'To Queen Cecilia', that message read. 'To Queen Cecilia of the Cretations, Atiilio City, Bear Kingdom.' If there's one thing you hate, it's the Dinosaur -- Cretation -- Tribe from the Market Cities. Since the start of the Bird Throne War, there had been much tension among the Tribes of Gatuan. The Tribe you work for, the Dragons, are on a side opposite the Cretations...

But since being a messenger is your job, and the message seems urgent, you hop on your hang glider and prepare for the worst. About eight hours of flying later, you touch down in the courtyard, bracing yourself for intense stares, but nobody's there. The courtyard is deserted! Getting out the scroll you're supposed to deliver, you approach an ornate door in the south wall. Hopefully someone will answer if you knock.

Then you hear people talking behind the door...

Queen Cecilia: "You are all almost as bad as the other queens!"

There's Queen Cecilia! She sounds old as usual -- maybe more so. Then there's a new voice. Not one you recognize.

Baron Kojima: "We must be quite good at what we do, then!" Lady Unaqe: "'Quite good' ?" Count Shen scoffs "No. Hardly any good." Lady Unaqe: "Whatever." Lord Axigawa: "I couldn't agree more with the queen. I could agree less with Sti--" Count Shen: Call me 'Sticks', and I'll--" Dutchess Yuwala: "No wonder the queen thinks of us as fools. And someone tell the Count to stop bringing his cane of death everywhere!" Daimyo Liw: suddenly listening in "Death?! Who said 'death'?!" Queen Cecilia: "Mariko did, zone-out boy."

Sounds like a delightful conversation. You look at the letter in your hand, then back at the door.