It was not long before Alice had to hug the twins and kiss everyone else goodbye. In an odd way, it was comforting; it felt more like she was coming home than leaving it when she saw the school gates. After unpacking, she had gone to eat supper with Hieronymous. After giving him the high points of her vacation, he agreed with Clark's plan of picking them up at the house. He seemed slightly apprehensive at the idea, but agreed that a gradual introduction would serve their purposes better than simply declaring that they had eloped as soon as she had graduated.

That evening she had found Potsdam, and told her about Nancy getting into other people's dreams.

"Hmmm…" the professor considered. "You said she found your father's on accident because his dreams were 'loud' and then found yours and your brother's on purpose?"

"Yes Professor," Alice answered.

"Knowing someone makes their dreams easier to find, and I suspect 'loud' detonates a rather strong emotion tied to the dream, or else a nightmare," Potsdam said. "But half of my senior students are unable to find anyone's dreams."

"Can she be taught to block them out? Dad's career probably left him with some pretty messy dreams."

Potsdam sighed. "Can your sister play chess?"

"Chess?" Alice asked. "I don't think so. I don't think she has the attention span for that yet."

The professor nodded. "Which is why teaching her how to do it would be difficult. White magic lends itself best to those that are able to let their minds relax and go by feel alone. For someone your sister's age that is constantly learning new things, someone born with an affinity for White, she can learn without guidance. For her to learn something by being guided, well, would require attention and persistence."

"A full-time tutor," Alice sighed.

"Unfortunately," Potsdam agreed.

"Well, I told her it was rude to pop in on other people's dreams without their permission. She usually listens pretty well, but that would leave the accidental," Alice replied.

"It's good that she can listen," the Professor said. "The wards on your house keep outside forces out, but they would not restrict anything she would do. They can restrict magical output within your house, so that would limit her abilities somewhat."

Alice frowned. "Then why can Grandfather's manus get in?"

"Because Asim is connected to your family by a blood-oath, and so is counted as part of the protections themselves, rosebud," Potsdam answered.

"Thank you, I'll let you know if anything else happens," Alice said before she left Potsdam's office.

The next morning brought confirmation of testing times, and before she knew it, Alice was in a dungeon again.

She stood in a shielded area in a fairly simple maze, but the trick was to get past the flying swarms of large flesh-eating insects. She could use a shield, but her mana could run out before she found the way out. She knew the beetles hated smoke and that filling the dungeon with it would make them drop to the floor, asleep, but this would require her being able to breathe in spite of the smoke. She could use Green magic to alter herself to be able to hold her breath longer, but visibility would still be poor and she was sure stepping on one of the giant beetles would wake it up again. She guessed casting Fear on the hive mind would just make them call for assistance before attacking her. She guessed someone better with White magic could reach all the hive minds at once to trick them into thinking they weren't tasty or a threat. Her little sister was probably capable of that right now.

Alice sighed. So, the smallest shield she could form to make it easier to maintain was the choice of the day.

This was how she emerged from the dungeon unhurt, but with dirt rubbed into her robes from high crawling through the place with a shield only maintained above her.

"Five merits," her husband greeted her with as she came into the sunlight. He looked her over from head to toe. "And it occurs to me that you might need new clothes, something suitable for first class."

"You're volunteering to take me shopping?" she asked surprised, getting the sudden mental image of Hieronymous standing somewhat uncomfortably outside the ladies dressing rooms with her purse.

"And supper afterwards if that would be to your liking," Hieronymous added. "Meet me by the gate at 4:00pm this Saturday."

It sounded good to her. "So, no one has landed themselves in detention yet then?"

His smile was almost wicked. "Anyone unlucky enough to be in detention this week will be cleaning up after the creatures the seniors are dealing with in their exams instead of staring at the clock in the normal room."

She nodded. "In that case, I'll warn Donald to be good," she said with a grin of her own.

...

It felt strange to bypass the large discount stores her family had always frequented, with their large sale signs promising generous savings. Instead, Hieronymous led her to a quieter store with clothes that looked of better quality, and were spaced further apart. Her mother had always bypassed stores like this one during their shopping trips.

He explained to the smiling sales girl that greeted them upon their arrival that they were looking for an outfit appropriate to a long flight. She quickly assured them both that the store carried wrinkle-resistant, comfortable clothing and took her around to look at various styles while Hieronymous made himself comfortable in one of the armchairs near the changing rooms.

The clerk asked her about her trip while hanging her selections in the large dressing room. When Alice told her that they were going to see their grandfather in England over the holidays, the girl's smile brightened.

Then Alice realized that, from the explanation she had given, the girl had probably decided that she and Hieronymous were cousins or something.

She decided to leave well enough alone.

Alice ended up selecting a black pair of slacks and a light blue sweater. After her husband made the purchases, and she had assured him that she already had black flats to wear with them, they left for the Glen.

To her surprise, they did not sit in the public area, but were led to a private room when they arrived. Apparently Hieronymous had made a reservation. She began to wonder what her husband might be up to.

After their orders had been placed, Alice took a stab at conversation. "Thank you for the clothes. I was just wondering what the occasion was."

"Well, the proper forms should be followed," Hieronymous answered. "It will be of ritual significance."

Alice blinked, confused. Their magical history and customs education was actually a series of reading assignments rather than an actual class with a lecture. It was the only information they sat for a paper test on, and they were encouraged to go to one of their professors with questions if they had them. She had not read about customs regarding clothing, yet.

Noticing her confused look, he explained. "When we meet your grandfather after your arrival, we will be presenting ourselves as husband and wife. This will only be proper if I have clothed, fed, and sheltered you."

"Thus the clothes and the meal tonight," Alice said.

"And given that I am an authority figure at Iris, and you are sleeping in a dorm provided by Iris, that will do for shelter," he continued.

Alice sighed. "Are there any other marriage rituals that haven't been in the reading material?" She had been in the wizard world for more than a year, but there was always something else popping up that she had to navigate.

Hieronymous thought for a moment. "Other than the ceremonies we are already planning in January? Not that I can think of."

She nodded. "It's still a little like I'm trying to navigate through uncharted water with the wizard world. There's a lot to learn."

"I can understand that," he answered.

Their food arrived, and Alice dug into her selection. It was called 'four seasons,' and she shortly knew why. Every bite portrayed favorite smells and tastes from spring, summer, winter, and fall. She could taste her father's special barbecue from the summer, her grandmother's cinnamon applesauce that she made every fall, along with a whole host of pleasant things.

She was about halfway into her meal before she noticed that her husband did not appear to be enjoying his as much as she was hers.

"Is something bothering you Hieronymous?" she asked.

He sat up straight and shifted slightly in his chair. "Not precisely, and least not in the way you mean."

Alice put down her fork, giving her husband her undivided attention.

"Your preparations for our ceremony next January have brought to mind how much you did not have when you married me the first time," he explained.

She smiled at him. "What I wanted the most was a husband that loved me, and I have that now. The rest is just icing on the cake."

He smiled gratefully. "Nonetheless, I intend to make such restitution as I can." He pulled something small out of a pocket, and held it in his hand.

"You were right about me, that eve in May," he started, meeting her eyes. "I was hiding, from relationships, from people, from love…licking wounds that would never heal if I continued to treat them in that manner. When we had collided and our marriage became a necessity, I feared you as well."

He gulped, preparing to continue, and she put her hand across the table to hold his free hand. Somehow, his nervousness calmed her own nerves. Perhaps it was because she knew she had the ability to sooth him.

"I was afraid that I would come to love you, when I could not have you for your own good and through your own will. Why would you remain, when it would be better for you not to? Every other person I ever became attached to eventually left by their design or the design of others."

Now she understood why he had been so touched, back during the Apple Festival, when she had first indicated their marriage would have permanency. She had almost outright said that she wanted to remain married to him for at least ten years, and was willing to sacrifice the wealth and power she would have otherwise had in order to do so. And it would explain why the lilacs arrived the next morning. He had been hoping to win her before, but then it had become apparent to him that he already had her loyalty and he had been able to admit to himself that he loved her.

It occurred to her to wonder why she had done that, so early on in their relationship. At the time, they had been married on paper only and were literally on their first date. It was before they had even confessed their love for each other. Had it been because she did not do anything half-way and had already decided that she could love no other man, or had it been some instinct that had told her that proclaiming her loyalty would be the best way to win him?

Alice realized that she did not understand why she had made that decision, but accepted it as a good one.

Her husband continued. "But you showed a maturity I would not have expected from one of your age, unusual courage in daring to love me, and a will that I must confess overcame my own.

"In recognition of this, I cannot propose we marry due to the fact that we are already wed, but I can propose that when we take vows again in January that they last until death parts us."

Alice noticed that there were tears in her eyes, even as she smiled through them. Spend the rest of her life with the man she loved? There could only be one answer. "Yes!" she cried. The next thing she knew was that she was out of her chair and in her husband's arms, getting thoroughly kissed. Only when they stopped did it occur to her to wonder how she had gotten around the table to do so.

Then he slipped something on her finger. She held her left hand up to see a ring with a large rose-cut ruby surrounded by diamonds. "A wedding ring," she said softly then looked up at her husband.

He smiled. "A Grabiner heirloom" he said, answering her unspoken question. "It's quite old."

"Any enchantments I should know about?" she asked.

"It will not give us a telepathic link, if that is what you mean," he said. "There are merely enchantments guarding it against damage or loss. For example, it will repel dirt, and if it loses contact with your skin for an hour or so, it will reappear on your finger."

Alice nodded. "It's beautiful. Can I put it on a necklace or something when I go home so Mom doesn't notice it?"

Her husband nodded. "As long as it is touching your skin it will suffice."

"Not that I intend to do that until Dad picks me up," she mused.

Hieronymous chuckled. "If everyone in school sees you with that, they'll assume you married me for my money."

She raised an eyebrow. "Even if that is so, it's not an impression that will last when my circumstances do become public. And as we both know, Hieronymous, we got married to save me from your rather vicious pet. And we're staying married because we want to." Alice frowned, something just dawning on her. "If I'm not officially switching houses until January, am I in any danger from that manus?"

Her husband shook his head. "No, you were presented honestly as a member of my household, and neither of us knew of your identity as a member of any other House. Even if we had known, you would have been considered, as you are right now, in a liminal or transitory state belonging to both the house of your birth and the house of Grabiner."

"That's nice to know," she said, not quite sure where to go from there, but perfectly happy with where she was. It was a minute before they looked down at the table, remembering that they both had scrumptious suppers to finish.

...

And here is the latest installment. I hope you all are enjoying the story, and reviews are always appreciated. :)