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He stood for a ti I could not tell if he had understood what I said at all Dutiful sat slulowering He plainly hoped that Thick would leave But after a ain "Stop the ain and, squinting at me, said, "There"

I had not realized how his steady Skilling had been battering my walls In the stillness that followed, I felt an immense sense of relief It was like the pause in the stor and silence flows in I gave a great sigh and Dutiful suddenly sat up straight He rubbed at his ears, looking puzzled, then looked at me "All of that was hi reat uncertainty dawned over Dutiful’s face "But I thoughtI thought that was the Skill itself The great river you speak about" He looked at Thick again, but his attitude toward the little ed It wasn’t respect, but it ariness, which often precedes respect

Then, like a sudden curtain of rain, theed frolanced at Thick His face had fallen back into its nor was, to hi hat required his effort And where had he learned that?

Did your mother talk to you, like this?

No

Then how did you learn to do this?

He frowned She sang to ether And she made the bad boys not see me

Excitement filled me Thick Where is your mother? Do you have brothers or--

"Stop that! It isn’t fair!" The Prince sounded as petulant as a child

It startled hts "What isn’t fair?"

"You two Skilling to each other where I can’t hear It’s rude It’s like whispering behind someone’s back"

I heard the jealousy in his voice as well Thick, the half-as doing so that the Prince of all the Six Duchies could not And I was obviously enthused about it I’d have to go carefully here I suspected that Skille each to try harder But that was not oal Instead, these two must be haht, that was not courteous Thick just toldto hiether And that sometimes she used it to make bad boys not see him"