First, a meme recently sent to me by shortneckandlegs via Tumblr

    Now that I've lost all of you, yes indeed, it hasn't been that long since I was fully prepared to launch pelvis first into a love triangle featuring Ban, Moon, and Maya. This was on the heels of long LONG ago (before Rippling Moon was even a realized character) having every intention of having Maya and Ban wind up together as a romantic item.
   
    Obviously, there was a change of intent along the way. Moon became my inarguable most bestest favorite character in the entire gotdang series, so naturally she became destined for Best Boy Ban. Look. I loved those two together and the whole Gobladin ship (yes, I call them Gobladin, and I'll make no apologies). I love how Moon becomes a source of healing for Ban's PTSD after his traumas surrounding the war against the goblins in the Protectorate. I love how Moon is drawn to his inherently kind heart and gets flushed thinking about his killer bod. I especially love how Ban is 99% of Moon's impulse control. And in a more Doylist view of them, there's something great about the most prominent straight white guy in the series falling head over hooves for an openly transsexual woman.

    So, where does Maya figure in all of this? Well, let me crack my knuckles and tell you.

    Maya, from the word go, was intended to exhibit the most growth through the course of the series. She was Bad in the first book. Sneering, mocking, arrogant, racist, and self-possessed. She absolutely didn't deserve the things she thought she did. Not yet.

    Now, the original plan was that after (spoilers) Dashar died, she'd take on his role (which she did) and then take the place of the Merovech as grand marshal of the Althandi legions (which she didn't). Althandor and Shan Alee were going to get into a fighting war much much sooner in the first pass of the outline. At the heart of that conflict would've been Ban commanding the Aleesh and Maya commanding the Althandi. Two opposing generals communicating to each other using battles as their letters. Ban would start to see Maya's honor, and she'd see his restraint and mercy. Their antagonism would lead to respect, then to an uneasy friendship, and finally to the idiots realized they really wanted in each other's pants. This is still the sort of story I really want to do one day, but it just didn't fit for the plot I ended up going with when Blood Runner came along. I felt Maya would ultimately learn more separating herself from House Algara for a time and coming face to face with her enemies.
   
    Heck, you may still notice relics in the earlier chapters of Rune Knight where I was laying foreshadowing for an eventual romance between them. Ban's comments about "courting a woman should involve sparks, not lightning bolts" was meant as a tongue-in-cheek way of saying that was exactly what would happen. And Maya was pretty overtly wondering if Ban was still fit and pretty these days. Jin reminiscing about Ban giving Maya sweets after an osteomantic attack is another part of their shared backstory I meant to lead to a romance, and I kept it in because I really do think it's a sweet story that says a lot about both of them. It's also funny to have Enfri give Ban grief about it after he's married to Moon.

    But even as intent changed, I still had that notion stuck in my head. And while I thought about it, I felt that Maya would be drawn to Moon for many of the same reasons Ban was. As it stands now, Maya befriends Moon as much as she does partly because she's starved for female friendship, but there was a moment when I thought there may be more to it.

    Real talk, if I didn't already have a polyamorous relationship with Starra/Reyn/Pacifica, then Ban/Moon/Maya would've definitely been a thing. How can I be so certain of this? Well, because I wrote it. About a year and a half ago, one of the pre-written chapters I did for Royal Assassin was the scene where Maya confesses her feelings for Moon to Jin. It's an alternate take on Jin being dragged into carousing through New Sandharbor with Maya and Moon.

    Here it is

***

Jin's breath caught. Oh no, she thought. I was wrong before, but I was not far from right. That is not attraction.

She walked a little quicker and took hold of Maya's shoulder. "If I could have your help, Sister."

Maya flashed her an annoyed look. "What for?"

"This corset. I am afraid my fretting has loosened one of the lacings. Would you assist me?"

Maya sighed and nodded. "Very well." She turned to Moon. "We'll only be a moment, darling. Just long enough to put Jin's ladies back in order."

Moon furrowed her brow. "Is this thing that needs done?" Moon stared openly at Jin's chest. "These seem good."

"Thank you," Jin said, "but the problem will get worse if it is not seen to at once."

Moon nodded slowly. "I am unclouded. Will wait here for Jin and Star Hunter."

Jin led Maya into a nearby clothier. That would serve, but Jin didn't need one to get her gown readjusted. As soon as they entered the store, she took Maya by the wrist and pulled her past the owner and into the dressing rooms.

"My... ladies?" the middle-aged man said, confused.

"Your forbearance, Goodman," Jin replied over her shoulder. "We will not be long."

"Err... as you say."

Jin pushed Maya through the door into the small dressing room and latched it behind her. She immediately placed a privacy ward.

"Jin, what in Father's name?"

"You," Jin hissed, rounding on Maya and pointing a finger at her nose.

"Me."

"Yes, you. I am on to you."

"What are you talking about? Turn around so I can fix you up, already."

"There is nothing wrong with my corset."

"You lied?" Maya gasped. "To Moon? Sister, you're irredeemable."

"I will not apologize for acting in her interests. She is married, Maya."

"Oh, you blustering idiot," Maya sighed. Her weary denial took over her entire body. "I told you..."
"So you did."

"This is how women act with their friends."

"I am not denying that you think so."

Maya planted her fists on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you were not wrong about me," Jin said. "I have not had many female friends, and those I have had, I pined for at one time or another."

"There," Maya said with satisfaction. "You see? All's as I said."

"No." Jin shook her head sharply. "Not entirely. I believe you when you say you have no intentions towards Moon."

Maya gestured expectantly. "But?"

"But, I have enough experience to see what's really going on." Jin leaned closer and put her hand on Maya's arm. "You're in love with her."

A score of different expressions flashed across Maya's face in quick succession. "That's... Blustering... You..."

Jin put her hand to Maya's cheek. "You're in love with her," she whispered.

The dressing room fell silent, and Maya went still. She swallowed.

"Sister..."

"I understand what you're trying to say," Maya said in a weak voice. "You're looking out for her, and I get that. I can respect that. If I thought someone was trying to weasel in between her and her husband, I like to think I'd do the same. Fidelity is sacred." Maya looked down at her feet, and in a surreal moment, she sniffled. "So, I know. I know I'll never be anything other than her friend. I can be content with that, because I've never had one before."
Maya wouldn't look at her, and Jin wiped the moisture away from Maya's eyes.

"Then, you are aware of your feelings for Moon?" Jin asked.

Maya laughed ruefully. "Aware that I want her to be mine?" She nodded. "Yes, Sister. I am aware. And it will never be, so just let me have this."

Jin felt her heart break. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Too late. Damage done, but being around her, I can pretend I'm someone with friends, without my issues clouding the air. I can pretend I don't feel my heart race whenever she calls me Star Hunter. I can pretend I don't feel stronger having her by my side, that I would give anything to hold her in my arms, or that I feel for her like I never thought I was capable of. I can pretend you and I were given the chance to know what it's like to have friends. I can pretend."

Jin dropped her gaze and felt miserable.

"Or," Maya said lightly, "you can let me out of here and stop being so blustering gullible."

Jin looked up again and frowned.

"Honestly, Sister," Maya chuckled, "I can't believe I had you going. You ate all that nonsense up without a second's hesitation." She poked Jin on the forehead. "Bannlyth is more my type, in any case."

Maya shouldered past Jin and walked out of the dressing room with a sway in her hips. Jin watched her go with a furrowed brow and a sinking feeling in her stomach. No, she didn't believe it was a story at all. She heard something in Maya's voice she'd never heard from her before.

Vulnerability.

And Maya would never pretend to be vulnerable. It went against her deepest nature. It went against her pride. What Maya said, every word of it, was the honest truth.

"I am so sorry, Sister," Jin said, safely unheard within the privacy ward. "I know what it's like and wish you would let me help you."

Jin unlocked the privacy ward and followed. She offered an apology for the intrusion to the proprietor and left the store to meet back up with the others.

Maya greeted Moon affably and laughed at what was said in return. Jin could only look on in sympathy. When Moon's attention was caught by a passing vendor selling wrapped yeda, Maya noticed how Jin was staring at her. She hiked up her skirt and stomped towards Jin.

"Alright, you," Maya growled. "Enough with the sad puppy eyes. I'm telling you, you're wrong. If you weren't, Moon would be the first one to know with that nose of hers. She'd start shouting about how 'Star Hunter scents of me' and laughing about it to everyone in earshot."

Jin considered that, then shrugged. "I know her well. Moon only embarrasses those she feels could use some embarrassment. She would not do that to you."

Maya smirked triumphantly. "She would distance herself."

If the feelings were not reciprocated, perhaps, Jin thought. She nearly said it aloud. Her ingrained desire to win an argument with her sister warred with common decency. Jin wouldn't, even under threat of torture, reveal to Maya that Moon thought she sighted pleasing. If this... relationship... was to happen, let all parties believe it to be unrequited.

And, above all else, supervised.

Jin wouldn't escape from this pub crawl if offered a million gold marks. She now had a sacred duty to act as chaperone.

There was, however, a niggling suspicion working in the back of Jin's mind. It was deeper than she could consciously be aware of, but it was there. A chance, a minuscule chance, that this outcome had been Maya's aim all along.

Moon returned with a few bundles of yeda and offered one to each princess. As Jin took a bite, she caught a glimpse of Maya from the corner of her eye. Satisfied, smirking Maya.

Jin sullenly decided that she didn't know what to believe anymore. She lamented the fact there wasn't a spell to read a sister's mind.

oOo

Maya was grateful that there wasn't a spell to read a sister's mind. If there was, Jin would be liable to go deaf for all the screaming going on in Maya's head.

How? Maya demanded of the universe. How in the deepest caverns of Hell does she do that?

Every word, every single blustering word Jin said, struck home with devastating accuracy. It wasn't until Jin spouted such lunacy that Maya recognized the truth, and even now, Maya didn't think she could believe it.

I'm in love with a woman, she thought with absolute terror. A goblin woman. Winds and blustering storms take me and throw me into the sun, a married woman!

This was unacceptable. Worse than that, it was impossible.

"Is this thing Star Hunter likes?"

Maya snapped her eyes towards Moon and smiled wide. "More than anything."

"Is good," Moon said through a mouthful of yeda. "She should eat it then, before it gets cold."

Maya looked down at the yeda she held. She'd taken a bite then forgotten it existed. Hard to do, because if there was anything more unpalatable than dried fruit wrapped in roasted seaweed, she never wanted to know of it. Maya stuck the yeda in her mouth and took another bite. She had to; Moon was watching and it made her happy for some reason.

Winds save me, I've got it bad.

Ritual suicide. The only valid answer. The alternative would be to suck it up and admit to Jin that there was a problem, and that was a fate worse than death.

***

So that's a way it could've gone. Can't say if it'd be a good way or not, but it'd certainly have been a way. In any case, Royal Assassin is chock full of interpersonal drama as it is, so I'm not overly sad to see this plot line go. That said, I'm looking forward to exploring Maya's romantic tribulations in more detail later on. In fact, the planned "expanded epilogue novella" after Royal Assassin will feature it heavily. Even a fluff piece needs a plot, and shipping Maya with various gorgeous men and women should make for a fun one.