To say that the forlorn baker was surprised when Theodora and her companion showed up a little after noon was an understatement. He was flabbergasted. Elated, but flabbergasted. He was wise enough, however, not to ask where Theodora had procured the flour. (For which both Theodora and Toku were very glad—they had no idea how they were going to explain it. From Isaku’s reaction, alchemy was clearly not as prevalent in the Upper Kingdom as in the Lower Kingdom.) The hard part for the baker now was to come through on his promise to find Theodora and Toku invitations to the Mayor’s party. Unfortunately, they ended up taking the invitations of two apprentice bakers who were rather disappointed to discover they were no longer able to attend the party. Theodora felt bad, but Toku reminded her that this was too good of an opportunity to pass up over a guilty conscience. Even after Toku’s assurances, Theodora still felt it necessary to help the baker for the rest of the day to assuage her guilt just a little.

Finally, the time for the bakers to bring the cakes and pies to the Mayor’s house arrived. Toku and Theodora took this as their own cue to leave and try to prepare as best they could to be presentable for such an occasion. The baker had given them a small amount of money in exchange for the work they did, so they bought a nice hat for Toku (which they thought could be easily modified to hold Toku’s veil for traveling during the day) and a shawl for Theodora, which covered up her dirty clothes rather neatly.

It proved a simple task to find the Mayor’s house. A throng of people were moving in that direction by the time Toku and Theodora thought it was late enough to venture to the party, themselves. Soon, as they turned a corner with the crowd, a great mansion appeared down the street, covered with banners and flags, and surrounded by gorgeous wooden carriages. As they approached the mansion, they saw regal-looking gentlemen and handsomely-dressed women stepping from the carriages. Seeing the women in long, flowing dresses and the men in stately suits and breeches made Toku feel their flimsy additions of a hat and a shawl would do absolutely nothing to help them fit in. Theodora was not worried, though. And she marched confidently towards the carpeted pathway leading up to the front door with Toku in tow.

In front of the house, they reached a line of people waiting to be announced into the party. Toku took the opportunity to look at the people surrounding him. Behind him was an older couple—a jolly-looking overweight gentleman with red cheeks and a brilliant tie that matched his cheeks, and a somber woman on his arm dressed in a shapely black dress. In front of Toku was a young man, not more than ten years his senior. As the man turned around, Toku noted a very handsome face that, while not unkind, looked stern and proud. Though Toku had never seen the King of the Lower Kingdom before, it was of him that Toku thought in looking upon the young man, who possessed a feeling of nobility that seemed to radiate about him.

As the line slowly moved forward, Toku wondered that no one was paying much attention to the strangely-dressed children (which was how he felt). He noticed that while people would occasionally glance at the duo, they would never stare. Most would simply nod their heads in recognition and continue on their way. Toku started to wonder at this, and he turned towards Theodora to ask for her thoughts. He stopped, however, as his eyes came to rest on her face. While Theodora had not at all changed from when he had seen her last—the shawl still covered a dirty and ripped shirt, her hair hung around her dead and tangled, and her face was red from the sun—but as if noticing it for the first time, he sensed the same sort of nobility radiating from the young nobleman in front of them. Her face was serene. Her smile and her eyes conveyed confidence. She seemed perfectly comfortable. Once again Toku felt like he was watching a beautiful creature who chose to walk through the world, but could never be touched by it. It was as if anything that was low or base could not bear to come near her, and so she seemed to radiate a purity and a peace that was unworldly.

“Theodora...” Toku ventured.

“Hmmm?” Theodora answered, almost absentmindedly.

“I...uh...”

“Oh, come on! It’s our turn to go in!” she interrupted. Toku was thankful for the interruption. He had nothing to say, and the large room opening up before them finally shocked him back into reality.

“Master Toku Ai and Mistress Theodora Walker,” a tall servant in a green coat and tails announced.

Following the young nobleman (whose name Toku had unfortunately missed due to his untimely infatuation with Theodora), they descended into a grand hall, filled with music and food and dancing. At the far end of the hall stood several intricately-carved tables behind which were seated the most important guests. Toku guessed that the man in the center must be the mayor. He was a very slender, almost emaciated, old man with thinning, white hair. To the mayor’s left was an old woman who, in spite of her age, still seemed graceful and even beautiful. Her smile seemed to charm the world around her, and while the mayor remained relatively quiet, the old woman amused herself with conversation and laughter. Even from across the room, Toku knew that he liked her.

Toku was horribly out of his element among all the finery. While the Lower Kingdom boasted beautiful balls and dances of its own, they were of an entirely different kind, and Toku had never even been invited to any of those. Even if he had, however, he still would have been awestruck by his surroundings. The Lower Kingdom possessed an earthy, almost savage beauty. The party at the mayor’s house, however, was filled with finery and luxury the likes of which those in the Lower Kingdom could never even imagine. The music, itself, seemed to be filled with the light that illuminated this world that sat above. The dancing in the middle of the room was graceful and lolling—as if the dancers were gliding along the clouds.

It was Theodora, therefore, who took the lead in guiding Toku through the crowds of merry-makers.

“Toku, do you see anyone who looks like he might be the King or the Alchemist?”

“Huh? What?” Toku was distracted by a tiered fountain showering fruit punch.

“The King or the Alchemist. That’s why we’re here, after all!”

“Oh, right,” answered Toku, immediately becoming distracted once again by a woman in a dazzling sequined dress that seemed to glow with its own light.

As Toku’s eyes continued to dart from one amazing thing to the next, they suddenly came to rest on the young nobleman whom they had entered behind. He was staring at them from across the dance floor. Or rather, much to Toku’s shock, he was staring at Theodora.

Seeming to have caught Toku’s gaze, the nobleman carefully began crossing the room towards them. Toku did not know what to do. Part of him wanted to grab Theodora’s hand and run away into the crowd. But the more rational part of him thought that this might be the perfect opportunity to get some information. It would be much easier to ask the kind of questions they needed to ask if someone approached them first.

Not to disappoint, the nobleman eventually appeared from behind a group of young women who giggled at him as he walked by. Again Toku was filled with the urge to grab Theodora and run.

“Excuse me, m’lady,” the handsome young man said as he came within speaking distance.

“Oh, yes?” answered Theodora, who just at that moment had noticed the man approaching.

“I could not help but notice that you two are not from here, are you?”

“No, we’re not. Why?” responded Toku, rather shortly.

“Oh, forgive me, good sir! I did not mean to offend,” said the young man, tipping his hat and offering a short bow. “I merely noticed your different clothing, and you seem to have a different air to you.”

“Yes, I’m afraid our clothes do leave something to be desired,” offered Theodora, good-naturedly.

“Oh, no! Not at all, m’lady! Foreign clothing is always in the height of fashion, as you know. I am sure that as we speak there are ladies all through this hall carefully examining your designs so as to impress their friends upon returning home.” The smile on the young man’s face made it difficult for Toku to decide whether he was serious or joking.

“I’m sorry to ask such a pointed question,” the nobleman began again, “but, are you in need of something?”

Theodora and Toku were both shocked. Did they look so needy?

“Please don’t be alarmed. I merely sensed a kind of questing from you, if you know what I mean,” the nobleman said, noticing the look on Toku’s face. For his part, Toku was not sure at all what the nobleman meant. However, once again, Theodora took matters into her hands.

“We are seeking something, as it turns out. But we can hardly begin our conversation in such a way. I am Theodora Walker. And this is my friend, Toku Ai.”

“Oh, yes of course! Forgive me once again for my rudeness. You will naturally wish to whom you are speaking. I am called Nathaniel of Thrue. My father is Hyram of Thrue, a member of the Royal Court.”

“The Royal Court!” Theodora and Toku said together.

“So, you know the King?” Toku asked.

“I have been blessed to have met His Greatness on many occasions, but our King makes it a priority to meet all of his people.”

“Is he here tonight?” ask Theodora, expectantly.

“Oh, I am sorry to say he is not. Those of the Royal Entourage here, including myself, are returning from a journey spreading news of a Royal Proclamation. This town of Went is to be the final step before we return to the capitol.”

“Went?” Toku interrupted.

“Yes, good sir. Went is the name of this town. You truly are from afar!”

“Yes, we are...Sir Nathaniel,” said Theodora, trying to be polite.

“Oh, you mustn’t call me that!” Nathaniel said with a laugh. “I am no knight, yet! But, even as that may be, I would still be most pleased to come to the aid of such a maiden.” Toku’s insides squirmed at this last remark.

“We would be very grateful for your help. We are actually hoping to see the King, and the Alchemist as will, if we can,” said Theodora.

“The Alchemist!” Nathaniel’s face fell. “But why should you need to...ah, we shall discuss these matters in detail later. For now, we should enjoy the party. Tonight, you will stay with my household and we can discuss our travels in the morning.”

Theodora accepted this suggestion immediately. But Toku did not like the friendliness of the strange young man. It was all too easy.

“I’m sorry to sound ungrateful,” Toku began, addressing Nathaniel, “but why are you helping us? You don’t know us. You don’t know where we are from. You don’t know why we wish to see the King. You don’t know anything about us and we don’t know anything about you. Why should you help us?”

“Or, perhaps you mean, ‘Why should we trust you?’” Nathaniel replied with a penetrating look that quickly vanished with an easy smile. “If it will make you feel more at ease, we can discuss all such questions in the morning. For right now, let us just say that it is my duty to help you...especially you, m’lady,” Nathaniel said, now turning to Theodora. “I sense a difference about you—something that sets you apart. Those who have approached the light bear the signs of the light. It is for the sake of the light that I offer my assistance.”

Toku wanted to ask Nathaniel what he meant, but before he could the nobleman had rejoined the throng of the party, leaving Toku and Theodora standing in quiet reflection of the strange change of fortune that had befallen them.

“What do you think he meant?” Theodora asked Toku, breaking the silence between him. “What was he talking about, ‘for the sake of the light’?”

“I was just wondering the same thing,” Toku answered. “But, strangely, I feel like I’ve heard something like it before. Something Master Aleric said once. But I can’t really remember.”

“Whatever it means, we were certainly lucky coming here.”

“But can we trust him?” Toku asked.

“Yes,” Theodora answered, "We can."