The next week Eilonwy missed the weekly tea party, and the week after that, only one week separated them from the grand ball, and Grace feared her grand plan of faking an illness to get her papa and the queen to come to terms with their feelings for each other might have mightily backfired. As they sat alone of that Thursday night without Eilonwy's cheery pressence Grace came and stood by her father's chair.

"Papa" she said.

"Yes Grace" he said looking up at her.

"Are you going to get a new suit for Eilonwy's ball?" she asked.

"I don't think I'll go" he said looking away towards the window where the sun was setting over the sea in the distance.

"Why not?"

"It wouldn't be right" he said "don't worry, you can still go" he added smiling at her.

"I wasn't worried about me papa" she explained. He looked at her curiously. "And why wouldn't it be right for you to go? I thought you liked her" Grace said puzzled.

Jefferson chuckled "It's not that, I do, I love her" he confessed to his daughter "but she's a queen, she has to think of what's best for her kingdom, and even if she doesn't want to, someone has to" he said looking sad and thoughtful. "Especially after the last time she was here, when you were sick, I don't think she'd even think of me after that, despite what she told her mother" he said mostly to himself.

"You don't know that" Grace countered with childish obstinancy.

"I don't" he admitted "But I do know that a man like me as her king is not likely to make anyone in this kingdom happy" he explained to his daughter.

"But it would make you happy, right papa?"

He smiled a bit and then nodded "but I have to think of what's best Grace" he replied.

"And it would make her happy?" she continued.

"I'd like to think so" he answered wistfully.

"And wouldn't her, happy, with you, be a better queen than her, sad, without you? Even if you aren't a prince or a duke" she stated.

Jefferson looked duly impressed at his daughter. She had just constructed a perfectly sound argument for which he had no counter.

"I need to have a talk with that philosophy teacher of yours, get him to ease off on the logic, you shouldn't be able to out argue your poor old papa" he said giving her cheek a kiss and chuckling to himself.

"So you'll go to the ball?" she asked.

"We'll see sweetheart" he said taking her hand and tucking her in for bed after reading her a bedtime story.

The evening of the ball came and two maid servants along with Eilonwy's mother Catherine came and helped her to dress and did her hair and makeup. When they had done and the last of the pearls was placed in the simple but elegant partial updo of her hair her mother came up and put a heart shaped necklace around her daughter's neck.

"Your father gave this to me on our engagement" she said "may it bring you good luck tonight" she felt Eilonwy's hand take hers in a grip of panic. "There now, you will be fine, you are a queen, no one and nothing should have the power over you to make you afraid" she said firmly. Eilonwy nodded and her mother turned her to face the mirror. "Besides, no man alive would decline a dance with you tonight my dear" she gestured to the reflection.

Inside the formal ballroom at the palace dignitaries from far and wide had assembled, nobility had brought their eligible sons, scheming politicians had brought their apprentices, and the lower gentry and peasantry that had managed to find something nice enough to wear were simply there to enjoy the evening, a diversion from the coming winter. Food they didn't have to pay for and a night of entertainment. Some young lads who had seen the princess turned queen in the town hoped to try fate and ask her to dance that night. The golden handles on the double doors at the end of the ballroom moved and were opened to reveal Queen Eilonwy in a magnificient purple gown, her ginger gold hair with pearls dispersed tastefully in it and the broad off shoulder neck of her gown giving attention to the large heart shaped ruby that hung from a silver chain around her neck. The violet fabric of her dress seemed to catch the light and looked luminescent as she entered, the soft swish of her skirt the only sound audible in the admiring silence.

Eilonwy looked around her, seeing the people gathered on the balcony that ran around the perimeter of the room on the second floor, the ceiling three stories above that and each floor crowded with people. She knew she shouldn't, but she looked for Jefferson's face all the same. After having made her way to the other end of the room the chief noble present, Ulfric, the crown prince of the Southern Isles came and asked her for the opening dance, which he felt himself entitled to considering his rank. She danced with him, and the ball was considered opened. Those who had no hopes of winning the queen's hand pursued the hands of maidens that they did have hopes for. Romances were kindled and furthered at the event.

She had danced with two princes, a grand duke, and three other nobles. None had really thrilled her in any way. The grand duke had the best political advantages, and his temperment wasn't abominable like Ulfric of the Southern Isles had been. Because with no sign of Jefferson it would seem marrying for love would not be her fate. The grand duke brought her a glass of punch to refresh her when their attention was called away to a chorus of "aww's" and other endearing terms whispered in admiration. The doors at the far end of the ballroom had opened once more, to admit a late guest and her escort.

Grace stepped into the room in a lovely rosy pink dress that accented the sweetness of her young face, Jefferson walked proudly with her thin arm linked in his. He understood why everyone was so entranced, she looked like a doll come to life. He smiled at the admiring throng and down at his daughter. Then his eyes met the vision that stood before him at the other end of the long ball room. Working their way through the few dancers on the floor he moved towards Eilonwy, his gaze transfixed on her. Grace just smiled as she let go of his arm to go over and greet one of her schoolfellows. He walked up to her, hardly feeling capable of trusting his legs because his knees felt weak and his heart was jumping around out of any rhythm whatsoever.

"Your majesty" he said with a bow, his eyes still trained on her even as he bent to bow.

"Jefferson" she responded, her voice thin and trilling, sounding more girlish than it had any right to, considering as she was a queen and this was her ball. But from the moment she had seen him, this had become his ball, not hers any longer. For all her happiness or hopes or any aspirations of marrying for love were wrapped up in the man with the elegant dark navy formal coat on with black breeches and a pale, almost white, blue scarf ruffled at his throat.

He smiled at her, unable to believe that he might be able to call this radiant beauty his wife if he but tried, if he only confessed his feelings and said to hell with what the world thought. She looked into his strong blue eyes, her own pleading with his to save her from a life tied to someone who she simply tolerated, rather than wholeheartedly loved.

"May I have this dance?" he asked as the band began to play a new song. She gave him her hand and he bowed over it before leading her by it to the dance floor and spinning her out gracefully. The two moved in harmony with the music, their two hearts beating in unison as they glided over the dance floor. He spun her out and pulled her back in, close enough where, had he dared, he could have put his lips to hers. He wanted to, but he wasn't sure if she would have him back after what he had said on their last private meeting. "I lied" he said as he lead her in the dance.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I lied. I didn't kiss you for no reason Eilonwy, my queen" he elaborated "I kissed you because I love you more than I can ever say, I was concerned about how your kingdom would feel if I ever tried to court you. I don't precisely have the pedigree to have any business pursuing the hand of a princess" he admitted.

"You love me?" she asked, her bright blue eyes dancing in the candelight of the ballroom which now felt like it was only occupied by the two of them.

"I do" he said as the dance ended and he raised her hand to his lips. Holding it and looking into her eyes intently.

"And I love you" she confessed.

He smiled and danced the next song with her, the two of them smiling, blushing, and laughing all the while. Every other eligible bachelor in the room saw the clear winner of the queen's heart. Most resigned any suit they might have wished to press. The Grand Duke looked on sadly as he watched a worthy woman slip beyond his grasp. He was happy to see the queen happy, but sad he could not have been the lucky one to cause those dimples to dance in the most bewitching of smiles. Ulfric sauntered up to the pair at the end of a dance.

"I'll have this next one" he said imperiously.

"No you won't" Jefferson said pulling Eilonwy a little closer. She burst into quiet muffled giggles before turning to Ulfric.

"I'm afraid he's right, my card is full" she said and her one true love whisked her away into the waltz, the two of them laughing over the pomposity of Ulfric of the Southern Isles. After five dances in a row spent in each other's arms all the men saw who would obviously be the next king in Llyr. Her mother came over to the two of them as they stood at the punch bowl, Jefferson getting her some refreshments.

"Well, I see things worked out for your happiness after all" she said hugging her daughter. Eilonwy smiled at her mother and then at Jefferson who still had hold of her hand. Catherine went to the man who she would soon call son and looked at him. "I never anticipated my daughter's fancy to light on a man of your background, but I have seen in the past months that birth is not everything. You are a good man Jefferson, and I know you will take care of my daughter" He smiled, bowing to her.

At the end of the ball it was announced by Catherine that her daughter had chosen her chief counselor as her suitor of choice. Though had it been proper she would have announced their engagement. The stir of chatter that rose up after this revelation hid Eilonwy and Jefferson's absence for some time. On a balcony overlooking the sea on the western most point of the castle the two stood talking.

"Are you sure you want someone like me?" he asked, undoing his scarf, the scar on his neck showing.

"All that means is that you are a loving father" she said gently. She put her lips to a part of the scar. It almost seemed to lessen with the magic of true love's kiss. She noticed and planted another one next to it. "Hm" she observed "perhaps the magic of true love doesn't wear off after one use" she said thoughtfully before kissing along the scar a few more times. Not fully aware in her innocence of what she was doing to Jefferson. He knew she wasn't intentionally teasing him, but she was doing a good job for it not being on purpose, after she had kissed a half circle, lessening the scar he caught her lips on their way to his neck and kissed her ardently. Wrapping his arms tight around her, holding her close and bending her back as he pressed many a warm kiss onto her lips. They caught their breath, him holding her head as he cradled her in his arms. He looked into her eyes, the stars above reflected in them. He righted her back onto her feet fully. He wanted to keep kissing her until dawn rose in the sky but he knew he had to resist the temptation to do so. They still had to tell Grace of their engagement. And the thought of his daughter helped to let some of the heady fizz out of his head so that it didn't spill over the dam of reason and send him into delightful madness.

He took her hand, smiling as giddily as could be, as he swung her hand. They giggled like young lovers, their pain drowned out by the amount of happiness they were feeling just then. Upon entering the ballroom they saw the remaining food being sent home with the poor and needy. Grace was fast asleep on two chairs pushed together at the end of the room. Catherine watching over her.

"She had wanted to come find you, but I had suggested you two might want a moment to yourselves" she looked her daughter over and with knowing eyes saw the slightly chapped lips and the hair that was not quite in place as it had been when Eilonwy had entered the ballroom a few hours before. "Which I can see I was correct" she said casting the pair an arch smile. They both blushed, but their hands remained entwined.

Jefferson went over and reluctantly gave Grace's arm a nudge. "Grace" he called out softly. Her eyes opened and she looked at him and smiled.

"Papa!" she exclaimed and hugged him then she looked over at Eilonwy.

"My new mama" she said releasing her father and hugging the queen tight. Eilonwy's heart melted.

"You don't have to call me that, if you don't want to" she said looking seriously at the little girl.

"But I want to" she protested. Eilonwy smiled and picked her up.

"I'm glad you do" she confessed and put a kiss to her cheek before setting her back down. "I suppose it's time you got her to bed" she admitted reluctantly to Jefferson.

"Just a bit, it's past midnight" he said smiling at his bride to be.

"Well, I'll keep you no longer" she said stealing a quick kiss before he picked up Grace and carried her home. Her falling asleep in his arms during the walk. He set his little princess down on her soft downy bed. This was the life she deserved, the one he had been willing to give his life for, and it had fallen into his lap in the most peculiar way possible. He blew out the candle in her room and went to his own, his head full of happiness and thoughts of the way Eilonwy's kisses had felt. Three months was a short time to plan a wedding, and a long time to be engaged.