This chapter took an entirely different turn from what I was expecting. Not at all Aladdin...nonetheless, enjoy!

Last time:

"I'm sorry, princess, but he is a high-profile criminal," the guard said. "We have orders to arrest him and put him on trial."

"And who gave these orders?" Lily drew herself up gracefully and imposingly.

And a name James knew well slipped out of his mouth, "Severus Snape."

The last thing he saw was her eyes, the eyes he had fallen in love with, staring at him with remorse. She, apparently, had no authority over that git Snape, as he was going to be her future husband.

I'll be okay, he wanted to say, if it were not for the gag obstructing his vocal chords.

But that wouldn't have been the truth, and both of them knew it. He was not going to be okay.

He, most likely, was going to be hanged for his crimes, or if he was lucky, thrown into prison for several years. His minor thefts were not the root cause, but rather, his supposed kidnapping of the princess.

Goodbye, Lily, he thought sorrowfully, catching one last glimpse of her as the guards dragged him through the door.

We'll never meet again. Or if we do, it will be from behind bars.

He didn't even struggle. He just closed his eyes, committing her to memory. Her mesmerizing eyes, her enchanting smile, her tinkling laugh—all of it.

Because he would never see them shining that brightly ever again.

Lily watched helplessly as the guards dragged James away, her hands dangling limply at her side. A medley of words entered her mind in the form of a tornado—but none of them could accurately describe how she was feeling.

Lost, maybe? Hopeless? Defeated?

Guilty?

A guard seized her arm and she jumped, turning her head to give him a pointed glare.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he apologized, "but you must return to the palace. Your mother and father are worried sick about you. Your mother has fallen grievously ill in your absence."

As if her day couldn't get worse, she thought wryly, her heart plummeting to the deepest pit in her stomach.

"Will she recover?" she asked desperately.

The guard avoided her eyes. "Why don't you come with me and see for yourself?"

The guard's carefully vague answer did not help the chasm in her stomach. He was not giving her a choice, but rather, an ultimatum.

Her freedom was on the line. She could run now, but leave her mother bedridden and in a dreadful condition, or she could return to the palace and be by her mother's side, but be forced to marry Severus.

Lily sighed, lifting her arm. "Take me back home," she said wearily.

"Ouch!" James yelped crossly as he was roughly thrown into a cell. "Watch it!"

The two guards who had been pulling him along ignored him religiously and slammed the door shut, the metal grinding harshly against the stone.

"This is where you'll be staying until you're tried," the bulkier of the guards sneered.

"You'll pay for kidnapping Princess Lily," the other, lankier one said.

"I'm not scared," James retorted, "because I didn't kidnap her!"

"Likely story," the bulky guard snorted.

"If you're not scared, you're a fool," said the skinny one snidely. "I've been waiting to catch you so long, Potter. Game's over."

James stifled a gasp. He knew that sleazy, cunning voice.

Could it be-?

"Snape," James spat. "I should've known. Lily refused to marry you, so you had to find another way, eh?"

Snape's face twisted into an ugly scowl. "Shut your mouth, Potter."

James smirked, knowing he had secured himself a victory, albeit a small one.

"We'll see who's talking, after the trial," said Snape, his scowl turning into a cruel smile. "Oh wait, you won't, because you'll be dead."

The pair of them laughed and James ground his teeth. He knew Snape was goading him into taking the bait. But he wasn't falling for it.

"At least I'll die knowing that Lily truly liked me, unlike you," he said smugly, reveling in the way Snape's face became a blotchy scarlet. "Besides, who would like a hideously greasy wanker like you?"

James two, Snape zero. He was enjoying taking jabs at Snape, which he hadn't done in a long time.

"You'll pay for this, Potter," Snape hissed furiously. "You'll pay for your insolence."

And with that, he stormed away, leaving James with a big smile on his face despite the unfavorable situation.

Lily shamefacedly approached her mother's bedroom door, with the pretense of all the guilt of the world written on her face. She knocked lightly, as if she were timid and hesitant and waiting to be shamed under her father's withering wrath.

It was one of the maids, however, who answered the door. Her pale face went from white to ashen as she took in Lily, who was hanging her head.

"Princess, is that really you?" she asked breathlessly, astonished. "Please, do come in. Your mother needs to see you."

Lily took a few steps into the room and almost fainted. The room smelled of herbs and potions and soup, all for her mother.

Said mother was lying on a vast bed, looking sickly. Her cheeks, which were usually a rosy color, was whitewashed and her eyes were blank and glassy. She could've been mistaken for a dead person had it not been for the faint rise and fall of her chest.

And that's when Lily abandoned her ruse and all of her attention was devoted towards her sick mother, who appeared to be on her deathbed.

"Mum?" Lily rushed to her mother's, the Queen's side, and her mother's eyes fluttered open.

"Lily?" she whispered feebly.

"Mum?" Lily repeated, this time more softly as she tried to convey her penitence. "I'm so sorry, Mum, I should've never left, look what I've done to you. My disappearance caused you and Dad so much pain. You must be so disappointed in me."

Her mum tried to lift her head a few centimeters, and Lily's hand shot out to support it. Piercing green eyes met her own, one pair dim, the other bright.

"Lily," her mother croaked feebly, "I'm not disappointed. I'm proud of you."

"...I'm sorry?" Lily gazed at her mother with confusion, wondering if she had heard her right.

"I'm proud of you," she repeated, pride now resonating in her voice. "You grew up just like we taught you to. You're an independent woman now, capable of making your own choices."

Her voice was growing stronger. "Yes, we're not happy that you ran away instead of confronting your dilemma. But you did prove that you are willing to change. You learned to follow your heart."

"She's right." A deep, gruff voice joined in and a hand settled on her shoulder.

"Dad? You're not mad?"

"My feelings are...mixed," he said carefully, "but we're still both proud of you, sweetheart."

Lily could barely breathe. Her heart was pounding in her chest and a grin was gradually spreading on her face. She could not believe it.

"You're still getting punished, though," her father added sternly. "You'll be confined to your room for two days, for scaring us like that."

Lily did not care. She sunk happily into her father's embrace, peace flooding over her at last.

Almost everything in the world was right again.

But she still had work to do.

"Dad, I have a favor to ask," she began. "I need you to free a friend of mine..."

James was abruptly (and frankly, rudely) awoken from his sleep by a clang. Two burly guards stood at the entrance, their silhouettes contrasting sharply against the light that suddenly flooded in. He blinked blearily, befuddled.

"Change of plans," said one of the guards shortly, and James vaguely recognized him as the guard from before, "you're free to go."

James stared. Then shook himself and stared some more. "I'm sorry?"

"You've been pardoned," said the same guard irritably. "The King himself has ordered it."

Was he hearing correctly, or was there an earwax buildup in his ear? "The King?"

"King Henry," the other guard confirmed.

James stared.

"Get up!" the first guard barked and James snapped to attention, mortified.

"Sorry!" James squeaked and hastily shuffled out of the cell.

"Numbskull, that one," the second guard muttered.

Her mother grew progressively better as the days slid by. She, at the moment, was able to sit up by herself and speak strongly, her voice back to its normal volume.

James was on parole, apparently, as the royal family did not trust him completely. Therefore, he was restricted to set foot only on grounds belonging to the Evans, but not anywhere outside of it.

Lily found him in the gardens one evening, sitting below the fountain and dully plucking blades of grass. He was dressed in robes fit for a prince, and Lily had to admit, he looked rather handsome.

"Hey," she said, halting a few ways away from him.

There was a tangible awkwardness in the air; after all, what do you say after all that had happened?

"Hey," he replied without looking up.

Lily mentally debated whether or not to sit next to him. This was a clean dress, and the maid would have a fit if she dirtied it by sitting in the grass. It was her Sunday dress, and one of her best.

But she wasn't one to abandon someone (well, that could be contested due to recent events)

Lily looked at the dress, down at James, and decided to sit next to him anyway. Remus, who usually inhabited the garden, was giving her a cold shoulder for an undetermined amount of time, so she was rather lonely. She could definitely use some company.

The skirt of her dress automatically folded around her knees as she sat cross-legged on the grass. James did not look at her, but continued his monotonous activity.

"How are you?" Lily asked, resolving to be the bigger one in this situation by being the one to initiate the conversation. They were bound to run into each other sooner or later, so why not have a heart-to-heart now?

"Fine," said James curtly. Lily started at his clipped reply and decided to take it one step further.

(Or maybe it was a leap. Depended on the perspective.)

"Are you okay?"

"Does it look like it?" The rate of the grass-plucking increased; he was now practically uprooting the blades. There were now patches of dirt scattered across the space of grass in front of James, while a pile was steadily mounting beside him.

Lily felt her temper flare, scorching hot, spreading through her like a match on a tablecloth. She was ready to snap and give her a piece of her mind when she saw the raw pain etched on his face, and she softened.

James was really taking this harder than she was. Not his punishment, but the incident that had occurred when the guards stormed into his home and she had revealed herself. He probably was expecting her to be the same rank as him, and not the actual princess.

"I'm sorry," she said as an understanding came to her.

Her "I'm sorry" carried more weight than it should. Sorry, for lying to him. Sorry, for not repaying him when he had saved her life.

But hadn't she returned the favor when she had him freed from his prison?

Maybe it was something else that was beleaguering him?

"You don't have to be," James said, still not looking at her. "It's not your fault. It's me. I'm the one who should be sorry."

Her confusion mounted higher than the pile of grass. "Why?"

James sighed, finally lifting his head and meeting her eyes. They were very, very hazel, and also glittering with something fathomless. Lily felt something flutter in her chest.

But the words he spoke next were even more so.

"For falling in love," he said.

And that's when she hit rock bottom.

"Don't laugh," James snapped, mistaking her crestfallen silence for humor. "I love someone, but something—or someone—blinded me."

It took a moment to catch on that "someone" meant her. Another wave of guilt washed over her. "I'm sorry," she said again.

"No, no, don't worry." A wry smile crossed his lips. "Turns out, I got screwed over. Had the wool pulled over my eyes and then back up again. It's just...complicated."

"Oh." Lily could not, for the life of her, figure out why this was affecting her so much. She shouldn't be feeling like this. She would be marrying Snape in a few days.

But then again, when had that been a concern? She didn't love him, not in the least. It was going to be a loveless marriage.

But she could not help but ask, "Who are you in love with? I mean, I'm assuming, since, y'know..."

Lily trailed off, waiting for him to scoff at her or turn away her question. She was expecting a "Why should I tell you?" or something along the lines of that.

James looked like he was contemplating a life or death decision and Lily braced herself for the inevitable rejection.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked, his eyes searching her.

Lily nodded almost too quickly, anticipation blossoming in her voice as she said, "Yes, I do."

"You won't be too happy with who it is." He averted his eyes.

Lily scrutinized him. Why was he so reluctant to tell her? Was he afraid of her judgement?

"Trust me, I won't criticize her," she assured. "I'll help you, if you want."

James laughed mirthlessly. "I don't think you can do that."

Lily's anger rose up again, this time hotter than before. "Do you really think I'm like that?" she retorted. "I'm offering to help you, and you're turning it down. Why aren't you taking advantage of this? Why? Why—"

"Because," James roared, jumping to his feet and towering over her, "it's you!"

Lily stood up, rage rolling off of her in sizzling waves. She refused to be intimidated by him, no matter how much taller he was. "How dare you? You think I'm not capable—"

"No!" James raised his voice above hers. "I'm in love with you!"

Time seemed to stand still. The Earth stopped rotating on its axis. James was breathless and Lily was motionless as she took in his words and the great magnitude it contained.

Well, he had already screwed himself over and ruined their relationship, he figured, might as well keep the ball rolling.

"It's always been you," he elaborated, "ever since I saw you that day in a gold carriage waving at everyone. You even stepped out of the carriage to help a crying little girl, despite the fact that royals aren't allowed to get their dress dirty. That's when I knew."

Lily still wasn't moving or speaking, so James continued.

"I've been watching you since then. Not stalking, but little events that commoners can go to. I fell a little more in love with you as time went on, because you seemed so graceful and poised and beautiful."

"I knew I would never have a chance. But that didn't stop me from hoping that someday, I would be able to confess how I felt for you. I just didn't imagine it going like...this." He gestured between them.

"And suddenly one day, I meet this girl who has absolutely no clue how to navigate a market and I have to rescue her from an angry shopkeeper," he said. "After escaping, I take her home and we start talking and then I find out that we have so much in common. I started feeling something for this girl. It doesn't help that she looked a lot like you. 'Lily', however, seemed like an entirely different person from the girl I was in love with, so my heart was torn."

"I didn't know your name, but I knew Lily's. But then, that's when the guards barged into my home and then 'Lily' was forced to reveal herself. It turned out, the girl I was in love with and the girl who I was falling for were the same person."

Lily had yet to move, but the corner of her mouth was twitching, as if she were withholding a smile.

"And now here I am, totally confused and unsure of what to say now," James concluded. "I understand if you don't like me anymore, if you want me to go. You know what, I'll do that right now. Go."

He started to turn, but a voice made him pause. "Wait."

Lily's hand was outstretched, motioning for him to stop. It also served as a signal of hope, that not all was lost for him yet.

"I have a confession to make." Lily took a deep breath and her lips stretched into a thin smile. "When I met you that day, I was scared and confused too. I would've been hurt had it not been for your heroism. And I appreciate that."

James was completely still.

"I think I fell for you that day," she said, her smile turning shy, "and even though I don't love you yet...I'm willing to test the waters. I think we can make this work."

James could hardly believe his ears. Something was obstructing his throat, preventing him from expressing his overwhelming joy at hearing those words.

So what if she didn't quite reciprocate his feelings? It was good enough for him.

He wanted to kiss her so badly then. His fingers flexed and he pursed his lips to stave off the desire. Nothing, however, could stop him from grinning ear-to-ear.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words," he said, taking one step towards her.

Nothing could terminate his euphoria. But his smile faded as he arrived at a realization.

"But wait, aren't you supposed to be marrying Snape?" he asked. "Didn't your parents arrange it with his parents?"

"Psh, arrange, farrange," Lily scoffed. "Deals can be broken. Especially if one half of the couple doesn't consent to it, and I most certainly don't. I would've made my parents back out regardless of whether you were in the picture. And there's also a loophole. It says I have to find someone before my birthday, which I have."

The ecstasy returned full force. "Oh thank goodness," he said, unable to stop himself as his arms reached out of their own accord.

Lily giggled lightly as his arms enveloped her and the sound was like bells. "James," she chided affectionately.

"Lily," he returned, just as lovingly.

Lily suddenly snickered and James looked down at her, bemused. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, just imagining the look on Snape's face when he hears the news," she chuckled.

James envisaged Snape's outraged face and his own broke into a grin. "I want to be around when that happens."

"That can be arranged," Lily purred and the two of them laughed.

Is this what heaven feels like? James thought as he looked fondly at her (was she his girlfriend now?). She looked so angelic, with her carefree laughter and radiant beauty.

Lily tucked her head in the crook between his shoulder and jaw. Jasmine floated up to his nose, sweet and fragrant.

Yes, it feels like this.

Bonus: Snape's reaction

"Your Highnesses,, it is a pleasure to meet you again. Now, I believe you called me here to discuss our deal?"

"Yes, we have. You see, Mr Snape, an unforeseen circumstance arose and we're terribly sorry, but we have to terminate our deal."

"Excuse me?"

"Again, we are terribly sorry, but it is because of our daughter we have to cut it off. She has found someone."

"Ex-Excuse me? Who?"

"Lily, James, please step forward."

"Him?!"

"Is there a problem?"

"Of-Of course not, Your Highness."

Draw your own conclusions

3249 words

Auction: Dialogue: "If you're not scared, you're a fool."