Thain and Eberon's embrace on the field below was touching to watch. Schula reached out and held my hand while we looked down at it, and Spaulder even came up behind us and put a hand on each of our backs.

When Thain pointed up the hills to where we stood and waved us down, we began the walk to them.
"How many fae do you think are down there?" I wondered out loud.

"Many. I can feel them, even from here. There is quite a lot of activity down there, actually," Nassir answered.

"Hm. And just how many of them will be glad to see us?" Schula wondered out loud.

"The ones that want war will be glad," Nassir said. "The rest, who knows."

With little left to say on the matter, we finished walking in silence. Thain and Eberon were engrossed in a conversation the whole time, only occasionally looking our way. The closer we got, a few fae started coming toward Eberon. And then more, and then more.

"What's going on down there?" Schula asked.
"It would seem we are about to find out," Spaulder said, and we finished our walk down the hill and onto the flat grassy meadow.

Eberon turned to say something to the fae that had began to emerge from the treeline, and then he and Thain began making their way toward us. They met us at the fence, and Eberon opened it.

Schula! Wren, Nassir. And... who is this?" Eberon came out of the gate and gave Schula a tight hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in the air.

"This is, woah!" I giggled as Eberon then put Schula down and did the same to me, embracing me tightly and then finally letting me go.

"Let her speak, Eberon," Thain grumbled.

Schula snorted a laugh, barely hiding her smile with her hands as Thain eyed her.

She cleared her throat. "Anyway, Eb, this is Spaulder. We found him! We found our third."

"Spaulder wore a somewhat amused expression as he nodded his head toward Eberon.

"I have heard much about you, Eberon of the Autumn lands," Spaulder said.

Eberon straightened his appearance and faced Spaulder properly. His expression pleasant, but his eyes trying to calculate what exactly it is he was looking at.

"A pleasure, Spaulder. Welcome to my home. I'm impressed that the three of you found each other. All within a year, I might add."

Eberon smiled, but it was a bit forced. I glanced down and just caught him fidgeting with the black ring on his thumb. A pang of guilt hit my chest. He once had a whole triquetram too.

"So, what do we do now?" Schula asked, clapping her hands together. "Please say a bath. Or food. Or both."

Eberon chuckled and gestured to the curious fae waiting in the field. "Can someone prepare three rooms in the guest house? Or as many rooms as you can find. And dinner, and hot water."

A few of the fae broke off and headed into the trees, presumably to Eberon's estate beyond.

"We need to talk," Eberon said quickly as he walked us through the meadow and toward the people. "Your story has spread like wildfire. There are fae here who are for your cause and want to see justice done to DuVarick."

"That's good, isn't it?" I asked.

"Eberon, exactly what have you embellished?" Thain asked.

"Embellished?" Eberon paused, looking offended at Thain. "I've done no such thing!"

"Then why does it seem like you're briefing us to enter your estate?" Schula asked pointedly.

"That... okay. First of all, Schula, I've done wonders for your reputation," Eberon said. "And the fae here are expecting the outcast bastard of a mad king and her long lost triquetram orphan, the youth who somehow avoided the plague by being outside the Wyldes."

"Eberon," Schula said, exasperated.

"It's working!" Eberon said. "And, it's true, really."

"But you emphasized all the convenient parts. What do you expect us to do, play a role in front of everyone?" Schula asked.

"There is no role to play, just be yourselves. After all, we like you. They will too," Eberon insisted. "Aha, here we are."

Without my notice, we had walked through the field, past a few strategically grown trees that made a pleasant barrier, and to the main estate. It was beautiful. The building itself was lovely, but downplayed by the fields of horses grazing in the morning sun. A canvas canopy had been set up, and I could make out tables and chairs with people milling about. That must be for the summit. Further back there was an orchard on the hills to the north. It was...

"Gorgeous as always, Eb," Schula said. "But don't think we won't be having a discussion about this story you've spun."

"Master Eberon." A fae approached us, coming from the direction of a smaller building next to the estate house. "The rooms are nearly finished. We were unable to secure rooms on the same floors, but the two rooms we do have are the larger sized suite and a more intimate one."

"Wonderful work, but take a break. I will show our guests to their rooms," Eberon said.

The fae nodded. "The Palomino room and the Bay room are prepared then. I will take my leave and let you do as you wish."

The fae seemed stiff, but Eberon smiled fondly at him as he walked away, and Eberon steered us toward the guest house.

"The estate is packed right now. Nothing we can't handle for food and care, we pay our people well and we have plenty of them for the workload. But be aware of what you say in these walls, there are fae from other courts here," Eberon said.

I looked back at Nassir and Spaulder who had been mostly quiet since our arrival. Nassir seemed to be occupied petting Puko on his shoulder, and Spaulder was just looking around in cuirous observation. At least they seemed okay for now.

"Here we go," Eberon announced as we reached the front door of the guest house. "Through here, in you go. Now, this hall on the left is pretty much the entire Palomino suite. Just the one door at the end of the hall, but you'll see the inside for yourself."

Eberon opened a door and we all entered. The main room held comfortable seating and a desk, as well as a bookshelf filled with large looking books. A large portrait of a horse lazing under an apple tree took up much of one wall. Off the main room was a smaller bathroom, and two rooms with beds in them. One room with a large bed and one with a small one. Everything was so lavishly decorated that I was afraid to touch anything.

"Three of you should be very comfortable here," Eberon said. "I'm guessing the new triquetram? Thain and Nassir, I'll show you upstairs to the Bay room."

"Acrually," Schula said, and her grin shot a pang of fear through my heart. "I am fairly interested in keeping an eye on Nassir and Spaulder. I'm invested in making sure they know the ways of the Autumn court."

Spaulder snorted a laugh, and walked into one of the bedrooms to set down his things.

"Ah, yes," Nassir added. "Your guidance will be invaluble to me as another displaced Winter fae. Thank you, Schula."

"W-wait a minute," I protested, my eyes sliding over to Thain who's expression was unhelpfully blank.

"Now, Wren," Schula said. "We must learn to be away from each other, even if only a short distance like the floor above this one. We may be triquetram but we are still seperate people. Look at Eb and Thain, they can bare to be apart. We will spend plenty of time together during the day, this is just for tonight."

Nassir was trying and failing to hide his grin, Spaulder wasn't trying at all to hide his. Eberon was giving Thain a sly look, and Thain was acting like nothing was happeing.

I sighed, defeated. "Fine. Show us the room I guess."

"Very well," Eberon said and clapped his hands together. "Right this way, and you three can settle in."

"Thanks, Eb," Schula said as she waved us off. "Wren, I'll see you at lunch later."

"Schemer," I mumbled, blushing. Schula laughed and shut the door to the Palomino suite as we left.

Eberon took Thain and I up a staircase that was easliy found from the front door. At least I wasn't about to be lost. We went up to the second floor... but then up again. And again.

"I didn't think this place had four floors," I said. "We're so high up."

"Ah, yes. My appologies," Eberon said. "It's practically an attic, there isn't space up here for more than one suite. I'm afraid you two will have the floor to yourselves. I do hope that's alright."

My heart started beating faster. Were Thain and I the worst kept secret among our friends? They could at least pretend to let us stay quiet about this until we were ready.

So much for waiting for the war to be over.

"Here you are," Eberon said, opening a door to a rather nice room. "It may be an attic, but we did our best with it."

"Thank you, Eberon," Thain said. "I'll see you at lunch."

"Right, well then. You two get comfortable," Eberon gave me a wicked wink, and left the two of us alone as he closed the door behind him.

A quick look around told me there was one very large bed in the room, a lounging chair, and a small door that opened up to a bathroom. We would also be treated to windows in the ceiling that acted as skylights. A view of the stars while laying in bed.

My heart pounded as I slowly turned to face Thain. "U-um."

"I'll sleep on the chair," Thain said, sitting his bag down next to the chair in question. "Don't let them intimidate you into doing something you aren't ready to do."

I looked over to the bed, it was really quite big. Two people could easily fit on it and have more than enough space between them. I looked down at the bags in my hands, setting them on the floor gently.

"I don't want you to have to sleep on the chair," I said. "We slept next to each other on many a night camping. Th-this should be no different."

Thain sighed, giving me a small smile as he walked over to me. He put a hand on each of my shoulders and looked into my gray eyes with his shining silver ones.

"Wren, do not be so nervous. It's like seeing you for the first time again, timid and fearful. The Wren that came back to me from Eidelhein, across the desert, through the valley of the witches, that Wren is far more confident in herself than this."

My shoulders sank, and I sighed. "You're right. I don't know why I'm so nervous. This is all new to me."

Thain reached up and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "I know. And that's why you have nothing to fear from me. We'll do this when you want to. I meant it when I said we could wait until after the conflict is resolved. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's company in the mean time. We did get along before you left, I hope we can still get along now that you're back."

I let out a slow breath that turned into a laugh. "Right. It's just sleeping on a bed, it shouldn't be that hard. Besides, when my seal opened and my magic came pouring out I... I vowed to not be weak ever again. I've learned too much, worked too hard, to let something like this turn me into a bumbling mess."

"That's more like the Wren I know." He looked down at the pendant that I had now taken to wearing outside of my clothes. He gently picked it up, looking at it in his hand before setting it back down.

"Let's get you unpacked and you can take the first bath," he said.

I glanced at the attached bathing room. "Okay, I'll be quick. The sooner we both clean up, the sooner we can get something to eat."

"Deal," Thain said.

And with my nerves settled, we unpacked and cleaned up. I had far more intimidating things ahead of me than Thain, and I'm afraid this lunch would be one of them.