Halt rubbed his face tiredly and looked at his wife. Lady Pauline had just informed him that his former apprentice, Will, was coming to visit, and it was getting late. "He's visiting tonight?"

His wife nodded. "Yes. It's odd, even for him. Normally he'd come during the day. Do you think something's happened?"

Halt shrugged. "I don't know, Pauline. This is Will we're talking about. Half the time when he doesn't have some brilliant plan, he acts on instinct. Spur of the moment."

Pauline sat in the chair next to him. "Do you think something has happened to Maddie?"

He froze. "I sincerely hope not."

They barely had to wait a minute before they got their answer, an answer if the form of a beaming Princess-turned-apprentice-Ranger bouncing through the door.

"Heeelloooo!" Maddie was still beaming.

Pauline blinked a few times process what she was seeing. "Is-is something wrong?"

Halt shook his head. "No. She wouldn't look like that if there was."

She nodded. "Right."

Halt smiled at the girl. "Hello Maddie. What is the reason you're here this late without notice?"

Maddie raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying knowing something Halt did not. "You mean who." She stepped aside and opened the door for someone.

Somebody, Halt assumed Will, pushed a third person inside gently before entering himself. It took a few minutes for him to figure out exactly who the person was. It was a girl, that much was obvious, she had a familiar face and was wearing a brown homespun dress. Pauline had figured out who she was just as he did.

"Gorlog's beard." Halt whispered.

Pauline was just as shocked, but a little more refined in showing it. "Alyss."

So yup, I decided to do Halt and Pauline's reactions to Alyss still being alive. Yes, this chapter isn't much or as long as the first, but part one was the story, and would have been longer anyways. Tell me if I should do Cassandra and Horace's reactions, because that would be interesting. I might just do them anyways, but tell me what you think. Thank you.