At a palace banquet Ms. Shaw surprises everyone by asking to marry Prince Jason. A palace matron tells her the empress has already selected possible wedding dates and wants to discuss them; custom favors the groom, but the empress may decide. Servants hurry to rouse Jason; attendants plead, "Please wake up," but he stays unresponsive. Ms. Shaw meets with the matron and agrees to attend the empress's audience. The key turn: the empress insists on meeting Jason in person, yet he is still asleep, leaving the court to confront her demands while he cannot answer.