The young prince shook our hands and smiled warmly at us, his blue eyes kind but troubled.

“Please, tell me what happened to Sioni.”

I told him about how we’d found the lock on her window broken, and no sign of Sioni within the tower, excepting a long strand of her hair.

I watched the prince carefully as I mentioned how my husband had found Sioni’s hair, suspicious of him still, despite his pretty manners. But he didn’t even blink.

“Sioni did tell you about the curse, did she not?” I asked him.

“Please, call me Alfred. What curse?”

Was he lying? I looked at Harry, confused, and he put his arm around my shoulders.

“Please pardon my wife’s manners,” he said, smiling at the king and queen. “She is obviously distressed at our daughter’s disappearance. I am Harry von Teschen and this is my wife, Margaret.”

The king suddenly regained his power of speech: “I do not know you, peasants, but my son professes to know your daughter. We shall provide our assistance. Now, please inform us of the curse.”