The window overlooking the garden was made up of many small, rectangular panes of glass that caught and refracted the light through the room. It was a tall, slender window and it was open just a crack, so that the scents of the roses under the window could drift into the room. There was a tree and a bench a few paces away from the window, and Midoko wished she was out there reading.

Instead, she sat on the edge of the loveseat and poured tea for Aimee Komaru. The visit had started out so pleasantly, with companionable conversation about the weather and when they were each planning on attending Soron's protege Chantal Komaru's latest production. Then Midoko had taken a deep breath and turned the conversation to husbands, and how Aimee lacked one. Tense silence now reigned.

The china clicking against the rings on her fingers, Midoko handed one of the curved teacups to Aimee, who finally said, "It's not that I don't want to get married."

Midoko said gently, "It's just that you're waiting on somebody in particular?" This was no real secret, and Aimee didn't act like it was, barely nodding. Midoko sighed softly. "Has he given you any indication you should wait on him?"

Aimee sipped her tea, her eyes on the tabletop. "Not in so many words. I'm content where I am, though."

Midoko tilted her head. "You're not lonely? You don't want more from him?"

Aimee's face flushed delicately. "I'm content," she repeated, and held her teacup perfectly still.

"Aimee..." Midoko considered how to say what needed to be said. Kahana had always had such a way with situations like this. "He won't ever give you children."

Her face twisted up for a moment, and carefully Aimee placed the teacup on the small table between them. "He might! He might change his mind."

Midoko didn't say that even if Aimee had children by Gahariet Komaru, they would lose the blessing of their mother's pure blood. Aimee was clearly past caring about that right now, and Midoko was more concerned for her friend's future state of mind than her bloodline. Instead, she said, "It's not his mind that's in question here, or even his heart, Aimee. It's clear how fond he is of you; he's left his estates to visit the city quite often in your company. But... he doesn't look at you with the eyes of a man who wants a woman. And you deserve more than a lifetime of sitting quietly to one side."

Aimee straightened her spine, her head turning to allow her to look out the tall window. "It will all work out."

With great sympathy, Midoko said, "Yes. It will."

Aimee's head snapped around to look at Midoko. "What do you mean by that?"

Midoko sipped at her tea. "I don't entirely understand your interest in men who fail to return your emotions, who fail to be interested in you as a woman. Especially when I can easily name at least five men who are interested in you, as a wife or lover. But in all the years we've been friends, there has always been sadness in your eyes. I would like that to go away."

Aimee's temper flared. "Leave me alone! Or if you must be like the old women and marry me off, do it for my blood, for the children, for an alliance. But don't think you know what will make me happy."

The teacup slipped and spattered liquid across Midoko's lap and she hastily set it down; it was only a few drops so she wasn't burned, but she didn't trust herself with the hot liquid any longer. A moment later, a maid, invisible beyond the door until now, arrived, offered Midoko a napkin and began to clear the table. Her own temper rising, Midoko said, "A dream is the only thing that will make you happy, I think! What if you married Gahariet? You would escape the demands of blood, of children, of alliance, but you wouldn't have love, either! You have his affection now, but what if he falls in love again? What if he must face hurting you by taking another lover, or being perpetually lonely himself? You know you would care if he took another lover and you won't be able to hide that from any of the people who know you.You want a dream, Aimee, and I can't make that come true. Nobody can. All we can do is try to show you reality, and hope you'll find new dreams, achievable ones."

They were both on their feet by now, staring at each other, faces flushed and eyes bright. "You can say that," Aimee snapped. "You can say that, because you don't know what it's like to be in love with somebody for years and never have that acknowledged. I don't have anything else, Midoko, and I'm sorry if you think I'm stupid or crazy, but I want to hold on to what I do have now. Good afternoon!"

She turned, gathered her skirts around her, and marched out of the room.

Midoko sighed, offered a wan smile to the maid still cleaning up, and sat back, resting her hand over her eyes. In the distance, she could hear a clock ticking, and the wind whispered through the open window. She didn't notice when the maid left, plans forming and unraveling in her head. Then the maid was back again, clearing her throat.

"Your Grace, a young gentleman here to see you, from out of town. He says that you're expecting him, on the matter of a possible engagement?" She proffered a plate with the gentleman's card resting on a white doily within.

Midoko sat up, arranged her skirts and tucked her hair back into place. When she felt presentable, she nodded at the maid. "Please see him in."

Aimee was right about one thing. Everything would work out.