The highest tower had a view that took in the whole of the city, every canal, and every distant mountain past the pale green waters of the lagoon.

            The Princess Daffodil stared out over the stretch of storming waters with a contented look on her face. She looked like a well-fed cat sitting on the railing, plump and satisfied with life with a contentedly twitching tail.

            “Princess, that was not wisely done.” The Marabian guards surrounding her had identical reddish skin and deep amber eyes. Their nation had made a birthing gift of them to her father, the Duke. She could not remember a time when their identical, impassive faces, had not surrounded her.

            The Princess couldn’t help a quick glance at the splashing, white-edged water beneath her vantage point. The gently lapping waters covered everything. She glanced up again and her pale grey eyes sparkled, brimming with laughter and mock innocence.

“Do what?” she asked, hopping delicately off the rail, scarlet skirts flying, intricately embroidered golden slippers touching the stones as lightly as a bird’s wing.

            The guard’s eyes narrowed. He looked like a red hawk sighting prey. “You cannot always get what you want, Princess.”

            “Really. Then why have I?”

            “Your father indulges you. When you are Duchess of this country you will not be able to do as you wish with everyone that crosses your path.”

            She paused. “When my father chooses a man worthy of the country, worthy of the work that my ancestors have done here, then I will consider giving him my hand in marriage. Until that time comes, until my father consults me about a marriage proposal, I see no reason to allow obnoxious simpletons with money to paw over me to their heart’s content.”

            “We would not have allowed that, Princess.”

            She arched an eyebrow. “But if my father had chosen him, how could you have objected? It’s better this way.” She sauntered away, the sway of her lace edging brushing the floor as she moved. She took a fudge filled cookie off the tray of the white faced serving boy and bit into it with a smooth, satisfied motion.

            “Besides, he was fat. He’ll probably float.”