DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy!


Chapter Two: Trouble


She was cold and filthy and uncomfortable as she finished off the meager bowl of stew that Finn had given to her to eat. Her body was covered in sand and she could feel it in her hair and even scratching against her scalp. She could also feel Finn's eyes watching her as she sat on the warm bedding, and she avoided eye contact at all costs.

What was she going to do? She was still mourning the loss of Santana and the rest of the crew that had perished after the shipwreck and had no way of getting in contact with her father. Without his guards she was extremely vulnerable and she didn't know who she could trust. The young farmer and his mother seemed kind enough but her father's warnings about trusting peasants were ringing in her head like church bells. Would they really sell Rachel off to the highest bidder if she confided in them? She didn't want to take that chance.

But the more the boy stared at her, the more she focused on the poor peasant who had saved her life. He was one of the tallest men she'd ever seen, with broad, muscular shoulders and toned arms and legs from a lifetime of hard labor. His eyes were a soft, warm chestnut brown, and he had one of the sweetest smiles she had ever seen. A plethora of birthmarks were scattered across his cheeks, and his skin was tan from long days of working out in the sun. She found him to be very attractive. . .

In fact, her heart hadn't stopped pounding since his mother left them alone in the hut together.

"Is there anything else you need?" He asked softly, getting up from his spot on the floor. "I mean, I don't mind helping you and everything, but the nets need to be recast, the traps need to be checked and the goats need to be milked. . ." he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "I have a lot of work to do."

"Oh," she said, placing the bowl down and nodding her head. She wasn't used to the way the lower classes lived, and didn't realize that she was monopolizing his precious time. In fact, she wasn't used to speaking so casually with anyone besides her father and Santana, and struggled not to sound too formal or demanding. She didn't want to come off as a spoiled noble, and wanted to keep her identity a secret as long as possible. "I would like to take a bath, if that's alright?"

"Sure," he shrugged, grabbing a large basin and placing it down on the floor in front of her. "You just need to fill this from the pump out back and heat the water." She reached over towards the wooden basin hesitantly, like it was going to bite her. Normally she had her servants prepare the baths for her, and they would scent the water with fragrant oils and soaps from across the sea. She could feel Finn's eyes on her and embarrassment made her face grow hot. She bent over to pick up the basin and she could barely lift it off of the floor. Finn's soft chuckling startled her, and he lifted up the heavy basin with one hand like it weighed nothing and headed towards the door.

"Come on, follow me," she felt ashamed of herself as she followed him outside and towards the pump next to the barn. Just yesterday she had been lamenting her inability to be independent when she couldn't even prepare her own bath. She wasn't doing a good job at hiding the fact that she was a noble.

"You're too kind to trifle with me," she said with her head bowed in shame. Normally the future queen would never condescend to speak to peasants so kindly and respectfully, but she had to play the part of the damsel in distress in order to get what she needed. Right now, she needed to stay completely anonymous until she figured out what to do next. "I'm keeping you away from your duties."

"They'll get done sooner or later," he said, and his lips curled up in a crooked half smile that almost made her gasp with it's beauty. He really was quite handsome, even if he was covered in a light sheen of sweat. She found herself fixated on his large hands as he continued to pump the water from the well, rough and dirty from a lifetime of work. "Right now I want to make sure you're alright. It's not everyday that someone survives a shipwreck."

She couldn't help but smile, the first real smile since she had regained consciousness. Was he truly as kind as he seemed? Could she actually trust this poor farmer from the Eastern Shore? She wanted to, but her self-preservation instincts were telling her to keep her mouth shut.

"I thank you, Finn. It has been a trying day."

He finished filling up her bathwater, and she watched him haul the water inside with a strength that she would never possess. She was impressed as he placed it over the embers of the fire, letting it warm up the water. "Just leave the water when you're done, I'll empty it out." He walked by her and she couldn't help but reach out for his hand, taking one of them into both of hers. Technically a peasant could get in trouble for touching a noble, but Rachel wanted to feel the strong hands that had lifted her out of the sand. They were rough and calloused, in direct contrast to the soft, smooth skin of her own. He was staring at her with thinly veiled awe behind his eyes, and she was embarrassed by her own forward behavior.

"I'm sorry," she said, dropping his hand while she blushed brightly. "I just wish that there was some way I could repay you for your kindness."

His eyes were staring into her own, and she felt herself grow momentarily lightheaded as he captured her in his gaze. She had never acted this way around any man, whether he be noble, peasant or servant, and the fluttering feelings in her chest were completely new to her as well as her pace quickened once more.

"You could tell me your name," he said, and the moment was ruined as Rachel snapped back to reality. She stepped away and turned her back on him while she shamed herself for her reckless actions. Finn was attractive and kind, but as far as she was concerned, he couldn't be trusted yet.

"No," she said firmly. "I cannot." Sighing deeply, she heard him exit the cottage without another word as a wave of disappointment crashed over her. She silently began to slip her ragged clothing off of her, letting the once fine material crumple onto the floor. It was only then that she realized that the golden amulet that her father had given her was still hanging around her neck.

She stared at the amulet, transfixed as the jewels glittered in the dim firelight. She thought about her dear father, and how worried he was going to be when he realized that her ship would never reach it's destination. She yearned for some way to reach him, but she couldn't risk sending a letter, lest it get intercepted. No, she needed time to plan out her strategy on how to get home. Should she travel north and try to make it to House Corcoran like her father demanded? Or should she just head south towards the Capitol, and hope to find a local Lord that could help her get back to her father?

"Miss?" She heard Finn calling her from outside and she squeaked at her own state of undress. He didn't come inside, though. "I have one of my mother's spare dresses for you to wear. It might be a little big, but it's all we have. I'm leaving it right here, outside of the door."

"Thank you," she said, before dipping her toes into the basin. The water was barely tepid, so unlike the steaming hot, fragrant baths that she was used to. She squatted in the tub and sighed blissfully as she felt some of the sand come off of her body, despite the coolness of the water. Dunking her head, she closed her eyes and lost herself in her thoughts as she scrubbed the sand from her hair and scalp.

If Santana could see her now she would probably laugh until her face turned blue. The princess who'd once had everything had finally gotten her wish; she was now squatting in a hut like the rest of the peasants in the kingdom, wearing rags and sleeping in a barn.

If she were being honest with herself, however, she kind of liked seeing the world from the opposite side of the spectrum. Being on this farm was kind of like living in a dream; the lives of these people were simple, yet they put so much work into everything they did. In fact, Rachel realized that staying here would be the perfect place for her to hide until she could reach her father; no one would ever look for the princess of the kingdom in a place like this.

She made up her mind as she came up for air, pushing her now sand-free hair back and wrapping her arms around her knees. She would have to take advantage of Finn and Carole's hospitality for the time being and hide here. In return, she was going to work on the farm and try to pay them back in some way for their kindness. When she returned to the castle she was going to find a better way to reward them for aiding the princess in her hour of need.

When her skin was clean of sand, seaweed and grit, she pulled herself out of the cloudy water and began to dry off, grabbing the clothing that Finn had left for her and trying to find some way to make it fit on her. The material was rough and thin, but at least she didn't have to wear a corset and felt oddly free without the binding. It took some alterations, but she finally got the fabric to fit her and still look somewhat flattering as she adjusted the ties and pulled up the sleeves. She braided her wet hair back and slipped the amulet under her dress where no one would see it. From this moment on she was no longer Princess Rachel, but an anonymous squatter who was willing to do anything to keep her identity a secret.

She was barefoot when she stepped outside, feeling the dirt and grass in-between her toes as she finally got a look at the land that Finn and Carole called theirs. There was a small barn bordering the cottage, and Rachel could see the goats and chickens running throughout the modest sized field. The shore was in walking distance from the edge of the land and the forest was thick and dense around them. In fact, as far as peasants were concerned this was a sizable piece of property. They might not have money, but Finn and Carole had a beautiful piece of land to call their own. It was quite picturesque.

Yes, this farm was the perfect place for Rachel to hide.

"My dear, you're looking better!" Carole said, approaching Rachel with a bright smile. "I love what you did to that dress! It never looked that nice on me." Rachel liked this woman, and couldn't help but smile graciously at the compliment.

"Thank you. I wanted to know if there was some way I could help you and your son, in order to pay you back for your kindness." Carole looked a bit skeptical but she pointed towards Finn, who was cutting firewood by the water pump.

"Ask Finn to show you around. We could always use the extra hands." Rachel bowed her head and walked towards Finn as her heart began to pound once more. He had removed his shirt while performing his task and she could see the sweat dripping down his chest as he exerted himself in the afternoon sun. When he finally noticed her approaching, she felt her mouth go dry as he wiped his face off with the back of his hand and shot her the same lopsided grin as before. The fluttering feeling in her chest had returned in full force.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, placing the ax down on the stump he was cutting and looking her over. "You're not as pale as you were anymore." She blushed under his stare and tried not to look at his muscular chest and arms. His legs looked toned in his leather breeches and she had to tear her eyes away from his form. It wasn't the first time she had ever seen a man in such a state of undress; the workers around the castle and in the fields worked shirtless all the time, but she had never been this close to one before.

And none of them were as good-looking as Finn.

"I am better," she said, and she frowned slightly when he slipped his white blouse back on and fastened his belt around the waist. "But there is something wrong and as the man of the land I wish to ask you something of extreme importance."

He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, looking serious. "Go ahead."

"I am asking to use your farm as a safe-house until I am able to return home," his entire body went tense, his eyes shooting open from shock. "Until then, I would be willing to work around your farm, and help you and your mother in any way possible." She waited for his response and he just stood there, shaking his head and laughing under his breath. When he didn't say anything after a few moments she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed his eyes at him. She wasn't used to people laughing at her. "What is so funny?"

"You," he said simply. "You look like you haven't done a single day of work in your entire life. Every instinct in my gut is telling me that you're a noble, and if you are then you could get my mother and I in serious trouble if we let you stay here."

"Nothing bad will happen to you or your mother, Finn. I promise." As the future queen she would be able to ensure his absolute safety but since he didn't know that, he shook his head.

"You washed up on my beach and refuse to tell me anything about yourself. You don't trust me, and I can't trust you."

Her mouth opened to say something, but she closed it right away, knowing that anything she said in response would sound hollow. Nodding, she was losing hope that she would be able to stay on the little farm and started to plan her escape.

"I will bother you no longer then. If you allow me to stay the night then I will be gone by daybreak." Fighting back the burn of tears, she turned around and started to walk away, too proud to allow him to see her cry. She could always demand as his Queen to allow her to stay, but then her cover would be blown and there would be no point in hiding. The thought of being alone in the wilderness terrified her, and she knew that she could never survive any voyage without an escort. There were thieves, rapists and wild people lurking in the woods, and unspeakable things happened to the unprotected during the night. She took a few steps before the farmer called out to her again.

"Wait," taking a few steady breaths, she wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to face him. Staring at her for a few moments, he shook his head before he spoke. "You can stay here under one condition."

"What is it?" She asked quickly, ready to do almost anything to get him to agree.

"You've got to give me something that I can call you. I refuse to call you 'miss' or 'girl' while you stay here and this is my land."

She nodded her head, deep in thought. "That's fair enough, but I cannot tell you my name or who I am."

He frowned. "I figured as much. Do you have a nickname? Something that your parents or friends called you?"

She shook her head, thinking only of her father and Santana. They never called her anything other than Rachel or My Lady or Princess, and the rest of the kingdom was honor bound to call her by title alone. "You may call me. . .Lady."

"Lady?" He repeated.

"Yes. I know it's not a lot, but it's the only thing that I can think of," she sighed, feeling sad and desperate. "I am many things, Finn, most of which I cannot tell you. But one thing is absolutely certain; I always have been, and always will be a Lady."

He dropped his arms to his sides, his voice soft as he stared at her like she might disappear. "You really are a noble, aren't you?"

She struggled with telling him the truth. She didn't want to lie to him, but as long as he didn't know that she was the future queen, then her identity was still a mystery. There were thousands of noblewomen scattered throughout the kingdom, but only one of them was named Rachel. "If I say yes, will you stop asking me questions?"

"For now," was his answer, and she should have assumed that he wouldn't give up easily. But she had to accept the terms or else she couldn't stay, and as long as he didn't know how noble she actually was, her secret was still safe.

"Fine. I am a noblewoman. But you cannot tell a single soul." He nodded his head, still staring at her like she was a puzzle he needed to solve.

"You have my word," he said, nodding. "And my word is all I have." She was relieved when he finally accepted her conditions, and a weight was lifted off of her chest when she realized that she wouldn't have to go off on her own. Now Rachel had her own safe haven where she could plan her next course of action. Keeping his promise, Finn stopped asking questions as he led her towards the barn to start her chores.

Princess Rachel, heir to the throne and the future Queen of the kingdom was about to do labor for the first time in her entire life.


She moaned in agony all throughout dinner; Finn thought that she was dying as his mother massaged her tired limbs by the fire after nightfall. Scratching his head, he wondered why she had asked to help if she couldn't even handle the toll it took on her body; he'd known his entire life how tiring the work could be, but no matter how many times he said that she could stop, she refused to let any task go undone. She carried pails of water all over the field, she pulled weeds and turned dirt. She milked goats and picked eggs as chickens pecked at her bare feet. This morning her hands had been as soft as down and as smooth as silk when she had unceremoniously touched his palm. Now there were blisters all over the once unmarred flesh and covering her feet as well. She didn't even have proper shoes to wear since she had washed up in her bed-clothing.

Now she was writhing in pain and crying silently by the fire. Once the sun went down she had started to shiver uncontrollably, claiming that the night was never this cold where she lived. That meant she was probably from the south, where the nights were warm and the days were sweltering.

A noble from the south, he thought to himself. He was going to figure this girl out even if he collected his information piece by piece. The memory of her touching his hand was on repeat in his mind all day, and his palm tingled when he thought about how soft her skin was. There wasn't a single callous or scar on her flawless flesh; the true mark of a noble. They never worked with their hands.

She went into the barn after his mother went to sleep and he was worried about her sore muscles and how they would react in the cold. She was bound to be stiff and sore when she woke up if she didn't stay warm and relaxed. He gave her extra furs to keep warm as a precaution and she took them gratefully before saying goodnight. Her attitude utterly confused him. She claimed to be a noble but she seemed way too kind to be one of them; every one he'd ever been in contact with was arrogant and downright mean towards peasants. They never spoke to him with any respect, or words of thanks, or sweet smiles and shallow curtsies. . .

No, this one was definitely different from the others.

Finn tossed and turned in bed, thinking about the noble girl and the traumatic experience that had brought her here. He still wanted to know who the missing girl Santana was, but doubted that he would find out any time soon. She was as closed off as a fort and he realized that he had to wait for her to divulge information about herself if he wanted to learn more about her. She wasn't going to tell him anything as long as he attacked her with questions.

But he just couldn't get her out of his head.

He used the outhouse as an excuse to go outside and check up on her, lighting a torch to guide his way through the dark. When he heard crying coming from the loft, he quickly entered the barn to check up on her.

"Lady?" He called up the ladder, and she sniffled loudly before responding.

"F-Finn?" she said, and he could practically hear her teeth chattering from the floor below.

"I'm coming up," he said, climbing the ladder and entering the loft. The wind was howling against the sides of the barn and the draft was dreadfully chilly. Rachel was shivering under the furs, but there was no fire lit in the pit that his mother had set up for her. He quickly used his torch to set it and the loft immediately started to warm up.

"Why didn't you light the fire?" He asked, setting the torch on the wall of the barn and kneeling next to Rachel's bedding. He draped his fur over her, providing her more warmth.

"I-I didn't know how," she confessed, closing her eyes against the chill she still felt. He should have figured as much and come out sooner. She had pulled out fifteen carrot roots this afternoon before he told her that they weren't weeds. "I p-pushed myself too hard today. I can barely move."

"Tomorrow you can rest as long as you need to. You actually helped us a lot today."

"I'm g-glad," she said, trying to sit up. She rearranged the furs around her so her body would still be covered and warm. "I learned many new things." He could still see tears falling down her cheeks, the trails glowing in the firelight. What was it that made her cry? Was it her aching muscles or the aching in her heart for her lost friend? "Things I never would have known, before now. The pain I feel is intense, but I welcome it. It means that I have accomplished something significant." He couldn't help but openly stare at her. She was the oddest noblewoman he had ever met.

"Are you sure that you're a noble?" He joked, but there was no mirth in her eyes as brown clashed with brown.

"Why do you ask that?" He rubbed his neck, feeling awkward under her hawk-like stare.

"You just don't act like one."

"How so?" She asked, her face tight with confusion.

He sighed, trying to think of an example. "Well, there was this one time, about three summers ago. There was this lord who rode through the coast along with his family for a holiday and stayed in the town. I think it was House Fabray." She scoffed but didn't say anything and Finn continued. "Anyway, the family was walking through the square, and one of the daughters slipped and landed in the dirt. My friend, Sam, helped her up and she was furious that a peasant had touched her. He got ten lashes from the family guard in the town center." She gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "He was punished for helping her, just because he touched her hand."

"I would never do that to you," she said, her voice steady. "To anyone."

He took a moment to try and calm his racing heart. "I touched your bare skin. Your legs, arms. I could be hung for that and I'm not sure that you would be able to stop it."

"No one will find out about that, Finn. Besides, you were saving my life," she said, and he desperately wanted to believe her.

"I just want to do the right thing," he said.

"You are, you have no idea how much your kindness means to me," she said, her tone getting desperate. "I need all the help I can get right now." Her panicked words affected him deeply, and for a moment his thoughts went into dark places as he contemplated the circumstances that had brought her here.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" He asked, and he knew that he wasn't supposed to ask her any questions but she actually nodded her head, her eyes wide with panic and confirming his claim.

"Yes, Finn. I am in a lot of trouble and that's all that I can tell you. I can't tell you what it is, or why, but I need help and I no longer have anyone to turn to. Everyone who was supposed to help me was on that boat last night, and now I'm all alone." She started to cry once more, hiding her face in her hands and turning away from him. "That's why I need to stay here. I have no one else and my home is far away." He couldn't stand to see women crying, it was one of his greatest weaknesses.

"Please, Lady, stop crying." He thought that calling her 'Lady' was somewhat ridiculous, but it was the only name for her that he had. "I promise that I'll try to help you as best as I can."

She looked up at him with watery eyes and sniffled. "Really?"

"Yes," for some reason, it felt like he was signing his own death warrant as he agreed to help the lost noblewoman. "As long as you stay here, you're not alone." He gulped, feeling an embarrassed blush erupt on his cheeks. "I will protect you from any trouble that comes looking for you until you free me from my promise."

The barn was silent for a moment, and the only noise he could hear was the crackling of the fire and the howling of the wind. The noblewoman stared at Finn with joy dancing in her eyes as a wide smile pulled up her lips. "Then I will finally be able to sleep tonight."

His own smile matched hers, and he could tell that it was getting late from the wide yawn that had suddenly erupted from her mouth.

"I will leave you to rest," he said, grabbing the torch and heading towards the ladder. The loft was now toasty warm, and the fire would suffice until morning. He could feel her dark eyes following him around the room as he started to climb down.

"Finn?" Her voice was soft and pleading, and he paused on the steps waiting for her to continue. "Will you take me to the town square tomorrow?"

"Um, sure," he agreed. "I have to go into town tomorrow anyway."

"Did you tell your mother I was a noble?"

He laughed. "No, but I think she figured it out on her own," he smiled to himself as he recalled a memory from this evening. "You cried when she skinned the rabbit for dinner."

He could almost swear that he could see her pouting from across the loft, even in the dim firelight. "It was so fluffy and cute." He shook his head, chuckling at her innocence. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone, Finn. Don't forget."

"I won't. Goodnight, Lady."

"Goodnight, Finn," she said, turning over in her furs until her back was facing him. He descended the ladder with only one thing on his mind as he made his way back to the cottage. When he collapsed into his bedding he realized that he had more questions about her now than he did before he had visited her in the loft. She was the strangest noble he had ever met; she was kind, she was fair, but most importantly, she was in some kind of serious trouble. Enough trouble to need a safe haven and protection. The possibilities were endless, but he'd made her a promise and now he had to keep his word. He was honor bound to protect her from now on.

If only he knew what she needed to be protected from.


I thank thee, my dear readers!

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