The morning arrived and noises woke Ildri. She opened her eyes to see that Maxine was already up and dressed and preparing for the day.

"Good morning, Ildri," she said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Maxine," Ildri agreed.

"Here," Maxine said, holding up some clothes, "I'm going to give you a clean dress. I'm afraid the one that you were wearing is a little worse for wear."

"Yeah," Ildri agreed. "It's been through as much as I have."

Maxine nodded with a kind smile. She turned and picked up a shiny bottle off of her boudoir and swallowed it back in a single swallow.

Ildri was curious but she thought it might be rude to ask what Maxine had taken.

Maxine was not oblivious to Ildri's curious expression. "It's what keeps me looking young," she explained with a sardonic smile.

"Oh. Well, you look lovely," Ildri said and she meant it.

"This is how I looked about twenty years ago," Maxine smiled again. "I don't really care how I look myself, but I need to play to my audience. I never quite know when a customer might drop by. You understand; I make my living selling such potions. I would hardly sell a one if I looked my own age."

Ildri was somehow surprise that Maxine was as old as she said. She retained a vibrancy that Ildri doubted had anything to do with the potion. "I think you still would."

"That's kind of you, but the sorts of people who I sell these to are mainly interested in what the cover looks like rather than the words on the pages." She paused. "But, Ty will be ready to leave soon so I'm going downstairs. I'll leave you to get ready," Maxine said as she set the clean dress on the bed. With another smile as she whisked off down the stairs.

Ildri smiled to herself. Maxine was so nice. All of Ildri's qualms about coming here seemed to have been in vain. Ildri washed up and pulled on the clean dress. She felt so much better and so much more herself. She glanced in the mirror and saw her wrinkled face looking back at her. It was a shame that she could not wash the disguise off so easily. She missed looking like herself. She did not want to look so terrible around Ty.

Not that it mattered, of course. Ildri turned away from her reflection and almost tripped over a rabbit. "Sorry, Rebecca," she said. She picked the rabbit up and scratched it behind the ears before carrying it towards the stairs.

Halfway down, she heard the sound of lowered voices. Instinctively she slowed her pace and perked her ears.

"Ty, just leave Ildri here with me," Maxine said.

"Maxine, I don't think—"

"You said yourself that she did not see anything in that camp she can add to your testimony. Surely your word is more than good enough for the king. If they need her, the king can send an armed guard to pick her up from here after you arrive at the capital. You know that you were wrong to drag an innocent young girl all over the country and as much as I know you are a very capable warlock, it's dangerous."

"What would you have me do? I made a mistake. You might recall that I am human. The circumstances were most suspicious when I found her and I did not believe until later that she was innocent. I could not very well leave her in the woods, Maxine. They almost killed her."

"You're right. You could not very well leave her in the woods alone. But you could leave her here, Ty. You know that she would be more than safe with me and you could travel more quickly alone."

"I know. You're right," he agreed slowly.

"But you don't want to leave her, do you?" Maxine asked in a softer voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Maxine chuckled a bit. "Well, at least eat some breakfast before you leave. I doubt ten minutes will make a great deal of difference one way or another."

Ildri stood frozen on the stairs. She did not know what to do. She did not want them to know she had overheard their conversation but she had to move sometime. Swallowing hard, Ildri continued moving down the stairs.

Maxine wore a pained expression but when she saw Ildri she summoned her brightest smile. "Did you hear what we were talking about?"

Ildri figured that there was no point to lie when they probably knew the truth. "A bit."

Ty was studiously not looking at Ildri, and she felt her stomach drop.

"Would you like to stay here with me?" Maxine asked. "Just for a time, until it's safer."

Ildri swallowed again. She did not want to but perhaps it was the wiser thing to do. "I don't know," she said slowly.

"Sit down and eat," Maxine said, placing a plate of food in front of Ildri. Ildri picked up a fork and started eating slowly. The food was okay, but Ildri knew that she could do better. If she stayed she could cook for Maxine to earn her keep.

Ty cleared his plate. "I'm going to get the horses ready," he said briskly as he stood up. He nodded to Maxine and then left the building.

Maxine dragged her own plate across from Ildri. "I really do think that you should stay here, for a time, Ildri. I don't think that you realize the dangers that face you if you continue on with Ty."

"I do know," Ildri disagreed. "I almost was killed once already."

"You want to go with him, then?" Maxine asked.

"I don't know," Ildri said, but she did know that a part of her very much wanted to stay with Ty for as long as she could.

"Are you falling for him?"

"Of course not."

Maxine's smile was polite but disbelieving.

"I've never been to the capital. I was always too afraid to leave my home but now I think that I need to do this," Ildri said carefully.

Maxine shook her head. "There is danger ahead of you. Those soldiers will do anything to prevent the king from being warned, I am certain of it. Really, it's a miracle that you two managed to get here. Ildri you would be wiser to stay and let Ty do what it is his duty to do."

"But, I—"

"I need to be frank with you. Whether you will admit it or not, you clearly feel drawn to Ty."

"What?"

"He was my student and he's like the son I never had. I want what is best for him. But I also know him. He is a loner and no matter what he feels for any girl he will probably continue to move about and do whatever it is that he feels that he must do. He will only lead you to heartbreak although her would not intend to do such. You would never know if he is safe or not when he disappears for long periods. He's like that wolf dog of his. He doesn't want to need anyone."

Ildri could not think of a thing to say to Maxine that would convince the other woman that she was entirely wrong.

Maxine looked even sadder. "I'm sorry, Ildri, but I remember when I was like you. I was young and I was full of dreams. The rogue I loved broke them all and left me like this." She cast a hand around her little house. "It is not that I am not happy, Ildri. I have a good life here. But I can't help but pine for what is lost and for what might have been if I had only been a little wiser."

Ildri closed her eyes for a moment. She felt terribly sad for Maxine. Yet it also made her choice somehow clearer. "I still want to go on," she said. It was terribly unwise and foolish, but Ildri did not want to pine later for what might have been if she had the courage to leave safety and comfort behind her. It felt like something she had to do, and not just for Ty.

"So be it," Maxine said with a faint smile.

* * * * *

Ildri went outside. Ty was nowhere to be seen, so she went around to the shed behind the house. He was with the horses and was talking to them softly.

"I'm going with you," she announced before she could lose her nerve.

Ty turned slowly. "Oh? Didn't Maxine explain the dangers to you?"

"She did. But I want to help."

"I wonder if you'll be any help," he said dryly.

Ildri felt as if he had punched her. "I won't know unless I go," she said in a shaky voice, half ready to retreat back inside and tell Maxine she would stay after all.

Ty nodded. "Well, then, I just have to finish getting prepared."

Soon enough everything was ready. Maxine came outside to see them off.

"Good luck and take care," she said. "Remember, Ildri. My offer still stands. You can come back here and visit at any time."

"Thank you," Ildri said. She felt a wave of misgivings but she ignored them. The familiar fear of leaving safety was upon her but she swallowed hard and climbed up onto the back of the horse.

They turned the horses and moved away. Maxine raised her arm in a wave. Ildri hoped that she had made the right choice.