The ball slowly crept closer, as a variety of dance partners enthusiastically trotted in every direction but the right one. Still, Alexis had made progress, and was now ‘acceptable’, according to Lucas. However, dancing was not the only thing his mother was concerned about, even with his suit chosen and his hair trimmed to her liking.

“You must talk to people! What is so hard about opening your mouth and saying a few polite words? I know you are not fond of the nobles, but there will be many common people attending. You may even find you like some of them.”

“Mother, I understand. Do I not always make conversation with the lords and ladies who approach me?”

“That is beside the point. It is not enough to merely stand in a corner and wait for people to come to you. It is as bad as waiting for a girl to ask you to dance, when you are the one who should be doing the asking! Promise me that you will make an effort.”

“I can ‘make an effort’, as you say, but what should I do? What would be enough for you?”

“I want you to do every dance, and ask a different girl each time. I suppose if you find someone you like, you can forget about that – this ball isn’t just for Thomas, you understand? It’s a chance for you to meet new people, even if you will never see most of them again. And talk to them, please.”

He would definitely not enjoy it, but he could do that much. It was just for one day. He would smile and play the gentleman and be every ounce a prince, and then when the people were gone and the decorations had been taken down, he could go back to being Alexis. He reassured the queen and then, when she let him leave, went out into the palace grounds.

He liked the gardens. The neat lawns and colourful flowerbeds were very impressive, but his favourite parts were the small, twisty paths that led between trees and tall hedges. When he was hidden in their shade, he could be anywhere. He might be in a forest on the outskirts of the kingdom, or wandering a valley in a far-off land with no one but the birds for company.

However, this illusion could not be kept up for long. Even these trees were trimmed, these paths carefully swept. Although the gardeners made sure to stay out of his way, he still caught flashes of movement. And then he came across the head topiarist, who put down his sketch and greeted the prince.

“Good afternoon, your highness.”

“Good afternoon, Robert. You know, someone I’ve known since I was a child really doesn’t need to use titles.”

“I know that, Alexis, but I’ve called you ‘your highness’ since you were a child and next time we meet, I’ll call you it again.”

Alexis smiled, and felt the comforting feeling he always got from doing their customary exchange. They said the same thing whenever they met, and the words changed a little each time, but the meaning was the same, and so was the warmth behind it.

“I see you’re making a new plan.”

“Yes, I’m planning to change the cut of the trees on this bank.” The man sighed and tugged at the ends of his thick brown hair. “I wouldn’t mind another couple of topiarists to help. One retired recently, and the two apprentices still have a lot to learn. I don’t think one of them will ever be cut out for it.”

“Perhaps you should recruit some people at the ball, try to convince a few of them.”

“Ah, well, I intend to thoroughly enjoy myself tomorrow. But if I happen to get talking with anyone, I suppose I might mention it.”

Robert was a man of few words, and not particularly suited for enticing people into working for him. He was excellent at his job, and everyone who knew him liked him, or at least could not find it in themselves to dislike him. However, most people found it hard to talk to him, as he tended to listen rather than speak, and this was often confused with disinterest. Alexis liked talking to him, because he would accept his words and not try to force opinions onto him, and they had a kind of mutual understanding.

“Alright then, you can draft in a couple of gardeners, and I will have interesting conversations with commoners. Deal?”

“Deal,” Robert replied with a slight smile, knowing that neither of them would keep to this agreement and that Alexis knew it too.