Enormous plates of food were served, and while the patrons ate, a group of musicians played on the tavern stage. The food was delicious, but Lolo only managed to eat half of what she was served.

"Aren't you hungry?" Fortus asked.

"I've eaten as much as I can without making myself sick."

"Really?"

"I'm not a teenage boy, Fortus. Look! My stomach is distended. Do you want the rest of this?"

"I'll be good with my own plate. Maybe your brothers would like it?"

"Good idea." Lolo passed her plate to her brothers. "Finish this for me, please."

"Yes, ma'am!" Haowan grinned.

"Can I have your attention please?" An older gentleman with a booming voice took the stage. "We have a fun show prepared for you tonight. As has been our tradition, we'd like to invite some audience members up to act out one of my short story narrations, after which our theatre troupe will delight us with a rendition of the play titled "Blood of a Rose". I will be passing through the audience for the next few minutes to invite some of you up to get into costumes. If you prefer not to participate, just let me know."

The tavern buzzed with excitement as the storyteller stepped off the stage and made a beeline for Fortus and Huo Lohse.

"I take it that you two know how to use those?" The storyteller indicated the swords strapped to their belts.

"I sure hope so," Lolo teased. "We are part of the training exchange."

The storyteller smiled. "Are you two willing to participate?" he asked.

Lolo looked at Fortus who shrugged.

"It could be fun," she prompted.

"Sure," Fortus agreed for them.

"Excellent!" The storyteller seemed almost giddy. "Miss, I understand you have a brother here tonight?"

"Two actually, also members of the exchange," Lolo turned to point out her brothers. "I take it then that the waiters do a little pre-show reconnaissance?"

The story-teller just smiled and invited Zhongyan and Haowan to join the fun. "Go through the curtains behind the stage. Our actors will show you to the dressing room and get you set up with everything you need."

The four of them followed instructions, and the actors excitedly pulled them into dressing rooms to change. Lolo was given white pants and a white shirt to wear, and an actress helped tie her hair up in a knot on her head. "Keep your sword," she smiled at Lolo, "you're going to need it."

The boys were waiting for Lolo. Fortus had been changed into an all black costume, and her brothers were both dressed in all white. Everyone had retained their swords. Two elderly couples had also been selected from the audience. One couple was dressed in black while the other was dressed in white.

The storyteller joined them backstage to give some preliminary instructions. "Alright, those of you in white are a family. Meet your new parents," he said to the Langs and gestured to the couple in white. "And you," he turned to Fortus, "are their son." He pointed to the couple in black. "Your family clans are fighting a generations-long conflict. You never need to say anything, just act out the story I weave. Our actors will be serving as extras during the battle scenes, and they will be dressed to match the clans they are with. Whenever you are on stage, move to the front so the audience can see you. You audience actors are the main characters."

Everyone nodded.

"Now, you four," the storyteller addressed the trainees, "just how good are you with those swords? This story was designed specifically around the expectation that you can use those."

"Don't worry," Lolo grinned. "We'll give you a good show."

The storyteller took his position at a podium and set up the story. A couple of actors in the back directed the audience actors on when to enter and exit the stage.

"Our story opens with the noble family of White in a deadly conflict with their neighbors, the noble family of Black. Long-forgotten, irreconcilable differences from generations past started this war. The constant shedding of blood prevents them from making peace. Each day, mothers and fathers send their children to settle old scores," the elderly couples hugged the trainees and sent them across the stage where they crossed each other and exited, "hoping that they return when the day is through." The couples left the stage, apparently anxious and crying.

"Our story begins with a battle between the proud son of the Black family and the youngest son of the White family."

To her surprise, Lolo was pushed onto the stage with a string of actors in white following behind her to confront Fortus with his own army in black.

As instructed, Lolo and Fortus moved front and center on the stage to square off. Their battle was certainly theatrical. As the actors behind them fought with each other in a choreographed fight, popping small packets of fake red blood on their clothes to simulate mortal wounds, Lolo and Fortus sparred with each other, their swords clashing and sparking, adding to the drama.

All the actors fell playing dead behind them, but the match between Lolo and Fortus was so intense and spell-binding that the storyteller allowed it to continue as his audience was clearly captivated-- gasps, shrieks and applause erupting any time either side got in a good attack.

At one point, Fortus sliced his sword at Lolo's stomach, giving her the opportunity to show off the cool back-flip dodge she'd just learned from Ulana that week, and the storyteller announced the next sequence.

"The son of White's hair loosed from its tie, revealing that he was not a son, but was in fact a daughter."

Lolo pulled her hair tie out, and her hair whipped behind her as she continued her fight with Fortus. The audience provided the obligatory oos and ahs.

"Startled and enchanted, the son of Black hesitated and was disarmed for his mistake."

As Lolo landed an impressive spinning attack, Fortus let go of his sword.

The storyteller continued. "The daughter of White held him at the point of her weapon. He dared to step closer to her, his hands raised in surrender. For a moment they simply looked at each other, and on the battlefield, covered in the blood of the fallen, something unexpected happened. She couldn't kill him. The son of Black pushed her sword away, found her waist and pulled her closer. 'Let's end this,' said he. She closed her eyes, waiting for death, but death didn't come. Instead, he kissed her."

Up until this point, Lolo and Fortus played their parts perfectly. The audience was on the edge of their seats. Intense dramas like this with amateur actors were normally a recipe for comedy, but Lolo and Fortus acted with such skill, the story was actually believable. Now, faced with kissing Lolo, Fortus hesitated. It was, after all, her only ground rule. He felt obligated to uphold it.

The audience grew increasingly eager as they were held in suspense. Someone started the chant, "kiss her, kiss her, kiss her…"

Fortus really didn't know what to do.

"Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her…."

Lolo peeked to see Fortus's distress. He wasn't going to break the rules of their date, no matter how much pressure he was under. Lolo smiled. This was why she trusted him. This was why they were friends. She reached up and found his collar. In one swift move, she pulled him down and met him halfway on her tiptoes.

"Awww!" The audience erupted into applause and cheers.

The curtain fell to change scenes and give the amateurs a chance to reset. Lolo released Fortus's collar. Her kiss had taken him completely by surprise and left him at a loss for words.

"Lolo… um…."

She collected his sword from off the floor and handed it to him. "Um?"

"Just… you broke your rule."

"Sorry. Did that upset you?"

"No, that's not- I mean, I liked it. No! That's not what I meant. Um. It was fine. I mean, you just surprised me."

"So," Lolo couldn't pass up the golden opportunity, "you didn't like it?"

"No! Lolo, that's not what I meant either. It's just that… well, you just… I just…."

Lolo was laughing so hard, she had to brace her hands on her knees. "Fortus," she said between laughter, "I'm just teasing you."

"Wait, what?"

"I knew you wouldn't break the one rule I had for our date, but this was for a play. Well, it's kind of like a play within an act…. Anyway, it's not exactly the same thing. Don't overthink it, ok?"

"Uh. Ok?" Fortus said, still processing everything.

"Great! Well, let's get set for the next part of the show."

The actors had Lolo change into a slinky white dress and gave her a couple of packets of fake blood.

"For this next part," one of the actresses explained, "you will need to put one of these in your mouth and keep the other in your hand."

"Oo! Am I going to die?!"

The actress nodded and smiled at Lolo's enthusiasm.

"You won't need your sword for this part. It adds to the effect if you are unarmed."

Lolo nodded and took her position.

The storyteller got a signal from someone backstage and continued his story by setting up the final scene. "Unfortunately, even a love as pure as our two young heroes' could not persuade a hatred so old to cease. The lovers sought each other in secret, planning to take their love and flee, but fate had another plan for them."

Lolo watched as her brothers and Fortus were ushered onto the stage with a re-costumed group of actors to do battle.

"The son of Black was forced to meet his lover's brothers on the field of battle, and another bloodbath ensued."

The audience enjoyed another well-performed fight scene. Fortus fought hard against Zhongyan and Haowan, but the wolf princes used their personal style of partner maneuvers to push Fortus back until he was quite cornered.

An actress indicated for Lolo to enter the stage.

"The daughter of White stumbled upon the battlefield unprepared to see her brothers preparing a final blow against her lover. She had to end this conflict now, no matter the cost. Throwing herself between them, she fell as her brother struck her with an attack meant for her lover."

Haowan expertly brought his sword to Lolo's chest without actually hitting her. Lolo grabbed the end of his sword and burst the packet of fake blood, letting it drip slowly down the front of her dress. As she moved to fall, she broke the other packet of fake blood with her teeth and let it spill down her chin and neck. Instinctively, Fortus caught her as she collapsed to the ground.

"'Stop this,' she pleaded with her last breath. 'Let the fighting stop here.' So grieved was her lover that he too fell to the earth, dying of a broken heart."

Fortus was holding Lolo on the ground already as the narration continued. As she 'died' Fortus cradled her head.

Even with her eyes closed in mock death, Lolo could tell that something about Fortus's acting was off. With her head pressed to his chest, she could hear his breathing and heart rate accelerating. He was gasping for air and trembling violently. Something was horribly wrong, and Lolo cracked open her eyes just in time to watch Fortus collapse beneath her.

The audience let them know that they were thrilled by the performance, and the curtain fell so the storyteller could wrap up the ending.

As soon as the curtain was down, Lolo rolled over.

"Fortus? Fortus, are you ok?!"

He didn't respond and Lolo started to panic.

"Lolo," Zhongyan asked, "what's wrong?"

"He's not acting! Fortus!" Lolo started sobbing hysterically and shaking Fortus's shoulder, desperately trying to wake him up.

The actors crowded around, confused and anxious. Haowan ran to find a doctor, and Zhongyan tried to help his sister.

"He's still breathing, Lolo. It looks like he just passed out," Zhongyan tried to comfort her. "He's going to be ok…. Lolo!" Zhongyan grabbed her face to get her attention through her hysteria. "Lolo, he's going to be ok. Remember how he has a hard time with blood? Maybe he passed out because you are covered in it, fake or not. Let's get you cleaned up. We can even stay right here while we do it."

Lolo nodded and allowed Zhongyan to towel off all the red liquid on her face and neck.

"I'll stay here while you get your own clothes on," Zhongyan told her.

She got changed in record time, returning to the stage right as Fortus began to stir.

Fortus came to in a dazed panic. Lolo was quick to sit next to him and hold his face in her hands to help focus his attention.

"Fortus, hey. It's alright. Close your eyes, and try to match my breathing. Take slower breaths." She put her forehead to his and closed her eyes to help steady her own breath, listening to make sure Fortus's breathing slowed down too.

After a couple of minutes, Lolo helped Fortus sit up. "Don't rush it, Fortus. Take it slow."

He was still trembling, but his panic had subsided.

"Are you ok?" Lolo asked, on the verge of tears again.

Fortus didn't know how to respond, so he gave her a hug instead.

Haowan arrived with a doctor, and the doctor checked Fortus out. "From what you've described, you seem to have had a panic attack. Perhaps you were simply under a lot of stress? Young man, you seem to be fine now. Take it easy for a day or two to unwind." The doctor patted Fortus on the shoulder and left.

Fortus gave Lolo a look silently communicating a desire to leave.

Lolo nodded. "Thank you for the adventure, everyone, but if Fortus is alright, we need to get going."

Zhongyan and Haowan pulled Fortus to his feet.

"Want us to come with you guys?" Zhongyan asked.

"I'm alright. Thanks though," Fortus brushed him off to change back into his own clothes.

Getting out of the tavern was a bit awkward. No one except the people backstage knew what had happened, and everyone was eager to congratulate the night's leading amateur actors on a truly impressive performance. Lolo fielded the compliments with another perfect performance of shy smiles and gracious thank yous, moving Fortus through the crowd as quickly as possible.

Once outside, Fortus found a quiet alleyway in which to sit against a wall and breath the fresh night air.

Lolo knelt down in front of him. "Do you want me to leave you alone?"

"No. I think I need a friend right now," Fortus told her.

She nodded and sat down across from him. "Want to talk about it?"

Fortus took a few deep breaths before answering. "I get nightmares about it too, Lolo."

"About last summer?"

He nodded and stared at his feet. "About the cave. I know your nightmares center around the assault, but mine center around losing a friend-- my only friend. Tonight, I knew it wasn't real, but it felt like something straight out of my nightmares, you know? You were seemingly unconscious or dead in my arms, soaked in blood, and I was helpless to do anything beyond holding you and hoping you would somehow pull through. I've seen you covered in blood before. I've held you like that while you were unconscious…. It was all just too real for me." He looked up to see tears pouring down Lolo's face. "I'm sorry. I only told you that to explain what happened, not to upset-"

Lolo wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "Don't apologize, Fortus. I understand. I really, really do understand. I just didn't know that you got nightmares too."

Fortus scooped her into his lap as he had done once before to hold her closer. This time, however, Lolo wasn't the only one crying.

"Last summer really messed us both up," Lolo commented quietly after a while.

Fortus kissed the top of her head and rested his chin there, drawing his arms just a little more snugly around her shoulders. "Yeah. It did."

Huo Lohse and Fortus got back to the palace a little before midnight, still holding hands. The act was over, but there was something deeply comforting about being together and knowing that someone understood all the twisted feelings they'd been keeping bottled up for the last year. Fortus walked Lolo to her room.

"Hey, Lolo, thank you for today."

Lolo had to stop and think about why he was thanking her. "Oh! For scaring off those girls? My pleasure."

"You know that it was much more than that."

"What was?"

"Lolo! You're finally back!" Ulana shouted, rounding the corner. "Oops! Did I interrupt something?"

Fortus blushed, but in the darkness, no one could tell. "No, Ulana, you're good. I was just dropping Lolo off."

"Aw!" Ulana squealed. "Such a gentleman."

Fortus cleared his throat. "Well, goodnight, ladies." He left to go home.

"Sooo?!" Ulana rounded on Lolo and followed her into the room.

"So, what?"

"Your date, of course! How did it go? Are you a for real couple yet?"

"Ulana!"

"Did you kiss? I mean, more than just on the cheek for show?"

"Ulana!"

Ulana grabbed one of Lolo's arms and started shaking her as though it might help to loosen her tongue. "Details, woman!"

"We are still just friends."

"Just stupidly attractive friends that have a crazy butt-ton of chemistry for two people without anything more than a platonic interest in each other."

"Oh, come on, Ulana. You know that we are close. It's not hard to fake romance when you are already comfortable with each other."

"Yeah... right... 'comfortable'. I know you think he's gorgeous. I've seen the way you look at him. And you're trying to tell me that after a day of snuggling and kissing that hunk of man, you're not the least bit tempted to be more than 'just friends'?!"

Lolo's eyebrows knit together.

"Let me ask you this, Lolo. How does being with him make you feel?"

"Comfortable. Understood. I trust him. He's fun to tease. And, yes, he is stupidly attractive."

"Sounds like a good start! You're attracted to him, I'm certain that he's attracted to you. You like each other as friends. You like spending time together, and from the brief moments I saw you together, getting close to each other feels pretty natural, doesn't it?"

"That's… true."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"I don't know. We are just friends. Do we have to be more than that just because we find each other attractive?"

"I mean, you don't have to. The question is, do you want to?"

Lolo pondered this question. "I-I don't know. I'm sure that's not a very satisfying answer, but it's the truth, Ulana. I really don't know what I want with Fortus."

Ulana sighed. "Well, I suppose you do have the rest of the summer to figure that out."