The fabric of my dress swirled around my legs in a satisfying swish. It brought back memories of things Schula had me wear in Thanantholl. Feelings I hadn't had in months. Places and dinners and music that just might bring me to tears if I dwelled on them for too long.

Things I wanted in my life again.

But for all the stress ahead of me, I enjoyed walking side by side with Thain. The trees of the orchards rustled and played in the wind as we followed the path under them.

"Thain!" Eberon was walking toward us, adjusting the wrist buttons on his fine white shirt. "Wren. There you two are."

"Yes, we're here," Thian said. "Is it time?"

Eberon raised an eyebrow, looking us up and down as we met with him and started walking back to the main buildings with him. "I see my mother got her claws into you."

I took a fistful of the skirts in each hand and fanned out the fabric I was wearing. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, it's lovely, Wren," Eberon answered politely. "It's Thain I'm more worried about. I hope my mother was... appropriate, at all times?"

Thain chuckled darkly. "She was as well behaved as always."

Eberon rolled his eyes. "I wish I could say I'm surprised."

I tried to hide my smile behind a cough. "Um, Eberon, where is this lunch being held?"

"Ah, right," he said. "Did you see the pavilion tents set up across from the front garden? We have a simple meal laid out right now, all things considered. But the meal won't really be the focus today. I'm sure we're in for quite a few questions."

I sighed. "I hoped you wouldn't say that."

"What hesitations do they even still have?" Thain asked.

"You know how the lords can be," Eberon said. "You would think the testimonies of Thain and Eberon of Baeleon's chosen court would be enough, but they still demand more. Ah, here we are."

In front of the main house and surrounded by artfully grown beds of zinnias stood a bold red canvas pavilion. Under the shade, I could see tables laden with a feast. Hardly the simple meal Eberon had promised. Tables were set up in two long rows that faced each other. The perfect setup for debating, and already half-filled with curious fae who watched our approach as they whispered to each other.

"I should have kept my black shirt," Thain muttered under his breath.

"I'm sure Mother would have been happy to remove it herself if you'd tried," Eberon sighed. "Let's get you two seated and I'll find the others."

Looking around, I didn't see Schula, Spaulder, or Nassir yet. My mouth dried. I didn't like crowds anyway, and I definitely wasn't looking forward to answering to one by myself.

Thain leaned down, murmuring in my ear. "I'm right here with you."

"Thank you," I breathed, and we took our first steps under the shade of the pavilion.

Eyes of all kinds were on us. Appearances that, for the most part, displayed the full bloom of the Autumn court. A few curious Spring court fae were present, and only a couple of Summer ones. After meeting Aithne and hearing her court's perspective on the matter, I wasn't surprised.

Eberon went first, walking directly for an area of empty seats that were watched over by a sleight, whispy sprite in the coattails of the estate's servants. She pulled three chairs out for us to use and once we were seated she asked our preference for the food available and hurried off to get us plates.

"You two stay here," Eberon said. "I'm going to find the rest of our little party and we can get the inevitable discussions started."

Thain nodded, and Eberon left.

I sat stiffly next to Thain. My eyes roamed the shady area. Under different circumstances, it would be pretty. A very festive place for a party.

Lady Yevaron sat in the row of tables opposite to ours, a flock of well-dressed court ladies arranged around her like a bouquet of lilies in a vase. Many of them held fans as Yevaron did, but none of them moved with them in quite the same way as the lady of the estate. It was pretty clear they were gossiping about our arrival, but I had a feeling Lady Yevaron was spinning our tale in a favorable light.

A small commotion turned the heads away from us for a moment. I followed the gazes around us and spotted four familiar shapes, Eberon leading the pack.

Schula sparkled in the sun before slipping beneath the shade of the canopy. Her dress as white as her skin, and a blazing reminder of her Winter heritage.

"Oh," I whispered. "Clever."

"Lady Yevaron has not been alive this long for no reason," Thain mused next to me. "She knows exactly what she's doing."

Next was Nassir. If any recognized him from his days in DuVarick's court so long ago, they didn't show it. He wore a very similar shirt and pants to Thain, but in shades of silver and white. He looked handsome, much different from his typical choice of simple clothing. But it was clear from how he carried the outfit that he had plenty of experience at court.

Last was Spaulder. His outfit was largely unchanged from what he was wearing just this morning. The loose pants of Sulls and the pale yellow tunic he had chosen himself from the tailor's shop on market street. Two small additions were made in the form of a decorative hip sash that complimented the rest of his clothes, and a matching ribbon to tie back his locs.

Eberon lead the group to where Thain and I already sat. The same sprite who had seated us was just returning from the long table laden with food at the far side of the pavilion. She placed two heaping plates in front of us and then began the process all over again for the new arrivals.

"Well," Schula sighed as she sat next to me. "At least I'm dressed for this momentous occasion."

I giggled. "All of us are."

"Hm, some more than others," Schula teased, winking at Spaulder who kept his face blank as he stared out over the pavilion. But the two of us could sense his amusement as the gentlest of rumbles came from his chest.

Eberon sat on Thain's other side, and Nassir on Spaulder's. After a moment, the sprite returned with yet more food and we were all served our meals.

I looked down at my plate. Jam biscuits, cheese tarts, a cup of soup, and the leg of some kind of fowl filled my plate to the brim. My stomach growled, and I reflected on the last time I was able to taste the food of the Autumn court.

"Ahh, now that's what I've been looking for!" Schula squealed next to me. I glanced over to see the sprite that was serving us pouring wine into Schula's glass, a grin on both their faces. Schula's infectious happiness spread to the rest of us as our glasses were filled as well.

"Thank you, Vella," Eberon said as the sprite filled his cup last. She nodded and walked off, looking for others who hadn't been served yet.

"Well," Eberon said to the rest of us once we were left alone. "Eat while you can, I'm sure the questions will begin soon enough, and we can appease the lords and ladies."

I was happy to dig in. I tried to soup first, a robust flavor blossoming on my tongue as I tasted tomato and herbs.

Similarly, Schula looked pleased to be tasting her plate, and Spaulder ate each bite curiously. Nassir appreciated every bite, even now so many months after his escape.

"Why exactly must you appease these lords and ladies?" Spaulder asked. "Is the decision of your king not all that is needed?"

"If only," Eberon snorted. "No, we'll make our case with Baeleon soon enough, though he's already on our side and running into skrimishes with the Winter court in the unclaimed Wyldes between the lands. It will take little for him to call an all-out war, but the support of his more powerful lords and ladies will mean quite a lot. Without their support, there is not much of an army to raise."

"Hmm. The politics of fae are more intricate than of my people," Spaulder murmured.

Eberon eyed the dragon with interest. "And who are your people, Spaulder?"

Schula nearly choked on her food, giggling.

"My people are gone now," Spaulder said simply. "And that is all I will speak on the matter."

That ended the conversation quickly. Even curious Eberon didn't pry further, and we went back to our meal.

I made it through my soup and half of a cheese tart before the conversation began.

The clinking of a spoon on the stem of a glass goblet caught our attention. I looked up from my plate to see a rust-colored fae with thorns growing around his temples. He was standing, glass in one hand and spoon in the other, looking at our table.

"I would like to be the first to say that I am pleased to see the return of Schula and Wren to the Wyldes," he started.

Several fae around him nodded approval, a few even clapped.

"However-" he continued. "I do have a few concerns that were not answered by the conversations we've been having these past weeks."

More nods.

Eberon sighed, standing as the new fae was standing. "Lord Gand, I hear your concerns, but our guests have only just arrived. I had hoped for a meal before we began the conversation again. They must be exhausted."

"Ah, but what is a meal among peers if not for conversation?" Lord Gand asked. "I believe I speak the feelings of many of us when I ask the lady Schula for her perspective in all this. And the youth Wren."

I frowned. The youth. A name I thought I left behind after breaking out of Icehold. Was that how Thanantholl still saw me?

"Lord Gand..." Eberon said.

"No," Schula told him quietly, standing up next to me. "If that's what they want, I'll speak."

"Are you sure?" Eberon hissed. "I can end this."

Schula shook her head, smoothing out her skirts as she stood tall. "It is inevitable to have questions, and I will do my best to answer. What is it you want to know, Lord Gand?"

The lord looked pleased, inclining his head to Schula as he set his goblet and spoon back down. "Thank you for your cooperation. I do have a few unanswered questions, as Lord Eberon was not present within Icehold to witness everything first hand. He has stated that you were each imprisoned within Icehold, and yet you did not know you were triquetram until that time. How is it possible that you did not see Wren for what she is to you until that time?"

Schula winced, looking down at me with an apologetic expression. I shook my head and stood up, holding her icy white hand in mine.

"I think I can answer this one," I said. "Lord Gand, my upbringing among the humans was a very different one than what could be expected here in the Wyldes. There, magic is... dangerous. And looked at very differently. When I was a baby, a witch sealed my powers within until such time as I could control them. My powers, and much more of what I am, was sealed away when Schula met me. It was not until the seal was broken in the Winter lands that we were drawn to each other through our bond."

Murmurs of speculation made their way around the tables. Lady Yevaron fanned herself, watching us with sympathetic eyes as the ladies around her mimicked the emotion.

"A witch? So it's true," Lord Gand said. "I had hoped it wasn't. My next question is for you, Wren. Are you in fact a witch?"

I nodded gravely. "As it turns out, I am."

Shock and suspicion immediately rounded the room.

"I only just found out this year," I added, but my voice was growing out quickly among the chatter.

Schula squealed my hand tighter as a Lady stood in another part of the pavilion.

"I will not sit here and pretend I cannot see her plainly," the new female said and heads turned her way. "Young one, explain your ears!"

I swallowed, taking a calm breath. "I am, apparently, half-elf as well."

Several gasps followed my claim.

"This is preposterous," the lady exclaimed. "How could none know before now?"

"Settle down," Eberon stood, his voice loud and firm. "The circumstances around Wren's birth mean little when she herself did not even know the elves existed. Do not disregard that our king himself welcomed her into Thanantholl!"

That shut some of them up.

"That may be so," Lord Gand said. "But I still have questions. Did King Baeleon know at the time of welcoming her what she truly was?"

Eberon frowned. "Wren herself did not know yet! How could Baeleon?"

"But her ears," insisted another fae.

Soon it felt like the whole tent was squabbling. Schula sat, exhausted, and I sat down as well.

"I had hoped we would make it a little longer before reaching this point," she drawled.

Thain stood, slamming his hands on the table and jarring many of the arguing fae into momentary silence.

"Unknown heritage aside, DuVarick took it into his own hands to host a personal vendetta against them both. Shula, like it or not, is one of us. She has served the same king we serve for centuries now. If any of you can argue her allegiance, speak up."

The tent fell quiet. Thain sat back down in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"As my replacement triquetram, Schula has demonstrated skill and prowess in her abilities that have protected our borders from unspeakable, nasty things of the unclaimed Wyldes. Wren, who is just finding out who she truly is, became one of us very quickly. I cannot denounce either of them now, and if you can, then I question your loyalties."

Quiet. Some of the fae who had been standing now returned to their seats. Staring wide-eyes at Baeleon's champion, but Thain provided no more words.

"I think I speak for many of us," Lady Yevaron said, "when I say that my concerns lie not with Schula and Wren's heritage, but with DuVarick's behavior."

This time, the agreement began with the ladies adorning Yevaron's table and ripples outward.

"It's true, he hasn't been seen outside his own court in centuries," a tall, grizzled male spoke up. "For all we know he has gone mad."

"But the only evidence we have is the word of the supposed victims," Lord Gand said. "I have faith that they speak the truth, particularly if they have Thainalan's backing..."

I didn't miss the fact that Lord Gand's eyes drifted to the pendant on my throat.

"...but it's still not enough proof. I cannot lead my people to battle on trust alone."

Agreement from the fae present.

Eberon sighed, running his fingers through his previously perfect hair. "Look, we cannot allow DuVarick to sleight one of our people. Two, of our people. No matter how you feel about them, where does he draw the line? If it's okay to throw them to the wolves, who's next? Us? Other fae of the court?"

"I still can't condone-" Lord Gand was cut off.

"He's here!" Nassir shot out of his chair, panic on his face.

Spaulder rose from his seat, his eyes darting to the west.

"Who's here?" Lord Gand demanded.

Nassir turned to me, Schula, Thain, and Eberon.

"My triquetram draws close," Nassir said. "DuVarick is here."

Not a moment later, a blast of some kind struck the gardens just by the pavilion. Debris flew under the awning, covering many of us with dirt. Fae screamed and scrambled away as more magic was flung onto the beautiful yard of the estate.

The Winter court was here, and they were ready to fight.