<span style="font-style: italic">"I have been waiting years for some like you! I will do anything to prove myself!"</span><br/><br/>Ilia blushed. She blushed! Blast him, but it was hard keeping an Aes Sedai's calm near him. So, they both now knew of the other's intention. All that was left was to take the test and-<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I don't care if she gave you a flipping unicorn and a dancing one eyed goat!"</span><br/><br/>Ilia almost seemed to recoil from Shadow as he continued to rant. Her hand instinctively wrapped around the stone and she pulled it to her breast, as of to keep Shadow from snatching it and throwing it in anger. Her gentle brow furrowed, darkening her eyes while her large eyes narrowed up at Shadow while he paced.<span style="font-style: italic">He</span>was worried about<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>? Did he forget that she was soon to be Aes Sedai?? Meticulously Ilia put the stone away in one of her hidden pockets while plucking at the skirt of her dress. She did her best to hide her agitation, but Ilia's breath began to quicken.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"This was about the tournament isn't it!"</span><br/><br/>Ilia's glare shot up as Shadow took her by the shoulders. By the light she was<span style="font-style: italic">furious</span>! No man touched her without permission. Ilia rose to her feet as Shadow<span style="font-style: italic">continued</span>speaking. Goodness! Was he trying to make up for years of silence?<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Does she know it was me? you didn't tell her did you?"</span><br/><br/>Mid rise Ilia bristled. He questioned her loyalty. Granted they had only met days ago, but no one had<span style="font-style: italic">ever</span>questioned her like that. No one! She waited for a chance to interrupt, where she clapped her hands together once to gain his attention.<br/><br/>"Shadow!" Her gentle voice was stern. There was no question whether she was taking charge of the situation or not: she was. "Stop talking" Ilia took the few steps that separated them and stood on tiptoe, almost touching him. "Let me make this perfectly clear." Ilia held his gaze while taking no notice of their proximity. "Never<span style="font-style: italic">ever</span>touch me like that without my permission." It was hard for her to be intimidating with her size, but Ilia hoped she was doing a good job.<br/><br/>"Second. I will be an Aes Sedai and I'm sure Luna Sedai wouldn't ask me to join if she didn't think I could hand it." By this point Ilia had recreated the space between the two and stood cross armed looking into pond and watching the multicolored fish dart about. "You're friend Moe is a Warder to be. Regardless of his Ajah of choice, do you think the Tower would have kept him should he not be up to par?" Really, what was Shadow thinking?<br/><br/>"Yes, I<span style="font-style: italic">did</span>mean it." She turned to Shadow. Her face had softened,  although her gaze was still slightly narrowed. "I don't think there is any way for me to...reserve...you as mine. Even if there was, I wouldn't do it." Sighing, Ilia slipped her shoe off and dipped a toe into the water. "You have the right to say no,  and any self respecting Aes Sedai would respect that. Reserving you for myself would rob you of that choice." A breeze rustled Ilia's curls as she reached back into her pocket, feeling the stone. Before leaving she would need to find a jeweler to fashion it into a necklace for her, or perhaps a headpiece.<br/><br/>"If you're so worried about Moe,  then come along." Ilia spoke over her shoulder while brushing hair from her face. "I didn't say you couldn't come." He had been acting as if she had.