Karina watched Hal and Abby spar from the kitchen threshold. She smiled to herself as she saw the two children she loved most train together. Karina wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and shivered as a gust of cold air blew into the kitchen.

"Shut the door, lass. You'll give us all a cold." Thorn said. He was helping her in the eating house today because he said his other plans were cancelled because of the weather. Another foot of snow had blown in the night before. She continued to watch them from the window as she washed some of the platters. Abby was gaining on Hal, who was getting tired from fighting the snow. But Abby was lighter then Hal and danced lightly across the top layer of snow. Hal tripped over a rock hidden beneath the snow and he toppled backwards, just as Abby was swinging her sword at him. She lost her balance and fell on top of him. Karina smiled as she saw the two of them burst into laughter, laughing so hard they were soon holding their sides. She went to the door and called for them to come inside and dry off.

Abby was soon sitting by the fire wrapped tightly in the blanket with Hal. She glanced over at him to see him grinning. She elbowed him in the ribs and the two of them began to giggle. Karina smiled to see her children getting along so well. She passed them both mugs of coffee and passed Abby the honey jar. Karina had learned that Abby only drank coffee if it had honey in it.

Once the two of them had finished, Karina told them to go get into clean clothes and get ready for the ceremony. That day was Abbys fourteenth birthday, and the day they would be bound together as a family. Abby would finally be Karinas daughter, legally.

***

The second Will and Maddie were on the Skandian shore, Will marched straight up to the great hall. Some Skandians tried to stop him, but he went straight to Eraks quarters. Maddie had to run to keep up with him. He didn't even knock, he simply barged right in. Erak was reading a report from one of the last raids when he was startled by tthe scruffy looking ranger standing in front of him.

"Where is she? Where's Abby?!?" Will said forcefully. Erak rose an eyebrow and stood.

"Will, she doesn't want to see you." He said carefully. Will glared at him.

"I don't care. Take me to her now." He said. Erak let out a deep sigh and called in a messenger.

"Take the rangers to Karinas eating house." He said. the messenger nodded.

"Yes Oberjarl." He said bowing his head. Will and Maddie followed the messenger down to the village and too the eating house. He left them there outside the kitchen door. Maddie knocked, trying to be more polite then her master would be. A boy around eighteen opened the door and a look of confusion passed over him.

"Do you know where we can find Abby?" Maddie asked. The boys eyes widened breifly before he bit his lip and shook his head.

"Last I heard, she was off with Jesper, Stefan and the twins." came a gruff voice behind the boy. Will knew the voice from somewhere.

"Thorn?" he asked. Thorn came out to see them.

"Will Treaty! You've grown a bit lad." He said smiling. Will smiled a bit at his old friend.

"So where can we find Abby?" He asked. Thorn let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

"She won't want to see you lad." He said. Will glared at him.

"I want to see my daughter, Thorn." He said. The boy now intervened.

"Abby is happy here. Don't take her away." The boy said. Will glared at the boy. Thorn places his hand on the boys shoulder.

"Hal. He is her father. They deserve to talk it out with each other." He said. Hal glared at Thorn.

"Let me show you where she is." Hal said bitterly.

***

Abby, Jesper and Stefan watched as the twins bickered back and forth to each other over who got the last cake the baker had given the five of them. It was a little congratulations gift from him to Abby. Though the ceremony would take place that evening. The twins stopped when they all saw Hal approaching, but he was not alone. Abby instantly felt ill as she saw her father and Maddie. Will stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of her. Dispite her hair being a total mess, and her being dressed in Skandian garb, She looked identical to her mother. Will pulled down his cowl and stared at her. Abby swallowed hard and bit her lip.

"Hi, dad." She said. Jesper went tense and slipped his hand into hers, unnoticed by anyone. Will said nothing for the longest time, just stared at her.

"Hi Ab." He said hesitantly. Abby wanted to hug him so badly, but she knew he wanted to take her away from Karina and Hal...And Jesper. Nobody said anything, so Maddie spoke up.

"So can we go somewhere warm, because I'm freezing." She said. Hal nodded once.

"Lets go back to the eating house. I'm sure my Mam will want to hear everything." He said. Will nodded once and Hal began to lead the way back. Abby stayed behind, telling them she'd catch up in a minute. She hugged the twins, then Stefan and they all ran home. Jesper said nothing, he just kissed her on her cheek and left her. She had to run to catch up with Hal.

***

Karina was startled when She saw Hal and Abby sitting in the kitchen around the fire with two strangely dressed Araluens. But she herself was from Araluen, and instantly realized they were kings rangers. She looked at Hal than Abby for answers, but they gave her none. The man stood and pulled down his cowl, showing a mop of unruly brown hair and a scruffy looking beard. He had brown eyes, the same eyes as Abbys. Karina instantly knew who this man was.

"If you think you're here to take my Abby away, I will hear none of it, so be on your way." She snapped. Hal flinched. He knew his mother only got this way when she was really mad.

"I take it you know who I am then?" The ranger said. She folded her arms.

"Will Treaty. Yes I know who you are. My husband was on the same ship you were held captive on." She said.

"Yes, Mikkel. Your son looks a lot like him. He was a good man." He said. She set her jaw in a stern line.

"Get on with it." She spat. Will let out a deep breath.

"Abby needs to come home." He said simply. She glared at him.

"Abby is already home." She said. She placed her hand on Abbys shoulder and let out a deep breath.

"She belongs with me." Will said, his voice starting to raise a little.

"She belongs with people who love her." Karina said without raising her tone, it made her a lot more scary. Will glared at her.

"You're saying I don't love my own daughter?!?" His voice was almost too a shout now. Maddie placed her hand on Wills shoulder, But it just made him even more mad.

"You haven't been there for her for almost three years now!" Karina said shrilly.

"Because you've been keeping her here, making her work in this slop house!" Will yelled. Karina went to shout back, but Abby stood up inbetween them.

"Enough! Both of you!" She yelled. Will and Karina both glared at her. Abby turned to Will first. "Dad, I choose to work here. And I love it. I choose not to come back to Araluen, because I love it here. I acctually have friends now! Back in Redmont, no one wanted to be my friend because I was the daughter of two extremely dangerous people! But no one cares about that here. People acctually love me." She said.

"We've always loved you back in Araluen." Maddie said. "My mum and dad adore you. Gilan, Halt, Pauline, Jenny, even my grandfather loved you." Abby shook her head.

"I can't go back. I know you and mom loved me, dad, but you'd never spend any time with me. You were always off on missions." Abby hung her head. "You have no idea how neglected I felt. The past two years in Skandia have been amazing, and I can't loose it." Will let out a deep sigh.

"You really love it here, then?" He asked. She nodded. Wills eyes were full of sadness. "Well I guess I'll never win, will I?" She shook her head. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at her. "You will visit, right?" Abby smiled and threw her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you, dad." She said. She let go and hugged Karina then Hal. Hal smiled and shook Wills hand.

"Thank you, sir." He said hugging Abby tightly once more.

"Look after my baby girl. If you don't, you won't be thanking me." Will said. Hal nodded once and he and Abby ran out the door to tell the rest of the crew.