A little less than a month passed. The weather was turning cooler already, signaling that autumn was approaching fast. Hyoyeon and Sooyeon had finally finished the dresses and the ball had been a few days before. The shop actually felt rather empty now without all the outfits lying around waiting for their owners to come get them. But, it was finally time for some rest, for both of them. With the shop being quiet again, Sooyeon was able to spend far more time with her dragon in the afternoons.

That day, Sooyeon was lying in Taeyeon's arms in the middle of the flower field. She had gotten off early that day since the shop was so quiet. She had been drawing one of the calla lilies that were currently blooming in the field. She had been coloring in the pink parts of the petals with the colored pencils Taeyeon had bought her when she drifted off to sleep in the cool early afternoon. Taeyeon had his head resting on top of hers with his eyes closed, but he was not asleep.

Taeyeon knew she was very tired still, no matter that they had finished with all the orders nearly a week before. The dreams were still bothering them both and being together was the only way they seemed to be kept at bay. She would usually fall to sleep in his arms anytime they were together, but he did not mind. He enjoyed being able to hold her and kiss her.

When he heard a soft cooing coming from the oak tree above them, the dragon lord looked up and saw a carrier pigeon sitting on the lowest hanging branch eyeing him. He held out one of his hands and the bird fluttered down to him. He detached the small note that had been attacked to the bird's leg and unrolled it as the bird returned to the branch above him. He knew the handwriting very well.

Taeyeon,

Baron Lee has demanded of me that I send you to see him about the rumors you are spreading about his son and Lady Victoria. He did not seem too happy in his letter to me. I've never seen him so disrespectful towards me. Please, be there this evening if possible. I sent him a letter saying you would be there as soon as you could. I have also already sent a letter to her majesty and gotten her response. She has said she will be at my home this evening so we will be traveling to Oshlay in the morning. She wants this situation resolved with that family soon. She has had enough of them.

With my regards, Count Kwon."

The dragon waved his hand over the note and the words rearranged themselves into his response. He held out his hand to the pigeon again and it returned to him. He retied the paper to the bird's leg and it immediately flew off to the south. Taeyeon sighed as he watched it go, then he looked down at the manor house in the valley. Soon, very soon, all this was going to be resolved... or most of it, at least. There were a few things the dragon lord still had not uncovered that troubled him about the baron. He was pleased with the conclusion anyway, though. He would no longer need to use his deception. The entire town... the entire kingdom would know the truth about Yul. But, most of all, the count would be able to properly mourn for the son he had lost nearly two decades earlier.

Taeyeon looked down at Sooyeon. One of her hands was lightly clutching his toga, the other was still holding the pink colored pencil. Her head was resting against his collar bone. He kissed her forehead. He was not going to wake her quite yet. She needed all the sleep she could get before she returned home for the night. But soon she would be staying with him forever, and the thought of that made him smile.

When the sun was getting ready to touch the top of the western mountains, Taeyeon roused the still sleeping Sooyeon. She seemed to be a lot better now that she had had a good, long rest. He knew she was not going to be getting any sleep that night since she slept all day. He only wished he did not have to go to the baron's manor so he could take advantage of her wakefulness.

The dragon lord smiled down at her. "Did you have pleasant dreams?"

"I always do when I'm wrapped in your arms," she said, returning the smile.

"And I would love you to stay in my arms, but..." He sighed, looking down at the manor house. "I'm afraid I must go see the baron tonight."

Sooyeon sat up and looked at him a bit puzzled. "Why?"

His eyes returned to her. "Do you remember that day in the shop when I got slapped and what I told you about Victoria and Donghae?"

"Yes," she responded. It was not hard to remember that incident.

"Well, she has apparently got pregnant from her trysts with him. When she told Donghae, he apparently adamantly denied that it was his. Victoria afterwards told her fiancé, the duke, about it. From what I heard, he was actually not all that mad at her. Granted, since she told him all about Donghae's pillow talk, I don't think he would be. The duke told his grandmother, the queen, and she was very interested in what she heard." He looked back down into the valley. "Count Kwon sent me a letter this afternoon. Apparently the baron thinks I'm to blame for the false rumors circulating around the court about his son and Victoria. He has demanded me to come see him and explain myself."

"What are you going to do?" She seemed a bit worried. "And what is the queen planning to do?

Taeyeon only smiled. "You'll see tomorrow. I'm sure that Count Kwon will wish to meet you, after all."

"O...kay..." She had no idea what he meant by that.

"You're going to get to come to the baron's manor tomorrow, I'm sure." He kissed her temple, still smiling. "I'll send for you once everything is finished there."

"What are you talking about," she asked, looking more puzzled than before.

"You'll understand it all tomorrow." He stood then pulled her up, planting a kiss on her lips when she was standing as well. "I must hurry. I did not want to wake you and let you doze far longer than I had planned. I'll still be with you tonight like always, even though I know you probably won't sleep after napping all afternoon."

Sooyeon nodded and squeezed him tightly before pulling away from him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed the top of her head. "Oh, and tell your father he doesn't need to worry about going to work in the morning. I think there will be too much turmoil there tomorrow so he may wish to stay away for at least a day."

The young woman only nodded, still not quite understanding.

"And, one last thing." He kissed her lips gently. "Tell Hyoyeon that I'll be sending a messenger to come fetch you sometime after noon. I don't want her to have you too busy..."

"I don't think there's anything really to do at the moment." She laughed. "She's just been having me tinker with some designs."

Taeyeon kissed her forehead. "Go on. I'll see you later."

Happily, she nodded and, once she had gathered up all her drawing things, she walked down the mountainside along the stream the way she always did. He watched her go with a smile. Once she was among the buildings in town, he changed forms. He sighed. This was hopefully going to be the last time he had to use this guise.

Instead of fetching his usual horse – one of the wild horses that grazed on the other side of his mountain – he decided to just travel to the baron's manor with magic. It was not like he would need the horse the next day, and it would just be another animal for the stable to tend to. He instantly appeared in the entrance hall of the manor and he smiled at the servant that did a double take when she caught sight of him.

"The baron," he asked her, still smiling.

The woman pointed down the hall on the lower floor to where the baron's library was. Yul nodded to her and headed that way. He could hear the baron and his son talking behind the closed doors as he approached. He did not bother knocking and just entered, regardless of the fact the doors had been locked. The baron and his son both looked up, rather surprised by his appearance then the baron's expression turned rather sour while Donghae just glared angrily.

"How the hell did you get in here?"

"I opened the door," the disguised dragon said to the baron with a smirk.

The older man pointed at the now closed door. "That door was locked!"

"Then the lock must not be working right." He only continued to smile, finding the baron's scowl amusing. "I was summoned here, though, was I not?"

"Yes, you were," Donghae spat.

Baron Lee approached him, waggling a finger at him. "What is the meaning of your spreading rumors about my family?"

"I have spread rumors?" Yul gave him a puzzled look. That accusation was actually not correct. One of the gossip mongers in the court had uncovered the little secret about Victoria and it had flooded the ball. They probably only suspect him because of his encounter with Victoria, which she surely mentioned to Donghae. "I have done no such thing. Though what I have heard can hardly be called rumors, considering I know they are true."

"Lies," Donghae hissed.

"Indeed." The baron was only feet from Taeyeon, his face red in anger. "You have always come to my home, thinking to find some trite little thing to accuse my family of. Well, you know nothing about this family! And, regardless of what you seem to believe, you know nothing about this town, either. You should realize that and stop pestering the other nobles."

Yul laughed. "Oh, I know you and this town far better than you might expect, Baron Lee. I do spend a considerable amount of time here, after all."

"Oh, yes, with that pathetic little peasant girl of yours," Donghae said with venom.

"Do not disrespect my beloved, Donghae." He glared at the baron's son. "At least I have enough dignity to only love one woman instead of declaring my love to every scullery maid and aristocrat I find so I can woo them into my bed. At least I would take full responsibility for getting the woman I bed pregnant, unlike you."

"Victoria's child is not mine." He looked nervous, though. "I never..."

"What would she gain from lying about who the father of her child is? And it is easy enough to rid herself of a child if she desired. Why blame you if it is not true?"

"She blames me for reasons beyond my understanding!" The baron's son stood from the chair he had been sitting in. "Probably some plan like yours to undermine my family's rightful place in Oshlay."

"But Victoria spoke with her sister and her best friends about her relations with you, Donghae. She seemed to be a favorite of yours. And now that a problem has arisen, you cast her aside like the other, lesser women you have