The Captain entered and held the door for the princess. She glared sidelong at him and sat down, crossing her legs and folding her robes tightly around her.

“Anything I should know about… your highness?”

“No, Captain.”

He sighed. “It is my greatest honor to serve you, your highness, but you ask much. First I take you on board without knowing the reason as to your coming and going. Then we take the long way home, at your bidding. Now this business with the lifeboat, which I hazard to guess you were expecting to find, and now you take some token off that poor, drowned sailor and ask me to ignore it. It’s dark, and the fog is thick, but we’re used to such conditions. The crew follow my example, but they will have seen it too. Some might have gotten a better look than I did. You ask much, your highness. But of course I will oblige you entirely, and without complaint.”

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“Thank you, Captain. When at last we return to Jeweled Cities, you will be rewarded. My father’s kingdom is small, but our islands are rich and our trade prosperous.”

“True. The small size of your father’s kingdom in no way diminishes his influence. But there are other kingdoms…”

“What are you—?”

“I suggest nothing, but I wonder; is any one of those other kingdoms on your mind tonight? Before you answer, we dropped anchor an hour ago, and cannot safely raise it until morning, when the rising sun burns off the fog. I can spit further than I can see.”

“No doubt…” The princess smiled uneasily. Then she was silent for a long time. Her eyes blazed, like the coals. “Since you ask, I think tonight of the Jade Empress.”