Deception and Disguise

Mendacity

Disclaimer – Any character you recognize is JK Rowling's. But the plot and idea completely and truly belongs to me.

"You must leave, James." Lily choked, pretending like she hadn't heard him. I'm in love with you. "Coming here was a mistake. Riddle may have spared you once, but he won't do it again." Her hands were shaking still, and speaking around the lodge in her throat was excruciating.

James seemed no better off. "Lily, you—" he stared at her disbelievingly, hurt. "You heard what I said. You couldn't possibly ask me to leave." He walked towards her with purposeful strides, much to the princess's horror. Or was it relief? "I know how you feel about me. Don't even bother denying it." James said, his voice cracking on the last word as his hand came to rest on her cheek.

Gentle. So so gentle.

Lily couldn't help it. A sob broke out from her. "I have to, James," she shook her head, auburn strands falling over her face as she looked down to hide her defeated eyes. "Riddle will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And what he wants…I—I cannot let him take it. Under any circumstances."

Her resolve strengthened with every word, and she covered James's hand with her own, finally looking up at him despite the tears that shone in her eyes. "Yes. I do love you, James," Lily admitted, and her heart might have cracked a little inside her chest. "I have for quite some time now. But I owe this to my father. I owe this to the kingdom. I cannot let Riddle take away even a single life anymore."

She knew hope was nothing but a flickering flame on verge of being extinguished. Not while that will remained a secret. Not while she was still surrounded by such narrow-minded royalty. Not while she was still related to that monster. Not while he still ruled over her, and the kingdom.

Lily had to pick her poison. And she knew exactly which one would taste less bitter.

The Marauder simply stared at her for a few heartbeats before dropping to his knees in front of her. His callused fingers intertwined with the princess's, and Lily mutely stared at the contrast of his tan skin against her porcelain white. It seemed like the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. "And what about me?" James whispered, drawing her attention back to him.

Lily clenched her teeth at the sight of those tears in his eyes. What had she done?!

"If you give yourself away," He continued, hazel orbs latched to green, "what makes you think that you'll be saving my life?"

Lily shook her head, silent sobs wracking through her body now. "James, please—"

"You might as well take away my life."

Lily wrenched her hands away to cover her overflowing tears. "You don't understand!" she cried, "He'll kill you. And I-I…don't have the strength to watch that happen."

"It doesn't have to be that way!" James replied, anguish coating his voice. His hands rose to her shoulders as he stood, warm and firm, yet comforting and strong. "We can do this together, Lily. We can defeat him. Come with me—"

"No," she shook her head, rising along with him. "I cannot run away again. I cannot. Because this time, his wrath will not be just towards me; the whole kingdom will suffer. And I cannot walk away knowing that…knowing that I was responsible for it."

The princess looked up at him then. Really looked at him. And his expression was just as fierce as the first time she'd met him in that dingy alley. His piercing stare struck her just the way it had that first time. His hands just as callused, and his hair just as messy.

But things were different now.

His eyes held the promise of years and the sorrow of thousands. There was no smirk to his lips, rather a solemn downturn that Lily hated hated hated. His gaze did not carry any arrogance or smugness; rather it shone something so deep, so overwhelming, that all Lily could think of was reaching up and placing her mouth on his.

And when the pressure of his fingers on her shoulders increased ever so slightly, she did.

No, Lily decided then, this was not the man from the alley. This was the man she was in love with.

James could only stare at the princess as she spoke of things he could have never imagined any royalty to be capable of. How could he have ever doubted her? It made him sick to his stomach to think what she had gone through, what that snake had put her through. His fingers unwittingly increased their pressure on Lily's shoulders in his anger.

And that was all James could do before he felt her lips on his.

The kiss was nothing and everything like he'd imagined. In all of the second that it took James to realize what had happened, his fingers on Lily's shoulders had already gone slack, and were impulsively wrapping around her waist to pull her closer.

Her lips were soft and smooth, and he could taste the saltiness of her tears on them. There was no fierceness; only a sadness which spoke tales about the story that could have been, about the love that they could have had. Lily's hand rose up to frame one of his cheeks as she tilted her head and deepened the kiss. It felt so perfect that it didn't seem fair to her. Didn't seem fair that it would be wrenched away from her so ruthlessly.

So the marauder and the princess just stood there, unwilling to let go of the moment. Because once they did, they knew things could never be the same.

"What are you doing outside, girl?"

The cold voice broke through Lily's senses all too soon, immediately sending shivers down her spine. She looked up with big, devastated eyes at James. "It's him! He's here, you have to go!" She whispered frantically.

"I…uh…the princess said she needed some time to change." Came Dora's fumbled voice, getting unnaturally loud on the last word.

Lily understood the signal; any moment the doors to the royal chambers could swing open. Panic swelled in her heart as she looked back at the man in front of her. This wonderful wonderful man. "I'm sorry, James, but you have to go! Please."

"And what about you?!" The marauder shot back with frustration.

And for a second, the Princess' lips curved into the saddest of smiles. "Don't worry, I will not let the kingdom fall into the wrong hands again. And I won't marry Prince Lucius either." She said, her hand already guiding James back towards the balcony.

Some distant part of her knew that Sirius and Remus were there, just beneath her balcony. And she only needed to look down to see them again. That cocky smile, and that calm, soothing demeanor; oh how she longed for just a glance at those men. At her brothers. But she couldn't.

Not now. Not ever again.

"Lily—" James breathed, his voice a mixture of pure agony and defeat.

"Go! Now!" She cut him off with a sob, covering her face with her hands as the tears leaked down her already stained cheeks.

And that was exactly when she heard the doors to the bedroom being thrown open.

A Few Minutes Ago

The King made his way down the corridors, his lips pulled back into a vicious smile and his fingers playing on the hilt of his sword. It was finally time for his long-awaited dream to come true. Just a few more hours and everything would be his forever. No one would question him or dare to speak against him. He would be the new law, the new justice and the new word of God.

Just 20 hours more and that wretched brat would be married off, and it would not matter that she would come of age. For once the kingdom was his, hers would be the first head he would see decapitated.

If it weren't for that filthy brother and that will of his, he wouldn't have had to endure her whims and fancies at all. She would have gone along with her father like she ought to have, Riddle thought with a sneer.

But no matter, he decided, cape billowing behind him as he reached towards the princess' room, it would all be gone for good soon enough.

His sneer soon turned into disgust at the site of the new maid that was hired in the morning. "What are you doing outside, girl?" He asked, a suspicious tint to his cold voice.

The girl fidgeted with her robes, eyes skirting all over the place and not meeting his as she struggled for a reply. "I…uh…the princess said she needed some time to change." She squeaked on the last word, increasing the King's disgust. It wasn't exactly rare for commoners to be distressed around his presence, but Riddle knew mendacity when he saw it.

"Step aside. I need to speak to the Princess."

"B-but, your Majesty," She stammered.

"You dare try to speak against me?" Riddle seethed, his voice nothing short of lethal.

A drop of sweat trickled down Dora's forehead and she gulped. "N-no, you Majesty," she bowed, her hands trembling as she reached towards the door slowly.

Riddle bore a disgusted smile on his face as he swiftly pushed the girl out of his way. It was far too suspicious, and he could not afford another mishap. No, not when he was so close. Not when she would come of age the next day. He had to be rid of this nuisance. Had to.

His agitation got the best of him as he angrily pushed open the doors, loud enough for the heavy metal to strike the chamber walls.

Those slits of black, depth-less eyes widened at the sight before him.

A/N – Um, hello. As you might have guessed, yes, I am quite alive. No, I did not leave this story. Yes, I've read every single review all of you left for me, and they always managed to bring a smile to my face. I honestly cannot provide you guys with a strong enough defense as to my absence for one year, except for the fact that university was grilling me. I literally had no idea it would be this hectic. However, it's summer break now, so here I am. Oops? Please find it in your hearts to forgive this lost child. Puppy-eyed love.

Claudia.