Darla frowned and inhaled deeply to scent unfamiliar smells but there was nothing. A tree was shedding its leaves as the wind blew. 

"What happened?" he asked, gazing at the same place.

She shook her head. "It's just the leaves," she replied, rubbing her arms with her hands. 

As if on reflex, Aidan extended his warmth to her. She chuckled. It was the first time she had chuckled in two weeks and it made him feel… exhilarated. 

"We should go back. Others must be waiting," she said. "Ileus doesn't want to stay at one place for a long time." 

He nodded and then rose to his feet. He extended his hand and she caught it to get up. Aidan picked up the bowl and together they walked to the camp. While on the way back, Darla stopped. She looked up at the sky and exhaled heavily. It was as if she wanted to purge her past with that exhale. Aidan watched her. When they started to walk again, his fingers brushed hers every now and then. This time she didn't move away. 

--- 

"I don't want to go anywhere sweetheart," Anastasia said and pouted. She patted the bed beside her and invited him to sit there. 

"What is it you want to do?" he asked while packing the saddlebag. Ever since he had met Aed Ruad in Ixoviya, he didn't want to stay at one place. If his estimate was correct, he must have already sent his spies to comb the forest. For that reason he would burst out in mist often to shield his group. When he didn't do that, the Mozias would make sure that they made the group invisible. When Aidan walked after Darla, he knew that the man was taking a risk of breaking the shield, but he didn't say anything because Aidan was capable of making himself and Darla invisible if need be. 

Anastasia sprawled on the bed and said, "I want to relax." 

Ileus stopped packing. He looked at her and his heart filled with misery. He sauntered to the bed and sat beside her. Her eyes traveled to him and she smiled. 

His wife was so beautiful. In a sad voice he said, "I am so sorry that I am unable to provide you the comfort a princess should possess, and I feel guilty about it everyday. But I promise you Anastasia that once this issue is sorted, I will give you the best." 

She gaped at him and got up. "Ileus, I—" 

He placed a finger on his lips. "If Haldir is unable to settle the matter, I don't care. I will take you to Draoidh. That's where you belong." 

She removed his finger and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I belong to wherever you are." 

His golden eyes glowed. He pulled her in his lap and hugged her tightly. "Gods, Anastasia, I missed you as hell." On the inside he was sure that if this matter didn't fade, he wouldn't make her suffer more. Every place was dangerous for them. Just that at this point of time, Yelgra seemed less risky. "We have to move from here because I am sure that Aed Ruad is already looking for us in Yelgra." 

--- 

They rode east towards Ixoviya under the leaves that shimmered below a sky that was a canvas of blue and white. Ileus was holding the reins of Lovac and his hands rested on her thighs. 

The group had increased and even though Ileus wanted all of them to stay together, Kaizan had urged that two people ride the path to Ixoviya and look if there was any danger ahead. With so many more, their cavalcade looked regal, if nothing less. The two people who rode ahead were Aidan and Darla. Anastasia found Darla to be excited around Aidan. Even though she tried her best to conceal her feelings, Darla was failing miserably. But this was a good start and Anastasia felt… comforted. When Aidan volunteered to go ahead, Anastasia was surprised that Darla supported him. 

They crossed several rolling hills that were dotted heavily with golden trees. The forest gave way to a vast expanse of grass fields with various hued flowers poking their faces out of it every now and then. 

Though everyone rode, Kaizan and two other vokudlaks decided to tread in their wolf form. Seashell treaded behind them. "Why are they doing it?" asked Anastasia, bewildered seeing the giant brown and gray werewolves. They looked… cute. The three would race and sprawl on the ground, then rub their furs on the grass and generally… bonded. 

"Kaizan had been wanting to do this ever since the other two arrived. It seems his wolf wanted to come out and relax. There was a lot of concern over your disappearance and now everyone is just… placid." 

She leaned back and let herself loose against his broad chest. Through his open buttons of the shirt, his medallion grazed the back of her head. She knew that he had put it even more securely around his neck. "I thought that you could take that medallion out only if you wanted to," she said while looking at the vokudlaks who were chasing rabbits. She didn't know this side of the ferocious werewolf, Kaizan. It brought a smile to her face. One of them ran towards Lovac who neighed angrily at him. Anastasia couldn't stop laughing.

Ileus kissed her temple and rested his chin over hers. "When you held the medallion, you looked at me as if you were holding it for support. I should have been your support and not the medallion. I let it break to grab you and pick you up, but the instant it broke, magic unfurled and it blasted you back in time." His Adam's apple moved up and down. "I won't let that happen ever again." He kissed her again. 

Anastasia fell silent. She knew that Ileus had blamed himself for what happened to her all the time. He would fall silent in the middle of a conversation. "You have to stop blaming yourself," she said. 

He didn't answer. His silence only made her agitated. Slowly, he was becoming gloomy for not being able to protect his mate. 

Kaizan and other vokudlaks had shifted back and were now riding behind them. They continued to ride through the fields, hills and dense woods until night. They settled in a clearing where the men immediately engaged themselves in erecting tents and putting up the fire. 

"Can I talk to you in private Ileus?" she said when everyone else dismounted. She really had to stop him from blaming himself. 

He frowned. "Why?" 

"Can we?" she urged. 

"It is night and not safe Anastasia." He dismounted and then helped her to dismount. 

Her anguish only increased. It was at night when not able to bear it anymore, she walked out of the tent and into the thicket of trees. 

"Anastasia!" He called her immediately, running after her. 

She knew he would come after her. She spun and said, "We need to talk." She lost balance and fell.

He grabbed her waist and twisted in the air to take the impact of the fall. They landed on the ground with her on him. He rolled her beneath him and pinned her body. "Why do you always have to put yourself in dangerous situations?" he chided her with irritation. "It's not safe!"

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