Setting out first thing in the morning, Nate and I headed into town to look at my new shop. It was situated in the center of town, the clean and impressive building fairly eye-catching compared to its surroundings. I stood outside the front of it for a few moments, impressed.

"This is a good spot."

Nate grinned, stepping closer and spoke quietly into my ear. "Told you. Did you doubt me?"

My heartbeat sped up suddenly and confused, I moved further away, "Of course not. Your information has always been trustworthy." I felt as if my cheeks were warm, and wondered if I had been out in the sun too long.

Nate didn't speak further, simply grinning at me, the expression slightly mischievous. It made me feel off kilter. He was normally fairly quiet and serious, only smiling occasionally when joking with me during classes with Jim or running around with Henry. But since we had arrived in Tilendria, I had felt a shift in him, as if something he had been holding back was set loose.

Looking away from him, I knocked on the closed door of the shop.

"Sorry, we don't open for another week..." A familiar voice called out as a young woman opened the shop door. She trailed off at the sight of me, her mouth hanging open.

I smiled. "Should I come back later?"

"LENORA!" Lady Erica squealed delightedly, throwing her arms around me and hugging me tightly. Confused at her excitement, I patted her on the head.

"Hello again."

At my calm words she stepped back, smiling from ear to ear. "I'm so happy to see you! Come in, Come in!" She waved both of us to the door. "Who is your friend?"

Nate gave an informal bow. "I'm Nate..."

"Prince Nathaniel." I interrupted calmly, ignoring his glare. "What? No use hiding it in your own country! Or are you planning to never visit my store in the future?"

His face turned slightly red. "I guess that's true..."

"Nice to meet you, Your Highness!" Erica spoke candidly, obviously not thrown despite royalty showing up. "A friend of Lenora's is a friend of mine! But Lenora..." She turned to me, with a surprisingly stern expression. "It's not good to tease a young man like that. He's not married yet, so shopping here for gifts would be a little..."

I realized the implications of my words, and smiled awkwardly. "Sorry."

His face turned redder. "Don't worry. One day I promise to buy all my wife's gifts here."

The words were nice, but all of a sudden I felt a flash of annoyance. Why am I angry? If he shopped here, it would be more profit for me... but something about the thought of him buying gifts for his loved one here unsettled me.

Trying to control these unexpected feelings, I looked over to Erica. "Can I come and see the store?"

"Of course, we're just putting the finishing touches here and there, should be ready for a grand opening next week." She paused, her face lighting up with excitement. "BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO MEET MY DARLING!!!"

Her volume was so loud, that many of the people walking nearby stopped to stare. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed her and entered the shop, Nate following close behind us.

The shop was lovely, despite some of the decorations being stren about, waiting to be hung up on the wlalls, the sample merchandice was being displayed throughout the store, tempting one to buy them. There was plenty of space to sit and discuss designs with the staff, with tables for tea and other treats. I looked at this all with satisfaction, it was even lovelier than my branch stores back home.

"Wonderful." I murmured as I studied the layout.

"Do we have guests?" A quiet voice spoke out. Coming down from the upstairs, a tall gentleman smiled at us as he stepped closer to Erica, embracing her quickly.

"ROBERT!" Erica was beaming as she hugged him back. I felt a little taken aback at their open display of affection, and looking over I saw Nate was staring at the floor, obviously embarrassed.

The couple paid no mind to our discomfort, only separating the tiniest of distances before continuing the conversation. "This is our benefactor, Lady Lenora!"

The young man's eyes widened, and he performed a formal bow. "We owe you our lives."

I waved a hand. "You would have figured a way out without me. I only lended a small assistance."

His face was serious. "Nevertheless, we owe our current happiness to you, Miss. If there's anything we can ever do to repay you..."

"Just run the store well." I smiled. "Then I'll sleep easier at night."

"That we can do." He started to bow again, but was grabbed by Erica who shoved him in the direction of the stairs.

"Go hang out with Prince Nate upstairs, I want to talk to Lenora!"

"Prince..." His eyes wide with shock and his face pale, he turned to Nate who shrugged.

"You'll get used to it." He grabbed the young man's arm and pulled him upstairs. "Now let's go before we get into trouble."

Erica watched them leave, nodding approvingly. "What a well behaved young man. He barely deserves to be your match."

"What do you...?" I wrinkled my brow, but she interrupted, panicked.

"Not that I'm saying ill against him!" She waved her hands. "Prince Nathaniel has a wonderful reputation around here. He oversees charities, walks and talks with common folk. He is known to be caring and honest."

I smiled at her words, but was inwardly confused "Really? Because at the palace...?"

"Oh who cares what a few stuck up nobles think!" Erica scoffed. "Not a day goes by that I don't hear about something good that he's done."

I felt a warmth in my heart. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."

"So don't worry." She patted my arm, grinning conspiratorially. "You helped me reach my happiness, and so now, I'll help you!"

"I don't understand."

She blinked at me. "What? Really?"

"Really." I spoke through gritted teeth, frustrated. Why did her conversations jump around so much?

Erica stared at me for a few moments, before breaking out into a bright smile. "Oh. I get it, now! You're dense!"

"..." What was I supposed to say to that?

"No worries, I'm sure it will make sense with time." She shook her head. "I'll help out poor Nate as much as possible in the meantime." Pulling my arm, she brought me deeper into the shop. "First, I wanted to show you this masterpiece!"

In the back of a store, hanging on a dress form, was a gorgeous gown.

I paused in my steps, taken aback. In both of my lifetimes, I had never seen a more beautiful dress. Delicately crafted from a dark blue silk, its skirt glittered with golden stars, that on closer examination were embroidered flowers. The silhouette was grand, not inferior to the formal gowns that Queen Amerande wore. It was eye catching, and the longer I looked at it, the more I saw little details that made me love it more.

"This is not one of my designs." It was an unspoken question, that Erica quickly answered.

"Mrs. Marile sent this design to me right before I left. She said it was made to be worn by you!" Erica grinned proudly. "I had to beg Miss Katherine, the weaver, for the special fabric but as soon as I mentioned that the dress was you she handed it right over at a fraction of the cost. " Her face turned sly. "I had been surprised, but now that I have new information..." She glanced up the stairs with a short laugh. "It makes a lot more sense now."

Pushing me closer, she continued. "Well, no use staring at it, right? Try it on!"

I reached out a hand, stroking the soft fabric. The touch was cool against my skin.

"There is a welcoming party in a few days..." I spoke without thinking, wincing as Erica let out an excited yell.

"PERFECT! You should wear this, you'll be the most beautiful girl at the party!"

________________________

"You'll be the most beautiful girl at the party!" Angela held up the bright orange and green gown with a smile.

I reached out, touching the rough lace, a complicated feeling in my heart. "Really? This would look good on me?"

Edith, lounging on my bed and drinking tea with a casual smile, nodded. She always liked to spend time in my room, sometimes she would spend the night and fall asleep on my bed, asking me to sleep somewhere else. This always made me uncomfortable, but afraid to upset her, I always gave in. Her eyes brightened as she looked at the dress.

"It's perfect for you."

________________________

I pulled my hand away from the wonderful dress. I knew much more about style and fashions then I did back when I was young, but the memory of being laughed at lingered.

"It's better not to stand out." With a disappointed sigh, I turned away from the dress, forcing a smile. "Thank you anyways, but you can just sell it."

"That's a shame." Erica frowned, but seeing my expression, didn't press me further. "I'll hold onto it if you change your mind."

Not giving me any room for objection, she put away the dress carefully, separating it clearly from the merchandise. I spent a little while longer going over the new staff she had hired as well as the account books with Robert, before Nate and I wished them goodbye and prepared to leave.

________________________

KNOCK KNOCK.

A loud banging against the door caught out attention before we could step out. Erica's naturally cheerful face faded and she rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed.

"Not again!"

KNOCK KNOCK.

She opened the door, revealing a beautiful young woman, flanked by two servants, one whose hand was still raised, preparing to knock on the door again.

"Can I help you?" Erica's voice was displeased, but it did not faze the girl who gave an arrogant glare.

"How dare you make me wait! Do you know who I am?"

Erica sighed. "How can I forget, Lady Rose, when you come by every day whining about how important you are?"

I studied the newcomer with some interest. She had delicate features, and her hair curled fashionable around her head, but the overall effect was ruined by her sharp gaze which seemed to look down on everything she saw. Her dress was high quality, and I nodded appreciably when I realized how much money she must spend on her wardrobe. Good future customer, although poor attitude.

Her face was currently red with anger as she stared at Erica. "How dare you be so insolent to your betters? My father is a Duke and I... I will be your future Queen!"

Future queen? At these words I felt my stomach drop. Uncomfortable, I looked over at Nate, who was shaking his head angrily.

"I think Miss Rose is mistaken." Nate stepped forward with a smile, but the expression wasn't friendly. "It was my older brother you were engaged to. Not me."

Seeing Nate, the girl's eyes opened wide with surprise. Faster than I could follow, the arrogant expression was quickly replaced with a sickly sweet smile. Leaning forward slightly, she blinked rapidly, likely attempting to look coquettish but only managing to appear dimwitted.

"Your Highness!" She dragged out his title in a higher pitched voice, making me wince. "I'm so happy to see you here! I've just arrived to do some shopping for your welcoming party!" She completely ignored his earlier words, and was attempting to act as if she had not been talking earlier.

Erica snorted indelicately. "I'm not sure if Lady Rose is deaf, but as I've said before, this shop is not open for business until next week."

"NONSENSE!" Lady Rose's voice became louder. "Why is there a commoner here then?" She pointed at me, her tone becoming more vicious. "Or is she one of the new shop girls?"

I raised an eyebrow at her taunt. I was dressed in my normal attire, which was simple, but elegant, not inferior to her own gown in any way. She seemed determined to embarrass me, a fact that made me smile widely.

"A commoner?!" Erica burst out, angry. " That's Lady Lenora! The daughter of the Duke of Armeny!"

Lady Rose looked me up and down with an unimpressed glance. "Ah. One of the 'nobles' from that backwoods country? I heard they hand titles out like cakes to children there." She sneered. "I wouldn't recommend coming to this shop, Lenora. You wouldn't be able to afford it."

Nate and Erica's faces became angry but before either could speak. I walked forward to step in front of her.

"Rosey, Rosey, I appreciate the worry, but I'm simply here to tour the shop with Prince Nathaniel." I smiled. "I was fortunate enough to see this lovely shop as his guest. I appreciate your concern for my financial difficulties, though."

Her face was pale. "What did you call me?!!!"

"Little Rosey?" I cocked my head to the side. "I thought your name was cute? Do you have a better nickname for me to call you by?"

One of her servants stepped up, his face enraged. "HOW DARE YOU call Lady Rose by such a casual name!"

"Oh?" My voice was soft. "I apologize. Since Lady Rose called my name without a title earlier, I assumed that was the practice in Tilendria and followed suit." I sighed. "Now I just see that Lady Rose was simply lacking training in etiquette, my apologies."

I curtsied, apologizing with a sincere face, but she stepped back as if slapped. "How...? YOU..." She sputtered with rage, her sentences unintelligible.

"Are you well, Lady Rose? If you are having a fit, should I call for a doctor?" I kept speaking calmly, enjoying her dramatic expressions.

"You TRASH!" She finally blurted out.

Nate frowned, and stepped forward, clearly about to defend me. I grabbed his arm, warning him with a glance to let me handle it. Lady Rose's gaze sharpened, focusing on the point of contact between us with a look of disgust.

"You are an unmarried woman, Lenora! You shouldn't touch men so casually, or one would think you have loose morals!"

I left my hand in place, smiling. "I will learn from your example then, and simply declare my future marriage to unsuspecting young men in public instead."

"YOU!" Unable to respond given her own earlier mistake, she stepped back. Glaring one last time, she turned and stormed away. "You'll regret this!!!"

"I look forward to seeing you at the party!" I called out after her, laughing.

Erica shook her head as the girl departed. "You're awesome! If I ever hate anyone, I'm sending you to argue with them!"

Nate grinned. "Same!"

Realizing my hand was still on his arm, I jerked it away, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry."

"No, feel free to make your points like that anytime." He laughed softly. "I'm at your service."

"... Thank you. I appreciate the favor." I studied him for a moment with a blank expression, shrugging, and silence fell between us.

The silence was broken as Erica covered her face, screeching in rage.

"DENSE!"

Robert stepped forward and led her away. "Come on, dear. Let them handle it."

"SO DENSE! IT'S PAINFUL!"

"Shhh. It's okay."

Watching them leave into the shop and closing the door behind them, I looked at Nate, stunned. "What was that about?"

Nate sighed loudly then muttered a single word: "Dense."

With that, he walked away, leaving me to catch up.

________________________

"What did you think?" Nate asked me as we retuned to the palace after a long day.

We had toured a few of the charities that Nate had started over the past few years. One was a public kitchen, made to serve those starving on the street, similar to what I had arranged back in the Duchy of Armeny. I nodded approvingly at the clean structures and organizations, watching as the staff praised Nate highly, causing him to be embarrassed.

Orphanages, schools, it was obvious that he cared about his people greatly, and had been working hard over the past few years.

"You've done well!" I complimented him, watching with interest as he smiled and stared at the ground. "You should be proud."

Glancing back up at me, he shrugged. "It needed to be done. But I appreciate the compliment, especially from such an accomplished person."

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "So what should I expect from the welcoming party? More like little Rosey?"

His face turned solemn. "She shouldn't have spoken so disrespectfully to you. My parents have always given her special consideration since she was engaged to my brother in the past, but still... I can say something."

"Just leave it." I waved a hand dismissively. "If she comes looking for trouble, I'll make sure she finds it."

At my confident tone, a small smile tugged at his lips. "Alright, but let me know if you need help."

"Will do." I started to head towards my rooms, but was stopped by a gentle touch on my arm. Curious, I turned back.

"At the party, there is a custom that the guests of honor can be toasted by those at the party, and it's considered very rude to refuse."

I looked at him cautiously. "With alcohol?"

"Watered down wine, so it shouldn't get you drunk, but..." He paused, looking concerned. "I wanted to warn you just in case."

I smiled at him. "Thank you for the warning."

I turned around and walked back towards my rooms. Idly, I wondered what difficulties I would face in the near future. Was Lady Rose the only one who had grudges with me?

I was interested to find out.

________________________

"Well this isn't good." I stared into my trunk, sighing. I had brought several nice gowns when I traveled to Tilendria, and had planned to wear plain grey silk dress... but who knew that the gown in question, along with all my other dresses, would be cut to ribbons.

I sighed loudly. "What childish tricks." Glancing down at the clothes I was wearing, it was a simple day gown, one I had used to look through the gardens with Nate, searching for some of the plants on Henry's list. It was dusty and wrinkled, not appropriate for formal party.

"That's a funny new design, girl." As I was puzzling over what to do next, a familiar voice spoke out behind me, giving me a shock.

"Rig?" I turned around, and he gave me a crooked smile.

"Long time no see!"

I gave him a hug, surprising him. "What are you doing here?"

He looked around casually. "Was in the neighborhood."

"..." I stared at him incredulously. Who would believe that?

Seeing my face he burst out into laughter. "No, I didn't want you to be alone without eyes and ears, so I'll be temporarily setting up shop in Tilendria.

"But what about...?" Your daughter. I omitted the last two words, but he understood my meaning.

"That child will be fine, taken care of by a noble house." He grinned. "You, on the other hand, need all the help you can get."

I chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to have you here."

"MISS!" A horrified shriek filled the air and Lia rushed towards the trunk, lifting up the ruined dresses. "What happened?"

"A wild animal entered our territory." Hallers stepped behind them, staring at the gown with a furious expression.

"Just a jealous woman." I corrected.

"I see no difference." Hallers cleared his throat. "Shall we go look for her?"

Rig grinned. "Teach her to mess with my kid." Cracking his knuckles, he and Hallers turned towards the door, smiling evilly.

"Stop! No hunting down the nobility because they picked on me!"

Hallers frowned, and Rig stuck out his tongue. "Spoilsport."

"But what to do, Miss?" Lia cried out, looking at me. "I can't repair this dress, especially not before tonight. And there's nothing else left intact in the trunk."

I stared at the dress in her hands, thinking hard, before smiling with confidence. "Don't worry. I have a plan."

________________________

"Lady Lenora, of the Duchy of Armeny!" As the footman announced me, multiple gazes turned my way.

The room was large and grand, with brightly lit chandeliers casting a warm glow over the sparkling tables and decorations. Many lords and ladies had shown up to the party, all dressed in their glittering best. Now I was standing before a sea of unfamiliar faces, making me feel nervous.

If it had been me in my previous life before the engagement was broken, I might have lost my composure, but the me from this life was different. I quickly hid my emotions, stepping down from the entrance into the ballroom with slow measured gait.

As I walked, the stares and whispering grew more intense, but nothing changed in my face or bearing. I had lived two lifetimes, been betrayed, had died, and lived again. I had worked as a shop girl, dealing with difficult customers, as a spy on the street, running information. I had once depended on how well I could hide my true feelings and lie

How could I not appear calm?

"Lenora!" Nate called my name familiarly, causing the whispering to increase.

I smiled at him calmly, curtseying. "Your Highness."

He frowned. "You promised not to treat me differently."

"Sorry, Nate." I grinned and he quickly smiled back.

"Better." He looked at me closer, his face turning slightly red. "You look beautiful!"

I felt my heart beat quicker, and ignoring it, I turned around, proud. "Marile designed it."

It was the dress from the shop, with the golden embroidery. I had not wanted to wear it initially because I worried it was too showy, but after my other gowns were destroyed, it seemed the best option. Wearing it, I couldn't help but feel a small boost of confidence, and felt happy that i had gotten the chance to try it on.

Nate nodded in understanding. "Well, Marile is definitely very talented. But I also think that she had a lovely person to make it for."

I shook my head. "You flatter me."

He was about to reply, but the moment was broken as a high pitched voice shouted out.

"HOW?" Lady Rose was staring at me in shock, her forehead wrinkled as she took in my dress. "How did you...?"

I raised an eyebrow. "So surprised that I have a gown to wear? Why is that?"

Her mouth shut quickly, and she glared at me. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"My mistake." I was smiling, but my eyes were sharp. If she is vicious enough to ruin all my perfectly good clothing, she should at least be smart enough to not blurt it out in public. Lady Rose was not a very good opponent. Edith would have destroyed her within a day.

I moved on, feeling her gaze still on me. Parting with Nate, I mingled in the crowd, speaking with different nobles here and there. Fortunately many of them were friendly and welcoming. One Earl in particular, a larger smiling man with a curled mustache, got into a heated discussion with me on taxation policies. At the end of my argument he laughed loudly, patting me on the back, almost knocking me down.

"This girl knows government policy and economics." His booming voice traveled across the room, and many turned to stare. "Good! Glad to see the next generation is still working hard."

There was a short silence in the room, and shaking my head, I curtsied politely, andc changed the subject.

________________________

As dinner was called, I noticed I was sat on the opposite side of the long table from Nate. The Queen noticed my glance in his direction, and chuckled. "We split up the guests of honor so that more people get to chat. Don't worry, you can see him after the dinner."

"I didn't say..." I stuttered, thrown off balance that she had noticed my thoughts.

"HMPH!" Lady Rose sat nearby, glaring at me. "Shameless."

I ignored her, staring at the glass in front of me. It was larger than normal, holding about two or three times the amount of a normal wineglass. Remembering what Nate said about toasts, I ignored it during the first half of the meal, only drinking during toasts.

As the main course arrived, Lady Rose stood up, giving her third toast of the night. "To our newest guest!" She held up glass, smiling. "May you enjoy this generous hospitality."

I drank from the glass, ignoring the watery taste. Nate was telling the truth. This wine is so watered down it barely has any alcohol in it. Not that it seemed to stop Lady Rose or several other young ladies from giving toast after toast, causing me to drain almost the entire cup before the end of the meal. Good thing it was watered down. I smiled ruefully. Otherwise this could have been a disaster.

"Lady Lenora." A respectful voice took me from my thoughts. Turning, I saw that the young man sitting next to me was the one who called. He seemed a few years younger than me, with handsome features, long auburn hair pulled back behind his head. His smile was confident, and he seemed eager to speak.

I looked at him cautiously. "You are?"

"My name is Luke." He grinned. "My father is the Earl of Brigit."

Startled I looked over at the heavyset mustached man I had been speaking to earlier. How did that man give birth to someone like him?

"I wanted to thank you for speaking with my father earlier. He's been in a good mood ever since."

I smiled. "He was a good conversationalist."

"Will you being staying long in Tilendria?"

I spread my hands silently, showing I wasn't sure.

"Well, hopefully we can convince such a lovely and talented young lady to stay longer." He reached out and grabbed my hand, kissing the back of it. The warm touch of his lips on my skin made me cringe, and I quickly retrieved my hand, feeling disgusted.

"Thank you for your concern." His smile faded at my cold tone.

"A TOAST!" A call rang out, and I grabbed my glass, irritated. So many toasts. To my shock however, it was Nate who was toasting, swaying to his feet. His eyes seemed unfocused, but he was staring in my direction, his expression unreadable.

"To the lovely and talented Lady Lenora." He drained his cup, sitting it down on the table with an irritated gesture, almost falling back into his chair.

What's wrong with Nate? Is he drunk? Watching him closely, I was convinced that he was intoxicated, surprising me. How did he get drunk on this watered down wine?

Before I could look further, however, the Queen stood up, thanking everyone for attending and wishing them a good night. It was an obvious dismissal, and slowly the crowd started to disperse. Lady Rose was staring daggers at me, as if looking for something in my appearance that she couldn't see, before turning and walking away. I felt better as she left, feeling uncomfortable with the hostile glances she sent my way as well as the overly affectionate ones she gave to Nate.

I stood up as well, moving closer to Nate. He was swaying from side to side slowly, staring up at me with a frown.

"How are you drunk?" I asked quietly, not wanting the departing guests to hear us.

He blinked. "I'm not drunk." He shook his head back and forth, but resumed staring at me quietly.

"Really?" I laughed. "You seem pretty drunk to me." Reaching out, I took his empty glass and sniffed it. It smelled much more strongly of alcohol than my glass had.

"Did you not use the watered down wine? I asked, concerned.

He grinned at me, the smile slightly childish. "Dunno. I had them switch our cups before the meal, just in case."

I stared at him for a few moments, my chest hurting. No wonder Lady Rose and her friends kept proposing toasts. They were hoping I would get drunk and made a fool of myself.

I helped him to his feet, feeling guilty. "I'll ask someone to take you back to your room."

"WAIT!" He leaned on me heavily. "Can we go to the kitchen first?"

"The kitchen?" I frowned. "Why?"

He stared at me innocently. "Please?"

He was so childish like this, pouting at not getting his way. It was such a stark contrast to his normal overly serious self, that I couldn't help but give in.

"Okay. A quick trip to the kitchens! But then straight to your room."

"Thank you!" He smiled brightly, startling me. "Let's go!" He grabbed my hand, walking towards the kitchens. I could only follow behind, smiling despite myself.

________________________

As he entered the kitchen, he quickly got some water in a basin and some soap, sitting it on the table in front of us. "Here." He gently grasped my hand, putting it in the water.

"What are you doing?" I asked, curious.

"Cleaning." He stared down, blinking owlishly as he used the soap and water to wash my hands thoroughly.

"Were my hands so dirty?"

He nodded seriously. "Needed to wash them." He then smiled again, happy as he dried my hands with a towel.

Nate sat on a stool, swaying slightly, and gestured for me to sit too. "Can I tell you my secret?" He whispered.

I studied him closely, before shaking my head. "No."

"No?" He pouted. "Why, don't you care?"

"I don't want you to give me secrets drunk." I patted him on the shoulder. "Tell me in the morning."

"Please?" He grabbed my hand, his eyes wide. "I don't think I'd have enough courage to say it tomorrow. Just listen, please?"

How does a man who can look intimidating manage to look adorable? I sighed, nodding my head. "Go ahead."

He hesitated, and then leaned forward. "It's my fault."

"What is?"

"Everything." He smiled, but it was terribly sad. "I thought my parents didn't love me. That they favored George all the time. That I was the disappointment. But the truth?" He shook his head. "It was my jealousy. If I had waited long enough, grown enough, I might have been able to stand on equal footing." He held my hand tightly between both of his own.

"I told you I fixed all his problems? Every time he came up with an idea, but a terrible plan, I would make sure it worked out all right. But I never seemed to get any of the credit. So my heart slowly got overtaken with jealousy."

He stared up at me, his eyes full of tears. "George heard there were bandits, and was worried about them harming people. He wanted to go out and fight them. I told them to get more information first, to take more people, to make precautions." He shook his head. "He didn't listen, just like always, and just charged out. This would normally be where I would have done all the extra preparations, and bailed him out, making his plan work."

He paused; taking a deep breath, seeming like the action itself was painful. "But once. Just that once. I decided not to. Why should I always be the one saving him, when he gets the credit? I thought, if he's such a perfect prince, then he can make his plan work on his own!"

His hands on mine tightened. "Just once, I didn't want to be the one doing all the work. I thought he might fail a little bit, learn to be more cautious, learn to appreciate me."

His eyes met mine, and he was crying. "But instead he died. And if I hadn't been such a selfish and hateful person he would still be alive. "

I reached out with my other hand, wiping away a tear. He blinked, giving me a crooked smile. "It's my fault that my brother died. Do you hate me?"

I shook my head. "No."

"What should I do?"

"You?" My thumb wiped away another tear. "You should live well."

"What?" He seemed surprised, and I pulled my hand back from his face.

"I won't tell you it's not your fault, because you won't believe me. I won't tell you that you're to blame, because deep down you know that it's not so simple. So I'll tell you to live well. Remember your brother, learn from your regrets, and keeping looking forward."

"What a very Lenora-like answer. But I'll listen to your words." Nate blinked, staring at his hands and mine. "Did I wash your hands, yet?"

"Yes." I laughed slightly. "You washed them thoroughly."

"Good." He looked supremely pleased with himself, as if his tears earlier were just an illusion, before frowning, looking irritated "That brat... doing something like that to your hand. Makes me feel uncomfortable."

I was amused at how frequently his facial expressions changed, but just as I was about to ask him further, he lifted my hand up.

I felt a brief warmth against the back of my hand and then a lingering touch on my palm. The sensation was like lightning running up my arm. I stared at Nate as he slowly lowered my palm from his lips, his smile lighting up his entire face.

"There! Now I feel better." His hand gently stroked the back of mine for a moment, and then he tilted, almost falling from his chair. "I should probably go to sleep now."

I called Hallers who arranged for Nate's servants to help him to his feet, preparing to take him to his room. I stood up and sighed quietly, idly rubbing my hand, my heartbeat in my ears and my face burning up as I watched the nearly unconscious prince be carried off.

"Goodnight, Nate."