"Miranda?" Roland called as he entered his chambers. His wife was sitting on an ornate couch, staring at something in her hand. "I'm home."

"I see," she replied softly, not moving.

"Miranda, what's wrong?" Roland asked, sitting next to her. Then he saw what she was holding. "Your old wedding band?"

"Sofia found a book on the Sea War. She knows how Johnathon really died," Miranda explained.

"Oh."

"She's so mad. At both of us."

"I'm so sorry, Miranda." Roland put his arms around her, pulling her close. "I know you loved him. And we'll figure this out."

The next day, after school, the two princesses found Roland sitting in his office working on a new trade agreement.

"Daddy," Amber said as they entered. "Can we talk to you?"

Roland glanced up and saw the fire in their eyes. He couldn't put this off.

"Of course," he agreed, pushing away his papers. "What's on your minds, girls?"

"The Sea War. You drafted my father into the navy," Sofia said bluntly as she sat in a chair across from his desk. "He died in the last attack."

"I know, Sofia. And I am so sorry about that. But I ended the draft as soon as I could," Roland explained. "Your mother and I were just trying to protect you by not telling you."

"He died fighting for you!" Sofia exclaimed. "You sent him to his death!"

"I know," Roland sighed. "I sent a lot of people to their death. And it haunts me every time I remember that war. But I am sorry. What can I do?"

"I don't know," Sofia admitted. "I just wish someone had told me."

"We were wrong, Sofia. And we are very sorry." Tears were starting to form in the king's eyes.

"What about my mother?" Amber asked. "The one you wished away?"

"What?" Roland exclaimed. "Wished away?"

"Sofia told me about how you wished for children. And because of that, my mother died."

"I did not intend for her to die, Amber," Roland declared sharply, face contorted with anger. "I loved your mother very much. I did not know that the price for you and your brother was my wife. And her death has haunted me just as much as the ones who fell during the Sea War.

"Do you not say I wished your mother away every again, understand?"

Amber flinched back, staring at her father with shock. "Yes Daddy."

"Let's go, Amber," Sofia said, dragging her sister out of Roland's office.

"Wait, girls, I didn't-!" he called after them but they were already gone. Roland slumped back into his seat, head in hands. "What have I done?"

"I love you, Roland," Miranda said as she sat in a small dinning chamber in the palace. The king had invited her here to propose. "But I still love my first husband."

"I understand. I still love my first wife very much," Roland replied, taking her hand. "But I think we deserve another chance at happiness. And I think it could be with each other."

"It's not just that," Miranda sighed. "Johnathon was drafted into the royal navy when I was pregnant with Sofia. His ship was attacked; the last attack of the Sea War."

"You blame me?"

"No, I know you did not cause his death. But…he was drafted by the palace." Miranda was blinking back tears. "I never told Sofia how he really died because I wanted her to think well of her kingdom and the royals. I wanted to protect her."

"My first wife died because of a wish," Roland blurted out. "I wished for children and the birth taxed her so much that she died. It was my fault."

"Oh, Roland…"

"I've made a lot of mistakes. Too many to count that have hurt both our families. But we have a chance to be happy again with each other. Our families could be joined and we could move past the pain of yesterday. Please, Miranda. I love you. And I am so sorry for what I did."

"You don't need to be," Miranda assured him. "I forgive you. And I'm so sorry about your first wife."

Roland got out of his chair and knelt before her, pulling out a ring.

"Miranda, will you marry me?"

"I just made it worse!" Roland exclaimed to his wife that night.

"I'm sure they're just taking the time to process," Miranda assured him.

"No, I yelled at them. When Amber accused me of being the cause of her mother's death I got so angry," Roland insisted, sinking onto a couch. "I've only pushed them further away."

Miranda placed a hand on his back. "You reacted how anyone would in the moment. It isn't fair of Amber to blame you for her death. It wasn't your fault."

"But what if…?"

"No, Roland. You've blamed yourself for so long. Don't start to do it again."

"I just wish I could do something to show them I still care."

"What if there was?"