Will and Maddie left that evening. An hour after seeing them off, The Oberjarl preformed the binding ceremony, making Abby part of Karina and Hals family. Abby was so happy, she didn't know what to do with herself. Her father had come so close to taking her away that day. When the three of them arrived home that evening, Abby was crying with joy. She could have lost everything that day, But her father had given her up. He allowed her to make her own choice, and she chose Hal and Karina. She was grateful for that.

***

 Will let out a deep sigh as he watched Hallasholm fade behind them. He could sense Maddie behind him.

"Are you alright, Uncle Will?" She asked him. He turned around to face her and shook his head.

"She chose them over me. Am I really that bad of a father?" He asked. She shook her head and hugged him tightly.

"No, You're a great father. She still loves you, she just wants freedom from everything." She said.

"But if she wants freedom, why would she bind herself to another family?" He asked raise an eyebrow.

"Because she loves them too. She feels more freedom with them then in Araluen because she can also be apart of Hals crew." Maddie said.

"Aye," came Svengals voice behind them. "Those Herons are a handful. Drive both Thorn and Chief crazy. She has fun with them. Plus she and Lydia get along great." He said. Will let out a deep sigh.

"Do you think I made the right decision, Svengal?" He asked. His old friend nodded.

"It's for the best. From what I've seen, she's a handful, one that only Skandia could handle."

***

"You did what?!?" Karinas voice came in a shrill scream. Hal shuffled his feet uncomfortably and Abby was trying to hide her laughter.

"It was all Stefans idea!" Ulf said pointing at the jokester. Karina turned to Stefan and began to tap her foot.

"It was a harmless prank!" He defended himself. Jesper let out a small laugh.

"You drowned Ninas cat!" He said. Stig was glaring at Stefan. Stig had fancied Nina since they were little, and now Stefans Harmless prank could have costed him a shot at winning her heart.

"All of you could be in serious trouble, Ninas father is the Miktig, after all." All of them went pale. Maktig meant Mighty one, and they were not men anyone wanted to mess with. The door to the eating house burst open and all of Karinas customers froze as Wolfgang Northstar entered the eating house. He was followed by a very distraught looking Nina. He placed hand on her back and glared at the Heron crew.

"Which one of you is responsible for drowning my daughters dog?!?" He yelled.

"Cat." Nina corrected him.

"Cat!" He yelled. Karina pointed at Stefan, who was trying to cower behind Ingvar. Wolfgang grabbed Stefan by his sheepskin vest, lifting him off his feet and shoving him against the wall so he dangled in the air about three feet off the ground. He had gone extremely pale. He pulled his fist back as if to strike Stefan on the face.

"Stop!" Abby yelled at him. She stepped forward and Karina glared at her, but Stefan was grateful his life wouldn't end as quick as he expected. "It was me, I did it." She said. Both Stefan and Nina looked confused. Wolfgang turned back to Nina.

"Is this true?" He asked his daughter. She shrugged.

"I don't know, papa. They were all clustered around her, I couldn't tell." She said. Wolfgang glared back at Abby. He let go of Stefan and he crumbled to the ground, taking in deep gasps of breath. Wolfgang started towards Abby and she felt the urge to back up, but instead she stood her ground. Soon he was in her face, almost touching her nose.

"Why did you do it?" He asked. His breath smelled strongly of ale. Abbys nose cringed at the smell.

"That's enough!" Came a roaring voice behind them. Wolfgang tore his gaze from Abby to come nose to nose with Erak, the Oberjarl. Wolfgang might be the Maktig, but Erak was the Oberjarl.

"What seems to be the problem, Oberjarl? I was simply taking care of some kids that need thrashings." Wolfgang said sounding innocent. Erak glared at him, then looked back at the Heron crew.

"All of you, leave. You too Nina." He said.

"You can't tell my daughter what to do!" Wolfgang yelled. Erak rose an eyebrow.

"Oh really? Because I do believe that if I see you an unfit parent, I can take her away from you. Would you prefer that?" Erak said smiling. Nina scurried out along with the Herons. They all followed Hal into the kitchen and there personal quarters. Once the door was shut, they could all hear shouting. Nina glared at them.

"Which one is the real crook here?" She asked forcefully. Stefan let out a deep sigh and rose his hand. She looked over at Abby, glaring at her.

"Then why did she step up for you?" She sneered.

"Abby was protecting him." Jesper said. She pursed her lips together.

"He wouldn't need protecting if he hadn't killed my cat." She said.

"I didn't mean to, Nina!" Stefan said. She said nothing, she simply left out the kitchen door. Stefan let out a shuddering sigh and turned back to Abby.

"Thanks, Ab." He said. She didn't know what to say at first.

"We're Herons, we don't abandon each other." She said. Just then the door opened and Erak called them back into the tavern. Wolfgang was gone and so were all of Karinas customers.

"I don't want any more trouble from you all. I have enough paper work to deal with as it is, So if you could keep yourselves out of trouble for atleast five minutes, it would be much appreciated. Now, run along." He said. They all glanced Karina who nodded.

"You heard the Oberjarl, run along." She shooed them all out the door.

    None of the Herons felt like doing much of anything, so most of them went their separate ways. Hal and Stig to the boat shed, the twins to bicker about something, Stefan to think his life over, Edvin buried in a book, Lydia to hunt, and Ingvar to stumble over his feet. Leaving Abby and Jesper alone. He took her hand and they walked along side the village roads, avoiding all people. Neither of them wanted to announce their relationship yet, it would be inappropriate. The Thief and the Araluen, two outcasts brought together. They'd never hear the end of it. So they walked along until they reached the tree line. Jesper grinned slightly and they ran through the trees until they came across a clearing far enough away from Hallasholm. There he pressed her up against a tree and kissed her lips, her neck, her jaw. Each one sent shivers down her body. When they finally sat down on a log, Abby leaned up against his shoulder.

"Are we ever going to tell the others that we're together?" Abby asked. Jesper chuckled a bit.

"Your brother would kill me, he is the Skirl after all. And I don't think anyone else would be too thrilled either. If you haven't noticed all ready, the twins like you also." He said. She bit her lip and nodded, knowing the twins, it wouldn't go down so well.

"So we'll just keep it a secret? For how long?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know. When the time is right I suppose. We can't tell anyone till then though." He said. He stood, helping her stand also. He kissed her lips and lead her back to Hallasholm, not knowing that Lydia heard the whole thing.

***

"I knew something was going on between those two. I've never trusted Jesper." Thorn said. Lydia nodded a bit. She sat shivering on Thorns bed in his lean-to behind Karinas eating house. "Hal will kill Jesper when he finds out he's dating his sister." Lydia shivered uncomfortably.

"Thorn, I don't think we should tell anyone. Not even Hal." She said. He rose an eyebrow at her.

"Why not? Jespers gone behind his Skirls back, And Hal needs to know he can trust his crew." He said.

"Yes, I know, but...They just seem so happy. They'll tell the crew themselves in due time. But for now, I'll talk to Abby, and see what is going on between them." She said. Thorn let out a small moan.

"Fine." He said.

***

Abby was at her favorite fishing spot that afternoon when Lydia approached her. Abby smiled as she sat down next to her.

"What's the matter, Lyd?" She asked. Lydia bit her lip and glanced at Abby.

"I know about you and Jesper." She said quickly. Abby rose her eye brows and turned away from Lydia, focusing on her fishing pole.

"Lyd, please don't tell anyone." She said. Lydia gave her a guilty smile.

"I only told Thorn, but he already had his suspicions.  We've agreed to let you and Jesper tell everyone else. Just be careful, Ab." Lydia said.

"Jesper would never hurt me." Abby said sitting up straighter. Lydia nodded and smiled.

"I know. He obviously loves you. You're lucky." She said standing. She then left Abby in her thoughts.

***

    Abby sneaked out of her window that night when she knew Karina and Hal would be asleep. She had told Jesper to meet her in the boat shed that night at three in the morning. He was already there when she arrived.

"Lydia told me she found out." Jesper said when she entered. Abby nodded.

"It makes me wonder who else knows besides those two." She said. She shivered from the cold and fear of others knowing.

"Don't worry, Ab. We'll be fine." He said wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He kissed her forehead and the two of them sank to the floor, and soon fell asleep in each others arms.

***

Abby woke the next morning to the sun in her eyes and the birds chirping outside the window. She looked around,  seeing she was still in the boathouse and She had fallen asleep on Jespers lap. She gasped and jumped to her feet. The sudden movement woke Jesper with a start.

"We slept here last night!" She said suddenly panicking. He stood and fixed her messed up hair.

"Now you look like you're just up early. Run back to the eating house. Gather some sticks and pine cones on the way and say you were getting some more kindling for the stoves." He said. She nodded once and followed his instructions, picking up and armful of timber on her way back home. When she opened the door, Karina smiled at the bundle in her arms and took it from her while Abby took over making the bread.

"I was beginning to wonder where you were." She said, sounding relieved.

"I woke early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I gathered some kindling." She felt guilty for lying to her new mother, but she couldn't have Jesper get into trouble.

   Is this what it's come to now? I have to lie to my own mother because I made a mistake? If this continues, I have to tell her. She thought to herself.

"Are you alright, dear?" Karina asked looking her over.

"Yes." She said clearing her throat. She went back to making the bread and let out a shuddering breath when Karina couldn't hear.
That was a close one.