Lily:
Lily reasoned that it wasn't much to ask. She simply wanted to have some time with James, unattended, and why not have it be when they were planning to draft the letter to Petunia. It shouldn't be a problem to request that Elias and Marlene leave them to their own devices for an hour.
So why did she feel so nervous bringing it up?
Her new dresses were beautiful, James had sent the dressmakers the evening they'd discussed sending the letter, but that was a week ago and things had simply been busy. There were so many little details that came with running a country and James pleaded to have her at every meeting he could justify her presence at. With all this work came the reality that Lily and James hadn't had a private moment since their archery outing.
And Lily was starting to realize that it was affecting her greatly. She took comfort in her observations that it was affecting James as well. They reached for each other constantly. James often held her hand through most of the meetings she attended. Lily turned toward him every chance she had. Any time she could touch him she did. She knew her way around his palace now but still asked him to guide her, just so they could have a few moments to talk of things outside of the business of running Godric's Hollow. It was her little reprieve from the hustle and bustle, but Lily had realized the day before when the business of Godric's Hollow had crept into their few spare moments that they weren't enough. She needed more.
And a small corner of her heart admitted that she needed him.
So she batted her eyes and asked James to schedule in writing the letter to Petunia at some point tomorrow. That had gone smoother than the silk of her dress. Now she just had to summon all her training on being a calm and collected princess as she sat with Marlene in their sitting room after dinner - James off at a meeting with an ambassador from one of the countries across the ocean - and secure the second part of her plan.
"Have you had a chance to visit with Sirius at all?" Lily tried to look bored as she gazed out the window. In truth, she wasn't looking at Marlene for fear her sister would see right through to her intentions.
"Here and there," Marlene shrugged, but Lily didn't miss the small smile that graced her lips.
"I wish we could be normal people," Lily sighed, trying to say everything exactly how she had rehearsed it in her head. "Then you could spend all your time with Sirius."
Lily felt Marlene's eyes on her and focused on looking out the window.
"I appreciate your investment in my happiness, but what exactly is the point you're going for?"
Lily resisted the urge to bite her lip, "Just that it would be nice for both of us to be able to choose. I love you, please don't take this the wrong way, but we're forced to be together all the time. Normal people don't have that in their lives."
Lily felt Marlene's penetrating stare and summoned all her courage to turn and face her.
"Who would you like to be spending time with, Lily?"
Nothing in Marlene's voice was accusatory, in fact, Lily would have called her tone supportive, which felt a bit odd. But Lily decided to capitalize on it while she had the chance.
"I just wish I had some time to talk with James, you know? How am I supposed to figure out if I actually love the man if I don't get any time with him that isn't focused on running a kingdom?"
Lily forced herself to breathe as Marlene smiled at her.
"I think I can help. Let me talk to Elias and Sirius. Would you be alright with starting where we have you stay in James' study? Once Sirius is back to guarding James I'm sure we can expand where you get to be to other places but Elias is a bit of a traditionalist."
It took all of Lily's self-control not to squeal in delight, but she let her smile shine bright across her face.
"Would you? His study would be fine. I just, when we were traveling I spent most days talking with him, and now it feels like we get to say hello and goodbye and then we go to our rooms and do it again the next day."
Lily let out a sigh and looked out the window for a moment before turning back to Marlene.
"I miss it, I miss just talking with him."
Marlene moved from her chair and wrapped Lily in a hug.
"Then let's make James give you a bit more of that priority he gave you while we traveled across the continent."
"So you'll talk to Elias tomorrow?"
"I'll do even better," Marlene smirked and walked to the door to their rooms.
"Our runner is going to fetch Sirius for us."
Lily frowned, "But Sirius isn't fully recovered yet."
"But he knows how to approach Elias so that Elias will do what we ask." Marlene relaxed back into her chair with a happy sigh.
Lily tried to keep her smile from giving away the humor she found in Marlene's eagerness to send for Sirius.
Sirius didn't waste time answering the runner's request either and joined them within minutes.
"Now then," he sat on the arm of Marlene's chair, "how can I help you lovely ladies?"
"Lily would like some time with James without having guardians in the same room and without discussing matters of state."
Sirius furrowed his brow as he looked down at Marlene.
"The idiot hasn't already done that!?"
"Sirius!" Lily chided, but he shook his head.
"No, Lily, if my brother hasn't made time for just you then he's an idiot, King or not." Sirius shook his head. "Leave it to me, you'll have a blocked out time at least once a week by tomorrow morning. Honestly, you'd think the man had no brain!"
Lily felt a bit taken aback by Sirius' response, but she really didn't want to lose out on guaranteed time with just James, so she let it drop and changed the subject.
"When do you get to take back your post, Sirius?"
Sirius huffed, "Remus wants me to wait another week at least, he'd prefer three. I might just make James command him to change his timeline."
Lily laughed and then had an idea that she hoped would get her a bit more in good graces with Sirius and Marlene.
She forced a yawn and sighed. "I'm pretty drained from all the meetings today. I'm going to turn in. But you two enjoy each other." She smiled at Marlene encouragingly. "I know the way, you can protect me just as well from the sitting room as you can from your room."
"Let me walk to your room," Marlene shook her head, "Sirius will wait a moment."
"I'm quite good at waiting actually, as long as I get rewarded for all my efforts to do so." He grinned.
Lily rolled her eyes but smiled as she addressed Marlene.
"Fine but after you make sure there are no monsters under my bed, spend some time together. I know you've had less time together than James and I have. No reason both of us should suffer."
Marlene smirked, "Should I consider this a royal command?"
"If it makes you do it then yes," Lily laughed before pushing up out of her chair and heading for her room, Marlene hot on her heels.
"Thank you," Marlene said quietly as they entered Lily's room.
Lily turned and hugged her sister tightly. "All I want is for you to be happy. You gave up everything for me, let me give something back."
Marlene squeezed her once before letting go. "You're going to want all the details in the morning aren't you?"
Lily blew her a kiss as she started changing. "You can bet your oath on it."
