Disclaimer: I don't own anything but an imagination and a computer. And Linni.

"My advice to you is this. Strive to get them all. Then choose the one you want." Madame's words echoed through Delia's head as she studied the men surrounding her. She smiled flirtatiously. She would have them all, but she only wanted one.

"So tell me, Squire Alan," Delia purred. "Why do you hate parties so?" As the two turned the corner, Delia watched her reluctant escort blush.

"I don't hate them, Lady Delia," Alan mumbled. "But I'd rather be working, or practicing, or," he hesitated, "healing."

"Well," Delia replied, keeping the disappointment at his answer out of her face and voice. "I can't blame you for that! I was afraid that you felt left out by your friends. You seem to have a bit more trouble with women." Delia kicked herself mentally for the slip. "Not that you're bad at dancing." She gave him a smile and a bat of her eyelashes. Alan's blush grew.

"Here we are, Milady," he said, stopping in front of her rooms.

"Thank you very much, Squire Alan."

"My pleasure." Alan was practically running away from her. Delia frowned. Out of all the men at court, he was proving the most difficult. Well, almost the most difficult. Delia walked past her rooms to a door down the hall.

"Linni! Linni, I need to speak with you!" she called. The door flew open and a woman with brown hair and wide brown eyes glared at Delia.

"It's late!" Linni snapped. "I was about to go to bed!"

"I need to talk with you," Delia answered, storming into the room. She threw herself onto her friend's bed and pouted.

"What's wrong?" Linni asked, closing the door.

"What am I doing wrong?" Delia snapped. "Everyone else is devoted to me. But the one I want, no. Nothing! He doesn't even look at me!"

"He looks plenty when you can't see him," Linni answered, knowing immediately what Delia was talking about. "He's just playing games. You'll have him soon. Besides, he's not the only one not interested in you."

Delia glared at her friend.

"I wasn't including the married ones, Lin."

"Nor was I," Linni said calmly. "I was talking about Squire Alan."

"Oh, yes. I just left him, how could I forget?" Delia asked, falling back onto the pillows.

"You're too caught up with the Duke," Linni warned. "He's too old for you anyway."

"How old is too old?" Delia asked, sitting up again.

"You're impossible." Linni snapped. "He's trouble."

"I like trouble!" Delia protested weakly. "It's so much more fun than playing by the rules."

"All may be fair in love and war," Linni answered. "But not in real life."

"Love and war are in real life," Delia grinned.

"And they are the only exceptions."

"What?"

"You should have paid more attention to philosophy class," Linni scolded. "instead of spending all your time studying for etiquette. You always lose."

"And yet I keep trying," Delia pointed out. "Doesn't that count for something?"

"Apply that drive to the sorcerer duke, and he'll be yours in a month," Linni advised. "If you truly want him."

"Oh, think on it, Linni!" Delia said; her normally cold eyes lit up with excitement. "Five years from now, you'll burst into your husband's study. He'll look up and ask if you're alright. You'll grin and say, 'Of course I'm alright! Delia and Roger are coming for dinner!'"

"Delia!" Linni said laughing. "Why am I the only one that sees this side of you?"

"Because, I only show it to those who deserve it," Delia said, walking towards the door. "And no one but you has earned it yet."

"You know you should be concentrating on the Prince, not his cousin," Linni said, switching subjects rapidly. Delia smiled, used to her friend's conversations.

"I'll make the Prince mine. Still, if I am able to marry Roger, I suspect the Prince will be heart-broken to learn he was just number two in my eyes."

"He'll live."

"Yes, he'll marry some princess."

"Good night Delia."

"Good night Linni."

The next morning, Delia took great care choosing what to wear. She stared into the mirror, checking her final choice one last time, a low-cut dark green dress that always worked on the young squires at parties. And it brings out my eyes, Delia thought.

"Today I'm going to get him," she told herself. "I'll put poor Alan on hold and focus all my energy on my elusive Duke."

"Your elusive Duke?" a voice asked from the doorway. Delia whirled around, placing her hands over her heart.

"Linni!" she snapped. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Linni leaned against the door frame. "You shouldn't play with people like this."

"Like what?" Delia asked, turning back to the mirror. She played with her hair a bit.

"Putting men on hold, decided to just focus on one today," Linni answered. Delia glanced at her friend, a little surprised.

"How long were you standing there?" she asked tightly.

"Long enough."

"That's not a good answer Linni!" Delia walked over to the door and pulled Linni inside. She slammed the door shut and glared at her friend. "And why are you going all noble on me now?" she demanded.

"It just hit me last night. You listened way too much to Madame."

"Why shouldn't I have? She's a brilliant woman who knows how to get what she wants."

"Does she?" Linni asked. "Think about it Delia. She's in her what, late forties?" Delia nodded. "She's in her late forties, teaching younger women how to get ahead in life. Yet she's never been married, spent twelve long years at court before she gave up and went back to the convent." Delia blinked.

"She spent twelve years at court," Delia echoed, her jaw trembling. "Twelve years. That's a lot of experience."

"Then why isn't she married?" Linni asked. Delia looked up when she heard the tremor in Linni's voice, surprised to see tears swimming in those familiar eyes. "Why isn't she ahead?"

"No one was good enough for her!" Delia shrieked. "Get out Linni!"

"I just don't want to see you hurt!" Linni protested. "I just don't want to see you alone and unhappy!"

"I won't be!" Delia snapped. She held the door open. "Leave."

As soon as Linni was gone, Delia went back to the mirror. Her hands were shaking as she went over her appearance again. Satisfied, she left her rooms. Today was crucial to her plan. And stage one was finding Duke Roger.