As she began her fourth month at the palace, Maren found herself in really quite peculiar circumstances. Things were both going quite well and were extremely dire, which she found confusing.

On the one hand, her association with Prince Donovan had become more congenial than she would have ever thought possible. Since forming their alliance, their interactions had changed dramatically. Maren expected it was due to the sort of bond that one has with another once realizing that you are actually on the same side of a problem and not in opposition to one another. But she'd never had something like camaraderie with anyone before, at least not since she was very young, so she wasn't sure.

The Prince had also been rather helpful regarding the encounter with Prince Kieran at the stables, and she was grateful for it, although in hindsight she did regret appearing quite so vulnerable in front of him.

She wasn't sure she liked Prince Donovan. His arrogance and rudeness were still far too fresh in her mind. But she did appreciate having someone with whom to converse and as they had to pretend to be lovers anyway, it was a relief to have their meetings shift from distressingly adversarial to something quite a lot more friendly.

Not only that, but much to her intense surprise, she was actually starting to enjoy life at the palace, or at least not hate it. Since she had been released from her rooms, she found she rarely spent time there during the day, preferring to explore the grounds or the library or spend time in the stables.

She had even found that she enjoyed having tea once a week or so with Lady Vanessa and her friends—who she had dubbed the Tea Ladies. She didn't really understand them, but they were very kind to her. And, as she was not terribly proud to admit, she did enjoy scandalizing them with her wholly different sensibilities occasionally.

She didn't know many of the other courtiers well. The men especially seemed to give her a wide berth, apparently not wanting to be perceived as being too forward with someone who "belonged" to the Prince.

That was all right, though. There was already plenty of talk about her, the slightly odd northerner who liked horses and rode them in an unladylike fashion. For the most part, she found that amusing and was glad to have the freedom to ride how she pleased.

She hadn't gone back to the stables after tea time since the incident with Prince Kieran; he, of course, being the principal reason for the direness of her circumstances. She was glad Prince Donovan had found her in the stables, and she appreciated his straightforward kindness in the aftermath of the incident. But that did nothing to change how dangerous her situation had become.

She knew Prince Kieran wanted her to reveal herself, but she hoped very much that he wouldn't go any further than he already had. She somehow doubted that was the case, though. Worse still, there was very little she could actually do to stop him apart from avoiding him as much as possible.

She had done a decent job of it. Maren hadn't seen him except in passing since then, but she was more afraid of him than she cared to admit. She tried to keep an eye out for him while she was in public, but he seemed to be excellent at sneaking up on her.

One afternoon, she was sitting in the gardens, reading, when she saw Prince Kieran walking through the gardens in her general direction. She quickly buried her nose in her book and hoped very much to avoid his notice. She wasn't sure what Prince Kieran might try in such a public place, but she was not eager to find out.

"Lady Maren, good afternoon."

She cursed silently but rose and curtsied, "Good afternoon, Your Highness."

"Are you enjoying your reading?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you, but I'm afraid I have to go now. If you'll excuse me, Your Highness," she said and made to walk past him.

"Actually —"

"Lady Maren, there you are! I have been looking all over for you!"

It was Lord Alec who had apparently rushed across the grounds to her. Maren was slightly surprised but relieved that someone had interrupted Prince Kieran.

"Ah, Your Highness!" he said to Prince Kieran with a small bow. He took Maren by the arm, saying, "Lady Maren, I was told you have been stricken with a cough, are you all right?"

Taking the hint, Maren began coughing profusely and feigned being unable to answer him.

"Lady Maren, you really must get yourself to bed. As Court Physician, I insist you come with me this instant," Lord Alec urged. He then turned to Prince Kieran and said, "You must excuse us, Your Highness, I simply must see the lady to bed."

Prince Kieran looked annoyed but did not object, and Lord Alec led Maren, still coughing, into the palace.

Once they were a minute or two down the hall, and Maren's coughing had become extremely forced, Lord Alec said, laughing, "I think you can stop now."

His laugh was contagious, and Maren's cough turned into giggles. "Ah, I think I might have damaged my throat with all of that," she gasped.

"I assure you, it was worth it to see that annoyed look on his face!" He said, still laughing.

Maren, calming down, said, "Well, my lord, I thank you for your timely intervention."

"Happy to be of service, and please, no titles," he said.

"If you insist," she said with a smile. And then, more subdued, added, "I expect you heard —"

"About the incident in the stables, I did," he said tersely. "I told Donovan I'd keep an eye out."

"I am grateful to you," she said.

"It's no problem, I am happy for any opportunity to annoy his highness," he said.

She smirked.

"May I escort you back to your rooms?" he asked.

"Thank you," she said, and then asked, "I take it you aren't an admirer of the younger prince?"

His face darkened. "Not at all. I didn't grow up at Court, so I didn't meet him until he was fifteen or so. The first time I spoke to him, he was being horrible to someone innocent. I don't think he got any more pleasant with age."

"Sounds about right," Maren said.

"He was the most insufferable after Donovan came of age and didn't have time for the youth of the Court anymore. So, Kieran became king of his own kingdom. He was decent looking by that time, so the girls flocked to him and the boys all tried to build relationships with him since they knew he'd be powerful one day. He was just using them all though."

Maren shook her head. "Do I even want to know what he did to them?"

"No, but I'll tell you. A lot of the men are still in his pocket. As for the girls...well, you'll have to excuse my impropriety, but it was said that a whole generation of Court maidens were deflowered by him and then discarded."

Maren made a noise of disgust. She wasn't surprised, but she did find it disturbing.

Alec continued, "I'm quite certain he doesn't care about anyone but himself. And he likes hurting people, I'm sure if it. As for you, you being something his brother has, and he doesn't is more than enough reason for him to cause trouble," he said.

"Hmmm," Maren said again, not wanting to say anything that might give herself away.

Alec misinterpreted her noncommittal noise as skepticism, "No, no, Donovan has never really seen it full on, but Kieran has always been intensely jealous of him. Probably it all goes back to their thirteenth birthdays—I'm sure you heard about that. But whether it's the crown or power or a woman or even a toy, Kieran has always thought what Donovan has should be his."

"What a terrible way to go through life," Maren said.

She had long since learned herself that envy was one of the most useless and destructive emotions there was. She had spent much of her teenage years painfully envious of "normal" people, but had come to learn that her envy only made her feel worse.

"I think so," Alec agreed.

They had reached Prince Donovan's apartment, and Maren paused for a moment, thinking.

"Would you like to come have tea?" she asked.

He grinned broadly, "I'd be delighted. And," he added, "I have very many endearing and embarrassing stories about His Highness, if you'd like to hear."

"Which one?" Maren laughed, opening the door to Prince Donovan's receiving room.

"Yes," Alec answered.

They both laughed. And that was how Maren made her very first friend.

—

Donovan was rather confused to hear uproarious laughter coming from his apartment before he even entered it. He opened the door and was surprised to find Lady Maren and Alec and the remains of afternoon tea in his receiving room. The two were giggling like madmen.

"Oh, hello," Alec said, noticing him first.

Lady Maren saw him and, trying but failing to suppress a grin, nodded and said, "Your Highness."

This was new. While Donovan didn't object, he also was not sure how to greet Lady Maren in front of his friend. Kissing her hand, as he had taken to doing in public, seemed a rather absurd gesture in his own rooms. But a more familiar greeting would be uncomfortable. Would a kiss on the cheek violate his oath? It felt like a gray area.

He decided to move forward and skip greetings altogether.

"Well, it appears I've missed something of a party," he said. "I should have left that commerce meeting early."

"I have just been regaling the lady with stories from our youth," Alec explained.

"Oh gods," Donovan said, sitting down in a chair beside Lady Maren on the sofa. "Which ones?"

Lady Maren looked at him very seriously, "Certainly only stories that portray you in a very positive light, and not a single one that involves you being thrown from a horse." She was squeaking by the end of her sentence, and then she and Alec broke out into peals of laughter.

Donovan groaned. No doubt Alec had told her about a youthful incident during which he wanted to appear impressive to a young lady and ended up being thrown from an irritated stallion right into the manure pile.

"I am sorry, my friend," Alec said, not appearing to be sorry in the slightest. "It's just that...well, I really wanted to tell her."

Donovan couldn't help but laugh—their mirth was infectious. "Well, I suppose it's better coming from you than someone else," he admitted.

"I don't suppose you ever made peace with the horse?" Lady Maren asked.

"Ha! I actually did, but only after about three weeks of mucking stalls for Mr. Gregory and then another three weeks of learning how to groom the horses," Donovan said. It had been grueling work but worth it in the end as he had eventually been allowed to ride the stallion—this time without jumping upon him like an idiot.

"Ah, what a time," Alec said.

He then stood up to leave. "I must be off, I have a dinner engagement."

"Oh, too bad, I was hoping you could stay," Donovan said. He had only just remembered how much he had missed spending time with his friend since the Selection.

"I'm free tomorrow?" Alec suggested.

"Excellent, we'll see you then," Donovan said and then saw Alec out.

He went back to sit with Lady Maren. "You don't mind, I hope?" he asked.

"Having dinner with Alec? Not at all, and I do hope you don't mind me saying, but he is much more fun than your parents," she said with a smile.

He laughed, "No, I think that's really quite accurate."

They had another "family dinner" a few weeks ago. It was less awkward than the first one since he and Lady Maren had improved relations, but still a rather tense affair.

"I am curious, though, how did he end up here?" he asked.

"Ah," she said, her face darkening somewhat, and she told him about encountering Kieran in the garden and Alec's intervention.

"I am glad he was there, but I do wish he could've come up with an ailment other than coughing — I think my throat is still sore," she said, clearly trying to bring some humor to the otherwise unpleasant story.

He smiled, but was troubled. He had thought Kieran wouldn't try anything else so soon after the stables.

"I...ah... I do hope it's all right, that I asked Alec to stay for tea, I mean," she said.

"Oh, of course! Alec is one of the few—well, actually, the only person at Court with permission to come visit me whenever he likes," he said. Everyone else needed to send a servant and wait to be seen. Alec was permitted to barge in and knock on the door of Donovan's private suite—an indulgence he frequently took advantage of while searching for good liquor.

"Alec is...well, I suppose it's odd to say Alec is as close to me as a brother when my actual brother and I are not particularly close. But suffice it to say, were I able to choose a brother, it would be him," he said, then added, "And if you find him a suitable friend for you as well, then I am glad of it."

And he was. He wasn't sure he had ever heard—actually he was quite sure he had never heard Lady Maren laugh as she had been with Alec, and it made the burden of her protection feel a bit lighter. She was in a terrible mess, in no small part due to his own actions, and if she could find some happiness at the palace, so much the better.

She looked thoughtful. "This probably sounds rather dramatic, but I haven't actually had a friend before," she admitted.

He smiled at her, but thought that might have been the saddest thing he had ever heard.

"Well then, I think Alec is an excellent choice for your first," he said.

He watched her for just a moment and found that seeing her happy made him feel happy too. Perhaps, in time—a lot of time—he might also be her friend.

"How did you become friends with Alec?" Lady Maren asked.

Donovan grimaced. "It actually is not a pleasant story," he said.

She looked surprised. "Oh, well, certainly you don't have to tell it."

He shook his head. "No, no, I don't mind. Kieran is the only one who was unpleasant."

She pursed her lips. "Why am I not surprised?"

He sighed. "I was seventeen and so was Alec. Kieran was about fifteen and there was a girl involved, Marjorie. Actually, she was the one I was trying to impress by jumping on the horse. But anyway, she was somewhere around the same age, and she was so pretty. I had liked her for what felt like an eternity."

--

Donovan was very excited. He wasn't *positive*, but it seemed likely that Marjorie wanted to kiss him. This was an excellent idea.

He finally stopped obsessing over what he was doing when he talked to her and actually looked at her and realized she was flirting back. And she was the one who suggested that they might take a walk together in the gardens in the evening when it wasn't so crowded.

He met her as they had planned and offered his arm like a proper gentleman. He was delighted she took it. She seemed pleased when he insisted that she call him by name when they were alone together.

He proposed they might go to one of the more private corners of the garden, and she blushed, but smiled and nodded. They went and sat down on a bench together.

He smiled at her. She was so pretty.

His heart was pounding, and his palms were sweaty, but he asked her if he could kiss her anyway. He was thrilled when she smiled and nodded.

They stayed there for a while, talking and kissing, until they heard a rustling in one of the nearby bushes.

"Did someone see?" she whispered, alarmed.

Donovan went to go investigate, but found no one.

"I think it's all right, but perhaps it's time to go back," he said.

He wouldn't get in trouble for kissing a girl in the gardens, but he wasn't sure if Marjorie would get in trouble, and he didn't want that to happen.

"I hope it wasn't your brother," she said. "I think he's been following me sometimes."

Donovan made his usual growling noise.

"Shall I put a stop to it?"

She shrugged. "I've always tried to be nice to him, but maybe I went too far and gave him the wrong idea? He's been a bit...creepy."

Donovan sighed. Plenty of girls thought his younger brother was creepy. He stared too much.

"Tell me if something happens again," he said, and she nodded.

"I'm sure it's nothing," she said. "And I still had a very nice time."

He smiled. He walked her to the door of her family's apartment and kissed her hand in farewell.

No one said anything, but he was probably grinning like a lunatic the whole evening.

The next day, Donovan was wrapping up with his tutor when word came that there was a terrible commotion in the gardens. Donovan had a gut feeling that Kieran had something to do with it.

He encountered a strange scene. A blonde boy about his own age was standing in front of Marjorie and yelling at Kieran.

"— doesn't matter who you are, you have no right to talk to a lady that way!" the blonde boy shouted.

Donovan saw with horror that Marjorie was crying.

"Stay out of this! You are nothing, and you are a fool for defending a whore and a slut!" Kieran yelled.

Donovan immediately became enraged and did not properly listen to the blonde boy's retort, but gathered that it was something else in defense of Marjorie.

The crowd parted to let Donovan through.

Kieran was spouting more cruelty when Donovan growled, "Enough!"

Donovan thought he saw a flash of fear in his brother's eyes. That was fine. Donovan was bigger and stronger and more powerful, and in his rage he was not above throwing that around to defend Marjorie.

"Apologize to her, now!" Donovan demanded.

Kieran just glared at him and then turned away.

"This isn't over, little brother. I will see you at training," he snarled to Kieran's back.

Donovan glared at the crowd, mostly teenaged and young adult courtiers, until they dispersed. Then he went to Marjorie, who was weeping while the blonde boy stood beside her, glaring at anyone who seemed like they might bother her.

He pulled her into an embrace, and she collapsed, sobbing into his shoulder. It wasn't entirely appropriate, but considering what had just happened, he didn't really care. She was too hysterical to speak.

Fortunately, one of the ladies she was friends with stayed nearby and took over the duty of consoling her.

"I'll take her back to her apartment, Your Highness," she said.

"Thank you, my lady," he said, and then looked to Marjorie.

"Marjorie, I'm going to take care of this. I promise. I'll call on you or send a note later, all right?"

Marjorie nodded through her tears and was ushered away.

Donovan looked to the blonde boy and asked, "I missed most of it, what happened?"

The boy looked surprised, as though he wasn't sure Donovan actually wanted to speak to him.

"Oh, um...yes, Your Highness. The Prince, Prince Kieran, was screaming at her and saying really horrible things about how she betrayed him, and she was supposed to be his and calling her terrible names and I...well, I couldn't just stand there and let him, so I yelled at him a bit and I think that's when you arrived."

Donovan sighed explosively.

"Oh, I... I apologize, Your Highness —"

Donovan realized the other boy thought he was angry at him.

"No, no, it isn't you. Only there wasn't anything at all between the two of them. She was just nice to him, is all. I have no idea why he'd scream at her like that," Donovan said.

Which was half true. He thought it likely that Kieran had seen him kissing Marjorie and that had angered him, but Donovan did not understand why Kieran thought Marjorie betrayed him.

"In any case, thank you for defending her... I'm sorry, I don't know your name," Donovan said.

"Lord Alec Drake, Your Highness. I've only been here a few days. I'm visiting with my father for a short time, but I'll be back in a month or so to apprentice with the Court Physician," he said.

He seemed to be rambling a bit, probably out of nerves.

"Well, I expect I'll see quite a lot of you then. I'm glad you were here today. Thank you, Lord Drake," Donovan said.

"Lord Alec, Your Highness," he corrected. "I'm the youngest of four."

Donovan nodded and thought about the family name, trying to place it. "Worthingham, right?"

Lord Alec nodded. "It's two days away. We don't come to Court very often. We're actually leaving tomorrow."

That made sense. Donovan knew Worthingham had numerous military responsibilities that kept him in the West.

"Well, I think I owe you a brandy, my lord. Send me a note when you come back and we'll have a drink. And, thanks again," he said.

"Happy to help, and I thank you for your invitation, Your Highness," Lord Alec said. "I look forward to seeing you again."

--

"And the rest is history. As you well know, it's nearly impossible to sit with Alec for any length of time and not become friends, so after one night of brandy Alec was more or less my best friend," Donovan explained.

Lady Maren looked thoughtful. "What happened to Marjorie?"

He sighed. He had known she would ask that, but still didn't want to answer. It was too sad.

"Her family left Court soon after that. The rumor was that she had played both Kieran and I to try to make a match. It was nonsense, of course, but it was such a massive embarrassment. Her family hoped that moving would make people forget. I wrote to her for a time, but she asked me to stop. She said it made her too sad.

"Then about three years later, she was...well, she was reportedly seen near a building that went up in flames. So, the Trackers arrested her. They only held her for a few days—she had multiple people provide alibis. But..."

"The damage was done," Lady Maren said.

He nodded. "I don't know what happened to her after that, but I expect she's still living at home."

"Poor girl," she said. "Did anything happen to Kieran?

Donovan growled. "Not enough. I fully intended to wallop him the next time I saw him in training, but my uncle restrained me. My father yelled at Kieran for it, but he didn't really suffer any consequences."

"I'm sorry to hear it. That really is an unpleasant story, even if Alec was the hero," she said.

He nodded. Reputation seemed to matter for everyone except Kieran. It annoyed Donovan greatly.

"I suppose he must've had feelings for her, but I had no idea. He never seemed to like anyone, and I knew she didn't have feelings for him. I still don't know why he thought she betrayed him," he said.

That sat quietly for a few minutes before Mrs. Whitley popped her head into the receiving room from the back, having come in through the servant's entrance to his apartment.

"Will the two of you be dining together or separately?" she asked.

He looked questioningly at Lady Maren, who shrugged and nodded.

"Together, thank you, Mrs. Whitley," he said.