There was birdsong outside her bedroom window, and she'd been dreaming of butterflies in a field of strawberries. The warmth of her bed was delicious and she felt like she wanted to sleep for ages. She didn't want to wake. She didn't want to sit up and open her eyes.

But she couldn't think why.

Her eyes finally opened on their own, she couldn't seem to stop them, and she saw the midmorning light streaming through the windows.

"You're awake."

She turned her head to the voice and saw the green.

"Alfrina...did I oversleep?"

"No. You earned it."

The events of the night before seemed muddy. She couldn't think of why the Duchess was in her room.

"Where's Belladonna?"

"She's out. She didn't leave your side all night. I sent her on an errand and told her I'd watch you."

"Oh...why?"

She took a breath but did not move from the tufted chair.

"Chammielle, how much do you remember of last night?"

She closed her eyes and took a sleepy breath.

"I was on the balcony...then Lady Aconia asked me a question...then Bram...oh."

Bits and pieces came to her and she shut her eyes tightly.

"You don't have to remember if you don't want to. Aster is going to be alright."

She turned her head and her eyes drifted wider.

"She...she will live?"

"Yes. And Lady Aconia is facing charges of treason."

She smiled at that.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. You did my job for me last night. Lord Godfrey is practically smitten with you now."

She grimaced at that.

"Just so long as I can avoid marrying him."

"No need to worry."

She sat up and felt dizzy. Alfrina came to her side and held her up.

"The wedding. I forgot. It's been put off, hasn't it?"

Her eyes came into focus and she spied Alfrina's smirk.

"Actually, we were waiting to announce the bride until you woke up."

"But...Aster..."

"Don't worry. She's well enough she can sit up in bed. She has the finest doctor in the country at her side."

She nodded, remembering Lord Applebalm and how he'd taken command of the situation. But it didn't change what she'd seen.

"How? I saw blood running from her mouth. Her side..."

"The arrow didn't pierce any vital organs, and she'd bitten her tongue from the shock."

Chammielle cried.

Aster was alive. She would recover.

"I need to see her."

"You need to get dressed first. Also, drink this."

A small crystal cup no bigger than a few tablespoons was sitting by her bedside. It was fizzing.

"It's to counteract any symptoms leftover from the sleeping drug Lord Godfrey gave you."

She groaned and downed it. Trusting Alfrina more than that rogue.

"Remind me to kick him in the shins when I see him."

"It was meant to help. But I'll happily do so anyway."

She was dressed in moments, her limbs finding it hard to move but regaining their mobility as she pushed herself. The drug held some serious setbacks. But the antidote was fast acting.

Belladonna met them in the hall and hugged her.

"Please, I need to see Aster."

They moved down the corridor and looped around to her sisters' quarters. Bouquets of flowers surrounded the entryway to one door in particular, and she had to step over several arrangements of multicolored asters.

"My lady..."

The door opened and the maid stepped back.

Basins with water and trays of instruments surrounded the bed. Ten pillows had been added to prop her up, and a tireless Lord Applebalm sat at her bedside holding her hand, two fingers at her wrist. But she was an angel in the morning light. Aglow despite her brush with death.

"Chammielle."

She fell at her bedside and kissed her hand, tears welling up in her eyes to blur the scene.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"Xavier brought me back."

She laughed and the weight she'd held in her breast eased. Here lay her sister with no understanding of what had happened to her, only that she was alive and it was all thanks to the attentive gentleman at her bedside. It was just like her. She really was here.

"Her pulse is steady, but I'll be watching it closely for any changes. She had a light fever earlier this morning, but it subsided with a little chamomile tea. ... I'll leave the two of you alone for a little while."

He stood and Aster held onto his hand.

"Don't go too far."

A blush entered his cheeks and he pushed at his glasses and cleared his throat.

"Of course not."

He left the room and Chammielle watched her little sister's eyes follow him through the door.

"I really hope the Prince doesn't choose me..."

Her jaw dropped and she felt a ringing in her ears.

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't want to get married today."

She shook her head at the seventeen year old lady.

"I'm fairly certain the ceremony would be put off until you can actually walk."

"No, I mean I've only just met someone else. And I don't want to be Queen. I'd be terrible at it. Utterly useless. I'd be someone who sits in a chair during special occasions and keeps her mouth shut so as not to make a fool of herself. Probably the only thing I'd be good at is waving in parades around the Capital."

Chammielle shook her head. Didn't she see she was perfect for the role? It didn't matter if she was afraid. There were so many people at the ready to support her.

"Maybe you're not ready yet, but that doesn't mean you won't be some day."

She tossed her head back onto the fluffy pillows and blew the air out so a strand of her hair flew up.

"No matter how I look at it, I'm not you. I don't have your confidence or ability to know exactly what to do in any given situation. All this week I was so glad we were sitting next to each other because I could watch what you were doing and try and copy you."

Chammielle giggled but left off when she realized she was being serious.

"Whatever the Prince decides, I'll always be here for you. Alright?"

"You won't be devastated at me not being the Queen of Garten?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

She waved a hand in the air like she was pushing past conversations in her head.

"Oh, I don't know. Your belief from the beginning that it would be me... Encouraging me every chance we were together that I'd be Queen... Coaching me about not flirting with just anyone because I was going to be Queen..."

She shook her head.

"I didn't mean to-"

"I know. But even if I am made to marry the Prince, as charming as he is, I don't think it's for me. Really."

Chammielle patted her hand and changed the subject. The plot to kill her came up, and she shied away from the details, but let her know she'd taken care of it and uncovered Ammorettallia was behind the whole thing. It shocked Aster of course, but she let her be surprised. It was better not to know how vile the person was you'd sat at tea and dinner with.

Lord Applebalm returned with two maids to assist Aster into a wheelchair so she wouldn't have to walk to the throne room. The maids were there to help her dress but he told them off and said she was fine in her nightgown with a shawl and a bodice would damage her stitches. Aster beamed at him the whole time.

The dress Chammielle wore was the one from the day of the concert. It had been simple to put on and was readily available. She'd have thrown on her chemise and skirts, but Alfrina had given her the choice of leaving her sister to change or wearing something suitable for after. It was still the most comfortable thing she owned.

Her hair down in a mass of curls and knots, she began to rethink her choice as they entered the throne room.

Twelve ladies had entered the palace as equals. And today one would be chosen the bride of the Crown Prince, a princess and future Queen. But as she looked around the room, the women present were not equal.

Lady Aconia was standing to the side. Chains at her wrists and a guard on either side of her. The Ladies Phlox were all in a row from oldest to youngest, still squabbling amongst themselves like children. Lady Clarendine seemed changed somehow. She caught Chammielle's eye and mouthed something she couldn't understand but her face seemed apologetic. Gladys ran to meet them as they entered and hugged them both.

"I was so worried!"

"Don't fret my friend, we're all quite well. We'll talk after, over some tea and pastries. I'm starved."

Gladys' soft features seemed to have aged overnight. She still looked like a teenaged girl, but now there was a motherly quality to them. Stress seemed to do that.

The herald called and all the young women stepped forward and took their places. Chammielle walked beside Aster and held her hand as Lord Applebalm pushed her chair. Finally she saw the noblemen from last night along with their families filing in and taking their place to watch the proceedings.

"Her majesty Dowager Queen Magnolia! His highness Crown Prince William IV! Her highness Princess Violet! Her highness Princess Tulip!"

The Queen looked resplendent, an ivory colored gown to go with her royal crown that held the carved white carnations and pink jewels. Her hair was fully up, and a dark pink cape alighted her shoulders. This was an official ceremony after all.

Violet and Tulip were dressed to match her, their tiaras glittering with diamonds and their ivory gowns covered in large petal like swathes of fabric. Violet looked just like her mother, solemn and auspicious. Tulip was grinning ear to ear.

And then there was William.

Chammielle took a calming breath. It didn't matter what had happened between them. This was a choice that needed to be made for the good of Garten. He was all too perfect for her.

He was dressed in ivory as well, a full long coat and waistcoat over the matching breeches and white socks and white leather shoes. But they had gold embroidery as well as red and white flowers along the seams and hem.

She closed her eyes a moment and held her head high.

The Queen spoke first. Her voice carrying power over the crowd.

"The events of last night cannot be missed by anyone present. How a weapon came to be fired within a ballroom, and the arrow striking a candidate, it is not for the public to know. I ask that each and everyone here will quietly put this matter aside. The culprit has been caught, and has been dealt with..."

She turned on the platform to face Lady Aconia, who looked as proud and lovely as ever even considering her circumstances.

"I do believe, Lady Aconia, you know very well what might happen to you once the Prince has made his choice?"

A sliver of doubt entered her expression. The Queen turned to the rest of the ladies.

"Whoever marries the Prince will be the one to sentence this woman. Yet if he chooses her, she will be free of all charges, and such things will be stricken from history."

The room erupted into murmurs and Chammielle looked to Alfrina across the way. It was true.

But of course, Will would never choose her.

Ammorettallia looked the part. But she was far too despicable a person for him to be tempted. And he'd made his choice a long time ago.

She squeezed Aster's hand.

Her majesty stepped back and gestured that the Prince take the center stage. He strode with confidence, though a pained look marred his features. It would all be over soon.

"Thank you all for coming. Today is a day like any other, yet it has been marked for a royal wedding. Taking into consideration the events of last evening, you would be right in believing that such things ought to be out off for the sake of the parties involved..."

She sighed. He'd give her time to recover.

"Be that as it may, my chosen bride was unharmed."

Her ears began to ring. What was he saying?

A roar of applause was around her but she could not focus. It sounded muffled. Lady Aconia stood with an enraged look in her eyes. Then a hand came at her arm and she was ushered out.

The ringing continued. Belladonna was escorting her along with a knight from the Order of the Daffodil. But where were they headed?

Belladonna's lips moved but she could not hear what she was saying. They weren't going to the part of the palace where her quarters were. They were headed down a corridor she'd never seen before.

The walls weren't pink here. White and painted with pastel sweet pea flowers. The moulding was pure white as well, hardly any gold in the hall save a few tables and candelabras. Finally they came to a large door.

It opened and inside was spacious room all in white that smelled of flowers. A large bath was at one end. But in the center, on a low dais, was a sparkling sight. The only color in the room.

A large blush colored tulle gown. Pure white appliques lace on the skirt. It matched the veil that stretched the length of a modest cathedral. And the voluminous train nearly matched it.

She turned to Belladonna.

"What's this?"

"Your wedding dress, my lady."