Grace was sent to school at the castle with the other children of noble birth, had things been as they were before the curse, she would likely have been mocked, but many a person of meaner birth was now educated alongside the aristocracy's offspring. When Jefferson's day at the castle was done he would get Grace and the two of them would walk the beach for a while before going home. She would tell him all about what she had learned, and he would think on how he could best help Eilonwy govern when the time came. Her coronation was at the end of next month, and while it was not going to be the affair of pomp it would have been had the curse not occurred, it was still the shift of the weight of responsibility from her mother's shoulders to her own. Which reminded him, he had to get a proper suit made for the occasion. He didn't want to let her down and look anything less than his respectable best as her chief adviser.

As the time for the coronation neared a second event became planned. A celebratory ball, celebrating both her accession as queen and her return, the few dignitaries that still lived in the Enchanted Forest would be invited.

"Mother" Eilonwy fumed after all this was laid forth in the council meeting "I did not agree to this" she protested.

"But you like a ball, or you used to" she retorted maternally.

"I do, but what message will this send the people? We throw a big fancy event while they face starvation in the coming winter!"

"You could give yourself some thought" her mother reprimanded.

"No, no I can't, the only way I'll go through with this ball is if we can invite the whole kingdom. Llyr is small, and the people deserve a party, it's that or nothing" she declared firmly.

"If you insist, though that does rather ruin the point" she pouted.

"What point?" Eilonwy asked suddenly suspicious.

"For you to find yourself a husband" she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I can do that on my own, thank you very much" she replied hotly. Footsteps passing in the hallway outside the now empty council chamber.

"Well you've been back over three months and I haven't seen you so much as have a private conversation with an eligible bachelor, so I decided we needed to import what little nobility still lives in these lands so you can maybe find someone that strikes your fancy" she said glibly.

"Who said he had to be nobility?" she querried, narrowing her eyes.

"No one, but it's what's expected" the queen mother countered. "I just want what's best for the kingdom" she soothed.

"And what about doing something for my own happiness?" Eilonwy said looking her mother in the eye.

"What would you do? throw your dignity away on that widower?" she asked.

"I'd throw my rights as queen away to be his wife" she said sadly "but I'm not sure he sees things as I do" she confessed, her mother pulling her into her arms.

"It will be alright, I think I have an idea that will make us both happy" she said sitting down and pulling Eilonwy into the seat beside her. The soon-to-be queen looked into her mother's eyes curiously. "We declare it that any man, of high or low birth, may ask you to dance at the ball, as a way of stating his desire to court you if you are willing. That leaves the choice with you as to who you will talk to again, but you will know all the men who are interested in your hand, and whether Jefferson is one of them" her mother said. "Will that make you happy?"

Eilonwy nodded "At least I'll know that way, not knowing is the worst" she said.

The two embraced and then a knock on the door broke them apart.

"I forgot my notes" came the faltering voice of Jefferson as he came in and quickly grabbed the little leather portfolio. He stole a look at Eilonwy that was full of so many thoughts and such intensity that she didn't know what to think. She had no idea that he had heard the last half of their conversation and was experiencing a mental flurry that he could not calm. He rushed out, nearly tripping on his feet, he needed some time to process what he had just heard. She loved him, loved him enough that she had told her mother she would be willing to set aside her crown for his sake. But he couldn't let her do that. He knew she loved him, but was still no closer to achieving her. He had to protect her even when her love for him told her that she could live a peasant's life for his sake.

He took Grace directly home, skipping the walk on the beach, lost in thought.

Over supper Grace caught her father's sad and perplexed look.

"What's wrong papa?" she asked pushing at his almost untouched plate of food.

"Oh" he said stirring from his thoughts "sorry sweetheart" he apologized.

"What are you thinking about?" she said pulling her chair over and looking up at him with her arms on the table.

He grinned and shook his head "nothing, just a thought" he looked at her, was her having a mother again worth the trouble it would cost Eilonwy. He knew he wasn't but Grace's happiness was more important than his own. "Would you be happy if I found someone and got married?" he asked her honestly.

"If it was Eilonwy, yes" she said plainly. Jefferson's face colored.

"What made you think of her?" he squeaked out.

"Because I think you like her, and I think she likes you, and I like her" she said with the simplicity of an honest child.

"You think too much" he said leaning over and putting a kiss on her forehead. "And I think it's past your bedtime."

The next week was the coronation, and Jefferson attended and Grace as well in the group of pupils who had been given the day off from studying to see the ceremony. Eilonwy wore a sumptuous gown of deep royal blue with gold embroidery. It had been made out of reused fabric from an older dress of hers except for the matching mantle that she wore. She could not see spending all that money on a new gown when her people might go hungry. Jefforson stood handsomely in his new suit of clothes and looked on as she was crowned queen. He felt this had placed her even further from him, though he wanted her all the more for it now. The gulf between them was wider now. And while he was glad that Llyr would have a good and just queen, he hated to see that responsibility settled permanently on her shoulders. He would help her rule, and bury his feelings and hope she did the same with hers. He wanted what was best for her, and he had never been good for anyone.

Two weeks after the coronation the roll of carriage wheels was heard outside the cottage. Grace had fallen sick and Eilonwy had personally come along with the doctor to see about the young girl. Jefferson had a worried and anxious look when he opened the door. The doctor went upstairs while Eilonwy made tea to help soothe the strain on Jefferson. The doctor appeared at the head of the stairs and declared that she would recover, it was just a minor fever. "She will be up and about in just a few days I assure you" he promised. He made for the door "your majesty?" he questioned, for the queen was standing there in silence. She didn't want to leave Jefferson alone in his anxiety.

"Go, send the carriage back after you reach the palace" she ordered "thank you" she smiled at the doctor who just left with a funny little smile on his old face.

"Here" she said handing Jefferson a cup of tea.

"Thank you" he said smiling as they sat down with their tea by the fireside. Fall was coming and the night breeze was cold.

She sat there in a modestly ornate dress. She got up and brought over some cookies that Grace had made the day before, handing him the plate as she sat down, his hand wrapping over hers as he took it, pulling it closer and her along with it. He looked down at her, the soft light in her blue eyes calling him in. He put his hand on her face, bending it gently so that it tilted up. He sat there frozen for a moment, lost in the light of her eyes while she sat spellbound, her heart beating in a frenzy inside her chest. Then it happened, in a swift moment he had his lips on hers and gave her a soft but searing kiss. His hand that had been on her face sliding back into her hair as he pulled her lips closer to his. For one blissful moment it had felt as pure and beautiful as the light of her blue eyes, but then reality soured the moment. He knew this was wrong, that he should let her go, be her friend and adviser while she married a man less scarred and more suitable than himself. He pressed one last desperate kiss to her soft pink lips before tearing himself away.

"I'm sorry" he said ragged emotion in his voice.

"I'm not" she said and moved to kiss him. He put his hand up in front of her lips. His heart fractured at the hurt that sprang up in her eyes.

"You should be" he said taking her by her shoulders and looking her square in the eye. "It wasn't right, I never should have kissed you, just pretend it didn't happen" he advised but still she looked at him with those adoring eyes. He bit his lip, resolved to push her away if need be, even if it broke his heart "I didn't mean to" he said "it was just a kiss" he added.

She stood up, her dignity not allowing her to show her sadness "if that was just a kiss then I want no more from you" she said.

"I'm sorry" he said his heart had broke inside of him and he was surprised he wasn't sitting in a pile of blood from it's bursting. He stood up and walked towards her "can we still be friends?" he asked looking at her through his bangs.

She paused, it had hurt her, to have her feelings played with by such a tender moment just to find out it was the simple desire of a lonely widower and not the love she had hoped for. But it wasn't his fault, it wasn't like he knew that she loved him.

"Of course" she said forcing a smile "it was just a kiss after all" she added and the wheels of the royal carriage sounded outside the cottage and she made her escape to her own chambers where she let her emotions show into her pillow and dreaded the upcoming ball. She would have to choose a man, and she now doubted more than ever that Jefferson would be among the men seeking her hand.