A/N: Well, I feel moderately bad for leaving everyone hanging for so long, but college got the best of me for a while. I had four papers to write that were due very, very close to one another, so that kept me busy for a while...but things with that are slowing down! I just have to finish my paper on clog dancing and things will die down quite a bit. Also, there WILL be another follow-up to follow this one because I still left stuff hanging (and secretly, I don't think I want to stop writing about Halt and Lia...), although it's not as massive as before.

Also, I'm almost done with book 11 (two stories left!) and the seventh is BY FAR my favorite. :D Just read the title and you'll see why. ;)

This story takes place BEFORE Halt and Pauline are a couple. As is mentioned, Halt kind of has feelings for Pauline, but nothing is official. Because unlike some men, Halt is not a two-timing rat.

Hm, what else? Oh yeah, I'm reading The Brothers Karamazov for a class and I now have a book-crush on Alyosha Karamazov. I would highly recommend this book-the beginning is a tad slow, but there are so many different themes and plots going on...! It's fantastic.

As usual, I don't own Ranger's Apprentice, although I want it more and more every day.

After thirteen years, Halt was back in Hibernia. He'd wanted to return sooner, but hadn't been sure about how safe it was. Besides, his duties as a Ranger had kept him fairly busy-it wasn't easy work, but Halt had never been the sort of person to give up when things became difficult. He'd easily fallen into the rhythm of being an Araluen Ranger-it suited him more than anything else.

He'd come back mainly to gather information about what was happening in Hibernia-things had been rather quiet in Redmont for a while, so he'd been given permission to investigate his homeland. Of course, there were other things that made him want to return to Hibernia-he missed the land, for one. He'd also promised two people he'd come back for them-his sister, Caitlyn, and his Toscan tutor, Lia.

Halt shook his head. She was more than that, he reminded himself. But that was all a part of the past, although Halt had never forgotten their relationship. He wondered where she was, if she was even in Clonmel any more. He suspected that she wasn't - she was the sort of person who was always striving to be better. By now, she was probably teaching at L'istituzione delle lingue in Toscana. Maybe she was even in charge of the school - Lia knew more about language than anyone Halt had ever met.

He entered a tavern in Dun Kilty - it was a nippy evening, so it was crowded. As long as he kept his hood up, no one would pay him any mind. He sat down at a table in the corner of the room, resting his longbow and quiver by his feet. For now, he was going to sit and relax before he thought of food or a drink-he'd had a few long days in the saddle.

Leaning back in his chair, Halt began to scan the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. It was habitual for him to find trouble and resolve it-after all, that was his duty in Redmont. Everything looked normal-people chattering, men laughing, women flirting, the barmaid flitting around...

There was something about the barmaid, though, Halt realized as she made her way through the crowded room, her braid swaying with her movement. Maybe it was...

No. He was seeing her because he wanted to. Lia wouldn't work in a place like this-it was too crowded, too full of men. Unless she had no other choice.

She's always had another choice, he realized. She's fluent in four languages.

The barmaid turned around, speaking with the people at one table. She was smiling, but Halt saw through the expression. She was tired and wanted nothing more than to leave this crowded room. And she was, unmistakably, Lia. The years showed slightly on her face, more in her eyes than anywhere else. Halt wanted to call her over and ask how she'd ended up here, but he wasn't about to call so much attention to himself. Eventually, if he hadn't gone completely unnoticed, she would make her way over.

It took every ounce of willpower in Lia's body to keep her moving. She loathed nights like this one-normally, she didn't mind working as a barmaid, but when it was this busy, men tended to make her offers, most of them rather crass. It was a double-edged sword however-she hated it, but she needed the money if she wanted to continue traveling.

"These drinks are for the fellows in the center of the room," the owner told Lia. " And go check and see if that man in the corner needs something."

She picked up the drinks, balancing all four of them impeccably. The owner saw the exhaustion on her face. "I know-it's been a long night, Lia," he said soothingly. "Just keep your head up and try not to smack anyone-unless they deserve it."

Lia laughed. "I do not think that I am that tired," she informed him before continuing towards the table, drinks still balanced flawlessly.

She dropped them off to a chorus of thanks, huzzahs, and very unwelcome appreciative whistling. Lia shot one of the men who was eyeing her with a particularly disturbing enthusiasm a dangerous look before resuming her normal expression and continuing to the table in the corner. The man who sat there had his face hidden under the hood of his cloak. A bow and quiver were propped beside his feet and although he might not look it, Lia figured that he was on his guard. "Is there anything that I can get for you, sir?" she asked.

"Coffee, please. Black with a large spoonful of honey," he replied, his face still in the shadow of his hood.

His voice reminded her of Halt and Ferris - their voices had been completely identical. It wasn't a perfect match, but regardless, memories of the O'Carrick twins flashed through her mind. She shoved them away, saying, "I will have that ready for you in a moment."

The man nodded and Lia walked to the kitchen to make coffee. Normally, she was the one who served the food and drinks, but the owner and his wife had learned that Lia had a special knack for brewing excellent coffee.

She relaxed as she prepared the cup of coffee, glad to be out of the main room for a time. Making a perfect cup of coffee was something that Lia prided herself on, which was why she never left while preparing it. Her motions were instinctive-she could easily think about the man in the corner and still make coffee up to her usual standard. He reminded her of Halt, but so had many other customers. More than once, she'd played the fool, trying to hint at their shared experiences in hopes that he'd recognize her. By now, she'd decided that Halt was staying wherever he was-she wasn't going to chase something that didn't exist.

Their relationship had ended quickly, like a tree branch broken off while it was still green. The wound had healed eventually, but there was still a scar on Lia's heart, one that began to open whenever she saw a man that somehow reminded her of Halt.

Now that the coffee was done, she added the honey and brought it back out to the man. "There you are," she said, setting the mug in front of him. "Just call for me if you are in need of something else."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but do I hear a Toscan accent?" the man inquired.

Lia had to do her best not to groan - she'd heard plenty of men use that same line in an attempt to bring her up to their rooms. "Yes-my native country is Toscana," she explained, her tone as even as she could keep it.

"I thought so. I learned a little Toscan back in my younger days," he added. "My pronunciation was awful, but my tutor never gave up hope."

Lia could swear that he placed an emphasis on the words "never gave up hope." If he had, then she was almost certain that this was Halt. "I have done tutoring in my day," she told him, "and it is the job of a tutor to be devoted to her students, no matter how difficult things become."

"Then I know that your students will never forget you," he murmured. "And I certainly haven't, Lia."

She knew it was him beyond a doubt. To be sure that she wasn't dreaming, she shook her head slightly and blinked several times. If she was dreaming, it was an impossibly realistic dream. "I am glad to see you again," she admitted, the slightest bit of warmth creeping into her tone. Of course, she couldn't throw himself into his arms as she wanted to-besides, she had a feeling that Halt wouldn't exactly be fond of such a zealous gesture.

He nodded in response. "I certainly wasn't expecting to find you here," he told her.

Lia sat down at his table, hoping that no one would call her back to her duties, at least for a little while. "Nor was I," she confessed. "However, after the scandal with Ferris, I did not have many options."

Lia was certain that she saw Halt raise an eyebrow as he asked, "Scandal with Ferris?"

She rolled her eyes before explaining the scandal she'd undergone several years ago. "The talk that happened afterwards was the worst-it was like repeating those awful days in Toscana," she finished.

"Must've been awful-having everyone think that you were...fornicating with him," Halt murmured.

"It was," she confessed. "And even now, men come in sometimes and expect things of me."

Halt shook his head. "Lia, that's-"

He was cut off by the owner of the tavern calling, "LIA!"

"ONE MOMENT!" she replied before turning back to Halt and whispering, "We will talk later."

She barely saw him as she stood up and hurried back to the front of the tavern.

Halt let out a deep breath once she was gone. He hadn't expected to feel anything so strongly for her after thirteen years, but the emotion was right back, burning in his chest just like it had on the night he'd left Hibernia. Halt didn't consider himself to be a very emotional person, but Lia had been the first person to send his feelings boiling over and onto the surface. He'd felt something close for a lady back in Redmont-Pauline, a Courier-but his old feelings for Lia burned so strongly that he'd forgotten temporarily about Pauline.

Lia didn't seem different - she appeared distant, as she always had. And she makes an excellent cup of coffee, Halt thought, sipping his drink appreciatively.

He couldn't just drop in, say hello, and leave; he knew that something needed to happen with their relationship. It had been in an uncomfortable limbo for the past thirteen years-when he'd left, he hadn't been ready to tell her that this was the end because at the time, he'd hoped that somehow, they could work something out. Over the years, that hope had faded-he'd expected that Lia had moved on to greater things, such as running a language school or even starting her own family.

Ferris seemed to have blocked that. If he hadn't been so awful to her, she might not be stuck in Hibernia-or at least she'd be a little happier in being stuck here. Either way, there was a lot to talk about.

Lia had just told the last customer to leave as politely as she could. She glanced over to the corner and saw...nothing?

No, Halt was still there, although he'd concealed himself quite well in the shadows. "Now that we are free of...excess company, what exactly have you been doing for the past thirteen years?" Lia inquired.

"Well, I've become an Araluen Ranger," Halt began. At Lia's confused look, he explained her the duties and skills associated with being a Ranger.

"Your work suits you well," she commented. "I am glad that you have found happiness in Araluen."

He heard the hint of sorrow in her voice and knew that she wasn't at peace. "Lia," he began, "do you remember what I told you that night on the hill?"

"You told me so many things that night," she began. "'I don't think I can kiss you properly from over here,' 'We need to go now,' 'Remember to take the grass out of your hair.' All wonderfully profound moments."

"Good Lord, I really said, 'I don't think I can kiss you properly from over here?'" Halt wondered.

Lia laughed at him before replying, "You did. We were lying in the grass, my head beside yours..."

She trailed off, causing Halt's mind to fill in the rest of the details of that night. "I can't believe I said something that...saccharine," he muttered sullenly before continuing more audibly, "That wasn't what I was talking about. I promised you we'd go back. We could go tonight and talk," he suggested.

"Perfect," Lia agreed. "Leaving the city sounds wonderful to me right now."

They sat on the hilltop, side by side. The years of their separation had momentarily faded away; they simply sat next to one another. For a time, no words were necessary. Eventually, Halt asked her, "Why haven't you left?"

She sighed heavily. "I am still holding on to so many things," she revealed. "To return to Toscana would be almost a symbol of defeat, to say that I could not find lasting success here. I do love Hibernia, but...there are other things that I want to do."

Halt looked at her. She'd taken her hair down-a small gesture, but reassurance that she was still comfortable around him. "You know, it's really not your fault if you go back to Toscana because of everything that happened here," he rationalized. "Ferris is to blame."

Lia sighed again, shakily this time. "You are not understanding what I say," she said. "I wanted to go at times, but...as I told you earlier tonight, it is the job of a tutor to stay devoted to her students, no matter how difficult things become."

She looked at her hands, fidgeting with her ring. "I turned it back several years ago," she stated. "I believed that this was finished. Now, I look at you and I see that for me, it is not done."

He laid his hand over hers. "It was the same-I thought I'd left it all back, but...I haven't either," he confessed, shaking his head.

A couple of hours ago, everything had made sense-Halt had planned to close things up with Lia. When he returned to Araluen, he'd talk to Pauline and start anew. As soon as he'd spoken with Lia, he understood that it wasn't that simple. Something had to happen here, and he certainly wasn't going to end things tonight. Not while he was feeling like this.

They sat together for a long while, Halt's hand still over Lia's, both wondering where to go from here. "I'll be here for a few days," Halt told her. "I'm not going to be around all the time, but for a while, we can...try again and see where it goes."

Lia nodded in agreement. "I think that now, that is the best thing to do," she replied.

Halt took her right hand in both of his and flipped her ring just as he had several years ago. "At least for a while," he murmured before they stood up and walked back to Dun Kilty.

Lia was elated to see Halt again. She was glad that he'd be here for a few days-it would give them a chance to see where to go from here. He'd been out collecting information all day, but they were walking through the countryside of Clonmel tonight.

She was in an exceptionally good mood today, as she hadn't had to work down in the tavern at all. During the week, her focus was on teaching Toscan to the owners' five children. For the most part, she greatly enjoyed teaching them-though there were some days when the children simply didn't want to sit down and learn. She was very pleased at their progress-in fact, the oldest child-who was now twenty and was no longer being tutored by Lia-had gone to Toscana for a time. This job was what kept Lia in Hibernia on the worst of days.

"Lia, why are you so happy?" one of the younger children asked.

"I am happy because today's lesson went well," she revealed.

"No, she's man-happy," one of the older children explained. "It's how all women get when they fancy someone."

Lia rolled her eyes. "I think that you need to pay a bit more attention to the lesson and a little less to my emotional state, hmm?" she suggested jokingly.

The children nodded reluctantly before scurrying out the door to her chambers. As soon as they were gone, Halt walked in. "I was going to drop in a bit earlier, but I heard what they were talking about and decided that it might not be the best idea," he remarked.

"Thank you," she replied, taking her cloak from a nearby chair. "I...do not enjoy it when everyone knows so much about my life."

"I know the feeling," Halt answered as they walked out the door together.

As they approached the main part of the tavern, Lia allowed Halt to walk ahead of her. They were doing everything possible to keep their relationship out of the public eye, since Halt didn't want to command too much attention.

Once they were in the street, however, they fell back into step. It felt natural to be walking beside one another thusly-they hadn't been able to experience a normal relationship the first time, so they were both willing to take a few risks this time. Halt took Lia's hand as they walked together, feeling more at home in Hibernia than he ever had in the past.

"It has been years since I have been in a place as beautiful as this," Lia sighed as she sat down under a tree beside Halt.

He shook his head. "You're deprived, then. I get to live in this."

She smiled at him. "You were never one who enjoyed to be inside, Halt. I am glad that you have finally found your place in Redmont."

Her tone was sincere, but Halt detected a hint of wistfulness. She hadn't found such a place yet. He knew that Lia's first love was language, but she hadn't been able to completely devote herself to it. "You'll find it, Lia," he promised her.

She looked at him, doubt in her eyes. "No one deserves to be happy more than you," he murmured, leaning towards her.

Their lips met hesitantly at first, but they both eased into the kiss quickly. It had been so long, but the feelings were still there, burning like a flame fanned by the wind. Slowly, their lips moved apart as their eyes met. "I do not want you to go," Lia confessed.

"Honestly, right now, I don't want to go back," Halt replied. "You're corrupting me."

Lia laughed, but her heart wasn't in it. "I do not know what to do," she confessed, resting her head against his shoulder.

Halt had a good idea what she was thinking about. "Lia, you don't have to base your decisions around me," he reminded her.

He felt her nod. "All these years and I am unsure once again," she murmured. "I do care about you, Halt—I have for a very long time—but I do not know if I can leave again."

"I understand," he replied taking her hand.

There was a part of him that wanted her to come back to Araluen with him. He had no idea how things would progress from there, but he wasn't sure about letting Lia go. She was his first love, after all. However, he knew that it couldn't work, at least not as he imagined it. Lia would undoubtedly want to continue working with Toscan, which would probably send her to Castle Araluen…

Halt closed his eyes, urging the thoughts away. It's not my decision, he reminded himself.

Lia was glad that work in the tavern came naturally to her, as her mind had been everywhere but in the tavern. Seeing Halt again had made her think of all the things she'd wanted to do but never had. She had returned to Toscana once, but had left after only a few weeks. It hadn't been time for her to go back—she'd gone only a few years after losing her position tutoring the royal family of Dun Kilty. The pain of her past had still been too potent.

Now, it was time to try again. She had seen that Halt had found his place in Redmont and knew that it was time for her to do the same. Unhappiness had been too strong a character in Lia's life-she needed to seek something about which she was truly passionate.

Halt was not the answer to her questions. She cared about him and always would, but she knew the feeling was less than the piercing love they'd felt for one another back when she was his Toscan tutor. They were supposed to go in separate directions, she realized as she sat down beside Halt after a long day. Tonight was his last night here in Hibernia-and time for decisions to be made.

"I have not stopped thinking since you arrived here," Lia confessed.

"And you've decided...?" Halt let the question trail off, inviting her to finish.

"When it is possible-soon, I hope-I will take a ship back to Toscana," she announced.

Halt nodded. "You know that it can't last, either," he remarked, almost to himself.

She nodded in understanding. "Things are not as they were back then, Halt. I will always care for you and will never forget you, but...not in that way. I can see now that the feelings...they were only temporary."

"You're exactly right," he murmured. "I won't forget you, Lia, but I think it's time for both of us to start again."

Upon hearing Halt's words, some of the heaviness left Lia's heart. "There is someone about whom you have been thinking," she pointed out slyly, inviting Halt to tell her more.

Halt shook his head at Lia. She'd always been ridiculously fastidious about having perfect grammar. "No one talks like that, you know," he said. "Not in Araluen, even."

Lia gave him the dangerous look that he remembered from her earliest days as her student-the times when he'd hated Toscan the most. "Firstly, I am a student of language; not everyone else is," Lia stated. "Secondly, you dodged my question most admirably."

Halt found himself caught in between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. "Her name's Pauline. She...delivers messages and such things," Halt revealed.

Lia nodded. "I wish you every happiness," she told him, placing her hand over Halt's momentarily.

He noticed that her Claddagh ring was still flipped as he'd situated it a few days ago. Removing it, he turned it over and replaced it on her finger. "There," he remarked, a note of satisfaction in his voice.

Lia's eyes were filled with tears as she looked across the table. "It is not as easy as I thought," she confessed.

"Nothing's ever easy," Halt reminded her, placing his hand over hers reassuringly. "But the things that aren't easy are usually worthwhile."

"Mmhmm," Lia murmured.

They sat together for a while, relishing their last few moments together. Eventually, Halt stood and said, "I'd best be off to bed. I'm planning on getting an early start tomorrow."

Lia bobbed her head in understanding. "I wish you every joy that life could bring, Halt O'Carrick," she replied, embracing him.

He was moderately taken aback by her sudden show of platonic affection, but he was glad. It was a sign that she was moving away from her past fears. "Bye, Lia," he muttered. "Somehow, I hope we'll meet again."

"Anch'io, Halt," she revealed.

Fortunately, it had only taken Lia a few weeks to find a ship that was leaving for Toscana. She'd been able to reduce her fare a bit by offering to translate for the traders if necessary. There was, however, one thing that she'd never taken into account-how much she would miss Hibernia. For fifteen years, this land had been her home-in some ways, more of a home than Toscana ever had been. Tears streamed from her eyes as she watched the ship drift away from Hibernia and into the vastness of the ocean.

She sat on deck for a time, watching the ship as it cut through the waves. "Never seen anything like it," someone said.

Lia looked beside her to see who had spoken. It was a man with chestnut hair and a short beard. He had a thick Hibernian brogue, thicker than what was customary for a trader. "Nor have I," Lia replied softly.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's taking you over to Toscana?" the man asked her.

"It is my native land," Lia revealed. "For fifteen years, I have lived in Hibernia, but I decided that now it is time to go home."

The man nodded pensively. "I figured by your accent," he pointed out.

Lia was somewhat shocked-she'd assumed that after fifteen years in Hibernia, she would have no remaining trace of her Toscan accent. "And by yours, I can guess that you are a native Hibernian," she replied.

"You'd be right, then. Name's Devlin O'Shannon," he said, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"I am Lia Bisharra," she responded as she shook his hand. "May I ask why you have chosen to go to Toscana?"

Devlin's face darkened momentarily. "Getting away, in part," he confessed. "And part because I'm a silversmith and hear that the business for my like's good over in Toscana."

Lia bit the inside of her lip, internally wincing at the man's disregard for grammar. Once she'd recovered from the initial horror, she said, "Ah, parla un po' di toscano?"

Devlin furrowed his brows at her statement. "Not much. I can pick out a word or a phrase sometimes," he explained.

"I am afraid that you will have troubles with business, then," Lia told him, feeling awful for shattering his dream. "Not everyone in Toscana can understand Araluan."

There was a moment of awkward silence before Lia suddenly spoke again. "I know both languages, though, and would be pleased to teach you Toscan," she suggested.

Devlin nodded his approval. "And if you don't mind, could you possibly...translate some while I'm still new with the language?"

"Of course. That would be lovely," she agreed, smiling.

They continued looking out at the waves, both thinking of the promises that Toscana now held.

A/N (again): Halt and Lia have a playlist! If you're interested, I'll put it on my profile. (I kind of have an obsession with making playlists for all the couples about whom I write...)