"It would be nice if I got what I deserved. Instead of only getting what I don't deserve," Maple whimpered. "Why does this happen to me?"

"Don't be hard on yourself," Willow said. "It was just a mistake."

"Everything I do is a mistake," Maple said. "Like leaving the university. That was a mistake, too."

"Why did you leave?"

Maple looked squirmy. "It wasn't feeling right for me. Nothing is ever right for me. It's so unfair." She looked down at her teacup, which had been empty for several minutes. Though the afternoon wore on, she'd never changed out of her dressing gown or unbound her night braid, which lay limp and frayed upon her shoulder. Loose strands of hair hung around her face and shadows underscored her eyes.

Willow felt sorry for her. Her predicament seemed valid to him this time, and yet... still overdone. She'd been rejected by the man she had been courting, mainly because she'd seen him walking with a young woman along the beach and had flown at him in a fit of jealousy, creating an embarrassing scene, only to learn the woman was his visiting half-sister. The man had resented her distrust of him and they had quarreled bitterly, resulting in him severing his courtship with Maple, and another marriage prospect had gone out with the tide.

It was heartbreaking. Willow knew that. But... she had known the man for only a month. How attached could she have become?

"You had a misunderstanding," Willow said. "What if you tried apologizing? Maybe you could patch things up."

Maple shook her head. "No. There is no coming back from this."

Willow suppressed a sigh. This was another thing about Maple: her tragedies were always life sentences. She abandoned hope faster than anyone he knew.

They sat in his mother's starkly clean parlor, sipping tea with every window open. His mother had gone out to call on some neighbors, looking relieved to get away from Maple for a while. Alder had stopped in yesterday with the children. But Maple could not be cheered and refused to leave the house, insisting she could not possibly face the world anymore.

Willow couldn't help thinking about Ivy in all this. Whenever he'd seen Ivy, she was optimistic and cheerful. Her difficulties seemed far greater to him than those of Maple, yet he had never heard her complain. But maybe that was unfair. They were two different people with two different stories. He just found it harder to be understanding with his sister.

"Maple... listen. I'm not trying to be insensitive, I'm really not. But is it worth it to expend so much anguish on a man you knew for only one month?"

He'd tried to say it in a way that wouldn't make her angry, but it made her angry, anyway.

"How long have you known that little princess you like so much?" she fired back.

She had him there. He'd known Maelyn for about a month now. Well... six weeks. And he couldn't imagine life without her.

"Fair enough," Willow said. "I'm only saying... there are other things. If one thing disappoints you, there's always something else to live for. You have so many talents."

"Like what?" Maple said glumly.

"You sing beautifully. I've heard you. I think if you wanted, you could be a famous singer."

Maple shrugged. "I don't want to be a famous singer."

"Then what? If you could do absolutely anything, what would it be?"

Maple hesitated for a long time. "I don't know."

"You sure? Even if it was something ridiculous, I wouldn't care. Even if you wanted to be..." Willow smiled. "A court jester. I wouldn't laugh at you. That would be great."

"I don't want to be a court jester," Maple said acidly.

"Well, what do you want? Just tell me."

Maple remained quiet. Gave him several mistrustful glances. Finally, in a small voice, she said, "An actress."

Willow folded his arms. "An actress?"

"I've always loved the theater. Whenever we went to shows, I felt envious of the people on stage. I think I would like to do that. I even... tried once."

"When?"

"At the university. You remember—they did a theatrical last winter. I didn't tell anyone, but I tried to get a part."

"You did?" Willow said in surprise.

Maple nodded sadly. "They didn't want me. They offered me only a non-speaking part as a crowd member. I had tried out for the lead! I was so crushed, I just couldn't stay there anymore. So I left the university."

"Then they did want you!" Willow said. "They wanted you as a crowd member. You could have looked at that as the first tiny step. Nobody starts at the top; I'm sure you know that."

Maple shrugged. As the only girl in the family, she'd always been a little spoiled. Accustomed to getting what she wanted. It didn't surprise him to learn she had quit the university when she couldn't have things her own way.

"You know," Willow said. "It's funny you would say that. As it turns out, I'm going to be in a play. The princesses of Runa are putting on a performance and they asked me to take a part."

Maple looked shocked. "You?"

Willow smiled. "I know. It's not the kind of thing I usually do. But they needed my help and I couldn't say no to them."

"You're going to be in a play," Maple said, still disbelieving.

Willow nodded. "In a few days, actually. Which is why I hope you'll understand why I can't stay here." An idea seized him. "Would you... want to come see it?"

"Me?"

"We could go together! You could laugh at my terrible acting. And I would introduce you to Princess Coralina, who runs the plays. I think you would like her." Willow had a feeling Coralina and Maple would love each other.

Maple looked doubtful. "I don't know...."

"Think about it. I'm leaving in the morning."

"You've really gotten yourself entangled there," Maple said.

Willow smiled. "Guess I have."

"Which is the one you like? You didn't tell me, last time."

No, he hadn't. But since she had shared her secret, he felt he should at least do the same.

"Maelyn," he said quietly.

Maple looked at him. "Isn't she a sort of queen there?"

"She should be," Willow said. "She does the work."

"My goodness. Aiming high, Will!"

"I'm not aiming. I just like her."

"Have you told her that?"

"Not in... the way you mean."

"Well, I think you should tell her."

"There's no way I'm doing that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm the messenger. And she's a crown princess."

"Didn't she come from an orphanage?"

"No." Willow was growing annoyed. "It doesn't matter who she was. What matters now is who she's become."

"She's become nobility. Which you have always been. So I wouldn't hold back in saying whatever you need to say to her," Maple said with uncharacteristic softness. "I wish I had said more to my fellow."

Willow didn't know how to answer her. "Are you coming with me tomorrow?"

"Maybe." Maple smiled for the first time that day. "I think I might want to see her."