"We won't get caught if you're careful." Sam said, lounging on Quinn's bed, a book in one hand and an apple in the other. Quinn stared at him through the mirror she was sitting in front of, a brush in one hand and her long blonde hair in the other. He glanced up, shrugging innocently.
"It's a suggestion."
"One you know the answer to. I can't sneak out. My parents would probably tie me down to my bed. I…I can't disobey them." Sam sighed, dropping the book on the bed and getting up, tossing the apple core out the window and ignoring her dismayed look. He kneeled down next to her at the vanity, staring up at her.
"You can't live your life if all you do is sit in this house and read about the real world. You have to experience it." He said softly. Quinn bit her lip, her gaze moving from him to the window, watching as the trees that surrounded her house blew gently in the breeze. She felt her heart leap, eager to leave this confinement and finally, truly experience what it was like outside, but then her mother's face flashed before her eyes, and her heart sunk, and her face dropped, and Sam sighed, because he knew what she was about to say.
"I can't, Sam." She said, turning back and brushing her hair. "One day they'll let me out of here. I can wait until then." Sam let out an exasperated sigh, standing up and shaking his head at her.
"You're impossible."
"I'm being a good daughter."
"You're being illogical. They're never going to let you out of here. You're sixteen, Quinn. If they were going to let you go outside, they would have done it a long time ago. Do you even know what grass feels like?" Sam asked, throwing his hands up in frustration. Quinn stared at him, rolling her eyes and looking away.
"I'm not going to sneak out, Sam. That's final." He opened his mouth to say something, but they both heard the front door shut, and Russell's voice floating up the stairs.
"Quinn, we're home!" The blondes' eyes widened, and they stared at each other.
"Get out! Go! They'll kill you, you know you're not supposed to be in here when they're not home!" Quinn hissed. Her parents had set down strict rules when it came to Samuel, and his being alone with their precious daughter broke at least three of them. They were afraid that he would get their only child pregnant, and Quinn didn't have the heart to explain to them that the probability of that happening was slim to none, closer to none. Quickly, Sam leapt out the window, his fingertips disappearing from the windowsill as soon as Judy and Russell opened the door to Quinn's room. She turned quickly, smiling brightly.
"Hello, Mother, hello Father." She moved forward, kissing each of their cheeks.
"Oh, Quinnie, you look beautiful." Judy cooed, cupping Quinn's cheek. Russell nodded in agreement, but as always, his gaze was slightly distracted. "How has your day been? You know your father and I hate to leave you alone, but we had some errands to run. Isn't that right, Russell?" Judy looked up when her husband didn't respond right away, and pursed her lips together.
"Russell, dear, why don't you go see if the post has arrived, hm?" Judy suggested, and Russell finally looked at his wife, nodding curtly before leaving the room. Judy turned to look at Quinn, a faltering smile on her lips.
"He cares, you know," the older woman said, and Quinn nodded quickly in agreement. It had always been like this. Quinn was sure this was how normal parents acted around each other, although Sam often told her otherwise.
Russell Fabray was a distant father, and an even more distant husband. He was distracted in his thoughts most of the time, and the only moments he spoke to his daughter were to lay down new rules, which were usually just facets off of one big one: never leave the house. Judy was a timid, meek woman who nodded eagerly whenever her husband spoke. She, however, was very attentive to Quinn, and often doted on her; bringing her little gifts, braiding her hair, and just talking to the girl. While she was sure having a favorite parent wasn't something normal, Quinn had to admit she favored her mother's somewhat overbearing personality to her father's cold one. It had always been this way, for as long as Quinn could remember. She didn't mind; it was an accepted fact of her life. She wasn't allowed to leave the house. Her father was cold. Her mother was warm.
Judy smiled at her daughter a bit stronger, leaning over and picking up the brush from Quinn's vanity. "How about I braid your hair in the living room, hm? I'll put some tea to boil and while we wait I'll braid, and you can tell me about your day." Quinn smiled at her mother through the mirror and nodded, rising from the pouf she had seated herself on after her father left the room, following her mother down the spiral staircase and into the living room. Judy pulled up a small stool in front of the lavish settee, and Quinn sat down obediently, letting her mother run the brush through her golden hair.
"So, Mother…" Quinn began tentatively, licking her lips nervously.
"Hm?" Judy hummed from behind her, putting the brush down and dividing Quinn's hair into three parts. Quinn paused. She had to explain this carefully, choose her words wisely, because if she didn't it meant certain rejection without any chance of explaining herself.
"I've been thinking." Quinn began, her tone casual and light. Judy raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, letting her daughter continue. "As you know, my 17th birthday is coming up in a few days, and I've been thinking a lot about what I want." She paused, as if gauging her mother's reaction, but Judy's hands continued to move, braiding Quinn's hair. Quinn took that as a good sign and pressed on. "I figure that you and Father just want to keep me safe, so I was thinking…" Judy's hands began to slow down, so Quinn sped up. "Perhaps you and Father can take me out of the house to see the kingdom?" She finished quickly, her words blending together in a jumbled mess of pleading. Her mother's hands came to a stop, and Quinn shut her eyes, knowing what was coming next.
"Quinnie, you know your father would never agree to that…" Judy said softly, gently turning Quinn's head to look at her. "He doesn't want you leaving the house."
"But if you would just ask him! He might listen to you! Mother, please. I'm almost seventeen, and I have never set foot outside of this house. The only thing I've seen of the world is what's outside my bedroom window and that grew old when I turned seven. Mother, I'm begging you, just take me outside. I want to see the world."
"Absolutely not." The two blondes jumped at the sound of Russell's voice, harsh and commanding from the doorway. Quinn looked at her father and Judy looked down at her lap, afraid as always. Russell moved forward, the mail in his hand, his eyes dark and angry.
"You know you aren't allowed to leave this house under any circumstances." He began, dropping the mail in front of his daughter onto the table, its loud thud the only other noise in the house. "You have always known that, and to think that you would go against everything we have done for you because you can't understand that-"
"Daddy, I understand! But I have been here for my entire life, please,"
"Quinn, you are not to leave this house! Is that clear?" Russell shouted, leaning close to Quinn, staring her directly in the eye. She looked at him, a flash of defiance going across her face before she sank back in her seat, nodding.
"Yes sir." She said quietly, defeat evident in every syllable. Russell looked at her as if to add something else, and then turned to his wife.
"Judy, I expect dinner in an hour." He said shortly, turning around and walking towards the front door.
"Of course, dear." Judy said quietly, standing up immediately and moving into the kitchen. Quinn was left alone on the chair, staring down at her hands and willing herself not to cry over a dream crushed to pieces by her father's iron fist.
Across the kingdom, over a moat and through a drawbridge, up a large staircase and in a room, there sat the queen and prince of Mila, Queen Carole and Prince Kurt. They sat at a table, pouring over a list, marking names and making notes along all of them.
"Your Highness, the invitations have been delivered to every house in the kingdom." The queen looked up, giving the footman a gracious smile.
"Thank you. You are dismissed." The footman bowed, leaving the queen and her son alone again. Kurt smiled brightly at his mother, clasping his hands together in excitement.
"Oh, Mother, this is going to be spectacular, I can just see it now."
"I'm so glad you're taking interest in this ball, Kurt dear. It's nice to know that someone in this castle appreciates dances as much as I do." Carole said, an affectionate smile on her lips. Kurt laughed, reaching up and pushing a bit of hair out of his face.
"You can hardly blame Father. Balls aren't really his cup of tea, and Finn…well he's a lost cause." Kurt said with a hint of exasperation in his voice as he spoke of his brother. The two boys couldn't be more different. Kurt enjoyed spending time with their mother, planning balls and dinners or going to the archery range with his father, perfecting his aim. Kurt spent a lot of time indoors, exploring the castle, painting landscapes, and admiring the faces of the people who passed through his castle. He enjoyed the regal side of life, the fine silks and the nice clothes, the proper etiquette lessons, his title and the responsibility that came with it.
Finn, on the other hand, was almost the exact opposite. He spent most of his time as far away from the castle as possible, hunting in the forest that dotted the outskirts of Mila, or practicing his skills with a sword on the fighting range. His clothes were often dirty and comfortable, a clear contrast from his brother's suits and pins. Finn often stayed out of the castle, only coming back in for meals and when his parents told him he had to. He was the older of the brothers, which put him next in line for the throne, but if his actions were any representation of his feelings towards the crown, he didn't want it.
Carole smiled gently, placing her hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Why don't you send someone to find your brother while I go get your father? I think it's almost dinner time." She said, rising from her seat. Kurt nodded, kissing his mother's cheek as he quickly left the room, descending down the stairs and finding one of the footmen who often followed Finn to his favorite hunting spots.
"Could you be so kind as to find my brother, please?" Kurt asked softly, placing a gentle hand on the footman's arm and smiling dazzling up at him. The footman nodded, returning Kurt's smile with a flustered but wide smile of his own, turning and moving as fast as he could to fulfill the prince's request. Kurt found himself staring after the man, his eyes caught and unable to leave until from behind his father said, "Kurt!" The brunette boy turned quickly, his cheeks tinted pink as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have. Luckily, Burt hadn't seemed to notice, clapping his youngest son on the shoulder.
"I think your mother wants us in the kitchen for a testing before dinner. Where's Finn?"
"Outside. I sent one of the men out to go get him." Kurt said, quickly regaining his composure. The king smiled, slinging his arm around Kurt's shoulder.
"Alright. Come on, kid, you know your mother doesn't like to be kept waiting."
As Kurt was led into the kitchen with his father, his brother was miles away on the fringes of the kingdom. The castle sat in the middle, and it took about half an hour on horseback to reach where Finn was. He traveled along the outskirts of Mila, darting in and out of trees, looking every part the civilian. His white shirt was loose and baggy, an old dark blue vest draped over his shoulders, comfortable enough to move around in and easy to clean. His pants were a spotted brown, and his boots were well-worn. Around his waist was a belt holding a knife for protection, and over his shoulders hung a bow and arrow. Although his brother was much better at archery than Finn, Finn preferred the arrows when hunting.
He sighed, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. He had been running around all day, trying to focus solely on the hunt and not about what was waiting for him when he got home. Finn knew his mother and brother had been planning a ball to find a suitable girl for them to marry, which meant one more thing tying him to the throne, which was looking more and more like a stake ready to burn as the days continued. Finn didn't want to marry some airheaded princess from another kingdom, or a duchess or a lady. He wanted to marry someone he loved, not someone who had a title. Running his fingers through his hair, Finn pushed off from the tree, fully prepared to start running again, when he heard the music.
At first, he wasn't sure what it was. Finn cocked his head to the side, slowly moving away from the tree and towards the source of the noise. It was light, almost like a bird, but more…human. As he got closer, he realized it was human. It was a girl, singing. He had no idea there were houses out here, let alone houses occupied by people. Finn began to move a little quicker, wanting to figure out where the beautiful voice was coming from. Finally, he came upon a house, the back of a large house, to be more specific. He stood underneath a window, and as he stared up at it, realized he had found the source of the music. Finn was so caught up in trying to catch a glimpse of the girl singing that the blonde boy near the side of the house didn't catch his attention. Finn took a few steps back, and then he saw her.
She was beautiful. And it wasn't just because Finn had been running around all day and was probably dehydrated, she was truly beautiful. Hair as golden as the sun, she brushed it as she continued to sing, a soft song about songbirds and scores. From this far away, Finn couldn't see every detail of her face, but he could see enough to know that she was…stunning, to say the least. He stood there, completely entranced by her voice, and then, she moved to the window. She stood looking out for a moment, and then she looked down, and their eyes met. Her voice trailed off, and for a moment he was afraid she would scream out in terror or recognition, two things he most certainly did not want. But instead, she just stared at him, as if she had never seen anyone like him before. Of course, she hadn't. She had been locked away her whole life. The only men she had seen were her father and her stable boy, and neither of them looked like this boy did. She felt herself almost frozen to the spot, drawn to his eyes, unable to look away. They were both speechless, and yet they both yearned to say something. Her eyes were a bright hazel green, more green than brown, and they were enchanting. Finn took a step towards her, and she leaned a little more forward, and then –
"Finn!" The trance was broken. Finn whirled around to hear an ungraceful footman trampling through the forest, and he knew that if the footman continued to shout, he would slip out a "Your Highness!" or a "Prince!" and Finn didn't want this girl to hear that. He didn't want to be just another piece of royalty. He turned to glance back at her, but she had disappeared from the window. Disappointment washed over him, and Finn turned around, moving into the forest again, calling to the footman to let him know he was coming. Quinn stood on the wall next to the window, breathing deeply.
Who was that? She thought, unable to keep a smile from tugging on the ends of her lips. Her thoughts were disturbed by the now familiar sound of her best friend throwing himself into her window. She jumped, turning to look at the blonde.
"Do you know who that was?" Sam said, his eyes wide as he gestured out the window. Quinn shook her head, unable to speak. "That was Finn. Prince Finn." Quinn's eyes widened and she felt her heart begin to pound again. She had just made eye contact with a prince. Not just any prince, but the prince of the kingdom she lived in, the prince who was next in line to become king, Prince Finn had just caught her singing, he had seen her. "Do you know what this means?" Sam asked again, and Quinn shook her head once more. "We have to go now." Quinn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then Sam held up the invitation to the ball.
"I found this in the trash outside. I guess your dad threw it out, but I picked it up. We have to go, Quinn. You could see him again. Finally get a chance to experience the outside."
"I can't, Sam." He opened his mouth to protest, but Quinn quickly continued. "I already asked them if I could go. My dad gave me a very firm no. They're going to be very suspicious of me, sneaking out is not an option, especially not now."
"Then distract them. Send them out. Come on Quinn, a chance like this doesn't come twice in a lifetime. You have to go. If not for him, for yourself." Quinn bit her lip, glancing out the window. She really did want to see the prince again, but she had no idea how to do so without arousing her parents' suspicions. She opened her mouth to respond, and then there was a loud knock at the door. Sam looked at Quinn and both their eyes were wide, and before Quinn could react, Sam had dove under her bed, disappearing beneath the fabric of her dust ruffle. The door swung open, revealing her father. Quinn looked up from the bed, putting on a smile.
"Hello, Father." She said quietly, and then noticed that her mother had slipped in silently behind him. "And Mother." Quinn added quickly. Judy smiled at her daughter, but made no move towards her, preferring to stay behind Russell.
"Quinnie, have a seat." Russell said, gesturing towards the bed. Quinn hesitated for a second, knowing that if she sat down, the bed would bow and possibly hit Sam. She also knew that if she disobeyed her father, he would begin to ask questions and she would probably never see Sam again, so gingerly, she perched on the edge of the bed, staring up at her parents with an innocent expression. She could practically hear Sam whining from underneath the bed, and she silently willed him to not move a muscle. If she could have, she would have swung her foot in a warning kick, but she wasn't sure where he was and she didn't want to hit him and run the risk of him making a loud noise.
"Father, before you begin, I wanted to say something." Quinn started, feeling her heartbeat increase. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, but she had already started. There was no going back. Her father raised his eyebrows, but said nothing, giving Quinn silent consent to continue.
"I've been thinking about what I asked for earlier, and…I realize now that it was completely out of line." Quinn said softly, looking up at her parents through her eyelashes. "I shouldn't have suggested something like that, and I respect your decision to keep me inside. Instead, I thought I might ask for something…smaller?" Russell exchanged a look with his wife, and Quinn bit the inside of her cheek.
"What do you have in mind, Quinnie?" Judy asked, and Quinn exhaled, a slight smile spreading over her lips.
"Well, I've been doing some reading in those books you brought me, Father, and I noticed that there's a bird I'm particularly fond of. It's a warbler. I was thinking maybe you could go get me one?"
"Quinn, that's three days worth of travelling. The only warblers are breeded in the next kingdom over, you know that." Russell said, looking at his daughter with sympathy. Quinn could feel her chance slipping away from her, and she stood up quickly.
"I know it's a bit of a travel, but I'd be willing to wait for you to come home with it." She said. "And I think it's a bit more reasonable than asking you to take me outside, and it would mean so much to me to have a friend in this room with me." The irony of her statement was not lost on Quinn, and it took every ounce of willpower not to glance under the bed.
Speaking of the friend in the room, Sam was currently in quite the predicament. After diving under the bed, he realized that his blonde friend didn't really keep anything underneath it. This was good, because it gave him more room to hide, but bad, because there were dust bunnies everywhere. If you've ever had the unfortunate opportunity to come face to face with a dust bunny, you know how devilish the creatures can be. They always seem to pop up when it is most inconvenient, and seeing as Sam wanted to keep his head instead of losing it to Mr. Fabray's wrath, this dust bunny had picked a time that was highly inconvenient. This particular dust bunny had found its way right underneath his nose, and was currently tickling his nose, and Sam had to continuously wiggle his nose to keep from sneezing. He could barely concentrate on the activity going on above him, as all his energy was focused on not sneezing.
"Well…I don't see why not. It certainly is more reasonable. What do you think, Russell?" Judy said, placing a hand on her husband's arm. Russell stared at his daughter, his expression hard and his lips pursed. Quinn felt her breath catch in her throat, and she realized how much she needed her father to agree to this. Even underneath the bed, Sam waited to hear the answer with bated breath. Finally, Russell's eyes softened, and he let out a gruff noise.
"I don't see why not." He replied, and Quinn's face lit up, her lips splitting into a grin. She flew off the bed and towards her father, wrapping her arms around him in an unusual display of affection. A little taken aback, Russell slowly wrapped his arms around her.
"Thank you, Father." Quinn said, leaning up and kissing his cheek before moving back towards the bed. Judy smiled at the blonde girl, her hands fidgeting near her sides, and Quinn knew that her mother was anxious to be holding a glass. Quinn perched on the bed once more, and Russell opened his mouth to speak when a sneeze flew out from underneath the bed. At once, all the people in the room stiffened – Sam included. Quinn's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly let out another sneeze, blinking bashfully at her parents.
"It must be something in the air." She said sheepishly, giving them an innocent smile and making a mental note to push Sam out of her window when he showed his face again. Russell glanced skeptically at the bed before looking at Quinn, and Quinn felt her heart freeze again, and she could see her freedom slipping out of her fingertips.
"Close that window. We don't need you getting sick." He said gruffly, turning on his heel and moving towards the door. "Come along, Judy, we need to pack." Quinn let out her breath, standing up and nodding, closing her bedroom door behind her parents and waiting a few seconds before whirling around, glaring at her bedskirts.
"What were you thinking?" She hissed.
"There was a dust bunny in my nose." Sam's voice came out from under the bed, sounding absolutely apologetic and guilty. Quinn glared for a few more seconds before cracking, a smile slipping over her lips and a laugh bubbling out. Sam peeked out from underneath the bed, a crooked grin on his face.
"You want a warbler?"
"I think I'll name him Anderson."
