Miles held out his arm again and Charlie took it. The music stopped as they came through the door. Everyone looked up as Charlie descended on Miles' arm. She felt like a real princess as they walked down. Charlie wasn't sure who started the applause but it made her blush. At the bottom of the stairs, Bass came to take her hands. "Happy Birthday, Peanut," he murmured, kissing her cheek.

"It's so perfect," Charlie whispered. "You're the best!"

"It only gets better," Bass promised. "May I have the first dance?"

"Certainly."

"Hands above the belt," Miles reminded him with a straight face. Bass just rolled his eyes.

He led her to the dance floor. "Did the ladies teach you how to waltz?"

"Sort of," Charlie nodded. "I don't know how good I'll be at it."

Bass smiled at her. "Just hold on and trust me." He nodded to the musicians and they struck up a waltz. Charlie held tight and allowed him to lead. She felt a little better when more couples joined them on the floor.

After a few dances, Bass led her off the floor to one corner of the room. There were tables set up that nearly buckled under the weight of the presents upon them. "Who are those for?" Charlie wondered.

"You, of course," Bass smiled. "Don't worry; the only ones you'll be opening tonight are over there." He pointed to a table with a much smaller pile of presents. "Those are from top officers."

"But why did everyone bring all this?"

"Because it's your birthday," Bass laughed. "People get presents on their birthday."

Charlie was almost too overwhelmed to speak. "They're so pretty," she murmured.

Bass wanted to talk more but he could see one of his officers trying to get his attention. "Excuse me, Charlie, Alice needs something. I'll be right back, okay?"

Charlie smiled at him. "I'll be fine," she nodded.

Bass hurried away and Charlie suddenly found herself on the fringes of her own party. Unca Mi had been right when he said she would stand out. The other girls were mostly wearing much brighter colors. But what worried Charlie was the style of their dresses. Very few of them were full ball gowns like hers and most were strapless. Suddenly Charlie felt very self-conscious and silly. What if no one wanted to talk to her because they were too busy laughing at her? Unca Fishy could make people come to her party but he couldn't make them like her.

Before she could work herself into a proper state, a voice rang out behind her. "Oh, that is just perfect."

"Excuse me?" Charlie asked, turning.

A girl Charlie's age stood there in a ball gown of her own. Her down was strapless turquoise with metallic lace. The bottom was alternating layers of ruffles between the two and opened in the front to frame lace over the turquoise. A turquoise butter fly was perched in her hair. "I'm Sarah," she stated. "And I have to say, the sleeves on your dress are just wonderful. It looks like someone glittered your arms. Perfect."

"Oh thank you," Charlie murmured. "I'm Charlotte, by the way. Charlotte Matheson."

"So I've heard," Sarah nodded. She turned to a ground standing nearby and beckoned them over. They surrounded Charlie, a mixture of men and women, some in militia uniforms and some simply dressed in their finest. But none of them were quite as fine as Charlie. "Look at those sleeves," Sarah gestured. "How cunning is that?"

"So fancy," one of the girls murmured.

"Stunning," another one agreed.

They began to ask Charlie all sorts of questions, seeming charmed by her shyness and even her accent. She marveled that none of them seemed bothered by how quietly she spoke. Mama Julia and the other ladies were always encouraging Charlie to speak up so everyone could hear her. But the group just leaned in closer as she murmured her words.

Most of them had lived in Philly all their lives but a pair of twin soldiers had apparently ridden all the way here form a village down south. They asked Charlie all about growing up in a small village and comparing what people in Sylvania Estates did with the traditions down south. Percy, one of the twins, held out his hand. "Do you dance, Miss Matheson?"

"A little," she nodded.

"Then I must ask if you will do me that honor of allowing me a dance."

"Alright."

Percy led her to the dance floor and counted off. Charlie tried to follow him but this dance was more complicated than the ones she had learned. She ended up stumbling on his feet. "Oh god, I'm so sorry," she said, tears forming in her eyes.

"No problem," Percy smiled. "We just start again. No worries."

Charlie beamed as he counted off again. Percy and his friends were being so nice. Just like she imagined the Militia would be. Charlie should have known they would be nice. Her uncle was in charge of them. After she finished her dance with Percy, another Militia member asked her. Charlie didn't have a shortage of partners after that.

Miles was across the room keeping his attention split between his little duck and Maggie, who was looking particularly beautiful tonight. Her diaphanous gown was light blue with a deep vee that showed plenty of skin yet no cleavage. It was cinched just enough at the waist to show her figure and the rest of it billowed around her. Her curls were pinned back with sapphires that matched her dress. "You look fabulous tonight," he told her.

"Bass ordered everyone to wear their finest," Maggie reminded him.

"So I should be thanking Bass for giving you a reason to wear this?" Miles teased.

"Maybe," Maggie admitted slyly. "Really, though, I've never seen such finery. Even in the capitol."

"It's all for Charlie," Miles said with just a hint of satisfaction.

"Then we should be thanking her for having a birthday."

"She looks like she's enjoying herself, doesn't she?"

Maggie looked at the young girl who had stars in her eyes. "I don't think you and Bass will ever be able to top this birthday," she agreed. Her attention was diverted by another figure. "Though Danny looks less than thrilled with everything."

Miles frowned. This party was for his little duck but he didn't want Danny to feel left out. "Where is he?"

Maggie nodded to a far corner. "Over there."

He looked in the direction. Sure enough, his future Marine was looking very uncomfortable. Miles would have brushed it off as Danny being younger than most of the guests here but something was bothering him. "Let's find out why," he decided.

The two quickly made their way over to Danny. "Hello, Danny," Maggie smiled.

"Hello Doctor Maggie," Danny nodded. "Unca Mi."

"What's wrong Danny?" Miles asked gently.

Instead of denying that he was upset, Danny tried to evade the situation. "I don't want to ruin Charlie's party," he said.

"Nothing is going to ruin Charlie's party," Maggie soothed. "Look at how much she's enjoying herself."

"That's the problem," Danny insisted.

Miles was confused. "Why is your sister being happy a problem?"

"Because that girl is going to make her upset."

Maggie cocked her head. "What girl, Danny?"

Danny shook his head, unwilling to say anymore. Miles bit back a sigh. "Danny," he said gently but firmly, "answer Maggie's question."

"Her name is Joan," Danny replied quietly. "She's over there in the yellow."

"How do you know her?" Miles asked.

"She lived in Sylvania Estates." Maggie looked from Miles to Danny and back. She knew Miles was thinking the same thing she was. How did a girl from a village that was destroyed show up at a birthday party for Charlie? There had been many new recruits to the Militia on the day Miles raided the village but they were all in far away outposts. Miles had made sure none of them were within a fifty mile radius of Philly. "Her boyfriend there is Militia," Danny explained. "He took her away before you rescued us."

"I take it Joan was one of the people that was mean to you," Maggie said. She was trying to be as calm as possible. It was hard when Danny nodded.

"She was worse to Charlie," Danny said.

Maggie took a deep calming breath. She could sense the rage boiling under Miles' skin because it was the same rage she was feeling. But one of them had to be calm in order to get the full story from Danny. "Just a few more questions, Danny. What exactly did Joan do?"

"She kicked Charlie because Charlie fell asleep while trying to sew a dress for her." Danny turned wide eyes to his uncle. "It wasn't Charlie's fault. She was sick. She's really good at sewing and…"

"Danny, just tell us what Joan did," Maggie insisted.

"She boxed Charlie's ears once. And she hit Charlie a lot. And her father…"

Miles swallowed hard. "Danny," he began slowly, "was Joan's father one of the people who sent Charlie…upstairs?"

"No," Danny admitted. "But he didn't stop the people that did." Danny looked past them to where Joan was laughing with her friends. "She called Charlie ungrateful once too. She's evil."

Maggie smiled softly at the young boy. "Thank you, Danny, for being honest with us. Now I want you to enjoy the party and not worry about anything alright? Everything is going to be perfect tonight, I promise you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Danny nodded. "Alright, I'll do my best."

"I'm glad to hear it." Maggie gave him a parting smile, grabbed Miles' arm and dragged him away. "Go outside," she ordered.

"Maggie…"

"Miles, I understand. Believe me, I do. You're angry and guilt-ridden and you want an outlet. You want someone to hurt the way you're hurting, the way Charlie and Danny were hurting while they were in the village. I understand because I feel the same way. But if nothing else will stop you think of how upset Charlie would be if you were to beat someone in the middle of her ball."

Miles swallowed heavily. "You'll tell Bass?"

"Of course."

He spun on his heel and stormed out. Maggie took a calming breath of her own and went to find Bass. She whispered everything Danny had told her in his ear. Bass asked what she thought he should. Maggie was thankful for that. She knew Bass wanted revenge just as badly as Miles but Bass was smart enough to know that revenge had to be subtle this time. "Whatever you do," Maggie advised, "do it quietly. This is Charlie's night."

Bass nodded and went to search out Charlie. He smiled at the group she was with. "Excuse me, everyone, I need to borrow Charlotte for just a moment."

Charlie tilted her head as they walked away. "Is something wrong?"

"Of course not, Charlie. I just want you to meet some people."

"Militia?"

"Mostly. A few other families too." Bass took her around to various officers and important people to get her feeling at ease. He didn't want to scare Charlie too much but it was better if someone she trusted was with her when she confronted Joan. Bass smiled as Charlie charmed everyone with her quiet manners and shyness. It was hard not to love the girl. "Charlie," he said, when he decided it was time to confront her past, "I want you to remember something for me okay?"

"What's that?'

"You are a princess. And nothing and no one can ever take that away from you, okay?"

Charlie gave him a dazzling smile. "Okay."