Chloe, Hannah, Katetheuna and Hotzeh all walked slowly into the hall together, Katetheuna guiding Hotzeh by the arm. It was white-walled, like all of the other buildings in Larakia, and vast, clearly able to hold hundreds of people in it at a time. Presently, however, it was empty, save for one man sat in a large marble throne at the far end, with whom they had been granted an audience. Their footsteps echoed over the stone floor as they made their way over to him, led by one of the man’s robed attendants.

The attendant stopped them when they were a few paces away from the man. He had been reading from an old, leather-bound book, but he looked up at the arrival of his visitors. He had a long, white beard and messy white hair, framing deep wrinkles. His own robe was interwoven with a great deal of golden thread, to create the pattern of a heron.

“Presenting Princess Katetheuna Muthagateria and Prince Hotzeh Muthuisios, and new arrivals the Princesses Hannah and Chloe Clearwater, my lord.”

Katetheuna and Hotzeh bowed. The girls copied them.

“Very good,” said the elderly man with a smile. “You may leave us,” he said to the attendant.

“Chloe and Hannah,” said Katetheuna, “may I introduce to you the current Steward King of Larakia, King Epitropos.”

“Greetings, girls,” said the man. “Yes, quite remarkable. Two identical twins, just as you said, Hotzeh.”

“Pleased to meet you,” said Chloe, not knowing what else she was meant to say.

“Please sir,” said Hannah, ever the bold, “are you the person that Katey and Hotzeh call ‘the One True King’?”

The elderly man took a long, hard look at them. Then, to their surprise, the he burst out laughing.

“Good Larakia, no!” he said when he had calmed down a bit. “I am not the One True King, young ladies, nor should you ever mistake me for him! I am but the Steward King.”

“What’s a steward?” asked Hannah, becoming bolder by the moment and forgetting her respectful term of address.

The Steward King did not seem to mind. “A steward is someone who looks after a place for someone else,” he began to explain to them. The girls listened as he talked them through what was what. “In fact I am just one in a line of many ‘Steward Kings’ who have looked after and stewarded this land for the One True King. He is the only One True King, as his name suggests. The One True King, who made Mashal, lives beyond the walls of this world. One day though he is going to come back. We Steward Kings are simply tasked with helping to take care of this place until he returns. That’s why we call ourselves Steward-Kings. I still have authority in this land and I govern and take care of it, but I am not its ultimate ruler.”

He took a deep breath. “Now, to business, girls. As I am sure these two have told you, you arrived a number of weeks ago in accordance with a forthtelling that you will appear in order to help with a special mission. I am sorry we have not met before. It was decided that we would not overwhelm you with too many things at once when you arrived. And your mission is very important, so important that it has been kept quite secret, even from most of the Larakians, otherwise there would be lots of other people here.”

“Yes sir,” said Chloe, “Katey and Hotzeh have told us about this special mission thingy… But we’re not really too clear on the details....”

“Well, let me explain some more,” said Epitropos. “It’s quite simple really. It has been forthtold that there is a boy living somewhere in Dahma who is to be the next heir to the Steward Throne of Larakia, and that he will lead our people in doing great exploits.”

“Shouldn’t one of your children inherit the throne after you, sir?” asked Chloe, remembering her History lessons from school.

“I am old and I have no children, I’m afraid,” said Epitropos. “What is more, in Larakia the Stewardship of the Kingdom is not passed on by birth, but by the choice of the One True King. Often the next heir comes from Dahma, or even Shul, and has to be rescued.”

“And how do you know who the One True King chooses?” said Hannah.

“Why, through the forthtellers, and by the discernment of the people of the Kingdom. How else?”

“How do you know it’s a boy? Why does it have to be a boy?”

“Hannah!” said Chloe, her cheeks turning pink.

“Well, it’s a fair question.”

“Indeed it is, it is a very fair question,” said Epitropos. “It is true, it could have been a girl, or a woman, and there have indeed been many Steward Queens of Larakia. But on this occasion it just so happens to be a boy. It has been forthtold that way.”

“By who?” Hannah continued to press the Steward-King for an explanation.

“Ah. That would be me,” said Hotzeh.

“Quite so,” said Epitropos. “Hotzeh is our head forthteller at the moment.”

“Well how do you know that he is right?” said Hannah. “Katey says he gets things wrong sometimes.”

“I was right about you arriving, wasn’t I?” said Hotzeh, the pitch of his voice climbing ever so slightly.

“Well there you are,” said Epitropos. “That is what it comes down to, really. If the forthtelling is inaccurate, we will find out soon enough, as we will not be able to find the person we are looking for in the place he is supposed to be at the time he is supposed to be there. If it is accurate, we will also find that out too, as we will be able to find the person we are looking for in the place he is supposed to be.”

“But sir,” said Chloe, “who is the person we are meant to be looking for?”

“A young boy living in the city of Ubal, in the country of Dahma, with brown hair. Oh, and a scar on his right cheek. He will be found there in a few days’ time on the 15th of the month of Nisan.”

“Dahma?” said Hannah. “Where is that?”

“You don’t know? Ah yes, I forgot. I was told that you two were brought here by the One True King from a far away land. It does happen from time to time. Dahma is the neighbouring land to the west, over the Aythian mountains, between Larakia and Shul, which is even further west. Really, they are all co-terminal, which means they take up the same space, but you don’t need to worry about too much about that: The Aythian mountains act as a border to Dahma, and the great Western Sea acts as a border to Shul. Most of the people living in Dahma and Shul are not citizens of Larakia. But many of us invite them here and show them the way to go through the Tsaphsaphah tunnel to become citizens here, just as you did. And often the next heir to the Steward Throne is forthtold to come from Dahma. As I say, the next one is a young boy with brown hair and a scar on his right cheek to be found in the city of Ubal.”

“I get that much,” said Hannah, “but what I don’t understand, sir, is why can’t someone else go on this mission? Why couldn’t Katey and Hotzeh just go on it by themselves? They seem strong enough.”

“Missions are not won on strength alone, young lady,” said Epitropos. “There is valour to consider. And courage. And what is more, they require just the right person with just the right combination of gifts. You and Hannah have been selected for this mission. These are the One True King’s ways. He works everyone into his plan. I do not presume to understand why or how.

“The fact of the matter is: You are the forthtold Larakians who will help us to find this boy, and bring him into the Kingdom. That is your special mission. It is time for you to embark on it.”