Over the course of the next few weeks, the news coming into Wildwood became gradually more optimistic. It seemed that some of the reluctant lords had finally rallied to the king's cause and the forces from Scelus were being pushed from the country. New moderate treaties were being negotiated with the new emperor of Scelus and the other surrounding countries.

Inside the country, the king seemed to have finally come out from the shadow of his father and was finally gaining some popularity with his own people. Disloyal lords were having their estates and titles stripped from them and those same estates and titles were being rewarded to more loyal subjects who had remained true when all had looked its darkest. It seemed that peace was returning to Edelland.

Ildri did not feel at all peaceful. Certainly she was glad that the war seemed to be over but personally she felt as confused and conflicted and generally miserable as ever. Everything seemed to be working out well for everyone. The lord and lady of the castle seemed utterly blissful, Anya and Jim had announced that they would be married to a chorus of gagging from Damani and sighing from Kallie. Maxine was getting along beautifully with Allan and had spied them holding hands while searching for potion ingredients in the forest.

It was really the last straw. Allan, holding hands? She could not think of a more depressing sight.

At least she was not the only miserable person in the castle. Ty seemed to be as foul tempered as she was, followed around by a glowering Farrel. She wondered if the same things that were annoying her were annoying him. Or if it was she who was annoying him?

On several occasions he had tried to breach the subject of how her feelings for him were irelevant without actually telling him and failing that she had avoided it. She was certain he had feelings for her; she was not so stupid that she could not see that, but he refused to see why it would not work. He was nothing but a stubborn ass! A stupid, stubborn ass!

A stupid, stubborn ass who she could not seem to get out of her mind. It was the most frustrating thing she ever had experienced, and she had grown up in a castle run by Missus White.

As if thinking about the woman had summoned her, Ildri turned down a hallway and saw the very woman standing before her.

"Ildri," said the woman and Ildri wondered what she was going to be yelled at about. Instead the housekeeper simply said mildly, "The king has arrived at the castle an hour past. I believe there will be a few announcements in the large hall shortly."

"Thank you," Ildri said and watched as the housekeeper walked away. The woman had been far more tolerable since her words with Maxine. Ildri made a mental note to ask Maxine what had happened. Perhaps the domineering woman had finally met her match. Ildri knew for a fact that the two had shared tea on at least two separate occasions since the incident.

Ildri made her way to the hall and stood at the back of the room. It was quite crowded and probably explained the rushing in the hallway she had barely noticed while brooding.

More people came in and Ildri was certain that everyone from Wildwood castle and all the surrounding lands were there to hear their king speak. It was likely a good sign.

And then the king began to speak of his gratitude to the loyal people of Wildwood and his grief at their losses and the rewards which would be given. He formally pardoned Anya and some of the crowd even cheered which actually surprised Ildri since she knew she had not been the only one angry. He also formally recognized and rewarded her actions as well as many other people. Jim was awarded a barony, and shock and mild horror was obvious on his face. She doubted he would ever grow accustomed to being called Lord Jim, she thought with amusement.

The king gave additional lands to Wildwood and announced that Wildwood was officially a barony. Lady Theresa did not look overly thrilled at the idea that her husband was going to have even more power and responsibility. He accepted with good grace, however and Lady Theresa smiled at him when he sat back down next to her.

A few more lands were awarded, and Ildri's ears perked up when Ty was called by his official name. She was not really surprised that he was being rewarded, as he had killed the leader of their enemies. Ty was made an earl in his own right and given lands about a day's ride north east of Wildwood.

Ildri made a list of other people who were acknowledged and rewarded financially, although thankfully she was not forced to go in front of everyone. She hoped that her parents would have been proud of her, just like Lord Wildwood said they would have been. At least, if they knew, they would not have to worry about her financially, anyway.

Finally the whole long ordeal ended with a feast and it seemed that everyone had quite forgotten their places in the world. She supposed that Lord Wildwood had always been relaxed on such things and it was good, she supposed.

"Ildri!" Ty's voice was insistent.

"Ty-Lord Tyson," she said quickly.

"Come and walk with me, Ildri," he said and it did not sound at all like a request.

She did not argue but simply let him take her by the arm. She ignored the delight she felt at the brief contact and tried to remember all the things that he had done wrong. It was just like him, always dragging her about.

When they were far from the revelry, Ildri broke the rather tense silence. "Congratulations on gaining an earldom."

"Thanks. I don't care about that," he said in a rather short tone.

Ildri was immediately irritated with his tone. She trudged after him in silence. Stupid, stupid man! "Stop dragging me around," she snapped, coming to an abrupt stop.

"I want to talk to you," he said, frowning.

"Then talk here. I want to go back to the party quickly," she lied. She could not have cared less about it at this point.

"I want some privacy," he said, looking rather menacing.

Ildri was not feeling even slightly intimidated by him. "No."

He sent her a dark look. "Fine. Have it your way. We'll talk here."

"Fine."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he said, watching her.

Ildri gritted her teeth. "Have a safe journey."

He looked really annoyed. "Come with me."

"No! You can't make me."

"But do you want to?"

"No, I don't! Your family—"

Ty looked especially annoyed with her and his voice was far louder than she felt that it needed to be. "When will finally get it through your silly little head that I don't care what my family says about what I do? Do you think I had their blessing when I learned to be a warlock?"

Silly head? Was that what he thought of her? She felt hurt and rage war inside her and mix into an odd sort of frustrated anger. She said, rather louder than she intended, "Just because you think I'm too silly to know what I want, doesn't mean you can push me around, Ty! And you should care what your family thinks! At least you have a family. Don't you know that they probably think you're dead!? They've been grieving you and you've let them!"

"I didn't mean that!" he growled back.

She did not even know what he meant. "You're being selfish! And you want me to come with you! Why? So that they can look at me and just see a stupid little commoner with a silly little head who isn't good enough for you because in case you can't remember you are the son of a duke and now an earl to boot and that is not the way that the world works!"

"You're not silly," he said, sounding strangely helpless.

"Why can't you see that I'm better off here at Wildwood?" she asked.

And suddenly he was angry again, his voice louder. "Better off at Wildwood with your insipid Lord Wildwood, who I might remind you, is married and has a child so—"

"What!?" Ildri gasped. "What does Lord Wildwood have to do with anything? And—"

"And stay where it is safe and you never have to take any chances and you'll never get hurt because you'd rather remain a coward! Is that it!?" he accused.

Ildri snarled back at him. "Of course that's it! And you can call me a coward if you want but I'm just being realistic! I don't want to take foolish risks."

"Enjoy your life of safety, then, Ildri!"

"Why should I take a chance with you just to get hurt!?"

"And what would make you think that I would hurt you?" he nearly yelled. "If I had wanted to hurt you I would have done it a long time ago!"

"Maybe the fact that you're shouting at me right now, you bloody, boorish knave! You think that I'm stupid—"

"I never said you were stupid, but you're clearly deaf!"

"No, you're the one who's deaf!" she snapped.

"Probably because you've been screaming at me!"

Ildri ground her teeth and felt like she was going to cry. She leaned against the cold stone wall of the hallway and closed her eyes.

She had to get away from him before he broke her. He always made things worse. She started to walk back down the hall towards her room.

"Don't worry, when I'm gone you'll be safe!" she heard his voice echo behind her.

As soon as she was out of sight she ran to her rooms and locked herself inside. Keziah was perched in the main room and rubbed her feathered cheek sympathetically up against Ildri's own.

Ildri cried for a while with only Keziah for company. When she wore that out she tried to distract herself, but it was a vain effort. What was the point when her mind always drifted back to the bloody idiot?

He would be leaving in the morning. Not that she cared! Of course, she cared greatly, but it did not change anything. It was better to never talk to him again, no matter what he thought.

And he thought her a coward? Well, he was right, but she was a pragmatic coward. She was no longer the naive fool she had been when he first whisked her away. She was certain now that happily ever after did not always come at the end of a story and peasants did not become princesses.

She wished that she could go back to the days when her greatest desire was to get married and stay at Wildwood forever. She could have found that, she was certain. Not with Saul, but with someone else. Someone grey and boring. Someone not Ty.