Nightfall eventually and inevitably arrived and the two brothers were called inside to have their supper. Alder roused Arjuna from his sleep and the pair entered the palace and made their way to the dinner hall where Palm, the Empress Avalon and the Emperor Artemis were already seated.

As expected, the lighter, more relaxed air around the Second Prince did not go unnoticed by his family and questions about his mirth quickly arose. Without any way to deflect or deny, Arjuna was forced to disclose the events of the day. To neither his, nor Alder's surprise, Artemis was furious and demanded to know why she was not brought back to the palace. Desperate to keep his bride's wish granted, Arjuna carefully began to explain.

“Father, please, it is not unreasonable for her to want to know more of the foreign soil that she will have to live upon.” Arjuna said. "She is to be the first Princess of Calico, when once she was a Princess of Kitwa. This is more than a shock to her, so of course she wanted to know more of the kingdom that she would call home."

“Wait!” Palm exclaimed. “So, she’s been living here in Calico, all this time, ever since she left Kitwa?” he reasoned.

Realizing that he had said too much, Arjuna sighed. “Yes, she is here and she is safe and she is happy.”

“My son,” Avalon began, “how can she be safe? She brought no means of income with her when she left Kitwa. How is she eating? Where is she sleeping?”

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