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action; they even had bows strapped to their backs. Small in stature—compared to the Sorvinkian's average, otherwise they looked about my height—they both possessed slightly slanted, almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and golden tan skin. Their straight jet-black hairs cascaded down the middle of their backs. The round-cheeked individual on the right surveyed the room with the calm demeanor of someone who wasn't easily flustered. The one on the left, I observed, was more lightly built than his serene companion. His attitude was different too, more intense and jittery. And he had a fierce penetrating gaze that kept burning holes in me, as if I was a strange and intriguing creature which needed to be studied closely. Needless to say, I found those large almond-shaped eyes of his, with their dark-as-night irises, highly intimidating. Although the two barbarians resembled one another very much, there were some noticeable differences between them. For instance, the jaw of the slim, jittery individual was narrower than his companion's; his nose was also smaller, his skin silkier, his lips fuller . . . OH! This one's a woman!
    Milo nudged me. "My lord, the King!"
    Instantly, all conversations ceased. Everyone in the room curtsied, saluted, or bowed to the king.
    I bowed. When I rose, I saw that the king and his family were seated in their respective thrones. I also noticed that everybody had backed away from me, Milo included, and that I now stood alone in the middle of a wide, empty circle. The room was deadly silent. Confounded by this sudden and oppressive quiet, I looked around.
    Everyone in the room was staring at me expectantly, as if I was supposed to do something.
    I looked at Milo.
    He shrugged at a loss.
    A movement on my left caught my eye. Prince Diego and his companion, the beautiful lady in red, were gesturing for me to move forward, toward the king's throne.
    I swallowed hard and took a hesitant step in the direction of the throne.
    "HIS HIGHNESS, AMIR BAN, PRINCE OF TELFAR!" resonated through the throne room.
    Feeling relief for having been properly introduced, I took a deep breath and made my way to the foot of the dais. I saw that the throne beside the king's was empty. My eyes switched to the four princesses in their soft-colored gowns seated on the king's left side. Eva was closest to her father with Lars standing behind her. Once more Lars had that hideous expression on his face, as if he was suffering from an intestinal blockage, or some other kind of embarrassing ailment. As for Eva, she looked stunning in pale-blue silk, and the smile she was giving me filled my heart with hope and joy. I turned to the king and bowed. "Your Majesty."
    "Prince Amir, you are welcomed to Sorvinka."
    I rose. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
    King Erik extended a hand toward his entourage. "You know my eldest daughter, Eva, and you've already met my nephew, Lars, Duke of Kasaniov. Now let me introduce you to my other daughters. I'll begin with Thalia."
    The young lady in a pink dress rose from her seat and curtsied. She was perhaps a year younger than Eva and, despite her excess weight, almost as pretty. Princesses Olga and Mesa, adorable twelve-year-old twins with dimpled cheeks, were introduced next. They wore identical dresses of pale yellow taffeta. Ribbons of the same color were woven through their brown braids. They were the only members of this family who were not blond. The twin princesses stepped down from the dais and curtsied in front of me, then, giggling madly, quickly ran back up.
    "Your Majesty, I come bearing gifts, small tokens of my gratitude for receiving me here. Four of our best Telfarian horses."
    The king's left eyebrow rose. "Four horses! How generous of you!"
    The sarcasm weighing the king's words was so flagrant that it raised murmurs of concern throughout the assembly of nobles.
    I nervously wet my lips before speaking. "We left Telfar with twenty. Thieves took some . . . and, unfortunately, most of