With their honeymoon adventure at an end, Philia throws herself back into her saintly duties while Prince Osvalt prepares for a visit from the royal family of neighboring Alectron. An advance party of knights sent ahead of the royals proves to include one unexpected figure: Lena's fiance, Elmhardt! Realizing the couple is mysteriously estranged for reasons neither of them will reveal--and which might be related to the Alectron royals' last visit to Parnacorta--Philia sets about getting to the bottom of things.