The days passed as normal from then on. Certain people were busy with plans and preparations for his brother’s wedding, but Alexis had little to do with that. He was fitted for a new suit, and declined the offer of saying a few words on the day, and that was all. He knew his parents thought him rude for refusing to rise to the occasion, but anything he wanted to say could be said to them in person. It seemed rather fake to stand up and say how excellent a prince his brother was and how lovely his bride and how happy he wished them to be. Why spout token praise when it would mean so much more if it was genuine and said at a time he actually found himself thinking it? As for wanting their happiness, that was obvious. He had already expressed that to them both – Daisy was now living in the palace – and he saw no need to repeat himself.

It was three weeks after the ball before he found himself speaking with the head topiarist. He rarely sought Robert out, since he was often in the gardens for his own pleasure and tended to run into him enough to keep both of them satisfied, and this occasion was no different. They came across each other by a gardening shed, Robert greeted him as ‘your highness’ and was asked not to, and they talked about trivial matters for a short while. He learned that the man had failed to ask anyone to become a royal topiarist, and that no one had come to apply, and he was reminded of the interesting boy he had met.

He hadn’t thought about Markus much these past weeks, save for the first couple of days after the ball. He wondered from time to time if he would see him again, but he wasn’t very expectant and it wouldn’t disappoint him too much if he didn’t. Still, it would be nice to talk again.

“Actually Robert, it happens that I myself met a gardener at the ball. I brought up your need for topiarists, but I’m afraid he seemed rather disinterested. Still, do tell me if anyone shows up.”

“Thank you, I will.”

However, although this man-of-few-words had agreed to tell him, he only became aware that Markus had in fact taken up his offer when he noticed a familiar face in the corridors – belonging not to the boy who had called himself ‘Martha’, but to his sister. She was dressed in the maids’ uniform, and at first he wasn’t certain that it was her. But he watched her as she was dusting an ornate window frame, and before long he was convinced that it was her. What was her name again? It began with an ‘I’. Ingrid? Imogen? Whatever it was, she was too engrossed in her task to notice him watching her.

The siblings had seemed very close, so if one was here, surely the other was too. He left the girl to her dusting and decided to look for Markus the next day. He kept getting side-tracked from his princely duties by planning what he would say to him when they met again. However, it was only when he failed to find the gardener that he realised how much he had been looking forward to seeing him again.

He had attended his lessons in the morning, making sure to pay more attention than the day before, then had wandered through almost the entire palace grounds in the afternoon. He had seen many gardeners, who all hurried quietly out of sight when they saw him coming, and engaged in conversation with the head gardener, who he rarely spoke to on account of her being even less talkative than the head topiarist. But Robert himself was nowhere to be seen, and Markus could not be found either. The apprentices must have been learning their trade. Too bad.

Of course, it was entirely possible that he had seen the boy and failed to recognise him, since they had only met once and only for a few hours, or that he had seen the prince coming and got out of the way before Alexis could see him. The same thing could easily happen again. Still, this would not discourage him from trying again tomorrow.

He had rather more success the second time, locating the apprentice within half an hour of starting his search. Markus was sweeping the garden paths with another boy, who was a few years younger than him judging by his build. When they became aware of his presence, the smaller boy nudged Markus and the pair of them ducked their heads and started scurrying away.

He called out for them to wait, and they obediently turned to face him. He had to admit, he rather liked how unquestioningly the palace servants followed his orders. It wasn’t the power that he enjoyed, or so he believed. It was the efficiency of it. If he asked Thomas to do something for him, a conversation would play out before he agreed. If he asked a noble, they would make sure to take their time in order to let him know that they resented being told what to do, no matter how politely he asked. But servants did it quickly and without fuss.

“So it is you,” he said to himself, now certain that he had got the right person, and then he addressed the boy directly. “You got a job here after all.” He turned his smile to the other gardener. “You may carry on with your duties. I’m afraid I’ll have to borrow Markus for a little while, though. Please give my apologies to Robert.” As if the head topiarist would mind. If he knew it was Alexis who had waylaid his apprentice, he would assume the prince had good reason.

“I saw your sister in one of the hallways, and guessed that you would be here too. So, you accepted your punishment?”

“Isabelle convinced me, your highness.” Ah, yes, that was her name. Although Markus’ words were formal, his tone was casual and light-hearted.

“There’s no need for the formalities, ‘Alexis’ will do.”

“Ah, but I’ve got strict instructions for what to do if any of you talk to me. I even had to practice bowing.”

“And here I was, hoping I’d get a curtsy.” It was so easy to slip back into this carefree kind of conversation.

“Don’t you have some prince business to do? I’m surprised you can spare the time to come and talk to me.”

“It’s actually a lot less work than you’d think. I easily have the time for a stroll in the gardens. Besides, all normal business is being put on hold in preparation for my brother’s wedding. You should go, there’s going to be a ball afterwards.”

“Perhaps I will. Now, you may have the afternoon off, but I still have sweeping to do, and if I don’t do it now Robert will have me make up for it later. May I be dismissed, Alexis?”

“How rude, asking to leave so soon. I suppose I’ll just have to talk to you another time, if I happen to see you while taking an afternoon walk.” Or rather, he would come to find him as he did this time.

Markus grinned and gave a rather long bow before taking his leave. The prince’s own smile hadn’t left his face the entire time, and it was a lot more sincere than most of his expressions.

“May I be dismissed, eh?” He chuckled to himself. “I wonder if I can make him dance with me at this ball as well?”

That thought remained in his head for the rest of the day, and by sundown he had decided he would do his best to make it happen somehow. Just a little challenge for himself, something to occupy his mind. What fun would life be without these sorts of things?