King Coyote held up his hands, palms facing toward her. "Say no more," 
he said. "Single combat will not be necessary. You are already the victor." 
He removed the twelfth key from his neck and held it out to Princess Nell. She 
took it from him with a little curtsy; but as the chain was sliding through his 
fingers, he tightened his grip suddenly, so that both of them were joined by 
the chain. "Now that your quest is over," he said, "can we drop the 
pretense?"