A young prince rose to his feet, raised a cup of wine toward An Li.
"Lady An Li, welcome to the Goblin Imperial City. Let me offer you a toast."
His voice was bright, and a confident, proper smile rested on his lips.
He wore a Deep Blue ceremonial robe, with a golden badge pinned to his chest—the sacred emblem of the Supreme God.
An Li also lifted her cup. It contained red fruit juice.
She took a sip. She had no idea what fruit it had been made from, but it was sweet and tart, and delicious.
The prince took a sip as well, then sat down.
A princess stood up, holding a box in her hands.
She walked up to An Li and offered the box with both hands. "Lady An Li, I made these pastries myself. Please try them."
The princess was still quite young. She wore a pink dress, and her hair was braided into a single plait that hung over her chest.
Her face was dotted with freckles, and her eyes curved into crescents when she smiled.
An Li could not tell whether these little goblins were beautiful or ugly. She only thought that the little green-skinned goblins looked particularly comical dressed in bright reds and pinks.
She reached out, took the box, and opened it. Inside were several small cookies, baked golden brown and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
She picked one up and took a bite. It was crisp, sweet but not overly rich.
"Delicious!"
An Li smiled happily. The princess smiled too and returned to her seat with delight.
Another prince stood up, holding a book. He walked over to An Li and placed it on the table.
"Lady An Li, this is a history book of our Goblin World. It contains many