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Reilly's Redemption

Unfortunately, that was when the camp was intruded upon by Liam, Shane, and Tómas. Not only had the golden fiddle brought them to the camp, but Shane had also used his brain to figure out which paths to take before they reached their destination. When they didn't see any signs of Katie or Alfie nearby, Shane was convinced that she was kidnapped. While Reilly's men gathered around the wagon to protect both their master and Katie, even telling the other three that Katie wasn't in trouble, her traveling companions were insistent upon saving her from him. All the commotion was overheard by Reilly, who held onto his fiddle as he went outside to see what was going on.

"What did you do to our friend, you monster?"

Liam growled in a rare burst of confidence, causing everyone else to back up in shock. While Shane and Tómas tried to hold Leo back from pouncing, Reilly set down his fiddle and began to explain how he had just helped her get some sleep, since the adventure was tiresome for her. Even though Leo wasn't fully calmed down by that point, Tómas nodded at the explanation before Shane stepped forward with a question in mind.

"But... I told her you were evil, and so did the people in Little Lad Land. How are you so kind to her, when you're notorious in Laz?"

With a sigh, Reilly sat on the front steps of his wagon and looked at the others.

"I'm kind to her because I want her to see that the others were wrong, and that she shouldn't judge someone by other people's opinions about them. I know I have a magic wagon and can see things with a crystal ball, and I know that my main landing spot is a dark part of the woods away from the Clover City, but... those are part of my magic, and the forest is where I'm forced to live due to misconceptions about me. Ever since Katie and Alfie set foot in Laz, I've listened in on every conversation she's had and grumbled whenever I heard someone tell her that I'm wicked, but her innocence and plan to see me for herself always calmed me down. I haven't even done anything wicked in years, and... oh, alright, I'll admit it: I caused her to fall asleep in the Wild Irish Rose field, since that would give me a chance to show her my helpful side. I... I hope she forgives me for that."

Seeing how Reilly was stuck with his wicked title when he had only done one evil trick, Katie's traveling companions looked at him in compassionate awe before Liam handed over the handkerchief that Katie had given him. Touched by the gift, Reilly dried his eyes before crying into the handkerchief, and that was enough to awaken Katie and Alfie. After getting her shoes back on and leashing Alfie back up, Katie approached the door of the wagon before carefully opening it, causing the others to stop and look as she appeared. When she saw her newest acquaintance sitting in front of her other friends, Katie looked at them in momentary confusion before sitting beside Reilly and asking if he was okay.

"Well, um... I feel like I should confess something, Katie. Thanks to a sleeping spell I cast on the flowers, I was the reason you fell asleep in the field, giving me time to rescue you. Though the sleeping part wouldn't help my cause, I did the rescuing to show you that I'm not completely evil, and I wanted to display my caring side as well. I... I'm sorry, Katie. I wasn't completely honest with you during our dance, and for that, I apologize and ask for your forgiveness."

The other three looked on in silence, wondering what Katie was going to do with Reilly, especially since he showed both his crafty and caring sides to her. Once again, Katie's kindness shined through as both she and Alfie hugged him, one with her arms and the other with her leash. As she rubbed Reilly's back as gently as she could, he cried a little more into the handkerchief before sobbing out a little "Thank you" every so often. Once the two of them were done, Katie smiled at Reilly before undoing Alfie's leash around him, only to giggle when Alfie jumped into his lap before licking his face. When Reilly asked if there was anything she'd like as an apology gift, Katie thought for a moment before an idea came to mind.

"Well, um... I don't know what I want for an apology gift yet. I was originally sent here for your golden fiddle, but I think it would be a better idea to have you hand-deliver it to the Wizard himself. It would be a great way to clear your name, and it might be a good apology gift for him."

Despite how surprised everyone was by Katie's plan, Reilly realized that bringing the fiddle to the Wizard would not only clear his name, but it would show that he put in the effort to help the others get their wishes. With that in mind, he asked if any of his men would guard the camp before his eyes twinkled with a new idea of his own, and he excused himself from Katie and her friends before having a private meeting with his men. As soon as the discussion was over, Reilly packed up his golden fiddle and left the wagon before it vanished into thin air, and the only one who wasn't shocked about it was Reilly. After assuring Katie and her friends that the wagon was alright, Reilly smiled as the others brought him to the Clover City, with Shane in the lead and with Katie walking beside him... even letting him hold Alfie.