The hoop.

“Why, that hoop looks pretty,” Xalendra said to the shopkeeper.

“This?” he replied, lifting the fanciful thing closer. “Well, they call this a 'dream-catcher'.” His grin turned down to her as she inspected its feathers and beads.

“Dream... catcher?” she asked, tipping her head inside her hood.

“Yes,” he nodded, “a thing for bringing good dreams while you sleep. I don't know much more about it than that, though. I was given it by a foreigner with very little common tongue between us. All I was able to gather was the instruction to hang it by one's bed.”

“How much for this dream-catcher?” the princess asked as she looked back up at the man.

“Let's say... five gold coins.” He raised his brow and moustache alike.

Xalendra wasn't sure whether it was indeed worth that much. Nevertheless, she produced the sum from her pocket and lifted the dream-catcher to inspect it in the moonlight as she walked away.

It seemed an ordinary set of strings, beads and wood, but it was organized with apparent care into something quaintly pretty, so she was happy with it. She stole back into the castle before long, and managed to return to her bedroom without notice. There, she hung the dream-catcher on her bedpost, and hoped to catch some good dreams before sunrise.

The thrill of sneaking out left her quite tired by the time she finally lay down to rest, and so sleep came quick, thoughts of her prize of the night paving the way there. When a dream did come, it turned out rather vivid...