Marisol nodded. "A wise decision," she said wryly. Even after centuries, Anne had not changed one bit. She was every bit as clothing conscious as she had been when they were teenagers, and if she was left alone to help Thalia get dressed, they would probably be hours late. "And your ladies? Are they ready for the ceremony to take place?"

"I think so." Thalia considered the question carefully before nodding. "Yes, they are. We all know that it's time your ladies stepped down as the guardians of the kingdom so that mine could take their place. We've been training for a long time, and I think they're ready to accept that level of responsibility. Don't worry, Mama, we won't let you down."