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Arianeira looked him straight in the eye. "Whatever happened, it was not your fault." She said honestly. "They chose you to lead them because you were the best. Everyone makes mistakes and some blame themselves for that, but you can never predict the enemy. Just think how much worse it would have been if you had not been there, and a weaker man was leading them."

As surprised now as the first time he had kissed her, Arianeira was knocked slightly off balance and had to grab hold of his shirt to steady herself. The suddenness of it had startled her, but as he kissed her she found that she was putting more and more of herself into the kiss each time.

Arianeira drew back as well, grinning slightly as she noted his heightened colour. "I think I better say goodnight." She said mischievously, "Any more of that and I won't be able to sleep."

"Tease." She muttered, though she couldn't resist returning his kiss. As he brought her closer, she felt her heartbeat accelerate again. Definitely no sleep. She thought.

Arianeira buried her face in his shirt, returning the hug as she smiled into his chest. She could hear his heart beating through the material, and knew her own was racing just as much. It was the sort of moment that ought to last forever, but never does.

It was then that Arianeira had the vision.

Talon and Maric were either side of the dock wall, arguing furiously. Although the argument was well underway, Arianeira gathered that Talon wanted to leave and Maric was trying to stop him. As the argument unfolded, she realised that Talon was leaving to find her. The pirates were suspicious of her leaving so soon after landing, and had outlawed her 'until such time she can give a satisfactory answer of her behaviour to the council', which, as Talon pointed out, was unlikely to happen as the ships of outlaws were vapourised when they touched the wall, instead of just shunted elsewhere. Maric argued that she could take care of herself, but in the end Talon shrugged his arm away and strode to his ship. Maric shouted after him, then turned on his heel, still furious. Arianeira was about to pull away, when she saw another figure, emerge from further along the dock, and follow Maric at a distance. They had not been speaking quietly; there was no possibility that he had not overheard. Arianeira pulled away.

She felt physically sick and she trembled in Stratford's arms. That conversation was enough to get both of her friends in trouble and for trying to pass through the shield, they could kill Talon. And both of them were stupid enough to have a blazing row about it and shout where anyone could hear them. She was suddenly furiously angry at both of them. "If I get there first I'll murder the both of them." She said savagely, having temporarily forgotten that Stratford had no idea what had happened. She sighed. There was nothing she could do about it now though. The idiots were too far away. They'd have to look after themselves, much as it irritated her that she couldn't get inside the wall to help them.

"I -" She began, then: "Kyralia. The fools are so jumpy that they're close to the point when they fight amongst themselves." She looked repentent for a change as she added, "My abrupt departure has only made things worse. I've been exiled, Talon intends to warn me and Maric will be arrested because the Guild had someone spying on them." She sighed, still not noticing the expression on his face. "Maric will probably be arrested and Talon will probably join me in exile." Her expression was unhappy and she didn't meet Stratford's eyes. "He will not know that I have seen... It's my fault. I should never have left."