Hi...

"I just don't know what to do. As much as I think it would be appropriate for it, I can't stay here constantly making sure there are no more attacks after all, the whole of the corps aren't doing too well either," Alyss heard someone say to another mystery person upon waking up. Her curiosity piked, she stopped attempting to get into a more comfortable seating position and listened quietly.

"I can manage to have three of my knights guarding her at all times, any more than that and people will start to wonder. After all, she is a courier and it is part of their jobs descript-" the other, unknown person finally said before being interrupted by the first.

"I know. It is part of my job description as well. Do you think I don't get that? It's just I'm asking this as a favour to Will. It will break his soul to find out that there were attacks on her, let alone us not doing anything."

Two minutes later, without any more talking being heard, there were footsteps leading away. Even through the door that separated Alyss and the mysterious people, she was still able to feel the tension that amounted. Hardly daring to breathe during the conversation she now did as she pondered what exactly was going on.

Then Gilan walked into the room.

"How do you feel?" he asked gently as he came to sit down beside her bed on the chair provided. She allowed him to sit down before responding, noticing the tender way he lowered himself into the chair and appeared to sigh with the relief and pain that alway arose after a long period of stress and physical exertion combined.

"Fine. You can leave if you have to solve this 'corps' thing," she stated with a brave face. Gilan smiled at her softly, sadly, as though he believed she was delusional. He shifted to get into a more comfortable position, bringing his feet up so that the soles didn't touch the floor and leaning forwards so that his hands were linked together and his elbows leaning on her bed.

"You only feel alright because of the painkillers you're on. You have a broken ankle, a few broken ribs and a nasty dent in the head," He replied. Gil looked down at his hands for a moment before glancing back up at the woman he had come to know as his adopted sister-in-law.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted softly. Alyss gave a small, sad, smile at him and covered his hands with one of her own.

"Whatever you do end up doing I have full faith that it will be the right thing."

"It's just…. Crowley and Halt built the corps up from nothing. There was nothing there at all! Just 12 people. But now it appears as though he is attempting to pull it back down again. But he was elected back then and if I go against his orders then I am seen as the rebellious one by everyone. I mean we can all see what he is doing but-"

"I understand," Alyss said softly, having seen a similar reaction before in her husband. "The Rangers all feel a fierce loyalty to their commander, now you have to possibly go against this, gaining to distrust of the others that you had worked so hard to gain."

Gilan sighed in relief. His father hadn't understood and out of the other people he would turn to, one was 'insane' and the other was off on some apparent hair-brained mission. For the first time in his life, he felt as though he didn't have anyone to lean on and it scared him. The secrets of the crops he could always talk about with Halt, Crowley and Will. If he had to he was able to talk about them to his father. There was never just no one. This time however…

It was an internal corps matter. No one outside of it who didn't know about it needed to know, it would be better to continue the appearance. The King was involved but only vaguely and now, there was no one. He was even afraid to say something to Jenny just in case she was targeted.

"Thank you."

"I did nothing. I am just attempting to see the situation the way you have."

"No. No one else understands the fact that I can't just go against my commander that way, no matter how insane he appears to be."

There was another pause.

"I'm meant to be in my fief right now," Gil muttered and this time took to looking out of the window. Alyss shifted slightly at the knowledge that in a small way Gil was going against orders, and winced as she felt the pull of all of her injuries.

Both of their heads snapped up as the door to the room was slowly opened to reveal the healer who gave a small bow to the two.

"Am I able to check Mistress Treaty's wounds?" she asked gently. Gil nodded and looked back at the courier.

"See you again some time?"

"If I make it beyond all of these attacks first," Alyss replied jokingly.

"I don't know. I think it's going to be a close race to see which of us gets told off first," Gil joked, nodded to the healer then walked out of the room. As soon as he had done so the smile dropped off Alyss' face.

"Is life ever going to be more than this?" she asked with tears starting to appear in her eyes.

"I'm sure it will be, Mistress. Its just the herbs making you feel more emotional than normal."

Alyss nodded thoughtfully and did as she was asked in between looking out of the window. As she watched Gil flew away on Blaze. She noted with a smile that he wasn't going the direction of the next fief where he was meant to be, he was heading towards the small cabin in the trees.

So that was done.

And I have read the book! I loved it and laughed at it constantly. Best part was that I bought it from a stall at a medieval fair and then walking around and got it signed straight away :)

John Flanagan probably thought I was the biggest weirdo ever but I didn't care. After all, he has been my favourite author for a long, long time now and I was so excited to see him.

My sister who was next to me frankly couldn't have cared less.

But I did and that's all that matters.

So I got home, sat down and just read the book. I didn't get up for anything and just sat there. To the point that I handed in an assignment late because I was so determined to read it :)

Oh well. The assignment was only worth 40% of my grade…

Alyss Mainwaring

(Making no promises as to when the next update will be because I know I wont keep them…. XD)

(Can I hit 100 reviews please? It will make me soooooo happy!)