She did see the week out, though it took a good deal of encouragement. When I offered her my invitation to the ballet she seemed a little more compliant to stay at least until then.

I was having a more difficult time, though, bargaining with father. I had been trying to organise an audience for the people all week but he'd "been busy" or found some way of avoiding that particular conversation all week.

"Please, Syme. It really is urgent I talk to him." I negotiated at father's door with his valet, even though there was less than an hour before we were expected at the Opera house. "It's about Definis. They're starving and -"

"Lord Gavrila, your father is occupied getting ready for the ballet and -"

"So should you be, son." I heard father call from his room.

"Father can we please quickly talk about..." I tried to force my head around the door frame to get in, but Syme pointedly blocked the way. Father came out of his bedroom and into the lounge.

"You lost your right for quick talks when you went through giving your ballet ticket to that no one." Father nodded and Syme began to shut the door.

"But it's the people! Your subjects!" I found myself exclaiming at a closed door. I wanted to kick it but respect for father locked my joints.

"Your Highness." Barley snapped, materialising behind me. "Please come and get changed."

"Fine." I snapped back, my voice harsher then necessary. I let him follow me back to my rooms and hastily changed into the clothes which had been set out for me. Barley had to all but throw me out of the room when he heard mother and father walking down the corridor. He was by no means young, but my God that man had the ears of a bat.

I regained my balance just in time for my father to tut at me as he and mother approached.

"I'm so sorry, dear father, of my tardiness. Forgive me for taking my sweet time in changing into priceless clothes to go to an expensive event whilst the people of Definis sell their children on to prevent their own starvation." Every word tasted like acid in my mouth. I was not in the mood to be paraded about; I could still hear Mrs Conygham's wail.

"Gavrila this is not like you." Father snapped. "Be quiet and behave. Definis is not your concern."

Mother's eyebrows had worked their way together. "Ilya what is this?" She murmured to father. She was assuming me to be in the wrong as well, I could tell it.

"The people in Definis are starving, mother. They need our help but someone thinks them to be unworthy."

Father shouted then, a rare phenomenon. "First your brother with Galavon, now you with Definis! I can't control every village. Just get downstairs." I hated it when he shouted, it was like a knife to my spine. It was enough to force my head down and send me to the courtyard at a pace far quicker than was necessary.

The freezing December air hit me like a slap to the face when I stepped outside. Heavy clouds were settled over the stars; there would probably be a storm later. The four invited Debutantes, Evie Bence, Holly Reichen, Annabelle Crawley and surprisingly Angel, stood about by the carriages, pretending not to be cold. Angel wasn't even there by my invitation, but she still swayed over to me.

I didn't care to listen to whatever she was drooling into my ear, Afanasy saved me after a few moments anyway by whisking her away and into a carriage. Tristan turned up next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. Fenester was the fourth man to be coming with us, it was surprising that he had let father force him to come, but sadly not so surprising that he had chosen Annabelle as his company.

"No luck with the old man?" Tristan murmured. I shook my head.

"No luck in the world. I swear I'm not going to be able to last this whole pageant for long." I groaned.

"Well you like the ballet. Just focus on that." Tristan tapped my shoulder twice before going over to greet Holly and hand her into the second carriage.

I spotted mother and father emerging onto the courtyard so made myself walk over to Evie, to help her into our carriage. Her silky gloved hand helped me to compose myself, then I stepped up into the carriage myself. I slammed the carriage door and put my hand on my knee, which had taken to frantically bouncing.

The carriages set off and I kept my gaze straight ahead, trying to calm my frustration at father and at the stupid, unjust class system.

"All right fine what's going on? You look like a kicked puppy." Evangeline rolled her head onto her shoulder and turned her eyes to me, her hands folded in her lap.

I cooled my tongue before replying with, "Economical problems, you wouldn't understand."

She frowned, resettling her maroon velvet Cape over her shoulders. "I'd argue that I probably would understand, actually. But not tonight, there's far too many pins in my hair and metal bites when it's cold."

I rolled my eyes, trying to shake the amusement I felt every time she spoke - she was just so improper. Well I couldn't skulk all night, there was nothing I could do until the morning anyways. So I had to take my mind off Definis.

"Tell me about your home." I turned to Evie as the carriage perambulated through the dark streets. "You told me you had a brother - any other siblings?"

She smiled and nodded. "Neither of them quite so amicable as Nick mind you. I have two sisters, twins if you'd believe it. Anna and Georgiana, they're fifteen and quite possibly the most spoilt brats on the earth, they're not even pretty, so good luck to them finding suitors." Evangeline cackled at herself and I couldn't help but laugh incredulously. "Oh please," She muttered when she scanned my face, "You don't have sisters, you can't relate."

"Indeed." I grinned at her. "Afanasy is hardly the perfect brother - we do get on well though."

"Yeah." Evie grinned. "Brothers are the best. Obviously I've got Nick, but then Locke too. He's our butler, and a good one mind you, but put me and him together and we make the best trouble." Her eyes lit up as she spoke and I had to keep myself from grinning like a fool again. "Oh I'm sorry you probably don't want to hear that I mingle with the staff though do you your royal Highness." She laughed again and so did I.

"I would kill for some lively staff as opposed to the straight laced spies my parents employ." I chucked my head against the back of the carriage. "Locke sounds lovely."

She smiled but the corners of her lips were turned down and I knew she missed him. She wanted to be rid of this season just as much as I did.

"Your Highness..." Evangeline looked up at me, her gloved hands wringing themselves.

"Gavrila, please." I corrected her and, heedless of appearances, put my hand on hers, stilling them.

She looked up at me, shock prevalent on her face. She swallowed hard and then opened her mouth again. "Gavrila, will there be a lot of people there tonight? I'm excited for the performance but I hate how the other Debutantes look at me - the public will only be worse won't they." I noticed as she spoke that two of her fingers had worked their way around one of mine, and were gently holding on to it.

I smiled at her folly and gave her fingers a squeeze. "No one else is anywhere near as bad as the Debutantes. I'll make sure you have interesting people to talk to at the interval."