the east, My Lady" the nurse said she nodded in the direction of Halt "he was lucky this time."

"Thank you" Pauline said.

The woman nodded and went on her way. Pauline entered the room quietly there was a chair near the bed next to a small table which had several herbs and ointments on it. She set the candle down and took in the form of her fiance. He looked a little thin an pale he had a gash on his forehead which had some form of salve over it and she could see his shirt untied to almost his waist thick bandages with dark stains on his chest.

Pauline could feel tears coming to her eyes again she tried hard to fight them back as she sat beside him "oh Halt, what's happened to you" she whispered softly caressing his bearded cheek carefully.

Halt's eyes opened slowly at the contact. His head spun and at first he hadn't the slightest where he was he could see the blurry form of someone near him and it wasn't until the fog passed that he could see Pauline more clearly "Pauline?" he said softly.

Pauline was startled by the sound of his voice at first then saw his eyes opened "yes Halt I'm here" she said touching his hand softly.

He gripped it back a little weaker than he would have liked he tried to turn to face her and felt like he had been kicked in the chest by a horse "Gorlog's beard that hurts" he grumbled stilling himself once more.

She smirked at the blaspheme normally she would reprimand him but at the moment she was just so glad he was okay she didn't care "try not to move or you will only make it worse" she said caressing his cheek gently to sooth him.

Halt relaxed under her touch holding her hand a little more firmly letting his eyes drift back closed the combination of herbs given to him keeping him drowsy it wasn't long before he was back to sleep again under her gentle caresses.

"Rest easy, my Halt" she said softly.