TEN
After an hour's journey up the road, with no signs of the palace or even a break in the woods, Vasco was ready to curse the shoemaker into oblivion for his poor directions. But, he reasoned, his steps were slower than most, what with his limp and all, so perhaps the shoemaker's directions were for a fitter man than he. Or the palace was as well hidden as the village. Neither would have surprised him, so he trudged wearily on.
This time, when he saw a cottage, he paused to scan the woods for the rest of the village. However, this cottage truly did stand alone. From its falling down state, he doubted anyone lived there now. But an empty cottage that no one lived in was a place he could happily spend the night. Nevertheless, the door to this cottage stood shut, so he knocked tentatively
