She finds out it is Takkan her betrothed and is glad she escaped marrying him when he is so horrible. The next day, another sentinel arrives, this one is brutish and unkind and treats her badly.

He gives her his dagger to show people that she is under his protection. The sentinel catches her but rather than being angry he takes pity on her and gives her a coin as well as offering her a place to work in his castle which she refuses. There she finds a letter which mentions Four Breaths a terrible poison, as well as an enchanter called The Wolf who is looking for her and her siblings. When a sentinel arrives at the inn and confirms he is part of a party hunting for the missing princes and princess Shiori steals into his room to try and steal some coin to help her escape. Shiori is well liked by the island people for making a great soup. The innkeeper is cruel to Shiori and makes her work for her in the inn for free. Shiori ends up on an island and tries to steal a boat to go and look for her brothers but she is caught by the boat’s owner, the local innkeeper. Raikama warns Shiori that if she speaks one word her brothers will die. She also sees that she has a dragon Pearl in her chest: Terrified Shiori runs back to tell her brothers and a fight ensues between the siblings and their stepmother, resulting in the princes being turned into cranes and Shiori being banished from the palace with a bowl stuck on her head. Later on Shiori follows her stepmother Raikama into her secret serpent filled garden and sees her putting what she thinks is a curse on her and her brothers. In the lake Shiori meets a dragon who first saves her life and then goes on to teach her how to control her magic. Shiori is due to attend her betrothal ceremony but the little paper bird she enchanted with her forbidden magic escapes and Shiori desperate to protect her bird and hide her magic ends up diving in the lake, promptly missing the ceremony and bringing disgrace on her family. Beware this post is a recap not a review.

Six cranes