For days nothing happened. As of late I was not used to this. The ball ended with the news of the attack. A coronation ball simply could not be when the heir to the throne was injured. So all went home, Grace in tears.

I felt bad for Grace. She was an innocent girl, she could not know what she had gotten herself into, even if that innocence referred only to her heart. She had played a game she had not cared to finish.

I don't know how her mother or sister felt, and I didn't care. They could spend their lives wasting around the house. Perhaps Grace and Amelia would marry eventually—and well, if Melissa had anything to do with it. I honestly hoped they would be very happy, as one would expect someone like me to be, but I had no desire to see any of them again.

Maybe they were angry about Christine's disappearance. I didn't care, and neither did Christine.

She returned to the little cottage, and I attended her. It was a while before she could stop apologizing for her foolishness

"And now he's hurt," was her repeated refrain. "He's hurt because of me."

I tried to console her. Essentially, she was right, though essential was far from the true nature of the situation. I don't think she understood just how much he cared for her, that he would have followed her anywhere. At least, that was what I liked to think.

But eventually, she stopped crying and patiently waited for… what? She didn't seem to know and I could not guess. Wyatt was hurt, not dead—I had seen to that. It was hardly a case for mourning, and the rest of the city accepted the painful excitement of that night and waited for Wyatt to heal. I had never seen a city so enthralled with their prince and future king.

The hunter was thrown into prison to await trial. I wondered how Grace felt about that.

So the days passed quietly, and Christine kept herself busy. No one came looking for her. She kept the cottage neat, she even began the clearing of a garden for the spring, though I imagined the winter would do plenty of damage to it and why ever did she think she would be around for the spring?

"Who knows?" was her reply, given with a smile.

As for me, I felt I might as well leave soon, but the timing did not seem right. And I was happy to stay where I was. Then again, I had felt happy in so many other places. Maybe I merely wanted to see this place out.

I visited Wyatt many times. He was hardly the weak patient half the kingdom must have imagined him to be. The wound was messy, but not ugly, and he seemed to think he had more energy than his body did. I thought that a good sign. The coronation, of course, had been postponed, being that there was little drama in having a wounded man receive the crown, but Wyatt didn't care. Several times he asked about Christine, the beautiful girl he had followed outside. She was a memory who had stuck with many, but no one recognized her as Christine the servant girl, and Wyatt never mentioned her as.

I thought about revealing myself to him once more. Many times I almost did make myself visible, but always decided against it. Once was enough, probably more than enough.

But sometimes, as I hung around him, I saw him staring off into the distance, and I dare hoped he was thinking of me instead of Christine.

Finally, one night, after his bandages were changed and his chamber was empty, he spoke.

"Fawn, if you're there."

He did not look to where I was. How could he? I was invisible to him and I was going to stay that way. He did not look in my direction.

"What I saw that was not a dream. I know I saw you. Didn't I? And I saw you in the woods before."

So he hadn't thought me a dream.

"You looked beautiful. Even more beautiful than I remembered you. Sometimes I would think that my memory would glorify you, but my memory failed you."

I smiled at the compliment.

Maybe I should show myself. Maybe I should. He addresses me now, he would not be surprised.

But I had already done that. And he had gone after Christine.

"I haven't told anyone," he continued to the darkness. "I'm sure they would all think I was crazy or having a vision. But you were there. I know it was you. Angel." He gave a small laugh. "This entire time. And I had no idea. I should have known. Do you hate me for not knowing?"

No. Never.

"But maybe deep down, I did know. You as Angel. I felt a connection. A friendship. I could tell you anything and I was not afraid to. And when I kissed you on the dance floor that night… I felt something. That's why I stepped away. I think maybe then a part of me knew. And I was surprised. I didn't even think. I wasn't planning on the kiss. It just happened. Maybe it was supposed to happen. I'm so happy it happened."

He sighed. I could see his face in the dark. He was so, so handsome. I couldn't believe it. The man he had become. The King. He would be a wonderful king.

But now he did not think about becoming King. "We were supposed to get married. Fawn, if there were any way, I would marry you. I wouldn't think about anyone else. It would be you. I want you to know that?"

And Christine?

His thoughts were the same. "But I care for Christine, too. And I think you know that. You've known that all along."

It's supposed to be this way. I knew that for sure in that moment.

"Do you mind?"

Maybe if it were someone else.

"I love you. I always will."

"I love you, too." I don't know if I spoke aloud. If he heard, he gave no sign.

But I think he heard.

The coronation was a rather dull affair, filled up with all the pomp one would expect from such a ceremony. Many came, though it was not with the grandeur of the ball. And when it was done, Wyatt was King.

And as soon as he could possible do so, he was gone from the palace.

Somehow the rumor cropped up that he was hunting for the beautiful girl from the palace. He had found one of the slippers she had worn.

I don't know if everyone was thinking of the same girl, or if there were some legendary girl made up of imaginations. Still, I liked to think they all more or less referred to Christine. They spoke of a girl of dazzling beauty and dress, a nobleman's niece from out of the city, a foreign princess, a witch.

The rumor also suggested that the King Wyatt had no idea who she was or what she looked like, which I found hard to believe. But the fancy was that he would visit every household until he found the girl whose foot fit the slipper.

He did no such thing.

One morning Christine and I were reading to each other a book I had snatched from Melissa's house when Wyatt came up on his horse. I don't think he saw me, but his eyes were regardless on Christine.

She stared up at him and put the book down. "Your Majesty." Her voice was solemn, but I saw the grin on her face.

Wyatt climbed from his horse. "Christine."

"I'm sorry I missed the coronation," she said. She was on her feet then, smile wide. "I did not know when it was. And you failed to remind me."

He laughed. "I'm glad you weren't there. It was dull."

"For you. Maybe not for those watching."

"I spoke to them. Many assured me it was boring."

"Then I'm glad I missed it. How are you?" She nodded at his stomach. "I heard. I'm so sorry."

I hoped she wouldn't begin the tears again.

He touched the wound tenderly. "It still throbs now and then, but I'm alive."

"I shouldn't have gone out there," she said.

"I admit I would have preferred it if you hadn't. But I was happy to take this for you."

She laughed. "No, you're not."

"I mean, I would do it again. In a heartbeat."

The smile faded. "You would?"

He nodded. Then he pulled the glass slipper from his bag. "You left this."

"I can't believe you picked up my slipper when you were bleeding all over the place."

"Actually, someone else did. They just gave it to me later."

"I'm afraid I don't have the other one with me now," she said with another laugh as she took the slipper. She passed it from hand to hand, gazing at it.

I had done such a good job with it.

Wyatt stepped closer to her. "You were beautiful that night. Stunning."

She beamed. "Thank-you."

"I mean it. I don't understand how… I mean… the dress…"

"It's my secret."

"I think I know what it is."

She stared. "I…"

Would he bring me up? Was this the time?

I think he was thinking of it. I'm sure it was one of the main things on his mind.

But instead, all he said was "Please marry me."

The wedding was a glorious one. I wondered if it would have surpassed mine, but I no longer felt the jealousy. I just enjoyed the wedding. And the faces of Melissa and her daughters as they finally recognized the bride.

It was all so fitting, and I had never seen two people look so happy as did Christine and my Wyatt. I wondered if they were meant for each other as I had so often thought Wyatt and I had been meant for each other. Their romance had been nothing like ours. I didn't even know if I could call it a romance. But I was merely an angel, and who was I to judge?

I had such a small view of how things were to fit together. Everyone does.

I did not say goodbye to either of them, because I did not dare think of it as a goodbye. Never again would I think of something so permanent as a goodbye.

I also didn't think I could handle the tears Christine would certainly cry.

I was also sure I would come back. Someday. After all, I was a wanderer, like so many other angels, and I found myself restless staying in one place too long.

I had loved once. I still loved. So many have it wrong and do not realize love surpasses death.

It surpasses everything.

The End