A thousand figures in dresses and smart jackets whirled around the opulent ballroom. Somewhere in the mess of silks and lace was James’ parents. The family was visiting from the frost kingdom of Siodyr. The Queen of Aderyntan held grand parties once a week. Inviting anyone with any claim of nobility in their blood to join in the revelry. With a very important exception; no children allowed.

James was an exception. A boy of ten, he was the smallest one standing under the beautiful archways that were wrapped and tied in regal purple and gold curtains. These curtained archways led to lattice paned windows that were opened wide to invite the cool early autumn air into the stuffy room. James traced the movement of the dancers bored. Trying to recognize the royal blues of his mother’s ballgown. There were many blue gowns but none with the elegant fabric flowers that his mother hand sewn onto the gown. James gave up watching the dancing when he began to get dizzy. He turned away to the gardens outside. He looked at the stars high above and traced the constellations he knew.

Brief movement in his peripheral vision made him look at the gardens themselves. There was a large white stone courtyard just outside the walls. With trellises filled with vines that had the last flowers of the season beginning to die. Stone benches that were carved with animals, particularly predatory animals were placed around giant elegant fountains of elephants reared up in a show of might. Large beds of roses were pruned for the coming winter and beyond that was the giant hedge and stone labyrinth that Aderyntan was known for. Persistent wallflower chatter had said that there was a large tree at the center of the labyrinth. But no one was allowed to explore the labyrinth. Those who got close or made mention of it were unpleasantly told to leave.

However, moving about the vine covered outer wall was a smaller figure darting between the openings. James felt his mouth open in surprise. He hadn’t seen or heard anyone arrive with another child. He turned back to the room spinning gayly. A brief consideration of finding his parents and telling them what he’d seen. Staring into the sea of colors brought the crushing boredom back. He turned back to the labyrinth where the figure was looking out of the opening. Under the sliver of a moon, he could swear it was staring at him.

He turned and looked around the giant ballroom. The table of food with a melting ice sculpture of an elephant. Not a single person was looking at him or even in his direction. He moved his jaw back and forth and slowly slipped out of the ballroom and into the garden.

The sweltering heat of the ballroom was left behind for the sweet breath of chilled air. James readjusted the tight embroidered suit jacket and dress-shirt beneath it. He looked up at the little figure still hanging out of the labyrinth opening. The figure turned their head to the side as James approached. He began to make up a slender outline with a black tunic covered in patches of all colors and patterns stitched clumsily together. With torn pants that were clearly too big for them and held up by the rope tied around their waist overtop of their tunic. Their feet were bare beneath their torn ragged edges of the pants.

The little child had haunting glass-green eyes that were huge and staring at James oddly. James paused and swallowed thickly. Not daring to near the labyrinth any farther than the end of the cobblestone garden path.

“You know you can get in trouble for being in there right?” James called. Trying not to be loud enough it would draw attention. The child scrunched up their face in confusion, but they didn’t say anything. “You don’t look like nobility. Are you a servant?” The child’s face broadened into a smile that was missing teeth, then it faded and they ducked behind the wall of the labyrinth. James looked behind him to see if someone was coming.

“Wait! I’m sorry!” James called, not seeing anyone coming. “Can- Can you play with me? Or at least talk to me? Please?” The entrance of the labyrinth was dark and empty. James waited patiently, he looked at the gardens. The bare rose bushes offered him cover from the sight of the party. He ran and ducked behind the white stone of the labyrinth outer walls. His heart trying to break through his chest as he imagined how much trouble he’d be in if someone saw him.

Where’d you go?” He whispered as he slid along the walls. He passed a few openings in the stone wall opposite of him. He peered into the openings but didn’t see anyone moving.

“Psst? Hey,” James whispered through the openings. He walked openly down the maze. Sure that no one could see him but not daring to move between the walls for fear of getting lost. “Hello?”

“Boo!” The child jumped out from behind him and gently pushed him forward. James jumped and gasped sharply.

“Why would you do that!” He hissed. “What were you thinking?!” The kid shrugged.

“Sorry, I didn’t think it would be that big a deal.” They said sheepishly. James readjusted his jacket and cleared his throat quietly.

“I mean it’s not.” He said stubbornly. “Don’t do it again though. We could get kicked out of the castle if someone catches us here.” The child gave another confused look.

“You think my mother would?” They asked quietly.

“I hardly think anyone's mother would stand up to the Queen of Aderyntan.” James crossed his arms with a small roll of his eyes. The child laughed and snorted.

“My mother IS the Queen of Aderyntan!” They giggled. Then it was James’ turn to look bewildered. He looked the child up and down multiple times before daring to speak again.

“No one’s heard of a crowned heir in Aderyntan.” James said finally. The child shrugged.

“Mother says I don’t have any manners and if I can’t hold my tongue around my elders then I shouldn’t be seen or heard.” The child said. Breaking into the gap toothed grin again. “But you aren’t my elder. So I guess it’s okay.” James stared hard at the child, trying to guess if they were telling the truth or not.

“How old are you?” He asked finally.

“Seven,” They said.

“Then I guess I am your elder. I’m ten.” He said feeling a little superior. The child’s face scrunched up distastefully.

“That doesn’t count!” They said loudly.

“Ssh! Okay, okay it was just a joke!” James hushed them quickly.

“What’s your name?” They said, just as loudly.

“James. Prince of Sjodyr.” He said quietly, they flashed their gap grin.

“Mine’s Seren,” They strolled up and grabbed his hand. “Means we’re friends now,”

“Okay,” James said quietly. A smile creeping shyly up his face.

“C’mon, I’mma show somethin’.” Seren said and began pulling him into the curves of the labyrinth.

“But what if we get lost?” James asked.

“I can’t get lost! I know every corner of this thing.” Seren laughed. “I play in here all the time.” James let Seren lead him past the white vine covered walls and into thick hedges with red berries that he vaguely knew were poisonous.

“What are you going to show me?” He asked.

“Only the coolest thing in the kingdom,” Seren said. Pulling him faster as they picked up the pace. Through twists and turns of the labyrinth, well passed the point where James was hopelessly lost. But Seren moved with determination and never second guessed their turns. The deeper in they went the paler the berries became, until they were white as snow.

Seren pulled James through the last wall of the labyrinth and into the center where a giant tree with white leaves stood tall. Seren let go of James’ hand and bounced over the tree’s thick roots that were arched up through the ground. James was stuck staring at the tree. Hundreds of trees grew in the icy seaside kingdom of Sjodyr but none bore golden fruit.

Seren jumped up onto the lowest branch and hauled themself up the tree and straddled the dark branch.

“You want an apple?” They asked, kicking their bare feet in the wind.

“Are we allowed to pick them?” James asked.

“It’s not like anyone counts them,” Seren stood up on the branch and plucked a little golden fruit from the branch and offered it down. James held out his hands just in time for a round golden apple to drop perfectly into his palms. The skin of the apple was softer than anything James had ever felt, it was heavy too. Seren picked another apple and dropped out of the tree. They took a large bite out of the golden apple with a satisfying crunch. James stared at his, unable to bring himself to bite the fruit.

“Why are they like this?” He asked. Seren shrugged and took another bite.

“It’s been like this as long I can remember, the cook in the kitchen says the labyrinth was built when my mom married my dad.” They said. “But no one believes me when I say this tree exists. No one will come in and let me show them either.” James looked down at the golden apple in his hands. Struck by the sudden realization that he wasn’t supposed to know about the tree either. Seren finished their apple and tossed the core over their shoulder. It hit the ground and James watched in open fascination as the core rapidly rot to nothing but mulch in seconds. Seren looked over their shoulder at where the core had been.

“That? That happens when they hit the ground,” Seren said. “Better eat that quick,” James wondered if he dared take a bite…

He heard his name yelled over top of the labyrinth walls and he almost threw the apple.

“My mom!” He whispered. “I’m gonna be in so much trouble!” Seren looked at the top of the labyrinth.

“There’s another way out of the labyrinth. C’mon. I’ll take you out the back,” Seren grabbed James’ hand. He stuck the apple into his pocket and ran alongside Seren as they took him out of the center of the labyrinth and through the twists. The distant sound of his mother calling for him faded away as they travelled farther away from the entrance.

"Where does this let out?" James whispered.

"The far end of the gardens. Near the groundskeeper's house." Seren says. "The labyrinth is dense and confusing but not that big." Seren led James up to a dead end in the stone. They looked around and prodded at the wall in the dark until James heard a click. A small passage opened and Seren vanished. James walked into the wall and felt around until he found the small opening and ducked through it. In the dark Seren quickly shut the door behind him and took his hand again and led him around the labyrinth in a wide arc away from the walls. Halfway around Seren stopped. Swinging James around ahead and shoved him hard toward the rose trellis that he could now see.

“I’m over here!” James yelled breathlessly. Still running toward the castle all aglow above the gardens. “I’m coming!” James ran through the cobblestone paths between the roses. He saw his parents standing in the courtyard looking at the roses. Their eyes lit up as James came through the gardens and onto the courtyard.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear you,” James said breathlessly.

“What were you doing?” His mother asked.

“Exploring how far the gardens go,” James cleared his throat and stood up.

“The dancing got a little boring did it?” His father asked. James nodded. “Were the roses more interesting?”

“Actually! I found another child!” James said excitedly.

“Oh one of the servant’s children?” His mother asked, James shook his head.

“I don’t know, they said they were the heir of Aderyntan.” James said.

“There are no heirs in Aderyntan.” Out from the purple and gold curtains came a woman dressed in the darkest purple with glowing golden sashes and dangling jewelry filled with gemstones. James felt all their color drain out of their face. The Queen of Aderyntan had an opulent crown of gold that towered a foot tall. Everything about the woman demanded silence. James only nodded mutely.

“I’m sure there was no harm meant,” James’ mother took him by the shoulder and brought him over to the safety between his parents.

“They said their name was Seren.” James mustered up what little courage he had to say. Looking up at the Queen he noticed the way her face changed. A twitch in her temple and her jaw tightened.

“I see,” She said very quietly. “Where did they take you?”

“No where,” James said quickly.

“Why does it matter?” His mother jumped in and rescued him. “We’re taking our leave in any case,” James was turned by his mother towards the ballroom and ushered him forward. James sighed in relief.

“Lovely party, thank you for inviting us.” His father said with a polite nod.

“Just a second.” The Queen snapped. Stopping James dead but his mother kept pushing him forward.

“What?” His mother asked.

“I simply wish to know if he ventured into the labyrinth.” The Queen said. His mother turned him around to answer. James felt his throat tighten, the apple in his pocket heavier than ever. He felt like it was burning him.

“No.” He lied.