I found my head forest caretaker exactly where I'd suspected. He was sitting in the clearing where we had fought years ago. Forest workers and royals alike often go there to think something through.

What I wasn't expecting was to hear him singing softly, his own verse of a sad poem I had written in my journal years ago:

"No union of castles,

No life but a vassal's,

No reason to live

Since I can't love her.

No heart left to harden,

No soul left to pardon.

She deserves better than I could ever be.

On her wedding day

I'll fervently pray,

Pray for death to set me free."

"So depressing," I remarked, seating myself on a nearby stump.

Loup didn't even bother looking up. "I didn't hear you approach."

I knew then that something was definitely wrong, for my forest workers have hearing better than any dog's.

"My cousin's very special to you, isn't she?" I asked.

"She is more beautiful than a sunset, and her heart is as warm and gentle as the May sunshine, although her wit is sharper than a winter wind, and she's quite spirited," he replied. "Can any man help admiring her?"

"Do you love her?"

He sighed. "I shouldn't. She's nobility, and I'm…"

"I didn't ask if you should. I asked if you do."

My servant nodded sadly.

"I already know you have earned her love in return," I continued. "She told me as much. I know how much she loves you, but how much do you love her?"

"Enough to wish her all the best and hope she has a happy life, even if the best thing for her life is that I'm no longer a part of it."

"Would you still love her if you quarreled?"

"We have a time or two," he confessed. "We don't quarrel often, but when we do, we only fight with words, not actions, and we always make up shortly afterwards."

I nodded. "Lisette's father wishes for her to wed, and he's already picked a nobleman for her."

Loup gave a terse nod, but he said nothing.

"As king, I was required to grant approval in order for the betrothal to be official, but I rejected my uncle's choice of suitors. I have another man in mind for Lisette." Smiling, I placed my hand on Loup's shoulder. "C'est toi."

His eyes widened, turning more amber than hazel. "But why would you…?"

"Do you remember what happened in this clearing years ago?"

"You lost a fight to a pack of wolves."

"I did," I admitted, "but it was actually one of the best things that ever happened. If the wolves hadn't detained Belle, she would have made it safely home to her village. If they hadn't endangered her life, there would have been no situation that gave me an opportunity to show her I was sorry. You stopped the woman I wanted to marry from leaving my life forever, so now we're even, for I have returned the favor."

For once, Loup was completely silent. He nearly seemed unsure of himself.

"Come, my friend." I gripped his shoulder. "We need to get you to the tailor. There's a suit to be made."

As we walked toward the castle, he remained silent until we reached the stream.

"You're really grateful for what the wolves did?" he finally asked.

"It was a blessing in disguise," I answered.

With that, Loup promptly shoved me so hard that I landed in the water.

"You're welcome!" he exclaimed. "You just let us know, and we'll be happy to pulverize you again!"

"You're a dead man!" I extended my arm. "Here. Help me out."

He shook his head. "Not your right arm. If you wouldn't mind holding out your other hand…"

"If we're going to be cousins, you have to get past that."

For the first time in years, Loup took my right hand, although the smart aleck also firmly grasped my arm between the wrist and elbow. As soon as he had a good hold, I pulled him into the water.

"Still think I can't hold my own?!" I demanded.

"You might say that," my servant responded, shoving my head underwater for a quick second.

When we finally climbed out, Loup remarked, "At least we can both agree on one thing."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"Your wife still couldn't find a proper quarterstaff if her life depended on it."

I laughed. "Absolutely true, but I know better than to tell her as much. You'll understand soon enough when you have a wife of your own."

I would love to say that Lisette and Loup were married, and we all lived happily ever after, but Belle somehow found out that after all these years, the forest caretakers are still making jokes about her inability to find a quarterstaff in a forest, so for the past few days, she's spoken of little else. I keep asking her why she even needs one, but she just ignores me and goes back to her complaints about how out of all the books in the library, she can't find any about selecting a quarterstaff, and to say I have long since tired of the subject would be a severe understatement.