An; I've been working on this on and off for such a long time now and I finally don't completely detest it. I still feel like it could be so much more. But as of right now, it is what it is.

Hopefully what it is is vaguely okay, and enoyable.

Mistakes are mine.

...

PART 1

Prologue.

His Highness King McCorrigan is a lot of things.

He's the longest reigning mornarch his kingdom has ever had. He's also the most prosperous. Fae World has seen great times under his reign. A working system involving the slaves has been set in place under his rule. The economy is stable, they've managed to evade three wars and win four-and so many other things that would take hours to list.

He's a great leader. He's going to go down in the good side of the history books. He has integrity, he's fair and he has a passion and knack for leadership.

But perhaps, the king sometimes things, what he'll be remembered most for having, is an impossible grand daughter.

Ysabeu McCorrigan is wild. Always has been. From the time when she was six and she ran away from her lessons to climb trees and try riding the horses without supervision.

She's hard headed and set on her ways and has a tendency of insisting on forming her own opinions about everything. She takes nothing at face value. And perhaps on other people this would be okay, but she's going to be Queen soon. There's a way royals are meant to think. There are rules and regulations that every great leader has to have.

And Bo isn't falling in line with that.

And that scares the king more than anything because he has worked hard from the age of sixteen for this kingdom to be what it is. For the crown to remain in his family. And if Ysabeu doesn't start acting like she should sometime soon, he's afraid all this is going to be lost in her hands.

Hence the rather drastic decision he just made.

"What? Why?" She asks from across the table. Her eyes furious and hiding none of her emotions. It strengthens his resolve. She needs this. She needs to learn.

"Because I say so." He answers easily. "And my word is law."

"Not to me."

"Especially to you." His voice leaves no room for argument. "You leave at the first light of dawn. I'd advise you get some sleep."

She's practically panting in anger as she takes her leave from the throne room. He sighs, watching her go. The women in his family have always been headstrong. Bo's grandmother defied all odds to marry him. Her mother eloped to marry the king of the Dark Kingdom although he tried everything to avert that. If he doesn't nip this in the bud, it'll only get worse.

She has too much freedom here. Too many things to occupy her mind other than just being and rulling like she's supposed to. This time away will do her good. She'll learn to be a proper royal.

She has to.

I

She looks outside the carriage at the passing trees and sighs. Her dress feels heavy on her today and she wishes they would have let her choose her own clothes. She's already being made to do something she doesn't want, the least they could afford her was the decency of letting her decide what her own body should be covered in.

But apparently that was asking too much according to her grandfather.

Whatever she would have chosen would have fallen short. She's next in line to the throne after all. The very air she breathes out should indicate that.

She sighs again and slumps her body. It's more out of defiance than exhaustion. Her grand father hates it when she does so and righ now anything her grandfather hates is something she revels in.

"Are you alright your majesty?" The man beside her asks and she glares at him. Usually, she's better about how she treats the slaves. But today isn't a usual day and she has no cares left to give to anyone but herself.

"I'm fine. I don't need your concern."

He nods, purses his lips and looks forward. She feels bad for a moment. He's known her since she was eight. He's seen her grow and he used to carry her from the carriages when she was too little to get off herself.

She can't say he's her friend. She can't keep the slaves as friends, it's against the law. But he's enough of a person to her not to warrant her rudeness.

But she's still angry so he'll just have to swallow it today.

The ride is silent all the way to their destination after that.

...

It looks more like a prison than anything and for really long minutes, she contemplates not getting out.

What will her grandfather do, hang her?

But it's late in the evening and she's been in this thing for hours and her dress seems to have grown heavier and she's so hungry.

So she steps down.

She walks with less grace than she knows she's supposed to towards the house as the slaves follow her with her laggage. More slaves are lined at the door as expected, ready to welcome her. She knows she should stop and inspect them and make her presence feklt but she's tired and hungry and she just doesn't have the energy.

"Someone draw me a bath. And I expect dinner to be served when I'm done." she commands as she passes them and heads for the door.

She'll worry about making a good impression tomorrow.

:::::

"I'm not so sure about this." Lauren whispers under her breath as Crystal refolds Her Majesty's clothes before handing them to her.

"What are you not so sure about." Crystal adjusts the clothes in her arms so that they don't fall. "You go in, you place the clothes on her bed, you wait to see if she needs something else, if she doesn't you leave, of she does you take care of it."

"What if it's something I can't take care of?"

"Like what?" Crystal asks incredulously and Lauren just shrugs. She doesn't know what exactly. It's just that life has a way of dealing her bad hands and she'd rather it didn't happen in front of someone who'se capable of having her hanged.

Crystal rolls her eyes and she softens around the edges. Her hands coming up to fix Lauren's hair and the collars to her uniform. "You'll do fine." She says, her voice steady.

Lauren is ready to open her mouth but Crystal shakes her head. "Would you rather we be back in the underhouses. Working in deplorable conditions for nothing?"

Lauren shakes her head. Crystal's right. Sabatoging herself id the very last thing she should be doing right now. She's been in the system for three months and this is the first good job she's had. And yes, the stakes are high, working for the princess and what not. But she has a place to sleep that's not next to a bucket full of people's waste. And she has three square meals everyday and there's no one to lash her back whenever they feel like it.

Compared to where she's been, this is heaven.

So she stands up straight and nods. Making Crystal smile. She can do this. After all, she's just a gir- royalty, but a girl nonetheless.

How bad can she be?

...

"What in the devil's name is this?" Her Highness asks when she comes from her bath and sees the clothes Lauren laid out for her.

The blonde's eyes widen and her hear beat goes a little insane. "Those are-they're the-"

"They are the what? Did you not hear me say I want dinner after my bath? Why are you making me wear clothes that make me look like I'm going for afternoon tea? Are you trying to insult me? Is this some slave joke I'm not aware of?"

"No!" Lauren's voice rises in panic and she shakes her head. "It's not, your majesty. I promise. Those are the clothes that were given to me to present to you. But I could go-" she's already moving to take them from her but the princess puts a palm up and stops her.

"What's done is done." She says, her voice a little softer now.

"I-"

"I said let it be." It's a command. Lauren nods and steps back. Her eyes going to the floor like they were trained to.

From the corner of her eyes she sees the princesses flawless skin. Devoid of any marks from lashes or hardships. The scents she has used envelope the room and Lauren looks even lower. Her hands at the back fiddling because she always does that when she feels uncomfortable.

And she's feeling very uncomfortable right now.

"Well." A stern voice cuts her from her thoughts.

Her head snaps up. "I'm sorry?" She asks confused.

"I cannot very well tie the back straps myself. can I?" The princess's voice is teasing but it isn't as angry as before.

Lauren is comfused for a few more seconds. The brunette sighs. "Sometime this year if you please."

"I- I don't know how."

"What do you mean you don't know how. It's a just a dress."

Embarassed, Lauren tags at the skirt of her own torn simple dress as she moves forward. She looks up to find the princess's eyes on her. They're at the softest Lauren has seen them.

"It's simple." She says turning away hastily. "Just put them inside the loops."

"In no paticular order?" Lauren asks, taking the straps in hand.

"However you do it is fine with me. Although people do often prefer criss-crossing them, but whatever you choose is fine."

Through the mirror, Lauren sees the girl's lips lift in a smirk and she can't hold her eyes for some reason. She concentrates all her attention on the task in hand. Bitting her tongue in concentration.

By the time she's done, she doesn't like the end product and her palms are sweaty. But the princess turns around and tilts her head to see Lauren's work and she smiles and nods.

"You did well." It sounds like she's being honest although she's not.

But still, even with the white lie, Lauren is grateful. And maybe she was right, maybe the princess isn't so bad after all.

::::

Bo wears unevenly and untightly, strapped dresses for almost a week before the slave girl gets it right.

She chokes down her unusual liniency to boredom. The whole reason her grandfather had her come here is to teach her more responsibily. To learn how to be a leader and how to handle the people who work for her. She's in charge of everything here. From the finances to hearing the servant's grievances, everything.

But the finances for the week were settled before she arrived and most of the slaves won't look her in the eye after that first day when she was tired and she snapped at them from exhaustion.

Yesterday, when she was walking the halls, she had one of them tell the other that they'd heard that back in the palace, she would have people hanged to death for looking her in the eye.

At first she'd thought of walking in there and adressing the issue. Having the slave punished for slander. But then that would have perpetuated the ides that she's a monster so she let it go.

For now.

The only one of them who even dares look her in the eye is the shy, blonde one who has no idea how to tie dress straps. Lately, Bo's eyes have been finding her more often than not. Usually when they do she looks away and blushes and Bo has made a game out of counting how many times she can do that in a day. She's so used to living amongst people who've been taught from as early as they could see how to act.

This openness that the girl posseses is at best amusing and at most, flattering.

And it helps pass the time.

...

"What is it you're doing?" She's walking around the grounds, scoring the land in an effort to have something to tell her grandfather when all this is over, when she finds her. She's bent down amongst the flowers. Busy digging.

"Your Majesty I-"

"Bo." She says evenly. "Call me Bo."

"Oh I couldn't." The blonde girl stands up and wipes off the dirt from her knees. "It's not my place."

"I wasn't asking you to, I was telling you to. Unless you think it's your place to defy my orders?" She asks with a teasing voice and a smirk.

The girl hides behind a curtain of blonde hair and Bo mentally notes that it's the sixth time she's made her blush today. New record.

"No." She shakes her head. "Of course not."

"Good." Bo nods, "I'm glad we settled that. Now, " she looks around the feilds, "why are you on your knees digging dirt? Do we not have people for that?"

"Oh, we do. I just like it."

"You like digging dirt?"

"It's called garden." She says with an almost sarcastic tone of voice before her eyes widen, "Your Majesty." She adds.

Bo wants so much to laugh. It's been such a long time since anyone stood up to her even a little. Treated her a little more like human being and less like an object to be feared.

"So, you're gardening."

"Yes."

"And you like it?" She asks curiously. Most of the time she likes teasing the blonde but right now she genuinely wants to understand how someone can like something as basic as gardening.

It looks like too much work. In dirt more so.

"It's theraputic. I'm helping give life to something."

She nods, still not understanding. "What are you growing?"

"I don't really know." She answers, frowning and making lines form on her forehead. " They're some sort of flowers. I got the seeds from a friend who got them from a friend and they didn't know what they are either. I'm just hoping they do well in the heat."

Bo again nods. It feels good to just converse with someone. Maybe this summer won't turn out to be a complete waste of her time. "Can I help?"

"With the-with the planting?"

"You sound surprised." Bo smirks.

Seventh blush of the day makes an appearence. "It's just that you're you."

"That's a compliment I presume?"

"It's meant to be."

A smile escapes her before she can hide it. This time, she's the one to look away and compose herself before turning back. "Tell you what, as payment, you have to give me one of the flowers when they bloom."

Again with the frown and narrowed eyes. "What if they're hedious."

"Well that's just a risk I'll have to take then."

:::

"What's with you?" Crystal asks, startling Lauren nearly out of her skin. She places a hand to her chest to calm her heart.

"Are you trying to kill me, Crystal?"

"It's not my fault you're so absent minded." The shorter blonde smiles. "Which brings me back to my initial question; what is going on?"

"Nothing." She shrugs evasively. Going back to her work that she had abandoned minutes ago in favour of thinking of the princess- Bo.

She's nothing like Lauren thought she would be. Yes, that first day she had been rude, and she does take certain pleasure in making the blonde squirm, but she's so much more that everyone says she is.

She has a very unconscious kindness about her. A softness that she doesn't seem to be aware is in her. This afternoon,when they were gardening, she was so attentive. And her questions were genuine and although Lauren had initially thought she's doing this as some game, her opinion had changed by the end of their afternoon.

"There you go again."

"What?" She asks Crystal carelessly. She had honestly forgotten the other girl is there.

"Oh Lord, you've met someone haven't you?"

Lauren gasps, her eyes widen. "No. Why would you even say that?"

"Because it's written all over your face?" Crystal asks like it's the most obvious thing on earth. Then her eyes widen. "Is it Nadia?"

"Why would it be Nadia?" This conversation is getting more confusing by the second.

"Because she likes you. God, Lauren. A blind bat in midday sunlight can see it. Everybody knows Nadia has wanted you from the second we stepped off that damned feet-smelling carriage."

"No she doesn't." She trails off a little. "Does she?"

Crystal nods and Lauren's heart sinks. She doesn't like Nadia. Not like that anyway. And she now feels a little bad for it.

"Well it's not her." She says finally. "And before you make anymore guesses, it's not anyone else either. I haven't met someone. I mean, I've met people but not in the way that you mean."

"If you say so." Crystal shrugs but she clearly doesn't beleive her.

"I do say so."

"Okay."

"Crystal."

"What? I said okay." She laughs out and starts going about her business.

Lauren rolls her eyes and stops thinking of Bo. She doesn't need any more questions.

...

"Morning."

It has become Lauren's almost official duty to take Bo's clothes to her every morning. At first, no one knew this, not even the princess herself. But when some other servant went in the third day after her arrival, she apprently complained about everything.

That's too tight. Well now it's too lose. Too tight again, are you trying to suffocate me? You know what? Leave-leave and call the girl who usually does this. The blonde one.

So now, to avoid her wrath, everyone just expects Lauren to do it every morning and evening without question.

Not that Lauren minds. Bo uses the most amazing scents and being in her room is like being under a blanket of flowers. Plus, she just likes being there.

"You're late." The princess is clearly not in the best of moods this morning. "I was done with my bath three minutes ago."

Lauren's pulse increses. She fumbles for words. "I uh- I'm-" then the princess smiles. Wider than Lauren has ever seen her before and now she's just confused. "I'm sorry."

"I wasn't being serious." She lets the towel drop from her body and for a minute, Lauren's heart stills. It makes her a bit dizzy, how fast she shifted from being confused to shoked. And how much of Bo's skin she has just seen.

A chuckle is heard from across the room. Her face reddens and she still doesn't look up until the princess tells her to come tie her. She keeps her eyes on her back but even the skin there is making her hands tremble.

When she does look up. Bo is still smiling. "Are you okay?" The brunette asks with put on innocence.

Lauren just swallows and takes a step back.

Maybe Crystal is right.

Maybe there is something going on with her.

:::::

II

Bo looks at her book. The word she's been reading over and over for the past half an hour dancing before her eyes.

She doesn't know why she's being so silly.

She's next in line to the throne for heaven's sake. If she wants a question answered she should get it answered.

"Are you avoiding me?" She asks without any lead ups. This has been bothering her for two days now and she's not used to being bothered. She's been here two weeks. How exactly did she let a slave deep enough under her skin to have the power to bother her?

She could be back home right now. Drinking with Tamsin and Dyson and annoying her grandfather.

Instead, she's here, worrying over a slave, a beautiful one but a slave nonetheless. Who has still not answered her question.

"I asked you a question."

"No, Your Highness."

Bo shuts her book and lifts an eyebrow. "I thought I told you not to call me that."

"It's your title." She retorts.

"And the power it holds allows me to choose how I want to be adressed. You know my name, use it."

"I'm sorry, Bo." She isn't looking her in the eyes. Her voice sounds edgy.

"Did I do something?" Bo questions. Hating how that question sounds so unlike her.

"No."

"Then what's the problem?" She throws her hands up in defeat. "Everything was fine and then suddenly you just shut me out. You don't talk to me, you won't look at me."

"It's nothing."

"It can't be nothing. Unless you have some mental condition that causes you to switch moods without warning."

The blonde's lips twitch and it annoys Bo how pleased that makes her. Maybe her grandfather was right after all. She needs to work on how to act royal. This thing that too closely resembles a soft spot she has developed for this girl is not okay. She came here to learn how to be in control. Not let slaves bother her.

"I don't have a mental condition."

"Then what is it?"

She sighs. Clearly seeing that Bo isn't about to let this go. "I'm just being insesitive. I apologise."

That's clearly not all there is to it. But Bo is having enough conflicting emotions as it is without sorting through anyone elses. So she just nods and opens back her book.

"Jane Austen?"

Bo looks up,confused for a minute before she recalls the book in her hands. "Oh, yes." She rolls her eyes. "Grandfather thinks it'll teach me how to be a proper lady."

"You are a proper lady." It's an innocent statement. Full of genuineness and Bo finds herself smiling. Knowing it won't be that easy to get unbothered by this girl who's so different from anyone she's ever met before.

"Not according to my grandfather I'm not. But I'm not really sure how this book is supposed to turn me into one. I haven't even been able to get past the first page."

The blonde laughs lightly, "I'm not so sure if it'll do the intended job either. But I promise it'll take you on a journey."

"You've read it?" Both of Bo's brows go up. She doesn't mean to sound rude, but most slaves are born slaves. And no one takes slaves to school. That's empowerment and it won't be good for the masters.

The other girl looks a little uncomfortable. Like the fact that she might be literate is something to be ashamed of. "Yes." She answers quietly and Bo wants to ask how she got to know how to read but she doesn't want to make her more uncomfortable than she already is.

"Can you narrate to me then I'll just say I read it too?" She tries making the air lighter. Wad off the awkwardness. She knows she's succeeded when the blonde smiles a bit.

"Isn't that like reading a map and saying you've travelled? The magic is in the words themselves. How they're woven, the story they tell. Give it a chance. You might like it."

Bo keeps silent after that. She's not getting unbothered by this girl anytime soon.

...

There's banter in the kitchen that stops the second Bo enters. Everyone stands up, heads bowed.

She looks around until she finds the blonde girl. And she wants to adress her, to say what brought her here, until she realizes she doesn't even know her name.

It's been almost two weeks and she doesn't know her name.

Uncharacteristically, that embarasses her. She doesn't make it a point to learn the slaves' names. But she thinks she should have taken time to learn this ones.

"Every one, leave." Her voice is harsher than she intended for it to be. Her shame is making her skin hot and she hates it that every single second that goes by this girl is changing her without even trying. "Except for you." She says when the blonde is within ear shot and it stops her in her tracks.

Another blonde slave. One that Bo often sees with her looks at her with something akin to fear. Does she think Bo is going to hurt her?

"Did I-"

"What's your name?" She cuts her off.

The girl frowns a bit. "Lauren?"

"Is that your name or a question?"

"My name."

"Lauren." She tastes it on her tongue. Rolls it around and lets herself get used to it before she decides that she likes it. "Well, Lauren. I'm requesting your company tomorrow."

"My company?"

"Yes. We'll be out the whole day so make proper arrangements for someone to take over your duties."

She nods slowly. Like she's had of comprehension. Bo holds back a smile. "That will be all. See you tomorrow. Lauren."

::::::

She doesn't have worthy clothes for a day out with a girl who's next in line to be a queen. It makes her feel small and insignificant and worried because she doesn't want to displease Bo.

It's really hard to read her moods.

But that's not the only reason she's worried. People have been talking. Crystal says Nadia started it out of anger and now it has spread like bushfire.

It's a crime. What she's doing, moving above her class. And the punishment for the crime isn't pretty. There was a girl, in the Underground house who slept with a noble man and when she was found out, she was sentenced to work in the fields.

The feilds aren't a place anyone wants to work. Ever.

But she doesn't know how to keep away. She tried. For two days she kept Bo at arms length until the brunette put an end to that yesterday and now they're going where ever it is that they're going.

And Lauren doesn't even have a dress.

"You look fine." Crystal, who's seen Lauren try on the four dresses in her possesion over and over and over again, tries calming her nerves.

Lauren rolls her eyes. "I look like a slave."

"Which is what you are." Crystal says bluntly.

Lauren looks at her with intense eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Crystal just shrugs. "It means what it means. You're a slave Lauren. Don't forget your place and what comes with it."

...

"What is it now?" Bo says around a sigh. Lauren's eyes snap to her. She hasn't said a word to or looked at Bo since they left the house. Crystal's words keep playing in her head and she doesn't know what to do or say.

"It's nothing."

"You know sooner or later that's going to stop working and you're going to have to tell me what's bothering you, right?"

She looks away again. She doesn't like it when Bo speaks as if they're friends. Like there isn't a whole world between them.

"Lauren." Bo calls and she hates it even more how much she likes the way she says her name. Bo might now know it, her grandfather might be blind to it, but the brunette is innately graceful.

She tries for a smile. "I'm okay. Really."

Bo doesn't seem to beleive her but she lets it go. They ride in more silence until they reach their destination; riding grounds.

Crystal's voice screams loud in her head. "I don't think I'm supposed to be here." She whispers as she walks behind Bo towards the stables.

"Why? Do you have something against horses?" The brunette chuckles and Lauren rolls her eyes.

"You know why."

"I also know that I'm next to the throne. And that I brought you here. And I dare anyone to question that." The last part is said loudly enough for the people around to hear. Everybody avoids Bo's eyes.

She nods to Lauren. "Come on, we don't have all day."

:::::

Bo doesn't know what she's thinking.

The plan she had, the one to get unbothered, it died a short and rather uneventful death. She wants to spend more time with Lauren. To learn how it is she knows how to read and why she loves gardening so much and why someone as smart as she is doesn't know how to tie straps and why on earth she's a slave.

How did she become one?

She also likes talking to her, spending time with her. Being unbothered can wait.

She has all summer after all.

"Do you know how to ride?"

She asks Lauren who's looking at the horses in awe. The blonde shakes her head, her eyes still on the horses. Bo's lips form a smile all on their own. Living in a world where everyone has everything they want anytime they want it makes it easy to forget the simple joys in life.

Like eyes lighting up at the sight of something beautiful.

"Okay then," she leads one of the horses outside, waiting for the blonde to follow her. "We're going to ride together, I'll teach you the basics, then you'll try doing it alone, okay?"

She nods.

Bo smiles. "Let's do this then."

...

Bo tries not to, but she can't help but laugh at how nervous the blonde is.

It's rather endearing.

"Don't hold too tight." Her hands go to the blonde's as she feels her hands losen on the reigns. Shock waves flow through her. She's been trying to ignore that since they started riding. That feeling she's getting whenever Lauren's body touches her's which is constant seeing as they're sharing a horse.

She doesn't know what it means, but she knows she doesn't hate it.

"It's important to develop trust with your horse. She has to trust that you won't hurt her and you have to trust that she won't hurt you. If that trust isn't there she'll feel it and she'll get restless."

Lauren's grip losens even more and they're moving at a slow pace through the fields. "You've never ridden before in your life?"

"No." The blonde's voice still sounds nervous but a little less so now. "But I've always wanted to."

"Is it everything you thought it would be?"

"Everything and more." She answers easily.

:::::

They ride together for almost an hour, talking about nothing and everything before Bo suggests that they try something new.

Lauren chooses the horse herself and the keeper of the stable agrees that she's a gentle one. He also looks at Lauren like she's a traitor of the highest order and it kills her mood. Maybe that's the reason she falls off barely a minute after getting on the horse.

Bo is beside her in an instant. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She says letting herself be helped up.

"Remember what I said about trust."

Lauren nods as she's helped to mount the horse.

She falls again. And again and again until Bo says maybe they should call it a day.

She tries to hide her limp although she feels the brunette's eyes on her and she declines the offer to dine together because she sees the keeper looking at her like she's the scum of the earth.

"So you're just going to stay hungry?"

"I had a heavy breakfast."

"And we've been riding for hours. Sit down and eat, that's an order, Lauren."

She wants to say no. But no matter what's going on between them, Bo is still the princess and challenging an order for her is more unwise than ignoring the eyes of a keeper she doesn't even know.

She sighs. Bo motions at the seat across from her with her usual smirk.

"Thank you." She says when Lauren finally seats down. "Now, I am assuming you eat meat?"

"Yes."

"Oh, you can't be like that when I'm offering you such good food." Her eyes are full of humor and Lauren finds herself forgetting the keeper and her whole body relaxing at Bo's smile.

"You're forcing it on me."

Bo shrugs. "Those are petty details that I tend to ignore." She pushes a bowl towards Lauren. "Dig in."

III

She's full and in a good mood and has just had one of the best days of her life, her mind isn't at it's sharpest.

That's why she forgets her hurt leg when getting off the carriage and the pain that shoots through her almost brings her to her knees.

"You said you're not hurt." Bo's voice sounds angry and a little worried as she orders her servants to lead Lauren to the rooms. It looks odd, seeing her in these quaters. Even in her dirty riding gear, she looks too good for this place.

"I can hardly feel the pain."

Bo's eyes narrow. "You do that a lot, you know?" She folds her arms.

"Do what?"

"Hide your pain to make other people feel better. It's not healthy.

Lauren doesn't say anything to that. It's just her personality. It's easier for her to feel pain that cause it.

Bo finally relaxes her stance. "The healer will be here in a few hours I suppose. Do you want me to stay with you or do you want to sleep?"

"You don't have to." She says hastily.

Bo rolls her eyes. "I didn't ask you that, Lauren. I asked if you wanted me to keep you company."

Lauren looks down. "If you don't mind."

Bo closes the door and moves across the room, setting herself in the chair.

:::::

"What are you doing?" It's the morning after and Bo has just come from taking a hasty shower. She couldn't stop thinking of Lauren who the healer said isn't fatally injured but will have to rest for a day or two.

Lauren, who's right in front of her, with her clothes in hand.

"I- I brought your clothes?"

"Why? Are there no other servants in this house or do they not know that you're hurt?"

"It's my-"

"Save it." She cuts her off, takes the clothes and leads her to the bed, sitting her down. "Don't you dare get up from that bed, Lauren. That's an order."

"I have duties to see to."

"You're hurt. You need to rest. And I will not tolerate you challenging my orders."

The blonde clearly looks like she wants to say something but she just purses her lips and stares ahead angrily. Bo dresses quietly and leaves the room. Marching torwards the room where the slaves usually take their breaks.

She finds them hunched down, gossiping and as usual, they startle at her appearence.

"Lauren is from now on releived of any and all of her duties unless I state otherwise." She announces. Brooking no room for arguments. She sees some eyes widen but all in all, they take it in stride. "You can all divide her prior duties amongst yourselves. That is all."

...

Lauren won't talk to her the rest of the day and Bo doesn't want to order her to do so. She lets her leave the room because she isn't a prisoner and when she finds her in the garden that afternoon, digging, her usual grace and softness replaced by something hard and angry, she feels her heart break a little.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing." Lauren says, a hard edge to her voice.

"Okay, you're not allowed to use that statement anymore."

"Is that an order?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, a little surprised, Lauren has never used that tone of voice with her before.

"Nothing." She shakes her head. "My apologies, you're highness."

"I told you not to call me that."

"And I told you to leave it be, Bo. But you didn't and now no one will even look at me. I have to work with those people. Eat with them, sleep in the same room with them. I can't have them alienating me which is exactly what is happening now because of you!"

Bo blinks. She doesn't have words to say. No one has ever talked to her like that. But that's not even the worrying part. What worried her is how hurt Lauren looks right now. And that's when she knows she's in trouble.

"I was only trying to help."

"I get that. I do. But we're from two very different worlds, Bo and they work differently. I don't get what this is-" she points between them, "but with all due respect it has to stop before I land in trouble."

Bo's eyes widen. "What?"

"I'd like to assume we're friends enough for you to grant me this one request. Please, Bo. My life is hard enough as it is."

::::::

It's been two weeks since she walked away from Bo and although she didn't think she'd do it, the brunette has kept away from her.

She doesn't request her presence. She doesn't come to the garden. She lets another slave help with her dressing.

Lauren on her part avoids places she knows Bo will be which isn't that hard seeing as she doesn't have to be anywhere. She doesn't have any duties anymore.

Crystal is talking to her. But it isn't like before and it hurts Lauren's heart that their friendship is so fragile. But mostly it hurts her that she gave up her friendship with Bo just like that.

She feels like the biggest corward.

She's spent nights thinking of this too, and Bo was risking just as much as Lauren if not more seeing as she has so much more to lose.

She gave up the one thing that has made her feel most alive and for what?

Judgemental stares and a questionable friendship?

She misses Bo. She misses talking about the novel the brunette isn't even tyring that hard to read. And taking care of their flowers that are starting to bloom and her jokes that sometimes aren't really jokes but are funny anyway. She misses her scent and being the first thing the princess sees in the morning.

She just misses her and it hurts.

...

When Bo's eyes widen at the sight of her later that night, Lauren wonders if this was such a great idea after all.

She spent the whole morning thinking of this and the whole afternoon putting it in action. She doesn't need to self doubt right now.

"May I please come in?"

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from you." Bo challenges with a hurt look and Lauren nods. She deserves that.

"Please."

The brunette just looks at her for a while before sighing and stepping aside. Lauren thanks the gods both for this fact and the fact that no one comes to this floor unsummoned.

"So?" Bo asks imapitently.

"Uh," Lauren removes her hands from her back. "They bloomed. Finally. I still don't know what type of flowers they are but we agreed that your services will be compensated by flowers so-" she extends the flowers that have been tied together by her favourite ribbon.

Bo looks like she's biting back a smile and hope flickers in Lauren's chest. "They're beautiful."

"Then they're deserving of you." For the first time ever, Lauren makes Bo blush and she feels proud of that. It's a nice color on her. "I'm sorry, Bo." She says when the brunette finally takes the flowers. "I'm really sorry."

"What made you change your mind?" She asks in that usual Bo way.

Lauren shrugs. "I realized that I'd rather be friends with you than be part of them." She answers honestly.

IV

Something shifts after that.

Lauren becomes more open and Bo couldn't be more thank full. She moves to the room next to Bo's on Bo's insistence. She says that Lauren's now her personal maid and she needs to be close.

She feels guilty for saying that as soon as she says it. So much that she insists that all her clothes be brought to her room and she'll do the chosing and dressing herself.

It leaves Lauren with nothing but a title and time.

They sit together in the library and Lauren's eyes light up like Bo has given her the best present when she tells her she can read as many books as she likes.

They garden, a lot. And Bo always has a fresh bunch of flowers in her room everday thanks to Lauren. The first time she sneaks into Lauren's room and places some as a surprise, the blonde smiles so wide Bo can't handle it.

They go riding and soon Lauren isn't falling and they're riding as far as they want. The green fields are Bo's favourite place to go. It's quiet and it's easy to beleive no one else exists in the world but she and Lauren when they're there.

"Do you like being a princess? Knowing that all this will be your's someday?" Lauren asks on one such days. Her back on the grass, her hand so close to Bo's the brunette can feel the heat from them.

"Well, there's nothing about it to hate."

Lauren lifts her uper body and rests on her elbows, "that's evasive."

"It's an answer."

"It's a response. An impersonal one." She retorts.

Bo sighs. "It's okay. I suppose. But- it can be stiffling at times. Being born royal is being born into life. Everything about you is set in stone before you even take your first breath. How you'll act, what you'll wear, who you'll associate with. Who you'll love. It doesn't really leave much room for growth."

"Do you hate that?" Lauren asks softly.

Bo shrugs. "I don't like it. But compared to what other people go through I don't think I have room to complain."

"Yes you do. Just because other people have problems doesn't mean yours don't matter."

"What about you?" Bo asks to hide how much Lauren's words affect her. How much Lauren affects her.

"I'm not a princess, Bo."

"You know what I mean."

The blonde lies back down. "What do you mean?"

"How did you become-" she bites her tongue, she doesn't want to be insesitive- "how did you get where you are."

"On a horse."

"Lauren!" She laughs as she lightly smacks the blonde who laughs too. It's light in the air for a moment. Until the laughter drowns away and seriousness creeps in.

"My father got sick. Well, he's always been sick but it had been getting worse in the past years. My mother had tried every healer we could afford and nothing was working. Until one of her friends told her to go to The Enlightned Kingdom."

"Evony's Kingdom?" Bo's eyes widen. Everyone knows not to deal with them. They're extortionists. They're in the business of sucking people dry of everything they own.

"It was our last hope. Our only hope. They have all these technology from the New World and it worked."

"He got healed?"

"He got better. The treatment was long and expensive and we already didn't have much to begin with."

"So she sold you." It's a statement that fills her with anger and a furious protectiveness.

"She had to. My father would have died if she hadn't. She had no other options."

"You don't have to do that you know, you don't have to defend what she did."

"I'm not. I just understand. There are a lot of grey areas and if he'd died I would have ended up feeling guilty. Besides," she smiles a little sadly, "I never would have met you otherwise, would I?"

Bo smiles t her and grabs her hand. "No. I guess we have that to be thankful for."

:::::

They get closer after that,

Bo develops a protectiveness that Lauren finds endearing. They become more free with each other, they've shared their deepest secrets, there's nothing more lift to hide.

Well, not much anyway.

"Lauren I-" her door swings open and Bo walks in. Lauren tries to reach for something to cover herself but Bo has already seen all there is to see. "Who did that to you?" Her voice sounds angry.

Lauren reaches for a towel and covers up. "It's not recent."

"That's not what I asked. Just give me a name, Lauren."

"I don't know, okay? He's the man who I was sold to, apparently I cried too much and he thought flogging me would make me cry less. They're all healed now, Bo."

The brunette's hands reach for the towel and Lauren feels her softly tag at it. She lets go without hesitation. Soft, soft fingers trace each scar and she closes her eyes, a shiver running up her spine all the way to her fingers.

"Bo- what are you-"

"I don't know." She says right before Lauren feels a kiss being placed on her back. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No." She whimpers out.

Another kiss. Then another. "I don't want to either."

Bo genlty leads her to the bed and lays her down. "I'm going to take care of you okay?" She asks softly. Lauren's words are lost to her so she just nods. "I'm sorry someone did this to you but I'm going to erase those memories. I just need you to remember what I said that first day we went riding."

"About horses?"

Bo chuckles and kisses her again. "About trust. I want you to trust that I won't hurt you and I'll do the same."

"Okay."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

...

Time flies after that. It's almost like a whole other door opens and whenever Lauren doesn't have her hands or lips on Bo, she doesn't feel right.

They sneak in touches everywhere.

In the library behind the book shelf.

In the garden behind the big tree.

At the riding grounds in the stable.

In their field.

Anywhere they have just a small place to hide, they're on each other. And the more days go by, the more desperate they become.

"What are you doing, Lauren."

"Trust. Remember?" She says as she kisses lower and lower down Bo's body.

"You don't have to."

"I know. Now just relax and let me take care of you."

They're with each other so much, so often that Lauren feels Bo under her skin. On her fingers. She sees her in her dreams. She hears her laugh in her head when she's not near. Sometimes, late at night after Bo sneaks back to her room, the smell of her is all Lauren knows.

She's aware of Bo with all of her senses. With all of her. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

:::::::

"Stop." Bo is shocked to hear that for a moment. Lauren hardly ever stops her. Bo is certain Lauren craves her just as much as she craves the blonde.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." She says even as she's moving away from Bo.

Bo sits back. "I thought we agreed that you'll not do that anymore."

"No, you ordered me. We didn't agree on anything."

Her eyes widen. "Where's this coming from?"

"Nowhere. I need to go pack."

It's the end of summer. Bo's summoning letter from the palace already arrived yesterday. Her grandfather is eager to know what she's learnt. She doesn't know if he'll be happy to know that Lauren's eyes are brown. Like honey. Except when she's aroused then they get almost golden. That she gives the best kisses and her laugh sounds like happiness itself. She doesn't know if he'll like to know that Lauren moaning her name is the most amazing sound she's ever heard and Lauren's heartbeat is like a secret to be protected by all means to her.

She doesn't know if he'll want to know this. But she knows that's what she's learnt. And, she has also learnt that when Lauren is scared, she pulls away. Like she is right now.

"You've had your things packed since the begining of the week."

"Well some of us aren't royalty. We need to double check our work ourselves."

"That's unfair."

"Unfair? Unfair is you letting me fall in love with you when you know it's not going anywhere!"

Bo's eyes widen. The room goes silent. "Say that again."

"I have to go."

She hurries out of the bed and grabs Lauren's hand. "Say it again."

"Are you ordering me?"

"No." Bo shakes her head simply. "Please."

Lauren sighs and looks her in the eyes. "I love you. But it's not like it matters because you'll be gone in the morning and I'll go back to the Underground Houe and life will go on like this summer never happened."

"Don't say that." Bo shakes her head.

"Why not. It's tr-"

"Because I love you too. And I'll find a way to make this work."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Bo."

"Okay." She nods. Because she knows she intends on keeping this one. "Come back to bed. Let's just sleep and figure everything out tomorrow. And no-" she adds before Lauren can say anything. "I'm not ordering you. I'm not even the princess right now. I'm just a girl who loves you and is asking for a chance to prove it."

Lauren blushes and Bo is reminded so much of their first day. If she could go back and slow down time.

"I love you too."

Bo's grin is wide. "So that means you're staying?"

"Yes Bo. It means I'm staying."

...

Fin.