Lily:
Serendipity didn't come close to explaining what was happening, but Lily had to believe the Fates were just as invested in her figuring things out with James as she was.
It was the only way she could explain sitting in Ruth's rooms in a far wing of James' palace, adding some length to one of his late mother's dresses and altering it more to her own style.
"Are you sure you don't want me to have one of the seamstresses here do all that?" Ruth asked.
"It's helping me calm my nerves, honestly." Lily laughed.
"Do you think you'll be done by tomorrow?" Marlene asked and then shook her head as Ruth held up another dress.
"Yes," Lily chuckled, "but you won't have anything picked out by then."
Marlene winked at her.
"Marlene, you have to wear something presentable." Ruth huffed. "I can't take you to the King's quarters looking like you've been on the road for the last year."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not the princess." Marlene raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not going to wear one of her late Majesty's dresses."
Ruth sighed.
"I forgot how stubborn we are when we're young. My dresses are over here," she opened another wardrobe, "but I don't think they'll fit."
Lily took one look up from her sewing to compare Ruth and Marlene's figures and saw Ruth was right. Ruth was a full head taller than Marlene and Lily really didn't want them to take the time to make Ruth's dress fit Marlene.
"Why don't you do me a favor and promise to keep Lily safe for a bit and I'll see about a dress?"
Ruth eyed Marlene for a long moment.
"I can always go to the King's quarters in my traveling clothes."
Lily bit back her giggle as Ruth huffed.
"Fine, her Highness will be safe while you're rummaging up something barely nicer than what you have on now."
Marlene bowed gracefully, "My thanks."
She was gone for two hours, during which Lily listened to Ruth tell stories about James and his parents and Sirius. It was fun to hear new stories, and some old ones too in true context.
"I tell you, your Highness, the maid staff were quite put out when King Fleamont began sending his son around the country on business. They could no longer get out of their work in exchange for a good story."
Lily laughed, "Ruth, please, call me Lily."
Ruth smiled, "Do you not like your title?"
"I don't mind my title," Lily sighed as she strung her needle again, "but it isn't me. I'm Lily, I just happen to also be the daughter of a dead king."
Ruth's grin widened, "You'll do just fine, Lily."
It was then that Marlene slipped in the door, a sac in hand.
"Here," she reached in and handed Lily her tiara from Privet.
"How…" Lily took the tiara with wonder.
"It was an idea I had," Marlene smiled, "if I knew right where something was, I could change its location. I'd been practicing before we left Privet."
"Did you get a dress that way too?" Ruth looked at the sac in Marlene's hand.
"Of course not," Marlene scoffed, "I went back to that peddler and bought a dress from them."
Lily smiled down at the tiara in her hands. She'd look exactly like a princess now.
"Thank you, Marly."
"Anything for you, Lils."