A/N: I left you waiting too long...I know, I know, I'm a terrible person. I could give you a mountain of excuses, including a wedding and my last CPA test (WHOOT WHOOT), but they aren't really that good.

So...it took me longer than expected to write this chapter, because the original idea was a little cheesy looking back. I wanted to get this posted ASAP because it had taken so long, so please forgive me if I missed any spelling or grammar errors...I kind of edited in a rush :P

After dancing with Maxon, I left the dance floor for a while. My father had more people that he wanted me to meet, and before long, I was dancing with Maxon again. When we finished our dance, I introduced him to Marlee, and the two immediately hit it off. She had been talkimg to Sir Woodwork, and the two embraced like old friends. Sir Woodwork excused himself to grab us new goblets of wine, and Maxon had us both laughing.

"Prince Maxon, I had no idea that you knew Sir Woodwork so well," Marlee laughed.

"He was my sparring partner during most of my youth. Very talented gentleman and he's absolutely smitten over you, I must say," Maxon added on with a wink. "Not that I'm into the palace gossip or anything like that, but he will be the Count of Georgia quite soon. Not that he wouldn't be an agreeable match now."

Marlee blushed furiously, at a loss for words. I laughed as I have Maxon's arm a squeeze. "I think my cousin doesn't quite know how to respond to your forwardness."

"I'm the Prince, I may do and say as I please," he scoffed in a joking manner. I gave him a scoff of my own, and he sighed dramatically to which Marlee chuckled. He quickly took Marlee's hand and gave it a gentle peck. "I do not mean to be so forward. I guess when I see love, or the potential of it, it shouldn't be squandered."

Marlee offered him a smile that instantly brightened when Sir Woodwork walked up behind him. He grabbed her hand from Maxon's and wrapped it firmly around his own arm.

"I leave you alone for five minutes, and you've already started," Woodwork groaned as he shook his head playfully at Maxon.

"Why don't you stop complaining and take that lovely young woman for another dance?"

Sir Woodwork looked at Marlee, raising his eyebrows playfully towards her. "Only if that is what the Lady wishes."

Marlee's grin widened, and she pulled Carter towards the dance floor. I began swaying to the music, a song I was very familiar with. It was one of my favorites, but I was pulled from the music when a gentle touch slid along my waist.

"Come with me," Maxon breathed into my ear. I let him lead me around the edge of the party, to a girl in a fitted red dress. Her back was to us, and I looked at Maxon in confusion. "I want you to meet my cousin. Celeste!" Maxon called jovially.

The girl turned, and I was floored. She was absolutely stunning. She had dark blonde hair, or maybe it was a light brown- it was hard to tell in the low candlelight. Her eyes were a light brown as well, framed by dark, thick lashes. She wore some make-up, but it was barely noticeable. It just accented her features. Her dress was cut lower than normal, and she towered over me. She looked at me for a second, a slight confusion on her face, but her smile brightened when she saw Maxon.

"Celeste, this is Lady Singer, the one that I've been telling you about." I curtsied, and Celeste inclined her head. "This is the Baroness Celeste Newsome of Clermont. She's father's brother's eldest stepdaughter."

"Charmed, Lady Singer," she said with a smirk as she inclined her head. She was looking at something behind me, and I felt like I was being watched. She curtsied slightly, and my neck tensed as I turned to follow her gaze. The King marched towards us, and I dipped into a low bow. He looked at me for just a second, before offering a smile to Celeste and then addressing his son. He barely looked at me, and he didn't acknowledge me at all the way he had when we first arrived at court. He looked at me like one would look at a bug they decided wasn't important enough to squish. It was worse than him insulting me straight out.

"Maxon, I understand you enjoy your cousin's presence, but you must mingle with the other guests. Please come with me," the King ordered. Maxon gave him a look of indignation as he gestured to me, but the King ignored it. He took Maxon by the arm, pulling him away from me and Baroness Newsome. He gave me an apologetic smile, and I returned a meek one of my own. It wasn't his fault after all. The Baroness simply watched them go, looking after them in interest.

"So," she said as she turned towards me. "You like the Prince?"

"He's a very agreeable man," I wagered in a weak tone. The King had pulled him to Duchess Ambers, insisting that the two dance. Always the perfect gentleman, Maxon offered her his hand and led her out to the dance floor. I felt a soft push on my arm, and I looked up into Celeste's disbelieving gaze.

"Agreeable? That's it? He's merely agreeable?" she scoffed.

"What's your opinion of him then?" I retorted.

"I have no opinion, he is my cousin," she counted with a wave of her hand.

"By marriage. If you wanted to wed him, you certainly could do so."

"Maxon is my friend, and he is very handsome, but not my type at all. I prefer those a little more…delicate." I raised my eyebrows, and she had a knowing smile on her face. "Have you been in court long?"

"No, Baroness, only since they day before yesterday."

"Please, call me Celeste," she decided after a tilt of her head.

"America," I answered with a smile.

"Interesting name," she said as she grabbed two glasses from a passing waiter. "I'm sure you were named after the new world?"

"Yes," I said after a minute. We sipped on our wine, watching the couples dance around us. Maxon had a smile on his face, but he kept glancing at me over his partner's shoulder. I looked down at my glass, feeling the blush creep up on my cheeks.

"He sure is infatuated with you, is he not?" Celeste pointed out.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I responded hastily.

"Oh stop it, America. It's plain to see to anyone who is truly looking. He loves you, and you love him," she said quickly. She drained her glass before setting it on a side table. "I like you. I know you have a good and kind heart, or Maxon wouldn't have even considered you. I have some advice for you America. You need some friends high up in court, or this romance will end before it has a chance to blossom."

"And you'll be that friend?" I questioned. Honestly, I knew she was right. I wasn't accustomed to the politics in court. I felt over my head. Celeste smirked, giving me a playful wink.

"If you are Maxon's choice, I'm on your side. We will just have to see on the friendship part. I'll say two things though. One, court is full of nasty, vicious people who will go to any end to achieve what they desire. It's covert and seemingly polite, these games that we play. Just understand that court is a game, and you must learn to play it quickly if you want to survive. And for your second piece of advice, I'd accept if I were you," she added with a wicked grin as she took my wine glass out of my hand. I was about to ask her what in the world she was talking about, but she inclined her head just as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Count Leger's familiar face.

"Count Leger. You are looking especially dapper this evening," she simpered as she took a sip out of the goblet she stole from me.

"Baroness, you look lovely as ever. Still enjoying the games this evening?"

"Of course. You know it is my favorite to play," she added in a bored tone. "Excuse me."

Count Leger turned to me, offering me his hand with a kind smile.

"Will you do the honor of dancing with me once more, Lady America?"

I looked at him, then my eyes darted to follow Celeste's retreating figure. She turned around quickly, giving me a wink before sauntering off. This must have been what she meant. I turned my attention back to the Count, nodding my head as I took his hand. He pulled me to the dance floor, moving just as gracefully, if not more so, than he had before. For the first few stanzas, we simply moved in silence, but I could feel his kind eyes on my face. As we spun around the room, I noticed that Maxon was watching me with a strained expression as he spoke with his mother and Duke Ambers. The King and Duchess Ambers were speaking with their daughter. Her eyes fell on me, a curious expression on her face.

"Are you enjoying the dance, my Lady?"

"Of course, Count. I was afraid I had scared you away with my horrible dancing."

"Anyone can dance with a strong lead," he assured me in a warm tone. "I apologize for taking so long to ask you again. In truth, I was a little nervous."

"Nervous?"

"I saw that you shared a few dances with the Prince, but the King explained that you two had become fast friends while you were at court last time."

"The King?" I questioned. A foreboding feeling crept into me. My stomach began to feel light and heavy at the same time, like I was on the deck of a ship. It was fluttering frantically from the turbulent movement, but at the same time, my torso felt so heavy that not even the strongest of storms could move its weight.

"Yes, he said that you were offering him assistance on how to court, and he was giving you advice on the eligible men. That's really quite kind of you to do that for him."

"And what brought this up?" I muttered as I quickly wet my dry lips. Count Leger saw my expression, his eyes widening slightly.

"Oh, how rude of me! I wasn't trying to…I mean, nothing was said negatively, my Lady. I-I didn't bring you up to the King; that would have been terribly rude of me. He had simply asked how taking over my father's duties were going, and then asked if I had made any ground on finding a wife. The King wants me to find one soon, as our county no longer has an heir. He mentioned available ladies of court, and your name came up. I had just told him that we had shared a dance earlier in the evening."

I nodded my head, the words unable to leave my mouth. Count Leger must have taken my silence as nervousness or that I was upset, because his nervous smile faltered before he continued.

"I had no intentions on embarrassing you. He said you were a wonderful, beautiful girl who deserved to marry higher than your station. He suggested I ask you for another dance this evening," he quickly explained. My expression set into stone. So this is what Celeste meant? I was good enough to marry one with a higher title than my own, but I wasn't good enough for his son? The very thought had me burning with rage. I wanted to cry, to scream, but I couldn't in the middle of a crowded ballroom.

The song wasn't over, but that didn't stop Count Leger from grabbing my hand and pulling me from the dance floor out into the gardens. I was startled by his sudden movement. My eyes fell on Maxon. I saw Maxon's expression harden slightly, the grip on his goblet tightening. Duchess Ambers distracted him, and it caused my heart to fall even further. The last glimpse I got of him was the Duchess placing a soft hand on his chest.

"What do you think you are doing?" I hissed as Count Leger pulled me out into the gardens.

"I can't deal with all this dancing and politics and what not! I need to be where I can think!" he explained quickly. There was a certain desperation to the way he walked, the tone of his voice, that made me wonder what was bothering him so. He seemed so flustered. He dropped my hand, and I sat on a nearby bench. All the events of this evening had just been too overwhelming. I closed my eyes, resting my head in my hand, my elbow propped up on my knee. A part of me knew this was a little untoward, but there were other people walking around us, just not in close proximity. A soft but callused hand grabbed my own, and I found myself eye level with a pair of earnest, stunning green eyes.

"Lady Singer, I apologize if I seemed crude and unabashed. I didn't think anything of it, and I know my words upset you greatly. I 'm… I'm," he took a deep breath, chuckling lightly. "I'm not use to any of this. I don't know the proper way to work court politics, of how to court and associate with other nobles. I'm like a naïve child. I grew up in the mines, learning my father's trade. That was more important that learning the fine art of court politics when his time was so limited."

My heart melted at his words. I knew his father's death had been rather unexpected. I could hear the pain and uncertainty in his voice, the unspoken worry that he would let the family name down. This was a good man, and he was trying to do the best he could. Although I had given my heart to another, I couldn't deny that I cared about him and his well-being in this short time. He was easy to like.

"I'm sure it was difficult," I whispered gently as I rubbed his hand. He looked into my eyes a determined expression on his face.

"You are a wonderful and beautiful women, Lady Singer. Any man would be lucky to have you."

I heard the tone in his voice, and I couldn't break away from his eyes. They were so earnest and hopeful. How did I tell him that my heart belonged to another, to not get his hopes up? I needed to change the subject. "You are a good man from what I can see, Count Leger. Your words just startled me, I took no offense," I explained with a small smile. "Thank you for your apology and for the dances. I'm just tired from the evening's festivities. I think I will retire for the night."

I stood up, brushing past him to tell my father I was leaving. Before I made it back to the ballroom, once again a hand pulled gently on my own.

"My lady?"

I turned back towards Count Leger, who looked at me with a tender expression. The light fitted across his face, the shadows from the candles drifting around as the couples moved behind us. "I like you, Lady America. I can't explain it, but I feel drawn to you. I know you have many options; what girl like you wouldn't have? I have no idea how to do this, and I know I am not the man you deserve, but… do you think for now, we could at least be friends?"

I eyed him for a moment, trying to see if there was an ulterior motive behind his honest gaze. I couldn't find one, and an easy smile slipped on to my face. I didn't see the harm in gaining a friend.

"I think we could be friends, Count Leger," I agreed.

"Aspen. Please call me Aspen."

I nodded my head and took a step back from him. "Goodnight, Aspen."

I left him standing outside, and I quickly found my father talking to the Duke of Honduragua. After a quick greeting and telling my father I'd be going to bed, I slipped out of the ballroom before anyone could pull me back into the festivities.

The last thing that I saw was Maxon dancing happily with Kriss Ambers, both laughingly lightly in each other's arms.

Thankfully, none of the angry and pained tears fell until I was safe and sound in my room.

Kind of a bitter ending, but I promise you the next chapter is going to make up for it.

Please leave a review. Tell me what you think...I love to hear my readers reactions, and if I need to work on something, I want to know it.

Until next time

-Holls