The three days following my coming back to consciousness went by so slowly it was almost painful.  Visitors came and went through my room several times each day, each one reminding me of all of the people I'd have hurt with my recklessness had Mia not found me, had I died in that fire.

The third day went by the slowest.  I was up; in pain, but healed enough to move around, healed enough to go to Cynthia's funeral.  I gave a speech instead of father.  He'd given mother's and he'd done it while being strong for the rest of the kingdom when someone should have been strong for him.  This time, I wanted to give him a break from carrying the weight of the sadness and the pain on his shoulders, so I gave the speech.  He still had the responsibility of holding back his tears, but it seemed easier for him than it was for me.  Maybe he just had more practice.

On the fourth day, I met with Vin and Inaria. I spent an hour convincing them to come with me to a human kingdom for two weeks, hiding their wings and pretending to be people they aren't. Inaria is up for anything, but Vin has always been a bit of a pessimist and tried to convince me not to go at all. When he realized I was going with or without him, he agreed to come. My maids were happy to accompany me, Sia and Mirriania were almost too excited to think of all the ways to hide my wings in corsets. Ben... well, he already knew. He showed up at sunrise and said whether or not the council agreed, I could just whisper his name and he'd be there to help.

All of that backstory, all of that that painfully long backstory, brings me to today.  I look at myself in the mirror wondering how I'm ever going to get used to seeing myself without my wings.  They're wrapped around my stomach and corseted so tightly to my body that even I have trouble believing they were ever there. Sia and Mirriania work wonders.

The dress that they've chosen for me is a beautiful magenta.  I'd told them that I'd wear anything as long as it was the same shade as my mother's favorite color of her favorite flower.  They matched it perfectly.  It doesn't compliment me the way it did her- in fact I've been told reds, golds, and browns make my eyes pop and highlight my features- but it looks beautiful nonetheless and it makes me feel as if she is coming with me.  I'll need all the help I can get if I'm going into human territory alone.

"Come in," I say when I hear a knock at the door.  Father enters bearing gifts and I smile at the sight.

"Never go into enemy territory without a weapon," he says with a smile as he hands me a dagger.  "You can't bring your sword because there's no way to conceal it, but-"

"I already heave one, father," I object half-heartedly as I weigh the blade in my hand.  It's perfectly balanced as if it was crafted as it's own piece instead of being one of several.

"The one you have will be hidden in your sleeve.  It was obtained from humans, one your mother brought with her when she came to live here.  But I thought you might want something from your sister as well.  This one is one of our own.  Your sister made it as the first part of the process of being crowned queen."

"It took her months to get it right," I mumble, mostly to myself as I admire the blade even more.  "But I never saw the finished product."

"She was planning on giving it to you with a matching sword as a thank you for supporting her through the entire process.  She finished the sword about a week before you both left.  She wanted to give it to you a month from tomorrow, on her coronation day, but I don't think she'd be upset with me for giving you this half now."

"Thank you, father," I say as tears begin to well up in my eyes and I try with all my might to keep them at bay.

"Thank me when you get the second half, after you come back."

"I will and I won't let you down.  I promise."

"You couldn't do anything that would let me down," he says as he pulls me into a hug.  "Now, put that blade somewhere you won't lose it and somewhere it won't be seen.  I only want you to use it if you're in trouble... so don't use it."

"I promise," I respond.

He sighs and pulls me to him for a tight hug. "As your father, I want to tell you to just stay here and not take this chance. If something went wrong... but as a king, I'll wish you luck and command you to be safe."

"I'm always... I will be safe."

Father nods, then turns to leave as I secure the dagger to my thigh.  I check myself in the mirror once more then leave as I go over who I am in my head.

My mother was human, so most of what I have to remember about my pretend background is actually true.

My mother is Allora Ennelstin, third child and second daughter of Nina and Marcus Ennelstin.  She ran away from home because she knew her parents would not approve of her marriage.

All of that is true, the lies start later.  The reason my mother's marriage would not be approved of was not because she wanted to marry a peasant as I am to say, but because she wanted to marry an Avian.  However, if asked I'd be sure to say that my father is a peasant.  My name will remain the same: Zinnia, after my mother's favorite flower.  My sister's name will remain the same: Cynthia, my mother's favorite name.  However, how my sister died will change and my father's reason for allowing me to come when he could not accompany me will also change.  In my fake life, my mother and sister died at around the same time from disease and my father sent me here because I deserve a better life than he can provide.

I sigh and touch my new dagger, now attached to my thigh.  It will come in handy if something happens, but I truly hope nothing happens.  I'd prefer my sword, but it's too large to conceal and obvious weaponry would be a bit suspicious on a noble-blooded human girl who grew up a peasant.  It becomes even more suspicious when thinking about the fact that I'm attending a ball to find a wife for the prince.  Besides, hopefully I won't need a weapon at all.

I fix my gown and my hair in the mirror, then make my way out of the door.  It's about an hour past midday and the journey to the human's kingdom is long.  If I'm going to get to the ball at all, let alone on time, without wings to carry me there, I have to leave now.

***

I look around myself and take in all of the people in attendance.  Everyone is dressed so beautifully.  The women are in eye-catching gowns of blue, pink, white, and yellow, some of which sparkle in the moonlight.  The men are all in suits, some decorated with ribbon and various metals as if they're attempting to show off as well.

I walk up the steps the castle, realizing with each step that my wounds still needed a lot of time to heal.  I'd ridden in a carriage to arrive and hadn't spent much time on my feet since getting out of my sick bed.  The longest I'd been on my feet was the few hours of my sister's funeral, and I was in comfortable clothing, not shoes that required me to increase the use of my calves and thighs or a dress that was corseted to my body, causing me to feel the pain of my stomach wound more than usual.

I'm uncomfortable, to say the least.

I push forward anyway, though.  Failure is not an option, not when success would mean making up for letting Cynthia die by saving our kingdom and our people.

My breaths are hollow and labored by the time I reach the top of the steps and enter the castle.  Servants lining the hall point each guest in the correct direction.  When I arrive, the two doormen open the double doors separating the hallway from the ballroom and I walk through.  The Herald is announcing a woman in a light blue gown that looks as if it's both heavy and extremely uncomfortable.  She looks absolutely gorgeous, however, and I begin to wonder how I am expected to catch the prince's attention enough to get him alone.

The woman glides down the stairs gracefully and the next woman gives the Herald a card with her name and title on it.  I wait just out of sight of those in attendance of the ball, only walking to the Herald when the woman has made it halfway down the staircase.

I hand the Herald my card and he announces me as he did with everyone else.

"Lady Zinnia Ennelstin, daughter of Lady Alloria Ennelstin and Ezachius Uvell."

Everyone's eyes are on me with facial expressions varying from mildly interested to absolutely and completely unbelieving.  I walk down the stairs just as gracefully as I would at any important royal function, making sure to hide my pain and discomfort because showing such things is unbecoming of a ruler.  Apparently, we're never supposed to be sick or tired or show any sort of weakness.

I ignore all announcements that follow my own, instead focusing on the pain I'm in, the various sets of eyes that are on me, and finding the prince so that I can convince him that we're meant we should spend time together and that he should tell me his views on Avians.

I know what the prince looks like only because he was at the meeting that happened almost a week ago, the one in which my sister was murdered by one of his men.

I see his hair first- thick, black wavy hair- then as I get closer, I see his profile.  I'm not completely sure it's him until I get a better angle on his face.  It's him.  I know it is.

"Hello, I don't believe we've ever met."  My advance toward the prince is promptly halted by a blond woman with light brown eyes who is looking at me rather suspiciously.

"No, I don't believe we have," I respond with a casual smile.  "My name is Zinnia.  It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Zinnia Ennelstin.  Yes, I heard when you were being announced.  Daughter of Alloria Ennelstin and Ezachius Uvell, a man I've never heard of."

I make sure my fake smile stays plastered on my face as I continue with our encounter. "Yes, well you likely wouldn't know him.  Mother eloped years ago and married a peasant, my father.  I doubt if you would know him given his status and where he resides."

"A peasant?  No wonder she disappeared without a word.  I would hope my daughter would do the same if she chose to marry a peasant.  At least it would save us from embarrassment."  I grit my teach underneath my smile, but make sure my smile doesn't falter for a second as this woman says something so distasteful against my mother, even if it's untrue.  I know she'd only say worse things if she knew the true story.  "My daughter would never marry beneath her, of course.  Although, I guess a peasant is better than marrying an... ... ... Avian.  Yes, an Avian would be scraping the bottom."

"Yes," I agree, though my words are a bit strained, "Marrying an Avian would certainly be worse, but my father is an honorable, noble, and loving man.  He bade me come here after my mother and sister died of disease.  He wished for me to live my best life and said that I should live as my blood deserves: a noble life."

The woman is clearly holding back a laugh.  "And he hoped you'd do so by marrying the prince?  After growing up a peasant, how would you know the first thing about gaining the attention of someone of such high status?"

"No, of course not," I laugh.  "To expect me to simply marry the prince would be an absolutely ridiculous dream.  I am here to learn what it looks like to be a noble."

The woman shakes her head.  "They've set you up for failure, your parents.  Wouldn't you be happier--"

"I'm sure I would be," I answer before she can finish.  "My father wishes for it, so I am doing it.  I do, however, believe that by the end of the night I will have made a complete fool of myself and will need to apologize for tainting my mother's family name.  Ah, but then I will be able to return home with my father no longer believing he held me back and I'll marry my childhood best friend, Zeke.  He's already proposed marriage, but I had to tell him I could promise nothing until I returned home."

"A wise choice.  You'd feel quite uncomfortable in this lifestyle after growing up a peasant."  The woman nods in approval for a few moments.  "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you.  I do hope you get what it is you wanted."

"As do I," I respond as she leaves.  I take a deep breath, pushing down the pain because calming my heart is more important.  If I don't calm myself down, I'll do something I regret.

I look around and notice the prince is no longer where I spotted him only moments before.  I brace myself for a longer night than originally anticipated and turn around only to be immediately met with the amused face of the prince.

"I see you've met Lady Alana.  She's great company, isn't she?" he says.

"Oh, yes she is.  If only I could talk to her everyday so I could be reminded of all of the things in my life I have to be thankful for," I respond.

"Trust me, if you talk to her everyday, you will realize that you've lost one of the things in life you should have been most thankful for."

"The ability to feel good about yourself?"

"No.  Well, yes, but I was referring to your sanity."  We both laugh for a few moments before his smile begins to fade.  "I did hear you talking about your mother and sister.  I'm sorry that happened to you."

"You've been here for that long and said nothing?" I ask, a teasing smile on my face.

"Well, I was speaking with a dignitary from another kingdom when I heard it.  Besides, you seemed to be holding your own against the kingdom's most ruthless."

"Holding my own?"

"Yes.  You didn't allow yourself to be beaten by her."

"I know what it means," I laugh.  "I didn't mean for what I said to sound like a question."

"Maybe it's just too loud in here," he says.  "Maybe it'd be easier to talk in the courtyard?"

My mouth almost drops open.  It can't possibly be this easy.  I didn't even have to do any convincing.  I know it wasn't because I was so stunning that I captured his attention over all the other ladies.  I won't say I'm not absolutely radiant tonight, but they are equally beautiful and some of them have me beaten.

I do, however, follow him to the courtyard, a bit on guard.  This is too easy, which leads me to believe that it's a trap.