Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This is a new story that was born out of watching Mickey Mouse with my niece. The Prince and the Pauper was one I'd remembered from when I was little, but seeing it again stirred a story idea. This fic is dedicated to Tropical Sorbet, my dear friend and the person who hops on Skype almost weekly to check in on my writing and see if we can manage to get the words to flow a little faster with the buddy system. Also, some love to A Cullen Wannabe, my fic sis who also keeps the keys tapping, and my beta and fic wife Mizzdee, for polishing my words.

To those of you waiting on Everything I Needed and Everything I Wanted, I'm working on Edward's POV and hope to get those chapters to my beta very soon. Other projects are popping in and out as the inspiration strikes, so things are moving, and more will be coming this spring.

This story is half written, with posts every 2 weeks until it is completed and I can speed it along. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

I never gave much thought to what would become of my life. I had been born to a mother who couldn't support me, or so the nuns that raised me assumed, because I had been left on the steps of the convent at only a few hours old.

The nuns ran the local orphanage, so I was lucky enough to get a better education than I would have otherwise, along with learning the value of hard work. When I was ten, the Madam of Staff from the Dunn School for Girls came by to select some new maids. My manner and the high recommendation of the nuns earned me one of the coveted positions and I was soon on my way to the Dunn School.

It was there that I thrived, working my way from the kitchens to the housekeeping staff, and then at the age of thirteen my gentility earned me a position as a lady's maid.

Lady Victoria was my first charge, and she was a bit of a handful. It was easy to see what being raised as the daughter of a Duke did for your self-importance, but I learned a great deal from her about anticipating a person's needs.

For three years, I was working in her service until the time came that she had completed her courses. I was indifferent to her leaving, and I knew that she would never think of me again after that day, but my new concern would be the lady I would receive after her departure.

It was a few weeks after Lady Victoria's departure that I was called into the office of the Madam of Staff to receive my new charge.

"Bella, child, come in," the Madam said and I entered her office, bobbing a curtsey before taking my seat. "I'm afraid that your next charge might be a little more difficult, but it is why you were placed with Lady Victoria, for I knew she would prepare you to work for the heights of our nobility, and now that the princess is in need of a lady's maid again..."

I knew it was terribly rude to interrupt her, but I had to make sure I had heard her correctly. "The princess? You mean Princess Isabella?"

"Yes," the Madam confirmed. "I know that might get confusing when you are in close company, seeing as the nuns chose to name you after the new princess at the time of your arrival at the convent, but she has dismissed her latest maid and I need someone she won't send away quickly. I have every confidence that you will stay in her service for the year that she is to remain here."

"Thank you, Madam, but are you sure about this placement?" I asked again and she nodded.

"I am. Now you can find her in the royal chambers, and I suggest you arrive before she returns from her first class," the Madam said by means of dismissing me.

I had heard about the princess from some of the other's lady's maids, and while she was both beautiful and compassionate, she also had been known to be cunning and as with most royals any hint of disloyalty had you dismissed.

I made my way to the royal chambers on shaky legs and was shocked by the state of the room when I entered it. It was in complete shambles, with the princess' clothes strewn about the room, the fire nearly down to ash, and the bed unmade. Not wanting Princess Isabella to return to this disaster, I quickly got to work on setting the room to rights.

First, I needed a fire in the hearth, so I found some good logs for the fire and then I moved to the bed. Stripping it, I remade the bed with one of the other sets of sheets in the linen chest, and then I moved to the clothing. Much of it simply needed to be placed back into the armoires, but the items that were either dirtied, or that I was unsure of were set aside to be laundered. I knew that Lady Victoria had a majority of her things sent to the laundry room, while select items were washed by me, but with the princess I wasn't sure so I left it all here until I could ask her preference.

I had finished the work to my satisfaction when the door swung open and the princess entered. She was a petite thing, just a bit shorter than me, with dark hair all the way to her waist. "Are you to be my new maid, then?"

I looked up at the princess from my deep curtsey and nodded. "I am, Your Highness."

"We can't have that type of formality here, now do you know exactly who I am?" she questioned me.

"Yes, you are Princess Isabella Maria Alicia Brandon, daughter of King Richard, ruler of Genoa," I told her confidently, because if I knew anything, it was the royal family of my own country.

"Good, so you know that my word is law as well as my father's is. As long as you remember that and do as I say, then we shouldn't have any problems," Princess Isabella told me before looking at me. "What is your name?"

"Bella, Your Highness," I told her and she grumbled.

"You can call me My Lady while in private, and I shall call you by your name since you go by a shortened version of our shared name. No one would think to speak in so familiar a way, so there is no worry of confusion. Now, I can see you've cleaned up quite well since your arrival, so those items can be left for my personal laundress and you can dye my hair." The princess turned to me with a wary eye, "You have used dyes before as a lady's maid, right?"

"Yes, prior to this assignment I was maid to Lady Victoria -" I cut myself off, realizing that I'd just revealed that her hair coloring wasn't natural, which itself was an act of disloyalty to my former lady.

The princess laughed at my expression, setting me a little bit at ease. "Do not worry about it being a great secret, Bella; her particular color choice isn't even natural on a Phoenix."

Moving to one of the cabinets, I found the indigo dye and the paraffin wax. The princess donned some toweling and got into position in a chair that was specifically used for the purpose, if the black stains were any indication, while I continued to work. Melting the wax into a well-used bowl, I prepared the dye and then dipped my hands into the wax. Giving it just enough time to dry, I worked quickly to coat her roots in the dye, and then a few minutes later, continued to the tips. When finished, I rubbed the wax off my hands and then prepared the basin to rinse her hair. Once enough time had passed, I carefully tipped the chair back so that the Princess' hair filled the tub of water. I worked quickly to wash the dye out, careful of her skin and when I was satisfied that it was all out, I wrapped her hair in the old toweling and raised her back to her feet.

We moved to the stool near the fire where I could dry her hair properly, and as I worked, the Princess smiled for the first time since I had met her. "That was well done, Bella, and I'm not one to compliment often. It seems that the Madam knew exactly what she was doing sending you to me."

"Thank you, My Lady," I said as I went to check on her afternoon meal.

Those first days with the princess were rocky, but she seemed to take a liking to me, making the work easier.

It was little things at first that I hadn't expected, but they were decidedly different from the picture of Princess Isabella that everyone else at the school had painted.

First, she complemented my appearance, telling me that I had a pretty figure and remarkably unblemished skin for one of my class.

Then she told me that, since it seemed I had been given an education beyond what a servant would receive, I could peruse her books for something to read while she was occupied and my tasks were done.

Finally, after three months in her service, the princess had me prepare the servants' quarters that were adjoining her rooms so that I was close to her at all times. My meager belongings were transported from the communal servants' chambers to my new home and after a morning to set myself up, I was back to the never-ending task of anticipating the needs of the princess.

*MatM*

"Bella, do you have any plans for the holidays in a few weeks? The school lets out for a full month, and I need to know if I will be without your service while you visit your family," the princess asked as I marked the hem of the dress that I would be adjusting while she was in class.

"No, My Lady, I have no family," I answered.

"No one? Not a friend or a beau that you might wish to see?" she prodded.

"There's no one to miss me, My Lady, I am at your disposal," I offered.

"That's excellent news," she responded.

Many of our dealings went that way. The princess had a way of asking a question of you that was so confusing or convoluted in its origins that you couldn't hope to understand what it was she really wanted to know. I was just trying to navigate her logic. As it was, she spent more time improving her riding technique with a private tutor, so that meant a little more calm in my day.

The holidays came soon and the majority of the school returned home, students and servants alike, as only those who chose to stay remained. The halls were eerily quiet leading to the princess' rooms as all of those on her floor left the previous night, but I carried our meals back on the tray, knowing that she was expecting me.

What I found upon entering was the last thing I had been expecting.

The princess was standing before her mirror in one of my dresses, her hair pinned up to mimic the short cut worn by maidens of the lower class. I nearly dropped the tray when she noticed my arrival and ushered me inside.

"Bella, just in time. I had been hoping that we could manage this, but I wasn't sure until I saw it with my own eyes now," Princess Isabella rambled as she took the tray from my hands and dragged me to stand beside her at her mirror. "Look at us, Bella, what do you see?"

"I don't understand what you're asking," I told her honestly, because my mind was whirling.

"Look between us and tell me what you notice," she clarified. "Our height is very close, and you being a hair taller can be explained away by growth, so it is no matter. My eyes are more caramel than chocolate, but not to the point that anyone would question it. There aren't enough people that look a princess in the eye to remember their eye color except to say it was brown."

"Why are you doing this?" I tried to ask, but she ignored the query.

"Even our features are similar. Your lips are a little fuller than mine and your face a touch rounder, but once again, with us both acting our parts no one will suspect what is happening," she continued, turning to face me.

"My Lady, you're speaking in riddles, please tell me what this is about," I pleaded.

"A change for both of us, Bella. For you and I will switch places."