Lina Riley was left behind in the palace, not daring to venture out. She remained at the Hall of Serenity. The Princess Royal seemed to have urgent business and had gone off somewhere; Lina was glad of it, unsure how to face her.
She gradually recognized her own improper feelings, feelings that pained her: first, because the princess's rank was far too high for her to dare dream; second, because she herself was a coward, fearful of being hurt again; and third, because she could not imagine what she had worth loving.
"Sigh…"
She had lost count of how many times she sighed. Reaching out, she rotated the teacups on the table, aligning the side with the inscription to face outward. Moments later, she shifted them again so the lettering faced inward—round and round, in a pointless circle.
When Sophia Riley entered, she saw Lina in this state and couldn't help smiling. "What are you doing?"
