The next day came, and brought with it a rise in Brittany's spirits, as her step-mother and siblings had gone to Market all day, to flaunt wealth they did not have and buy things they could not afford, but never the less it left Brittany free to do as she pleased for the day.

As soon as the carriage had pulled out of site at the end of the long drive way, Brittany had wasted no time in running to the meadow at the rear of the grounds of Tubbington Manor, to meet her best friend Mike Chang.

The pair had spent the morning chatting easily, mostly marveling in the success of their effort to get Mr Figgins back from being sold to sail to the Caracas, and as was becoming her custom, Brittany spoke at length about her recent meetings with the Princess Santana, trusting Mike as her oldest friend with her most secret of secrets.

Though the blonde did not admit that she harbored feelings much beyond friendly affection for the beautiful Latina, Mike could see it shining out from the huge smile that crept onto his best friend's features whenever the princess's name crossed her lips. Deciding he wished to confirm his suspicions, the young man leaned back against a freshly rolled bail of hay, and turned his gaze onto his best friend, who was laid in the grass, idly flicking through her 'Cat Diseases' book, for what he knew to be at least the millionth time.

"The talk of the town is Jesse has made a fairly obvious play for the affections of Princess Santana" he stated a little tentatively, unsure of the reaction he was about to receive.

"You know he has" Brittany replied plainly, "He and my step-mother think, nor speak, of anything else besides getting his smug bottom on the royal throne" she finished curtly, keeping her eyes on her book in an attempt to disguise the annoyance she felt towards the subject. She hated thought of the princess marrying Jesse, or if she was being totally honest, marrying anyone who was not her.

As if he could read her thoughts Mike spoke again, "If they were to be wed, I expect you'd be moved to the palace along with Jesse, to be their personal servant, bring them breakfast in bed and so forth" though he didn't want to hurt his best frend's feelings, he became more curious the more they spoke as to exactly what her feelings towards the noble in question were.

"I would stay with the manor" Brittany replied quickly, looking up from her book to convey the seriousness of her words, "It is my home."

"And that is all you care about?" Mike pushed on, "Your home?"

"Yes" Brittany replied, ever so slightly worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, a nervous tell, Mike had long learned to interpret as a sign of dishonesty since childhood.

"You would care not that Jesse would make Princess Santana his bride?" He asked.

"Of course I would, no maiden of this Kingdom or any other deserves that misfortune! Especially the Princess, she is far too lovely and deserves much, much more" Brittany admitted gingerly, before promptly returning to her 'reading' fearing she had revealed too much.

As Mike watched his best friend he saw the intention like he was reading from an open book. "What perhaps would you think of a finer gentleman, say that Prince of Ohio fellow, taking her Majesty Santana's hand in marriage. If he was a good and noble man would you still object so?" He decided trying to call her bluff might be the most effective way to get a confession.

"Why ever would I..." Brittany began, before she was interrupted as her best friend leapt to his feet.

"Am I not your oldest and dearest friend?" He questioned.

"Of course" Brittany confirmed a little confused.

"Then do not lie to me" Mike finally finished, moving to sit directly across from Brittany, holding her brilliant blue eyes with his pale brown ones.

Brittany let out a shaky sigh as she realised she was cornered. Nerves fluttered in her chest, reflecting as a slight tremor in her voice as she spoke, "I would object to any other taking her hand in marriage, no matter how fine or noble they may be, because I..." She faltered, but as make gave her an encouraging smile she remembered that he was one of the few people she could trust and forced herself to continue, "I would object because I feel for the princess, so so many feelings, and I would wish for no one to wed her...but myself."

Silence hung heavily between the pair for a moment, and Brittany's pulse seemed to be beating in her ears, blood rushing around behind her eyes, a thin perspiration threatening to break out across her brow with the anxiety. The quiet was finally broken when Mike jumped up and began singing "I knew it" and dancing in circles around the very relieved blonde.

"I hate you Mike Chang!" Brittany declared, before jumping up to join him, the pair spending the best part of the next ten minutes dancing around the meadow, weaving in and out the hay bales, caught up in the excitement of the blonde's admission.

As their energy eventually began to wane Brittany flopped down onto the soft cushion of the grass, flat out on her back, while Mike sat cross-legged beside her.

"You're in love with Princess Santana" he said matter of factly.

Brittany let the statement hang in the air for a few seconds, enjoying the way it sounded, hearing it said aloud and acknowledged as normal, before she confirmed it.

As they sat in an easy silence, each enjoying the company of the other, Mike noticed two fast approaching horses at the far side of the meadow, and as the pair drew closer he recognised the red and gold colours of the palace that adorned one of the riders, her think black hair flowing out behind as she kept her horse to an easy canter. Brittany still lay flat on her back, her eyes closed, the hints of a smile pulling at her lips.

Mike looked from his friend to the approaching riders and back again before speaking, "So if you love the princess I suppose you'd give anything to see her again" he enquired, trying to keep his tone conversational.

"Anything at all" the blonde replied without missing a beat, her eyes still closed.

"Good" Mike replied, before turning his attention back to the riders who were just a few leagues away from them now, "Then I suggest you hide and you can thank me for this later."

Hearing the urgency in Mike's tone and also becoming vaguely aware of distant hoof beats that seemed to be approaching them rapidly, Brittany pulled herself into a sitting position. She barely had time to process the image of Princess Santana and her one of her guards cantering towards them, before she was cursing Mike's existence for not warning her sooner, and throwing herself behind a nearby bale, praying she had not been seen.

Coming to a stop just beside where the common looking boy was sitting in the grass, Santana and Puck steadied their horses, before Santana turned her gaze to the young man, "Good day, we are looking for Sir Schuester, he is to put on a performance with his famous show choir at my coronation, and I need to speak with him as a matter of urgency, have you seen him?" She asked, barely pausing to take a breath.

Staring up at her, Mike found himself pondering for a moment what Brittany saw in the girl, she was strikingly beautiful, that there was no doubting, but she seemed to exude a certain hardness, and he knew Brittany was anything but hard.

Regardless he put his plan into action, "A good day to your highness" he greeted her, bowing, "I regret to say I have not seen Sir Schuester...the only soul to pass this way all day has been the courtier Miss Brittany Von Gent."

As he dropped his bombshell, he studied the Princess's features, slightly amazed by what he saw. At the mention of Brittany's name, the other woman seemed to soften, almost visibly, her demeanor changing dramatically, and though her body appeared to tense and buzz with sudden excitement, she looked as if a great weight had been lifted from around her neck - Mike Chang realised Brittany's feelings were perhaps not as one way as his blonde friend might believe.

Santana almost couldn't believe her ears, but eager not to let the beautiful blonde, that she seemed to hunger for so badly of late, slip away again, she quickly enquired as to her whereabouts.

"I do believe she is staying with her cousin at Tubbington Manor" Mike supplied helpfully. Seeing Santana's face darken a little, as she thought about what he could only guess was having to bump into Jesse he quickly added, "The lady did mention she was in the residence all alone today as her family have business to attend to, if I may be so bold as to suggest a visit may put her in good spirits your highness..." He trailed off.

"An excellent idea!" Santana confirmed, her voice almost jovial, she felt light and fuzzy with the worry of Jesse and his awful mother removed, and the prospect of getting to see Brittany again gained. "You have been most helpful, thank you sir" she gave Mike a tight lipped smile, before motioning to Puck and the two of them setting off at a gallop towards the manor.

After they had retreated a safe distance, Brittany, who had heard everything, came out from her hiding place, her eyes wide with excitement and disbelief. "What did you do?" She questioned, "The Princess is headed to the manor, expecting to be greeted by Brittany Susan Von Gent, the courtier!" She exclaimed.

Mike simply smiled back at her, "Then I suggest you run."

Without a backwards glance Brittany did just that, tearing through the forest, calling out for Emma and Molly as soon as she was through the back door of the manor. The trio had literally just finished transforming her as much as was possible from servant to passable courtier when there was a knock on the heavy wooden front door.

Brittany flung open the door, trying not to gasp for breath, as sure enough Princess Santana stood before her, elegantly dressed in the Royal colours, her long dark her braided in a fancy twist at the back of her head. Brittany herself, with the help of Emma and Molly, who were currently collapsed on the stairs after the efforts of the last few minutes, was dressed in a pretty lilac and blue dress, the corset top pinching in her already tiny waist, the blue silk bringing out her eyes.

A few more seconds passed as the pair stood appraising each other, both lost in one another's beauty. Finally remembering herself Brittany gave a polite little curtsy, "Your Highness" she greeted the princess.

"My lady Brittany" Santana replied politely, a smile gracing her features as her eyes met blue ones. "I did not see you at my dressage contest yesterday" the princess stated, careful to keep the disappointment she felt from her tone.

"Forgive me your Majesty, I had much to do" Brittany explained apologetically, looking at the ground hoping to disguise her lie.

"It was your intention to come?" Santana questioned warily.

"Of course" Brittany replied in earnest, "I would have loved nothing more than to see you ride, I'm sure you were very impressive."

Santana blushed a little, and Brittany smiled, noticing the crimson that now coloured the noble woman's cheeks. "Well I had hope that seems you could not attend yesterday, that you would maybe consider accompanying me on an outing today?" Santana questioned, her tone hopeful.

Brittany felt her heart give an excited lurch against her ribcage, Princess Santana was inviting her on an outing and she could barely contain the happiness she felt at the prospect of spending a whole day with her. "It would be an honour your majesty" she quickly replied, causing the Princess to break out into a wide grin.

"Excellent" Santana replied happily, "I was thinking we could perhaps visit the library, I remember how you love literature" she admitted shyly.

Brittany's face lit up, her eyes growing wide with excitement, "That would be truly marvellous...It seems that you have found my weakness, I suppose it is only fair that now I should find yours?" the blonde challenged, barely believing her own daring, but longing to learn a little more about the mysterious Latina she was so enamoured with.

"I would have thought that was fairly obvious" Santana replied quickly, brazenly holding Brittany's gaze, her eyes full of desire. Now it was Brittany's turn to blush, a pretty shade of pink.

Chuckling to herself at the display, Santana called back to puck and her guards, "Take the carriage back to the castle, just leave Snow with me. I shall ride, and Today, I a not Princess Santana, heir to the throne and soon to be queen, I am just Santana" she declared happily.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Santana" Brittany smiled shyly, unsure if her addressing of the princess in such a manor was appropriate, but as Santana returned her smile, her fears we assuaged.

"I will have my servants prepare me a horse" Brittany informed the princess, before giving a polite little bow and disappearing back into the Manor to ask Emma and Molly to inform Mr Figgins that Coal needed to be saddled immediately.

The Marquis held her head high, as she perused the stalls at the palace market, Jesse and Lauren following a few steps behind her as she browsed. After casting her eye over a small jewellery stall, and seeing nothing of her liking, she curled her lip in disgust at the servants running it, and turned on her heel to move along, when she noticed none other than Artie Abrams headed her way.

She put on her best smile, forcing herself to appear pleased to see the man, whom she in fact despised, which as a matter of fact wasn't so hard, as she was certainly pleased to hear the news he was sure to bring. When he finally manoeuvred his horse between the throngs of villagers and nobles, Artie brought the animal to a stop before her, and bowed low in the saddle, before leaning down to whisper into her ear, "M'Lady" he greeted her with a self-assured smirk, which Terry returned with one of her most seductive smiles.

Though Artie held no interest to her romantically, it was in the best interest of Jesse's quest for the throne that he thought otherwise until their position was secured and he was no longer of any use.

"The Princess has not been seen all morning" he confided in her, his words coming out in one breathy sentence, his excitement at speaking with her tangible.

Terry smiled up at him, feeling sorry for him for just a fleeting second before continuing with the charade, "I have so been looking forward to our next little rendezvous" she purred into his ear, "Do you have anything else for me?"

Looking around to check they were not being watched, Artie leant down even lower, reaching into his saddle bag, and pulled out a square of white linen, slipping in subtly into the Marquis's open palm. "This should give you some tactical advantage" he added solemnly, his face displaying his pleasure with himself in procuring such an important item for his Mistress.

Glancing around to make sure they were indeed unobserved, the Marquis unfolded the linen slightly, and was both surprised and impressed to see the Queen's favourite locket lying swaddled in the cloth. A plan already forming in her mind, she thanked Artie profusely, feeding him false hope, and promises of romance once Jesse was king, without a second thought. As the crippled man rode away, the lopsided grin on his face suggesting he knew nothing of how he had just been manipulated, the Marquis turned back to her children who were waiting patiently by a near by stall, and quickly ushered the over to a bench, where they could speak in private.

A quarter of an hour or so later, the royal trumpets sounded, and every shopper, vender and browser paused what they were doing, the palace courtyard becoming eerily silent, as the Market went still. The large old wooden gates of the main palace opened, and the King and Queen walked through, smiling politely at nobles they knew as they made their way to the carriage, which was waiting for them at the far side of the area.

The Marquis waited until the Queen was seated and the driver just about to spur the horses on, before she pushed Jesse forward, hissing "Go."

"Your highness!" Jesse called, as he jogged up to the carriage, his face full of false concern, "Forgive me" he continued, "As you walked by, I couldn't help but notice that you dropped this" he informed her, before opening his palm to reveal the Queen's prized locket.

The queen gazed in amazement for a second at her precious trinket, before taking it from him, and delicately placing it around her neck, "Thank you child" she smile down at him, "I do not even remember putting it on!"

"The pleasure is all mine, your Majesty" Jesse gushed, bowing low, before turning to retreat.

"Wait" the Queen called out as she watched him go, she recognised the boy as the son of the local Marquis from up at Tubbington Manor, she knew a little of the family, and from what she heard they were relatively wealthy and had good blood. Thinking to herself that the boy, whose name she recalled as Jesse, seemed nice enough, and thinking of the plight of her daughter to find a decent gentleman to marry in just three days time, she spoke to him again, "It takes a certain type of person to return something of such value Jesse, we shall chat about this further."

Jesse's eyes lit up, as he bowed again, muttering "As you wish your highness."

Impressed by the boy's manners, and thinking she perhaps could help her daughter out with her predicament more than she had hoped, the queen gave Jesse a warm smile, "Come to the palace at noon tomorrow...and bring your mother."

"I shall look forward to it" Jesse declared solemnly, before turning and walking with as much control as he could muster, back to his mother, who was beaming as he approached.