"Dianna?" Julienne asked as Dianna hung her cloak on a hook, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, given my success with the high risk cases, I figured I should come in, just in case I'm needed."
"But the ball is tonight." Julienne countered in a mystified manner.
"This is more important than a ball." Dianna said, as she silently pleaded for Julienne to relent and let her pick up an extra shift so she wouldn't have to think about what she would be missing out on.
But Julienne shook her head, "Out of the question! You've worked so hard since you started here. Go and enjoy yourself for a night!"
Dianna folded her arms over her stomach and stated, "But I have nothing to wear."
Julienne laughed, "Well, if you don't then I'm sure one of your sisters does. There's still time. Now go!"
Dianna felt shaky as she left. She had really counted on being able to work and the distraction that would provide. Quickly she walked to her grandparents' store, thinking she was a fool for not going there first. All she would have needed to do was ask her grandparents for a task and they would have found something for her to do no questions asked. She tried not to scan the streets for people to lash out at, but for whatever reason as she passed the dressmakers she looked up and saw Min walking out with a package under her arm, beaming as she waved to a friend who she ran up to greet.
The jealousy flared, even as Dianna felt terrible for it. Her inability to control her feelings of jealousy was why she was in this position in the first place. And as she'd had to remind herself repeatedly since the fall out, Min had not cursed her. She'd merely gotten lucky.
By the time she finally reached her grandparents' store she was trembling with the effort of keeping it together. But she had done it! And no sooner had she walked in did her grandmother take one look at her and ask her to do inventory. It was boring and mindless, but it would keep her occupied and out of trouble. So in that respect it was perfect.
"You look so pretty!" Attie exclaimed as Min put on her earrings.
"Thank you." Min said as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I still worry that I will look too pedestrian, like it will be obvious I'm a commoner playing dress up."
"I think you're worrying too much about nothing." Lina said dryly. Min had been able to set aside enough money for a nice taffeta dress, and Lina had let her raid her jewelry box from the days when she would loot treasure from bandits, so they'd had some nice pieces thanks to that. And the time that Min had put into learning to style her hair and make up into the latest fashions was more than paying off. She easily looked as though she could have been a princess. And not for the first time, Lina wondered where Min's ability and interest in fashion and society had come from.
"I bet if you claimed to be some long lost duchess you'd find yourself engaged to a prince before the night is over." Added Attie, and Min chuckled a bit.
"I hope you're right. Oh, what time is it?" Min asked.
"Your ride should be here soon." Lina said as she admired her daughter. She had always said that Gourry would have made a beautiful woman, and all three of her girls were proof of that!
"Oh, I'm getting nervous! I was supposed to go with Drake. What if no one will dance with me? I would hate to be a wall flower!" Min fretted.
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that." Lina said with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Well, I guess I'm lucky I'm even going." Min said, "Still, Drake and I were both so lucky to be invited on the same year! It was all so perfect. Just like we were. I miss him."
Lina sighed and wrapped her arms around him, "Just don't let this cast a shadow on your whole night. You earned this! Seize it and enjoy it! And if you somehow happen to become a wallflower, then be the prettiest one there ever was!"
Someone knocked at the door, and Min practically jumped out of her seat, "I bet that's my ride."
Lina reached out to hug Min, "You enjoy your evening!"
"I will." Min said.
And once Min reached the ball she soon found that she did! She also found that she had no shortage of admirers. As soon as she walked into the ballroom someone asked her to dance, and as soon as that first dance was finished someone else was ready to ask for the next one. If it wasn't for the occasional glimpse of Drake she would spy across the dance floor she would have easily gotten carried away in the joy of the evening.
Eventually she grew thirsty, so she smiled at her partner as she finished the dance, and then made her excuses and walked over to the refreshment table to get a drink, and was only mildly surprised when she saw Kenneth, who had recently been hired as a guard, on duty by the door. She grabbed a cup of punch and walked over to him and said by way of greeting. "Looks like they wasted no time in putting you to work."
"Yeah, they said they were shorthanded." Kenneth explained, "I have so much to thank your family for."
"Just be sure to stop by with a fruit basket. Mom's been complaining about how much men eat, though she really has no right to talk there." Min said jovially.
"Min," A young woman named Meg said as she came up, "Where's your sister?"
"Which sister?" Min repeated as she reddened as she worried about what Dianna had done now.
"Dianna! My father was wanting to give her a special award for saving Beth's life, but we can't find her anywhere."
Min stammered as it slowly sank in that, for once, someone was inquiring about Dianna not because she had gotten into trouble but because she was being rewarded! "She was invited here?" Min repeated, stunned.
"She never said anything?" Meg asked incredulously.
"Just…" Min said as she shook her head and tried to recover from her shock, "Just that one of her patients was expected to have a complicated delivery and she wanted to make sure she was available."
"Oh, well, I guess that would take precedence. I'm convinced Beth would have died without her help, and if some other poor woman needs her then that would be more important than a stupid ball really. I guess she'll have to be honored on another occasion. Tell her we understand." Meg said as she squeezed Min's hand before she moved away.
"What's all this about?" Kenneth asked.
Min moved her hand to her mouth and just said, "Di just made a rather big sacrifice. And she didn't even tell any of us!"
"Huh?" he asked.
But before Min could explain, Drake came up and softly said, "Min."
"Drake." Min said as she turned around and straightened her shoulders.
"I wanted to say that you do look lovely tonight."
"Thank you." She replied as her heart raced, "You're looking rather nice yourself."
"Can we talk for a moment?" he asked.
Min nodded, and she looked at Kenneth, "Excuse me."
As soon as she walked off a young sorcerer came up and said to Kenneth, "You know that family well?"
Kenneth shifted uncomfortably, "Gourry has been giving me sword lessons and I've been having dinner with them."
"So you know Dianna?"
"Well, what do you know about her?" Kenneth asked.
"She's a changeling for one thing." The sorcerer said.
"A what?"
The sorcerer laughed, "Let me tell you a story…"
"How have you been?" Min asked once they got to the balcony.
"I'm getting better." Drake said, "The nightmares have stopped, thank goodness. Time makes things get better."
"I'm relieved to hear it." Min said as she looked out towards the gardens.
"I also wanted to let you know, that I do miss you. Every time some bill that would interest you crosses my desk, or I need to go to the library to research a case, I think of you."
Min smiled as she turned to face him. "You're still welcome to ask for help with finding what you need."
He smiled a little, "There's so much going on. Studying for the bar. I probably do need to spend most of my free time in the library until I pass it."
"Well, I'd say that the library is where you need to be."
"There's part of me that wants to make it work with you, so bad. But then, I don't know how I can be around Dianna, or how we can be together if I can't stand to be around your sister."
"Dianna would make the sacrifices. She already has, Drake. She was invited here because of what she did for the Duke's daughter, I'm sure you've heard about it."
"Yes. Frankly it's bizarre to hear people sing her praises for once."
"Isn't it? I think the job is a good way for her to channel that rage she has. The thing is that she passed on it, she didn't even tell us that she had been invited, I'm guessing because she didn't want to hurt you further. You know she wanted to come here so badly. So after making this sacrifice I'm sure she'll do what it takes to make things up to you. We can make it work."
"It would help if I knew why she attacked me in the first place! And why it won't happen again." Drake said.
"She got jealous and stupid, that's what happened." Min said, "My dad and aunt are keeping a closer eye on her."
"All the same, what if we had kids and she got jealous and stupid and did something to them?" Drake said as he reached out and touched the choker around her throat.
Min turned and looked back out at the garden, "It's something we all worry about with her, and that we all take measures to prevent. Regardless, that's a way away, isn't it?"
"I guess you're right there." He said with a small smile.
"For now, it would be nice just to see you around the library again."
"I think I can do that." He said as he offered his hand, "If you'll have this next dance?"
Min's heart swelled as she took his hand and went back to the dance floor.
Min slept in rather late the next morning, and when she did finally wake up Dianna had already left for work. "Hey Dad." Min said after she had done over the highlights of the ball with Gourry, Lina and Attie.
"Yes?"
"Did you keep an eye on Di yesterday?"
"Yes, she spent all day at the store and all evening at home." He said, "Why?"
"You're not going to believe this." Min said as she started to explain about Dianna's invitation.
When Dianna finally got home, she was surprised to see Min in the kitchen making tea. Lately Min had made sure that she was already in bed by the time she'd got in. For a moment Dianna wondered if she should bolt, but Min gently said, "Have a seat."
Dianna did, and Min handed her a cup and said, "I heard that you were invited to the Festival Ball."
Dianna's eyes widened and she grasped the cup, "Yes."
"And you didn't say anything?"
"I didn't feel like I had the right." Dianna said.
Min sat down across from her and took a sip of tea. "Sometimes I lose sight of the fact that, even with the sacrifices I've made, yours have been greater. There's no comparison really."
A few tears leaked from Dianna's eyes, and Min put a hand on her arm, "Oh, honey. Everything is going to be okay. I even spoke to Drake at the ball. He's coming around, he's even wanting to see me again. He's still petrified of you I'm afraid, but given time I'm sure even that will heal. But for now, you and me, we can be good again, right?"
Dianna nodded as she hugged her. "This job, it helps me so much. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for getting my foot in the door. If there's anything you need from me…"
"Just manage the rage, and don't destroy the world." Min said.
"Well, some days that's easier than others." Dianna said, and they chuckled a little.
"We're in this together again, though." Min replied.
Dianna had a sense that someone was going to pop and wasn't too surprised when she heard a frantic pounding at the temple door. She smiled knowingly at Valerie who said, "Of course a downpour will bring it on. You're up Di."
Dianna nodded and walked over to open the door, and was surprised when she saw Kenneth there. His eyes widened a bit when he saw her as he said, "The wife of the ambassador to Ralteague has gone into labor."
"Come in out of the rain." Dianna said as she held the door open, and she was grateful that she had to collect her supplies, thus giving her a chance to turn away and compose herself, "I'll be ready in a minute."
Kenneth came in and wiped the water from his brow as Dianna felt bombarded by numerous impulses. Now that Min and Drake were rebuilding their relationship it wouldn't be a twist in Min's gut to pursue something with Kenneth. But considering how strongly she had come onto him and how swiftly she'd ended it, she couldn't blame him for not wanting anything more to do with her. And then, if he was somehow still interested, there was the problem that Luna would have her hide if she tried to pursue a romance. All the same, as Dianna glanced at him after she'd grabbed her stuff, she could not deny that she wanted him desperately. "Let Julienne know I'm out, Val."
"I hate to take you out in this weather." He said.
Dianna shrugged as she put her red clock on as she did her best to appear composed, "It's part of the job. Last week Barbara had to cross the river in a downpour and the poor thing came back with such a terrible cold. Babies seem to arrive when it is least convenient. Shall we?"
She opened the door and they stepped out into the rain. They were quiet for a moment as they walked, and then Kenneth said, "I heard the stories."
"Hm." Dianna said as her stomach tightened.
"Are you really a changeling?"
"That's ridiculous." Dianna scoffed. "Changelings don't exist, and besides, while my dad was heartbroken when he thought my mom wouldn't survive birthing me, but he never would have hurt me to save her."
"He's a good man." Kenneth said, "I believe that. But the things they've said you've done, the way that you've attacked people…"
"That's true." Dianna said sharply. "I warned you that I'm not right."
"But you try to do better, don't you?"
She was silent for a moment. "I do. And I fail. Still, working here has helped a lot. I've made more progress with controlling the rage and anger in three months of working here as I have in the last three years. If they only trained midwives at a younger age I would be in such a better spot." She said as they got to the palace.
"Open up for the midwife!" Kenneth shouted, and the guards opened the doors.
Dianna got inside and took her cloak off and handed it to the waiting valet. "Dianna." Kenneth said as she was about to follow the butler.
"Make it quick."
"If this is really something you're working on controlling, then I'd like to have a go at it. Perhaps I can even help."
Dianna smiled a little as, despite the fact that she was soaking wet, she grew warm inside. While Luna would object, and perhaps violently so, Dianna quickly decided it would be worth it, "I think another lunch date is in order."