Ria arrived at the palace a few days later. Rejenn disappeared almost as soon as they arrived. Solvnor escorted her into the palace. Prince Remtani had been correct. The place was in chaos. There were three stewards on duty that day. All were busy. Solvnor wasn’t sure if he should go through one of the stewards or take her directly to Pt’this’s room. Before he could decide, there was a commotion down the hall. He sighed. “Stay here,” he told Ria. “If the steward asks, tell him you’re a guest of Sir Pt’this.” Then he went to help settle things down. Ria waited, wondering why she was even there. Then a tiny, pale, blond woman walked up to her. “Can I help you?” The woman asked. “I’m a guest of Sir Pt’this,” Ria said meekly. Ann assumed she’d never been in the palace before. “What’s your name?” “Ria,” the woman said. “Ria?” Ann was surprised. “Just a moment.” ‘Pt’this, there’s a Ria here looking for you.’ ‘Ria? I’ll be there shortly.’ “He’s on his way,” she told Ria. “Are you Frindahl’s Ria?” She asked. Ria nodded. “I am. His highness, the prince, said she was getting married.” ‘Ann, we need to go,’ Nim told her impatiently. ‘Wait a moment. This is Sapphire’s sister.’ “She is. She didn’t tell me you were coming,” she said but thought, so that’s where Remmy got off to. “I don’t think she knows. The soldiers who brought me here said it was a surprise.” The soldiers, Ann thought. Sounds like Rem is staying gone. “Where are the soldiers now?” They should’ve escorted her to Pt’this or at least waited until he was fetched. “One said he had some responsibility. The other went to help with that.” Ria pointed down the hall to where two nobles had gotten into a disagreement with a deliveryman and soldiers were trying to keep it from becoming physical. “Ann?” Pt’this came from behind them. “Pt’this, meet Ria. Ria, this is Pt’this, your sister’s pledged. I’m sorry. I have to go,” she said and quickly hurried off. Ria’s head spun. “Did you say, Ann? That was the princess?” The diminutive woman didn’t look like a princess. Rather than being in a dress, like one would expect, she was wearing trousers and a very odd looking shirt. The man she hurried off with was dressed oddly too. She was also stunned to think that a princess would not only stop to help her but stay with her until she was with who she was supposed to be with. “She doesn’t look the part does she?” Pt’this frowned watching them leave. “But they’re flying to Paosij today so a dress wouldn’t be practical.” He shrugged, dismissing the matter as if it were an everyday occurrence. “Come, let’s go up to my receiving room, and then I’ll find your sister. I think she may be in a fitting.” He led her through the palace. “You’re here early this morning. Did you travel through the night?” She nodded. “Captain Solvnor didn’t want to be on the road any longer than necessary.” “You haven’t eaten then.” He stopped a young page. “Have three breakfasts sent to my receiving room.” Then he turned and added, “and Princess Ann is not eating with us, so we only need three breakfasts.” “Yes sir,” the page said and hurried off. Ria studied her sisters pledged. He was in elf form. He seemed familiar. “Have you ever been to Bisfip with the teen dragons?” He nodded. “A few times. Have we met?” “No. The dragons are quite a curiosity to my younger boy. It’s quite a task keeping him from getting underfoot,” she explained. “Next time, bring him to meet them. The young ones would be thrilled. The more non-dragons they get to interact with, the happier they will be, and they love children. I’ll let the teacher know.” “Oh, Kovi would be ecstatic.” Her eyes lit up. She reminded Pt’this of Sapphire. “I know where I’ve seen you,” she said after a moment. “You’re one of the ones who cut your hair for a wig for that sick girl.” Pt’this smiled and nodded. “Do you know how she’s doing?” “Last I heard, the healers said she was doing quite well. They think she’ll make a full recovery.” “Sir Pt’this, have you seen Princess Ann?” A guard asked. “She went flying with Nim. She won’t be back until tomorrow.” “I was told to watch her,” the guard explained. “Tomorrow, Merton, tomorrow. The message must have gotten mixed up. If you need something to do, there are plenty of deliveries to oversee.” The guard nodded and hurried away. “That’s the princess’s bodyguard,” Pt’this explained. He opened the door to one of the rooms. “Here we go. Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll get Frindahl.” He was gone for quite a while. When he returned, he was followed by a young woman. Although she had been told it was her sister, Ria had doubted. Now, though, she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Frin?” The young woman looked at her a moment. “Ria?” She asked. Then as recognition kicked in, she cried “Ria!” She hugged her sister. She turned back to Pt’this. “You found her?” She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “Thank you.” The look Ria saw in her sister’s eyes made her relax some. On the trip, Ria had tried to imagine how a runaway peasant girl had ended up pledged to the king’s advisor. She had worried her thief of the sister was also a gold digger. But no one could fake a look of love that intense. Whatever else her sister might be, she was truly in love with him and him with her.