Felicity woke up the next morning tense and worried.  Edward had not contacted her all night, and she did not try to contact him, knowing that she would just distract him.  Felicity decided to use that time to practice her mind defensives from people trying to know her thoughts.  She made more progress that night than she had for an entire month.  Felicity got out of bed reluctantly and quickly put on one of her favorite dresses.  It was all white with tiny red roses on the edges of the neckline and sleeves.  Felicity decided that she would actually attempt to do something with her hair this morning and began the painstakingly long ordeal of putting her hair in a braided bun.
After a lot of effort that Felicity was not quite sure was worthwhile, the bun was finished.  It did not actually look too terrible, but Felicity wished that it would look like Lauren’s.  She shrugged it off and left her room.  Her first stop each morning was the castle gallery, which held every member of the royal family’s paintings.  Each person had a painting that was done when they had reached twenty-one years of age.  Felicity’s and Edward’s would be done in about eleven months, for they had just had their birthday last month—the beginning of spring.  There were also family portraits painted every so often.  Felicity stopped beneath the painting of her parents and smiled sadly.  She missed them every day.  They looked so happy.  The particular picture that Felicity loved about her parents was about a year after she and Edward were born.  Father held her, while mother had Edward by the hand.  Her father and mother truly loved each other.  Felicity wished she could find someone who loved her like her father loved her mother.  Felicity also wished that she could love someone that she could love like her mother loved her father.
“Maybe one day,” she whispered to the painting.  She then moved to the painting next to it of her Uncle Rainford.  One of her favorite people in the world, he had been her tutor and playmate all through her life when her parents could not be there.  Her uncle was ten years her father’s junior.  Rainford was a carefree and happy man and often went abroad to negotiate terms, smooth over misunderstandings, and in general make sure that Laulao was not forgotten by other countries.  Felicity’s most vivid memory of one of these trips was when she was ten and Uncle Rainford was twenty-one.  Felicity’s Uncle had gone to Candor for a momentous event that was occurring there.  She did not remember what the occasion was; she was too young at the time to remember all of the details accurately.  The only thing she really remembered was that when Uncle Rainford came back, he was not the same.  He was still carefree and her fun loving uncle, but he had changed some how.  His eyes told her that he left something behind that became very dear to him in the several months that he was there.  He would have stayed longer, but he came back for her and Edward’s birthday.  The painting was finished shortly after he came back.  Looking at the face in the painting, Felicity wondered what it was that was so precious that he left behind.
One thing that she did notice was that he no longer wore his ring that matched her father’s.  He wore instead a silver chain with a sapphire pendent.  Felicity remembered it because he had made such a fuss over it being in the painting that it took an extra day for it to finish.  She was her uncle’s little girl, and she often tried to wheedle it out of him.  However, he only ever told her that he would go back someday and bring back the thing that would make his eyes happy again.  Felicity accepted the explanation and had found something else to occupy her attention.  Felicity touched the boot of the painting and smiled up at his face.  His face was handsome and kind.  His hair a brown, not unlike her own, curled around his face.  But his eyes were what everyone talked of when they left his presence.  His eyes were the most brilliant green that a person had ever seen in his or her life.  It was a color green known in particular to Felicity’s royal family.  It had a habit of skipping every other generation.  Uncle Rainford was the only one of her living family that had those color eyes.  His eyes were not the only things that people talked about, however.
Uncle Rainford’s wizardry was renown in the Continent.  He was her tutor in training her magic before he disappeared seven years ago.  Now that he was missing, Felicity relied upon the head physician of Laulao to train her healing abilities.  When Uncle Rainford had disappeared he had been working on something.  Felicity and Edward had no idea what it was, but they knew it was something big.  Felicity and Edward often discussed with each other that it was probably the reason why he was missing.  Someone might have discovered what he was working on.  Felicity sighed and moved away from the painting to move on to her other duties.
“Good morning, princess,” Deborah called from her morning dusting.
“Good morning to you as well,” Felicity smiled.
“Any word from the prince?”
“None yet,” Felicity said.  “I am sure that he is just fine though.”  She said this to reassure herself more than Deborah.
“I’m sure he is, princess,” Deborah smiled.  “Are you off to the orphanage this morning?”
“I surely am,” Felicity said, her countenance brightening.  “Actually, I am going to be late if I do not hurry.  I shall talk to you later dear.”
“Goodbye princess,” Deborah called as Felicity began to run toward the orphanage.  Felicity quickly made her way through the castle and down the steps into the streets.  As she ran, people called out greetings to her and made sure she had a clear path to the orphanage.  More than once had Felicity fallen due to someone forgetting to make sure that a path was clear for her.
“Are we going to have a great Festival this year princess?” the jewelry merchant, Josiah, called as she raced past.
“Of course!” Felicity yelled back.  “Only three more days!”
And with that, Felicity was at the gates of the orphanage.  The gates were always open.  The house that the orphanage was in now used to be one of the great houses of old in Laulao.  Laulao used to be one of the greatest countries in the Continent, a fact that everyone could see by the old abandoned great houses scattered all around the valley.  Felicity continued running up the stairs and burst into the foyer and nearly ran into Maggie.
“Sorry Maggie,” Felicity giggled as she side stepped Maggie and raced to the room where the children were to have their lessons.  “Good morning class!”
“Good morning princess!” the children called out happily.
“You are late,” Anna pointed out unnecessarily.
“At least I am consistently late,” Felicity said merrily as she took her place at the front of the room.  “Very well boys and girls, today we will be reading my mother’s poetry, some of the finest that Laulao has seen in nearly a century.”


The town of Gateton was in quite an uproar.
“You can stay here for as long as you need to,” Edward said sincerely.  “I am just thankful that it is nothing more serious than you and your party getting lost.  I am terribly sorry about how my people treated you before I got here.”  Edward was even sorrier for the soldiers and the people who lived in Gateton who had to listen to angry foreigners until Edward and his men had arrived early that morning.  The entire town, carved right out of the mountain, was still ringing from the noise.  The walls of the gate, also carved from the mountain, still stood firm as ever, and the heavy door was just as firm.  Less than half of the population of Laulao lived in the city of Gateton, for this was where the goods came first for commerce.  Then the products would travel down to Portsmouth, where most people in the valley went for their necessities, and the goods moved outward from there.  Everyone in Gateton was giving the gate a wide berth this morning.  Edward could not blame them for it, considering that the source of their lack of sleep was standing by it, still shrilly proclaiming her offenses.  Edward was just glad that there was at least one person who understood the necessity of protecting the country, even though he himself was a prince.
“They were very…through,” the man standing across from Edward said woodenly.
Edward chuckled.  “You coming here will give the entire country gossip for a full year!  The last time a group of foreigners came here was the family Tanner from Candor five years ago, and they live in Forrester now.”
“Truly Edward, you worry me sometimes with how you know every single person in your country,” the man sighed.  “In Maldaol, I hardly know half of the dukes and duchesses father throws at me ever year or so.”
“And that, my friend James, is the reason why I despise going to your country.  It is as if there is no family between anyone at all,” Edward laughed.  “Come James.  We will start off to the castle right now.  It is only a half a day’s journey back to the city.  I sent a rider to your father to explain where you are.”
“The city?” James asked curiously.  “Do you not have more than one?”
“No, just one,” Edward smiled humorously.  “We in Laulao often forget that others do not understand what we mean by the city.  The city would be the capital, Darhli.”
“I see,” James replied woodenly.
“Now James, you cannot be like this your entire stay here.  The Festival is in three days, and there are no frowns upon that day.”
“Your entire country is backwards,” James muttered.
“That may be, but we are the happier for it,” Edward replied cheerfully.  “Ah, duchess.  It is a pleasure for you to be here.  I hope that you will enjoy your stay.”
“There certainly could have been a better welcome,” she sniffed.
“I apologize again,” the captain said to the duchess contritely.  “It was after dark, and my orders are to delay all persons before they go through the gate.”
“You could not tell that I am of an elevated rank?” the duchess nearly shrieked.
“Thank you captain,” Edward said hurriedly as he turned the captain away from the duchess.  In his ear, Edward whispered, “You did the right thing.  And I am sorry for your sake for all of the shrieking that must have occurred throughout the night.”
“My ears are still ringing,” the captain said ruefully.  “Thank you prince.”  The captain quickly walked away to take care of his troop, and, Edward supposed, to reassure the troop that Edward, at the very least, had approved of what they did last night.
“I am afraid that I did give orders that all persons should be stopped at the gate after dark.  It is the very reason why our country sleeps so safely at night,” Edward soothed to the duchess.
“You cannot make an exception for royalty?” Marie asked as she glared at Edward.
“You would not believe how many times Laulao has almost been invaded because a group of people dressed like royalty asked for shelter for the night,” Edward sighed, remember the many lectures Felicity had given him upon the subject.
“Really?” James asked, intrigued.  “Where did you find out that bit of information?  Not in your recent history I am sure.”
“My sister,” Edward smiled.  “She is quite the historian.  Last year she found some documents in the deepest part of the castle and nearly talked my ear off for hours she was so excited about her findings about the beginnings of Laulao.”  He rubbed his ear as he remembered the hours Felicity spent chattering about the early history of Laulao.  “She is very… enthusiastic when it comes to history.”
“I am assuming that we will finally meet your reclusive sister?  You have come to visit us so many times, and yet she has not.  I do believe the only person who has seen her before is the king of Candor, and that was four years ago.” Marie asked.  “She does not sound very proper.”
“I hope that you shall find yourself mistaken,” Edward said, and also prayed that it would be so.  “My sister is very shy with strangers.  It is one of the reasons why she does not travel with me to visit with other royal families in the area.”
“Really,” James asked.  This time, it was in unbelief.  “What other reasons would she possibly have?”
“She runs the country in my absence and other various projects that she has going,” Edward shrugged as he began to lead James and his party to their horses.  “Teaching the orphans, making sure the farmer’s crops are growing well, bringing clothes to the families in the woods and mountains, and so many more than I could ever name.  She is not an idle woman by any means, and she takes on a project that makes even me shudder.”
“I see,” James said disdainfully.
“I believe that you do not approve,” Edward said with a small sigh.
“A woman taking care of a country?” Marie asked with shock.  “That is for men.  They know what is best.”
“I beg to differ,” Edward said sharply.  “My sister has run the country far better than I ever could.  Her compassion and her love for all Laulaons is what makes her perfectly suited at running Laulao.  I am much better suited to taking care of foreign affairs.”
“You defend your sister well,” James acquiesced.  “I promise that I will try not to judge her until I have had enough time to observe her properly.”
“That is all I ask,” Edward said gratefully.  “Shall we go to the castle now?”
James’s party was of about twenty or so.  The only people of rank in the party were James and Marie.  All others were guards and servants.  Edward took the lead and began to show the party down from the mountains.
“Should you not send a runner ahead to tell them that we are coming?” Marie asked.
“No.  My sister shall know and tell the others.”
“Your ability with your sister.  I had forgot,” Marie sniffed.
Felicity?
What is the news?
A group of royals from Maldaol got lost in the mountains arrived at the gate last night.  They are coming to the castle for a couple days stay.
What!  You better take your time getting here!  I am going to have to remind the servants that they cannot be as informal as usual and get rooms ready and prepare food and-
Calm down Felicity.  We will be just fine.  We shall just be ourselves.  That is all.
I shall certainly try.  Who is coming, out of curiosity?
Prince James and Duchess Marie are the important ones, but some of their servants and guards are with them.
I suppose that that is not too terrible.  Very well.  I shall get started right away.  I shall see you soon.
Do not worry.  Everything will be just fine.
Easy for you to say.  They already like you.
Edward chuckled as he allowed his sister to concentrate on getting things ready for the unexpected guests.
“You’re mind shields are quite impressive,” James offered as he drew his horse alongside of Edward’s.  “Even while talking to your sister your mind was formidably shielded.”
“Thank you.  It was a necessary development while Felicity and I were growing up,” Edward said.  “It is quite a compliment coming from you.  Your wizardry skills are quite impressive.  I would not want to meet you in a dark alley.”
“You make too much of my powers,” James scoffed.
“You forget- I was there last year when you performed for the Wizard Academy for your graduation.  Your powers are great.”
“I have worked hard to make them so,” James offered simply.  He looked around at the scenery.  “I think that perhaps tomorrow would be nice to take a look at some of your country.  It is very beautiful.”
“I would be honored to escort you.”  The party then remained in silence for the rest of the trip, concentrating on the steep descent of the path to the forest.



“They are at the steps!” Jerome yelled as he burst into the guestroom the Felicity was preparing.  “They are here!”
“Thank you,” Felicity said with calmness that she did not feel.  “Jerome, please spread the word.  I shall go and greet our guests.”
“What did I miss?” Felicity thought as she made her way to the entrance of the castle.  “Rooms for everyone are arranged, the entire city has been informed, the servants know how to act around them, I changed my dress—no I did not!”  Felicity stopped mid stride.  She was not wearing the proper fashion for royal ladies.  She was still wearing he white dress from the morning.  No corset, no latest hairstyle, not even the face enhancements that some of her servants were using.  At least she was still clean.  “Well, there is nothing I can do now,” Felicity said grimly.  She proceeded to put a smile on her face and walked outside of the castle.  The party had just arrived, and Felicity’s smile grew as she saw her brother safe in the courtyard.
What are you waiting for?  An invitation to run and jump upon me?
I suppose.  Will it be proper?
I do not care.  They are in our country now.
Felicity needed no further invitation.  Her face now held a true smile as she rushed down the steps to hug her brother.  Unfortunately, Felicity tripped on the last step and was flung into Edward’s arms, almost putting them both on the ground.  Edward laughed and straightened Felicity up, and quickly picked her up and twirled her around in a circle.
“What did I tell you?  I told you that I would be safe,” Edward said as he tapped his sister on her nose.  “You worry too much.”
“And you none at all,” Felicity said as she patted his cheek.  “And your clothes are dirty again!”  Felicity brushed the traveling dust off of Edward’s clothes and then turned to the party in the courtyard.  She took a big breath and pretended that she knew what she was doing.  “All are welcome to Laulao.  To demonstrate our hospitality, all of your soldiers will be quartered in homes of our people in the city.  Prince James and Duchess Marie, you shall be roomed in the best our castle has to offer.  If your soldiers would be so kind as to follow George, he will show them where they can care for their horses, and then lead them to where they will stay.  If you and your servants would follow my brother and I, we would gladly show you to your rooms personally.”  Felicity did not wait to see what the reactions would be, but turned and began to walk up the steps of the castle.  Edward was right beside her.
Beautifully done.  I could not have said or done anything better myself.
I forgot to change my dress.
Apparently, but that did not diminish the authority that you spoke with.  Mother would have been proud of you.
Truly?
Edward detected the wistfullness in her thought.  Though their mother had loved Felicity very much, both knew how frustrated their mother had gotten when Felicity could not seem to grasp how to command even an animal.
Truly.  You look beautiful with your hair like that, and it is your favorite dress.  They will have nothing to complain about.
Thank you, Edward.
“I trust your trip was pleasant?” Felicity asked once all were inside the castle and off the steps.  “I am terribly sorry about your delay at Gateton.”
“It was quite inconvenient,” Marie said icily.
“Again, I apologize,” Felicity soothed as she left her brother’s side to walk with Marie.  Felicity, for some strange reason, was not intimidated by the Duchess.  She knew exactly how to handle her.  “There is a good reason for what I had that policy placed, however.”
“You placed that policy?” Marie asked, shocked.
Felicity was prepared for this reaction, for she had to explain this to visiting dignitaries countless times.  Felicity now felt at ease on a subject she knew very well, and she regained some of her confidence.  “Understand, Duchess, that the reason Laulao is now only this small valley is because a clever group of soldiers from Xanxea disguised themselves as the king and royal family.  They forced their way in, and that was the beginning of the end of the Laulao’s, shall we say, imperialistic, age.”  Felicity continued to weave her tale of the history that she knew so well right up to where the Duchess’s door was.
“Thank your for your, ah, interesting, histories,” Marie said, unsure of what proper protocol demanded.
“If you wish to know more, I would be glad to inform you of Laulao’s history.  Please inform any of my servants if you or your handmaidens need anything.  I hope you find your room comfortable and pleasurable.”
“Thank you.”  Marie and Felicity curtsied to each other, and the three left to let the duchess settle in.
Felicity let out a little sigh of relief as they left the Duchess.  She had passed the first test of the Duchess, which was if she was well cultured and was not the barbaric recluse that many thought she was.  However, Felicity thought the man that stood next to her brother was the greater test to her reputation among the surrounding countries than the Duchess.
“If you will follow me,” Felicity said graciously as she led them down another corridor.  The quick look that Felicity allowed herself made her lose her train of though quickly.  He was simply stunning.  He was as tall as her brother, but that was where the similarities ended.  Where her brother had light hair, eyes blue, and always wearing a smile, the man next to him was the exact opposite.  Prince James’s hair was almost black it was so dark.  His eyes were a deep brown, and his face was certainly the most handsome man she had ever seen.  Felicity hoped that Edward would take her silence as a cue to talk with James.  He either did not, or refused, to pick up on the hint.
Felicity suspected the latter.
“You have run out of stories of your history?” James asked woodenly.
“I did not think that you would be much impressed by more story telling,” Felicity managed to stutter out.  She heard Edward smother a chuckle with a cough.
“It was interesting,” James offered.
Is that the only way they know how to describe things Edward?
“Felicity has told that story countless times to the orphanage children,” Edward said, taking pity on his sister.  “I know that I have heard it often enough.”
“Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain more of your history.”
“If you would be willing, you could sit in on my history class,” Felicity said absently.  “History class!  I’m late!  Please excuse me.”  And with that, Felicity ran down the corridor to reach her students, completely forgetting about attempting to be a proper host to the Maldaolan prince.
“How would you feel about a run?” Edward asked his friend with a smirk.
“I would welcome it,” James said with a small chuckle.
And so the two of them ran after Felicity.  James was not quite sure what to make of Edward’s sister as of yet, and he had much time to think as they ran after the woman in white.  He now understood what Edward had meant about being shy.  As a wizard, James was trained to understand body language of others around him and to sense what others were feeling.  Even though Felicity had looked confident, her shyness and insecurity radiated out from her in waves.  However, as soon as she began to tell her history stories, it all faded, and confidence was hers.  True, he did not find her clothing suitable for the current fashion, but in the valley it seemed to fit.  As he followed her through the streets, he marveled at how the peasants made sure her path was clear before she ran through it.
“So she will not fall!” Edward laughed as noted where James’s gaze fell.
Something else James was noticing was how the people greeted Felicity and James as they ran.  Hellos and comments upon the day were shouted at them from all over the market, and more surprising to James than anything else, was that Edward and Felicity answered back.  It was the most unorthadox behavior James had ever seen between rulers and their people.  James was not making final decisions any time soon.  His thoughts went back to Felicity.  She was no great beauty compared to Marie.  Marie was tall and willowy with red hair and green eyes.  Curves in all of the correct places, and a perilously beautiful face.  Felicity was at least a head shorter than James was.  He would not be surprised that if they stood face to face that he could rest his chin on top of her head.  James did have to admit to himself that her eyes were stunning.  They were bright, sparkled with intelligence, and were constantly curious he determined.  That was all the time he had for musing, for they were at the orphanage.  Where Edward and James slowed to a walk, Felicity continued to run up the stairs and into a grandiose building.
“She is an excellent runner,” James observed as he and Edward made their way to the house.  “I did not expect that.”
“If she only were not so clumsy,” Edward chuckled.  “More than once she has been cause of an abundance of produce on the streets because the vendors left something in her way and she tripped into a stall.  And even though she is constantly late, she is also consistent in it, for the vendors know exactly when she will be coming.  But yes, she is an excellent runner.”
“My prince.”  James saw an elderly woman curtsy.
“Maggie,” Edward grinned.  “May I introduce you to my friend, Prince James.  James, this is my old nursemaid Maggie.  She runs the orphanage here.”
“A pleasure,” James said as he bowed slightly.
“You humble us with your visit,” Maggie said as she curtsied back.  “Prince, you know that the princess is teaching history to the children now.  Have you not heard enough of her lectures on the subject?”
“Oh yes.  This is for his benefit,” Edward grinned.  “He expressed a wish to learn more about Laulao.”
“Then he has certainly come to the right place,” Maggie chuckled.  “Follow me, if you please, and I shall show you the room where the princess teaches.”
“How many children do you have in the orphanage?” James asked.
“Twenty.”
“Only twenty?”
“You forget, friend, that this is a small country.  There are few murders, and even fewer accidents.  Most of the children that are here are immigrants from neighboring countries.  There are very few children that have absolutely no relations in Laulao.  Not only that, but the towns that they used to live in usually takes them in.  Most of them have lived here all of their lives.  These children are the only ones who have absolutely no one left.  We needed a place for them to stay so they could at least have some sort of education.  Felicity decided to renovate this old house into an orphanage.  As soon as they are old enough, they have the chance to work in the castle, or go to one of the other towns to see if someone will take them as an apprentice.  Felicity normally tries to find what the children are interested in and what they might like to do and makes arrangements for them when it is time for them to leave the orphanage.”
“Your sister is thorough,” James said, hiding his surprise at the efficiency of Felicity’s system.  “Do you not have beggars and poor upon your streets?”
“Not as many as you may think, prince,” Maggie offered.  “There are more than enough homes in Darhli.  In fact, there are quite a few homes that are empty of all use.  Even those who have no regular source of income can acquire one of these homes and find a steady job.  The princess makes sure of it.  The law is the same in the other towns.  Here we are!”
Maggie had brought them to what used to be, James assumed, the parlor room.  Felicity looked up as they came in, and froze when she saw him.  James thought she looked like a deer, ready to run if he made the slightest move towards her.  The children turned to look at the newcomers.
“Hello prince!” a little girl screamed as she got up out of her seat and ran toward Edward, distracting James’s attention from Felicity for a moment.
“Hello Alice!” Edward chuckled as he swung her up and held her.  “How are you?”
“Will you take us to the beach again?” the little girl asked.
“Alice,” Felicity said as she took the girl from Edward.  “We are in the middle of a class, and that was very rude.  You know that the beach trips are a treat, and we just went yesterday!  You are very silly.”  Felicity had obviously recovered from her shock of seeing James in the room.  James did notice that she avoided looking him in the eyes.
“But I like the beach,” Alice sighed.
“I do too!” another voice called.
“As do I, but we have class to finish up,” Felicity said sternly, but with a smile.  “I did not think you would take me up on my offer, Prince James,” Felicity said softly, reluctantly meeting his eyes.
“I was sincere in my offer.”  James was suddenly very annoyed with Felicity.  Was there something wrong with him that she was so terrified of looking at him?  “We did not mean to interrupt.  Please—go back to your class.”  James and Edward found empty seats and moved them to the back where their presence would be less of a disturbance.
“Thank you,” Felicity curtsied smoothly with Alice still in her arms.  Felicity turned and put Alice back in her seat, and began to lecture again.
James was determined to observe Felicity closely now.  As the minutes passed, he was no closer to understanding her than he had before.  It was clear that she loved the orphans; there was no question in James’s mind on that subject.  She was kind, compassionate, and loving towards them, but also stern and reprimanded when necessary.  James was surprised to find her stories upon the history of Laulao quite entertaining.  The children were encouraged to ask questions, and Felicity took her time to help each child understand.  James could not unravel how she could teach these children, run domestic affairs for her brother, and yet was unable to converse easily with strangers of her own rank.  She had not looked in the back of the room once since they had both come in.
“Yes Thomas?” Felicity asked.
“Why do we have the Festival?” the boy asked.  He looked to James to be about sixteen or so.  “And why do we have so many plants around the market square during Festival?”
“That is an excellent question Thomas,” Felicity smiled.  “You see, many years ago, during the height of Laulao’s imperialistic age, there was a famine.  Now Thomas, I know that you are helping with the garden and you are enjoying it very much.  What would happen if you did not water the garden for a long time?”
“Everything would dry up, and the plants would die,” Thomas answered.
“Correct.  Now, imagine no water in the valley, at all, for nearly two years.”
The children gasped in horror, and both Edward and James managed to hide a smile and a chuckle at the children’s faces.
“Yes, it was very terrible,” Felicity agreed.  “The king at the time—what was his name Anna?”
“King Reginald.”
“Good!  King Reginald commissioned his wizard…Ruth.”
“Wizard Richard.”
“Excellent!  King Reginald commissioned Wizard Richard to find out why there was no rain in our little valley.  The reason was there two powerful wizards in Laulao that no one knew about!  He and his friend were playing tricks on each other, and their magic had messed with the weather patterns unknowingly!  Wizard Richard discovered them, and set the weather patterns back to how they were supposed to be.  King Reginald declared that day to be a Festival day every year from them.  The young and inexperienced wizard’s name that started this rivalry was not written down, and was only known as Trickster from then until the end of his days.”
“So that is why the Tricking is the main event on Festival night?” Thomas asked eagerly.  “Because of Trickster?”
“That is exactly the reason why,” Felicity chuckled.  “And who holds the record for best Tricks every year?”
“Prince Edward!” the children cried happily.
“Yes, yes, thank you,” Edward laughed.
“You are the best Trickster in quite a while,” Felicity grinned.  “Although I hear Jerome has signed up to try and finally defeat you this year.”
“Let him try,” Edward said confidently.  “The boy has been trying for the last three years to catch me in one of his Tricks.  I do not think that he shall succeed this year.”
“Are there any more questions?” Felicity asked.  Anna raised her hand.  “Yes Anna?”
“I was in the library, and I cam across a book called Poems of the Continent.  There is one poem called ‘Fire and Water’, and I cannot make it out.”
“I remember that book,” Felicity mused.  Her uncle had pointed it out one day to her, saying that it was written with gold.  When she had taken down the book, it was written with regular ink.  She had forgotten about the book until now.  “I shall look it up and see if I can make sense out of it.”
“Thank you,” Anna said with obvious relief.  “It has been annoying me for some time now that I could not figure it out.”
“Well,” Felicity grinned, “I believe that that is enough for today.  We shall end early, and there shall be no classes tomorrow or on Festival day.”
The children screamed in delight and ran out of the room excitedly to go and inform Maggie.  Edward got up from his chair and hugged his sister.
“That was a pleasant gift to give them,” James said as he got up as well.
“They have been working quite hard,” Felicity shrugged.  “They deserve a couple days off for themselves.  Oh, and Edward—”
“Yes, we can afford to give them some spending money,” Edward smiled.  “Just enough for a couple slices of pie, or small roll of ribbon or toy.”
“Thank you,” Felicity sighed thankfully.  “You are kind.”
“I learned from the best,” Edward said as he hugged his sister again.  “Now James, you have not even seen your room yet.  I suppose that you would like to rest and change for dinner?”
“I believe that that would be an excellent idea,” James said thoughtfully.
“I will stay here for a little longer,” Felicity said immediately.  “There are some things that I need to discuss with Maggie.”
“Very well,” Edward said with a wink in her direction.  “We shall leave you.  I will see you at dinner.”
“Goodbye Edward.  Goodbye Prince James.”
“Goodbye,” James said with a stiff bow, and then followed Edward out of the room.
“What do you think of her?” Edward asked, suddenly very serious.
“I cannot make that judgement yet.”
“Very well.  Your first impression.”
James hesitated slightly.  “As you said, shy.  Painfully shy.  She is intimidated by me, I believe.  She clearly loves the children and her people.”
“Those are lovely facts, but I shall wrangle your opinion of her out of you later.  And yes, she is very intimidated by you.”
“Why is that, do you think?”
“If I told you and she found out, you would never see me again my friend.”
James left it at that.



“Well if he is not the most handsome man I have ever seen,” Maggie sighed dramatically as she came into the former parlor.
“Whatever are you talking about Maggie?” Felicity flushed as she attempted to recreate order in the room.
“I think that my dear princess thinks that Prince James is quite handsome as well,” Maggie chuckled as she came to Felicity and forced her chin to look her in the eyes.  “It is well and good to have feelings for him.  It is a natural part of being a woman, my dear.”
“He is pompous and does not like me,” Felicity said firmly.  “I do not know why he even came today.  I know as well as everyone else that my lectures are quite dull.”
“And who told you that?” Maggie asked sharply.
“No one,” Felicity said a little stunned.  Maggie had not used that tone of voice with her since she was a child.
“You are an excellent teacher,” Maggie said sternly.  “You come alive when you teach history and tell the stories to the children.  I looked in on the class a couple times, and you kept both your brother’s and Prince James’s attention.  And Prince Edward has heard the story many times.  Why do you think that you are no good at this?”
Felicity had no good answer for that.  Maggie sighed.
“Dove,” Maggie said as she sat Felicity down on a couch.  “Your mother is not here now.  I know she wanted you to be just like her in her talents and likes.  But you took after your father, and not your mother.  And though you did acquire her talent for singing and music, your mind is more fascinated by history and running a country.  This is not a bad thing.  Stop trying to punish yourself for not meeting your mother’s expectations.”
“She always told me that I would not be very good,” Felicity said miserably.
“Perhaps at the beginning,” Maggie said, “but did you know that she proudly proclaimed what you did whenever she had visiting dignitaries or she went to visit other countries?”
“Really?” Felicity asked hopefully.
“She was very proud of you, regardless of where your talents laid,” Maggie said confidently.  “Does that help?”
“I suppose,” Felicity sighed as she laid her head on Maggie’s shoulder.  “It is just that I always let Edward deal with other royals and important people.  Now that they are here, I do not know how to act or what to talk about.”
“Just be yourself Dove,” Maggie said with a smile.  “Just be who you are.  Those here in Laulao love you, and that is all that matters.”



Felicity went into her room after dinner and sighed with relief.  The worst of it was over.  She had taken Maggie’s advice to be herself.  Felicity shuddered as she was forced to watch Marie practically drooling over Edward the entire evening.  Felicity did take comfort in the fact that Edward was no more interested in Marie than James seemed interested in her.  Felicity felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest at that thought, but then pushed it away.  There were fewer guests at the table than normal.  Felicity sent letters of apologies to all families that were supposed to have come to dinner tonight, explaining that it might be too much for the foreigners if mere commoners were at the table.  All were gracious and understanding to Felicity, for which she was eternally grateful.  All of the important people, according to Marie, were there.  Felicity did not understand that.  There were only three noble families left in Laulao, and only one duke, and then herself and Edward.  Felicity was rather surprised at the stilted conversation that she and Prince James had had that evening.  They touched on a variety of topics, and Felicity thought that she did rather well, even though she could not look him in the eyes for half of the conversation.  Not only that, but he specifically requested a riding tour of the area surrounding Darhli, which greatly surprised Felicity.  They were to leave Darhli at ten that morning.  Marie was invited, but declined for that was much to early in the morning for her.  Felicity snorted at that notion.  She was often up before eight to help Cook with breakfast.  Felicity got ready for bed and wondered what tomorrow would bring.