That afternoon the king summoned Pettic. He entered the small throne room and bowed. His eyebrows rose as he saw a small gathering of courtiers there as well as the queen and all the royal children except for the Crown Prince. He bowed deeply to the king and queen, and less deeply to the royal children. The youngest one, a boy who had been born only three years previously, developed a fit of giggles as Pettic bowed to them.
"Why Pet bow?" he asked and was shushed by the queen.
Then the king got down from his throne and bowed to Pettic. The young man was confused. The king should not be bowing to him! Then the king spoke.
"My Lord, Earl of Flindon, I, King Horraic the second, offer my sincerest apologies to you for banishing you. It seems I was mistaken in what I had been led to believe
