Pride, Pain & Petticoats

A few months have passed since Countess Taryn Moxley's life was turned upside-down. Sent to an etiquette school to learn something about being a noblewoman, she swiftly found herself swept by found family, eager to have her acclimate! Though she was slipping into the role easily enough, this gives her time for introspection, something she'd been avoiding for nearly a decade. An uncomfortable truth looms beneath the surface, one Taryn can't possibly keep hidden anymore.

But she must, as her eldest brother Frederick is visiting Marianne's Academy! Cast between finally releasing her true self and desperately trying to stuff it back into the wardrobe it spilled from, Taryn takes on a fictitious name in order to hide in plain sight! If she can manage, she can have more time to explore her truth, but if not... Taryn fears her brother will never truly accept her!

And in the capital, the political situation begins to deteriorate. Prince Brendan learns of the kingdom's realpolitik approach to a treasonous organization, thus far ultimately responsible for the attack on the Princess's name day, and gets to the bottom of just what happened to his friend and confidant, and why! Between his idealistic posturing and his father's realistic governance, Brendan is left looking for a better way, and that starts by gathering allies!

As the pieces begin to fill the board, where fits the petticoated lady holding tight to her pride and working through her pain?