Breakfast was entirely unpleasant for me. The food smelled delicious and I had no doubt it was, but my human hands were unused to knives and forks and eve if they were I had no appetite. I picked and chewed and swallowed and managed to present a fair enough semblance of eating—at least no one said anything.

We—Queen Flore, Queen Patricia, Bastien, and myself—ate at a small table over looking the courtyard. It was a common and charming enough place for breakfast, and the day had remained as gorgeous as the early morning. I should have felt at home there. The queens chatted, even trying to draw me into their conversation, and Bastien smiled and talked pleasantly to me like he had absolutely no idea how he had behaved that morning. Though upon consideration I decided he either did not know or knew and didn't care. I wondered if my fury showed on my face, but no one asked how I was feeling. Queen Flore had always been good at reading faces, so perhaps I was still incapable of properly using a human face.

What stroke of misfortune had led me back here? I had been off to the Monkey Kingdom. I wasn't supposed to see much of this place again. And within days I was back to be tormented by the man I thought I had loved. How could I have been such a fool? He was Bastien! I had known Bastien for as long as I could remember. How had I dared to expect anything else from him but such conceited behavior? So we had often mocked some of the sillier girls he had courted. How was I to have known he treated all girls the same way? I might have helped him discover taste in women but he was still the same idiot. Occasionally I looked up to see him watching me, but just as often he would be looking at something else.

It was a relief, I finally decided. I had been nothing but a silly little girl, a silly little monkey with her heart in the wrong place.

"I wish you could have met her!" Queen Flore was telling Queen Patricia. "My Babiole."

The bite I had taken stopped mid-swallow. Finally, mention of me.

"I had heard many great things of her," Queen Patricia said after a bite of egg.

Queen Flore laughed softly. "It's such a pity you arrived when you did. You missed her by only a couple of days. She was such a pretty thing, and very smart. For anyone. I know some travelers just thought she was like a parrot with fur, but she was as smart as anyone."

My heart flipped. Oh, this was so much better than bothering myself with Bastien. I tried to fight down a little smile.

"She was like the daughter I never had." Queen Flore brushed a tear from her eye. "Which is exactly why the marriage happened."

"Of course," replied Queen Patricia. "She hardly sounds like any sort of pet! Are animals not people in their own right? And if she is as smart and observant as you say she is she has every right to make her own decisions."

"It's a great opportunity for her, this marriage. I couldn't allow her to pass it up especially when she agreed to it."

I wanted to laugh. If only Queen Flore knew.

"I just can't imagine Babiole living with other monkeys," said Bastien.

I wanted to kick him under the table. Right under it.

"Well, we shall just have to insist she visits," Queen Flore said, pulling her napkin from her lap and tossing it onto her finished plate. Then she looked at me, eyes bright. "Singette, are you fond of monkeys?"

I nodded. "Very much, Your Majesty."

"You have taste. I like that. You would have loved Babiole. I've barely met you, and already I think you would be great friends."

"I'm sure we would."

"Do you know who has an irrational hatred of monkeys?" Queen Patricia asked.

Queen Flore's face darkened, and she rolled her eyes. "Queen Cerise. And that silly husband of hers just goes right along with it."

"Though I can hardly blame him, Achille loves her." She sighed. "Achille has been pestering me again."

"For your kingdom?"

"Why would we want it?" Bastien interrupted. "His is large enough."

Great. The entire lovely breakfast scene was turning into a matter of state business. Such things had before intrigued me, but now I just wasn't in the mood. But I couldn't think of a single way to excuse myself and no one seemed to mind my presence.

Queen Patricia looked at Bastien with stern approval. Yes, that was right. Pat Bastien on the back for doing what was eventually to be his job. "As you know, I never married. However, King Achille and I always did assume I would, and we had once made a plan that if possible any children we had could marry. My kingdom is small, and it seemed a wise idea. However, I never had children and his only child died at birth. Apparently he still wants the kingdom."

Bastien barely glanced at his mother before continuing. "We will be more than happy to give you any help you need."

"Of course," Queen Flore agreed.

Queen Patricia gave a small laugh, though her smile was wide. "Thank-you. I doubt it will come to anything drastic for a time, but I will not lie that part of my reason for coming was to ask for your support."

"I'm embarrassed you felt you even had to ask for it," Queen Flore said. Then she stood up and looked at me. "Singette, I apologize for boring you with this talk. A girl like you probably had more romantic ideas about palace life and I'm so sorry to disappoint you."

"Not at all," I said. "I'm practical. I like to know our rulers are doing something to run their countries, Your Majesty. I hate to think you were in here ignoring everyone."

Everyone laughed at that, and I felt a spark of satisfaction.

"I quite like you," Queen Flore continued. "Here, come with me for a moment. I want to show you more of the palace."

I probably knew more about the palace than she did—monkey-size was perfect for exploring. But I had never been one to refuse her, so I followed, trying to mold my face into looks of awe as she pointed out things I had seen for years.

At last she cut to the chase. "You don't strike me as a commoner, Singette. You mentioned your parents were dead, but you seem noble."

All right, I could elaborate on my story. "My father was a knight, but the family fortune had long been spent by the time he took the title. When they died, I didn't have much left." I considered adding something about my parents being murdered, but it was too much like what Bastien would think of.

"Such a loss. You have my sympathies. I take it you are not betrothed to anyone?"

Not this. Did the woman do nothing but try to get people married? But an intention to marry would not fit into my story of wandering unless I was being forced to marry a crazed maniac. "No, Your Majesty."

She didn't speak for several long moments. "I have a son," she finally said. "You know that. Of course you know that. And I am already very fond of you, Singette. I feel like I have known you for years. He will inherit my throne. He has many flaws, to be sure, but I could not have asked for a better person in my son."

My heart pounded. No, no, no. I did not want to marry Bastien. Not anymore.

"I can already tell he likes you," she continued. "And nothing would be forced. But if you were interested in a courtship with him, well, I would approve of it more than with any other girl."

If this had happened two days ago I would have ran off, found Bastien, and dragged him to an alter. But all I could do was turn my attention to a painting of a tree. "Your Majesty, your offer is more than I could have ever hoped for it, but I spent time with Prince Bastien this morning. I'm afraid I feel nothing for him."

To my surprise, she laughed. "Babiole used to make fun of him. You probably see what she sees in him. Absolutely nothing worthwhile. It makes me like you all the more. Don't worry, I'm not hurt. I only wanted to make the offer for I thought you would be a great daughter-in-law."

"Does Your Majesty have any other sons?" I asked as I smiled at her.

She laughed harder. "I'm afraid not! But let me give you another offer, this one from Queen Patricia."

"Queen Patricia?"

She nodded. "We actually… fought over you. But we both decided it would be your decision. She is just as taken with you as I am. I told her I wanted to try to marry you off to Bastien, while she just wanted to take you home with her to her kingdom. Think about it. She is one of the finest people I know, and she has never spoken of taking anyone in before, at least to my knowledge."

"I…" I didn't know what to say.

"It would be a great opportunity for you. Living and studying in a palace. She believes in education. You would have so many chances to meet people. Maybe not as much as traveling, but there is a lot more comfort involved."

I still didn't know what to think, though my mind seemed to suggest thinking about this offer. And I couldn't think of a reason why not. I didn't know what to do with myself on the road and I couldn't very well stay here.

My mind still not in control, I nodded. "Yes."