After lunching with the Princess, Li'ren returns to her quarters and has a chat with her mother, Miri. As Miri learns that her daughter is developing a friendship with the Princess, she becomes concerns for her daughter's reputation. She has little time to worry about that, however, because she still has a job to do as an adviser to the Empress. As part of her job, she is instructed to organize formal state functions, and Li'ren is invited to one of them. The experience may prove to be one of the most important of her life.