It took ages for all the oaths to be made, even with children exempted, and some people choosing not to take part. Most people just swore to do whatever they were meant to be doing, or would have done anyway. Perhaps that was the most sensible way to approach it. A lot of people kept their oaths private, as Eden had done.

At last the promise bowl for their table made its way all the way around to where it had started, and Lucy was the last to swear an oath. She held onto the bowl with her eyes tightly closed, her lips moving silently. When she took her hands away, she opened her eyes, drained the dregs of the bowl, and gave Eden a bashful smile.

"Well that concludes the oath-making for this year," Brother Bellamy said, as a footman reverently removed the empty promise cup. "I pray you all to raise your glass and stand for the King."

Eden noticed that her glass had already been filled with ginger ale, so she stood with everyone else and raised her glass.

"To the good health of King Bernard the Benevolent, long may he reign over Lindensea. We stand with him, his loyal subjects, friends, and allies. Ladies and gentlemen, the King."

"The King," they all repeated, raising their glasses and drinking.

Bernard politely raised his glass in acknowledgement, and then it was his turn to toast Pip as the beloved King Consort. Finally, Pip toasted the Dowager Queen Dorothea, the wise queen of Lindensea, and mother to the Crown Prince.

"Thank you, thank you," Dorothea said, smiling and raising her glass. "And now let us eat, drink and be merry, my friends!"

The first course was brought in – soup tureens that steamed fragrantly and made the mouth water. Eden was almost painfully hungry. Breakfast seemed a long time ago, and had only been a bun and coffee. The bright green pea soup, smelling of fresh mint, was ladled into her white porcelain bowl with gilt decorations swirled around the edges.

"Don't wait," Pip said to her quietly. "If we all wait for everyone to be served, the food will be cold and dinner will never finish."

The soup was wonderful. All the food was. There were two or three different dishes to choose from in each course, and a selection of vegetables and sauces. 

Eden noticed that no matter how much Bernard and Pip might protest they were just ordinary people at Yuletide, the footmen always served them first and were careful to put the choicest morsels in front of them, which meant that she and Lucy had the pick of all the best.

They ate their way through soup, salads, fish, pies, sausages, croquettes, and a dizzying selection of bread rolls shaped like various animals. Even though this meal was more formal than the first dinner in the Great Hall, it still felt relaxed and jovial, and Eden and Lucy were able to call across to each other under Bernard's indulgent eye.

Nobody should have been hungry for the main course. But somehow when the roast suckling pig was rolled in, an apple in its mouth, everyone sat up straighter with brightened eyes. It was if all the eating so far had merely been a practice run to get their stomachs in shape for the real eating - the rehearsal for the grand performance.

The high steward laid the roast pig's silver platter down on the table, and ceremoniously carved a thick slice crisp with crackling in front of Bernard, laying it on his plate with a serving of roast apple. Other servants rushed to bring him roasted potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and asparagus, as well as gravy.

"Absolute perfection," Bernard said after taking a bite. "My compliments to Monsieur Leroux."

He motioned for them to fill up Lucy's plate as well, and then the roast goose was brought in, glistening with rich butter, its sage and onion stuffing smelling like a summer garden.

Eden saw that Pip helped himself from several plates of vegetables, including cauliflower cheese and green sprouts stuffed with chestnuts, but didn't take any of the meat.

"Don't you like pork?" she asked him.

"I haven't eaten meat for twenty years," Pip said seriously. "I've come to think of animals as friends and companions, and can't bring myself to treat them as food. But Monsieur Leroux provides me with plenty to eat – see this lentil casserole? It's delicious, and very filling."

"You ate fish," Eden said, suddenly remembering. "You had the fried sole fillet."

"I've never really been able to understand fish," Pip said with a small smile. "It's probably something to do with them being in water."

Eden took this to be an obscure form of grown up humour - the whimsical sort that requires not laughter, but a knowing look. She tried to be tolerant about it, and said, "Well, I don't mind trying lentil casserole. But I can't go without roast goose. It's my favourite."

Bernard overheard them and said, "You must have at least a little roast pork. It brings good luck for the coming year."

Eden had to admit she needed all the luck she could get, so she accepted a thin sliver of it. What with eating three different Yuletide dinners, and lentils definitely being filling, she struggled with the dessert course. She only managed half of her creamy rice pudding, and ate a small apple tart shaped like the sun because Lucy said that was lucky as well.

"My stomach is all stretched out," she whispered across to Lucy. "I feel like those pythons that eat entire goats in one mouthful, then lie around digesting them for weeks." 

"Same here. I could do with lying down for weeks and weeks to let dinner go down," Lucy giggled. 

Nearly everyone around the table looked as if they felt the same way – lazing around the table looking dissipated and drunk with food. Yet when the cheese platters were brought in, some people still took a piece to nibble with their coffee. Eden couldn't think how they could possibly fit any more food in.

Bernard stood up, clearing his throat and saying, "Now that we've all had a very good dinner, I hope you don't mind me saying a few words."

"Quiet for the king! The king's speech," someone shouted, and chattering came to a halt.

"Er, thank you," Bernard said. "Well, I think you'll all agree it was a very good year. I know it was a horribly hot summer, but as a result we had a bumper crop at harvest time. A round of applause for the hard working farmers and farmworkers, and the Temple of Ceres for their vital support."

Everyone clapped loudly in appreciation.

"Thank you. We've enjoyed another year of not only prosperity, but also peace. And so much of that is because of the good relations with our neighbours and allies," Bernard continued. "Lindensea has forged closer alliances through diplomacy and trade agreements, and we have the Foreign Office and Board of Trade to thank for that."

More applause.

"There are more personal ways of forging international relations," he went on. "I am pleased to say that we have been able to resume friendly communication with Bjarma, and this summer King Marcus invited my brothers Otto, Sebastian, and Roderick to a lengthy visit at his castle in Halog. We are so glad that he and his daughter Aurora extended this hand of friendship, and look forward to a warm relationship with them in the years ahead."

Eden remembered that Lucy's brothers had received very luxurious gifts from Marcus and Aurora that morning. She wondered why they had never mentioned their cousin before, only their great-uncle. She glanced at Dorothea, who was looking straight ahead of her with a rather cold expression. Perhaps she wasn't pleased about this, but Eden didn't know why and it puzzled her.

"Likewise, King Roland invited us to Everwick for the summer," Bernard said. "We were treated very hospitably, and as you know, my sister Clarissa became betrothed to Prince Henry there. I could not be happier to announce that they will wed next Yuletide, and this will only strengthen the bond we have with the kingdom of Everwick, where my mother was born."

There was a lot of cheering, some excited gossipy sounding chatter, and a few audible moans of disappointment that sounded distinctly masculine.

"And King Meriadoc of Westmoreland was kind enough to issue an invitation to my sister Lucy," Bernard said. "She spent the summer at Castle Avalon in the Lakelands with Meriadoc and his daughter Eden and had a wonderful time.

"They are spending Yuletide with us now, and I hope you'll do everything to make them feel welcome. Because the true spirit of Yuletide isn't about gifts and feasting, as pleasant as those are. It's about family, friendship, and enjoying time with loved ones. May you all have a very good Yule, and may you find only love and peace in our kingdom, and in our castle."

There was jubilant applause, then Bernard said, "Now my husband Pip would like to say a few words to you on a subject dear to his heart. He's been working very hard to make this happen, so I'll thank you to pay him your full attention. Pip, you have the floor."

Pip stood up and gave the company a bright smile. There was an uncomfortable shifting in seats as few people looked really happy to hear another speech when they were so full and sleepy. However there was some scattered applause, and most seemed to be listening.

"Thank you so much, Bernard," he said with a loving look at his husband. "I'm sorry to take up more of your time so I'll try to keep this brief."

A loud cheer from another table, which was smothered by shushing and giggles.

"Many years ago I was fortunate enough to inherit a sum of money," Pip began with a self-deprecating smile. "At the time, I was told it was enough to buy a house, or a horse and carriage, or a business. It was suggested I might like to study or to travel the world."

He looked around and said, "All those things came to me anyway when I married. I live in a beautiful palace with a stable filled with fine horses that pull our golden carriage, and have an important job helping Bernard run the kingdom. I've been to many different countries, and studied under some of the greatest artists in Europe. I don't really need the money for myself.

"I did, however, have something I wanted to accomplish," Pip continued, "which was to help children who had lost their parents and were alone in the world. My own experiences made it very important to me, and it's something Bernard cared about as well. Together we were able to found a children's home in Blythe Green."

There was enthusiastic applause to this. Pip smiled, and waved a hand to them as he said, "You know it well, you've all been supporters of it in some way or another. But it's only one home. It's not enough. That's where my inheritance comes in.

"I don't know much about money," Pip said modestly, "so I gave my inheritance to Sir Helios Claremont at the Bank of Camden to invest for me. He must know what he's doing, because twenty years later, that sum of money has become a small fortune. Enough to buy and staff further homes.

"I am proud to announce that next year, another three children's homes will open in Lindensea," Pip said in a voice filled with emotion, as the room erupted into applause. "Each one will be run on the new guidelines endorsed by Sir Edward Barnes and the Board of Guardians – clean, safe, caring, healthy, and most of all, happy."

Amidst more applause he went on, "There will be a new children's home near Meadham in the Fenlands, and one near Thackery in the Eastlands. To my enormous delight, Bernard bought my childhood home for me, Cronkshaw Manor, in the Southlands. For a short time it was the home of a very happy little boy – next year I hope it will be home to dozens of happy boys and girls."

"Very glad to do so, my darling Pip," Bernard said, clapping louder than anyone.

"Thank you, thank you," said Pip, indicating with his hands that the applause should quieten. "It's very good news. But more money is needed to build further quality children's homes, and to keep them running. If anyone would like to donate, please give anything you can at the Bank of Camden. Even one gold coin can do a lot."

Eden felt in her dress pocket. She had a gold coin, and rubbed it along the edges with her fingers before standing up.

"I'd like to donate a gold coin for the children, Pip," she said, her voice sounding thinner and higher in her ears than she'd intended as she held the coin out to him.

"Why thank you, Eden," Pip said, looking down at her in pleased surprise.  

Barely a moment later Lucy also stood up, crying, "I will give you a gold coin too, Pip! I don't have it on me, but I can fetch it down from my tower."

Pip beamed as he thanked them both, then announced, "Two gold coins have already been donated by Princess Eden and Princess Lucy! This is enough to stock a kitchen with food for a month."

Both girls bowed blushingly as everyone clapped and cheered.

"It is young people who have shown us the way," Bernard said loudly. "Will nobody follow the example they have set?" 

"I would like to donate a gold coin for every child the orphanages take in next year," Meriadoc said, standing up as well.

"And I will give five gold coins for every child the orphanages take in every year!" declaimed a gentleman in a very fine suit as he stood up.

"I would like to give five hundred gold coins to the children," said a lady with large brown eyes in a gentle voice.

"One thousand gold coins!" shouted another lady excitedly.

It was like they were playing a game, Eden thought to herself. There were several more promised donations, and then a thin grey-haired gentleman stood up and surveyed the room as if to make sure everyone was paying attention.

"I shall donate five thousand gold coins this year and every year as long as I shall live," he said slowly and importantly.

There was thunderous applause, as Pip said, "Thank you, thank you all for your kindness. I won't take up any more of your time, but only ask that you hand your donations in at the Bank of Camden as soon as you can. I can't begin to tell you how touched and grateful I am for your generosity."

As he sat down, he said quietly, "Bless you for the being the first person to pledge a donation for the children, Eden. You made all the difference."

"That's alright, Pip," Eden said. "I want to help if I can."

"I know you do," Pip smiled. "That's why I'd like you and Lucy to come to tea at the children's home this afternoon. If you don't mind giving up your time, that is."

"I don't mind at all, I'd love to," Eden said. "As long as Lucy comes too."

"We're leaving almost immediately," Pip said. "Don't bother going upstairs, but use the cloakroom in the Grand Entrance, and grab outdoor things from the butler. There's a coach waiting for us in the courtyard."