Schula yawned, threading her arm through mine as we walked the streets of Thanantholl as it started to awaken. The sun filtered through the red and golden leaves on the giant maples above us. Drops of dew from a rain we must have missed while inside the palace scattered from the leaves and fell to the ground below. My old boots landed in shallow puddles with a light splash, our fine new battle armors having been removed and kept by Yaz and Heyra until the impending battle. 

"So where do you want to sleep tonight?" Schula asked. "Or... today."

Her yawn caused me to yawn. "I don't know. Somewhere with a bed. Are you going to your apartment?"

"Mm. Eventually. I want to go with you to see Spaulder and the others."

I nodded, too tired to add to the thought as we walked half-conscious to the quiet street of Thain's house.

Few were out and about yet, but homes were definitely waking up as fresh puffs of smoke could be seen coming from the chimneys being reignited for a new day. I was almost glad to not see anyone. If the greeting we got at the palace was any indication, I didn't want to deal with the whispers.

Schula perked up, causing me to look around and follow her lead. 

"Finally," she sighed as we stepped onto Thain's street. His house was already visible from where we walked. 

The familiar blue fence with a front garden of roses and vines welcomed us to the large three-story house. It sat between two gnarled oak trees, ensuring a space between Thain and his neighbors and giving him the privacy he typically desired.

"Caw!" 

I looked up to just see the balcony of the room I once called mine. Puko flapped down from it, landing in my outstretched arms. 

"Puko!" I said. "You've got cherry bits on you. Did Wairen already feed you?"

Instead of an answer, the fat black bird just snuggled into my arms.

"I think that's a yes." Schula giggled. 

We walked up to the blue door of the house, only for it to open before we reached it.

In the doorway stood Wairen. White bark with grey markings, a birch tree dryad. They were more masculine in appearance today as they nodded to us.

"Schula and Wren, you have been expected. Please, come in." Wairen moved aside, holding the door so we could come in.

I grinned and walked over to hug Wairen while juggling Puko in one arm. "Wairen! I've missed you."

"It is good to see you again," Wairen said, smiling slightly. "Master Thain was distraught after your leave of absence, he had taken to doubling his evening brandy before he went to watch the borders."

Schula snorted, covering her mouth with a hand. "Did he now?"

A chuckle inside the house caught my attention, and I looked over to see Spaulder in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. 

"Spaulder!" I said. "I'm sorry for how long that took."

"Welcome back, Wren." Spaulder rose from his chair and came over to hug me. "Schula, you too."

"I'm just glad to be done," Schula sighed. "Until tomorrow anyway."

"Tomorrow?" Spaulder asked.

I sighed, patting Puko's back softly as we stood in the entryway and talked. "Tomorrow we march for battle. Schula and I were outfitted with armor. I'm afraid we're going to be decorative baubles on either side of King Baeleon."

"And he wants to meet our third before the battle," Schula added. "I'm sorry, Spaulder. We can try to figure out how to get you out of it if you want."

But Spaulder shook his head. "No, I have recovered quite a bit since you freed me from my cave. I will meet this king."

Schula reached out to squeeze his hand. "If you're sure..."

"I am. Now, if we have a war to march to, I will want to get some sleep. And so should you," Spaulder said.

"Where are the others, asleep?" Schula asked.

Spaulder nodded. "I slept the moment I got a chance while the others waited up for you. I woke up and sent them to bed."

"Makes sense," Schula said. "I'm sorry they waited up for nothing. Bed though, that does sound good."

I yawned. "Schula, do you want to go back to your apartment?"

She shook her head. "Let's sleep here. Thain won't mind."

"Wairen, are there enough rooms for everyone here?" I asked.

"It's fine," Schula answered before Wairen could. "He has more than enough rooms. I for one want my own tonight. I want to sprawl out on a bed and kick my bedding and stretch my arms without hitting a rock or a tree or a person."

I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing, then cleared my throat. "Okay then, I understand."

"And a bath," she said.

I giggled. "We just had a bath a few hours ago."

"Still. My bath is great and all, and the palace ones are nice, but have you seen the baths here?" Schula asked in awe, already walking up the stairs. "His ancestors were brilliant. Stars, and if there is any of that citrus soap still here from before..."

Schula's words faded as she drifted toward one of the empty rooms, Wairen following her and hopefully keeping her from disturbing Nassir or Spaulder's rooms. 

Or mine.

"I wonder if I can use the same room as before," I said out loud, now walking up the stairs with Spaulder.

"I will be in this one." Spaulder stopped at a green door at the top of the stairs. "Goodnight, Wren."

"Night." I smiled as Spaulder disappeared into his doorway and I kept going until I was at the end of the hallway. A familiar red door greeted me, and I opened the door with tired relief.

It was just as I had left it. In fact, all of my things were here. A sleeping gown was laid on the red bedding, an inviting change from sleeping in my tunic. 

I opened my arms and let Puko flap himself to the open balcony where he settled in on a tree branch. 

Knowing exactly what I wanted to do first, I stripped off my travel-worn things and raced for the bathroom. Schula was right, and I had become utterly addicted to the ritual of bathing in hot water that only the Wyldes seemed to have made into a .uxurious experience. 

Just as I remembered it. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the perfumed oils and soaps that lingered in the room. The bathtub I could walk right down into, the wall with towels and bathing supplies. I walked right in and patted the head of the brass unicorn spout that would fill the tub with water. 

Turning it on, I sat down as low as I could to cover my body in the hot water the moment it was high enough. The roaring of the water in my ears was the only sound I could hear. Slowly, it filled up all the way and I could turn the spout off.

Sighing, I sank back and laid my head on the edge of the tub. So warm. So comfortable. 

So... tired.

And as the long night caught up with me, I fell asleep.

~

"Caw!"

I startled awake, my eyes flying open to the dimly lit bathroom. Half of the once-lit candles were now out and my bathwater was cold.

"Puko?" I mumbled, dragging myself out of the bath and grabbing a big towel. 

I peeked into my room and saw the problem. A big wind had blown through and drove Puko inside, but it also closed the door to the balcony so he couldn't get back out.

"Caw!" 

"Okay, shh! I'm coming." I tied the towel around my hair and slipped on the sleeping gown. Then, turning to Puko I picked him up, brushed off his feathers, and let him back out the door.

He took off for a higher tree branch the moment we stepped into the morning air. I sighed, watching him go and playing with the towel around my hair, drying myself off the best that I could.

"Good morning, Puko."

I froze. Thain?

Suddenly I was very aware of the pendant sitting on my skin. I never took the necklace off, not even in the bath, and today was no exception.

"Caw!" 

"Here, I think I have something for you."

Movement overhead caused me to look up behind me. Another balcony, a little smaller than mine, was above the door to my room. I pulled my towel off of my hair and tossed it back inside as quietly as I could, landing it over the back of a chair while I continued to listen.

"There. It's just breakfast leftovers. I hope you like bread," Thain said.

I smiled at the sounds of Puko eating. Thain was a hard fae to read, it warmed my heart that he would sneak Puko food when no one was looking. I sat down gently on the bench.

And then... I yawned.

I covered my mouth quickly, hoping to stop the sound, but movement overhead told me I was caught.

"Wren?" Thain asked.

My heart started pounding as though I had gotten caught sneaking around. I rubbed the back of my neck, looking upward.

"Yes," I admitted. "Oh, how did you know it was me?"

"Your balcony is the one under mine," he answered. 

"Ah, yeah. That makes sense." I blushed. "This is weird, talking and not seeing each other, isn't it?"

"Have you slept yet? I won't keep you. You must be exhausted," Thain said.

"Actually, I think I just took a pretty good nap in the... uh... bathtub," I said, the last part quieter than the first.

Thain laughed, a rare sound and one that made me smile.

"Hold on, I can't do this anymore." I stood up, walking to the edge of my balcony and looking up the old oak tree.

"Can't do what?" Thain asked, amusement plain in his voice.

The sleeping gown was plenty thick, and it covered enough of me that it didn't bother me to be seen in it. Not that being half-naked in Icehold hadn't cured me of most of my modesty already.

I put one foot on the rail of the balcony, lifting myself up until I could grab onto a solid tree branch.

"Wren?" Thain asked. "What is it you can't do?"

A grin spread across my face as I hoisted myself into the tree. Climbing higher was easier without boots on and my clothing wasn't weighing me down. Tree climbing is an essential skill to a woodcutter, and I hadn't gotten a chance in the last year to practice.

When I popped my head above the rails of Thain's balcony, his face was priceless. Eyes wide, lips parted, he was wearing a pair of breeches and nothing else.

"Oh!" I squeaked, startled as my foot slipped on the branch a bit.

"Careful!" Thain reached out and grabbed me around my shoulders.

"Thanks, I... I got it." I blushed, not looking him in the eye as I stood more solidly on the branch and climbed a little higher. Once I was able to swing a leg over the railing, Thian held me by my middle and helped me over.

Standing on his balcony, barefoot and in a sleeping gown, I was suddenly embarrassed.

"Sorry," I muttered. "I... um... I couldn't talk to someone I couldn't see any longer."

Thain laughed again, a short and sweet sound that made my heart race just to hear it. To see it on his face.

"Wren." Thian tucked a bit of hair behind my ear. "You've come so far, and at the same time, you really haven't changed at all."

"What does that mean?" I asked, blushing. 

He sighed, a smirk on his face that I'd never seen before. "It means, I like you just as you are. Even if you do keep surprising me."

I blushed, smiling at him when another yawn overtook me. Thain's face dropped all of it's previous merriment and he took on a more serious expression.

"You need to get to bed," he said.

I frowned. "And here I was hoping to talk to you a little longer. Has anyone filled you in on Baeleon's plans?"

"Baeleon did," Thain insisted. "Remember when he kept me behind? I already know we're marching out tomorrow."

"Oh," I said, biting my lower lip. "Well then... what if I said I just wanted to spend a little time with you while it was still quiet?"

He raised an eyebrow, the smile starting to creep onto his lips once more. "Now that is an answer I can work with."

He scooped me up, causing me to squeal in surprise. "Thain! What are you doing?"

"Shh, do you want to wake the whole house?" he asked. "I'm taking some advice Schula gave me recently."

He walked us into his room, and I had to hold onto his neck for balance. It was decorated as simply as I should have expected from Thain. Dark colors, a simple albeit large bed, an armchair, a small fireplace, and an open door to a bathroom not unlike mine on the floor below.

Thain laid me on the bed and pulled the armchair next to it. Sitting down, he leaned back comfortably. 

His bed was smooth and cool to the touch. If he had slept in it last night, it wasn't recently. His scent was all over the place, and I wondered when he last had anyone else in here.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now, we both get our way," Thain said. "You rest and make me happy, and you spend time with me and make us both happy."

"In your room?" I asked, feeling out his reaction to our new situation.

He leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"I worried about you, you know," Thain said, his voice low. "I trusted you and Schula to be fine, but I still wish I could have gone with you."

I nodded, yawning again.

He let out a soft laugh. "Wren, you're about to fall asleep."

"Mmm," I agreed. "Tell me something about yourself. An old story."

"Now?" Thain mused. 

"Yeah, now. While everything is still peaceful and we aren't marching into battle," I said. "While we can be alone for once, just enjoying each other's company."

Thain sighed, smiling. "Alright. I'll tell you about the first time I met Eberon..."

Thain told me a story about being sent on some mission when he felt a presence following him through the Wyldes. I think part of it was funny because I vaguely remember laughing at something. But in the end, Thain's low voice put me at ease.

Too much at ease, because soon enough I was asleep on his soft bed. Surrounded by his soothing voice and the scent of him on the pillow.

Completely unguarded in a way that rivaled being with my triquetram. A comfort that reminded me of a cabin in the mountains with a rough stone fireplace and two small beds.

It reminded me of home.

And I slept.