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citizens decked the street with flowers and lined up three deep in hopes of catching a glimpse of this new celebrity. The wait didn’t seem to dampen their spirits, though the flowers wilted only to be periodically replaced by eager hands. If nothing else, this reception was going to put a serious dent in Possiltum’s flower crop for a while. Of course, it might also put a dent in all our crops, for the streets remained packed with festive people who showed not the slightest inclination to return to their fields or guild shops when word was passed of each new delay.
    “Haven’t the citizens anything better to do with their time than stand around the streets throwing flowers at each other?” I snarled, turning from the window. “Somebody should be keeping the kingdom during all this foolishness.”
    As usual, J. R. Grimble took it on himself to soothe me.
    “Your Majesty is simply nervous about the pending reception. I trust his wisdom will not allow his edginess to spillover onto his loyal subjects?”
    “I was assured when she crossed the border that she would be here this morning. Morning! Ever see the sun set in the morning before?”
    “Undoubtedly she was delayed by the condition of the roads,” General Badaxe offered. “I have told Your Majesty before that our roads are long overdue for repair. In their current state, they hinder the passage of travelers ... and troops should our fair land come under attack.”
    Grimble bared his teeth.
    “And his Majesty has always agreed with me that repairing the roads at this time would be far too costly ... unless the General would be willing to significantly reduce the size of his army that we might use the savings from wages to pay for the road work?”
    The General purpled.
    “Reduce the size of the army and you’ll soon lose that treasury that you guard so closely, Grimble.”
    “Enough, gentlemen,” I said, waving them both to silence. “As you’ve both said, we’ve discussed this subject many times before.”
    It had been decided that rather than having the King of Possiltum sit and fidget in front of the entire populace, that he should sweat it out in private with his advisors until his bride actually arrived. Royal image and all that. Unfortunately this meant that since morning I had been confined in a small room with J. R. Grimble and Hugh Badaxe for company. Their constant bickering and sniping was sufficient to turn my already dubious mood into something of record foulness.
    “Well, while we’re waiting, perhaps you can each brief me on your opinions of my future bride and her kingdom.”
    “But Your Majesty, we’ve done that before. Many times.”
    “Well, we’ll do it again. You’re supposed to be my advisors, aren’t you? So advise me. General Badaxe, why don’t you start?”
    Badaxe shrugged.
    “The situation is essentially unchanged from our last briefing. Impasse is a small kingdom; tiny really—less than a thousand citizens altogether. They claim the entire Impasse mountain range, from which the kingdom gets its name, and which is the bulk of their military defense. Their claim stands mostly because the mountains are treacherous and there is little or no reason to venture there. At least ninety-five percent of their population is concentrated along the one valley through the mountains. They have no formal military, but rather a militia, which suffices as there are no less than five passes in the main valley where a child with a pile of rocks could hold off an army ... and they have plenty of rocks. Their main vulnerability is food. The terrain is such that they are unable to support even their small population, and as they are still at odds with the kingdom at the other end of the valley who originally owned it, they are forced to buy all their food from us ... at prices even a generous man would call exorbitant.”
    “Supply and demand,” Grimble said with a toothy smile.
    “Wait a minute, General,” I interrupted. “If I