To Love; Perhance, to Dream

He paced furiously back and forth across the courtyard. His heels rang sparks from the cobbles. "What will she say?" he asked himself. "What will she say?"


He had spent much time and thought on the matter. It was of utmost importance that she would accompany him to the ball - the alliance hung on it. (To say nothing of his innermost heart.) But as of yet, he had heard no reply.

His old friend, now a social inferior, approached him quietly. "Can I help?" he asked.

"Can you guarantee me any peace of heart in the matter?"

"...though I would, I cannot."

"Thus."

He waited.


What would her response be?

Would she bring him gladness and joy?

Or despair?

A letter arrived.

"Aren't you going to open it?" his friend asked.

"...no. It's- too much." He shoved it at his friend brusquely. "You. Open it. Tell me."

"All right."

The envelope opened with a crinkle of torn paper. One long, slim sheet slid out.

"...well?"

"Matters of state. Apologies. Wishes of friendship unweakened."

He cursed. Taking the letter from his friend, he passed his eyes over it and then, furious, crumpled it into a ball and threw it to the ground.

"Isn't it always so?"