• The Prouds 248

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Prouds’ delegation to King Matthew returned to the
land of the Prouds tribe, only they were not alone. They
were accompanied by a luxurious camel litter, as well as
servants and guards not from the Prouds.
As they approached the land of the Prouds, the
Prouds went out to meet the returning ones.
When they entered their land, Leader Hammond
dismounted from his horse.
One of the welcoming men asked him, “Who is in
that camel litter? And who are all those people, My
Leader?”
“I have married Princess Florrie, daughter of King
Matthew, and she is in the camel litter,” the leader
answered smiling. “These are her servants and guards from
Widea.”
He paused and so did the others, who started staring
at one another and at the ground in amazement.
Hammond was amazed. “Aren’t you going to
congratulate me, people?”
The Small One approached him and said with a
wide smile on his face, “Congratulations, Leader.”
The Small One’s main priority was not his people’s
interest, wounds, or pain, but rather becoming as close to