        Lyra sat patiently on a bench outside the great hall.  Although the Princess would have understood if she had gone in—especially since there was no formal dinner tonight—she instead had decided, given the nature of her request, to wait outside.  It was traditional for the Princess to speak with a few petitioners after her evening meal.  There were layers of protocol involved that Lyra didn’t understand, but since the castle was officially closed, there were no other ponies in the room, with the exception of a surprised herald, who had dutifully notified the Princess between courses.