By the time Henrietta knocked gently on the door, Jemima had managed to get me looking almost feminine in the light blue dress with the painted roses which I so loved. The corset had been agony to put on, but once my body had adjusted, we managed to fit the dress on top. We had found an old white shawl in the almost empty wardrobe so I kept that tightly about my shoulders in order to hide the bruises there. There was already enough about me for onlookers to ridicule.

The princess smiled as she saw me standing up, rushing over to greet me. She gestured to my hair with an impressed smile. Beautiful. She fingerspelled it slowly.

As I waved goodbye to my maid and the stuffy room, we came across a very tall young man who Henrietta smiled at.

He offered me a card.

I am Eric. A friend of Her Highness's. She has asked me to accompany you two and write what she says.

"- trust - full-" The princess spoke slowly, pointing at him. Then she nodded when she spoke again, this time quicker.

"Eric has good handwriting too."

I laughed at the card, passing it back to him as we made our way down the corridor.

The silence was unsettling as we walked out of the thin, sleekly white hallways, back towards the bigger halls. I realised with a jolt that I wasn't in the older palace with the other Debutantes - I was in the new palace now. Where the royals stayed thanks to its greater security.

"Your hair is actually gorgeous though." Eric passed me the next card from behind us and I laughed at him, then at her, remembering that it was the princess who had payed the compliment. A blush rose into my cheeks though, I felt like I stood out too much. Ever since the war ended, all I'd wanted was to blend in.

We passed through the wide entrance hall, now draped with blue in the colour of the Baracosian monarchy. Across the large, shiny room, I spotted two figures. At first glance I thought one of them might've been Gavrila - being not wearing a dress. But no, it was a woman; one wearing a white shirt and a sunny yellow skirt which clung to her legs, stopping by the knee. Whilst her dark hair was straightened flat against her dark skin, I still recognised and involuntarily flinched away from Serena Jefferson.

Henrietta glanced at me, then a hint of realization flashed in her eyes and she began to steer us away.

Serena and her companion - who it seemed was sweeter-than-sugar-and-blander-than-rice Amber Grieve - got to us before we could make it out the door. Amber was still in her absolutely tasteless and over the top dresses, though her hair, too, was pressed flat over her shoulder. Having bobbed stiff curtseys to Henrietta, girls leaned forward to kiss mycheek in a far more familiar than normal greeting. Their eyes still held distaste.

As soon as Serena opened her mouth I felt a pit of dread open in my stomach. There was no way I could let them know that I was deaf. In what I hoped was a subtle gesture, I placed my hand on Eric's scribbling pencil. Bracing myself, I prepared to focus on their pale, painted lips.

Henrietta seemed to have it covered though, spewing smiling greetings back at them. Amber seemed to make some comment to my hair, to which Henrietta beamed and nodded, before beginning to drag me away with a slightly stern glare back to them.

As we came out of the palace building and towards the sunken garden I so loved, I found myself bemoaning the fact that I'd never had such a useful ally before. Of course I'd had Cecily, but she was just a little too concerned with husband hunting for us to properly click. My brow furrowed though as I assessd my situation - for why indeed was the crown princess of Ilragorn and Baracosia accompanying me on a stroll. I asked her under my breath, but this time instead of dictating to Eric, she took the pad from him.

I need your help. My father will only listen to my husband, not me. Gavrila doesn't respect me at all. I need you to get him to respect me, seeing as the two of you were in love once.

As my breathing began to threaten to be uneven, my hand flew up to the ring at my neck. It was no longer there. In a poorly executed attempt to mask my panic, I took the pad from her. I didn't want anyone else to hear this.

I can't do that. Our courtship ended when Gavrila held a sword to my neck.

You're still not well enough to flee the palace. While you're here you may as well help me.

Your highness, I do not feel safe around him.

The princess glanced at me for a moment, then turned back down to the pad, scratching at it furiously.

We'll learn more sign language and you'll come with me to the day time Debutantes events with the male courtiers. We both need to be on our guard with him. We can basically save each other.

Before I could take the pad to articulate a response, Henrietta gave it back to Eric, who put it in his jacket. I grimaced a little. Though if I did only have to see him in the daytime events, they would be crowded so he couldn't harm me. And I supposed that if the princess started calling favors, at some point soon I could call them back.

"Alright." I muttered finally. "But you mustn't let me be left alone with him. And you must tell all the attendees of my hearing status. I don't want any sympathy but they ought to know to insult me in front of my face now, rather than behind it."

Henrietta grinned, and shortly after I'd missed what she said, I received another card.

"We're going to be great friends. I can tell."