“You're enjoying it, then, Highness?”

Caution rolled her eyes. “How often, Byers, do I have to ask you to call me Caution.”

Byers pretended not to hear.

“Fine. And to answer your question, yes, it's delicious. What it it?” She lifted another forkful into her mouth.

“Karen Bird in brandy and Jenal fruit,” he told her, smiling. “Both are incredibly rare in M'leo,” he added proudly.

Caution stopped mid-chew. “Rare, like endangered?”

Byers nodded solemnly. “They say my grandchildren will know the taste of neither.”

“Then why in God's name are you feeding it to me?”

The cook looked shocked, hurt and confused. “It is a delicacy.”

.

Caution put her head in her hands and sighed theatrically. “Byers, Byers, Byers. What am I going to do with you? It's delicious, really, but I don't want anyone—and I mean anyone eating either the bird or the fruit. Ever. Unless they're starving and dying and it's the only thing around, in which case, no one would even really know anyway. I mean, have you never heard of green living? No, I guess not. Look, cook what you have left for yourself; I've got a decree to... decree.” And with that, she left.

The Big Scary Room was, unsurprisingly, filled with big, scary men. Only they weren't really big so much as old or scary so much as crotchety. Either way. As usual, they all stopped talking when Caution walked in.

“Ello, mates,” she called out in a terrible attempt at an Australian accent. “I've come to make a decree.”

Immediately, the room erupted into shouts and complaints, most of which had to do with her last decree, and several of which contained words like childish and unforgivable. Then, there was the ever-popular you have no right.

“Oh, would you shut up? I am Queen, or had you forgotten? Andy's not here, I'm in charge, got it?”

An old man in the back snorted. “Ah yes. A woman who spends all of her time in the company of a Chonti is in charge.”

Caution turned on him. “I'm sorry, I thought I made it clear with my last decree: the Chonti are your equals now, buddy. Get used to the idea.”

“You have given them new rights, but we will see how long that lasts once the King has returned. They are still below us. And to be always in the company of one speaks only of your low birth and proves what men are fit for your companions.”

Caution was trying to think of something horribly scathing to say in reply when she was interrupted by another of Andy's advisers.

“Yes, why would a queen have so much need of a sorcerer?”

Caution thought about this for a moment. Because we're having an affair didn't really seem like the best answer, but if she didn't come up with one soon, it was the conclusion they'd inevitably draw. “Because... because I've appointed him as my chief adviser. I'm new here and I understand I don't know everything about this place yet. Andy has you guys to help him out, and I have Creep to help me.”

The crowd went silent, and Caution, smiling to herself, turned and left.

A moment later, she poked her head back in. “Almost forgot. The decree: I'm declaring The Karen Bird and Jenal fruit under the Queen's protection, which means it's illegal to eat either. It also means I want farms for both set up as soon as possible. And since you guys know so much more about all of this than I do, I'm gonna leave the nitty gritty up to you, OK?”