Chapter 2
Remus felt his cheeks turn crimson. "Sirius…what a beautiful name…" He thought as he went back to his work, with a sudden thought of, "Did I just fall for him? At one look into those eyes-so quickly?" He admitted that he believed in love at first sight as much as the next guy but he didn't think it possible for him. Once finished with the floors, Remus went straight to his room to lye down and think. "Good morning, Remus." It was Lily. She took a seat at the end of the bed. "Is something wrong?"
"No. I was just thinking…" He faked a small smile.
"Hm. Well, did you happen to see those girls Queen Melinda had for breakfast? Poor Sirius."
"Why does she always bring maidens to the castle?"
"She wants the prince to marry."
"Why doesn't she let him find someone on his own?" Remus wondered aloud.
"Queen Melinda wants Sirius to marry the most wealthy, beautiful girl she can find. Sirius loathes it, he told me so. He says it does not even matter to his mother if the girl is a tramp. I feel horribly for him."
"Well…" Remus thought for a moment, pondering if he should even ask such a question as the one he was thinking of. "What if the prince wanted- or fell in love with a servant?"
"Oh!" Lily began to chuckle. "The queen would be aghast! She would never have it-she would not stand for it! I can only imagine it! Oh, dear! But if you will please excuse me, I have to finish washing the windows in the south wing upstairs. Good day, Remus." She smiled, curtsied, and left, leaving Remus in a state of confusion.
"Good day, girls!" The queen waved happily as those wretches finally left. Sirius let out a sigh of relieve. "Well, that maiden, Susan, was quite charming if you ask me."
"She was rather irksome, and that laugh the other one had-ugh. It was an evil cackle if I ever heard one."
"Sirius, please. My goodness, boy." They headed upstairs to the forth floor, Sirius could not wait to get to his room and just stare out his window, which was by far a better thing to do then talking with maidens. "Honestly, Sirius. We need to find you a bride soon or else I will…will…EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A rat-vermin! It's hideous-huge!!" Queen Melinda shrieked and pointed at a huge, tubby rat scampering across the floor. It was gray, with a long tail that looked like a worm. "Get it! Kill it!"
"Mother, calm down." The rat squeaked and scampered around the corner. Sirius went straight to his room, thinking of staying there until suppertime.
*Knock, knock* "Sirius?" The door opened as a head slowly peeked in.
"Hello, James." James smiled as he entered the room.
"Something wrong?" Sirius sighed.
"I just wish mother wasn't so fixed on finding a bride for me."
"What are you talking about? You get to see-what? Five girls a day?" James grinned, nudging Sirius' arm with his elbow.
James was great. Sirius had known James for as long as he had known Lily, perhaps a little longer. James was also in love with her, but of course, she didn't know it yet and no matter how hard Sirius tried to make him tell her, he never gave in. James loved to joke around too. He was a castle guard, and a good one at that. "So…have you seen Lily today?" James asked. Sirius could see a light red hue on his cheeks.
"James, you should tell her."
"I know."
"You have loved her since you first saw her."
"I know. But-"
"And you are always talking about her-"
"Sirius-"
"And you say that you are always dreaming about her."
"Sirius-"
"And the way you always-"
"Sirius! I can't!"
"Huh? Why?"
"You didn't hear…she's…" James hand formed into a fist. "She's engaged."
"What?! Since when?"
"Her mother had her engaged to that prissy nobleman, Lucius."
"Him? But he is such a-"
"Tell me about it." James interrupted. "He doesn't care for her at all. He'll only take advantage of her, which makes me even more angry. But Lily's mother says she should be grateful that such a fine nobleman should want to marry her."
"When is the wedding supposed to take place?"
"In a week or two."
"Sirius? Queen Melinda is calling for you-oh…good morning James."
"Good morning, Lily." Lily curtsied as she began to blush. "How are you doing today?" She smiled and sniffed. Sirius could tell that she was trying not to cry.
"I'm fine-but, Lily, I need to talk to you."
"Uh-I-uh-need to go. I apologize. Good day to you both." She curtsied again and was off.
"She is trying to avoid me…" James stared down at his feet. "Damn that Lucius, damn him to hell."
"James, don't worry," Sirius placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. "Everything will be fine-I'll see to that." James gave a small smile. "Come on,"
"Sirius! There you are!" Queen Melinda came rushing in. "Good morning, James."
"You majesty," He bowed. "If you will please excuse me, I should be heading back to my post." With another bow, James left. Sirius could still see the anger in his eyes.
"Sirius-"
"Mother, if this has anything to do with any of your maidens, I do not wish to hear it." Queen Melinda squeaked.
"But Sirius-"
"Mother," She sighed.
"All right, all right, I shall tell you later." She left, with her hand holding her head as if she had this horrid headache. Sirius sighed, which was interrupted by his mother peeking her head back in his room saying, "They are waiting in the garden-they are very nice!" And she left again, giggling.
"Good lord-"
"Good morning, your majesty. You mother asked for you to hurry." It was Remus, he stood in the doorway, smiling. Sirius smiled back. "You may call me Sirius." Remus bowed, smiling in return, and continued down the hall. Sirius looked out his window towards the garden. "Four? Damn it, mother is going to keep me out there for hours." With a groan, he made his way to the garden, mumbling all the way about his irksome mother and her maidens.
Remus sighed and wiped his forehead. He had been working all day. But he had no complaints. He knew working at the palace would not be easy. He smiled to himself as he started walking down the hall. When he reached the door of his room, he heard muffled sobs. As he entered, he saw that it was Lily, holding a pillow to her mouth to keep her sobs quiet. Remus could hear her mumble, "Why? Why?" and, "Oh James! It's just not fair! I love you!"
"Lily?" Remus walked towards her, not sure how to comfort her. He set down next to her on her bed. She turned to look at him, sniffled, and fell into his arms sobbing. "Oh, Remus! I don't want to marry Lucius! I don't care if he's wealthy or not-,"
"Shh…calm down." Remus set her up and smoothed out her hair. Now, what is this all about?" Lily tried to collect herself as best as she could and explained her situation. How she loved James with all her heart, that her mother only wanted her to marry Lucius so that she could be wealthy and happy. How her mother had said that Lucius was a good, kind nobleman and how grateful she should be that he would even think of her.
"But I'm not! He is wicked! He only wants me, as an excuse to get 'buddy-buddy' with the queen-he knows that my family has known her since I was a small child. All he wants is power-he'll stop at nothing to get it- power and money-but I will not marry him! He will treat me cruelly, Remus! Just like the rumors said that I have heard about him!"
"Shh…it's all right now, Lily, why not tell the prince. I am sure that he would help you."
"No…I could not."
"Lily?"
"James!" She quickly wiped her tears and smoothed out her hair and clothes. "I-uh, good morning, again." She tried to smile and stood to leave.
"Lily, wait." James grabbed her arm. Sirius came in at that moment, staring at the two. "Lily-,"
"James, please, not now-," James interrupted her with a kiss. Sirius looked over at Remus and shrugged. Lily only stared at James with surprise when he pulled away. "James-,"
"Lily, I love you."
"James, please-what?"
"I love you." Lily gulped as tears began to form in her eyes.
"James…I…I"
"Don't marry Lucius."
"I don't want too!" She hugged him tightly. "I love you!" Sirius smirked at Remus, who smiled.
"You do?" James asked with smirk.
"Yes!"
"Really?"
"James!" Lily laughed through another sob.
"I think I know someone who Lucius might like…" Sirius said, with a mischievous smile. "Some girl I met the other day-or that mother made me meet the other day." Sirius expression changed to an annoyed one. "She had this evil cackle."
"Lucius is coming by tomorrow-get that girl to come back." James said hurriedly. He then gave Lily a seductive look and scooped her up in his arms.
"Ah! James, where are we going?" He smirked.
"Guess."
"Ah-no! James!" She laughed, kicking her legs about in the air as an attempt to get away. Sirius and Remus could hear Lily's laughter and protests as they left and in the hallway.
"Those two-" Sirius copied James smile and danced around Remus, winked, and nudged him in the arm. "'Guess.'" He said, imitating James. He laughed. "I better go tell my mother that I remember that girl. She'll go crazy when I tell her I think she may be a possible bride." Remus chuckled.
"Who is it anyway?"
"I think her name was….Narcissa"
Remus felt his cheeks turn crimson. "Sirius…what a beautiful name…" He thought as he went back to his work, with a sudden thought of, "Did I just fall for him? At one look into those eyes-so quickly?" He admitted that he believed in love at first sight as much as the next guy but he didn't think it possible for him. Once finished with the floors, Remus went straight to his room to lye down and think. "Good morning, Remus." It was Lily. She took a seat at the end of the bed. "Is something wrong?"
"No. I was just thinking…" He faked a small smile.
"Hm. Well, did you happen to see those girls Queen Melinda had for breakfast? Poor Sirius."
"Why does she always bring maidens to the castle?"
"She wants the prince to marry."
"Why doesn't she let him find someone on his own?" Remus wondered aloud.
"Queen Melinda wants Sirius to marry the most wealthy, beautiful girl she can find. Sirius loathes it, he told me so. He says it does not even matter to his mother if the girl is a tramp. I feel horribly for him."
"Well…" Remus thought for a moment, pondering if he should even ask such a question as the one he was thinking of. "What if the prince wanted- or fell in love with a servant?"
"Oh!" Lily began to chuckle. "The queen would be aghast! She would never have it-she would not stand for it! I can only imagine it! Oh, dear! But if you will please excuse me, I have to finish washing the windows in the south wing upstairs. Good day, Remus." She smiled, curtsied, and left, leaving Remus in a state of confusion.
"Good day, girls!" The queen waved happily as those wretches finally left. Sirius let out a sigh of relieve. "Well, that maiden, Susan, was quite charming if you ask me."
"She was rather irksome, and that laugh the other one had-ugh. It was an evil cackle if I ever heard one."
"Sirius, please. My goodness, boy." They headed upstairs to the forth floor, Sirius could not wait to get to his room and just stare out his window, which was by far a better thing to do then talking with maidens. "Honestly, Sirius. We need to find you a bride soon or else I will…will…EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A rat-vermin! It's hideous-huge!!" Queen Melinda shrieked and pointed at a huge, tubby rat scampering across the floor. It was gray, with a long tail that looked like a worm. "Get it! Kill it!"
"Mother, calm down." The rat squeaked and scampered around the corner. Sirius went straight to his room, thinking of staying there until suppertime.
*Knock, knock* "Sirius?" The door opened as a head slowly peeked in.
"Hello, James." James smiled as he entered the room.
"Something wrong?" Sirius sighed.
"I just wish mother wasn't so fixed on finding a bride for me."
"What are you talking about? You get to see-what? Five girls a day?" James grinned, nudging Sirius' arm with his elbow.
James was great. Sirius had known James for as long as he had known Lily, perhaps a little longer. James was also in love with her, but of course, she didn't know it yet and no matter how hard Sirius tried to make him tell her, he never gave in. James loved to joke around too. He was a castle guard, and a good one at that. "So…have you seen Lily today?" James asked. Sirius could see a light red hue on his cheeks.
"James, you should tell her."
"I know."
"You have loved her since you first saw her."
"I know. But-"
"And you are always talking about her-"
"Sirius-"
"And you say that you are always dreaming about her."
"Sirius-"
"And the way you always-"
"Sirius! I can't!"
"Huh? Why?"
"You didn't hear…she's…" James hand formed into a fist. "She's engaged."
"What?! Since when?"
"Her mother had her engaged to that prissy nobleman, Lucius."
"Him? But he is such a-"
"Tell me about it." James interrupted. "He doesn't care for her at all. He'll only take advantage of her, which makes me even more angry. But Lily's mother says she should be grateful that such a fine nobleman should want to marry her."
"When is the wedding supposed to take place?"
"In a week or two."
"Sirius? Queen Melinda is calling for you-oh…good morning James."
"Good morning, Lily." Lily curtsied as she began to blush. "How are you doing today?" She smiled and sniffed. Sirius could tell that she was trying not to cry.
"I'm fine-but, Lily, I need to talk to you."
"Uh-I-uh-need to go. I apologize. Good day to you both." She curtsied again and was off.
"She is trying to avoid me…" James stared down at his feet. "Damn that Lucius, damn him to hell."
"James, don't worry," Sirius placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. "Everything will be fine-I'll see to that." James gave a small smile. "Come on,"
"Sirius! There you are!" Queen Melinda came rushing in. "Good morning, James."
"You majesty," He bowed. "If you will please excuse me, I should be heading back to my post." With another bow, James left. Sirius could still see the anger in his eyes.
"Sirius-"
"Mother, if this has anything to do with any of your maidens, I do not wish to hear it." Queen Melinda squeaked.
"But Sirius-"
"Mother," She sighed.
"All right, all right, I shall tell you later." She left, with her hand holding her head as if she had this horrid headache. Sirius sighed, which was interrupted by his mother peeking her head back in his room saying, "They are waiting in the garden-they are very nice!" And she left again, giggling.
"Good lord-"
"Good morning, your majesty. You mother asked for you to hurry." It was Remus, he stood in the doorway, smiling. Sirius smiled back. "You may call me Sirius." Remus bowed, smiling in return, and continued down the hall. Sirius looked out his window towards the garden. "Four? Damn it, mother is going to keep me out there for hours." With a groan, he made his way to the garden, mumbling all the way about his irksome mother and her maidens.
Remus sighed and wiped his forehead. He had been working all day. But he had no complaints. He knew working at the palace would not be easy. He smiled to himself as he started walking down the hall. When he reached the door of his room, he heard muffled sobs. As he entered, he saw that it was Lily, holding a pillow to her mouth to keep her sobs quiet. Remus could hear her mumble, "Why? Why?" and, "Oh James! It's just not fair! I love you!"
"Lily?" Remus walked towards her, not sure how to comfort her. He set down next to her on her bed. She turned to look at him, sniffled, and fell into his arms sobbing. "Oh, Remus! I don't want to marry Lucius! I don't care if he's wealthy or not-,"
"Shh…calm down." Remus set her up and smoothed out her hair. Now, what is this all about?" Lily tried to collect herself as best as she could and explained her situation. How she loved James with all her heart, that her mother only wanted her to marry Lucius so that she could be wealthy and happy. How her mother had said that Lucius was a good, kind nobleman and how grateful she should be that he would even think of her.
"But I'm not! He is wicked! He only wants me, as an excuse to get 'buddy-buddy' with the queen-he knows that my family has known her since I was a small child. All he wants is power-he'll stop at nothing to get it- power and money-but I will not marry him! He will treat me cruelly, Remus! Just like the rumors said that I have heard about him!"
"Shh…it's all right now, Lily, why not tell the prince. I am sure that he would help you."
"No…I could not."
"Lily?"
"James!" She quickly wiped her tears and smoothed out her hair and clothes. "I-uh, good morning, again." She tried to smile and stood to leave.
"Lily, wait." James grabbed her arm. Sirius came in at that moment, staring at the two. "Lily-,"
"James, please, not now-," James interrupted her with a kiss. Sirius looked over at Remus and shrugged. Lily only stared at James with surprise when he pulled away. "James-,"
"Lily, I love you."
"James, please-what?"
"I love you." Lily gulped as tears began to form in her eyes.
"James…I…I"
"Don't marry Lucius."
"I don't want too!" She hugged him tightly. "I love you!" Sirius smirked at Remus, who smiled.
"You do?" James asked with smirk.
"Yes!"
"Really?"
"James!" Lily laughed through another sob.
"I think I know someone who Lucius might like…" Sirius said, with a mischievous smile. "Some girl I met the other day-or that mother made me meet the other day." Sirius expression changed to an annoyed one. "She had this evil cackle."
"Lucius is coming by tomorrow-get that girl to come back." James said hurriedly. He then gave Lily a seductive look and scooped her up in his arms.
"Ah! James, where are we going?" He smirked.
"Guess."
"Ah-no! James!" She laughed, kicking her legs about in the air as an attempt to get away. Sirius and Remus could hear Lily's laughter and protests as they left and in the hallway.
"Those two-" Sirius copied James smile and danced around Remus, winked, and nudged him in the arm. "'Guess.'" He said, imitating James. He laughed. "I better go tell my mother that I remember that girl. She'll go crazy when I tell her I think she may be a possible bride." Remus chuckled.
"Who is it anyway?"
"I think her name was….Narcissa"