A/N: This story once existed on this site and I took it down. Well it's back! However, this time with heavy revisions again (There have been character name changes as well as chapter additions and new material. With the face lift this story has received I'd strongly recommend checking out each chapter even if you've already had a look a this story as much has been added - including an entirely new first chapter!). I hope you enjoy this new and improved version. I appreciate you taking the time to read it and I would appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks again!

King Charming
Chapter 4


"You're wazting your time."

Amy stopped at hearing the familiar voice she hoped not to hear again anytime soon. Michelle paused next to her and the two girls turned briefly to meet Maria's piercing gaze. "I beg your pardon?" Amy queried tentatively. She swallowed hard against the fear that was washing over her again. The entire situation was on that was more uncomfortable than she'd ever been in.

"You – you're energy being expended on a fruitless endeavor."

Amy felt her pulse race in her veins. Her first reaction was that Marie had somehow discovered the truth and was planning on revealing it. In fact it was the only thing Amy could reason she meant. "Trust me when I say I want nothing more than to go home, that has been my sole purpose all along." She seemed to loose all interest in playing princess in that moment and she situated an angry sort of glare at the accusing party. Marie however puffed up more assertively.

"I trust nothing you zay. You are ze competition, your innocent façade doezn't work on me." She sniffed.

Amy's scowl darkened. She had lost all sense of what the girl could mean and the only haste in her blood pressure was remnants of the fear that had been there moments before. Now she was simply angry for being accused of something she had no concept of. Even so she didn't give in and join in the infantile banter, she simply pursed her lips and pointed up the hall. "Shall we. I can only assume you're on your way to dinner as well."

"Yez, but I have no intention on arriving wiz you." Marie turned up her nose and stalked off in the other direction.

Michelle waited until she was around the corner to let an irritated sigh escape her. "Are we in grade school again? Is that what happened? Did we somehow revert back to 8th grade?"

Amy was ready to agree, in fact she already had but her words betrayed her. "I think there's something else." She said placing a hand on her chin in thought. "I think there's a chance something's missing in all of this. Well, it's obvious there are several somethings missing. But in this particular case I think it's possible that we were in the wrong place at the wrong time or she threatens easily." Amy glanced sideways at Michelle. "I don't get why she's threatened though, or what competition she's talking about. Am I really all that scary?" She grinned stupidly at her friend.

"No, unless retards are frightening."

"Can you behave for five minutes? If anything you're the one that's going to get us in trouble – or caught." Amy shot back with a dubious glower. It was rather obviously artificial. "Now mind your manners servant girl." The glower turned into merry eyed amusement as they pressed on trying each door they came across seeking out the dining all.

It was after knocking on the doors of three private chambers, a public water closet, a common room and two receiving rooms that they finally stumbled upon the dinning hall. There was one long table with two long adjacent tables on either end. People were starting to gather, food was already situated on the tables, some were eating and others socializing.

Amy and Michelle found themselves once more as fish out of water. Amy fought the urge to chomp on her bottom lip and furrow her brow while she considered her options and Michelle had to force her hands to remain by her sides so she didn't fidget. Amy's eyes scanned the people chatting and the empty chairs. Should she go and play nice with the dignitaries or was it acceptable for them to slip silently to a very edge of the table, eat and run? The more she considered it the more she wanted to wolf down as much food as possible and then make herself scarce; however, the more she pondered it the more she knew that was the wrong solution.

She reached over and gave Michelle a light jab to the ribs and applied her best faux smile. Perhaps they could mingle with the outer crowds and still remain under the radar.

"Princess Amelia."

Amy's eyebrows knitted together at Michelle who she was facing. The shorter girl issued a sympathetic and understanding, yet encouraging smile before she turned and applied the fake grin. "Your highness. I thought we might never earn your attention what with the popularity and your humble and proper etiquette of mingling with all." She hoped the edge in her words didn't come off painfully obvious. "I appreciate you taking time to see us."

"It's the least I could do after our earlier misunderstanding." He lifted her hand and placed a kiss upon the back of it, but the moment he released it his eyes moved to Michelle. "Please, allow me to apologize again." He turned is attention back to Amy.

Amy took the opportunity to look toward Michelle. "Oh your highness, you're too magnanimous. I must apologize myself for my curt behavior regarding the matter. However, please understand Michelle is more than a handmaid. She's my dearest friend. I don't respond well to her mistreatment."

"Your behavior was acceptable for the cause, please don't think for a moment you were ill mannered." Wendell said sincerely.

"Then we agree. Mutual apologies accepted and the situation – forgotten." Amy nodded.

While they spoke Michelle, bored by the conversation and slightly annoyed but understanding, glanced lazily about at the people gathered. Her eyes trailed to Marie, who had arrived at some point. She didn't even notice the smile that was already on her face. It was a gleeful sort of scathing smile simply from the red faced and obviously perturbed princess. She even lifted her hand to wiggle her finger at the pretty, yet pompous, dark haired foreigner. It still baffled Michelle how Marie could be envious of Amy. Marie was an authentic princess; that alone should make the girl happy. She was beautiful enough that nearly anyone would be envious of her simply for that. Michelle lightly shook her head and turned her attention back to her friend.

"You're highness." A man butted in. He was a boisterous sort of spirit, it was obvious from his round and ruddy face. He was already laughing cheerfully. "It's good to see you again. You'll remember me. Arthur McBride, I'm the governor of Rivertown. How's the bride search finding you, eh?" He elbowed the young king, his robust nature shining through and certainly overpowering any manners he might have under the thick mustache and several glasses of wine. "Should'ya not be lucky with the royals don't forget the lasses in your own backyard."

Wendell, for a moment, looked out of breath and horrified by the man's words while Amy and Michelle were standing there. He recovered quickly. "I'm not sure if you've met our guests traveling from afar. This is Princess Amelia and her assistant Michelle visiting us from the 8th Kingdom. Princess Marie from the 5th Kingdom arrived today as well."

"Eh?" The man's surprised face turned on Amy and he let out another bellowing laugh. He took up her hand and shook it heartily. "I didn't see you there lass. Nice ta meet ya. Not heard much from your kin in decades. How's your land fairing?"

"Of course not." Amy said quietly, but politely as she issued a soft if not weak smile, at his comment about overlooking her and nodded to his person. "I suppose it would take much patience and care to navigate from your vantage." Easily taken as his height compared to hers, she meant not that but his generous waistline. She used the backhanded comment that sounded, on the surface, as something kindly enough to ponder a response to the second part. She opted for a general sort of answer that applied more to herself and Michelle than anything. Though she was more comfortable in the presence of someone that seemed almost normal to her she couldn't help but catch the pale sort of expression on Wendell's face. When she was able to earn her hand back from his thick one she folded it in front of her. She glanced briefly at Wendell before looking back to Arthur. "We like our anonymity. It saves a lot of political and social troubles that might not otherwise be avoided. It's fair to say things are well."

The man roared another laugh. "Sharp. She's sharp." He rather blatantly winked at Wendell. "Keep her your highness, you'd be a fool not to."

"I beg your pardon!" Amy cut in again, curtly but as kindly as she could still maintain with the sharpness. "I'm no pawn in this – I've just told you…anonymity. However, Princess Marie, she might be more interested in," Amy smiled slightly, her voice turned coy, "high profile roles." In the vicinity of Arthur Amy found some sort of strength in her words, despite the sudden and painful realization about the nature of Marie's envy. Though it was the furthest thing from her mind and she wouldn't have even been able to fabricate such a possibility in her wildest dreams it seemed that the lovely princess thought she had to fight for King Wendell's affection and attention. Considering she, Amy, wasn't even in the race it was a complete non issue to Amy.

"Oh lassie," He belly laughs had become rolling fits of humor which was mostly infectious, "mind your tongue. It'll find you in trouble one day, but not before someone gets either a good laugh from it or a sound lashing." He bowed briefly to her and issued the same to Wendell before wading off.

"I'm not entirely sure if I should be offended or if that was meant as a compliment." Amy said, watching him go. The smile remained on her face as she turned back to a rather stern looking king. Her smile faded quickly, almost as if being forced to leave. "Don't be alarmed your highness. I find his spirit and character refreshing. I hardly take him seriously, you should consider the same." Amy explained; for some reason the man's casual manner was still allowing her some sort of comfort despite the situation she and Michelle were in.

"I find myself offering nothing but apologies to you for the behavior of my kingdom's citizens." Wendell's eyes were fixed on Amy's.

She cocked her head off to the side and let the smile return, more casual this time. "Oh no, now you'll have to forgive me but you're wasting your breath. No apology is necessary and giving one would be just as unfair as me accepting it on the grounds that it isn't deserved in the first place. So let's just stop there. Is it true? Are you seeking a wife?" Amy asked curiously.

"It is." The young king had taken for granted that everyone knew, and now he would have to suffer knowing he didn't invite this girl for that cause. He would also have to suffer knowing she knew the same - that she had not been invited. Of all the crowns he'd had thus far, she was the only he would have chosen to invite. She showed promise, in fact – as fairy tales go – he assumed the 'happily ever after' with Princess Amelia was already in the works. In all the years he'd known of the Golden Age and the events within it never actually occurred to him that the ending, the happily ever after, would take effort, wooing, and possible rejection. Rejection was still something that seemed an impossibility. Though his head said it was there he didn't believe it; after all happily ever after never ended in the broken hearted.

She nodded a single time. "I see. Good luck your highness, you deserve luck in this matter. Marie, I'm under the impression, wants your favor badly enough that she might be a suitable choice depending on your parameters." She offered nodding to where the black-haired princess had been moments before.

Wendell didn't have time to respond before Tony appeared at his side. He opened his mouth to say something, and by the sly look in his eye, Wendell had already ascertained the nature of anything that would be followed by that look. Before he managed launching himself into some, no doubt, negative dissertation he caught sight of the girls. Unlike Arthur he was able to stop himself before doing any collateral damage. "Well hello." He said to them.

"Oui, bon soir." They all turned to Marie. "You too met ze princezz of de 8th Kingdom, no?" Her eyebrows were arched high on her forehead as she addressed Tony. "Izn't she lovely." Marie cooed. She was trying to win favor in front of the men present. It was no secret that Tony's opinion mattered to the king. Therefore it was thought by many royals that had come seeking Wendell's hand they could do it through this man. Marie was no exception.

"You're too kind, really." Amy said overly politely, for she knew that they were merely words meant to puff her up into something she, Marie, wasn't - humble. Amy had no delusions about her appearance, she knew she paled compared to the thoroughbred Marie; but it never occurred to her either that looks weren't the entire nature of this tug-of-war she realized she's somehow become part of. The fact that she hadn't even signed up for the game was a whole other matter, Amy had absolutely no intention or interest in winning Wendell's heart. Her words did not betray her, however her tone did. She had not been trained to be a royal, therefore the boundaries of what was acceptable or not were completely lost on her. In fact she was fairly certain she'd already overstepped many. It hardly mattered to her anymore. Despite being afraid of being discovered, which was a sensation that was turning away from fear and more to slow annoyance, she still held onto the idea that her claimed title would earn her a ticket out of there faster. It was the majority of the reason she even bothered with the rouse. It was wearing on her nerves. She still held that she had not once admitted to being any such thing as a princess or from any kingdom.

She turned back to Wendell for a heartbeat and issued him a toyish smile as her eyes cut back to the princess. It was a playful if not coyish way to illustrate what she'd explained about Marie seconds before. "If you kind folks would excuse me, I think this might be an appropriate time for us to make an exit. Again, good luck you highness." Amy said again before taking advantage of the newly arrived guests to do exactly that, exit.

She didn't even bother going to the table, she merely walked alongside Michelle to the door. Once they'd passed through it and it was completely shut behind them Amy dropped back against it clumsily. "That…right there, that was out of control." She ran a hand along her forehead.

"What? Getting cold feet already queeny?" Michelle snickered as she teased gently.

"Not funny." Amy rolled her eyes and let her head fall back against the door.

"I don't know whether to congratulate you or pat your shoulder in condolences." Michelle went on.

"Alright, that's enough." Amy's head snapped up and her eyes flicked over to her friend. "I think you're misunderstanding what he's doing. He wasn't after a queen in me – but that you thought so was funny at first. He can see through this, I'm not even appropriate princess material. You saw, I was barely holding on back there. He knows better, he's not stupid Michelle. It doesn't make the entire situation any less stressful though." She agreed tentatively. "Look, we gotta find this gate and soon. Do you think we can find our way back to that mirror room? Furthermore do you think we'll be able to find the bedroom we're staying in?"

"No…and…no." Michelle beamed happily regardless of her negative responses. "However, I didn't say we shouldn't try. Come on…" she paused after pulling Amy up by her arm, "queeny."