frayed shirt and Southerner robes and left her alone. Tashi realized she did not know how to get

from the port to the palace. In the past she had always been carried in state, having to make no

decisions herself.

The palace shone above her, walls golden in the setting sun. Its green curved roof, decorated

with dragon and lion gargoyles, glowed like polished jade. Down here in the dirt of the

harborside, it seemed impossibly far away, like an enchanted palace from legend. Tashi

understood why Uniloma refused to believe that a flesh-and-blood girl could be the same

creature as the untouchable Fourth Crown Princess. Stripped of her trappings of rank, she was

an unimpressive creature.

Well, thought Tashi, shouldering her pack, it's about time the rulers of the Blue Crescent Islands

got a bit closer to their people. I sat on the Throne of Nature: I've just become more natural,

that's all.

She set off up the hill following the line of the canal.

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In the twilight, the big bronze gate of the palace loomed above Tashi, oppressive and closed.

What now? she wondered. How do people get in to see us if they need to?

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She had never asked herself this before, accepting that there was a line of officials between her

and the public who filtered out the timewasters and the frivolous, in fact dealing with everything

but the most crucial business.

She knocked on the door.

A little window jerked open and a man put his face to the grille. "Palace hours are between nine

and six. Come back tomorrow." He slammed it shut.

Tashi knocked again.

The man reappeared. "Are you deaf? We are closed to the public."

Tashi jammed her fingers in the gap, yelping as he tried to squeeze it shut.

"You must listen to me. I am Princess Taoshira, the Fourth Crown Princess, and I'm going to sit

here until you let me in--or summon someone to check my claim." Tashi removed her bruised

fingers and the doorkeeper banged the portal shut.

Bells in the palace began to ring: it was the time of the evening service.

Disheartened by this final obstacle, Tashi slumped down against the door and began to pray. She

heard the grille open again but carried on.

An hour passed. Two soldiers came out of the palace.

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"You've got to move," the woman officer said, poking Tashi with a pike. "You can't sit here all night."

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"I'll sit here until someone comes to find out if I'm telling the truth," Tashi replied defiantly.

The officer gave a tired groan. "And that is?"

"That I am Taoshira, Fourth Crown Princess."

"Good try love, but if you want a free bed for the night I'd set your sights a bit lower." The officer chuckled. "I don't want any unpleasantness, just move along."

"You'll have to arrest me if you want me to move," Tashi said steadily,

"because I have no other way of proving my claim but to wait until someone in the palace

comes. Send for the Mistress of the Royal Chamber, or any of her assistants, but please do not

mistake me: I am neither mad nor a fake.

Just well travelled."

She closed her eyes and leant back against the bronze panels of the gate, wondering what the

guards would decide.

"Wait here," the officer said, motioning to her colleague, and disappeared back inside. She

returned five minutes later with the Under Mistress. Tashi could hear her apologizing for the

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inconvenience as she guided the lady to the gate.

"It's probably nothing--just a silly girl playing a joke on us--but I thought it best to ask you."

Finally, her luck had changed for the better. Tashi opened her eyes, looked up and smiled at the

elaborately gowned palace servant.

"Hello, Fa Rinira."

For the first time in her life, the Under Mistress screamed.

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The Crown Princesses called an emergency meeting as the palace

simmered with the astounding news. The Fourth Crown Princess, last heard of in Gerfal, had

turned up like a beggar at the gate. Rumors had placed her in Fergox's prison, a convert to the

worship of Holin, dead, lost in Brigard; but no one had expected her to find her own way home.

On the urging of Korbin, the Third Crown Princess, a month ago they had even begun

deliberations on how to replace a princess who was only missing and not deceased, thinking this

would call for a new ritual and a vote. Now all this was thrown into confusion.

Tashi sat in the Hall of the Floating Lily waiting for her sisters to assemble.

Her throne was in Gerfal, so she made do with a wooden stool. The throne had never been very

comfortable in any case. She could sense people coming to look at her, peeking out behind the

pillars. By the standards of the court, the mood was tempestuous. Fans were flapping nervously;

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brows furrowed.

The three Crown Princesses came in together. Tashi guessed they had been in the antechamber,

conferring as to how to handle her return. She rose and bowed, proud to be standing before

them in her travelling robes and Ramil's shirt, wanting them to see her as she was after the

journey they had sent her on.

"Fourth Crown Princess, we rejoice to see you back among us," said Marisa, the First Princess, though her

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eyes were full of doubt and tone far from welcoming. "We expected you to return married with

your husband, but you stand before us alone. How is this possible?"

Tashi looked to her ally, Safilen, the Second Princess, and saw that her eyes were glistening. Had

she been crying? With joy or sorrow to see her back? Korbin was her usual inscrutable self.

"The Goddess chose another path for me to the one we elected," Tashi said quietly. "Tested by many trials, the alliance stands. I have come to ask that we defend our friends, the Gerfalians.

The man responsible for my

abduction, insulting our entire nation in doing so, stands at the borders of King Lagan's land. I

move that we send our fleet to Gerfal's aid."

The Third Crown Princess raised a finger. "It is too soon to talk of such things when we do not

understand what has happened to you. You are not married to the Gerfalian Prince?"

"No."

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"The Gerfalians let you be taken by Fergox Spearthrower?"

"They failed to prevent it, yes. Prince Ramil was also abducted."

"And are the rumors true that you wavered in your faith before the whole of Fergox's court?"

Tashi felt the question like a blade at her throat but had no intention of pretending she was

better than she was, whatever the consequences. Her journey had stripped her of the desire for

such artifice.

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"I did."

The hisses of collective censure buzzed in the room, but Tashi felt she was beyond shame now.

The events in Fergox's court seemed to involve a different person.

Korbin regarded her coldly. "You are not worthy to stand here."

"Then I kneel." Tashi sank to her knees. "I have never been worthy; I have been taught this by bitter experience. I am a goat girl from the smallest island made princess through bribery and

corruption. But I say to you, sister, that none of us are worthy of the Goddess. She chooses the

most unexpected instruments to do her work--even warlords, even goat girls."

Tashi turned to Safilen and saw that she was nodding.

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"I know it is not our way to show emotion and I am showing my feelings now, but you sent me