A Question of Propriety

"Oh!" she said. "I'd intended to bathe, but hadn't counted on all three tubs being occupied." Then the steam cleared a little, so that she could see the tubs' occupants more clearly, and she gasped. "Fred!"

"Rowena! Are you all right?" Fred had thought that things could not get any worse, but now he realised that he had been wrong. His own sister had been among the dragon's captives! When had that happened? It must have been recent, as no word had come to Caemlyn before he left on his quest.

He had never seen his sister naked before and, so far as he knew, she had never seen him naked either. He turned his head away from her, and sank as low in the water as he could, hoping that it would be opaque enough to preserve his modesty.

"I'm fine, Fred. And don't be so silly," Rowena said, apparently unabashed by their nudity. "If you're one of Arkon-Vaal's recruits, then you're going to have to get used to seeing me naked. I came here to bathe. May I share your tub?"

"No! Certainly not! It would be most improper."

"Please share mine," Astra said. "There's plenty of room. I'm Astra, and that's Glenda in the remaining tub. You and Fred are friends, I take it?"

"Rather more than that," Rowena said as she eased herself into the water. "I'm his sister. Astra? Not the Astra?"

"If you mean by that am I Princess Astra of Aqualaria, then yes. But this doesn't seem to be the right time to stand on ceremony. So how did you come to be captured?"

1. Rowena tells her story.
2. Before Rowena can begin, someone else enters the antechamber.

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