Dancing on Strings

Mimic

"A good thing I shan't give you the chance then, isn't it?" Mai said, taking one of the cushions from the chairs and setting it on the deck, kneeling down on it, spreading her skirts around her and sitting back on her heels, folding her hands on her lap and straightening her back before looking at him.

"Well," she said, "tell me about the colour indigo."

"Ah," The Black Rabbit said, smiling, "yes, sorry for that. I wasn't sure how to phrase it and which of your company knew of your... hobbies."

"It is no hobby and why is it you know? You hinted that you seemed to know something last night as well."

The Black Rabbit pulled himself to the edge of the deck and folded his arms again, resting his chin on his arms.

"Must you wear the hat?" she sighed as one ear flopped forwards like it was waving at her. "It's entirely inappropriate off the stage."

"If My Lady will forgive me, it's more of a necessity than a desire to wear it," he said.

Mai pursed her lips at him but he wasn't smiling this time.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

That he smiled at. "We all have our secrets. You have yours, I have mine."

"It's not attached to your head or something, it is? Are you really a human-rabbit hybrid?"

He laughed. "No, it is removable but for my sake, I'm more comfortable with it on."

Mai drew in a breath, then looked out over the lake, a soft but icy wind blowing past, dislodging a strand or two of hair from their waxy cage and streaming them across her face.

"You look beautiful, by the way," The Black Rabbit said.

"I know," she replied and looked at him. "Now about my father. The clock is ticking, Sir."

He pointed to the rose that lay on the deck side her. "Your father wishes me to use my particular parlour trick to fool an audience; to make them believe you are sat up in a theatre box while you are in fact on stage during the opening night of your show; The Doll Maker."

Mai stared at him.

For ages she didn't say anything and just stared.

He patiently waited, chin on his arms, head tilted to look up at her past the brim of his hat.

"Would you do it?" she finally asked.

He shrugged. "He's my king; I do as I'm ordered."

"He wouldn't order you to do such a thing. What did you say?"

"I told him I would ask after your decision. Frankly I'm not that comfortable showing off that trick when so close to other people, it's designed for the stage but if it's in a box then people won't pay too much attention. I will do it for you but only if you ask it of me. It is your choice to deceive your kingdom."

Mai looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "It is deceit without harm," she said.

"True."

"Then please do as my father asks and have your puppet mimic me for a few hours come opening night."

"Very good, My Lady," he said, straightening and bowing his head before looking up. "I'll... ur... need that back then."

He pointed and Mai looked down to see he was pointing to the rose.

She quickly picked it up and handed it over but he smiled and shook his head before reaching up and carefully pulling the ribbon free.

"The rose is for you," he said, "A little gift to say thank you for being my assistant during the show."