"A good haul today, Molly," Alys said, slinging her kill onto Molly's table as she always did.

Lir moved aside to make room. He seemed out of sorts, slicing distractedly at some potatoes, frowning and letting out his breath in angry puffs.

"Why, Alys!" Molly said, poking at the large deer, "It's magnificent!"

"This is why I'm here," Alys said boredly.

"Let us have a feast," Molly said, "You've brought home a sizable deer, Lir has slain a dragon in Amalthea's honor and we are closer than ever to achieving our goal. I doubt the king will show up to stop us and we need a little fun around here."

"Lir has..." Alys asked, "For Amalthea? Why?"

"He hopes to win her affection," Molly said with a proud grin.

"Molly..." Lir scolded half-heartedly.

Alys raised her eyebrow at Molly. He can never succeed, Molly. She can't stay human forever, you fool.

"I suppose we'd better go prepare," she said, leaving the scullery.

Dinner was served that night in an almost empty ballroom near the scullery. Schmendrick had started a fire, Alys cleaned up the few pieces of furniture in the room and Lir swept the floor readying it for a night of dancing. It was almost cheerful with all the servants and the prince talking and eating.

Alys, after much persuasion, tuned the dusty old harp and played one of the few tunes she'd been taught in her younger days. The others danced and laughed quietly. Amalthea sat quietly as she always did, observing.

Then the king entered and immediately the tone changed. He took a seat and began to eat his supper there, watching them all. The group was no longer sure if they were allowed to continue. Haggard seemed to bring a shadow with him, for even the fire didn't burn as bright.

Alys placed a spell on the harp and rose from her seat. The harp continued to play without her.

She approached the king and bowed slightly. "Do you dance, your majesty?"

The rest of the group continued dancing, pretending not to watch.

"I do not," Haggard replied, "I learned when I was young but I have since fallen out of practice."

"I am not a great dancer either," Alys said, holding out her hand "We can relearn together."

King Haggard looked at her hand uncertainly. He folded his arms and seemed to have his mind made up, shrinking back into his chair as he always did.

Alys raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Dance with me, you old fool."

The king glared at her impudence but rose from his seat and grasped her, pulling her close to him with a little more force than necessary.

Alys settled into his grip and the two of them began an awkward and badly counted side-step.

This seemed to make the others more comfortable, for they continued to talk and laugh as before.

"A sorry king I must be indeed for my subjects to throw parties to which I am not invited," Haggard muttered.

"I don't think they meant to offend you," Alys explained, "Perhaps they thought you would not enjoy it."

"It would have been a safe guess," the king said, looking away from her to observe the room.

"I never liked dancing before," Alys said conversationally.

"And now?" the king asked, staring intently at her.

"What?" Alys asked.

The king frowned. "You said you never liked dancing before, so why insist on dancing now?"

Alys looked up at him. "Because, as I suspected, dancing with you is… somewhat different."

Haggard chuckled. "Indeed, I--"

His voice trailed off and a look of unwelcome surprise came to his worn face. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He broke away from her, keeping her hand in his.

"I've enjoyed this," he said, turning away and leaving the room as quickly as he could without running, his fingers slipping away from hers.