<span style="font-style: italic">"...she offered to get me out as well,"</span><br/><br/>Ilia's brow furrowed as he spoke and her face darkened. So Luna had not left Shadow. He rejected her. Ilia's heart skipped a beat as she thought about it. He rejected Luna, who was admittedly a gorgeous woman, to save himself for her. She opened her mouth to respond, but he touched her lips with a single finger to hush her. Oh light, but his hands were warm. Ilia's cheeks heated as she found herself having to consciously keep from kissing that finger. Thankfully it didn't last long for he motioned for her to play alonng.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I am sorry, Illia! but I cannot be your, Warder, I must go,"</span><br/><br/>Even though it was a charade, the words still hurt her. She let tears fill her eyes before they rolled down her cheeks. She considered herself a good enough actress and with the right inspiration, such as rejection, Ilia felt she was rather convincing. After Shadow rolled under her bed, Ilia sat down and let her tears stain her face and she tussled her hair do it seemed she had been crying and laying down for a while.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Congratulations," </span><br/><br/>Ilia looked to see Luna standing in her doorway. She hurriedly straightened her golden curls and wiped her face while sniffling. "Thank you." Ilia muttered and stood to take the basket from the older woman. Admittedly, Ilia was a bit jealous. She has certain...attributes that Ilia didn't possess.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"> "Any luck finding a warder?"</span><br/><br/>Ilia placed the basket upon her desk before sitting upon the tufted chair and letting fresh tears fall. Was the older woman buying it?<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I assume you no longer have an interest in him..."</span><br/><br/>Ilia had to be very careful here. She couldn't lie, but she could try and convince Luna otherwise. "But I do!" She managed through sobs covered by her hands. "He told me he couldn't be my Warder." That wasn't a lie. He<span style="font-style: italic">had</span>said that to her. "And after I rescued him from the stocks." She added through gritted teeth as she clenched her hands into fists. Ilia was unsure why Shadow wanted her to play along, or of Luna's intentions.<br/><br/>"Oh, Luna Sedai, " The title was still habit from her days as an accepted, not to mention it made Ilia come off as the lesser in need of wisdom. "What am I to do?" Ilia buried her face in her hands once more.