“What happened?" said Clover, wetting a cloth in the basin, and dabbing Azalea's face."She had a sort of fit," said the King. "I think her underthings may be laced too tightly."All the girls, including Azalea, blushed brilliantly."Sir," said Eve. "You're not suppose to know about the U word!""Am I not? Forgive me.”

“Ah, Azalea," said the King. "He's not going to be the one proposing."The springs in Azalea's feet went poioioing."Sorry?" she said."You outrank him, you know." The King shifted, uncomfortable. "It would be highly inappropriate for him to propose to you. The Delchastrian queen had to propose-""I will do no such thing!" said Azalea.”

“Ah,Azalea," said the King. "He's not going to be the one proposing."The springs in Azalea's feet went poioioing."Sorry?" she said."You outrank him, you know." The King shifted, uncomfortable. "It would be highly inappropriate for him to propose to you. The Delchastrian queen had to propose-""I will do no such thing!" said Azalea."Azalea," said the King in a firmer tone. "Come now, follow the rules. Besides, it is your chance to have the final say,is it not?""I always have the final say!" said Azalea. "How horrifically unromantic!""Well,do you want me to send him away?""No!Don't do that!”

“What did Fairweller say? When you delivered the note?""Oh," said Clover, calming a little. "Well...nothing, actually. I sort of...accidentally...tore it to pieces.""Accidentally," Azalea echoed."And threw it into the fire," said Clover."Oh.”

“What did your mother do?" he said."Sir?""When it was time for bed," said the King. "Tell me."The girls exchanged nervous glances. He was talking about Mother."She used to help the girls with their prayers," said Azalea, hesitant. "And-sometimes she would read stories."The King set the sword on the table, next to the vase."Very well," he said as the girls whispered to one another. "I will read you a story."The whispering stopped.”

“You once said you had studied at the university," said Eve shyly. "What did you stufy, please?"Azalea blushed. It was all right for the girls to interrogate normal gentlemen, but this was the one she wanted to keep."Ah," said Mr. Bradford, coloring as well. "Politics, actually. Some philosophy, and sciences. But...mostly politics, I'm afraid.”

“So suppose Azalea finds the sugar teeth after all," said Bramble, taking Azalea by the shoulders and spinning her. Azalea rolled her eyes but obliged, and let her feet turn beneath her. A lsight push, and Azalea spun to Delphinium."She breaks them," said Delphinium, catching Azalea and pushing her to Hollyhock in a spin, a ball with skirts."Snap!" said Hollyhock.Azalea flinched. Hollyhock fumbled to spin her to Bramble again."And in a burst of fireworks, he emerges from the passage! Burst!”