Dan was remarkably calm. In a clear, loud voice he identified Chaldez as Prince of Sair Jisenner, only son of the late King Egmar and ward of King Gam of Eujinni. He had been on his way to the court of the King of Theigia when his ship, The Serrin, had been wrecked on the coast of Datzcrig's island. Chaldez, he went on, had proof of his birthright, and he indicated the locket around his neck. It contained, said Dan, a jewel from the royal regalia of Sair Jisenner.
Datzcrig put his head on one side and looked at Chaldez, his eyes narrowed, as though he was attempting to assess the truth of what he had just heard. He beckoned the boy and reached out for the locket. He could see at once that it was an item of rare workmanship. "Open it," he commanded.
Chaldez had tried once, when Lewvin first gave it to him, and he had not then been able to, and now he was hot with anxiety, and his fingers slippery. His face was burning as he tried with one hand and then the other, uncertain where he should be squeezing the perfectly-smooth sphere.
Datzcrig leant back and stroked his beard while Chaldez became increasingly flustered. He paused, wiping his hands on the front of his tunic, and glanced at Dan, who was smiling awkwardly. Dan said “It was made by the finest craftsman in the kingdom of Gam and has remained fastened since that time.”

Datzcrig held out one hand, and Chaldez came forward so that he could examine the item for himself. The chain being short, their faces were now very close together, and Chaldez felt suddenly wreckless; he gazed directly into the other’s face, abruptly pushed away his hand and this time found the pressure points. The locket sprung open, revealing the ruby it its gold setting. Startled, Datzcrig quickly recoverd and almost at once he rose and kissed Chaldez on both cheeks. Then he spoke with the head of his household and informed Dan that the prince would be moved into quarters befitting his rank.
Subsequently Chaldez was admitted to Datzcrig's table, sitting on his immediate right, and it was not long before the nobleman had heard about his earlier experiences on the island.
Datzcrig was familiar with the case of Kadz the potter. He had been punished, he told Chaldez, by having his right hand struck off and his house raised; as for the woman, if Chaldez wished to avenge himself upon her he was at liberty to do so.
"If you can discover for me where she is," Chaldez replied, "I should be pleased to pay her a visit."
Within days Datzcrig was able to report that she and her family were camped outside their old village. Chaldez, Dan and three others set off on horseback to find them, Chaldez rehearsing, as he rode, what he would do and say when he got there; how surprised she was going to be to see him in his altered circumstances, and how very much more surprised when he commanded her to be flogged!
Datzcrig's directions led him to a place he had not seen before, and he was shocked by what he found there: standing on an exposed piece of land was a crudely-constructed shlelter; he could see that his former master was now living in very considerable wretchedness.
Venna and some of the children were outside. She was grinding something in the large pestle he had last seen in the compound of the house; he wondered if they had managed to save much else. He rode up and dismounted, and realised that she still had no idea who he was.
At that moment Doo emerged from the tent. She recognised him at once and uttered a short exclamation. Venna, fearful and puzzled, glanced at her daughter. Doo mouthed a word at her and Venna turned her head and stared at Chaldez, then started to back away from him, her expression betraying absolute bewilderment. The transformation of her ill-favoured and ragged slave into the commanding figure with horse, companions and fine clothes now standing before her simply defeated her comprehension.
Chaldez was about to have her seized when Kadz emerged from the shelter. Chaldez noticed the filthy, blood-stained rags binding his wound. He looked wan and sickly, defeat emanating from his body. He stared at Chaldez with a look of dull resignation.
The thoughts of revenge which had been so sweet to Chaldez turned sour in that instant. He looked from Kadz to Venna, and then at Doo. On an impulse he ordered her to mount behind one of his companions. She was pulled up, then Chaldez mounted his own horse, wheeled round and cantered away while Venna screamed ineffectually after him. He smiled at the sound of it.
His request to Datzcrig, when they returned, was that Doo should be put into his service, but treated kindly. Datzcrig laughed. "You took her," he said. "She’s yours!"
Chaldez was taken-aback. It had seemed a good idea to rescue her from the mean circumstances of her family, but he had not expected to be made responsible for her.
"What can I do with her?" he protested to Dan, and Dan, who was as sexually immature as his friend, laughed with embarrassment and shrugged.
Doo provided her own answer: she oversaw the preparation of his food and looked after his wardrobe; she consoled him when he was downcast, encouraged him when he was uncertain, scolded him when he was thoughtless; she was to Chaldez a valet, friend and mother.