<span style="font-style: italic">Ilia Sedai, Perhaps if you spent more time reading books, than talking to pretty stable boys, you would know how,"<br/><br/>"That was uncalled for! Ilia is Aes Sedai!"</span><br/><br/>Ilia silently thanked Shadow for standing in her defense. It was all she could do to keep a straight face, instead of blushing and acknowledging Lina Sedai's criticism. As Moe rose to his full height, Ilia noticed Shadow hadn't been intimidated. Her heart fluttered.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"We'll leave when you are ready child... you have a good grasp of the power, but not enough knowledge, I will teach you many things, before we leave and along the way once I decide that you are ready,"</span><br/><br/>Child?<span style="font-style: italic">Child?</span>Oh Light, but this woman made it hard to maintain Aes Sedai serenity. While Luna had a point, there was a lot the woman could and would teach her, Ilia was still her equal, if only in title and talent only. Ilia felt a sense of helplessness as the entire situation slipped from her fingers.<br/><br/>Shadow's stagger and fall brought her back to reality and she nodded to Luna. "Tomorrow is fine." She stood and placed a hand on Shadow's shoulder. "I would ask, Luna Sedai, once Shadow is my Warder, do not use the power on him without his express permission, or in an emergency and he is unable to adequately respond." She didn't feel like a child now. She stood at her full height, however much shorter she was than Luna, and her eyes were ablaze.<br/><br/>Ilia made her way across the room and held open the door for Moe and Luna. It was about time they left. "Also, I would ask that you not call me child again. Whatever your age, or experience you have over me, doesn't change the fact that I<span style="font-style: italic">am</span>Aes Sedai. I readily accept your lessons and respect your position. I ask that you respect mine as well." There wasn't any malice, or anger, in her words. In fact, there wasn't much emotion there, just a pleasant conversational flatness. Ilia smiled at the two, a genuine one, as it seemed, "Thank you, Luna Sedai and Swordmaster Moe, I look forward to tomorrow morning."<br/><br/>She shut the door behind them, wove a ward against eavesdropping, and turned to Shadow, her smile had turned down. He seemed a bit shocked, shaken up, perhaps a little confused as well. She was nervous as she strode to her bed and dug out the packaged cloak from her saddle bags and then, surprising even to herself, sat on Shadow's lap! It was too late now. Ilia was more than halfway there. A blush spread across her face and neck, even her uncovered shoulders colored just before she planted a kiss right on Shadow's lips! Her heart fluttered, her belly had butterflies  and Ilia, coming to her senses pulled back and stood up, while clearing her throat. "I...um." She was fidgeting with the ring on her finger. "I wanted to wait to give you that later." Ilia motioned to the package she left in his lap. "I'm ready to bond you now, if you'd like." It was almost a whisper as he unwrapped the bundle to find a color shifting cloak. Light, but she was nervous.