AKA "Upper Bailey", "Inner Ward" or "Upper Ward". The Inner Bailey has taller and thicker walls than the Outer Bailey.

Contains the Keep, the Main building (including the Main hall), the dormitories, the barracks, Stables, Smithy, and three wells. The Main Gate exists to the west- the road leads to Portside Road. The Inner Gate leads to the Outer Bailey.

Wulfsen sniffed the air. He turned to Sileas. "I smell food. If it's mealtime we will probably find your mother in the Main Hall."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:17, Sat 28 May 2016.

"Most likely," Sileas agreed.  Despite the meat pie she had eaten at Portside, her stomach rumbled loudly.

Wulfsen laughed and kissed her. "Someone is hungry."

"I am. And I need to spend time with Mama, I left at the worst time possible for her." Sileas' smile faded. "I should  have been here with her, and even worse, I caused Papa to leave her side when she needed him the most."

Liam walked quickly behind them, shouting "I wanna be a knight! I wanna be a knight! I wanna be a knight!"

"You were worried about your uncle, and keeping Lek from getting himself killed- that boy is not an adventurer." Wulfsen turned to Liam and grinned. "Do you? Well you have to work your way up. Start off as a page."

Sileas nodded, "I couldn't believe it when he just boarded Juniper's ship, he didn't even know her name. He was just going to go. Mama will understand....I hope." Sileas laughed at Liam's outburst.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 7):

Liam's nose wrinkled as he looked up at Wulfsen. "A page? Wassat? What d' they do huh?" Liam didn't care much about having a family but fighting, horse riding and wearing armor? He was definitely interested in that.

"The first step to becoming a knight." Wulfsen said. "You need to be trained to become a knight."

"I'll gets ta fight with swords and stuff?" Liam's eyes sparkled at the possiblity.

"Not until you learn and practice." Wulfsen said.

"I could still beat yer." Oscar knocked the smaller boy down.

Liam scowled and got to his feet. He glared at Oscar. "You don't be doing that once I've learned ta fight. Then I'll make ye sorry."

"Yer'll never make me sorry, yer runt." Oscar said and pushed Liam down again.

"Oscar!" Sileas exclaimed. "That is quite enough! One more move against Liam and you will be missing this meal," she stated.

Oscar bunched his bony hands into fists, considering it. "I've nicked food before."

He did not want to lose face in front of the other boy, but he had never gotten food that smelled as good as the scents wafting from the main building.

Sileas arched an eyebrow at Oscar. "Young men don't go around beating up people for no reason, especially when they are to be family."

"But I'm bloody well the chuffin' boss of 'im." Oscar argued.

"No, which ever knight he gets assigned to as page will be his boss. Liam has expressed his wishes for what he wants to do. And hitting someone does not make you the boss, it makes you a bully. A bully is never something to aspire to be. You should only fight when you absolutely have to, to defend your home, your family or your friends."

"I'm the boss because I'm bigger and stronger than 'im." Oscar insisted.

"If that is the qualifications, then I am your boss. And I am telling you, no more picking fights."

"Yer might be the boss of me but I'm still the bloody boss of 'im." Oscar was stiffening his shoulders.

"No, you aren't. And he'll be going with the knights and squires. You won't even be seeing him that much. And when you do, young man, you will be on your best of behaviors."

"I'm bloody well always the chuffin' best! Honest guv!" Oscar exclaimed.

"Then we will have to set about improving your behaviors. A young man does not act in such a manner."

"A bit of them do and worse. At least I didn't cut up 'is face wiv a broken bottle." Oscar made a violent motion in the air about level to his own face.

"Then a young gentleman doesn't act in such a manner. And just because others do doesn't make it right."

"I'm not a gentleman." Oscar said. "Can I go eat now?"

"No, not yet you're not a gentleman. Yes, let's go eat." Keeping Oscar in front of her, Sileas headed into the keep.

Lek stalked out into the Inner Bailey angry and confused. He spotted his cousins playing with Uncle Aron and lightened up a little. Aron would be the perfect person to talk to.

"Aron!" Lek called, running over to his uncle.

Aron looked up from playing with the little ones and smiled. "Hey Lek!"

"I need to talk to you about something." Lek said.

"Sounds serious. Let's go over here." He moved a few feet from the children so they couldn't overhear. But he wanted to make certain he could keep an eye on them.

Lek made up his mind not to tell Aron about what happened to Pinja, or that she was pregnant.

"You married Aunt Lia?" Lek realized that the question had an obvious answer after he said it. "I mean, she had Yehudit and you married her?"

"Of course. My heart was claimed by Lia and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Yehudit was an innocent in what happened, and totally adorable. I couldn't help but fall in love with her too."

"You married Aunt Lia right away, right? As soon as you knew?" Lek asked.

"As soon as I knew what? And no, she dug her heels in and kept refusing for a long time."

"Knew she had a baby." Lek said.

"I was proposing long before that. I campaigned harder once I learned of the baby. But because she kept refusing me, my answer would have to be no, I didn't marry her as soon as I knew."

"But you would have married her sooner if you could have." Lek said.

"Yes, I would have." He eyed his nephew quizzically. "Is there a specific reason for these questions?"

"No." Lek lied. "Didn't you have the dates faked or something saying you married her a year before Yehudit was born?"

Aron could feel something was up. What it was, he wasn't certain of. But..."How did you know that?"

"You always celebrate your anniversary around Yehudit's birthday and say you were married a year before she was born. But it's not true." Lek said. "You married Aunt Liadan after but nobody questions Yehudit's parentage."

"I would appreciate if you don't spread that around. It could get a lot of people in trouble, including a magistrate."

Lek's eyes widened.

"I'd never spread that around." Lek was hurt that Aron was worried he would ruin what Aron did for Aunt Lia and Yehudit.

"I didn't believe you would. I just know how sometimes things slip out during a casual conversation."

"I wouldn't tell anyone." Lek said, and continued. "It all worked, didn't it? If it wasn't for Galina coming so you had to tell us no one would have been the wiser. Even Yehudit could have never known you're not her father by blood. Aunt Lia doesn't regret marrying you, right?"

"You are correct, if Galina hadn't reared her ug--her head, no one would have known any of it." Aron thought for a moment. "To the best of my knowledge, Lia has never regretted our marriage."

"Maybe even wishes she married you sooner?" Lek asked.

"I don't know if I would go that far. You would have to ask your Aunt that question." He studied Lek. "Are you sure there's not a specific reason for these questions?"

"No reason." Lek lied again.

"Lek," Aron said, giving him the look he reserved for when one of his kids were lying to him.

"I just wanted to know." Lek said, edging away from his uncle. "Did you need flowers when you proposed to her?"

Aron barely managed to not laugh. "Your Aunt Lia could not care less about flowers. It is a nice touch though."

"But don't most girls like flowers?" Lek frowned. "And a ring?" He knew he could not afford a ring, but hopefully that would not matter.

"Yes, most girls like flowers. It doesn't have to be a ring, the bracelet Larrigan made for Sileas was spectacular. It could even be a necklace."

Lek was getting some ideas. He was good with his hands. He could make something. "Okay..."

"I still think you are up to something."

"I'm not doing anything bad." Lek said defensively.

"I didn't say you were doing anything bad."

"You proposed to her after Yehudit was born?" Lek asked.

"I had actually proposed several times before things happened. Your Aunt left the village and disappeared when she was carrying Yehudit, so I couldn't propose then."

"Why didn't she marry you before she left?" Lek asked.

"Well, you might not believe this but your Aunt Lia used to be fairly wild. She didn't think she would make a good wife or be a good mother to our children."

"She's crazy and weirdly overprotective of Yehudit... But I don't think she's bad." Lek said. "Why didn't she marry you when she found out she was pregnant?"

"Because of what she went through. She ran because she was frightened and probably ashamed. Women don't tend to like a man's attentions because they can have flashbacks and they have to learn to trust again. And no she's not a bad mother at all."

"If she felt that way then why did she marry you after Yehudit was born?" Lek asked.

"It wasn't right away and it took a lot of convincing of her."

"How did you convince her?" Lek asked.

Aron grinned. "I think I finally got on her nerves that she simply gave in. I had to make concessions though. I had to promise to not touch without getting permission, separate beds, keeping my distance. Things like that."

Lek blushed, but it explained why there was so much space between Yehudit and Ertzel's birthdays. "Oh, I see."

Aron tousled his hair. "All of your questions answered?"

"Were you alone with Aunt Liadan when she agreed to marry you?" Lek asked.

Aron thought about it. "Sort of. We were alone at our table at the inn."

"My mother and Aunt Brie weren't there?" Lek asked.

"They were probably in the dining room, but not at our table. I remember Papa watching us from a distance though."

"Do you think having them nearby helped?" Lek asked.

"Truthfully, it made me a little nervous."

"But what about her?" Lek asked. "Do you think she was more comfortable not being alone with you?"

"Probably," Aron admitted.

"Was she afraid to be alone with you?" Lek asked.

"I don't know that afraid was the word. She was uneasy and untrusting."

"But it was better if Mama or Aunt Brie were with her too." Lek said.

"Yes." Aron was growing suspicious again. His nephew was up to something, he just couldn't put his finger on what.

Lek smiled and nodded. "I think that's all."

"Glad I could help," Aron replied.

"Thank you." Lek said and headed for the garden. Aunt Liadan did not care about flowers but he thought Pinja would.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:56, Sun 26 June 2016.

Yehudit stalked towards the War Room. She was going to make sure Wulfsen didn't go breaking Sileas's heart.

Pinja walked towards the dormitory. It was a short walk between the main building and the dorm, but it felt like miles.

Aalyssa followed Pinja, every sense on high alert.

Four dozen rabbits raced by.

Pinja yelped and jumped closer to Aalyssa.

Wulfsen was halfway to the barracks when he came to his senses.
"What am I doing?" He dropped Sileas.

Still lost in their kiss, it was only when she was falling that Sileas realize he was dropping her. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck and held on until her feet were on the floor.

Wulfsen stared around him, surprised to be in the yard.

"I don't even remember leaving the hall." He said, blushing.

"I don't remember us leaving either," Sileas agreed.

Wulfsen hated that he let himself get so out of control. "What everyone must think of me now."

"Papa must have given up on me. He didn't even try to stop us apparently."

Bai's staff clicked on the ground.

"Well! I don't know how you two act in the privacy behind closed doors but I have a feeling you usually don't act like that in front of everybody."

Sileas blushed fiercely. "No, no we don't."

"I thought so." Bai said. "There was some, er, influences going on in the hall... perhaps from your cousin."

"I didn't notice anyone else being affected though," Sileas replied. "Shouldn't it have affected everyone?"

"Were you paying attention to anyone but Wulfsen in there?" Bai asked.

"I was paying attention to Papa. He was trying to keep us out of trouble, so I know he wasn't affected, or he would have been all over Mama."

"He wasn't being focused on... Or maybe you two are in need of finding your self control." Bai said.

"I...uhm...well..." There was little she could say. She and Wulfsen did have a problem with that.

Bai cocked an eyebrow at her.

Sileas blushed again and ducked behind Wulfsen's shoulder. "What?"

"Do you need an exorcism or a bucket of cold water?" Bai asked.

"Neither?" Sileas said from beind Wulfsen. She pressed her heated face against his back.

"I-I think I'm going to jump in the spring." Wulfsen said.

"Sileas!" Yehudit hobbled hurriedly towards Sileas. "You're not even trying to be discreet now! Are you trying to make me look stupid to your mother or something?!"

Sileas had started to reply to Wulfsen when her cousin came in. "How on earth is anything I do going to make you look stupid to Mama?"

"What you did with Larrigan on my watch." Yehudit scowled at Sileas. "Then now going to do what you were going to do with Wulfsen and making it obvious to everyone in the Hall."

Sileas frowned. "Mama's never expected you to keep me in line. And if she were to be angry with anyone about tonight, it would be Papa. He's the one that moved up there to keep his eye on me." She sighed. "I can't help if we...forgot ourselves."

Yehudit angrily hit the ground with her stick.

"You get married tomorrow! You can forget yourselves all you want tomorrow! Tonight you behave yourselves!" Yehudit tugged on Sileas's arm to pull her away from Wulfsen.

Sileas took a step back. The locket, tucked under the bodice of her dress, heated against her flesh. "You are right of course, and we were just getting ourselves back under control when you came in. Though I am not entirely certain that it is unusual for betrothed couples to behave in such a manner."

"It's not usual for them to be so obvious about it." Yehudit said. "You should hear some of the jokes going on in the hall. I left three guys laying on the floor holding themselves back there."

"They probably deserved it anyway. I am not sure what happened back there, we instantly became aware once we reached here, and stopped."

Wulfsen felt like kicking himself. That was not the kind of talk he wanted to be going on about his future wife.

"Maybe we should go back..." But the thought of facing so many people was daunting.

In reply to Sileas Spenser (msg # 121):

"I guess you only feel like it when you have an audience or are at risk of someone walking in or me breaking out of the cloak room." Yehudit said irritably.

The end of Bai's staff glowed as he summoned magic in case Yehudit became violent.

Sileas shook her head. "No, it wasn't like that. It was almost like...someone else was controlling me. This time. No one would have had to lock you in the cloak room if you would have bloody well gave me and Larrigan any time to ourselves."

"Excuses excuses." Yehudit sneered. "When I'm hiding in the bushes watching the knights train I control myself, even when they take their shirts off."

"Why in the world are you hiding in the bushes to watch the knights train? Every other single girl simply stands at the rails to watch."

Yehudit blushed but did not answer.

"You can control yourself."

"Didn't we just disprove that theory?" Sileas said uncomfortably.

"You're going to control yourselves because I'm not giving you any other choice." Yehudit said. "I'm separating you two."

"I fully intend to dance with my betrothed tonight," Sileas stated matter-of-factly.

"You can't be trusted to only dance." Yehudit shook her head.

"Does not matter. I will only dance with my betrothed this night."

"Dance and lock me in the cloak room!" Yehudit snapped irritably.

"If I must, I must. Tonight is part of our wedding celebration. I shall not spend the dance apart from my betrothed."

"You'll wind up canoodling in front of everyone!" Yehudit said.

"Not if whatever is making us act this way should stop influencing us,' Sileas said quietly.

"You're all hormonal." Yehudit said. "And Wulfsen has the hots for you."

"Perhaps. But we have managed to behave up until tonight. So why did we lose control tonight, if there is nothing in the air influencing us?"

"You're being stupid because your wedding is tomorrow." Yehudit said.

Sileas shook her head. "If that were true, we would have been sneaking off all day at every opportunity, and we were not. Everything was fine until tonight."

Yehudit scoffed. "You're just making up excuses."

Sileas glared at her, very tempted to ask just what she had been thinking about all evening.

"What are you mad at me for? Because I'm not letting you go at it like weasels?" Yehudit asked.

"I'm not mad," Sileas stated. "Other than being aggravated that you think you're in charge of me."

"Would you let me behave like this?" Yehudit asked.

"No, but you're not betrothed. The odd thing is, we were fine once we got out here in the bailey. Like a spell or something was lifted." She eyed her cousin.

"So you're only turned on in front of a crowd." Yehudit grimaced. "I didn't need to know that."

"No, that's not it. We were fine in the hall earlier as well."

"And what, got a few drinks in you?" Yehudit asked irritably. "Stop making excuses, no one was forcing you to make a fool out of yourself."

"I wasn't drinking anything stronger than milk. And no, probably not intentionally. But I suspect there was an unintended spell in the air tonight. Probably caused by someones thoughts, not knowing they were setting off a spell."

"What pervert did that?" Yehudit asked angrily.

"I wouldn't know until we question every one, especially since the person is probably unaware. Let's start with you, shall we? What were you thinking about while at the party?"

"What- you think it was me?!" Yehudit was clearly upset. "I was thinking about how I shouldn't be there because I would probably end up hurting or killing someone."

"I didn't say it was you. I said we'd have to ask everyone. I was just being curious. And even if it were you, you didn't harm or kill anyone. What else did you think of?"

"About the momzer I stabbed a couple hundred times." Yehudit said, still sounding upset. "I shouldn't have come."

"Nothing about shirtless guys?" Sileas turned to Bai. "We've got an actual magic user in the hall then."

"I don't think about shirtless guys all the time." Yehudit scowled.

In reply to Sileas Spenser (msg # 157):

Bai was unconvinced. Molech's children were not known for being honest.

"If someone competent was trying to cause trouble I think they would have done more than this."

Sileas thought of all the times Yehudit tried to see Larrigan shirtless. "Hmm." Then she turned to Bai. "Well I never said they were competent, did I? Or maybe they just wanted miscief and no harm."

"Most of the time the most likely culprit is the one responsible." Bai said.

"That's true. But based on the thoughts Yehudit admitted to, it doesn't seem likely it was her. Unless she's not telling me everything."

Yehudit bristled. "I'm not the one who keeps secrets."

"And what's that supposed to mean? What secret did I keep? That I made love with my betrothed?" Sileas shook her head. "It was no one's business."

"That was just one of them." Yehudit said.

Sileas narrowed her eyes. "All right then. Here's one secret I won't keep. I DO think you were thinking of shirtless men in the hall. I think you were imagining each one shirtless, and it affected the air in the hall. It might not have been intentional, but I do think you did it."

"I wasn't thinking about shirtless men in the hall!" Yehudit insisted. "I think you're just looking for excuses and are trying to blame me for misbehaving!"

"If you think that, if you think I keep secrets, you truly know nothing about me at all. I'm returning to the hall." She turned to Wulfsen. "Shall we go?"

Wulfsen was still blushing beat red. "Yes."

Yehudit threw herself between Sileas and Wulfsen. "And you must not know me either!"

Sileas stumbled backward. "I thought I did, but the Yehudit that I thought I knew would never lie to me. The Yehudit that I thought I knew would know I would not blame her for something she cannot control."

"I didn't do anything!" Yehudit said. "All I did was eat and tried not to hurt anyone."

"You have not listened to a word I said. I know it was not intentional. It just happened because of thoughts." Sileas sighed. "This is always the problem. You do not listen."

"I wasn't thinking about shirtless guys or anything like that!" Yehudit said. "I'm not a liar."

"Not even once? Even for the briefest of moments?"

"No!" Yehudit said angrily. "I was too afraid of killing someone to enjoy myself."

"I don't believe she's lying, Bai. There must be someone else."

Bai raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Would she know she is lying?"

"Surely she remembers what she thought of." Sileas was silent for a moment. "Is it possible there's a merman in the hall? They seem to know nothing else but those sorts of thoughts. And they know magic."

Bai shrugged. "Possible if one managed to get in and knows that sort of magic..."

"We do not even know if we caught all of them initially. So what do we do? Go back and act like nothing happened? If so, I need to stop by my room for a weapon. I don't think my small dagger I brought for eating is going to do much to stop one."

"You should be able to resist it now... I still think if someone was intentionally casting spells more would have happened than what did." Bai said.

"All right. Good. I think the intention was mischief, unless others were affected that we weren't aware of. I admit I wasn't paying that close of attention."

Yehudit grumbled under her breath. She was still very angry.

"Go on back to the hall, Yehudit. We'll be along shortly."

"I'm not leaving you unattended." Yehudit said sourly.

Sileas closed her eyes, hiding the tears that were forming. "Right now, I want everyone to leave me alone. I'm going to my room. Do. Not. Follow. Me." She turned on her heel and fled the bailey.

That never worked. Yehudit hobbled after Sileas.

Sileas heard the distinctive sound of Yehudit's walking stick striking the stone floor. She took off at a run, leaving Yehudit far behind her. She ducked outside and barred the door from the outside.

Yehudit's bad ankle was killing her and she could not keep up.

"Sileas!"

"We're there," Xavier replied, pointing out the obvious.

Yehudit flopped off the horse and on top of Xavier.

Not expecting it, Xavier toppled over. Ever the gentleman, he made certain Yehudit landed on top.

Yehudit sat on Xavier's throat. "You're not very good at catching people."

"Two seconds. You needed to wait two seconds for me to get you off safely," Xavier gasped it out.

"You waste a lot of time too." Yehudit rolled off of Xavier and unsteadily stood up, leaning on her stick. Her ankle throbbed.

"If you're all right from here, I'll go back out to look for Sileas."

"I can crawl to the hall from here." Yehudit said bravely.

"All right. I'll find her." DeVale swung himself up on Warrior and rode off.

"I was thinking that Pinja would feel safer if she knew how to defend herself... You should learn how to defend yourself too." Lek said. "I'm going to be going away with Wulfsen, and I'll probably be traveling with him a lot so I won't be around to protect her or you... what little protection I can offer." Lek patted his sword hilt which was more for show than for fighting with, he still had a lot of training to do.

"I wouldn't mind learning to defend myself," Millie admitted. "Difyr had mentioned that Sileas would be traveling with Wulfsen a lot, and someone would need to travel with her for clothing repair and the like, and she possibly could choose me to be her seamstress. Which would mean I would be traveling as well. And anything can happen out on the roads."

Lek nodded. "Pinja is probably too weak now, but you should find someone to teach you right away... Pinja would probably be more comfortable being taught by a woman."

"Oh, I know she would. Maybe Sileas when she returns from her honeymoon." Then her shoulder slumped. "I don't know of anyone to ask. Uncle Shawn is busy setting up the farm, and Papa and Uncle Aron wouldn't know any more than we do about defense."

"There are knights staying behind.... And maybe Aunt Lia." Lek said. "She grew up on the streets, she must have known how to defend herself to survive before she got to Buckley Village."

"But I don't know any of them, I wouldn't feel comfortable asking. I've never even been to the training area like the other girls in the keep."

Millie considered the other. "I don't know, I think Aunt Lia might frighten her."

"I'd rather Sileas taught Pinja... But you'r not afraid of Aunt Lia, are you?" Lek asked with a grin. "I know the knights, I usually train with Bruce, but he might get too rough." Lek thought of the colorful bruises hidden by his clothes.

"Not normally, no," Millie admitted. So much for her going to the training ground to watch Lek train. He obviously didn't want her there. "I suppose I can ask her."

"It might be good to train with the knights too." Lek said. "Anyone who attacks you will probably be bigger and stronger than Aunt Lia."

"Oooh, don't let her hear you say that," Millie giggled.

"I mean, I'm more worried about a man attacking you than I'm afraid of you being attacked by another woman." Lek said. "It would be better for you to practice fighting men... I don't know if Pinja would ever feel comfortable practice fighting a man."

"A woman could probably be stopped fairly easily with a pair of shears," Millie replied. "I suppose I could ask Uncle Shawn for an hour each day. Perhaps he'd be willing to give me that amount of time away from his work."

"If he won't all ask Bruce." Lek smiled. "Is there anything you'd like me to get you or Pinja while I'm away?" Lek hated that he was leaving his twin and Pinja.

Millie thought for a moment then shook her head. "I can't think of anything."

"Is there anything I could get Pinja that she wouldn't be... afraid of?" Lek asked.

"Hmm." Millie thought it over. "Maybe some fabric. Two bolts, and I can just ask which one she would like a dress from," she finally said.

"Okay." Lek said, wishing he could get Pinja something more personal.

"Please understand that it would need to be something that you would also get me, so I could just say it was extra or whatever, so that she wouldn't be frightened," Millie explained.

Lek's eyes brightened. "What would you like to have that Pinja would like too? Anything at all."

"Gosh, Lek, I don't know. Things that I might like would frighten her." Millie bit her lower lip. "Unusual fruits and pastries! Things that Mama has never made and we've never had here."

"Okay. If you think of anything else let me know." Lek said.

"I will, I promise."

Lek looked wistfully towards the dormitory. "I wish I could see her."

"I know you do. I wish she wasn't so frightened that she feels she can't trust you. But it's understandable, with what she's been through."

Lek's shoulder's slumped. "I'm not any closer than when she was first brought here, am I?"

Millie shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not. Lek..." she clasped her hands. "I know your heart is set on Pinja, but...I it pains me to watch you chase after something that's not going to happen. One of us should be happy. Perhaps  it's time you...try to move on."

Lek shook his head. "She's the only one I've ever felt this way about."

"I know." She glanced out the small window. "None of the girls who come to the training ground have caught your eye?"

Lek shook his head. "No, none of them."

Millie's shoulders slumped. "It's just not right that we should both end up alone."

"You'll find someone and get married and be happy." Lek insisted. "But me... If Pinja won't have me I don't want anyone else."

"You are the only person who even knows I'm alive. I've known for quite a while that marriage isn't in my future." Millie sighed. "You should be warned that Mistress Calm has set her mind on matching you with her granddaughter. I tried to dissuade her, but...she's not one to be dissuaded from anything once she makes up her mind."

"Eventually you'll meet a man who isn't blind and- what?!" Lek looked panicked. "I don't want anyone but Pinja."

"Perhaps, but I'd prefer to not hold my breath and start each day with a dream of it." Millie took his hand. "I tried to tell her that, I truly did. But since you're in knight training, you have been deemed a catch among matchmaking mothers it seems."

Lek blushed. "I'm barely even a page. There are actual knights they should be setting their caps for."

"I suppose it's because you're closer in age to them. Plus those who grew up with us know your personality and heart,"  Millie explained.

Lek shook his head. "I don't want them."

"All I can do is warn you," Millie replied. "Nothing I said would dissuade her."

"It's almost a good thing that I'm going away for a while." Lek said miserably.

"I suppose so, though somehow I don't think it will make any difference."

"There must be a way to let them know I'm not interested." Lek said.

"I haven't any idea. None of my ideas worked."

"It will probably be best if we leave you here, Lek." Difyr said, sympathetically patting the boy on the shoulder.

"Tell Pinja hi-" He sighed. "Are there any messages I can send that wouldn't frighten her?"

Millie shook her head sadly. "The very idea that it was a man who sent her a message..." she explained.

"There's really nothing I can do or even say." Lek looked like he would sink into the ground.

"I worry that she was far too injured mentally to ever get past it," Millie admitted. "That's the only reason I suggested moving on. I hate seeing you hurting."

"I wouldn't be happy with anyone else." Lek said.

"But you're not happy this way either," Millie said sadly.

"Would you be happy settling for someone you don't want?" Lek asked Millie.

"I suppose not."

"All I can do is hope she gets better." Lek said. "I hate not being able to help her."

"I feel almost as helpless," Millie admitted.

"All there is to do is wait." Difyr said. "At least Pinja still feels safe with you, Millie."

"And hopefully she continues to feel safe with me."

"I doubt you'll do anything to make her not trust you." Difyr said. "Though she really needs to be getting more fresh air and exercise..."

"I won't argue you that, she refused to go with me to the feast. I was kind of surprised to learn she left our room to come to the healing room."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:04, Thu 24 May 2018.

"Did she?" Difyr had not spoken to Aalyssa since she had gone to the feast. She had assumed that the elf had either gone to Pinja or had to see another patient. The healing room was the only other place that Pinja would go to, but she hated to travel between the buildings, especially alone.

"I saw two fairly empty plates that had remnants of fish in the healing room. I know that is Pinja's favorite food."

Difyr smiled slightly.

"It's good that she's eating. For so long it was a struggle for her to eat anything."

In reply to Difyr Bateman (msg # 259):

"I know," Millie said softly.

Lek perked up a little.

"Maybe I can bring her fish..."

"Would it survive the trip?" Millie chewed her lower lip. "We wouldn't be able to tell her it was from you."

"I was thinking about already dead, dried and salted fish." Lek said. "But now that you mention it... Does she like watching fish or just eating fish?"

"Oh." Fish wasn't one of Millie's favorites, so she knew little about it. "I am not sure how to answer that...there's not a lot of fish around here to watch, so I don't know."

"Oh." Lek said. "I guess I'll stick to dried fish."

"Probably a good idea."

"Let's go." Difyr said to Millie.

Millie nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lek."

"Bye." Lek sadly walked away.

Millie felt like crying for him.

Difyr went into the dormitory.

Millie followed.

Bai paced around the main building, casting wards and sprinkling dust every couple of steps. He wished there were not so many people going in and out.

Aron watched aimlessly, unsure of where to search for Bai. After a time, he spotted him. "Ah there you are, Bai. Do you have a minute?"

"With luck I have millions of minutes." Bai said distractedly. "Nearly all of them already being spent. What is it?"

"I see," Aron said, though he didn't really. "Lia and I were getting ready for the wedding, and I know you're in a hurry to get there, but..." Aron sighed. "Lia brought something else that I thought was worth mentioning. She fears this is the exact type of event that Galina would show up to distrupt. With so many people in one spot, it would be a disaster. I'm pretty certain we killed her a few years ago, but we've thought that before. So...with you knowing magic, I thought it was worth mentioning to you."

"Ah yes, minutes before the wedding begins is a wonderful time to be informed of a woman with demonic powers that hates your entire family because your sister fired her. I had better start setting wards now and not three hours ago." Bai yawned and tried to remember if he had gone through the finger motions at this particular spot two or three times. He muttered a curse, tossed a pinch of dust and started all over again. The dust was making his eyes itch. The fatigue did not help.

"My apologies, it took me a while to find you. You're a hard man to track down. I'm surprised Shawn or Brie didn't think of it, though."

"I didn't realize that sarcasm was a language exclusive to magic wielders." Bai lost count again. He was not used to having to channel magic for so long with so many distractions. Having been up late preparing and getting up early was not helping his concentration, or his mood. Sileas's actual marriage seemed a small thing compared to all the trouble involved in preventing trouble.

Aron blinked and pressed his lips together. "I'll let you to it then."

"Are you sure?" Bai made as if to hand his staff to the innkeeper. "If you can do a better job have at it."

"Oh, I am certain. I know nothing about what it is you."

"Are you sure? It can't be that hard. All it is is just tossing dust and doing these hand motions while saying the incantation in your head every three paces." Bai said, tossing the dust and quickly making the hand motions three times. "Even an innkeeper can do it."

"I am quite certain. I have no desire to dabble in magic, thank you. No matter how easy it might be."

"It's not like it takes a lifetime of study and discipline to master." Bai said.

Aron walked toward the door. "Have a good day, Bai."