Dancing on Strings

Princess Royal

"Your Highness!"

"Hide!"

Mai and Zet wrenched their cloaks tight around them, cocooning themselves until their clothes were covered and made for a side room that held one of the numerous passages that wound through the castle, hidden behind walls.

They didn't even make it to the threshold.

"Your Highness! Over here, darling!"

Mai grimaced and turned, smiling.

"Lady Anna-Beth, how are you?" she said.

She and Zet had been escorted to one of the side entrances of the palace, somewhere the members of the court should have had no interest in wandering into.

Alas, Lady Anna-Beth, ever the nosy-ninny she was, found herself exactly where she was not wanted.

"I thought I might come across you here. Back from one of your escapades? You must tell us where you fly off to!"

"Nowhere, Anna-Beth, really, just meetings. Busy as ever."

"Well, I'm glad you're back. You must come to the sunroom this moment. Lydia has just arrived with the most darling little poodle puppy."

Mai barely hid the crinkling of her nose and her brother swallowed a snort of laughter.

"Maybe later," she said and Anna-Beth waved away the notion with a wave of her hand.

"It's truly delightful. I'll have to get Daddy to get me one. A little white one. It will go with the wonderful fur trimmed cape I just bought. Have you seen it? The cape, I mean."

She was reaching for Mai by then, ready to pull her arm free to drag her away.

"Your Highness."

The voice that cut in made everyone flinch then looked towards the staircase.

Henrietta, one of the two most senior Ladies-in-Waiting to The Princess Royal, stood several steps up, her handsome face cold and severe as she looked down on the trio. Her gloved hands were linked elegantly in front of her large skirts, her tall body held dead straight, her golden hair piled high on her head.

She narrowed her blue eyes as her thin lips pressed into a thinner line, hardening her sharp jaw.

"Anna-Beth," she said, her voice never shifting from its low, soft, husky tones. She didn't raise her voice, she never raised her voice, she didn't have to, her tone carried authority without effort despite her being no older than Mai and Anna-Beth.

"Henrietta," Anna-Beth almost growled through her sharpened smile. "I was just inviting Her Highness to join me in seeing Lydia's new puppy."

"Her Highness is allergic, as you well know," Henrietta said, calmly gliding down the stairs, "I'd appreciate it if you did not torment her into seeing it as we both know how she will not be able to resist cuddling the creature."

"I thought just a look," Anna-Beth muttered.

"The Princess Royal has better things to be doing," Henrietta shot back at her, "If you'll excuse us. Prince Zet, your men await you, shall I call for them to join you? Lord Forbin is hoping you'll join the men for a mid-morning ride."

"No, I'll make my own way to them," Zet said, moving away, "Until later, ladies."

With a grin at his sister, he was gone, vaulting up the stairs with the lightness of a stag and gone.

No sooner had he gone then Henrietta steered Mai away towards the stairs.

"Until later, Anna-Beth," Henrietta called back to the courtier without pause as the two ascended the stairs, rounded the corner and escaped.