As she returned to the courtroom, she strode directly to me and started to swear to the commitment. I stopped her at once, and summoned all of my ministers and the local judges from the area.

"We will give our words, our hands, and our blood on this before all these, with honesty and all above-board."

Some time passed, and the various officials arrived. "Gentlemen, former princess Cleo has offered me a bargain. The bargain stated that if I freed her parents, 'let my parents away without further harm' were her exact words, that she would lead me to the other half of the treasury. I have told her I would agree with this, and I state again in the presence of all these before us:"

"Cleo, I will send your parents away on a ship, so they will be out of my reach and safe to your satisfaction. In exchange, you will show me where the treasury's remains are. I give my word as to the truth of this, and that I will abide with it. Already there awaits a freshly-crewed and -supplied ship, with a skilled captain and true, which will carry your parents away from here to a distant port in safety and without further harm."

"Now, Cleo, I await your formal acceptance of this, giving me your word of honor as I have you that you will accept this."