Sarandia lay on her bed while Halonde waited patiently.

"How could I have not seen?" Sarandia berated herself. "I can read a noble from a twitch of the eyebrow, but didn't see my daughter's pain?"

"She is a cheerful child." Halonde laid out a dress for the morning. "And I believe she is protecting you."

"Protecting? Me?" Sarandia rolled over and sat up. "She's five, for heaven's sake."

"Since she was young, Thuria has been told she must behave because she's a ...