Always Be Appreciative of Opposable Thumbs

Chapter Nineteen: A Capable, Uncoupled Princess

You agreed to help her rescue him?

Hugo adjusted the nightshirt that a servant had left on the bed while they had been at dinner. It was much fancier than any sleepwear he had worn before, and it felt a little girly to him. At the last minute, he decided to keep his trousers on.

"Yeah, I don't really know what came over me," he said as he flipped the quilt off of Willow.

Well, I think it's a wonderful idea! She waddled over to the makeshift nest he had made for her out of pillows at the head of the bed. Lana seems like a lovely girl. I'd be happy to help her.

Hugo climbed under the covers and turned to face Willow. "You think Sera will be as eager to help?"

I'm sure she's a good person at heart. When she hears Lana's tragic story, I'm certain she'll want to lend a hand.

With one eyebrow arched, he gave her a skeptical grin. "What about Sera makes you think she does things out of the goodness of her heart?"

She hasn't robbed us blind and taken off with our cart.

"You think she's a good person because she hasn't taken our property?"

Give her a chance. I'm sure she'll prove herself a worthy friend.

Though he wasn't as optimistic as she was, he settled into bed and hoped for the best.

~

"You did what?"

Sera was holding her head while sipping a cup of hot tea. She squinted against the low light of the dining hall and hissed in pain as the servants placed platters of food on the table.

"No one will help her," Hugo said once the servants had left. "And she's been incredibly generous to us. It's the least we can do."

"It's her fault our cart got destroyed in the first place. We owe her nothing."

"She has gone above and beyond."

"That was her choice. No one forced her to feed and clothe us."

"I agree with Hugo," Jyoji said as he helped himself to a piece of fruit. "Princess Lana has been a superb hostess. And her heart-wrenching story is enough to bring me to tears."

"No surprise there," Sera mumbled.

"So what's the plan?" asked Jyoji.

Hugo shrugged. "I haven't really gotten that far."

"Great, so we're just going to saunter on up to that giant snake thing and be all like, 'Hey, fish breath, surrender the prince or we'll accost you with cabbages'? Great plan," Sera said.

Hugo knit his brows together. "Lame comebacks."

Throwing her hands up in the air, Sera waved him away and focused on her tea. "Whatever, I can't think straight. It's too dang loud and bright in here."

"You can't hold your liquor," Jyoji said with a teasing smile.

"I can hold my liquor just fine. Little-Miss-Princess just makes an unusually strong wine. It's like drinking gnome repellant."

"You seemed to be enjoying it last night," Hugo said.

"Shut up."

Is she going to be all right?

"Yeah, she's just a big baby who doesn't know how to drink," Hugo said.

Sera grabbed him by the shirt but instantly groaned and let him go to rub her temples. Jyoji laughed, and Willow fretted over the fiery vixen who was cursing them all for making such an earsplitting racket.