I am sorry this took so long. In all reality, I was actually quite put off by having my recent fanfiction (this one) deleted. Anyway, hopefully this one has been corrected enough that it won't be removed. I'm pretty sure it was only a certain chapter that had problems, so I intend to upload everything tonight, and then continue writing.

Thanks for your patience. It took me a while to come back here.

The paper rustled, and the dark-haired man sighed again. His gaze flicked busily over the page, taking in the words - or, at least trying to take them in. But really, his mind was busy on other issues, issues closer to home than the nervous people of Corus, or the rumours of having a cursed reign. "As if I need any more omens of doom," he muttered.

"Talking to yourself again, Jon?"

At the voice, Jon looked over at Gary, his friend, cousin, and Prime Minister. "It's just...the people of Corus," he said, hefting the paper in his grip. "They're...scared."

"Well...considering the circumstances, I'm not surprised," Gary replied delicately. He glanced back down at the sheet he was scanning, the lifted it from the pile, setting it aside. The next page down went the same way.

"Speaking of which, Gary...Have you seen the Lord of Trebond lately?"

"What about him?" Gary muttered, irritated. "Of course I haven't. He locks himself up in his room, with the 'charming Duke'." The last two words were given a customary bitter twist.

Jon shrugged. "Well, George mentioned it the other day, and I have to agree with him - his colour looks more than a little off."

Gary shrugged. "He's probably losing sleep, chasing up some old spell in the depths of the library. Jon, I need you to sign these forms."

Without looking up, Jon obeyed, scrawling his signature over the seals. Gary pulled back the papers, tucking them at the bottom of his stack.

"I didn't think I'd be doing this so soon," Jon said suddenly. "I thought...I thought I'd have more time. I thought I'd have years." He swallowed. Gary said nothing, just watched sympathetically. "I don't want-I didn't want to be King so soon. I don't know if I can-" Jon's throat closed over and he swallowed again.

Gary hesitated, then asked, gently, "Do you know how Willow is going?"

Jon sighed softly, deflected from his momentary loss. "No better than the last time you asked me. She's...gone." He shrugged helplessly. "She eats, she sleeps, she answers...but that's not her. That's just a ghost."

As if on cue, a knock sounded. "Yes?" Jon called.

A servant poked his head around the door. "Your Majesty, my lord..." he hesitated. "Her Highness wishes to enter."

The two men exchanged glances before Jon nodded. "Of course. Send her in."

Jon was right, Gary realised, watching as a girl entered. She looks like a ghost. Quickly he rose, following Jon's lead. "Willow."

The girl's lips lifted briefly, a weak version of her normal smile. "Cousin." She embraced him, then glanced at Jon. "Brother.'

"Willow." Jon set aside his papers briefly to put his arms around the girl, before leading her to a seat. She sat carefully, then glanced at the men, taking in their appearance.

"Are you trying to do work without me?" Her words were soft in the silence. "I'm the Crown Princess, I have to be included. Or do you think you can do that for me too, Jon? I assure you that you cannot - your hair is far too short, for one thing. For another, you would not look nice in any gown the seamstresses would care to make."

Jon smiled briefly at her. His gaze met her sapphire orbs, but he didn't reply.

The girl sighed again. "Jon, I'm okay. Really." Gary snorted, but she ignored him. "You have to let me help. You look terrible."

Jon only raised an eyebrow. Willow met his stare for a moment before caving. "Okay. Maybe I'm not okay. But I'm trying. I really am. You have to let me help you, Jon." A hand slid into his, gripping it with a flash of strength that was surprising. "Let me help you, please."

Jon didn't reply, taking the chance to study his sister, truly study her.

He once remembered a time when the girl glowed with glee. He had faint memories of the fire in her eyes when she bantered with Gary, her flushed cheeks when Alex danced with her at a ball, her laughter ringing through the air on a morning ride in the Royal Forest...
Those were long forgotten times though. Now she was dressed in solemn and soft dove-gray, her hair hung limply but neatly down the sides of her face, and the fire in her eyes was diminished, if not altogether extinguished. She was broken.

Still...

There were sparks there. Jon could see them. The sparks encouraged him - they hadn't been there the previous week. In fact, the first week, she'd refused to leave her room. It had taken a while before she dared to wander the halls alone, and even longer to make the trek to the stables, where she'd promptly apologised to both Star and Copperglow for worrying them. Already Jon had seen the first tiny seeds of renewal, like regrowth after a fire. Rather than take action, he'd left it to grow wild, hoping that one day the seeds would take root by themselves, and sprout, returning his sister to the woman he once knew.

Because, right now, Willow was very much a little girl again. And she needed him.

It was the only reason he hadn't let her see him cry.

"Jon?"

He started at his name. It was only then he realised that he'd been drifting on his thoughts, a raft lost at sea. With an inward face, he shook himself, then tried for a smile. It felt strange on his face. "You're right." When she blinked at him, he tried to hold his smile. "You are okay. I've been keeping an eye on you, Willow. You're okay. You've been trying. You're doing you're best. Thank you." His arms went around her, and she leaned into him as she let out a soft breath.

Sometimes, you do better than I am.

Yeah...Now that I look at it, it doesn't look as good. But I tried, and I'm only re-uploading what I once wrote.

Okay, anyway, hopefully you guys like that.

I'll be uploading the rest of it all shortly. :)

Love MagicalLeaves