Mitchie:

I know that marriage is supposed to be the best thing ever, but honestly, I can't think of why. Right now seems like the worst day ever.

Here I am, getting married to Prince Nate to unite our two kingdoms. As I've been told a thousand times, it's my responsibility as a princess to do what's best for the people. But marriage... you would think that would be going too far, that I should marry for love.

But nooo. I have to marry for peace. Who needs peace when you can have love?

"...man and wife." The priest was saying. "You may kiss the bride."

Nate leaned in and attempted to brush my lips with his, but I turn my head so he only grazes my cheek.

He doesn't seem to mind so much when he pulls back. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have that kind of feeling for me either.

His eyes shoot towards Alex, my maid, then back at me. What was that all about?

Alex:

Princess Mitchie looks absolutely gorgeous in her dress. I can feel jealousy boiling in the pit of my stomach as she kisses Nate.

When he pulls back, he looks at me for a second. I wonder why... I mean, why would he be looking at me when he has the most beautiful girl in the world right in front of him, as his wife.

I know it's wrong, but yeah, I'm in love with Mitchie. Not only is she a girl, but she's also way higher on the classification ladder. Our relationship is strictly friends, and that alone is forbidden. I can call her Mitch in private, but in public I am strictly her servant, and I must refer to her as Princess Mitchie.

Hmph.

The two decend from the stage, and everyone gathers round to congratulate them. Mitchie's sister, Tess, is glowering from the stands. I stifle a smile at her look; Tess is the most bitter, stuck up girl ever. I feel bad for her maid; Harper.

Well, I'm going to be stuck with the job soon. Mitchie is going to move to Nate's kingdom, which leaves me here. Harper is going to become a cook's assistant, lucky girl. Right now, it seems like everyone is lucky but me.

Mitchie:

Nate takes my hand in his as we talk to the crowd. Nate's best friend, Shane, somehow fights his way to us, a smile gracing his face.

My heart flutters. This is who I want to be with... not Nate. How lovely for me to fall in love with my new husband's best friend.

On my defence, I was in love with him way before we got married.

Nate and I have been amazing friends ever since we were little, and just last week I found out about this huge wedding that apparently involved me and my oldest friend getting married.

Nate might be my oldest friend, but Alex is my best friend, maid or no. Whenever we're in private, I don't even notice that she's different from me. This whole class thing is stupid, I wish we could all be equal.

"You guys were great." Shane, as Nate's best friend, knows how much we don't want to marry eachother. His eyes flicker when he looks at Nate. "I'll miss you."

Shane's a prince himself; but there's only one problem. He's engaged to Tess.

Ha.

Tess is... a very interesting sister. I'll admit, she's not very nice to me. I never used to hate her... until I found out how she was betrothed to Shane.

Shane and Tess... they never spoke. They hardly acknowledged the oher existed. I wish we could've switched roles.

But this way, all three large kindoms of the land could unite as one and peace could finally rule and blah blah blah.

All I wanted was the handsome boy who was talking with Nate.

Shane:

Sure, he's my best friend and recently married. But does that mean we can't fall in love and live happily ever after?

I've known him since I was a kid, and the whole 'marrying Mitchie' thing was not cool.

Mitchie is awesome, but I can feel envy boiling at the pit of my stomach. She got to marry Nate, and I'm left with her ugly step-sister... well, not really step, and not really that ugly... but still..

Tess is the worst. She's mean to everyone, and she thinks she's all that. Sometimes I wish she was a maid, maybe soem physical labor would straighten up her character.

And lucky me, I was supposed to marry her in a month. Goody.

Nate:

Wow, Alex looks great in her bridesmaid dress. Heck, she looks great in anything. I find myself wishing that the girl I had just married was Alex, not Mitchie.

Don't get me wrong, Mitchie is great. She's sweet, and kind, and a very happy go lucky girl; the perfect princess. But just because we're friends doesn't mean I'm head over heels for her.

I'm kinda sorta in love with her maid.

Mitchie:

I feel a twinge of sadness when Shane leaves, then remember the bad news I have to tell him.

"My parents are making me leave Alex at the castle."

He looks more upset than I had imagined. "What?! Why can't you take her with you?!"

I shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. I'm not supposed to show how much I care about her in public, but she's my best friend. I was frantic when I found out I would be leaving her behind.

"I'll convice your parents." Nate pushed through the crowd towards them, a determined look on his face.

I glanced at the sparkling tiara on my head, then sighed. Why couldn't I be a maid? I just don't feel cut out for this princess stuff. All I wanted was to marry Shane. Was that really that much to ask?

Apparently in this kingdom, yes.

Alex:

Princess Mitchie is coming towards me. She's giving me a look, and I understand immediately.

"Upstairs?" I whisper when she's close enough to hear me.

"To my room." She nods.

I go right, she goes left. Five minutes later, we're both in her room.

"How are you?" I ask immediately. "I bet your escatic."

She sighs tiredly. "Yeah. Really."

I tilt my head. "I thought you loved Nate."

She looks at me, and openes her mouth like she's about to say something. Then she closes it and closes her eyes. "I do. Yeah, we love eachother a lot."

"No offence, but you're acting like you just married a frog. What's wrong?"

Mitchie glances up, and suddenly she's mad. "That's now how you talk to your princess. Out of my sight at once!"

I've never seen her act like this, but I back out the door, wondering what's wrong. The door slams behind me, and I duck into an empty hallway to clear my thoughts.

When I know no one's looking, I pull something out of my puffy sleeve.

No one can know I'm magic, but sometimes it comes in handy. So what if wizardry is against the law, I have it and I'm going to use it.

Tell me why my princess is not herself, so maybe I, the maid, can help

I whispered the spell under my breath, waving the wand as I did so. I only know one other magician, and he is also secret.

The only difference is, I still use magic. He never does, because he's afraid of getting caught.

This other wizard is my brother, Justin. He works in this castle too, but in a completely different branch, so I almost never see him.

Anyways, as soon as I uttered the last word, a large mist spewed out of my wand. An image appeared. It was Mitchie marrying Nate.

Then it was her looking at Shane.

The mist vaporated into thin air, and I was left staring into space. So... Mitchie didn't love Nate? She loved Shane?

No wonder she was crabby, she was in love with her husbands best friend...

I was in love with her, and she was in love with a prince.

How was I supposed to compete with him?!

Mitchie:

The second I slammed the door I felt guilty. I had needed to have a nice long talk with Alex to calm me down, and I had only ended up yelling at her because she wanted to know if I was okay.

No one was in the room, so I pulled out my secret from under my bed.

It was an old guitar, barely in tune and worn so much I worried it might soon fall apart. I propped it up and strummed a few chords.

"They all say it's not love, it's who you are

What if it's not what I want, what if it's not what I need

They all say my dreams will come true if I wish upon a star

But this is not what I want, this is not what I need

I need you, baby, I need you

But you're the one thing I can't have and I'm stuck like I'm in glue

I need you, oh yeah, I need you

But you're the one thing I can't ask for, I can't keep loving you

Life full of laughter, happily ever after

I'm a princess, but he's not my prince

I need your love, friendship's not enough

One look, I've loved you ever since

Don't let them keep us apart

Don't let them keep you from my heart

Don't let them end what I can't start..."

There's a knock on my door and I shove the instrument back in it's case, kick it under my bed, and grab my brush.

I move the brush down my hair in long strokes. "Come in!"

Nate enters, looking confused. "Did I hear singing coming from here?"

I laugh. "Singing? Here? Pssshhh... nooo."

He raised an eyebrow. "O-okay. Well, I was wondering when you want to leave." His face goes red. "For our honey moon."

I feel my cheeks flare, and now we're both blushing. "Er, whenever."

He looks at his feet. "Great because... um...my parents told me something..."

I tilt my head. "What did they tell you?"

Nate mumbles something under his breath I can't hear, his gaze still locked downwards.

"What?"

Finally, he looks up. "They want a... a honey moon grandchild."

Great. Not only had they orchestrated my marriage, but now they were telling me when to have a kid. Somehow I got the feeling that our two parents were going to be controlling Nate and I every step of the way.

"Oh..er...yeah..er...um..." I manage, wondering what I was supposed to say.

"I'll meet you at around five." He made a bee line for the door. "You want to...um, do it here?"

"Why not?" I force a smile. "I'll be ready for you."

Nate disappears faster than I could blink, and I realize we were both embarrassed about this whole marriage. Now I was bound to him forever.

I lean over and ring the bell, requesting Alex's presence. I needed to apologize, because according to my watch, I was going to be doing... things with Nate in two hours.

Alex:

I hear a distant tinkling noise, and automatically I head to Mitchie's quarters. That means she wants to see me.

Hopefully she's not mad at me.

I approach the door carefully, then knock.

"Come in." She calls from inside.

I walk in, and I try not to gasp. She's completely naked...

"Er... you called for me?" I tried to keep my eyes on her face, but they can't help but wander...

"Yes." She nodded. "I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I'm just stressed."

"And..."I ventured to ask. "Why are you not wearing anything?"

She rolled her eyes. "For one, you dress me every day, I don't see why you look so nervous about it. Secondly, I'm not wearing anything because apparently Nate's parents what honeymoon grandchildren."

This makes me laugh. I mean, if she was in love with Nate I would be jealous, but I had recently found out she wasn't interested in him at all, which made everything funnier.

Mitchie pouted. "This isn't funny 'Lex."

"Um, yes it is." I'm practically rolling on the floor laughing.

I had closed the door behind me, but a knock came on the door. On instict, I open it.

It's Nate. He has two candles in his hand. "Mitchie, do you want strawberry scented or..."

He finally notices Mitchie's clothing, or lack thereof. His jaw drops and his face turns a deep, deep shade of red.

"Alex!" Mitchie yells, and I go on another impulse and slam the door in Nate's face.

Mitchie sits in her chair, butt-naked, and stares at me, horrified.

It takes me three seconds for the shock to wear off, and then I'm literally rolling on the floor.

Mitchie:

I watch as Alex goes back and forth on her stomach, tears of mirth streaming down her face and her mouth open, loud, rattling chuckles escaping.

How could she open the door when I wasn't even wearing anything?!

The thought that it might happen twice jolts me into action. I go to my wardrobe, find a simple night gown, and pull it akwardly over my head. Usually I have Mitchie to help me when I dress.

I try to push what had just happened from my mind. Poor Nate, poor Alex... poor ME!

I have only one hour remaining now until Nate comes back.

Trust me, I'm not looking forward to it.