20. Fairy tale Part IV

Anise was greeted by many stranger who complimented her. She smiled and would have disagreed with them, but the flowers hissed at her their rebukes. "Smile and graciously and accept their compliments!"

And it was like that all night long. Whenever she found herself floundering in social ineptitude, the flowers instructed her. And it wasn't just the flowers in her garland. The flowers decorating the palace and flowers in ladies' hair and in men's jackets all instructed her as well.

The night wore on, but she still never saw the man who stopped by her garden.

Anise shrugged it off. It wasn't really important, but it irritated her slightly. He was the only reason she came. Well, that and the flowers. But without seeing him there wasn't much purpose in her being her. She didn't care about princes and whatnot.

"Make way! Make way! The prince is come!"

Anise picked up her skirts and squished uncomfortably with the rest of the crowd to create a wide walkway for the coming royalty. There was a great show of splendor. There were lords and ladies walking in procession and guards around him. They stopped in the middle and the entourage split to reveal the young prince.

The boy was pretty, quite like a flower, Anise observed. However, she didn't see why all of the girls seemed to swoon instantly. The prince started walking towards her, no, not towards her, simply forwards. And then Anise gasped.

It was the royal enquiry.

But he wasn't a royal enquiry.

Anise was confused.

"Will you dance with me?"