Emma thought If the rules are clear, then they cannot change the rules. Because they said what they said. Everybody knows that. Except the walls had moved. The rules changed because the boundaries had moved. Emma was very disappointed. Not in her friend…never that. She was disappointed that someone had interfered in her game.
She just sighed, because it was always this way.
Jack of Knives had been watching the look of hurt and disappointment on her face.
“They’re all the same you know…when it comes down to it. It’s not because you’re broken. It’s just because they’re trying to understand, but that still doesn’t make it right."
She just nodded her head, she tried to look brave, and said, “It was a fun game anyway. I’m very sorry that I had to end the game. I just can’t find somebody to play with me the right way.” And she carefully gathered her things, her composure and straighter her crown. Her face betrayed her though, a tear slid down her cheek.
Jack couldn’t do anything but watch the tiny Highness as she fixed a brave smile on her face, wiped away the tear like it hadn’t happened. Like she’d done so many times before.
”Anyway, it wasn’t so bad. It’s funny now,” she said, in a soft voice as she slowly walked away, head a little bowed, shoulders a little slumped. Her spoon dragged behind her, leaving a little mark on the ground of where she’d been like a little trail of evidence.
Jack didn’t write anything in his ledger. There was no vendetta. Just a sad lesson in playing with partners who take too much and give too little.