As I returned to Li's room, my tears dry and my face hopefully not noticeably tear stained, I met one of the King of Maren's advisors, a Duke Everett of Cresthill, one of the most powerful houses in Maren, and one of the most powerful men in the Eastern Lands. He stopped and bowed. I got a bad feeling about him, with his sly charm and smooth talk.

"Lady Lilianne of Mindelan, is it not?"

"Yes, your grace, it is." I curtsied.

"Pleasure to meet you, my lady," he smiled a little too sweetly.

"And mine, your grace."

"I understand your king had a conversation with you, and you understand why it is imperative that you do not lead the prince on?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord, I understand. And I'm sorry if I caused any trouble for you." I was lying through my teeth of course, but I thought it best to stay on this man's good side.

He smiled broadly. "I'm glad that you are so cooperative. You're a smart girl, Lady Lilianne." He bowed and continued on his way.

Lianne and Allyrianne were in the room as usual. Didn't they have anything else to do? As expected, a hundred questions burst from their lips as soon as I entered.

"Lilia, are you okay?" Li asked.

"I'm fine, Li."

"What did my father want you for?"

I didn't want to tell the whole depressing story so I lied: "To thank me for being so welcoming to our guests."

"Especially Prince Reeve!" Ally exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, I was just being hospitable. I don't think I'll be seeing that much of the prince any more."

"Why? Have you two had a fight?" Lianne asked.

"No, it's just that we are really just wasting each others time. Any relationship between us wouldn't have amounted to anything anyway. He's going to marry you, Li."

"How do you know? There's a chance he won't."

Hadn't she heard? "Haven't you heard? They've started negotiations for you and Reeve. And the King of Galla has agreed his young daughter for Prince Jasson when they're old enough"

Li sighed. "Well, at least it's Reeve and not some other repulsive prince. I think Reeve and I could be happy together, if not like my parents or Roald and Shinko, but at least we won't hate each other."

"Yeah, I'm sure you two will be very happy together. Meanwhile, I've already moved on. Li, I hope you don't mind but I think me and Joren might have a future together."

"Naw, I don't mind. It's probably better this way."

There was a knock at the door. Li opened it to a messenger from her father.

"Your highness, there is to be another ball tonight. The arrangements for your betrothal have been completed, it is to be announced tonight."

"So soon? Roald and Shinko's betrothal took three years!"

"Yes, your highness. This time there were no diplomats to object, the king your father and the king of Galla drew up the documents themselves."

"I see."

"Your father demands that you look as presentable as possible. And Lady Lilianne," he looked at me, "That you remain silent and inconspicuous." The servant bowed and left.

"Lilia, why would Father want you to be silent and unnoticeable?"

"I guess he wants all attention on you!" I replied as cheerfully as I could.

While we dressed, I wondered about Reeve. What would I say to him when I saw him at the ball? Would he even talk to me, after what happened earlier? Did he even know that I had been warned to stay away from him? Of course not, who would have told him? Should I tell him why I couldn't see him anymore, about what was said to me? And if I did, would he understand and accept it, or make more trouble for both of us? So many questions! I decided to leave them all unanswered, and just go along with whatever happened at the ball.

Li wore an exquisite red dress inlaid with red roses, her hair done up perfectly as well as meticulously applied cosmetics. I wore a plain pink dress that did nothing to compliment my coloring; my hair simply pulled up and bound with a hair tie and a pink flower. I wore no cosmetics and the simplest of jewelry.

"Lilia, this is a ball you know, you could stand to look a little more dressy," Li told me.

"You remember your father's orders. Besides, I don't feel like getting all dressed up, I don't want any attention tonight."

"Except from Squire Joren, I'd wager!" she giggled.

I laughed too. Lianne still suspected nothing.

No announcements were made as we arrived at the hall. The dazzling picture was something I'll remember forever. The beautiful people decked out in bright colors and expensive finery, laughing and talking merrily. Squires and pages looking elegant in their uniforms bounced from group to group, offering drinks and small delicacies. All the monarchs wore their state crowns and sat regally upon their thrones, speaking attentively with anyone who visited them. Li went to her parents. I spotted mine speaking with some Yamani diplomats and went to join them.

I had seen them for a few days; they waved me toward them, no doubt wanting to introduce me to their companions.

"Mother, Father," I said sweetly, kissing them each on the cheek.

My father turned to the Yamanis around them and said: "Our youngest daughter, Lady Lilianne," he told them. They nodded and greeted me politely, though by my standards hardly a warm receptions, though they were Yamanis so I guess that's all I could expect. I remained with them as they continued the conversation I had interrupted. Then, all went silent as the King and Queen of Tortall and the King and Queen of Maren stood.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us this festive evening. We have yet another joyful announcement to make this night." I saw Lianne giving her fakest smile. "An alliance has been forged between the great nations of Tortall and Maren," the king continued. "My daughter, Princess Lianne of Conte, and the heir to the throne of Maren, Prince Reeve, are to be married."

At the king's last statement, a burst of applause sounded through the ballroom. I saw King Arrio of Maren give his son a little push, and Reeve moved forward to take Lianne's hand and smile broadly at the court. As they looked around to acknowledge the applause, I caught Reeve's eye. I quickly looked down, knowing that I was blushing. I turned to my parents and excused myself, and then fled as quickly as I dared from the room, hoping no one had noticed.

Instead of returning to Li's room, I decided to go for a walk. I needed to think things over, and I couldn't do it sitting down. After a few minutes, I found myself in the courtyard where Reeve and I had talked. Luckily, it was empty. Sitting on a bench, the tears I had thought were gone burst out again. What was wrong with me? I wondered as I released great sobs. I never cried this much, not even when I was taken prisoner! I heard footsteps behind me and loosed several curses in my mind.

"Just leave me alone!" I exclaimed loudly, thinking maybe it was Li or Joren or someone that I really didn't want to see me crying.

"Sorry, I guess I leave."

"Reeve?" I whispered, turning around. And there he was, looking handsome as ever in the dusky, fading light.

"Do you still want to be left alone?" he asked quietly.

"No." I said. As Reeve sat down next to me, the face of Duke Everett entered my mind. "Reeve, I told you I can't see you anymore," I murmured.

"I know. But I refuse to until you tell me why," he looked at me expectantly.

Should I tell him what the king and duke had said to me? "Reeve, we just, we can't be together. If you feel the way I do, it could get us both into a lot of trouble."

"Has someone threatened you?" he demanded.

"No, just warned me. You have to marry Li, and there's someone else who wants me."

"What? Another guy? And you share his feelings? But you just said your feelings for me could get us in trouble!"

"They could! That's why I'm not going to let them, that's why it's best if I go on with my life with this other guy, and you marry Li."

"Lilia, this isn't the whole story. You're not telling me something," he accused.

"I'm not! We can't be together and that's the end of it. Goddess, why am I letting this get me so upset? I've know you for what, two days? And here I am acting like we're…"

"In love?" he finished for me.

"I guess that's about the right term."

"Aren't we though, honestly?"

"It's only been two days!" I argued.

"So? People can't love each other in a short time?" he asked.

"I don't know! I've never been in love, how am I supposed to know if I am for real? Maybe I just think I'm in love."

"How can anyone know their feelings are real? You just have to trust what you're feeling, and go where it leads you," he reasoned.

"I can't go where they're leading me, there are too many people telling me not to!"

"So, someone is telling you not to fall in love with me."

"Yes, me! I'm telling me not to fall in love with you!"

"Lilia, stop lying to me! I know you are, I know that you want us to be together, but someone is making you think it's not possible, that it's dangerous even!"

"It is, don't you get it! You have to marry Lianne, you have to be a servant to your kingdom, and your kingdom needs and alliance with Tortall! If you fall in love with me, don't you see you compromise all that? And guess who will be blamed. Me."

"Why can't there be an alliance with Tortall through you?" he asked.

Why was he being so dense? Why was he still persisting? "I'm not a princess!"

"So? You're still Tortallan, of a well-known, respected family."

"Mindelan's just a barony, and a new one too. We don't go back that far, and have no blood ties to the royal family!"

"Maybe not, but you have ties to the Yamani and Copper Isles."

"Why would anyone accept me? I'm no one, nothing, not important."

"Lilia, don't you see you are? You're very important, doesn't what I think count?"

"Reeve, stop it! Stop making it sound like there's a possibility we could be together, because we can't. You have to marry Li, it's already been decided, and no matter how much we care about each other won't change that. You want me to stop lying to you? Yes, someone has asked me to stop seeing you. Asked, no more like demanded, ordered. The King of Tortall himself told me to break it off with you! Then the Duke of Cresthill did too! Some of the most powerful men in the Eastern Lands, tell me, Reeve, how can I disobey that? Don't you see what problems they could make for me?"

"If you've already given up, then you're right, we can't be together. Won't you even try? Please Lilia, I promise you, I'll find a way."

"Reeve, if you find a way, I swear I'd do it in a minute."

"Good. Then I'll think of something." He kissed me and said: "Until we meet again."