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  Lulath’s family had built the Sanctuary, and there had never been a war fought on Grathian soil. So as the king kindly pointed out to Celie, there was no need for them to have any secret hiding places.

  Queen Celina had shared Celie’s suspicions at first, but once the Royal Wizard had helped her perform a spell that found no sign of any of the villagers anywhere in the area, she, too, believed them to be gone.

  “They could be anywhere,” Queen Celina admitted. “But they’re not here in the Sanctuary, that’s certain. Perhaps they gave up hope of having griffins again and left.”

  “But left to go where?” Rolf said plaintively.

  “Wherever they like,” Queen Celina countered. “I think they were waiting for something to happen, all these years in their village. The return of the griffins, most likely. It happened, and it had nothing to do with them, so they left.”

  This wasn’t all that reassuring, but it was all they had, so they continued with their preparations for the betrothal. Lilah and Lulath would not marry for another year, of course, but in the meantime their intention to marry needed to be shouted to the skies, and, more important, to the Grathians.

  The betrothal celebration was to be the most wonderful thing anyone had ever seen, according to Queen Amatopeia. Lilah and Lulath would be married in Sleyne, but for the first time, Celie understood Lilah’s constant worry that their family would look poor in front of Lulath’s.

  The betrothal festivities would last from dawn until the following dawn, and Celie herself had five changes of clothing for the event, beginning with a breakfast gown and ending with a ship-launching gown. All of these were delivered to her room the night before, along with a maid who had been assigned to dress her in each ensemble, fix her hair, and follow her around to make any needed repairs or adjustments.

  At first Celie was annoyed by both the costume changes and the assignment of the maid, but it turned out to be the most fun she’d had in ages.

  For one thing, the food was delicious, which made up for a lot of the fuss.

  Then the clothes turned out to fit perfectly (which might have been achieved through magic, as Celie had not been measured or fitted by anyone in Grath).

  The maid, Renia, was a good-humored girl a few years older than Celie, whose duties not only included changing Celie’s clothes and hair but also carrying things like fans and gloves, which Celie was always dropping or losing. Renia even had a small flask of hot chocolate hanging from her belt, in case Celie need a little refreshment. And she wasn’t afraid of Rufus, either. After meeting the griffin, Renia added a pouch of biscuits to her accoutrements just for him, which endeared her to both Celie and Rufus forever.

  The first breakfast took place in the larger, more formal gardens. Everyone lay on couches to eat, and the servants placed tiny plates on low tables by the side of each couch. The Glower family and Lulath’s family weren’t to move around, but the rest of the court and ambassadors from various countries came to bow to them, and perhaps share a slice of cake or melon.

  Rolf thought this was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen, and he lounged across his couch and dropped food into his mouth with abandon.

  Pogue came over to talk to them, and laughed so hard at Rolf that he ended up sitting on the end of Celie’s couch to recover. A servant instantly brought Pogue his own tray, and he spent the rest of the breakfast with Celie, throwing food at Rolf when no one was looking, and at Arrow and Rufus even when they were. The dogs had been locked inside the Sanctuary for the occasion, but JouJou managed to get out, and Celie propped her in the crook of her arm and fed her cake until the little dog fell asleep. When JouJou began snoring, a servant appeared with a velvet cushion and bore her away, as though he were carrying the king’s crown.

  “This isn’t another country,” Pogue said. “It’s another world!”

  “And it is only being the more fantastical,” Lulath called out. “After, there is being a parade! With all the darlings!” He clapped his hands. “And a parade of boats in the later, when there has been more food.”

  “How is it possible for there to be more food?” Rolf groaned. “I think I have cake coming out of my ears.”

  “That’s what you get for making a pig of yourself,” Lilah said.

  She said it very pleasantly, though, without losing her smile, because the ambassador from Bendeswe was hovering near her couch, and fortunately he did not speak Sleynth. She and Lulath had a sort of V-shaped double couch to lounge on, and he laughed and put some grapes in her mouth.

  “It is being expected,” he said. “Therefore there are being also parades!”

  “What sort of parades?” Celie asked.

  In Sleyne they sometimes had a springtime parade, when the village children would dress as birds and flowers and butterflies and dance down the main road to the Castle. And sometimes the guards would put on their nicest uniforms and parade in the courtyard, to show their training off to the king. But Lulath had a twinkle in his eye—more so than usual.

  “Wait and be seeing, our Celie,” he said.

  The parade required a change of clothes, which included a very stiff but slightly short gown that made Celie feel like she was wearing a bell, and some beautifully embroidered leather shoes with sturdy soles. Renia put a large bow around Rufus’s neck, made from the same blue satin as Celie’s gown, and produced a square sunshade that hung from a curved shaft, like a wilting flower, which she said she would hold over Celie during the parade.

  “What kind of parade is it?” Celie asked her.

  “It’s for the people,” was all the maid replied. “But there’s lunch afterward,” she said, in the manner of one offering a reward.

  Celie groaned. Renia had barely been able to lace her into the parade gown. Although Celie hadn’t been quite as gluttonous as Rolf, she had eaten a fair amount at breakfast.

  The parade consisted of the Grathian royal family and the Glower family, along with their closest associates, walking through the city with all their darlings, as Lulath had said. That meant over two dozen people (Lulath’s siblings and their spouses had come for the celebration), almost a dozen griffins, two dozen parrots, a monkey, and an army of small dogs, with servants holding sunshades, marching through the city.

  “This is horrible,” Rolf moaned.

  “That’s what you get for eating your own weight in cake,” Lilah told him, still smiling and barely moving her lips.

  She was waving to her new people, and they were chanting her name. It was impossible not to cheer for Lilah. She was wearing a red gown that matched Lulath’s tunic, and it was the perfect color for her. It brought out the roses in her cheeks and the lights in her blue eyes. Her dark curly hair had been pomaded to shine even more, and she wore a pearl-studded tiara given to her by Queen Amatopeia. Young men blew her kisses, and small girls in their best gowns ran out of the crowd to hand her bouquets. She blushed on cue and thanked them graciously.

  “See that?” Pogue whispered, sticking his head under Celie’s sunshade. “That’s why she’s better off married to Lulath.”

  Just then a young girl handed Celie a bouquet, and her giggling older sister tossed a circle of daisies at Rolf, ringing him perfectly around the neck. She blew him a kiss, and Celie burst out laughing.

  “You look like the prize bull at the fair,” she told him.

  “I have more flowers than you,” Rolf teased. Sure enough, there were three flower chains around his neck, and he was starting to strut. “I rather like this. We should all marry Grathians. The food is excellent, and pretty girls give you flowers.” He sneezed, then sneezed again.

  “You should give those purple ones to Pogue,” Queen Celina said dryly, “before your eyes swell up and no one wants to give you anything.”

  He hastily took off the purple garland and tried to hand it to Pogue. Pogue warded him off.

  “They don’t match my tunic,” he said with a laugh.

  “Here,” Celie said, worried that Rolf’s eyes would sw
ell up and spoil the day for him. She took the wreath and hung it around Rufus’s neck.

  That started a positive mania for giving the griffins flowers. Which was a relief, because Celie didn’t think she could carry any more. The more daring children would come right up to the griffins, who would hold very still and bow their heads for the flowers to be put around their necks. The shy children would present a person with the flowers but whisper, “Griffin.” And Celie and the others would thank them and hang their gift off the griffins’ necks or harnesses.

  There were smaller wreaths for the dogs, and also treats offered. Celie wondered if someone might try to steal one, or if a dog would go into the crowd after a treat and get lost. She caught up to King Kurlath, at the head of the parade, and asked him if it was safe for the dogs.

  “Oh, my dear little princess,” he told her in Grathian. “Just watch!”

  Sure enough, a moment later a small black-and-white dog dove into the crowd after a child who was covered in something sticky and delicious. The boy picked up the dog, let it lick his face, and then gently set it back in the pack streaming by.

  “The royal dogs are known,” King Kurlath said in Grathian. “None would dare to steal one! And if they are lost, all know where they are to be returned. We give puppies away quite often, and not only to the court. One need only apply with the steward, and one may be considered the next time there is a litter.”

  A little girl ran forward and gave the king a biscuit that looked as if she’d been clutching it a little too tightly in her fist. The king took the biscuit and ate it with every appearance of delight. He held the girl’s hand and had her walk along beside him for a bit while he praised her baking. Her father came to collect her, bowing. The king kissed the girl’s cheek, and they faded back into the cheering crowd, smiling.

  “This is why there’s never been a war in Grath,” Queen Celina whispered, coming up on Celie’s other side. “Who would dare attack such a king?”

  “Who would want to?” Celie agreed. “He’d probably give them a puppy and win them right over.”

  “I’m sure if the situation were serious enough, he’d give them at least two dogs,” Queen Celina said.

  “And a parrot,” added Celie.

  Chapter

  10

  They were all more than ready for lunch after that, which was served at long tables in the center of the city. The king heard petitions as they ate, and people came forward to wish Lilah and Lulath well and to bow to the rest of the Glowers. Then they were taken in coaches back to the Sanctuary to change for the boat parade.

  The boat parade was not unlike the first parade, except the animals had to stay behind, and they were rowed in boats along the river outside the city instead of walking. The people of the farms who hadn’t been able to come into the city gathered along the shore and cheered and threw flowers as they sailed along. They went all the way to the mouth of the river, where it emptied into the harbor. There it seemed that every sailor on every Grathian ship and every dockworker had gathered to cheer for them. King Kurlath made a speech thanking them all for being the backbone of Grathian trade, and inviting them to the launching of the Ship at dawn the next day. More cheers, and then more coaches back to the Sanctuary.

  There Celie took a much-needed nap before being dressed in her first ball gown.

  It was green and had gold lace, and she hated to admit it, but she loved it. It made her feel like a real princess, instead of just a girl who happened to live in a castle.

  The bodice had stays in it, so that she had to stand very upright, and the sleeves weren’t puffy or ruffled or otherwise silly but long and embroidered and trimmed with lace. Renia piled Celie’s curly blond hair on top of her head and carefully pinned it so that it wouldn’t come down during the dancing. She set Celie’s crown on her head and then pinned that in some secret way so it didn’t move, either. Celie was going to have to find out how she did that.

  Rufus was supposed to be with her, but he refused to budge from the room when Celie tried to leave. He kept going over to the dressing table and making gargling noises.

  “What is it, you silly beast?” Celie asked with impatience. She was eager to show off her gown.

  “Your Highness?” Renia ventured. “Do you think he wants . . . another bow?”

  Rufus squawked in approval, and Celie started laughing. While Renia found a green ribbon, Celie brushed Rufus’s fur and ran a silk handkerchief over his feathers to make them gleam. Renia tied a big bow atop his harness and put one of the fresher-looking garlands around his neck. Preening, he went straight to the door, ready for dinner and the ball.

  Celie and Renia were still laughing when they reached the back hall where the rest of her family was waiting. Queen Celina gasped when she saw Celie, and Rolf let out a whistle. She’d almost forgotten about the new grown-up gown, and wasn’t sure what was wrong for a moment.

  “Oh,” she said. “Do you like it?” She did a slow turn.

  “Oh, my little girl,” Queen Celina said. She put out her hand and just brushed Celie’s cheek. Her eyes were uncharacteristically misty. “Look at you.”

  “I honestly thought you were one of Lulath’s cousins,” Rolf said admiringly. “You should dress like that all the time.”

  Celie ruined the effect by sticking out her tongue at him. She felt that she had to do something to make everyone stop staring at her.

  “I’m, um . . . I’m your escort,” Pogue said, clearing his throat.

  “But just going into the ball,” Lilah said briskly. “After that, Orlath is your escort for the rest of the evening. You’ll sit beside him at dinner, and he’ll lead you into the first dance.”

  Lilah looked Celie over with a critical eye. “Just as I thought,” she said with great satisfaction. “The perfect style and color for you. And Renia is wonderful with hair.” She beamed at the girl, who curtsied. “We should see if she’ll return to Sleyne with us.”

  Lilah, of course, looked perfect. She was wearing pink with slashes of red and the same gold lace that decorated Celie’s gown, and their mother’s. She had her official crown on, and her hair was caught up in the back in a gold net studded with rubies. When Lulath arrived a moment later, he was in red with gold lace, and he feigned a swoon at the sight of them all.

  “My glorious Lilah! My vision of greatest beauty!” he cried. “My noble queen-mother-to-be, a sorcerous vision of her own self!” And then he saw Celie and raised both hands in the air. “This is not my our Celie? This is the magnificent being that has come before us?”

  Celie felt herself turning red. “I like your coat,” she told him. “The gold buttons are very fancy.”

  “Oh, such thanks,” he said. “Now, friend Sir Pogue! Are you not being almost as full of luck as I?”

  “Celie looks very nice,” Pogue said, taking her arm in an awkward way.

  “Yes, she does,” Lilah said, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

  But Queen Celina smiled. She raised Pogue’s arm slightly and positioned Celie’s hand atop his elbow. “Very nice,” she said. “You’ll come after Rolf and me, and we’ll go in after Lilah and Lulath.”

  They lined up, and Arrow and Rufus came to stand on either side of Pogue and Celie. Pogue noticed Rufus’s ribbon and garland and relaxed a little, laughing.

  “Don’t let Arrow see; he’ll be jealous,” he said. “I had to fight him to get the flowers off his harness after the parade.”

  “Mean!” Celie said. “You should have left them! He looked so pretty.”

  That got a laugh out of Pogue, and a hiss from Lilah at the front of the line. They were standing in front of a pair of broad double doors, each carved with a giant clamshell. A pair of footmen threw open the doors, and they were greeted with a great wave of cheers.

  They walked into the ballroom, where the court and all the dignitaries were gathered. There was music, and servants carrying trays of tiny foods, and a hundred thousand people to meet. After a dizzying hour of name after
name and curtsy after curtsy—as though they hadn’t spoken with many of the same people at the breakfast, and the parade, and the lunch, and the other parade—Celie finally had her hand passed from Pogue’s supportive arm to Orlath’s and was led into dinner.

  Pogue was seated some way down the table, surrounded by royal cousins, all of them tall and golden-haired and very merry. But since Celie had been working with Orlath for a couple of weeks now, they had had quite a good time making further plans for the Ship. Orlath told her all about the launch the next day as well, and she could hardly wait.

  The food was sumptuous and plentiful. And there were many toasts to the betrothed pair, who sat on a double seat at the head of the table, with the king sitting on Lulath’s right hand, and Queen Celina on Lilah’s left. At one point, carried away in the moment, Celie stood and toasted Lilah and Lulath in Grathian, saying that Lulath had become as dear as a brother over their adventures together.

  Everyone cheered as she sat back down with a groan.

  “Did I really just say that Lilah is my favorite sister?” she asked Orlath in a whisper.

  “Yes. Why?” he whispered back.

  “She’s my only sister,” Celie whispered in mortification.

  Orlath roared with laughter. When Celie finally dared to look down the table, she saw that Lilah was busy chatting with the king, and no one appeared to have noticed her mistake. She relaxed, and then had to giggle a little as well.

  And then came the dancing.

  Grathian dances were also quite the fashion in Sleyne, and Celie and her siblings had been taught by an excellent dancing master, who had started drilling them in jigs and roundelays from the minute they could walk. She and Orlath were able to swan about the ballroom with the rest of the royal party with great skill.