Ivy closed the door leaning against it. Something was changing. She could feel it, like something crawling under her skin. It wasn't helping as she listened to the rumors in the market about her husband. How blinded had she been? She closed her eyes shaking her head. Rumors were just rumors. It didn't make them true. It also didn't ease her doubt.

She crossed the room to the bed pausing to pick up a shirt from the floor. It was a young woman's blouse. The buttons were torn off as if the shirt was violently ripped open. Ivy clutched it in her hands angrily before glaring at herself in the mirror.

"Meredith was right. I was blinded by love. A mistake I won't make twice." Ivy promised as she threw the shirt on the bed. Adam wouldn't even touch her. His willing wife. But he would happily force women to bed him. 

She wandered into the washroom filling the basin with water as she washed her face. Her hair was neatly pulled back as she wore her comfortable casual dress. She hadn't wanted to draw attention to herself, though her red hair seemed to do it for her. People in the markets had been stopping her to look at her ears. 

They must have thought she was an elf. Though only her grandmother had been half elf, Ivy got most of the elven looks. Pale skin, red hair. Only her rounded ears and green eyes declared her the druid she truly was.

Ivy growled pulling her hair lose. She never wanted to be a druid! Everyone only wanted things from her. They never actually cared to give her anything. Adam killed Meredith so that he could be king. Not because he felt she could make a decent queen. She dipped her hair into the water, getting it wet and letting her natural curls take control. She shook out her head smiling when her hair puffed up like a fluffy coat of a sheep.

The odd energy inside her vibrated excitedly as she left the bathroom. If Adam was going to do whatever he wanted, then so was she. She didn't marry a fake to let him control her life or kingdom. Not that he could now. The mother tree had accepted another. Her brother had been found.

She frowned at the one bag in the room, dumping it out. Tanner had left his stuff behind making Ivy wonder if he had been involved and how. Maybe it wasn't Adam that had forced some girl. Though the gossiping streets of Welpion said otherwise. She couldn't trust him. All Adam knew how to do was lie.

Ivy shrugged digging through Tanner's clothes, pulling out a couple of pieces. She slid out of her dress, throwing on a cream-colored top. The sleeves stopped at her elbows, the bands holding them up. The tunic had a draw string through the slit down the front, making Ivy smile at the amount of skin she was showing.

She would never dare wear something like this in public. As a good girl. She giggled to herself before she decided the tunic was too baggy. She glanced at the closet wandering over and throwing it open.

"Either my husband likes to dress pretty, or he has a lot of women stay the night." Ivy mumbled going through the dresses. She found one with a green halter top corset that went over a brown dress. She opted out of the dress, taking the corset for herself. It was a little tight, pushing her breasts up, making them appear larger. 

Now, for either a skirt or pants. She shrugged digging through Tanners clothes. She found a dark brown pair that seemed nice enough. She hopped they fit as she slid them on. Her curves seemed to fill the pants in, almost making them skintight.

"Goodness, it's like he didn't have any meat on him." Ivy commented as she added a belt for decoration, letting it hang loosely off her hip. She slipped on her shoes pausing by the mirror one last time. She fluffed out her hair smiling pleased with her work. 

A soft knock on the door made her mood sour as she waltzed over and opened it. Kale paused to blush down at her making her bite her tongue to stall her remark.

"Adam was wondering if you are ready for travel. Did you nap well?" Kale asked. Ivy looked him over thoughtfully. It was slow and deliberate, causing Kale to shift on his feet nervously while she considered her answer. It helped he was good looking enough that there was a reason her eyes might linger.

"Are you?" Ivy asked opening the door and watching as Kale simply blinked at her. She pushed by him keeping her smile to herself. It had been a while since she noticed a man's gaze. She really had been too caught up with Adam.

She wandered down the stairs smiling when she spotted her bag. That's what this outfit needed. Jewelry. Ivy hummed to herself as she pulled out a few pieces to compare.

"Which one do you think matches best?" Ivy asked Kale as he frowned.

"Don't you think you should ask your husband?" Kale asked making Ivy blink at him. Adam was in the small bathroom changing, making Ivy glance once at the closed door.

"He doesn't care. Not like he will ever touch me. Besides I think a man like you who is well put together might have a better opinion than a man only wearing pants and blood. Wouldn't you agree?" Ivy asked showing him the choices again. Kale sighed wandering over to her.

"You are not quite what I expected. Go with the lace and gems. I think it matches the corset better." Kale told her softly as she looked at the pieces and nodded.

"I agree. Will you help me put it on? My hair is a mess." She asked handing him the necklace and turning around. She held up her hair as he gingerly fastened the necklace into place.

"Am I interrupting something?" Adam grumbled as Kale stepped back away from her.

"There would have to be something in order to interrupt it. I have the carriage ready to go out front." Kale told him as Adam growled.

"Oh, I think there could have been something given a bit more time." Ivy purred under her breath, making Kale stiffen as he blushed. Was she flirting with him? Infront of Adam? Almost an hour before she wanted nothing to do with him. Adam frowned unable to hear Ivy's latest remark. She jumped clapping her hands before turning around.

"So where are we going now? Will it be just the two of us or is your spy friend joining us? Are you going to bring another whore too just in case you can't hold back?" Ivy asked sweetly grabbing her bag and heading for the door.

"What are you talking about now?" Adam grumbled as he slid on his boots.

"Goodness. It's like you don't know anything about women. I will be in the carriage." Ivy grumbled rolling her eyes. She paused when Kale grabbed her bag.

"Let me get this for you. Something is wrong. You're shaking." Kale told her gently as she shrugged letting him take the bag. She wandered out of the room as Kale cast Adam a look.

"Do you have a plan to deal with her? She is no longer the love-sick puppy you have told me so much about." Kale asked as Adam got to his feet. He grabbed another bag off the floor thrusting it into Kales hands.

"That isn't your problem. She is my wife so remember your place." Adam growled as he stormed out. Kale huffed rolling his eyes, pausing when he considered Ivy. She had done the same thing when talking to Adam. He smiled softly to himself as he loaded the bags into the back of the carriage and climbed in, signaling the driver to move out. They rode through the city in silence, making Kale notice the tension between them.

"Perhaps we should play a game of wits?" Kale suggested pulling out the small table tucked up against the wall of the carriage and a game of tiles from his bag.

"I hate that game." Adam grumbled as Ivy moved to sit across from him.

"Is this why we never played it? I saw it around Salvino on my visits, but never thought to learn. Will you teach me?" Ivy asked as Kale nodded laying out the game board. Adam growled at them as they simply ignored him.

"So, where are we going for our next honeymoon vacation? Will it be just as brief?" Ivy asked as Adam frowned at her.

"Why do you care all of a sudden? I don't know what's up with this new attitude of yours, but I wish you would stop it. It's annoying." Adam growled making her smile and giggle. He glared at her as she pouted.

"You didn't like that attitude either? Goodness so hard to please. I guess it's a good thing. Now we can finally be honest with each other." Ivy grunted as she placed a tile cautiously.

"Oh? You weren't honest before?" Kale asked intrigued as Ivy smiled brightly.

"I was always honest. I truly loved him when I loved him. But things have been declining since he killed my mother. I still believed him when he said he wanted me. However, it's hard to believe someone wants you when they don't even desire you. Surely you can understand my problem when it's our honeymoon and I am the only woman he hasn't slept with. He even brought a whore as my lady in waiting. Seriously, such a crime really." Ivy pouted playing with the strings on her shirt as she fiddled with her tile. Kale shot Adam a look as he just simply looked bored.

"What makes you say that? I'm sure there are plenty of men would happily bed you in his place if Adam were preoccupied elsewhere." Kale told her. He grunted when Adam hit him.

"Don't encourage my wife." Adam growled as Kale simply hissed rubbing his shoulder.

"Seems like a waste to claim her as such when you don't even enjoy the benefits." Kale growled back annoyed. What was wrong with a little light flirting? Kale paused when Ivy reached across the table to pat his hand.

"He is a fool. Leave him be. Besides, he will probably be the one to kill me, like he killed my mother. Especially when he finds out I am no longer Queen." Ivy whispered making Kale look at her confused as Adam leaned forward in his seat.

"Excuse me?" Adam asked darkly. The carriage stopped abruptly making Adam hiss as his head began to throb. The door opened as the three off them watched the older man climb in, sitting across from Adam. The tree at the door growled softly as Hank rolled his eyes.

"Deirmus, please calm yourself." Hank grunted as Ivy stared at him in shock. He glared at Adam for a while before glancing at Kale. Once he had looked them over, he turned to his wild little sister. Apparently, she didn't quite need him to explain the situation. "Ivy, my sister. I have a lot to explain."

"Damn right you do! Why didn't you ever tell me you were my brother?! Do you know how hard I was crushing on you? Oh, the things I regret." Ivy huffed grabbing her face. She had assumed it was Meredith's son who had taken her place. The journal had led her to believe her older brother had died. Hank let out a small laugh as he nodded.

"Father made me promise never to tell you. Once I decided to marry Clair over assuming the throne, Father and I had a bit of a falling out. Though thanks to your worthless husband, I have been forced to accept my fate and claim the throne. I have bonded with the mother tree, which you could probably feel." Hank told her softly as she nodded.

"It has made me restless. And has opened my eyes to my flaws. As well as the flaws of others. I am not as blind as I once was." Ivy grunted. Hank nodded thoughtfully watching Adam squirm.

"Druids are all connected, no matter how far apart we travel, we can always find each other again. It is how I found you here. I have come to bring you home." Hank told her as Kale and Adam simply waited. Though Adam bit his lip realizing the Hounds had failed. Great, he was down a couple assassins. Ivy considered it before shaking her head.

"I can't explain it. But I feel like my destiny is with Adam. Even if he is a pig. I will stay." Ivy told their surprised faces. It was like someone was calling for her. Even the unclaimed forest to the south urged her to stay, as if somehow, she could save them from what was coming.

"He is more than just a pig." Hank growled as Ivy nodded. Hank shook his head at her stubbornness. Must run in the family. He glanced at the other men in the carriage before releasing a reluctant sigh.

"Alright. Stay if you must, but if you ever want to come home, simply call. The trees will give me your message and we will come for you. And remember, you are stronger whole. Stronger than Adam ever will be. Don't let him tell you otherwise." Hank huffed slipping out of the carriage. He paused to glance around the forest as they ignored him. They did not belong to Trayson and did not welcome him here. Though he could feel his power struggling as the mother tree called him home.

"Adam, if I do not see my sister again, I promise I will kill you myself." Hank growled as he shut the door.

"Why don't you just kill him now and be done with it? Drag your sister back home where she will be safe?" Deirmus asked as Hank sighed.

"Everyone must travel their own path in this life. I will not force someone to walk a different path because I think it is safe. Besides my sister is strong. Why not let her kill the man who hurt her herself?" Hank asked calling forth a root. Deirmus shrugged, stepping into the opening beside his king.

"Ijust hope she knows what she is doing." Hank growled as he closed the hole,traveling back to the mother tree through the roots.