A/N: Holy freaking crap. Its been three years since I've updated this story. Three long years, where I've made pathetic, half-assed attempts at producing some sort of semblance of a story that so many seemed to cling to. Since I've last updated, Harry's journey has ended and the beginnings of the new generation at Hogwarts have began. Thank God this story doesn't have anything to do with Harry, Ron or Hermione (or Draco or anyone from the 90s for that matter).

And since I've left this fanfic collecting dust, I've graduated from high school, fallen in and out of love, gotten into a lame excuse for a college, managed to despise an English class, almost fail even the simplest of college classes, become addicted to parties, drunk enough beer to last me a lifetime, gotten a job, made new friends, write new stories, fucked up my chance at getting into the military, made new plans for the future, rethought about enlisting, made plans to move out AND gotten sick a dozen or so times. Like I said, holy shit.

But now, here it is. The next chapter, and one of the last few in the odd Marauder-era twist of Romeo and Juliet starring our two favorite witches and wizards in history-James Potter and Lily Evans. Just so you know, right before the last chapter will be out (and I give you my cash-back guarantee that another three years won't go by between now and then), the story will be re-polished and you'll see all those collegiate gained skills hard at work.

So, without further ado, ladies and gentleman, I give you the continuation of Romeo and Juliet Lied....

Romeo and Juliet Lied

Chapter 21: An Impossibility

Marriage.

Lily had waited all her life to be married. She had always known who she would marry, how she would get married and the happy life that would follow.

Things definitely never went as she planned.

Lily turned over in the makeshift bed, attempting to sleep. James snored lightly beside her, fast asleep. She was happy for the darkness and his slumber. Her face was red. She had never lain in a bed with a man before, much less a half-dressed man. Even in the dark, Lily could make out the contours of his muscular body. His chest was lean. His skin was tan. Subconsciously, she reached forward and gently stroked his skin. It was as soft as she imagined.

Her hand moved slowly to his tangled mess of hair. It was getting long and he was in desperate need for a haircut.

She pulled away, stunned, as James muffled a yawn and flipped over onto his back. He opened one eye.

"Hello, Princess."

"Hello, there."

James sat up and stretched his arms above his head. Lily felt herself blush. His arms were long, tan and muscular. He placed on of those perfectly shaped arms around Lily's shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"So, what is on your agenda for the day, my lady?" Lily giggled as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. His dark hair tickled her face. She grasped his hands in hers and smiled.

"Well, aside from spending my day with my lord, I hadn't planned on doing much else."

James raised a brow and grinned lazily. "Is that so, mademoiselle?" He gently brushed strands of copper colored hair that fell into her lily green eyes.

"Yes. What did you plan on doing, love?"

James cocked his head to the side cutely. "Well, I have a meeting today-but that is not until later this afternoon. I need to see Lady Kirah today about something. There are a few papers I need to sign and a few people I need to speak to."

Lillian's eyes widened as James went on. It hadn't crossed her until now that James was a King-of thieves,perhaps-but a King none the less, and therefore he was bound to be rather busy.

James sat up and yawned, stretching her arms out wide before turning to leave the bed. Lily watched him the whole time. His muscles were well defined in his lean shoulders and his face, while fuzzy, was bronze and regal looking. He searched idly around for a shirt and opted for a tan blouse.

"Well...I suppose I should head back to the palace, then. It wouldn't do either of us any good if I were to be in the way while you are busy."

James looked up at her and laughed. He was tying his boots up. "You certainly wouldn't be in the way, Lily."

Lily smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. I've seen my father while he's in the midst of business. It surely isn't the proper place for a lady."

James grimaced. "I've known plenty of women who do business."

Lily raised a brow. "And how many royals do you know who do business?"

"You really know nothing about the business world?"

"Oh, I know a little." Lily said, maneuvering on the bed. "They teach us history and geography, literature and economics. Our tutors are very strict on our studies. However, when it comes to strategies and war plans, we're excluded. You never see a woman fighting in a war."

James shook his head. "I'll never understand the mindset of the noble. The women here have all been trained. They are perfect warriors, though they may not be as strong as the men."

Lily blushed. "I simply could not imagine being a warrior."

He grinned and placed an arm around Lily, kissing her on top of her head. "Its alright, love. I wouldn't want you risking your pretty little neck anyway. Besides, I've grown a liking to the lady type over the tomboy."

With a raise of her brows and a smile Lily moved from beneath James' arm and brought a hand forward. "Than if you may, sir, I should fancy a walk about for some fresh air."

A confused look flashed across James' face quickly. "Does that mean you wish me to accompany you?"

Lily's own look was incredulous. "Why, of course! Do you really expect a lady to go for a walk all by her lonesome? What if I were to grow faint?"

James grimaced before nodding his head understandingly. "I s'pose that would make some sense. Are ladies of the court always to be accompanied by a male escort?"

Lily smiled, taking James' hand in her own. "I believe I have just as much to teach you about my world, as you do about yours."

***

Lady Kira paused as the tent door flapped open and James emerged, already dressed and clean. She smiled melodically as he dropped to one knee and bowed before her, and touched his forehead with the tips of her fingers, silently blessing him with the Goddess' prayer.

"Where is the princess?" She asked, her voice soft and gentle. James rose to his feet and glanced behind him.

"Kathleen and some of the other girls accompanied her to the river to bathe." Lady Kira raised a brow and James smiled guiltily. "She wouldn't allow me to follow."

Kira laughed. "Quite natural, really. She is, after all, of nobility, and unmarried. Its deemed improper for an unmarried young woman to be seen bare by a male."

"These nobility rules are really starting to piss me off." Lady Kira laughed again, and motioned for James to sit. She turned back to the small table where she had been putting ground up herbs into a smoking cauldron.

She waved her hands through the thick smoke and closed her eyes. James watched in hypnotic awe as the Wiccan servant to the Goddess completed her potion. She added a dirty thick glass that was filled with a brown and red colored murky substance.

"Its a healing potion, for the ill. The winter will be coming soon and I fear that our children may grow ill. It is all we can do to ensure their health during the snow."

James nodded mutely. For a moment there, the thoughts of the harsh English winters had escaped him. Winter was a dismal affair, often claiming the life of a child or infant due to fevers or hypothermia or pneumonia. They could not escape the cold, not even by traveling as far to the south as they deemed safe. And like with all other thoughts, his mind wandered back to Lily. Sweet, innocent Lilian, who undoubtedly had spent the winters by the heat of many well-lit fires, and safe in the haven of the heated walls of the castle. Surely, she would not survive the harsh winters that the Al-Beid would face.

Lady Kira noticed his forlorn expression and seemed to read his mind, a feat she was infamous for. "Yes, I suppose the Princess will have to return home and stay there for quite some time. Her body is not used to the cold that our people know. Her immune system is weaker and she would risk death if she attempted to do so."

James shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know exactly what to say. He had never been good with words, now being no different. But he had come to Lady Kira on a mission. She was the surrogate mother, the only mother he had really grown to know, and he knew she would understand. Out of everyone in the camp, even his friends, Lady Kira would be the best to come to with this.

"I want to ask Lillian to marry me." He said, not meeting her gaze. Lady Kira froze. A second later, she went back to mixing her potion as though he had merely mentioned that he planned to go for a swim.

"And when would you like to be married?" Kira asked, her voice calm and soothing, lacking any trace of mockery or indignant sourness that he subconsciously expected. James swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat.

"Now. Later. Whenever possible."

"And you are quite sure that this is what you want to do? After such a short time?"

"Yes."

"Yes," Kira echoed, placing the wooden stirring rod down on the table. She lifted a spoon with a deep bowl secured at the end and began pouring the contents of the cauldron into several empty bottles. "And do you believe, my King, that this will be a success?"

Although he knew the answer he stilled posed the question. "What do you mean?"

Kira looked up at him from her potion and frowned. "You know I support your decisions, James. You are a wise and experienced young man, and a great leader. I trust your judgment and I trust that you truly and deeply love the Princess with all your heart. And if only that were enough. If only love were enough to triumph the social hierarchy of our world and if only it were enough to make no difference where we live or how we behave. But what do you expect to come of this, James? Love, yes, that much I am sure of.

"But what about the factors that are at play here? Lily is not ready to leave behind the only world she has ever known. You cannot ask that of her. Just as well, she cannot ask you to give up your duties here, as I so suspect you wouldn't ask of yourself either. Can you live two separate lives? That much being said, while Lily is quite welcomed in our world, I have little assurance that the feelings will be mutual in the Kingdom. You are considered a criminal of the highest decree. If you make another appearance, the king will surely have your head."

James paused and nodded, taking all the medicine woman's words in. He didn't know what he expected her to say. It was ludicrous, he knew, thinking that something like this could work out. Lily and he belonged to two very different worlds-a fact he had come to terms with so many times before. Could he ask for Lady Kira's blessing? How could she bless his proposal when she was certain of the destruction and pain it would bring?

The idea had seemed so perfect before. As he and Lily lay in his bed, her soft, gentle lips breaking and making contact with his own again and again, the idea of marriage did not seem nearly far-fetched as it did now. As they lay tangled in the sheets and each other, it seemed as though there was nothing standing in their way. Hilliard was gone; Lily was his. He was hers.

James ran a hand through his dark hair and moved to his feet, where he began pacing. "I know..I know, I'm mad for even thinking of it. But I can't help it. I've fallen in love. I never meant to fall in love, especially not with someone like her."

"You mean a beautiful, intelligent, gifted woman? How could you not fall in love with her?" Kira asked with a warm smile.

"I meant with a noble!" James cried. He dropped his hands in defeat. There was no use in getting angry. He bit down the anger that was threatening to grow in his belly and forced himself to calm down. "I should have never fallen for her. But I can't change that anymore. I have fallen for her, and I can't bare to think of life without her anymore. I don't want to, but I know I can survive it. Maybe that's the only choice I have, though. When winter draws nearer and Lily goes back to the castle, we will leave this place. We'll go far away and this spell will be broken. Lily will go on with her life as she is supposed to-get married to a proper English gentleman, grow to be Queen and life here will go back to normal. It will be just us, rogues as we are supposed to be."

Kira nodded slowly and stared at James with a thoughtful expression. "Well then, that just won't do."