just said no and she gave up. Then Mia tried to help and said in a brave and trembling voice, “It’s
a very important meeting and.... and... and we have to see him before 8 o’ clock. So please, just let
us see him for a minute at least. Please.”
At that moment, the king received a message that Ria’s father was available. They entered the
adjacent room and opened the curtain. Ria’s dad froze and stared then gasped and said in a soft
voice, “Mia, is it really you? Look how much you’ve grown! How are you, dear? Am I confusing
you guys? Oh dear, I released the secret.”
Ria looked at Mia, and Mia did the same. They said at the same time, “What secret?!”
With the facts revealed, their dad told them everything. About how he and Mia’s mom were
divorced, and how their names were nearly the same because they were twins. About how mother
and father knew that things would have gotten too confusing if they let them know that they
were sisters. And about how they just had to keep it a secret because he and their mother had had
big fights in the past and didn’t want to let their daughters know about it. Then together, they
went out of the castle and stood in the wind.
Everyone did what they did and the sand storm approached.
