This is just an idea I had well watching Barbie: Princess and the Pauper(I have a weird love for Barbie movies shush). I'm not sure if I'll continue it. Maybe if I get good reviews or a lot of favorites or follows, I'll continue. I've just had this idea in my head for the longest of time, and it wouldn't get out. So, here you go.
Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, two identical baby girls were born on the same day, at the same time.
One, a baby Princess. She was born of beautiful red hair, and bright, amber, sparkling eyes. She was born laughing, but soon stopped and fell asleep, not quite like the other children. The King and Queen were so thrilled, they wanted to throw a royal ball where everyone in the kingdom was invited to dance and sing. Everyone was so happy that the long line of the royal family was finally continuing. They named the baby Princess Felicia, after the Kings mother.
The other, a baby pauper. She was born with the fairest of all red hair, and bright, amber, sparkling eyes. She was born crying, but soon stopped and fell asleep, like all the other children. Her parents loved her very, very much, and wanted the best for her. But, how could they? They were so poor, how could they care for their little daughter? They named her Lovina, after her mothers mother.
No one would even think about these two women to ever meet, but fate had a different idea.
Years later, the two girls were finally eighteen.
Felicia continued her love of art, and singing. Though, she wasn't really good at the latter, she did it quietly, though, because she just loved it so much. She studied hard on her Princess duties, and learned so much from her tutor, Ludwig. Her mother, Queen Alice, was now a widow, and depended on the royal mines to give her and her kingdom the money to survive. But, one terrible day, the Alice saw that the mines have run out of gold! The kingdom was now bankrupt. How will she care for her kingdom now? The only thought she would come up with was ask her adviser, Francis. But, he was away on an important meeting. She was on her own with this. She had to do something. But, what?
Then, it struck her. Nearby, there lived a rich young king seeking a beautiful, young wife...
"Oh! We are late, late, late! We have twenty, at least, twenty-two minutes for your royal fitting!" Yelled the man, walking back and forward with a pocket watch in his hand. Felicia mentally sighed. Her eyes followed the man, a little entertained at his panicking. Some maids were fitting her into a wedding dress, for the wedding that will take place only Lord knows when now.
"Then it's move, move, move, to your speech at the historical society! Then, we have to rush, and I mean rush! To the tea with the Queen... ahh, then there's your math lessons with sir Ludwig, your geography lessons, you science lessons..."
Felicia pretty much tuned him out at this point, glaring at her veil and blowing it out of her eyes. She brought her hands up to it, and removed it, revealing her beautiful, tan face. She took a step off the stand, much to the maids dismay, and walked, or skipped, out the small room to the main hall. She twirled around, and stared at the beautiful pattern on the ceiling, "All my life I've always wanted a day just for me," she sighed out to herself, "nothing to do, and no where to be. No more lessons, lords or lunches. And certainly no to-do lists."
She skipped around, lifting her dress to see her feet dance a little beat. Felicia let out a laugh, and stopped dancing, "No one to tell me when to eat, or read, or leave, or stay... that would be the day..." she looked at the ceiling again, a dreamy look on her face, "oh, what would it be like to be... to be..." she tried to think of a word.
She walked over to a large, glass door that led to a long balcony, and opened it. The cool breeze of the Spring air hit her face, and she closed her eyes to enjoy it, "Free," she said to herself, quietly. Yes, free. That's what she wanted. Felicia took a step, and giggled, "free to try crazy things," she spun around, loving the feel of the sun on her skin, "free to fly." she reached the rail of the balcony, and leaned on it, looking out to the mountains.
Felicia looked down at the garden below, seeing that her tutor was looking at the flowers. Ludwig had a book in one hand, which Felicia guessed was a plant book of some kind, and his other hand was lightly going over the petals of a blue flower. It looked like a lilac, from where the Princess stood. Said girl rested her head on her hand, and sighed happily, looking at the man below, "And marry whom I choose..."
"I am so sorry, my darling," Alice said, looking at her daughter. Felicia jumped, and turned around quickly to look at her mother. Did she hear everything I had said? Oh! I hope not! "I know you want to have a little more time to not have such big responsibilities," Oh, thank goodness, "but it is vital you marry King Antonio. It is the only way to take care of our people."
"I know," Felicia looked at the ground, and walked towards her mother, "it's my duty."
Alice gave a small, weak smile, and placed a hand on her daughters back, leading her into the castle, "Oh, and look. Another engagement gift!" the Queen said, trying to excite the young girl, and pointing at the present that was being carried by a maid to the table pressed up against the wall. The table was full of gifts from other kingdoms, and even some of the villagers.
Felicia rolled her eyes with a smile, and walked to the table as the maid, and her mother, left. She looked at the rather attractive present wrapped in white paper and a red bow, "You may think that I'm so lucky, because I have so many things," she took a small piece of the red string, and pulled it, making the bow fall apart. She twirled around with the string following her, "I'm realizing that every present comes with strings!" she giggled, loving the red object already.
The redhead stopped, a sad look on her face as her mothers words come across her mind once more. She looked at the ground, "Now I fear I'll never be free..." she said to herself, her eyes tearing a little. She closed them, trying to fight back the tears, "I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away," she began to sing her words, walking down up down the large stairs to the main door, "I could take flight, but would it be right?" she asked herself, opening the door and looked out into the magnificent yard.
"My conscience tells me stay." Felicia said louder, walking to a fountain and dipping her fingers into it, enjoying the cool feel of the water.
Felicia then thought about all the things she could do if she was free of this duty, and could do everything she wanted, "I'll remain forever royal...!" she said, almost like a beg or complaint, "duty means doing the things your heart might as well regret," she crossed her arms, now walking through the garden, "but, I'll never stop believing," she put a fist in the air, smiling widely, "there's more to living than gloves, and gowns, and threads, and seams!"
The redhead shook her head, and started to spin around repeatedly, "In my dreams," she sang out, "I'll be free!"
Lovina was worked long and hard by the evil, in her mind, Ms. Natalya. She worked in her dress shop, and made dresses all day. She was rather talented at them, but her real passion was singing. She would sing a little to her only co-worker, Lilli, and her mischievous cat, Wolfie. Of course, when Ms. Natalya would hear her, she would punish her with more work to do. It was rather cruel, and annoying. But, Lovina did it with little complaints. She was in debt, after all. Her parents had borrowed quite a bit from Ms. Natalya, and, being the self called generous person she was, she lend all the money they needed to care for Lovina.
All Ms. Natalya asked for in return, was when Lovina turned 16, she will have to work for her. Three years last, she still hasn't paid all the money back, or, so Ms. Natalya says.
Lovina yawned, and grabbed some fabric from the stands, and ran to her station with the blue silk. Lilli and her had been working in silence, and Lovina couldn't take it anymore, "All my life I've always wanted to have just one day for myself," she said, mainly to herself, but to Lilli, too, "and not wake up with a pile of work that damned shelf," she groaned, rolling her eyes and looking at the now decent sized pile of orders on the shelf. Lilli nodded her head, not really looking away from her work, "with no hems in need of pressing, and no stupid sleeves in disarray," Lovina folded the fabric, now starting to start on a new dress, "and certainly no wedding gowns with a thousand stitches to crochet," she groaned again, this time throwing her head back in dismay, remembering that horrid dress she had to make for the royal wedding that was coming up, "and no lame, stupid debt to pay!"
Her complaining was interrupted by the front door being open, and the little bell ringing. Lovina didn't turn to see who it was, she just prayed it wasn't another costumer. Lilli looked up from her work, and gasped a small gasp, "Ms. Natalya...!" she whispered for Lovina to stop her whining.
"What do you think I'm running here," Lovina turned to see the she-devil herself with a frown, "a cabary?" Ms. Natalya asked, her arms crossed and glaring at the brunette.
Lovina looked at the ground, and mumbled, "I would have said a debtors prison-"
"Keep laughing," Ms. Natalya put a finger in Lovina's face, glaring a bit darker now, "you'll be working for me for another thirty-seven years."
Lovina's jaw dropped, and she stared wide-eyed at the woman as she was walking up the rickety steps to the only other room in the shop, "But I already paid off more than half!" She yelled at her, refraining from saying a curse.
"But there's an interest, isn't there?" Natalya grinned an evil grin, and reached the top of the steps, "your parents should have thought of that before they borrowed so much-"
"They did it to feed me." Lovina growled at her. Who does she think she is, giving Lovina more unnecessary years to work for her?!
"Their mistake." Natalya simply shrugged, and slammed the door, now in the other room.
Lovina felt like screaming, she couldn't believe this! The only thing she could do, was yell into the rolls of fabric. And that's what she did. Lilli stared at her, wide-eyed. Lovina got back up, and stared at her right back, "Lilli, what would it be like to be free?" she asked, annoyed. Lilli just shrugged and continued watching her, "I mean, I could be free from endless I. ," she stood up straight and dusted her blue dress, "and free to sing...!" she grew excited.
Lovina went back to her dress in process, and continued working on it, "Though, I know I have so little, but my determination's strong! People will gather around the world to hear my song, Lilli!" she gave out a loud laugh.
Lilli smiled, still focused on her work, "Can I come along?"
The brunette ignored the question, "Soon," Lovina said with cocky smile, "I will forever be free!"
Lovina ditched her work, once again, and ran to the window next to her station. She opened it, and looked out to the nice looking scenery of outside the village, "I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away," she whispered to herself, and rested her hands on the rail, "I could take flight, but would it be right?" she asked herself, now doubting just a little, "my conscience tells me stay..."
Lovina shook her head, getting out of her thoughts. She closed the window, and went back to her station with a determined look on her face, "I'll repay my parents debt!" She said to herself, and looked at her cat, who just jumped up on the table next to her, "duty means doing the things your heart might as well regret, anyway," she sighed, and got back to work, "but she can never stop my schemes." she mumbled, a victorious smirk on her face as she referred to Ms. Natalya.
"There's more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and stupid seams," she continued on, "in my dreams, Lilli, I'll be free!"