Dredil's tonic. Ildri could not help but feel an unpleasant sense that she was coming full circle at the sight and smell of the hated hair tonic.

She mixed up the physical potion, a task that she could have easily done in her sleep. She knew that it was right by the familiar scent. Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach and she wanted to do nothing less than to try to work magic on the potion and she wanted to do nothing more than run away.

"Go ahead," Maxine said gently. "Use your magic the way you did with the feather. You need to feel for the magic that is in your ingredients, and then pull them together."

Ildri shut her eyes. She'd managed to learn to do all of Allan's practice exercises, surely she could do this. She just had to be positive. She would do it, and she would do it perfectly well.

She knew that she was lying to herself, but she really wanted it to work.

Please.

Ildri reached out with thin threads of her own magic, and she could feel the magic of the various ingredients. She pulled them together and...

Ildri opened her eyes. Murky green. The potion looked very much the same as it had before she had tried. Nothing had changed.

Ildri felt like crying. "I quit," she said.

"Ildri!" Maxine said.

Ildri ignored her and pushed out of the work shed. She should have known by now not to get her hopes up about anything. Life should have taught her that. No matter how hard she had tried to stay positive, everything went wrong. Ildri should have stayed in her place, where she belonged, all along and she would have avoided all the crushing disappointment.

"Ildri!" Maxine's voice sounded behind her.

Ildri ignored her.

"Ildri! What is the matter with you?"

Ildri spun around. "I'm useless! I give up! I should know that I just can't do anything!"

"What are you talking about? Ildri, you did it!"

"The potion didn't change, Maxine. I know it was supposed to look different."

"Not a lot, no. You didn't draw out all the magic. Yet. But you pulled out some. And that is the hardest part. With practice you'll get it all, and you'll see the difference. Don't quit now, you've come so far."

Ildri looked at Maxine's face. She looked earnest and honest. Ildri had managed to do it? At least sort of? Ildri burst into relieved tears and hid her face. She did not know what had happened to her. She had never used to cry so much.

"Ildri. You've done very well, why don't you take the rest of the night off?"

Ildri watched as Abigail hopped up to Maxine and Ildri smiled with relief that at least something had finally happened.

* * * * *

Ildri and Maxine baked raspberry pie that evening. It was relaxing to not be forcing and straining to use her stubborn magic and to just do a task that she was good at.

When the pies were complete, Ildri sat with Allan and Maxine in front of the fire. Each of them ate a piece and drank a cool glass of water. Allan and Maxine chatted amiably. The change in them was most remarkable. Ildri felt happy for them as she listened passively.

"Any day now Lord Viersen's clerk will come to collect my taxes. It's usually a man named Notte, so if he comes you need not be suspicious of him," Maxine told Allan.

"Lord Viersen? I had heard that the old lord was killed by his son a while back? Surely your current Lord Viersen is not that murderer?"

Ildri could vaguely remember the rumors that had circulated about a year before, around the time that Anya had attempted to kill Lord Wildwood. She had not known the lord and had not been particularly interested at the time. Ildri watched as Maxine scowled softly.

"The current Lord Viersen is the oldest of three sons. It was the youngest that rumours talk about, but he did not do it."

Allan raised an eyebrow. "You know this for a fact?"

"I watched the young lords grow up, I know them and I know that the youngest would never have harmed his father."

"Yet you only see the clerk once a year," Allan pointed out dryly.

"I wasn't always a recluse," Maxine said in a plain tone.

"I didn't mean to insinuate..."

Maxine smiled, "I know. I know that you didn't."

Ildri suddenly felt very awkward sitting with the two of them. "I'm going to bed now," she said quickly as she stood up.

"You don't have to, Ildri," Maxine protested.

Ildri shook her head. "I'm tired, and I want to be well rested for tomorrow."

"Then goodnight, Ildri," Maxine said. Allan echoed her.

"Goodnight," Ildri agreed as she fled up the stairs.

Ildri closed the door to her room and leaned against it. It was only too obvious that Maxine and Allan were falling for each other. She was happy for them, she really was.

Yet for some reason it made her think of Ty. And time was not making it better. Time was only making the slim possibility that he was alive somewhere so much more unlikely.

Ildri walked across the room and sunk down onto her bed. She would do anything for Ty to be alive again.

Ildri drifted off into a sleep that brought images of Ty and a happier time that she had never had with him.

* * * * *

Ildri woke up early and stretched. She felt much better after a proper night's sleep. Everything looked better. She had actually, really managed to draw out some of the magic in her potion!

Ildri got up and quickly got ready for the day. Maxine was still sleeping and Allan was nowhere to be seen so Ildri made breakfast and left two plates out for them after eating her own. She wondered how late they had stayed up after she went to bed as she made her way out to the work shed.

Ildri stewed the ingredients for Dredil's tonic and tried to pull the magic. Her results were a bit different, the potion was clearer and thicker. She wondered if that was what it was supposed to be like. Ildri shrugged. She could ask Maxine when she came out.

She made the potion again, and it came out very much the same. Maxine had still not arrived so Ildri started again.

"Good morning, Ildri," Maxine said as she pushed open the door to the workshop.

"Good morning, Maxine."

"You've been industrious this morning, haven't you?" Maxine commented as she walked over and took a look at what Ildri was doing. "Very good. It seems that you've succeeded, twice now. Why don't you finish that one and then I'll get you started on something else?"

Ildri completed the potion and Maxine pulled the book containing Dredil's Tonic and flipped through to another page. "Try this one next," she said.

Smoke Juice

Simple recipe for defensive smoke cover.

Sedge leaves, crumbled 2 parts

Oak bark 1 part

Wendelroot juice 1 part

Thistle oil 1 part

Ocean salt water 3 parts

Mix all three ingredients together and allow to blend for one hour.

Draw magic from sedge leaves and oak bark and mix thoroughly. Draw magic from wendelroot juice and thistle oil and twist together.

Boil potion for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and strain liquid into storage containers. Solid portion may be discarded as desired. Potion will retain magical affects for up to 24 months if stored at room temperature and away from light.

Preparation time: 2 hours

"This is the potion that Ty used to save me from the Scelus army camp!" Ildri exclaimed, and then felt pain rush through her at the thought of Ty.

Maxine nodded. "I taught it to him." She smiled fondly at the thought. "Go ahead and start, everything you need is on the shelves."

There was a curt knock at the workroom door. "Yes?" Maxine called as she walked towards the door.

Allan poked his head in. "Good morning. Notte is here to see you."

"Thank you, Allan," Maxine said with a smile. Ildri shrugged. "You may as well come with me, Ildri. I usually invite him to lunch," she said as she made her way out of the workshop.

Ildri followed Maxine outside slowly and saw a tall, lean man standing beside a team of horses. "Mister Notte! How good to see you!" she called, and smiled charmingly.

"Good to see you as well, Miss Maxine. I look forward to this day all year," he said jovially, but Ildri could believe it. Ildri was used to it by now, but even in an old dress and work apron Maxine looked stunning.

"Please, come inside and make yourself comfortable and I'll get everything for you. Would you stay for lunch?"

"Thank you, Miss Maxine," he said and followed her inside. Ildri followed behind them at a distance.

Maxine settled Mister Notte in one of the comfortable chairs by the fire. "It seems you have company, Miss Maxine."

"Yes, of course. Please allow me to introduce you to my student, Ildri of Wildwood. Ildri, this is Mister Notte, Lord Viersen's clerk."

"Nice to meet you," Ildri said politely.

"Likewise," agreed the tall man.

Maxine continued. "The other gentleman here is Sir Allan of Wildwood. He accompanied Ildri for her protection."

"Yes, we met," agreed Mister Notte. "Rather serious fellow, isn't he?"

Maxine smiled. "He is at that. I'll be just a moment," she said as she whisked out of the room.

Mister Notte looked at Ildri. "So you're from Wildwood? What is it that you do there?"

"I'm a kitchen servant," Ildri said slowly.

"And however did you meet Miss Maxine? This is rather far removed from your home."

"I met her through a friend," Ildri replied simply. She really did not feel like explaining the entire story again to a stranger, nor was she supposed to.

"You're fortunate, then. Miss Maxine is very talented and she generates a lot of income for Lord Viersen. Very fortunate. She doesn't take many students. The last that I know of was Lord Tyson, and that was a few years ago now."

"Lord Tyson?" Ildri repeated dumbly.

"Yes, the Lord's youngest son. He was always a bit of a wastrel, although everyone adored him. He was a good lad. However, learning to be a warlock is just the sort of rebellious thing that he might have done."

"Now, Mister Notte, I trust you're not letting your prejudice show," Maxine said sweetly as she re-entered the room.

Mister Notte seemed startled and spoke quickly. "Now Miss Maxine, you know that I have nothing against witches and warlocks. My point was that Lord Tyson never much minded pushing the status quo. He was a bit of a rebel and was always much less restricted as the third son."

Maxine's smile still seemed a bit dangerous as she handed a leather folder containing a stack of papers and a cloth bag that clinked over to Mister Notte. He took them and shuffled through them before settling down to read.

Ildri shot a quizzical glance at Maxine. Maxine shook her head almost unnoticeably and pasted a kind smile on her face. Ildri supposed that Maxine was warning her not to talk about Ty, or rather, Tyson to the clerk. Ildri had not been planning even without the warning look. She remembered the king's warning.

Lord Tyson? So he was the son of the nobility, as impossibly high above her as was the sky. It was terrible. Even if he had survived, her ridiculous interest was as impossible as soaring above the trees. She sighed. Even if she was unworthy for him, she hoped that somehow he was still alive.

"Shall we begin preparing lunch?" Maxine asked Ildri in a chipper voice. Mister Notte seemed completely absorbed in the papers before him. Ildri nodded and walked to the kitchen as she thought about everything she suddenly knew.

It made sense. Ty had been hiding his identity. Was it to protect his family? Or was it because he really had killed his father? But Ty would not do that, he was on the king's side. Or had his father been a traitor and that was why they had a confrontation? She could not help speculating.

Lunch was prepared quickly. They used bits of chicken left over from supper to make sandwiches. Mister Notte put the papers and the bag to the side and ate heartily. Allan entered the room and joined them.

"Very good," he told them between bites. He glanced at Ildri, "I think I can taste your influence here, miss."

"I think I resent that," Maxine complained teasingly.

Ildri smiled a bit.

When Mister Notte finished eating he wiped his face on a napkin and sighed deeply.

"So, Mister Notte, tell us of the wide world beyond my home," Maxine prompted. "Mister Notte is a truly astute man when it comes to such things."

Mister Notte nodded and tried not to look too pleased with himself. Allan nodded as well. "I too believe that Mister Notte is a very astute man," Allan commented innocently.

Mister Notte's face reddened slightly, but he seemed to wish to pretend that Allan had said nothing. Allan leaned back in his chair and looked pleased with himself. Maxine looked slightly annoyed that Allan was interfering with what had likely been a ritual of many years.

He cleared his throat and began to speak. "Much has been happening that is of concern in the political front. Scelus becomes ever more threatening, I fear that they will attack at any time."

"Scelus has wanted more territory for some time now," Maxine agreed. "With their insatiable aggression it's hardly surprising."

"They seem poised to take it from us and they are not adverse to using stealth as well as honest warfare," Mister Notte said.

Allan spoke to Mister Notte dryly. "Of course they are not against stealth. They are not fools. Sometimes stealth is the way to go if you want to save your skin.

Mister Notte looked down his long frame at Allan, which was a feat as Allan was as tall as he, standing or sitting. "It's the only the way to go if one lacks honour."

"No doubt you've seen many battlefields in your years as a clerk so that you may properly tell whether your honour ideals are anything but dust and whimsy," Allan said in a dismissive tone.

Maxine scowled at Allan. "Allan, let Mister Notte finish. I want to hear what he has to say."

"But..."

"Thank you, Miss Maxine," Mister Notte said in a smugly prim voice.

Allan said nothing but slouched back in his chair. Ildri stared incredulously. If she did not know better she would think that Allan was pouting. Ildri would have thought it amusing if her head had not still been spinning about who Ty really was.

"So what else has happened?" Maxine prodded.

Mister Notte scratched the side of his head absently. "As you are no doubt aware, Lord Kent succeed his father and is now Duke Viersen. To the north, Duke Humphrey of Wellis died in his bed and was succeed by his son, Jeffrey. Oh, and her majesty gave birth to a healthy son."

"How nice for them," Maxine agreed with a smile. "Then the succession is secured."

"Assuming this war doesn't destroy everything we hold dear," Allan added.

Maxine nodded her agreement. Mister Notte continued. "Oh, and there have been two births at Viersen. One of the women died in the process unfortunately. Marjory."

"I remember when Marjory was just a little girl," Maxine sighed.

"And poor old Benjamin died one day in his field. It's told that he simply keeled over."

Maxine commented on the farmer's death but Ildri was no longer listening to their conversation. There were too many things in her mind, war and Ty. The two were linked inexplicitly together in her mind. Their meeting had rose out of the discord in the country, but it was that very discord that swept him away from her. Not that it mattered. The son of a duke. Why could he not have been the son of Benjamin the farmer or chef's nephew or any of the myriad of other people he could have been?

And she did not even know what he had thought about her. He probably did not care for her at all. Certainly he had saved her, but perhaps he had just been that way. He probably would have saved any overly loquacious girl who he had dragged into a mess.

And it did not matter anyway, because it was not likely that he still lived. Even if they had been trying to extract information from him, it was unlikely that Scelus would have spent months at the process. Poor Ty.

Poor Ildri. It seemed that misery was her destiny.