  The king fixed his gaze on Zoella and then turned to one of his courtiers.&nbsp; He said something quietly and the courtier laughed, but the king did not. In his hands he held a golden scepter and a silver orb. His crown flashed warmly with rubies and diamonds. The king spoke slowly and addressed Zoella, "A small bird enters my court. What brings you here sparrow ?". Zoella began to say that she had come to visit her uncle. But before the words could leave her lips she could feel the&nbsp;ring on her finger tighten painfully and she knew them to be untrue. "I've come because I outgrew my home. The village in which I was raised was too small for the woman I've become, my lord. " The king gestured around him with his scepter and asked, "How does the sparrow like my nest ? Are you being treated in a proper manner for a bird such as yourself ? " Zoella began to say that the palace was beautiful but the ring tightened on her finger and instead she said, "My village was too small&nbsp;yet the palace is too large. The manner in which people are treated seems unrelated to who they are, my lord. " And with that a hush went through the king's courtiers.
There was a tense pause and then the chatter of quiet voices began to fill the audience hall. The king&nbsp;appeared thoughtful and quiet. He looked at the floor and then again at Zoella, "So will the sparrow fly to a more suitable nest or will she grow large enough to fill this one ?". Zoella began to say that she would&nbsp;leave and soon&nbsp;but a powerful force stopped her and it wasn't the ring. She appeared thoughtful and quiet. She looked at the floor and then again at the king. "My lord, I don't know.
" The king's chamberlain stepped in and assured his highness that an ambassador from a distant land stood&nbsp;waiting just outside the hall. The chamberlain gently took Zoella's arm and&nbsp;in a stately manner they walked to a side door.&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking straight ahead,&nbsp;he said, "The queen would have words with you". And with that&nbsp;Zoella became nervous. For in&nbsp;her small village&nbsp;the king had a reputation for owning the fox's cunning,&nbsp;yet it was&nbsp;his wife who had a reputation for owning the fox's claws and teeth.&nbsp;He knocked at the side door and they enterred the court of the queen. 
