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One

IT WAS THE TIME OF year when the sunrise still had frost on it But winter was fading, and the floere starting to bloom, and the promise of a new season filled me with anticipation

“I’ve been drea out theat the birds sailing boldly across a backdrop of blue sky Delia Grace tied the last of the laces of own into place and moved me over to the vanity

“Me, too,” she replied “Tourna Day is on the horizon”

Her tone iirl, but I still had my reservations “I suppose”

I could feel her exasperation in the movement of her hands “Hollis, you will undoubtedly be His Majesty’s partner and escort for the festivities! I don’t kno you can be so calm”

“Thank the stars we have the king’s attention this year,” I said, keeping ht as she braided back the front pieces of my hair, “or it would be as dull as a tomb here”

“You say that as if your courtship were a ga surprised

“It is a gah, so we need to enjoy this while we can”

I watched Delia Grace chewing her lips in theup from her task

“Is so?” I asked

She quickly perked up, lifting her lips into a s Just perplexed by your cavalier attitude toward the king I think there’s ”

I looked down, thruers across the table of the vanity I liked Jameson I’d be oodness’ sake, the king He was also a fair dancer and ood spirits But I was no fool I’d watched hiirl over the last severalthe ones everyone at court knew about I’d enjoy this for as long as I could and then accept whatever lump of a person my parents chose for me At least I’d have these days to look back upon when I was a bored old lady

“He’s still young,” I finally replied “I don’t see hih a few more years on the throne Besides, I’e I can’t offer much there”

There was a knock at the door, and Delia Grace went to answer it, disappointht I stood a chance, and I instantly felt guilty for being so difficult In our decade of friendship, we’d always supported one another, but it was different these days

As ere ladies at court, our fa noblewo More than servants, your ladies were your confidantes, your attendants, your escortsthey were everything Delia Grace was stepping into a role that didn’t exist for me yet, convinced that, at any moment, it would

It meant more than I kne to say, more than I kne to handle What is a friend but someone who thinks you’re capable of more than you do?

She returned with a letter in her hand and a glint in her eye “There’s a royal seal on this,” she teased, flipping the paper over in her hand “But, since we don’t care how the king feels about you, I suppose there’s no urgency to open it”

“Let me see” I stood and held a hand out, but she quickly retracted the letter, a sive it to me!” She took a step back, and in a split second I was in pursuit, chasing her around ed to corner her twice, but she was always faster than I was, and wriggled out of the spaces before I could get ahold of her I was nearly breathless froht her around the waist She held the letter out as far as she could I ed to wrestle it back fro upward, h the doors that attached my rooms to hers

“Hollis Brite, have you lost your senses?!” she scolded

Delia Grace and I pulled apart, placing our hands behind our backs and curtsying quickly

“I could hear you girls shouting like anih the walls How can we hope to have a suitorlike this?”