"Noble knight, do you love me?" Coralina called from the top of the tower.

"Truly, I do," Willow said. "I love you as the stars love the night, as the grasses love the meadow, and as the waves love the sea."

"Oh hogs," Heidel moaned at the other end of the stage.

Coralina ignored her. "Prove your love," she challenged the knight. "Brave the beasts which dwell within this tower and fetch me to safety."

Willow jabbed the air with a wooden sword. "Neither pain nor peril shall sway my course!" He climbed the first step toward her. "To be honest, I'm more afraid of these barrels," he muttered.

Coralina dropped the arm that held the script. "Willow!" she rebuked, laughing.

"They wobble!" said Willow. The tower prop had not yet been delivered by Gord. Coralina had stacked small barrels to form a makeshift staircase leading to her "tower", a single large barrel. It did feel precarious up there.

They stood on a small stage at one end of the ballroom, which twice a year served as their theater. Holding out his arms for balance, Willow moved up another step. "What do I say next? Something about-"

"Blaaarg!" Jaedis leapt up from behind the stack of barrels, her fingers curled like claws. Startled, Willow tripped on the barrels and they toppled beneath his feet. He pitched against Jaedis and the two crashed to the floor, barrels rolling off the stage.

Willow and Jaedis burst with loud laughter.

"Ugh." Coralina hopped off her barrel. "The Noble Knight has to reach the third step. Then the goblin—Jaedis—lunges out the window and drags him into the tower. Once he's inside, I want you both to make loud chomping noises, so the audience can hear him being chewed up."

Jaedis shook with squeaky giggles. "It's too funny! I won't be able to do it!"

"Pick up the barrels and try again," Coralina said, scooping one up.

"Oh, not again, Coco." Heidel peaked out of her gypsy tent. "I have to start supper."

"Yes." Maelyn spoke up. "I think you've rehearsed long enough."

A small group stood before the stage, watching the scene between Willow and Coralina. Maelyn, looking none too pleased, Kerrick, looking none too pleased, and Arialain. Though she shied from performing on stage, she enjoyed watching the others.

Coralina sat on the edge of the stage, letting her feet dangle. She waved a careless hand while hovering over her script. "Go, then. We'll do more tomorrow."

They all headed for the door but Kerrick hung behind. He hopped up to sit beside Coralina. "Are you sure we need that Willow fellow?" he muttered. "I don't like the way he looks at you."

"You always say that." Coralina didn't look up from her script.

"You... are true to me, aren't you, Coco?" Kerrick asked. "I sometimes hear rumors. About a prince called Luxley-"

"Oh Kerrick!" Coralina laughed and nudged him with her elbow. "How can you listen to gossip? You know it's always false!"

"No. Not always," Kerrick said. "I've also heard-"

"Here." Coralina plopped the script on his lap. "Help me with the play. The ending still isn't working." She flipped to the last page and leant her cheek on his shoulder. His red tunic felt uncommonly smooth and she drew back to look at it. "Is that... satin?"

Kerrick smiled as he read. "I thought you wouldn't notice. The boots are new too." He raised one foot to show her the polished leather, much like a nobleman would wear.

Coralina's eyebrows lifted. "Your shop is prospering." She'd never seen a baker dressed so well. Not a fleck of flour on him.

Kerrick looked up from the script. "I see nothing wrong here. It ends much the same as your other plays."

"That's what's wrong," Coralina said. "It's what everyone will expect. The hero to save me, declare his love, and we live happily ever after."

"Well, if that's what's expected—do the opposite."

Coralina hadn't thought of that. The opposite? How? As she pondered this, her eyes fell to Kerrick's hand, to a garnet ring glistening on his finger. "Your shop is thriving!"

Kerrick grinned and flicked the script aside. "Yes, I met some wealthy patrons. Perhaps I can buy a castle, just selling bread."

Coralina laughed. When she and Kerrick were younger than twelve, they had tried to run away together. They reached the abbey in Merridell and asked for a friar to marry them. The abbot, smiling, took them to the chapel, saying he would return shortly. He disappeared for an hour.

And returned with the queen.

The queen silenced Coralina's arguments by telling her she couldn't marry without a proper wedding dress. To Kerrick she was less patient. He was the son of a baker. He could not marry a princess unless he owned a castle. He would never buy a castle, selling bread. Coralina remembered the rebellious burn in Kerrick's eyes.

"You swore you'd be richer than the king one day," Coralina said.

"Rich enough to marry a princess, at least," Kerrick pushed back her hair to kiss her ear. "By summer, Coco. I won't wait any longer."

Coralina tensed but Kerrick didn't seem to notice. His kisses made a path across her cheek. "Kerrick," Coralina said, but he sank onto her lips, stopping her words. His arms slid around her, clutching her possessively. Coralina slumped in submission.

"Pardon me, Coco."

Coralina snapped away from Kerrick. Arialain stood in the doorway, her gaze glued to the floor.

"What?" Coralina asked sharply.

"The tower is here."

*********

The tower was perfect. Fifteen feet tall, sturdy and square, a plank staircase hugging the outer walls, and two tall windows for the monsters. Gord had even built a small parapet on top to prevent Coralina from falling off.

"I love it!" Coralina clasped her hands. "Splendid work, Gord! Masterfully done."

"Thank you, Princess." Gord had delivered the tower in a wide cart drawn by two mules. Kerrick helped haul the tower into the castle and onto the stage. He seemed disgruntled by Gord's arrival and left soon after.

"I want to be Queen!" said Pipsy who'd come with her father. Gord laughed. "Go on, climb up." Pipsy thumped up the stairs and sat on top of the tower. She still carried the golden doll.

"She's been queen of this tower all week." Gord smiled. "She'll miss it now." He opened the coin purse that hung on his belt and drew something out. "Here. I think you wanted this."

"The owl!" Coralina took the small carving in her hands. Though unpainted and unpolished, it amazed her how natural the owl looked. "You said it was for Pipsy."

"It was," Gord said. "She had it two days, then cast it aside. Pipsy likes watching me carve the animals more than playing with them afterward."

"We once had a cook that made animals for me. Out of candy." Coralina smiled. Between the tower and the owl, she found it difficult to be mad at Gord. She summoned a few memories to coax her feelings back to hostility. Battered Luxley beneath the swing. Frigid water that ruined her silk gown. Dangling upside down as Gord carried her to the castle. The look in his eyes....

She sat on the tower steps and let the owl hang limp in her hand. "I suppose you want your money," she said coldly.

"When you can spare it, my lady." He stared at the floor, which irked Coralina. She was accustomed to men looking at her. Even if he saw a smudge, she had to be an attractive smudge!

"How could you build the tower if you can't see?" she asked.

"I work very close to it," Gord said. "But it can't last. Don't think I'll be a carpenter much longer." His expression was calm, composed of tired resignation. "Come, Pipsy. Time to go."

"Not yet!" Coralina waved at the barrels. "Sit, Gord. I have something to ask you."

"Yes, my lady." Gord straightened a small barrel and sat heavily. He wore a massive tunic, dark green, over brown trousers. His hair was wind-rumpled and he clutched a worn cap in his fingers. Coralina found herself noticing his hands. Course and calloused, naturally, but terribly strong-looking. The kind of hands that could squeeze water from a stone.

She told him about the play and the part she hoped he'd take. Gord looked surprised at first, then bewildered. "Don't see how I could, my lady. I can't see."

"If you can judge where the tower is, and where I am, that will be enough."

"Why me?" Gord asked.

This was a stumbling block. Because I'm using this play to get revenge on you for clobbering my favorite lover and dumping me into the lake. No, that wouldn't do.

"You have a heroic stature," Coralina said. "The audience will appreciate your size and strength. Only a powerful man could defeat the monsters." Her eyes dropped with pretended shyness. "And... and I want you to be my hero. No one else."

When she lifted her eyes, she found Gord staring at her with the expression that turned her insides to icicles. And she knew, unmistakably, what she had struggled to read in his eyes.

"When I get you off the tower, will I be expected to kiss you?" Gord asked.

Pipsy giggled above their heads.

Coralina fumbled with the owl in her fingers. "W-well, just a little.... I mean if you don't-"

"No kiss." said Gord. "I'll do the play for Pipsy's enjoyment. But I won't kiss you. Under no circumstances."

Anger roiled through Coralina but she couldn't grip her words. She gave a short nod, moving aside as Pipsy bounced down the stairs. Once Gord had departed, Coralina ripped the last page from her script, crumpled it, flung it behind her, and tromped off the stage in search of a pen.

Now she knew how to end her play.