Pretty Princess Helen, on extended vacation in New Esbec, took a seat on a relatively comfortable wooden chair. Rays of dim sunlight illuminated the room as a maide brought her a cup of tea, and her quite wide wetnurse Johanna looked over her two young children in their cradles. As the princess stood and gazed out the window, perhaps looking for the silhouette of her husband, she saw another sight - her fat courier, Tobias, sprinting as fast as his stubby legs could take him towards her summer lodge.
Strange, Helen thought. He wasn't due for another three days, and really only ever ran so quickly when delivering Hearsay of Hanseti-Ruska to her. In his greasy, sweaty palms, instead, was an oilskin-wrapped parcel containing a dozen of the latest scandals surrounding the Othamans and her best friend, Anna Henrietta.
Pretty Princess Helen picked up her teacup, took a delicate sip, and, for effect, spit it out at her obese courier, who grinned from ear to ear in response.