As much as Bo liked bathing in rivers, she was happy to arrive at the Inn and take a long, heated bath. After cleaning up, the excitement of eating food and pleasant socializing had her almost hopping down the stairs into the tavern.

The place was a well-worn and seemingly well-loved establishment; every table was full. Bo looked around and saw a woman sitting at a nearby table looking intently at her. Bo smiled awkwardly and the woman smiled back.

When Bo finally spotted Tamsin, she was sitting across from a lovely woman, talking familiarly and drinking spirits.

"Hello," Bo said, as she walked up to their table.

Their heads turned towards her in unison. The new woman was casually dressed and had long, golden hair. "Welcome, Bo. I'm Sal," she said, smiling warmly while reaching a hand towards Bo. "I've waited a long time to finally meet you."

Bo accepted her hand as she sat. "And I have waited long to meet those beyond the walls of the Council." She smiled at both Tamsin and Sal. "I'm especially happy to meet a friend of Tamsin's."

Bo saw Sal wink at Tamsin. She sensed her ranger's slight discomfort and wondered what layers existed between the two of them.

Sal turned her attention back to Bo and said, "Tamsin tells me you want to hear about the Council."

"Yes," Bo said, wide-eyed.

Sal shook her head and drank a shot of spirits. "Well, the basics is this: they've negotiated a devastating trade agreement, masquerading it as folk medicine for our land."

Tamsin had shared with Bo some details about the Council's wrong doings, but she didn't go into depth, probably to spare Bo's feelings until she could hear a first hand account. Bo felt an onset of panic at Sal's words. "Can I have some of this?"

"Most certainly," Sal said, pouring her a glass of the strong amber liquid. "Are you ready to hear my family's story?"

Bo took a big gulp that burned the whole way down. In truth, she was not ready, but she nodded yes anyway. This was part of her expedition. She needed to hear what was really happening at the hands of the Council.

Sal told the tale of how their farm had always sustained her family. They lived off the land selling produce and meat at their local market place. That was until their landlord told them that they only were allowed to farm a fourth of what they had farmed before. The rest was going to be used for exportable grains once the Binding was complete. In preparation for the trade agreement, the land that Sal's family had lived on for nearly four generations was parceled off in the name of healing the land. Now they and other families in similar situations are near starvation as a result.

When Sal finished, Bo was almost in tears. No alcohol in the world could soften the pain of hearing that the Council took an ancient method of healing disputes between lands and twisted it to serve the rich. And they were using her to do it!

Sal saw Bo's pained expression. "I'm sorry they used you, Bo. But at least now you know the truth." Sal stood up. "I have to say this was a tiring story to tell, so I will bid you goodnight." Looking at Tamsin, she added, "Shall we darling?"

Without hesitation, Tamsin stood up to join her. She nodded goodbye to Bo. "See you in the morning."

As shocked as Bo was by their leaving, she managed to say goodnight. As she watched them walk upstairs together, she felt foolish for not realizing earlier that they were lovers. The layer between Sal and Tamsin that she hadn't expected crept up inside her as an aching loss. It won't be her smelling cedar tonight, listening to her ranger's breathing while she sleeps.

Bo stared at her drink. The magnitude of Sal's revelation pressed against her mind. She wished she could talk to Usne. She tried to imagine the advice her mentor would give to her now. Bo knew that being a wise woman practiced in the old way, Usne believed in the original purpose of the Binding and she also had to know that the use of the practice in this way was a falsehood.

She tried to reflect on this contradiction, but the orbit of her thoughts kept returning to the memory of Tamsin leaving with Sal.

Bo had never taken a lover in the years of her trainings. She had closed that part of herself off because of her responsibility to the Binding. Bo wondered how many lovers Tamsin has had. Obviously Acacia would be aware of Tamsin's romances. Bo pondered what Usne would have thought of such a thing. She had never encouraged Bo to experience sex or relationships.

Bo looked up at the ceiling. Thoughts of Tamsin and Sal upstairs together raced through her mind. Years she has prepared for the Binding; molding herself into someone's future esteemed wife. Now that the Binding's purpose was all in question, alongside her grief she felt a raw freedom begin to flourish. With her glass in hand, she surveyed the room. She knew that she was not unattractive. Many men and women at the Council's court had attempted to become a 'part of history' so to speak, but Bo had buried her sexuality until meeting Tamsin.

As she tipped the glass towards her mouth, Bo saw what she was looking for immediately. Alone at a table with maps and journal, sat the woman who had made eye contact with Bo earlier. A new thread formed and Bo allowed this fresh beam of attraction to grow in her as she walked over to the woman's table.

"Hello. I'm Bo," she said smiling.

"I know. Sit down." She pushed a chair out with her foot. "There are pictures of your likeness in all the towns this month."

Bo sat down. A fear rose quickly in her at being potentially discovered by Council riders or rebels. "Oh. I should have known that would happen."

"Actually, the drawings look nothing like you. On purpose I'm sure. But I recognized you none-the-less." The woman smiled slyly. "You have Usne written all over you."

Bo perked up at this, and said, "That makes me very proud. How could you know Usne and I not know you? What's your name?"

"Usne is my mother's cousin. She's known me longer than I even remember. She tought me much before I left to range." The woman extended her hand. "I'm Shaynon."

Bo felt Shaynon's warmth as she took her hand. The contact added to the excited nervousness she was already experiencing. Bo closed her eyes for a moment, her hand still in Shaynon's. She could feel the spirits she had drunk carrying her attraction and curiosity up to the surface.

When Bo opened her eyes again, the look on Shaynon's face was expectant.

Her confidence bolstered, Bo said, "I have many questions for you, Shaynon."

"Should we talk more in my room?" Her reply sounded like a question, but Shaynon's eyes showed she already knew what was going to happen next.

"Yes," Bo answered.