Dancing on Strings

Principal Roles

"What?" Mai said, startled, turning towards the doors and they closed behind him.

"Right, on to lunch then your rehearsals!" Madame called, clapping her hands and calling and end to the morning.

The rest of the day comprised with specialist rehearsals for all three ballets before Mai and Zet had to leave to make appearances in at court, followed by a state dinner with the top one hundred nobles, followed by card games with select ladies of the court followed by a turn around the snowy gardens that were lit up by thousands of torches lined up along every single path within the first half of the grounds, where people enjoyed a walk in the snow and a few too many chaperones misplaced their young charges.

It was one of the most private places to have a conversation despite the sheer number of people around. No one paid much attention when Mai, Joliette and Henrietta let out joint piercing squeals of delight before instantly composing themselves.

"I knew it, of course His Highness would find a way around it," Henrietta said as they started walking again, hands neatly clasped in front of their gowns, pictures of grace and elegance.

"You did not," Joliette said, frowning at her, "No one could know he'd go out of his way and call the director to meet him."

"I might have, you don't know that I didn't," Henrietta said.

"I know he wouldn't have told you something like that."

"Just because he doesn't confide such things in you."

"You over me? Hah!"

Mai walked on ahead, ignoring them, smiling when their paths crossed with Geneviève and her maids.

"Have you heard? Grandmama is arriving tonight," was the first thing Geneviève said.

"Considering we technically have over a dozen grandmothers between us all even if we don't know who they all are, narrow the options down for me," Mai said as Geneviève fell into step with her.

That just got an eye-roll from her sister.

"Grandmama Verna," she said.

Mai looked at her in surprise. "I had no idea she was back from her travelling," she said smiling, "I'm glad she's home. When will she get here?"

"I hear she's expected in less than an hour. It's why everyone was persuaded that a nice walk in the gardens would be the best way to finish the evening – while freezing one's tail off. The palace is racing to get things ready for her."

"Ohhhh, that makes sense," Mai said. "I was wondering why they so politely kicked everyone out."

"So everyone's panicking while she's already back on land and marching her way here. And you just know she would love an excuse to tell Papa how he's met her low expectations."

"She doesn't make it easy for him," Mai agreed.

"Well where's the fun in that?" Geneviève said.

"Agreed," Mai said, rolling her eyes.

It was an hour before they were allowed back into the palace, greeted with warm drinks and the attitude of there hadn't been a mass panic to make sure everything was all in perfect order and there was nothing to criticise.

Mai and her ladies had walked all the way to the lake by the time word got to them and they doubled their pace back, breathing on their hands to try and warm their fingertips.

As soon as they walked through the doors, they, along with the other royal children and attendants, were herded off and corralled in the throne room, lining up on either side of the plush red carpet that led to the throne where the king took his seat, The Honourable standing – six aside – on either side of the dais.