Iracebeth wasn't sure whether to laugh or frown at the sight before her. In the parlour, Mirana was clutching her teacup, sipping at it with no milk or cream added, even though it kept burning her lips. King Oleron sat on the bench, watching the sun rise as he gulped down his tea, and beside him, Time stared into his own teacup, carefully reaching out to pick it up, but every time he tried, he sharply withdrew his hands back. There were thick red cuts all over his hands. Queen Elsemere was blissfully smiling, pouring some tea for herself. Nobody spoke a single word. The silence was maddening.

Iracebeth had to shatter it. "Where have you been?" she asked Time, although her question sounded more like a demand.

Time gazed at her, struggling to think of something to say. The last few days felt like a blur to him, a foggy nightmare of sorts, and he was hardly sure of what was real and what wasn't anymore.

"I was repairing him," said King Oleron. "I had to render him unconscious. He isn't going to remember any of it, Iracebeth."

Mirana shook her head sadly. "It isn't a very pleasant life you lead, Time. I do hope that you'll get your own castle soon, once your appointment is official."

Iracebeth glared at the clockwork boy, her eyes shining like two piercing jewels in the encroaching sunlight. "It can't be that bad," she snapped, clasping her hands together so tightly that her knuckles had gone white. "You're only clockwork! So, can you even really feel pain at all, or are you just trying to avoid doing your job?"

"Iracebeth!" shouted King Oleron, slamming his fist down on the windowsill. "Apologize at once. Your rudeness is uncalled for."

Iracebeth pointed an accusing finger at Time as she stood, dropping her teacup and allowing it to clatter noisily to the floor. "Your pet ghoul should be the one apologizing to me!" she shrieked, her face red with embarrassment. "This is what always happens. Nobody loves me! You all just blame me for your own mistakes!"

"Iracebeth…" growled the King.

Time slowly stood, taking a step forward towards Iracebeth, driving her to silence. Bowing to her, his locks of black hair falling across his eyes, he told her, "I apologize, Princess Iracebeth. I should not have spoken to you as I did."

Iracebeth's mouth dropped open. She stuttered, speechless, at a loss for anything to say.

Mirana rolled her eyes. "Now that our crazy Racie's gotten that out of the way," she sighed, picking up Iracebeth's teacup and placing it back in an upright position, "let's just enjoy the morning, shall we?" She sipped her own tea quietly, warming her hands on the silver cup.

How, she wondered, would she possibly get Iracebeth to help her to craft an unbirthday present for Time? And what could the two sisters possibly give to a being like Time, anyway? She had seen Time playing with things in the little temporary room he had been placed in, mostly Queen Elsemere's childhood music boxes and kaleidoscopes, but that was all. He by no means acted his own age, but rather much older, or almost ageless, which bothered Mirana. Maybe it's because he was a soldier in his own country. If he was a freedom fighter and a timekeeper, he surely had no time to play games or to read books or… or to do anything, really. How sad.

Iracebeth was tapping her fingernails noisily on her empty teacup, watching Time with a calculated stare. "I… accept your apology," she told him bluntly, nodding her head, "but you're a very rude little creature, Tick-Tock. Were you never taught proper manners in school?"

"I," said Time, even more bluntly than Iracebeth, "have never been to school."

"Then you're just ignorant, I suppose," huffed Iracebeth.

"To you, perhaps," replied Time, unfazed. "One doesn't need to go to school to learn. I know how to read. I know mathematics and history and fictional literature… and I can speak three languages. German, Finnish, and English. That's how I can speak to you now, Princess Iracebeth. Most of the people in my country can only speak in German."

Mirana put her hand to her mouth, suppressing a sharp giggle. Racie just can't insult him no matter how hard she tries! This is hysterical!

"Iracebeth," scolded the Queen, giving her eldest daughter a strict gaze, "I believe that now you are the one being rude. You had better mind your manners."

Iracebeth pouted, sticking out her tongue at Time. To her disbelief, Time only smiled at her and said, "you shouldn't do that, or else your face will freeze that way!"

Mirana snorted loudly with uncontrollable laughter, nearly spitting out her tea all over the carpet.