burrowing deeper into the furs and pulling the silken coverlet closer about her neck.

Fortunately she had no early duties today and could afford to lie in bed.

A smile creased her stern visage as she half-dreamed, half-remembered the night past. She had had late duty and as was her custom had checked out the King's chambers.

"W-w-wouldn't do to have Z-z-ziggy burn the p-p-place down around our ears with all them c-c-candles he likes," she had snorted. "N-n-never seen a m-m-man so fixed on having everything j-j-just so. P-p-persnickety, that's what he is. P-p-persnickety with a capital P-p-p."

Treading softly the Housekeeper had walked into the Royal Bedchamber, ablaze in candlelight and looked with disapproval at the woman chained in the alcove.

"Imagine," she had said under her breath, "having to b-b-bind 'em up l-l-like that to m-m-make 'em sleep with h-h-him."

It was a shame, she thought, that the ruler of Babylon should have to coerce his bedmates. "M-m-must have awful t-t-taste in women. W-w-wonder why he d-d-don't want one that's w-w-willing?"

She shrugged and went about her duties, tiredly picking up the clothes the King had dropped on the floor before he sank into deep slumber on the huge bed. A gold cup and an empty jug of wine lying beside the bed spoke of an evening of drinking.

Drooping with fatigue, the old woman had gone about the rest of her duties, extinguishing the lowering candles and checking for anything that might disturb the monarch's rest.

Finally, in the dark, she had pulled the silk coverlet up over the sleeping king. He had murmured in his sleep and whispered something so low she couldn't hear it.

"S-s-selfish thing," the tall Celt had thought. "L-l-look at him, all alone in that b-b-big bed. Why b-b-back in the woods, we'd all p-p-pile in one bed like a p-p-pack of puppies, six or seven of us at l-l-least!

With that, Hildebeest had made up her mind. She was going to get a good night's sleep tonight no matter what she had to do for it. She took off her rough clothes, letting them drop to the floor and slid, naked, into the bed.

She had elbowed him in the ribs. "T-t-turn over, Z-z-ziggy, you're snoring like a p-p-pig."

His snores had quieted and he flailed about with his arms, making contact with the housekeeper.

Now here in the morning, she drowsed on... remembering the night, her head on the soft pillow, facing the King's.

Hildebeest heard the indrawn breath as Zig opened his eyes. She opened hers and smiled coyly.

"Good morning, Z-z-ziggy."