It was a great day. Lamenta and her friend Lee Ali just arrived at the palace after they'd gone to a new exhibit at the museum together. To make it even better, they were having a sleepover afterward.
"Hey, cous." Gabby greeted. "How was the museum?"
"It was amazing." Lamenta said. "You should've seen it. They had displays of so many dresses over the years from so many beautiful kingdoms like Roya's."
"There was a man and lady who showed us some ancient dance forms they do there too." Lee Ali added. "And they had golden animal statues. You should've been there."
"Too bad I was busy helping Grandpa today." Gabby said. "But I'm glad you had fun."
Lamenta pulled something out of her bag. A lotus flower bracelet.
"I got this for you." Lamenta said.
Gabby smiled as she tried on the bracelet.
"It's beautiful. Thank you."
"I also got this."
Lamenta pulled out a book.
"Hey, I remember seeing the movie version of that book." Gabby said. "But I've always wanted to read it."
"Let's ask Grandpa to read it to us." Lamenta looked at Lee. "You'll love the way our grandpa does story time."
The little girls found Qui-Gon as he was finishing signing some important documents and feeling ready to relax.
"Hi, Grandpa." said Gabby and Lamenta.
"Your Majesty." Lee curtsied.
"Hello, girls." Qui-Gon smiled. "Lamenta, how was your trip to the museum?"
"It was so much fun!" Lamenta said. And she held up the book. "I got this as a souvenir. And we were wondering...?"
"Say no more, little one." Qui-Gon had the girls sit down as he opened the book. "Ah, a classic tale of love and magic. One that started with a lamp."
Qui-Gon found a pretty oil lamp on the table and used it as a visual aid.
"A lamp very much like this one."
Lee Ali was confused.
"How does an oil lamp do magic?" Lee asked.
"Things are not always what they seem at first glance, Lee." Qui-Gon said. "Like this lamp, a young man in this story was more than what he appeared on the inside. A diamond in the rough."