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Mylechua's leg is not healed completely, but it is good enough for him to walk on. He walks with a limp now and cannot run yet. He has figured out that he has done something in the past to make him unfavorable by some, but shrugs it off with his new life. He has no need to wear his old clothes so he wears none, his weapons hang on a hook by his bed in the dormitories.

Everybeast is outside in anticipation for the spring feast. As the main course is brought to the tables, Abbess Feyla stands up to give the prayer.

"To table, to table and eat what you may, come brothers, come sisters, come all. Be happy; be joyful, upon our feast day, eight seasons of peace in Redwall. So sing from dusk till dawn and let the Abbey bells ring. The sun will bring the morn, and still we will merrily sing. I name this season the Spring of New Hopes." She looked to Mylechua. They all raised a glass of damson wine to this.

Mylechua and Aurora were sitting together next to Abbess Feyla. They have been getting to know each other better.

The otter stood up and cleared his throat. "Speaking of new hope, I have something I want to ask somebeast." He got down and took Aurora by the paws. "Aurora Streamdog, will you marry me?"

No one breathed as they waited for the ottermaid to answer. "Mylechua Darkblade, I will." The tables erupted with cheers and applause.

The Redwallers now had another reason for the feast. After the festivities, Mylechua was helping clean up. He and Skipper were hauling the tables back into the Great Hall.

"Watcherself, mate. The floors can be slick after footpaws've been on damp grass."

"I've got it, Skip. Watch your end, pick it up a bit." They got the first one in with no trouble and went back out for the second.

By the front door one of the dibbuns had spilled his drink, and Mylechua didn't see it in time.

"Watch out!" Skipper called. But before Mylechua could react, he had slipped and hit his head hard on the stone floor, in the same spot he was hit with the stone by Melenko's crew.

"Are you alright? Mylechua, speak to me." His soon-to-be wife was standing over him.

"Aurora. Oh, my head hurts."

"It's gonna, you just hit that bump again. Let's get you up on your footpaws."

"Thanks." The spill was taken care of and the rest of the tables put back inside. Afterwards Mylechua was quieter than usual. "I think I'm gonna go for a walk, Aurora. I'll be back before dark."

"Ok. If you're going by yourself, take something with you."

But he had already decided to grab his sword.

Melenko has gotten almost restless with his weeks of sitting in the background.

"Tonight feels like the right time, mateys. Mylechua hasn't shown hide or hair of his sorry carcass. That means he's dead. And if he's dead, then he won't get in our way at Redwall again. Pack up your weapons and tents, we're hitting the road." The ferret magician scanned out over his horde, it had grown considerably over the last few weeks. He looked over to the back corner and almost choked on a leaf he was chewing. "It can't be." He looked again, but what he thought he saw was gone. "Must be my imagination."

While Mylechua was out he stumbled upon the camp of Melenko the Magician. That is who the ferret thought he saw...

Mylechua hobbled back to Redwall Abby as fast as he could, he had important news to tell to the abbess.

"Abbess Feyla, there is something you should know. Melenko is coming tonight."

"Melenko? Again? Are you sure?"

Mylechua wasn't thinking like he should have right then, "I saw him with my own two eyes, that conniving ferret."

Aurora had been listening along. "Wait, I thought you didn't know Melenko? That means-" realization that Mylechua had regained his memory hit her like a ton of bricks, "Crea!"

They had caught on too, and jumped on the otter to hold him down. Abbess Feyla remained silent and expressionless.

"How long have you remembered?" Aurora stood hoping for the truth.

"Not long."

She slapped him, "Bullshit! How long?"

"Honestly, not long. I got my memory back when I hit my head, but I still remember everything since I lost it. My feelings for you haven't changed, I love you, Aurora. I know I can't change what I've done, but I want to try to make up for it. I want to help against Melenko. I know what he's like, you won't stand a chance against him."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Look into my eyes. Find the truth, you know the new me." Aurora gazed into Mylechua's deep purple pools, desperately searching. Hoping on one side that he was right and also that he was wrong. He looked back at her without any thoughts in his head at all. She saw the truth.

"I trust you." she nodded and Crea reluctantly let the otter go.

"Alright, you're with us, so what's the plan?" Abbess Feyla broke her silence.

"He never said what he was going to do, but he thinks I'm dead or to injured to fight. Either way, he won't be expecting me. Melenko is not the kind to take the direct approach, and he doesn't like beating around the bush either. My guess is he'll try to use some of his trickery. We need our best eyes up on that wall, and everyone else who can handle a weapon down here in the grounds. No matter what we do he'll get in, so we have to be ready. Skipper, how many of your crew is here?"

"'Bout thirty, countin' me."

"Good. Abbess Feyla, how many in here can wield a bow or sling?"

"That'd be my department," said Crea, "I've taught enough archers in here to be an army."

"Well, that's what we need. Now how about swordbeasts? Does anyone even have a sword besides me?"

"The only other sword here is the Sword of Martin the Warrior."

"Can anyone use it?"

Aurora spoke up, "I can." We all looked surprised. "Before I came here to Redwall, I traveled with my father, you remember him, Skipper. He had me trained in all weapons, just in case a day like this came."

"No, I don't like it."

"Why? Because I'm a girl? Because I've been up in the infirmary so long I've maybe forgotten?"

"No. I don't like it because I don't want you to get hurt. You mean the word to me."

"I love you too, Mylechua, but you're not stopping me. You said it yourself; we need all the good warriors we can get."

"Yeah, but now I'm regretting saying that."

One of the guards already on the ramparts called down. "I can see a cloud of dust rising from the east.

"That'll be Melenko. I need good eyes up on the wall, archers and slingers split up; half down here, half up there. Aurora-" he hesitated, "go get the Sword of Martin. Everybeast to your positions!"

Aurora came back with not only the sword, but the entire suit of armor of Martin the Warrior.

"Now we wait. Come and get me you ferret bastard."