"You can't really interrupt something that isn't planned," Ariadne replied, quickly getting a hold of herself.

She tucked the flute into her bag and grasped the branch with both hands, swinging herself down so that she hung by her knees for a second. But then she tucked her knees in and straightened out her legs, letting go to land neatly in a crouch.

At a trot, she crossed over to the stranger, offering him a bouncy, little curtsy. "My apologies, my lord," she said. "I wasn't laughing at you."