Epilogue

Even the Shou did not have a table with enough sides for all those at the

Great Banquet of Apology, so the ser- vants had set the platters of candied duck and ginger hart upon a round table and arranged seven chairs around it in evenly spaced intervals.

Prince Tang himself welcomed each guest at the door, and when Yanseldara entered the room, he produced a long oaken staff with three gnarled fingers gripping the finest ruby from his personal trea- sury. He held it before him and bowed very low.

"I find this in dragon's lair, Lady Yanseldara," he said.

"I am sorry that I must smash original topaz."

Yanseldara accepted the staff with a sincere smile.

"The topaz was ruined by Cypress's touch, and I thank you for crushing it. I accept this magnificent ruby as a token of the new friendship between the Ginger Palace and Elversult. I shall treasure it always."

Vaerana rolled her eyes, then leaned close to Ruha and, in a voice much too loud, whispered, "I'll treasure it more if they really stop selling poison!"

The servants gasped, and Lady Feng shot an indignant scowl in the Lady Constable's direction. Hsieh quickly stepped forward and smoothed matters over by person- ally taking Vaerana's arm.

"If we are all here, perhaps we sit down." The proces-

sion filed somewhat uncomfortably to the table, where the mandarin scowled and turned to Prince Tang. "I see seven chairs, but only six guests."

The prince pointed to a chair with no goblet or flat- ware. "This is for Lady Ruha's friend. Captain Fowler. It is most unfortunate he cannot join us."'

The explanation only drew a deeper scowl from Hsieh.

"It is not for Princess Wei Dao?"

Tang's jaw fell. "She dishonors Ginger Palace! I do not set place in her memory!"

Hsieh's uncovered eye narrowed in what Ruha now recognized as a well-practiced expression of displeasure.

"Wei Dao is Shou princess. Trouble she cause in Elver- suit is of no consequence to Emperor, so it is appropriate to treat her as well as you treat guests."

Before the stupefied prince could respond, the man- darin spun to face Lady Feng, who was holding Winter

Blossom on her shoulder and casting covetous glances at the golden serving platters. According to rumor, she had developed a distressing habit of sneaking off to Cypress's swamp with the Ginger Palace's finest tableware.

"I must offer condolences, Lady Feng," Hsieh said.

"Most High Emperor sends me to invite you to Tai Tung, but your son's bad manners do not make that possible."

Prince Tang looked first insulted, then relieved. He forced a grave expression and bowed to the mandarin.

"Please to pardon, but I never honor Wei Dao at my table."

"Then you never return to Shou Lung."

Tang could not keep from smiling. He turned to Ruha and asked, "Perhaps you sit next to me? I never return to

Emperor's court, so perhaps you consider becoming my

Princess?"

"I-uh-Brave Prince, I don't know what to say," Ruha stammered. Since his return from the dragon's lair, Tang had shown himself to be a gracious and gallant man, but the witch was not in love with him. "I will be pleased to sit with you, but perhaps we should discuss the rest at another time."

Hsieh frowned, almost angrily, and stepped toward the witch. "Surely you accept. It is great honor to be Shou princess!"

Ruha's heart sank. Normally, the Harpers would not dictate the person she married, but these were hardly normal circumstances; Storm Silverhand would look very unfavorably on starting trouble with the Shou. The witch glanced around the room and saw Vaerana watching her icarefully, as though she expected Ruha to start a war at any moment.

It was Yanseldara who broke the silence. "Before Ruha decides, perhaps you should give her that message, Vaer- ana."

The Lady Constable rolled her eyes, then turned to

Ruha. "I almost forgot, Witch," she said, a roguish grin upon her lips. "Storm sent for you this morning. Some giants up in Oak Dale stole a duke's daughter, and she doesn't think anyone else can bring the girl back alive."

Ruha did not know whether to hit Vaerana or hug her.

"When did you plan to tell me? After my wedding?"

"I don't think Storm can wait that long." Vaerana chuckled, then took something from her pocket and pressed it into the witch's hand. It was the Harper pin

Ruha had given to Captain Fowler. "I suppose you'll be needing this."

"I suppose I will." Ruha pinned the signet inside her aba, then turned to Tang, who looked almost as amused as he did disappointed. "I'm sorry, Brave Prince, but I

cannot stay. You know I am a Harper, and Harpers go where they are needed."