Ilia flushed. Really, Luna and Moe were acting like a bunch of hormone crazed youths! She was an Aes Sedai of<span style="font-style: italic">considerable</span>age and he a Warder! Of course, they were most likely in the privacy of their own rooms...and she<span style="font-style: italic">had</span>attempted to contact the older woman out of the blue. "Goodness." Ilia stood and shook her head. She needed to prepare for the evening and did so by gathering a few servants and had a table brought and chairs brought in, and a few things sent to the kitchens.<br/><br/>With dinner ordered, Ilia looked at her bed. It still had a pile of dresses strewn about as well as half empty saddle bags. So, she set to work packing the rest of her things. Her mind wondered to earlier events. Why had Shadow been acting so suspicious? Hiding a horse bite? He hadn't been very forthcoming with her and she didn't like that. A knock at her door drew her attention and Ilia went to answer it. There was a servant with a bundle wrapped in brown paper. "A package, Aes Sedai." The man bowed as Ilia took it before leaving to perform his other duties.<br/><br/>Ilia closed her door and took the package to the table that sat in an empty corner of her room. She really needed to get more furniture to fill the empty spaces. Inside the package was the green Warder's cloak that Ilia had requested. Thank the light it arrived before her guests had! Ilia hoped that when the time was right, she'd be able to surprise Shadow with his cloak. In her mind's eye she imagined him in awe, wondering how she had gotten a Warder's cloak so far away from the tower. She, of course, would say nothing, adding to her Aes Sedai mystery. That was silly! Ilia was horrible at maintaining Aes Sedai serenity, let alone<span style="font-style: italic">mystery</span>. Ilia put the cloak at the bottom of one of the saddlebags.<br/><br/>With the arrival of dinner: a pitcher of wine, roasted chicken, honey rolls, a few collared greens, and candied fruit, Ilia decided it was time to change for dinner. Knowing Luna's...eccentricity, Ilia assumed she would dress to the nines, but on the off chance that she did not, Ilia chose to don a simple plum colored silk gown with a high neck and the shoulders cut out. She placed a thin, silver belt around her waist, and the locketed orb around her neck, and simply combed her soft curls. She didn't really feel like putting her hair up.<br/><br/>____<br/><br/>Ilia opened her door to find Luna and Moe. She accepted Luna's embrace and compliment with a bright "Thank you!" While leading them to the table for Moe to set down the gift basket. Ilia couldn't help but feel under dressed at the sight of Luna and, quite honestly, she felt a little self-conscious.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"You said four? is someone else coming?" </span><br/><br/>"Oh, yes. Shadow should be here any mome-" Ilia's words stopped short as she clamped her mouth shut at the sight of Shadow waltzing through the door.<span style="font-style: italic">He was a mess! </span>Ilia could feel herself getting upset. Attempting her best at Aes Sedai calm, she gently closed the door behind Shadow as he exchanged his pleasentries and attempted to explain his appearance to Moe. Footpads, really? Unless he was talking about stables in town, Ilia knew he was lying, and there was no way he would have gotten anywhere near the tower like that unless he was skulking about. Ilia couldn't help but frown, a gentle downturning of her lips as she made her way to the pitcher at her desk. Ilia took the glasses and brought them to the table to pour the wine Luna had brought with her.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Isn't Moecephus a sweetheart?"</span>Ilia gave a weak smile and nod in response as she popped the wine bottle open and filled their glasses. She emptied hers almost immediately and refilled it as everyone sat around the table. As Moe led the 3 to fill their plates,  Ilia didn't seem to have much of an appetite, her plate consisted of little.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Before we leave it might be a good idea to have Shadow properly familiarized on certain formalities... I do wish Cadre Caulen would teach his cadets something useful besides walloping brutes over the head's with sticks... I am mean really! Sure we can take them down a dark alley way in the forest, but Light above most of them are absolutely clueless on how to act in public in a formal event, or feast,"</span><br/><br/>Ilia stiffened. She did not like this whispering as if Shadow couldn't hear them. "Well, " She began, refusing to talk any quieter than she normally did. "Shadow is intelligent and a quick learner. I'm sure a few lessons with Moe will teach him all he needs to know." She emptied her glass again while taking a few bites. "Would you be willing to take some lessons?" Ilia turned to Shadow and addressed him. She refused to act as if he wasn't in the room. "Actually, now that you mention it,<span style="font-style: italic">I</span>have never had any lessons on the proper way to act during a formal event or feast.[/i] It was truth, she simply kept her mouth shut and waited for someone else to begin eating before she did. "Perhaps Moe would be kind enough to instruct us both?" She directed her question at the broad man. There. Hopefully Shadow wouldn't feel so singled out. She had felt as if Luna had been poking fun at him and Ilia most definitely did not like it. Ilia filled her glass again.