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needed. Leaping to his feet, he hurried to where the two young women were standing. “My friends!” he called. “You wish to hire a chair. Mine is best.” Dark and thin, he smiled at them as he spoke in rough, rustic Greek. “I am Philippianous. Come with me, I will show you now.”
    â€œVery well,” said Cait, when she had examined the chair and found it satisfactory. “How much?”
    â€œWhere you wish to go?” asked the eager Philippianous. “You tell me that, I tell you how much.”
    â€œBlachernae Palace.”
    At this, the young man’s eyes grew wide. “You have business there tonight perhaps.”
    â€œYes,” said Cait. “How much?”
    â€œThirty denarii,” he said, growing sly.
    â€œTen.”
    â€œMy lady,” complained Philippianous, “it is getting dark.We are tired and have nothing to eat. Twenty-five denarii. It is a good price.”
    â€œFifteen denarii—for both of us—”
    â€œTen apiece,” countered the chair owner.
    â€œVery well,” relented Cait. Slipping a small leather purse from beneath her girdle, she began counting small silver coins into her hand. “Ten apiece—to take us there and return.”
    â€œMy lady ,” whined Philippianous. “We are poor and hungry. We have had nothing to eat all day. We cannot work all night with nothing to eat.”
    â€œThen take your rest,” replied Cait, regarding the group of bearers who were listening to the negotiation with undisguised interest. “I am certain one of your friends would be more than happy to oblige.”
    â€œCait, please!” whispered Alethea, embarrassed that her sister should haggle like a fishwife over such a trivial matter.
    Sensing victory, the bearer pointed to his chair. “It is a nice chair. Very comfortable. We will take good care of you.”
    â€œIf you do well,” Cait promised, “I will give you extra for a meal. But you must take us to the palace first.”
    â€œDone!” The chair owner spun on his heel and clapped his hands. He called to his laborers, who rose from among the men gathered around the fire. One of them took a last gulp from the jar before passing it along, and then he and his three companions shuffled to a wide red-painted chair with a green cushion on its wooden bench seat.
    Alethea nudged her sister in the ribs, and pointed at a green chair. It was newer, slightly larger, the pole rings were shiny brass, and the cushion was yellow satin. Cait nodded. “Wait,” she said, and pointed to the green chair. “That one.”
    â€œMy sister,” complained the owner. “That one is very special—for the empress herself, eh?”
    â€œIf the empress wishes to hire it, we will gladly give it to her,” replied Cait, stepping into the chair. She held out the little stack of coins.
    Philippianous sighed, but gave his men the nod to go ahead. Taking up two long brass-tipped wooden poles fromamong those leaning against the wall, they slipped them through the rings, lifted the chair, and started off. “Enjoy your journey, my friends.”
    â€œYou come, too. I will give you an extra ten to announce us at the palace,” Cait said, adding a few more coins to the stack in her hand.
    â€œPhilippianous is at your service, empress,” said the chair owner, accepting his payment with a polite bow. The bearers moved out, and the owner ran on ahead, leading the way and clearing idlers from the path.
    Alethea was instantly ecstatic. “This is wonderful! Cait, we should travel like this everywhere ,” she said, almost hugging herself.
    Cait made no reply. She turned her eyes to the slowly darkening street ahead, and thought about what had been accomplished this day, and what was still to come.
    â€œWhy did you not say we were going to the palace?” asked Alethea brightly.
    â€œSome surprises are best kept