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tavern."
         "You should be, but I was ever so thirsty. It is a smart man who opens a tavern on the road outside of town. Better to get the travelers on their way in, yes?"
         "Yes, princess, though I'm not often so lucky to catch them."
         "But, really, Mr. Banyan," Celeste said, "are you this girl's uncle? You ought to teach her manners. She neglected to bow to my carriage."
         "Did she, your highness?" he said, turning a furious glare around on Sienna. He slapped her in the back of the head. "Sienna, you miserable child! Don't you ever dare show the princess such disrespect! You put shame on me and our whole family!"
         "I'm sorry, Uncle."
         Banyan turned back. "My sincerest apologies, your highness. I'll be right sure to see she's punished."
         "Do that," Celeste said. She looked down at her table, raising an eyebrow. "What is that?"
         Everyone looked at her table. It was clean, nothing on it, except a streak from wiping it down. She looked at Banyan. Banyan snapped his fingers at Sienna.
         "Sienna! Clean the princess' table!"
         Sienna hurried over with a rag, wiping it down again. The princess put her wrists on it. Homa sat across from her. The soldiers took up places behind her, as well as six more around the room. The others, Sienna assumed, were just going to wait outside.
         "Wine, if you please," Celeste said. "Let us taste the grapes of the rural peasant, shall we, Homa?"
         "If her highness so wishes."
         Banyan hurried over with a bottle of wine and two glasses, filling each. Celeste picked up the goblet between two fingers, swirling it and smelling. She took a sip.
         "Just as terrible as I expected," Celeste said, pouring the wine out on the floor. "Not at all a surprise."
         "Begging your forgiveness, your highness."
         Celeste set the glass down. "I said it was not a surprise."
         "Sienna! Clean up the wine!"
         Sienna hurried forward, bringing her rag and bucket, falling to her knees as Celeste watched her clean the wine.
         Mrs. Crockery came forward, keeping her head down. "If I may say, your highness. To have you grace our establishment with your presence is an honor unthinkable. I am but a humble cook, but may I offer you anything?"
         "I think not. It is quite one thing to suffer under mediocre wine, but to dine on trash would sully the royal name. You have nearly offended me."
         "Forgive me, your highness," Mrs. Crockery said, bowing again, backing away.
         Celeste's eyes returned to Sienna as she cleaned.
         "Do tell me, Mr. Banyan," Celeste said, "wherever is this girl's parents?"
         "Bastard, she is, father unknown," Banyan spoke up. "Poor mother was carried off by the dragon."
         "The dragon?" Celeste said. "Oh, how dreadful! But it hasn't been seen in several years."
         "That was the last time," Banyan said.
         "What a tragedy," Celeste said.
         Sienna stood up, the floor now clean. She took her bucket into the kitchen, letting the door swing closed. She rested for a moment against the counter, her eyes glossy at the thought of her mother. Then Mrs. Crockery came in.
         "The princess! Can you believe it?"
         "No, ma'am."
         "Me either. Quite a story this is!" Mrs. Crockery said. "Well, no more time to waste. Come on then. Mr. Raphael is upstairs waiting. He rented a room for the night, and you've kept him waiting long enough."
         "But, but what about the princess?"
         "What about her?"
         "Doesn't this mean I'm not going to get sold tonight?"
         "Of course it doesn't. One thing has nothing to do with the other. Just stop your bellyaching."
         "But, but—"
         "But nothing. I want you to get on upstairs and mind Mr. Raphael before he comes down looking for you. I don't want the princess to even have to see that scoundrel in her