in for afternoon tea one day----"

"He will make a stay of some months, I hope." There were no wizards in Barodia, and therefore the war would be a long one. It was this which had decided Hyacinth."Indeed, it is nothing," said the prince, looking at his hand which had been slightly wounded during the journey. 

"Let me bind it up for you," said the old woman, and Udo handed her his hand obediently. 

"Are you a witch, by chance?" asked Coronel, only half in jest. 

The old woman chuckled. "They call me that in the village, your Highness, but no harm has come to any who have crossed my threshold." 

She deftly wrapped a bandage around Udo's hand and then invited them inside. 

"Supper is almost ready, dear Princes. Please make yourselves comfortable." 

As they sat at the humble table, the old woman regaled them with stories of the surrounding forests and the creatures that lived within them. Udo and Coronel listened with rapt attention, occasionally exchanging glances at the strange but captivating tales. 

After a hearty meal, they were shown to their sleeping quarters - a cozy room with a fire crackling merrily in the hearth. 

"Sleep well, dear Princes," said the old woman, bidding them goodnight. 

As Udo lay in bed that night, he found it hard to shake off the eerie feeling that lingered from their host's stories. He tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position. Beside him, Coronel's snores filled the room. 

It was going to be a long night."It's nothing," said Udo hastily. On one occasion he had caught his sword by the sharp end by mistake--a foolish thing to have done.

"Ah, well, since you won't want hands where you're going, it won't matter much."

It was the sort of thing old women said in those days, and Udo did not pay much attention to it.

"Yes, yes," he said; "but can you give my friend and myself a bed for to-night?"

"Seeing that you won't be travelling together long, come in and welcome."

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