Halt and Pauline stood on the porch two days later it was time to say good bye. Back to reality. They whispered soft I love you's and exchanged soft kisses. "I wish I could stay here with you forever" she said kissing his cheek. He smiled but it fad d and he looked down. "Halt what's wrong?" She asked. "I wish you could too... Pauline I do love you" he said softly. "But?" She said knowing there had to be one. "I'm going on a mission... I leave tomorrow..." He said softly eyeing her for a response. Pauline looked like he had smack her across the face she "you're leaving?... You knew and you didn't tell me?" She said sharper than she usually spoke to him. "Pauline... Love I tried but every time I mentioned work you told me not to talk about it" he said trying to pull her back into his arms. She turned away from him she was more scared than angry but it exploded from her in a fury. "How long have you known?!" She demanded. "Since before you came to stay... Pauline you knew I would have to go back" he said shaking his head. "You hid it from me! You got hurt badly Halt! They tortured you!" She said crying now "so you bedded me and now you will run off again?! Like a common whore?!" Her feelings were getting the better of her now. The blow was low Halt couldn't even respond her words had struck him like a sword. "Good bye Halt" she said and turned away from him and mounted her horse "and good riddance." Then she was gone leaving him standing on the porch his heart shattered into a million pieces and she cried all the way home. Her anger and fear had gotten the better of her she regretted every word she said but she couldn't go back and face him. So she lay on her bed and wept herself to sleep she had hurt the man she loved in the worst possible way.
The next morning Halt didn't say a word to anyone he just left. He had cut the cast off his arm himself rather than going to the healer having no desire to go to the fief after what had happened. He mounted his horse and looked at his cabin one more time. He closed his eyes images of what had happened over the past few days flashing by him. He opened his eyes and shook it off. He turned and set off at an easy lope down the dirt path.
She tried to get there as fast as she could but it was to late. Pauline had gone as quickly as she could to apologize to Halt she couldn't let him leave without telling him how sorry she was. What if he didn't come home? She wouldn't be able to live with herself. When she got there she found the cabin empty she sank to her knees on the porch. What had she done? She broke down into tears again. Pauline was normally a well collected woman but Halt made her feel, he made her heart ache. She loved him and her last words to him had been in hate. She sunk to her knees on the veranda and cried till she couldn't cry any more.