The second week of the Shuffling ended. As Lady (Y/n) checked her calendar, a big smile formed on her face as she thought about the turn her very life has made during this week.
'And still two more to go. Plus a couple of days.'
"Alright!" she quickly left her room and got to what was now her morning routine.
Her morning routine being: drink her coffee, review her files and documents, read her letters...
'I didn't read them yesterday.' she realized.
Instead of panicking, she let out a heavy sigh.
'Which means there should be double the amount today.' she felt tired just thinking about it. 'Maybe I could have someone sort them out for me, see which ones are from the most important people. And Eddie, Barnaby, Lady Starlet, and maybe Howdy too...'
With each name she listed, her heart jumped a little more. Whatever she was feeling right now could only be described as a pure sense of glee. Something she hasn't felt in a long, long time... She giggled, then went to ask a maid to sort out her mail with her. It was a huge help. And now Lady (Y/n) added 'tea time with a princess and her entourage' to schedule for the day.

"A princess?!" Catherine clapped her hands when she told her fellow council members about it. "That is fantastic Lady (L/n)!"
"I'm so excited!" she shook her hands. "Very much nervous, but much more excited! That is new to me! Is that weird?"
"No." Gwendolyn smiled, shaking her head. "It's not weird at all."
"It is a little weird," everyone turned towards Arnold. "that a princess would invite someone of such a low rank. I say there's something shady going on here."
"Arnold!" Catherine glared at him. "You apologize right no-!"
"It's all right." (Y/n) tapped her shoulder. "He has a point. it is strange when you look at it from afar... Maybe this whole Bloody-Bare-Hands thing is turning out to be a good thing after all." she smiled.
He scoffed with a smirk as he rolled his eyes.
"I'm sure it is." he looked away. "For you."
(Y/n)'s expression saddened.

"...Are you mad at me?"
She was about to apologize when Catherine spoke again.
"Don't mind him, Lady (Y/n)." she said as she turned her away from him. "You must have a lot to do today, despite tonight's event. Are you on time?"
She checked the time and gasped.
"You're right, I have to go!" she rushed to her room to grab some things. "The birdwatching club invited me back! And this time, I'm pretty certain Frank will be there!"
Everyone's eyes became wide open.
"...'Frank'?"
"Alright, have a good day everyone!" she passed by them, waving. "I'll see you tonight at the ball!"
And with that, she was gone.

Frank had taken this opportunity to quiz (Y/n) about the ornithology lessons he gave her. Her knowledge impressed the other members of the club and they even invited her and Frank to formally join them. The two of them politely declined.
After this, Lady (Y/n) went to a few gatherings and had the most pleasant times. She felt really proud of herself for being now able to hold up on her own in large social settings. It really helped that the people she talked to were all really nice and interested in her as a person. Sometimes, she would run into familiar friendly faces, which would be such a delight everytime. For example, in the early afternoon, she ran into Miss Partridge again, talking to Chef Vin-Vandle about the latest cooking trend. (Y/n) didn't know much about the subject, but she was happy to listen.
"I just realized," she said at some point. "you don't usually show up to gatherings, do you Miss Partridge?"
"You're right." she smiled, bashful. "I am mostly in the comfort of my cottage."
"Your cottage?"
"Ah. Y-yes." she nodded. "I furnished my quarters so that they are identical to my cottage back at home in the Enchanted Forest."

"I see. You must really love your home then."
"It is the place where I feel the most comfortable. Um, to tell you the truth... I much prefer to stay in than go to big social gatherings."
She seemed embarrassed to admit it. (Y/n) was surprised. Poppy Partridge carried herself with such elegance, she didn't expect her to be such an introvert.
"Oh! But then are you okay with being here?" she spoke more quietly so as not to call her out to everyone, there were indeed a lot of people around.
"Actually, as I told Mr. Vin-Vandle," she gestured towards him and he nodded. "when I heard he would be attending this tea party, I gathered myself and came here. For I deeply wanted to thank him for all of his hard work."
"Miss Partridge is a passionate cook, I can tell." Vin-Vandle chuckled. "I recognize a fellow lover of food when I see one. But I must say, I didn't expect that a mage – especially one as powerful as her – would bother themselves with such tedious things."
"Tedious? Not at all, sir." she shook her head. "Cooking using magic, for me, lacks a certain touch of... je ne sais quoi."
(Y/n) squinted her eyes, but nodded along. Although she and herself knew that she had no idea what that meant. She felt a bit ashamed of this silent white lie.

"A dish made with magic follows a recipe to the letter and it does so perfectly." Poppy continued. "Strangely enough, I enjoy the small harmless mistakes in a dish. And besides, it is always more satisfying to make something yourself. Especially when cooking for others! Whenever someone enjoys my cooking, it brings a warm joy to this bird heart of mine."
"I could not agree more, Miss Partridge." Vin-Vandle nodded with a smile. "A shame that more and more restaurants use magic to make their dishes." he sighed.
"I think magic is a good tool to help with some steps of the cooking process," (Y/n) spoke. "but I agree that it shouldn't be relied upon too much."
"A nice middle ground, my Lady." Miss Partridge nodded.
The three of them continued their little debate, each of them bringing interesting points.
"How do restaurants work over in the Spades Kingdom these day, milady?" Vin-Vandle asked at some point. "I haven't went there in decades."
"How come, sir?" she tilted her head.
"Well you see, my catalogue is simply a collection of what I've discovered during my travels, so the research I do for it doesn't really qualify as work. So you can understand how hard it is for me to travel to the Spades Kingdom, with the border laws and such."

He explained it all in a friendly smile and a lighthearted tone, but everyone here knew that the matter what anything but. A few decades ago, the late King had passed a few laws regarding the checks at the borders: no one is allowed in nor out of the Kingdom of Spades unless they have a valid work permit. This ended the chance of any touristic market and blocked access to any first-hand experience of Spades culture, which only further pushed the prejudices to some. Hearing Mr. Vin-Vandle now, (Y/n) felt a certain sense of shame.
One would think that one of the first things to do after the King's passing would be to open up the borders again. However, these laws meant that there were more guards put in customs. In a time during which the Kingdom's structure was shaky, it would be a golden opportunity for lands with ill intensions to strike. It could lead to something like the mass theft during the Great Departure, or something even worse. Once again, there needed to be stability within the Kingdom of Spades before opening the borders back up. Think of it like a restaurant under renovation!
'Most of the deal discussed in the meetings were business related, so it's fine.' she thought. 'As for the tunnel of friendship...' she felt a tightness in her heart. 'I'm sorry Julie. But we may have gone ahead of ourselves. Unless it is used strictly for business-related travels at first... Oh well, we can worry about that later!'
She smiled, her eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm sorry to hear this, sir. Rest assured that we are working in collaboration with the other three Kingdoms to make sure that the borders open up again one day."
"That is good to hear." he smiled back.

"I'm curious, my Lady." Miss Partridge spoke. "Have you ever left your Kingdom? I've heard that these laws were a little looser concerning the people of Spades."
"Right... I myself have never left, however."
"Oh my." Vin-Vandle's eyes widened. "How old are you?"
"Um, I'm t-"
"Mister Vin-Vandle." Poppy put her hands on her hips. "You must know at your age never to ask a lady for hers."
"Oh you're right, Miss Partridge, you're right."
"It's okay." (Y/n) smiled. "I'm definitely at an age where I should have traveled at least once in my life."
The chef and the sorceress both laughed, but it was all in a sentiment of sympathy. They then told her about traveling, the places they went to-
"You travel, Miss Partridge?" both (Y/n) and Vin-Vandle asked, surprised, considering what she told them earlier.
"Within the Kingdom of Clubs, a magic user must undergo a pilgrimage through the Enchanted Forest to become a full-fledged sorcerer. An entire month, using nothing but magic."
"Wow..." (Y/n) let out. "That's incredible!"

"And that is only for a level one sorceress. In order to go up in ranks, one must travel to various magical places throughout the land. Maybe even go out in search for a new one."
"What level are you?"
"Six."
"My stars!" Vin-Vandle exclaimed, his and (Y/n)'s expression of shock and awe made the sorceress laugh.
"So you've traveled six times?" the Lady of Spades asked.
"Only five, actually. My sixth level was given to me by his Majesty the King, for I have proven my worth as a sorceress."
"What did you do?"
"Oh it was so long ago... I believe I came up with a new, magically powered light system throughout some of the cities in the Kingdom."
"Wow... That's incredible!"
"You flatter me, my Lady." she bowed her head.

The three of them continued their conversation. Which led them to the subject of tonight's official event.
"I do hope that I won't be too tired." (Y/n) sighed. "With the day I have planned ahead of me."
"You sure are a busy bee, my Lady." Vin-Vandle said. "And you're telling me you are but a simple noble lady?"
"That is correct, sir." she smiled, her eyebrows furrowed. "My popularity does not match my actual title."
"How can that be? Does it have to do with that uselessly long nickname people give you?"
"It is too long, isn't it?!" she exclaimed, happy to have found someone else who didn't like it.
Her enthusiasm made Miss Partridge chuckle.
"Do you not know about it, Mister?" she asked him. "Everyone was talking about Lady (L/n)'s act of bravery during the first ball."
Her words made (Y/n) feel a tightness in her heart, but she didn't let it show.

"Oh you know me, if it isn't about food or traveling, I don't want to hear it." the old man chuckled. "No offense, my Lady."
"I assure you, Sir, your words bring me more comfort than you think."
"Well in that case, I am glad." he nodded.
"Speaking of lighter matters," Poppy said. "what will you be wearing tonight, my Lady."
"Oh it will be very simple." she waved a hand. "Please don't expect much. What about you?"
"I'm afraid I won't be seeing you this evening. For I have reached my quota of hours outside of my chambers."
"Oww." she chuckled before turning to the old man. "And you, Sir?"
"I shall be going as my favorite character from my childhood: the Shrimp King."
Poppy squawked in delight.
"How marvelous! I should've known!"
"The Shrimp King?" (Y/n) tilted her head.
Both Poppy and Mr. Vin-Vandle gasped loudly in shock, which made her flinch. They then talked excessively about an old, very famous book series that were the childhood books of many. Lady (Y/n) had an overall lovely time.

As context clues hinted at earlier, the next official event of the Shuffling would be a costume party. In between two social gatherings, (Y/n) passed by the Spades quarters to make sure her costume was in proper shape. It mostly was, except her tiara seemed to have broken on the ride to the Hearts Kingdom. She gasped when she saw it and would've panicked if she hadn't quickly thought of a solution. She took her small tiara and went to see Mr. Pillar. Who, surprisingly for her, was in the company of Barnaby.
"Why hi there, milady!" he tipped his hat to her and bowed.
"Lovely to see you again, Lady (L/n)." Howdy bowed as well.
"Hello to you too, gentlemen." she curtsied. "I hope you two are doing well."
"Likewise, my Lady, likewise. Say, what are you here for? Surely to not simply visit this humble servant of yours."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Mr. Pillar. I'd be happy to visit if you'd invite me."
"Is that a promise, ma'am?" Barnaby raised an eyebrow then wrapped an arm around his friend. "'Cause this big fella right there makes a killer vienna coffee!"
"Not literal!" Howdy quickly clarified.
(Y/n) chuckled.

"Actually, I come here for your services..." she showed him the tiara. "I plan on wearing this tonight, but some of the pieces fell out during my journey here."
Howdy closely looked at it and she already felt embarrassed, she looked away.
"Seashells..." he mumbled.
"Yes. Made to look like jewels." she nodded, her cheeks dusted with pink. "I...I trust your discretion regarding this little secret."
"Well I must say, my Lady, that is a really clever trick!" he picked up all the pieces with his multiple hands. "I must say though, seashells are not the kind of material I'm most familiar with. This will be tricky..." he thought with a hum about the process he must go through for this task. "But it can be done and so it shall!" he finally snapped his fingers.
"Oh thank you so much, Mr. Pillar! And I-I didn't forget about what you said last time!" she took out a pouch of coins. "Just name your price."
"Woahoho! Hey now, milady!" Barnaby stood by her side, waving his hands up and down. "Don't open your wallet so quickly, when you could very well get a discount."
"A discount?"
"There is one thing that Howdy loves, it's funny jokes."
"I am always open for a good laugh..." he said, nodding to himself.

"But I... I don't know any jokes." she whispered nervously to him.
"No worries." he patted her shoulder. "Leave it to this lil pup."
"Oh yeah? You got any more zingers for me Barns?" Howdy asked.
"I always do." he faced him and cleared his throat. "I went to a new restaurant on the Moon, but I'm never going back!"
"Ow, why is that?" (Y/n) tilted her head, genuinely curious.
"Glad you asked, milady. The food wasn't bad, but the prices were outta this world, and the place had no atmosphere!"
Before Lady (Y/n) could even decipher the joke, Howdy burst out laughing, which made her flinch and laugh in surprise.
"Ooo boy!" Howdy exhaled, wiping away a tear. "I can always count on you for these things."
"Does that mean I get a discount?" she asked with a smile.
"Mmh, give me a second to convert that into money..." he did some math under his breath. "I'd say this would be well over eighty percent off!"

"Wow!" she let out.
"Only eighty?" Barnaby sighed. "Man, I'm getting rusty."
"Thank you Barnaby, thank you!" (Y/n) lightly clapped her hands as they followed Howdy inside.
"A pleasure, milady." he tipped his hat to her.
The two of them sat by the table in the middle of the workshop to watch Howdy works. To pass the time, him and Barnaby presented to (Y/n) the various members of the Pillar family. Which actually reminded Howdy of some family gossip that he read about in their newest letters to him. He has been at it ever since, without a pause (except of course for Barnaby's occasional comment).
"Then- You're not gonna believe this- Outta the blue comes our sister Sue and her brother Drew, talking to my sister Dolly about gettin' Henry on a trolley to see our aunt Molly."
As he was talking, Barnaby noticed Lady (Y/n) kept an eye on the family portraits, mouthing Howdy's words with her eyes squinted. He figured that she was using the pictures as a point of reference so as to not get lost or confused. He contained a laugh and turned back to his friend.

"Wooly aunt Molly?"
"Wooly aunt Molly, Barn! On my father's left side. My left not yours."
"Which one?" (Y/n) asked.
"Maybe...upper left-hand side!" he waved said hand.
"Right." she nodded before staring at the portraits again.
"And then! You wouldn't believe what happened next!"
He continued for a while. Barnaby was used to his friend's rambles and had no problems keeping up with all these names, but he found the look on the Lady of Spades' face rather amusing. At some point, she became completely lost.
"But wait. Who's her brother?" she finally asked Howdy.
"...I am."
"Oh!"
The three of them laughed.

As a host and a king, Wally had to arrive just in time, which meant fashionably late. These days, there was a time called the 'prince hour', where members of royalty would show up to an event. Wally arrived with his two best friends, each in their own costumes. Julie was a mermaid of the caves, wearing a dress that was tight at the legs, but still stretchy enough for her to move about as much as she pleased. She also had crystals in her long, wavy (for now) hair. Frank was Sir Hankford Bufflez, a famous entomologist whose work he admired greatly. However, his costume consisted of a simple suit, a pair of glasses, as well as his hair being styled in a different way. So it was hard to tell if he was even wearing a costume...
"I told you it would've been cooler if you were a pirate." Julie mumbled as they entered the ballroom.
"I've had this prepared for weeks, Julie. If you hadn't told me this only an hour ago, I could have maybe make time to change."
"But it is such a stroke of genius! We could be matching right now! Don't you think so Wally?"
She turned to her other best friend, his gaze wandered around the ballroom.

"Wally!"
"Ah." he looked at her. "Yes Julie?"
"Also, why didn't you also follow through with my memo?"
"Your memo?" he tilted his head.
"You could've been the parrot Wally! Everybody knows a pirate's not a pirate unless they have a parrot, or a small monkey."
"...I'm a bird, aren't I?" he waved his feather cape.
"No! You're still too prince-y looking." she huffed, looking away.
"You are more absent-minded than usual, Wally." Frank pointed out. "Are you looking for someone perhaps?"
That question made Julie quickly look back at Wally.

"I am. I'm wondering where Lady (L/n) is." he looked out into the crowd. "There are so many people here tonight. I wonder if we'll even get to see her."
"Yeah, me too." she sighed. "She looked embarrassed when I asked her about her costume yesterday."
"Even if we wanted to look for her..."
Before Frank could even explain his point, it would be in action mere seconds later, when the three royals became surrounded with people who wanted to converse with them, compliment them on their costumes, congratulate them on various thing they've done as royals. Basic subjects of conversations for the three of them, which they've learn to answer for with a polite and smiling dullness.
Eventually, the three friends were separated. Not wanting to be rude, Wally focused on whoever was talking. But he would sometimes look over at the costumes around him. They were all very pretty and loud-looking, each of them had a story to tell and even when two people had the same costume, they each had their own personality, so one could easily tell them apparts and neither party could complain. It really got his artistic heart pumping and he was happy that everything seemed to be going smoothly.
Sadly however, he still hasn't encountered any familiar faces. As the master of ceremony, he must make a round of the entire ballroom to make sure everyone was having a good time. He hasn't seen Julie nor Frank again after they separated. He would have the same first conversation upon meeting someone. He couldn't blame these other people for bringing up safe subjects, however it was getting a little tedious to him.

Then, he saw her. In a sea of white and gold, there was a black dot in the corner of his vision. He looked over.

Lady (Y/n) (L/n) was in the middle of a conversation (he didn't care with who at the moment) of which she didn't participate in much. She was holding her own hand, giving it discreet caresses on its back with her thumb. She looked nervous. Embarrassed maybe? Her cheeks were dusted with pink. Or was it makeup? Either way, it looked lovely. From her profil, he could see her hair, tied up in a way that could show the back of her dark blue – almost black – dress. The front was normal, but it went down to the middle of her back, where two small black wings sprouted from her shoulder blades.
One word she used to describe her costume was "simple". And indeed it was. A simple thin black gold necklace around her neck, matching black lace wrist cuffs, her earrings like small black dots on her earlobes. And her dress had no pattern, no ruffles, just a dark fabric. Such a thing was unheard of for nobility. Compared to everyone else's costumes, hers was laughably simple.
But Wally didn't see it that way.

In the middle of all these brightly loud colors and big imposing costumes, her dark dress- her simplicity made her stand out. To the King of Hearts, a man who has lived his entire life in a world of extravagance and luxury, this simplicity was the most elegant thing he's ever seen. The lack of pattern made her look out of this world, and with her noticeable awkwardness, it was as if a being from another world really came here and now felt out of place.
He was simply blown away. And for once, he didn't know how he looked to others and he didn't care that they'd see whatever look he had on his face.

Her gaze wandered.
Their eyes met.

Lady (Y/n) quickly looked back to whoever was talking again.
'Shoot! I looked away out of instinct!' she thought. 'I didn't expect to see him so soon...'
She glanced back at the King. He was pretty far away so she couldn't see well – especially with so many people around – but despite that, she could still see the upper half of his costume. A white feather cape, his red hair was decorated with golden strings, as if they were part of his hair, a white suit ornamented with light red jewels, the color of his Kingdom. (Y/n) took a moment to admire how beautiful this costume was. Then she looked at his face and realized he was looking at her. Their eyes met once again, and once again, she looked away.
'A man of such fine taste, seeing something so simple. He must think it looks silly.'
Finally, she looked back at him. He was still looking at her, his eyes a bit wider open and his mouth agape. She gave him a shy smiled and a small wave.
'I know, I'm sorry! I didn't think I'd stand out this much!'
Her wave seemed to bring him back to the present moment. He blinked as he inhaled, then smiled and waved back. With a more genuine smile, happy to have seen a familiar face, she went back to focus of her conversation.
"Lady (L/n)."
She flinched in surprise, successfully containing one of her weird yelps as she faced the King of Hearts as he made his way to her.

"Oh. Did I scare you still? I did announce my presence this time."
"Oh! Yes you did! It is very appreciated." she curtsied. "You only surprised me a little bit."
"Ah. I am making progress!" he happily smiled. "I'm glad."
They were now face to face. She didn't want to look at him up and down so as to not risk being rude, but...
'He's taller now.'
Indeed, there were now of similar height, with him maybe a couple of centimeters taller than her.
"...Good evening." she said, now realizing that she didn't properly greet him yet. "My King." she curtsied.
"Good evening, my Lady." he curtsied back. "Or should I call you by the name of your character?"
"My character?" she blinked twice before understanding what he meant. "Oh! Well- no. It's still just me, I mean... Just a moment." she took out a small tiara, a thin black circle tied to it by a metal string to that it stayed up, and she held it above her head. "I'm an angel." she smiled with furrowed eyebrows. "W-well, I'm supposed to be, anyway."

"...Why aren't you wearing the tiara?" he tilted his head.
"It...It keeps slipping off." she said a bit more quietly, blushing in embarrassment. "The second time it did, I gave up and I just took it off."
"Oh."
"It's my fault really." she sighed. "It broke in my suitcase and I went to get it fixed by Mr. Pillar. Sadly, I as in a hurry and didn't bother to even try it on before confirming his work."
"...May I?" he extended a hand.
Confused, she handed the tiara to him. He took out a hairpin from his pompadour and approached her.
"Just a moment." he said under his breath.
He placed the tiara on her head, then looked for a good spot to put his hairpin. He leaned a bit closer and (Y/n) held her breath, not knowing where to look.
"There." he finally took a step back. "Perfect."
She touched her tiara before smiling.

"Thank you so much, my King." she curtsied. "I'll make sure to return this to you once the ball is over."
"No need to do that." he shook his head. "You need it more than I do."
"Alright then... May I ask, what are you dressed up as?"
"I'm the white swan." he opened his arms a little bit so she could see better. "From the ballet."
She looked at him up and down. She noticed his shoes had heels.
'That explains it.'
"You look simply magnificent, your Highness." she smiled. "As if you came out of a fairy tale."
"Thank you. I could say the same thing about you."
"Oh, thank you! I'm not sure what fairy tale it could be though, angels don't really feature in them, I don't think."
That wasn't what he meant.

"How did you make the wings...?"
"Oh this?" she turned around to show him, though still looking back at him. "They are attached to straps that are of the same color as my skin tone. So from afar, they're almost invisible."
Upon closer inspection, Wally could indeed see the straps.
"How clever." he smiled in delight.
"It's all thanks to the royal seamstress' genius. It was all her idea." she smiled. "I really like it but I...I'm not used to have my back exposed like that." she scratched the back of her neck.
"I think your costume looks lovely."
In a short moment of silence between them, they heard the music change to another piece.
"Have you been there for long?" Wally asked.
"Around half-an-hour I'd say."
"Have you danced yet?"
"No... But that's okay, I like looking at everyone's costumes. They're all so pretty."
That made him smile.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered a hand.
(Y/n)'s eyes widened. In that moment, she realized that she hasn't danced once during this entire Shuffling.
'All those dance lessons from Catherine and Gwendolyn... It'd be a shame to not put them to use. But...'
"Have you danced yet, my King?"
"I have not."
"In that case, shouldn't you keep the first dance for someone more important?"

He tilted his head, he didn't move his hand and kept it raised.
"The first dance of a King – especially the master of ceremony – is very important. I understand that dancing with a friend can be much preferable, but-"
"This Shuffling will mark the beginning of a new solidarity between our kingdoms." he smiled. "I believe this dance will be plenty appropriate."
Not wanting to argue, she took his hand.
"I must warn you, I haven't gotten the chance to practice much." she quietly told him as they made their way to the dance floor.
"Not to worry. I'll lead."
Once they've arrived, they faced each-other. She placed a hand on his shoulder, he put one around her waist and they held their partner's other hand. Then they joined the dancing circle. As expected, all eyes were on them. It made (Y/n) uncomfortable, and it showed in her expression.
"Are you alright?" Wally asked.
"I-I am..." she gave him a polite smile. "There are just...a lot of eyes on us. I'm still not used to it."

He let out a small 'oh'. He himself was so used to being the center of attention that he's simply grew accustomed to it and so acted accordingly. It was second nature to him at this point. But he remembered that he wasn't always like this.
'What would mother do whenever I'd get nervous...?'
"Ah. I just realized." he smiled. "We're matching. We both have feathers."
"...Oh! Why yes you're right!" she exclaimed. "Although, I would say that we are complete opposite instead."
"In art, complementary colors are often the best match for each-other."
"Oh. How... How nice." she smiled.
'He is an artist after all.'
"You know, some would say that this is the work of fate." he shook his head, rolling his eyes with a smile.
"Do you not believe in fate, my King?" she tilted her head.
"I am more of a firm believer of hard work. If fate did exist, then I would like to have a chat with whoever is in charge of it." he chuckled.
"Oh my..." she wasn't sure what to say to that.

"What about you?"
"I do believe in fate." she honestly said. "But I don't think it works the way people tend to believe it does. Of course, hard work is very important. I just believe that sometimes, some forces outside of our control can give us a little push forward, but it would never push you all the way."
"...Would you say that fate pushed us to dance together then?" he tilted his head with a smile.
She blushed.
"W-Well, no. You're the one who asked me to dance. It wasn't because I had feathers too, was it?"
He laughed.
"You're right, I did most of the work."
(Y/n) took a deep breath to calm her fast beating heart.

"In that case, I'm glad that I changed costume after all." he said.
"Huh?" she gave him a confused look. "What do you mean, my King?"
Wally glanced around before leaning ever so slightly towards her, which for Lady (Y/n) made a whole lot of difference. Her heart skipped a beat.
"This is a secret that I shall trust you with." he whispered.
She nodded.
"This costume I am wearing isn't actually the one I initially picked."
"Really?" her eyes widened.
He nodded.
"My stylists refused to let me wear it, and I sadly had to trust their expert advice." he sighed, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"What was the costume?"
"I wanted to dress up as my very good friend, Barnaby."
(Y/n)'s mind went blank for a moment. An image of Wally appeared, he was wearing a large dog suit, covering his entire body except his face and his red pompadour. On top of the suit was Barnaby's clothes which would probably still be too big for him, and a small hat on the head of his suit.
Suddenly, she burst out laughing and had to lean back, covering her mouth. It surprised Wally. Her laughter echoed throughout the ballroom, throughout the dancefloor, in his ears and in his chest.

He made her laugh. He didn't tell a joke, but she laughed. He said something ridiculous and true, and in exchange, her laughter.
Her lovely lively laughter.
It made people turn to look at them (whoever wasn't looking already), one of those people being...

Julie was having fun talking to anyone who also dressed up as a mermaid, inviting them to stay with her for the rest of the evening since her pirate story couldn't happen after all. She recognized her friend's laugh, though this time it sounded a lot happier. She looked over to see her dear newest friend (Y/n), dancing with a mesmerized Wally.
"Oh... Oh I knew it!" she said to herself before speaking to her group. "I'm sorry guys, but the mermaid gang must go on without me! Bu-bye!" she waved without looking at them, then quickly left.
"Wait, boss!" her gang members called out for her. "You're the one with the map to the secret treasure! Or was it the dragon? We're unsure of the scenario you've given us, your Highness!"
But she was already gone.

"Haha I-" (Y/n) cleared her throat. "I assure you my King that I am not laughing at you."
"I wouldn't have minded." Wally said without thinking.
He said it as the Lady was still trying to calm herself down from all this laughing, so she didn't hear what he said.
"It's just," she wiped away a tear. "it is very unusual for a King to wear such a cute costume."
"Oh my... Now I don't know if this change was a good idea after all." he looked down at his suit. "Fate, or cute? Such are the dilemmas of life I suppose."
"Oh that cannot be the most dire challenges you face." she smiled with a raised eyebrow. "You rule over the Kingdom of Hearts."
"That is true. But sometimes, the simpler matters can be just as difficult."
"What kind of matters?"

As she asked that question, Wally slowly spun her around, their held hands above her head.
"My coffee already having sugar in it. Falling asleep. Artist block..."
The two of them became face to face again. Having someone look up at him while waltzing for once felt different to him.
"Relationships." he said, once again without thinking.
"Ah, I understand." she nodded, looking down. "I'm having similar problems..."
Uh-ho. She looked sad. He gently tilted her chin up.
"I apologize, I shouldn't talk about these things during such a happy event." he smiled. "Let us dance and simply enjoy the music."
"...I'd like that." she softly smiled and nodded.

As the two of them kept dancing, Julie tried making her way through the crowd, sometimes going on her tippy toes to observe her two friends. But sometimes, a bunch of big head pieces and hats would block her view.
"Darn." she snapped her fingers.
"What else, what else?"
That voice made her look over. A bit farther away was someone from the Court of Stars, dressed like a pirate with a long beard and an eyepatch, quickly taking notes. On her shoulders was seated another star person, dressed as a red parrot.
"This is ridiculous." the parrot person said, clearing not liking their situation.
"The higher you are, the better you can see, Jememiah."
"You're the one who wants to see. Why am I up there?"
"Have you ever seen a pirate perched on the shoulder on their pet parrot? Don't be silly now." Sally glanced up at them before going back to her writing. "Now tell me what they're doing, and really go in on the details."
Jeremiah sighed.

"Excuse me." Julie walked up to them.
"You are excused." Sally said, without looking up.
"You're the royal playwright right?"
"I would be more than happy to give you an autograph at the end of this wonderful evening, my lady."
"Oh, neat! Why are you here tonight? What'cha doing? You're usually absent from the events."
"Why yes, my work does aquire full concentration. And things such as the flow of writing cannot be controlled, it must come naturally from the muses. Cruel mistresses of the arts yet vital beauties of life itself! Therefore I stay in my chambers for hours upon hours, writing, rewriting, tossing and turning. Tonight is different indeed however! If you must know, my lady, I have stumbled upon the purest form of inspiration any playwright- Any artist-" really pressing on the Ts. "-could only wish to find. This Shuffling's play shall be great, but my next one shall be phenomenal!"

"Is that inspiration perhaps..." she leaned closer with a smirk. "Young love?"
"Young love!" she raised her hands dramatically in the air, almost making Jeremiah fall over. "Such simple words for such a deep abundance of feelings! Haha indeed! And I simply must write down every glance, every micro-expression, every twitch of a hand that is burning to hold the other's! It is gold I tell you!"
"Between who and who?"
"Oh I'm afraid that I cannot relay such information." she waved a hand. "You must understand that, like a journalist, a playwright never reveals their sources-"
"They laughed!" Jeremiah cut her off.
"Oh!" she reasied her quill. "Quickly, talk!"

"The Lady bumped into someone, the King took the blame and apologized. She got embarrassed and he laughed, then she laughed with him but she's still blushing."
"Yes... Yes!" she said with a big smile.
"Lady and King?!" Julie's eyes widened in excitement. "It is Wally and (Y/n)! Let me see let me see!"
She snatched the papers from Sally to read them. Sally was motionless for a moment, her hands positioned as if she was still holding her notes.
"Um..." she scoffed. "Excuse me. I'll have you know that such an impulsive act is quite rude, you're lucky that I..." she finally looked at the person she's been talking to, and her expression fell.
"Oh wow! You wrote a lot!" she smiled at her. "Your handwriting's very pretty too!"
"...You can have it."
"Mmh? Oh no, I just want to read it when you're done."
"I am done. You can keep it."
"Really?!"
"Yes." she nodded.

"Are you sure?" she looked at the last sentence that wasn't even finished.
"I am as certain as I am of anything."
"Awesome! Thanks!" she beamed before leaving. "Have a good evening!"
Sally watched her until she was out of sight.
"Hey, are you listening?" Jeremiah looked down.
She opened her arms, making them fall over, then she grabbed them by the collar.
"Jeremiah my for-now-feathered friend! Who was that?!"
"What is wrong with you?! I could've broken my back!"
"Who was this ethereal, fascinatingly radient maiden, with the crystals in her long hair shining like tiny stars?"
"Wait, where are your notes?"
"I don't need them anymore, Jeremiah." she let them go and turned to the direction Julie left, a hand over her heart. "For I have found a truer form of inspiration. Endless, abundant and personal."

"So I looked like an idiot, sitting on our shoulders for nothing. Again." they sighed. "What even is this new inspiration...?"
They looked upon the face of their friend. It was as if they could see the little hearts around her star-shaped head.
"Sally...? Are you-?!"
"I must find some other paper right away!" she rushed away. "I shall lock myself in my chambers once more! I must channel this longing into my writing! My heart is humming a name I don't even know! Oh! Already a good line! Quickly!"
"Oh, mother of all stars and space." they mumbled, dragging their feet as they followed her. "Protect the poor soul that my friend has set her eyes on."

Frank Frankly discovered that not a lot of people recognized the person he was dressed up as, expect of course those who dabbled in entomology. What was a tad frustrating to him was how people would act as if they did. As someone who knew a lot about various subjects, he knew a look of recognision when he saw one. And he saw very few tonight. Out of the three royals, he was the one who would first be tired of such events. His hair started to bother him, it wasn't styled the way it usually was.
"Maybe you shoulld've wore a wig then." Molly suggested (she was dressed as Clarabelle: a full yellow duck costume covering her entire body except her face).
"I'm pretty sure that would be worse." he sighed.
He's met a few friends throughout the evening. He chatted with Wally and (Y/n) who were taking a break from dancing and taking a drink. She was curious about his costume and asked some questions, which Frank appreciated. At some point, the music changed.
"Ah. It's my favorite." Wally's face lit up and he turned to (Y/n), offering her his arm. "Shall we go back?"
"If it is our favorite, then we simply must." she smiled, taking it.
The three of them said goodbye and the two dance partners went back to the dancefloor. Watching them leave, Frank squinted his eyes.
"...Huh."

"M-My King!"
He looked over to see Mr. Dear. It would seem that the man has simply stumble upon him while walking through the crowd.
"Mr. Dear." he turned towards him, his hands behind his back. "Good evening."
"A-A lovely evening indeed!" he bowed.
Frank looked up and down at his costume. Those were very normal clothes, with a satchel bag and a cap.
"Who are you dressed up as?"
"Oh! Y-you recognize my costume!" he pointed at himself.
"I'm not. That's why I'm asking."
"I-I know but, you recognize it as a costume!" he beamed. "Oh you have no idea how much of a relief that is!"
Behind his back, Frank was fiddling with his fingers. Whatever he was feeling at this moment wasn't shown on his face, except maybe his cheeks being a bit redder. But Eddie believed it was just part of his makeup.

"Of course I recognize it." Frank smiled. "You don't usually wear these clothes, and besides, I am dressed as a person too." he gestured towards his costume with pride.
"Yes I can tell! I've never seen you with glasses before! You look very handsome!"
Frank just stared at him for a moment.
"I-I mean!" Eddie blushed. "Whoever you're disguised as must be very handsome! N-Not that you're bad looking, not at all! You're dashing!"
Frank cleared his throat. He needed to put a stop to this before this gets worse for the both of them.
"I did use as reference a flattering picture of him at the beginning of his career. I am dressed as Sir Hankford Bufflez."
"Oh! The bug scientist!"
"An entomologist! Wait." he leaned back with a surprised frown. "You know about him?"
"Yes, I've read a bit of-" he cut himself off, closing his lips tight shut.

Frank raised an eyebrow. Seeing the look on Eddie's face, he couldn't help but smile too.
"Mr. Dear?" he leaned a bit closer. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Eddie shook his head with a hum.
"Oh really?" he leaned back. "Are you sure it has nothing to do with a certain book from that same man that I've once ordered from you?"
Eddie seemed to be internally struggling for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders dropping.
"You are too clever for me, your Highness." he shook his head. "I must confess to my offense."
"Offense, you say."
"Yes..." he said with a defeated look. "When you ordered me to go fetch you this limited edition book from this sir Byewffle-"
"Bufflez."
"Yes, quite!" he cleared his throat. "You seemed to eager to have it, on my way to give it to you. My curiosity got the best of me and I read a few pages... Then a few more. I didn't know he was also a traveler. A-And he gives such good advice on what to do if you stumble upon some dangerous critters."

"...Am I to understand that you became a fan of him, Mr. Dear?"
"Why yes, but... I shouldn't have even touched your package. That is highly immoral and agaisnt any postal policy." he looked down. "I deeply apologize for my transgression."
"...Why yes, it is highly unforgivable." he folded his arms. "I'm afraid I'll have to send you out in exile."
"Exile?!" he exclaimed. "Isn't that a bit...?" he sighed. "I understand, my King."
"Do you really think I'm being serious?" he tilted his head, smiling with a raised eyebrow.
"I-I..." he scratched his head, blushing.
"Mr. Dear, why would I get rid of the one person – who isn't a fellow entomologist – who knows of Bufflez's work?"
"So... You're not mad that I opened your book before you did?" he looked at him, his head tilted down while fiddling nervously with his fingers.
"It wasn't even mine yet at the time," he shrugged. "I haven't paid you the other half. And, if that led you to enjoy that book, than I shan't complain." he shook his head.

Eddie breathed a sigh of relief.
"But enough about my costume. What about yours?" Frank took a step back to better look at his outfit.
"Oh." he automatically opened his arms for him to get a good look. "I'm afraid not a lot of people have recognize it either." he chuckled. "I'm Postman Pat!"
"Postman Pat..." he tapped his chin. "I don't believe I recall who that is."
"You wouldn't be the only one. He's a character from a children book series. It's pretty old, but that was the only thing we had back at home."
"A book series featuring a postman..." he mumbled to himself, thinking.
"He's not everone's favorite, but he's certainly mine." he smiled. "People tend to like the Shrimp King more."
"Oh! Yes I do recall a character of that name." he pointed at him. "My mother really likes this Shrimp King as well. She was a big fan of this series when she was young."
"She did?!" he blinked twice, pleasantly surprised. "Did she ever read it to you as a child?"
"I cannot say that she had, no."

"Oh well you just have to read the- Wait, hold on!" he laughed, embarrassed. "They're books for children, you'll probably find them silly."
"Just because a piece of entertainment is for a young audience, it doesn't make it silly." he smiled. "Come along," he walked passed him. "let's see if there are some of those books in the royal library. My mother and the late queen Ambrosia were good friends, so they might have similar interests."
"Oh, now?"
"Yes." he stopped and turned to face him. "Unless of course you don't want to-"
"I-I do!" he exclaimed, louder than expected. "It's just... This is a ball, and an official Shuffling event, shoudln't we dance at least once?"
Frank blinked twice.
"...That is one strange way of asking someone to dance, Mr. Dear." he smiled. "Nevertheless, I accept." he raised a hand for him to take.
"Ah-!"
When Eddie said 'we', he actually meant it as the two of them individually. Still, it wasn't like he would pass out such an opportunity, especially if the King of Diamonds accepted. He gulped and took his hand before leading him to the dancefloor. He surely was nervous, but he was still rather light on his feet so it didn't take away from his dancing skill, so Frank didn't mind at all.

During this dance – lively music accompaning the sound of chatter and laughter – Eddie still couldn't bring himself to look at the King in the eyes. He would try, but eventually, it would be too much for him and he'd look elsewhere. Once, he looked away yet again and spotted his good friend Lady (Y/n), who seemed to be leaving the dancefloor. She spotted him as well. Her face lit up and she waved at him. He returned the greeting in the form of a nod. Seeing a friend made him feel better. He gasped when he saw that she was in the company of the King of Hearts himself. Frank followed his gaze and saw his two friends.
"Ah, yes." he nodded. "It seems there's been some development, though I am unsure of the direction these two are taking."
"Well, whatever it is, I hope things turn out well for the both of 'em."
"Me too, Mr. Dear. Me too."

"I'm impressed." Wally told (Y/n) as they watched the two men dance. "Frank doesn't usually dance with anyone, except with Julie of course."
"Would you say that these two are close then?"
"All I can say for certain is that I've never seen Frank smile like this."
(Y/n) looked over to her friend Eddie, he now had a expression of bliss on his face. That made her smile.
"Well then, I hope they become close. They both are lovely people. And I would love for two friends of mine to be on good terms."
"Agreed." Wally nodded before walking away with her. "Now, do not hesitate to lean on me."
"My King, although I deeply appreciate your concerns, I assure you I am perfectly fine. My foot just slipped, it happens when one doesn't usually wear heels..." she just realized what she just admitted (wearing heels was a must for a lady) and panicked. "Well, I-I mean-!"
"It's all right, my Lady. I don't usually wear heels either." he smiled.
"I would've never guessed." she glanced down at his feet. "You always carry yourself with such ease."
"One always should, if they must represent their Kingdom. Ah." he spotted a free table. "Please, take a seat."

"My King, my ankle does sting a bit, but it is nothing to be concerned of." she took a seat on a chair and tapped her foot on the floor. "See?"
"But, my Lady, if one can cast a healing spell, shouldn't the people around them make the most of it and use such convenience to heal any injury, big or small?"
"But if the injury isn't bothering, then why bother?"
He chuckled at her choice of words.
"And besides," he continued. "wouldn't it be better to heal it now instead of taking the risk of it getting worse later on?"
"I...I suppose you have a point. But-"
As she spoke, Wally got on one knee. And when he gently lifted her feet, her voice was caught in her throat. He lifted the edge of her long dress just enough to see her ankle and conjured a healing spell. The stinging sensation was gone, but in this moment that was the least of Lady (Y/n)'s problems. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
A King, the King of Hearts, was kneeling at her feet!

"There." he swiftly stood back up. "Isn't that much better?"
She just looked at him with big eyes.
"Oh my. Are you alright?" he leaned closer with a concerned look. "You're all red. Are you hurt somewhere else?"
He raised a hand towards her face. (Y/n) stood up before he could touch her again.
"I'm alright!" she fanned herself with her hand. "It's just... All that dancing left me a bit tired!" she giggled. "I'll be all better with some refreshments!"
"Ah, good." his shoulders relaxed.
"Have a good rest of your evening, my King!"
"Pardon?"
"Mmh? Well... I'm sure you can find someone who has more energy than me. And who wouldn't stumble upon their own feet." she chuckled.
"Oh." he nodded, his gaze wandering for a moment before looking back at her. "No thank you."
"Huh?"

"I mean that I should take a break too." he smiled. "I'm also fatigued and quite famished as well. I trust that after a well-deserved rest, we shall go back to dancing."
"You... You still want to dance with me?" she slowly asked.
"Naturally." he smiled softly. "I've never had this pleasant of a time in a while."
As he ordered some drinks to a passing servant, Lady (Y/n) once again felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She took a deep breath to try and calm it.
As nervous as moments like these would make her feel, the rest of the night was a pure delight. She didn't dance with anybody else. Her and the King danced to almost every music piece that played, talked about various subjects – each only about personal matters and interests – and laughed a lot. It had come to a point where she had forgotten where she was and who the two of them were, their titles, their very purpose. At that point, they were just two people, dancing the night away.
On her way back to her quarters, she was still swaying to the rhythm of a music she was happily humming the tune of. She took off her costume, prepared herself for bed, then with a spin she let herself fall back on her bed.
'That was so much fun!' she thought with a big gleeful smile and a giggle.

She replayed the events of the ball in her head. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the spinning sensation from the countless waltz she danced. The King of Hearts has been such a nice company throughout the evening. She was glad that she could now openly laugh with him. When, prior to tonight, she would be too scared to be seen as rude. She lifted a hand to look at the back of it, remembering the moment they parted ways. She had to leave early and he had to stay late.
"I bid you goodnight, White Swan." she bowed to him. "I had a wonderful evening, all thanks to you."
He laughed and took her hand.
"The pleasure has been all mine, Lady Angel." he bowed and kissed the back of her hand.
Her heart skipped a beat. And she felt it skip a beat again upon remembering. A soft smile formed on her face.

Then it fell and she frowned.
'Hold on...'
A moment passed, in the silence of her dark room, illuminated only by the faint moonlight. Then, she quickly got under her covered and laid on her side.
'That's just because I spent the entire evening with him. And I'm still feeling the rush of the party.' she rationally thought. 'My head will certainly clear up in the morning and I will be able to focus on work.' she shut her eyes closed.

Morning came, the King of Hearts hasn't stopped clouding her mind, and she was not able to focus on work. Nevertheless, she went to her first meeting of the day, which was with Mr. Dear. He once told her that he didn't have any servants – he may have been a famous traveler but he was still a commoner – and so would cook all of his meals. Lady (Y/n) said that she would love to try his cooking and so he invited her to have brunch with him in his own quarters. He was given a small cottage in the North part of the estate.
"Eddie!" she exclaimed as she stepped in.
"Woah!" he jumped in surprised as he was putting the dishes on the table. "L-Lady (L/n), good morning."
"This morning is indeed good, but that isn't what I want us to focus on at this moment." she smiled widely and took a seat at the table. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"
"Indeed I did." he said, filling their cups with tea before sitting across from her. "My costume was recognized by a lot of people, mostly of an older generation but they were all so nice." he smiled.
"I do hope you were in good company." she added some spices to her tea and slowly stirred it. "I saw you dance with King Frankly, you both looked dashing with your matching ordinary-looking costumes!"
"Oh!" he blushed. "Th-Thank you- Well I wouldn't know about us matching but I uh..."

"Did you not think so?" she tilted her head with a grin. "You did seem to be having a lot of fun with him. I've never seen you this happy before."
"I-I did, but that had nothing to do with- Not saying that his Majesty is not a delight to be with!"
"A delight you say?" she leaned back. "Oh I am so happy for you, dear friend!
"Wh-What are you saying, milady?"
"You don't have to deny it." she took a sip of her tea.
"I-I-I don't know what you're saying!" his eyes darted around.
"Hey listen!" she put her cup down and pointed at him. "I would know about falling in love at the ball last night!"
Silence filled the room. The two friends looked at each-other with big eyes. (Y/n)'s face became redder as she realized that she spoke too much in her enthusiasm.

"What?" Eddie broke the silence.
"What?"
"Did you say 'falling in love'?" he pointed at her.
"You did!" she pointed at him.
"But you said-"
"I didn't say anything! You're the one who-"
"You're the one who said it!"
"But you're the one who-"
"Who'd you fall in love with?!" he leaned closer.
She opened her mouth, but then pursued her lips as she fiddled with her finger.

"The King of Hearts." she mumbled.
Eddie nodded and leaned back with a defeated look.
"The King of Diamonds."
"The King of Hearts." she nodded, her expression twisting into one of distress.
"The King of Diamonds!" he did the same.
"I don't know how it happened! He's just so beautiful!"
"He's so elegant and-"
"-So nice and charming! I've never met anyone who-"
"And he's so intelligent too! I just-"
"And when he smiles, it's like-"
"He's such a gentleman!"
The two of them kept pouring their heart out for a while, speaking at the same time in a lovestruck panic, with Lady (Y/n) intensely shaking her hands.

"And I don't know what to do!!!" they both finally said at the same time.
They sat back on their chairs, taking a moment to catch their breath. Eddie chuckled and rubbed his face.
"We are... Just two smitten dummies, aren't we?" he ran a hand through his hair, laughing.
She exhaled a smile.
"We are." she placed her elbows on the table and covered her face. "Falling for a King... What are we thinking?"
"The heart doesn't let you pick who to love, milady. It just loves." he took a sip of his tea. "If it makes you feel any better, you have more of a chance than I do."
"What are you saying?" she removed her hands to look at him.
"Yes. You are a noble."
"Oh that doesn't mean anything! You and Frank have known each-other a lot longer than just two weeks-"
"Yet, I still can't bring myself to call him by his first name." he smiled.
She let out a little 'ah'. She didn't even realize that she called the king Frank, it came so naturally. That realization made her really happy.

"Well that's just because you have that much respect for him!"
"But you forget one key problem here: him and I are from two different worlds. He's a king, and I'm just a commoner."
"You are the legendary Dear Merchant! You have just as much prestige as any noble here! There's a reason why you were invited to the Shuffling. If you were a noble, you would be of a much higher title than me for sure."
"Oh come on now." he waved a hand. "You're flatterin' me!"
"Me? I am at the complete opposite of the hierarchy."
"So you won't be confessing your feelings?"
She laughed at such a suggesstion.
"If that information hadn't slipped out, I wouldn't have even told you."
"Oh but (Y/n), you must at least let them be known."
"Eddie." she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You don't understand the position I'm in. These past two weeks, the time I've spent here, have been... the happiest moments of my entire life." she paused. "And I can't bring myself to ruin it all by asking for more..." she shook her head, getting emotional. "I simply refuse to. And even if I wanted to..." her gaze grew distant. "The King of Hearts is one of the most majestic and wonderful person I have ever met. He's like... It's cheesy to use such cliché imagery but," she looked back at him with a pained smile. "he's like the Sun. And I...just can't be with someone like that. I'm just not made for that." she shrugged, shaking her head.

Eddie sighed, a sad look of sympathy on his face.
"Oh don't be sad for me." she smiled. "I now known how love feels, and it feels amazing!" she tapped his arm. "I can just bask in this feeling, it's not necessarily a bad thing."
She began serving herself some food.
"Now I know that you probably won't confess your feelings either," she said. "but I can tell you with certainty: your feelings are mutual."
He puffed a chuckle.
"I highly doubt it." he shook his head as he served himself food as well.
"Maybe someday, you'll see how close the two of you have grown, and there will be no denying it for anyone."
An image popped up in Eddie's mind. Him and Frank, sitting on the floor of the library, making themselves a little corner with pillows, blankets and candles. Eddie read him some of his favorite short stories from the books of his childhood. And at some point, Frank read some of his favorite short stories. They read to each-other, drew what they believed some of the characters would look like, talked about what they read. And eventually they fell silent, enjoying looking at the stars from the glass ceiling, and the two of them fell asleep.
Remembering this made Eddie's heart skip a beat.

One of the first things Julie did today was to go see Wally. He was in his office with Barnaby. She slammed the door open.
"You're in love!" she pointed at him with a big smile.
"Hello Julie." Wally greeted her before expressing his confusion. "What?"
"Youuuuu." still pointing, wiggling her finger, she walked over to him. "You are in love!"
Barnaby discreetly and quickly went to close the door so that no one would hear this conversation. He closed it by pressing his back on it.
"I was wondering when someone would bring that up." he said to himself under his breath, leaning on the door. "Of course it'd be her Majesty the Queen."
"Me?" Wally pointed at himself.

"Mh-hmm!" she nodded. "You're in love with-" she tried to contain herself but... "You're in love with (Y/n)!" she quickly said before squealing loudly, jumping up and down.
"Lady (L/n)?" he tilted his head. "Julie, what are you talking about? Lady (L/n) is just a good friend."
"Lies!" she pointed at him again. "Your brain is lying to you! Let your heart speak!"
"I...I don't understand." he blinked a few times, squinting his eyes.
He was genuinely confused.
"Hey Wally." Barnaby spoke. "What do you like about the Lady of Spades?"
"Oh, what's not to like?" he leaned back a little bit, speaking in the most casual manner they've ever seen. "She's very kind, very intelligent. She is a charming woman. And when she laughs..." he sighed, his gaze wandering for a moment before smiling to his friends. "I'm really glad to have her as a friend."

Julie sent a look to Barnaby that said 'Are you hearing this?!' while gesturing to her best friend.
"Yeah." the dog person leaned closer to whisper. "Remember all these times we had to point out to him that someone was flirting with him? At first I thought this was a self-conscious thing, but I came to realize that he simply can't pick up on these social cues. Not when it comes to love."
"And I guess that implies to his own feelings as well." Julie sighed.
"What are you guys talking about?" Wally asked.
"Nothin' buddy." Barnaby waved. "You go back to your paperwork."
"Okay." and he did.
Julie sighed again. She tried a few more times to make him realize his own feelings, but had to give up at some point, since he had to leave to take care of some business.

After brunch, Lady (Y/n) went back to the castle and into a bathroom to splash some water on her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Still feeling her face warm, she fanned herself with her hand.
"Maybe I should've brought a fan with me." she whispered to herself. "Hopefully my face won't get all red everytime we speak to each-other."
The events of last night replayed in her mind and she covered her face, groaning.
"But if he pulls any more moves like this, I won't know what to-!"
She gasped and flinched when she suddenly heard a loud noise. Sounded like metal and rock grinding against each-other, and it echoed all around her, as if the walls themselves made this noise. It went on for a few seconds, but to (Y/n) it felt longer than that. She sighed in relief when it finally stopped. She cleared her throat and checked herself in the mirror one more time, touching up her hair and dress.
"Okay." she exhaled and went for the door. "Back to work."
She grabbed the handle and opened the door. Well, tried to.

"Huh?" she frowned.
She pulled on the handle a few more times, the door wouldn't move. Her heart sunk. She tried again and again, using her whole body weight at some point. Even knocking her body against it. She thought of jumping out the window, but she was too high up, she wouldn't survive if she did.
"H-Hey!" she banged her fist on the door. "Is someone there! Open the door please!"
She kicked, banged, screamed. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt her stomach twisting.
"Please! Help!"
She didn't stop hitting the door once. Each time, she grew more and more desperate as she felt like her lungs were weakening.
"Please, let me out! Let me out!"
Just then, the door opened. She gasped and looked up to see...

"L-Lady (L/n)?!"
"Howdy!"
A wave of relief washed over her and her legs gave up on her. Thankfully, the royal blacksmith caught her before she could even hit the floor.
"Woawoawoah there. I've got you." he looked at her face which was stained with tears. "What happened? I heard you screaming, I thought you were gonna get killed!" he quickly looked inside the bathroom to check if anyone else was inside.
"I-I-" she took a deep breath as Howdy led her away from the room. "Someone locked me in, Mr. Pillar. I don't know who or why but..."
"Lock you in?" he gave her a confused look. "My Lady... The door wasn't locked. I simply opened it."
"...What?" she slowly asked, looking back at the door with big eyes. "But it wouldn't budge, I swear it."
"I-It might have just been jammed or somethin'!" he said. "This castle is very old, and not everything in it was renovated. Of course, me with my four arms, that was no problem!" he flexed his arms in an exaggerated way to lighten up the mood.
But Lady (Y/n) was still shaken by this experience.

"Thank you, Mr. Pillar." she took a step back and took another deep breath.
"Are you okay...?" he asked, concerned. "It looks like you've been crying a lot in there. Have you been stuck for long?"
"I don't believe so." she took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears away. "It's just... I hate being locked in a room, any room."
"I see." he nodded, then spoke again with a determined look on his face. "I just can't bring myself to leave you like this, Madam. Please allow me to walk you to the kitchen and get you a drink of anything you'd like."
She sniffed and smiled.
"You're very kind, Mr. Pillar. Please, lead the way."
She gestured for him to go ahead, and he did, with her not far behind. To get her mind off of what happened, he began to talk about his own day, what he did yesterday during the ball and where he was going before he heard her.
But (Y/n) looked back at the door as they walked, her lips pursued and with a worried frown...

Suddenly, she heard the noise again, it made her and Howdy stop in their tracks. Once again, echoing all around them, and once again it lasted for just a few seconds.
"Huh." Howdy folded one pair of arms and placed his other two hands on his hips. "Strange noise that was."
"I heard this sound in the bathroom as well!"
"It might be the plumbing." he said. "My family home has a similar problem: every time someone uses any kind of faucet, the pipes would make this loud noise. Sounded like there was a monster in 'em, it would scare the neighbors!" he laughed.
The two of them continued walking as Howdy went on about some other family business that happened with Bailey, Henry, Dolly and Chuck, also with the littlest sister Lilly. And this time, (Y/n) could keep up with the story! She was extra focused this time, to get her mind off of what happened.
She just wanted to forget and move on.