The throne was put up onto a platform, from which Olympia waved regally to her subjects, some of whom had come in from the countryside to find their Market Day decorated with three gallows, three hangmen dressed in black (including masks), and a queen so done up in jewels, medals, and brooches that the glare was positively blinding. Not to mention the ferret on her shoulder, which wore a jeweled collar. As those subjects gaped and others waited tensely, the troop of guards escorting Ed, Magnus, and Swithbert came marching into the bailey, scattering the gapers who then had even more to gape at. The prisoners were lined up in front of the queen, who looked down at them with a smile. "Hungry?" she asked, speaking so softly that only they could hear. Of course there was no answer. Anyway, she could hear their stomachs growling. "I decided not to waste any final gruel on you," she said, "since you weren't going to be around long enough to digest it." "We could be found innocent," Swithbert said.
