Steadying herself with both hands on the table, she managed an awkward bow. . . . 'Your Highness,' she stammered, head lowered. . . The prince flinched and cast a glance over his shoulder before hunching toward her. 'Maybe, um. . . ' - he pulled his fingers across his lips - 'on the Highness stuff?
In the common world of fact the wicked were not punished, nor the good rewarded. Success was given to the strong, failure thrust upon the weak. That was all.