Wulfsen had been planning on assigning a guard to Sileas, he had just been worried she would not like the idea and was trying to figure out how to persuade her. He rubbed her back.

"I'll make sure you have guards." He promised, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you. I hate the thought of having to have a guard against my very best friend, but I have to think of the babe." It had never crossed her mind there might be other dangers, being married to the King's son and a lord anyway. "I wish Aunt Lia would have seen reason. I keep hearing her worry and fret over the rages, and now it's 'just a bad temper'."

"Hopefully she'l come to her senses." Wulfsen said, wrapping his arms around her.

"Preferably before anything bad happens," Sileas added. She closed her eyes tightly to fight back the threatening tears.

"Mr Buckley is a reasonable man." Wulfsen said.

Sileas nodded against him. "Yes, Uncle Aron is. But he rarely can get through to Aunt Lia either."

Wulfsen sighed and hugged Sileas.

Sileas hugged him tightly. "We should go take our places."

"Are you feeling up to it?" Wulfsen asked.

Sileas nodded. "I'm more angry and disgusted with Aunt Lia then anything else."

Wulfsen kissed Sileas behind the ear. "Last chance to hide in a tower until tomorrow."

"Are you kidding? I haven't eaten since breakfast in anticipation of this feast!"

Wulfsen grinned. "All right. let's go to dinner."

Sileas laughed and slipped her arm around him, tucking herself under his arm.

Wulfsen walked into the main hall.

Sileas followed until she spotted her family at one of the lower tables. She released Wulfsen and headed toward them, thinking she wouldn't be at the main table until she was Lady Thornblade.

Wulfsen blinked and followed Sileas. "We're sitting down here?"

"Aren't I supposed to?" Sileas was confused. "I didn't...I thought I wouldn't be at the main table until we were wed."

"You can sit wherever you want..." Wulfsen said. "But the planners had thought you would sit at the high table."

"Oh. Well, as long as know one thinks I'm overstepping..." Sileas' cheeks pinkened. So much for her to learn.

Wulfsen grinned and hugged her tightly. "If you want to sit somewhere else it's up to you."

"No, no, it's all right. I just have a lot to learn about what I'm to do and when."

"I should have let you know... are your parents expecting you to sit with them?" Wulfsen asked.

"I don't know, we didn't really discuss anything about it," Sileas admitted. "I just sort of assumed I was sitting there."

Wulfsen glanced towards her family's table. If they were looking forward to eating with her he did not want to deny that.