Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling's work, or characters, so anything you see in my story that is in her story is hers.
Summary: Lily is personal servant, body guard, and best friend to Amial, princess of Spain. When Lily hears of a possible attempt at Amial, she must use her wit to save the princess...and herself. She must race against time, Dark Powers, deceit, the King of Thieves...a particularly good-looking man..., and love to save her kingdom. L/J AU
Of Fire and Thieves
Threats Revealed:
Lily took a deep, controlling breath and tried to smooth her face into a mask of nothing. Oh! How she hated formal balls! The hosts of the summer palace felt it necessary to hold a party for the princess, and now Lily found herself trailing Amial dutifully, dressed up and pampered like a clone of her princess.
It was at these formal occasions that the barrier between princess and body servant became apparent. Where Amial was talked to and had the pleasure of food and drink and dance, it was Lily's duty to trail her or step up against the wall as a slave would do while the princess danced and socialized.
Lily's head rang with thoughts of escaping. Her dress was constricting with a tight bodice and long heavy layers of skirts, as were the styles. However, Lily's dress had a high neckline and long, tight sleeves, marking her as a servant to one of the nobles. It limited Lily's movement and breathing capacity.
She cursed it three times over.
Tonight, it seemed, Amial was in a particularly good mood. Lily couldn't blame her, of course, because she loved ball's, but her friend knew how to push her buttons.
Amial, surrounded by a group of young, eager men, beckoned Lily over, smiling secretively. Lily walked carefully over, trying not to trip over the long hemline of her dress, and surveying the room quickly for any sign of a threat. She would have rather changed placed before the ball, but the potion had not been ready.
"You called, Your Highness?" Lily said, eyes now turned down to the ground.
Amial smiled playfully, and Lily sighed. Sometimes it seemed the princess didn't understand that Lily was truly her servant, and that fulfilling her duties came before friendship. "Lily, darling, I'd like you to meet Eric of Loon."
Lily inwardly groaned. Now she knew why Amial had called her over. She wanted Lily to dance! Lily made a note to later make her pay. This was going to be hell.
Lily turned her bored green eyes to the said person. The man's putrid blue eyes flicked carelessly over Lily and back to Amial. "How do you do?" she asked, her voice toneless. The man obviously wasn't very impressed with her beauty; the makeup and the dress and her severely pulled back hair made sure of that.
Eric stuck his nose in the air and asked her dance. Lily glared at Amial, whose grin stretched across her face. How was she supposed to make sure the princess stayed safe if she was concentrating on not tripping?
"Of course, My Lord."
Eric held out his hand and Lily attempted to place her hand on delicately. He led her out onto the dance floor, and Lily took one last look over her shoulder at Amial. Merlin help me now! A tune struck up, and Lily recognized it as one of the more difficult dances. She groaned.
Dances were a formal affair in Court. Each step was hard and placed. Everything had to be exact, and that was what Lily hated.
She managed through, barely. She stepped on her partner's feet so many times she lost count, and she kept tripping over the hem of her dress.
When it was done, the man leaned over and whispered in her ear a remark. I'd rather not put what he said here in this story, but I can tell you that it took all of Lily's restraint not to leap at him or hex him.
Lily left the ball feeling glum.
Amial couldn't stop laughing.
------------ -------------- ---------------------
Amial grimaced at the simmering cauldron. "It smells so bad!" she complained.
Lily rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't be complaining. I have to have blonde hair. Oh, what'll I do if I have to dance? It was bad enough last night, but people have seen how well you dance!"
Amial grinned maliciously. "That'll be your problem, now won't it?" Lily stuck her tongue out at her friend.
Two days had passed since the letter. With each hour, Amial had become, surprisingly, more pleased. "This is so exciting!" she said, "Why do we have to change places? I think it would be incredibly exciting to be kidnapped." Lily had merely snorted, replying, "Tell that to your father when he has to give up his thrown or see you die."
Lily scooped the potion into two cups, applying a piece of each of their hairs into the cups. The potion was a simple one. It was much like hair die, except instead of applying the die to one's hair, one drank the potion, and their hair turned the desired color. Lily had dubbed the Polly Juice Potion too risky because of the possibility of not having it near Lily when it was needed. It would be bad if Lily began to transform back into herself while in Court.
As everyone had seen Amial last night, changing their hair color wouldn't do much. Anyone with one eye would be able to pick up on the dramatic differences in facial structures. Amial's face was oblong and perfectly structured, her nose not too large nor too small, pale, creamy skin, and a smooth forehead. Lily's face was round and adorned with freckles and had a wild beauty about it.
Lily handed her princess a cup of the potion, and said, "Cheers!" She downed the potion in one large gulp, the horrid taste not bothering her in the least; she had tasted worst. She watched Amial's dainty gulps and disgusted looks.
The princess and her friend went to stand by the long mirror. "Okay," spoke Lily in her calming way, "Remember, the counter spell is 'Rollofom'." Ready? One, two, three,"
The two girls, one short with red hair, one tall with blonde hair, muttered, 'Tuffnin," under their breaths. Then they waited, holding their breaths.
The change started gradually, from the roots of their hair. Then, in a flash of color, Lily's auburn red hair became golden white.
She stared disgustedly at her locks. She loved her red hair. She absolutely adored it. But now, it was a blonde color. Not that Lily didn't like blonde! She just didn't think it suited her.
She looked over to Amial whom was now adorned with the red, coppery locks that were unique to Lily. Amial spoke gleefully, "Well, princess, I guess it's your turn to take the spotlight!"
Lily was about to reply when a flash of color caught her eye. Her eyes widened. Remembering just in time that SHE was now the princess, she called out, "Lily!" Amial looked around confusedly, but only for a moment.
The attacker flew out of the air, heading for whom he thought was the princess. Lily pivoted out of the way, lashing out her foot and sending the attacker flying. She swung about, grabbing her boot knife. The attacker had crashed into a table and sent things flying.
Lily gestured at Amial to get out, and turned to her fallen attacker, only to find another person in his place. Lily (whom the attackers thought was the princess) snarled and slashed out with her dagger. The attacker leapt back. Her dagger whistled through the air. She slashed again and again, and the attacker kept dodging. Lily became fed up darted in quickly and swept his feet out from under him. He landed on the floor with a thud and a groan.
She was about to kneel down to him when hands wrapped themselves around her mouth. Thinking quickly, she tucked her chin, grabbed the person's arms, and hurled him over her back, just as she had been taught to do. Crap! These guys just don't quit! Lily felt herself lucky that the kidnappers had happened to come after the two girls had died their hair.
Three were on the ground, but more were swarming in. Lily faced one at a time, using her dagger more than anything against these big brutes. She knew her strengths and weaknesses, and she was no weight-lifter. She tripped one, knocked one out, cut one across the shoulder. She danced from enemy to enemy, fierce as a wildcat.
The battle, however, lasted only a matter of minutes. A dark haired fellow, whom Lily recognized as the first man that had attacked her, rose up before her, a wand pointed at her chest. Lily saw this too late, reaching for her own wand, but finding it hopeless.
The man spoke a single word, and Lily found herself unable to move. She growled to herself. What a fool! She thought. At least it is I, and not Amial.
He walked towards her, his handsome face pondering and mocking. "What a wild one we have on our hands, boys," he remarked dryly, looking deep into Lily's green eyes. Lily closed off her face as she was taught, showing naught her emotions.
All the men around her were sprawled on the floor, groaning, some picking themselves up, others out cold.
The handsomely dark man smirked at Lily, bringing his body up close against hers. She could feel his hard chest against her shoulder, his thigh tickling the fabric of her dress. He circled her, eyeing her unashamedly. Lily felt the heat of his breath on her ear, and his hot, sweaty body against her form. "It's a good thing I brought a lot of my men. I don't know what I would have done if it were just me." Lily merely stared at the wall in front of her.
The man picked up Lily's fallen wand and tucked it into his breeches. Lily growled with anger. How dare he touch my wand! Her body being immobile, she was unable to lash out at him as she wished, and she dutifully kept her growl silent.
Shouts from outside the door alerted her captors of rescuers. The dark haired man swished his wand at the door, and the lock clicked. Lily was slung over the man's shoulder easily. He climbed over to the open window and vaulted out of it, landing easily on the courtyard below. Without wasting a moment, he dashed across the courtyard, feet slapping against the warm stones.
Lily watched the stones flash into her view and out. She took note of the ground, first the courtyard stone, then onto gravel, then back onto stone. They were over grass now, and Lily realized that the man had put her under an invisibility spell. The ground turned to gravel again, and stayed so for several miles. The man's pace never faltered, his berathing even, and his steps quick.
Lily knew they had entered a building when the afternoon sun turned into torch light. Up two flights of stairs they went, then down three, right, left, left again, and finally, through a last door.
The man deposited her on the ground and bound her hands and feet. He muttered something under his breath, then left, locking the door behind him.
Immediately, Lily could move again. Amateur, she thought to herself, sighing. She reached her tied hands up her skirt to where her thigh knife was bound. She gripped it and sliced her bonds with ease. The ropes fell to the floor, and Lily was free.
She checked her other knives; her boot knife she had used, but her toe knife was still in use. Strapped to her right thigh were two street knives (with their sheaths on, of course), three counting the one she had previously removed. On either upper arm were four small throwing daggers. In the bodice of her dress, well hidden, were six small vials filled with useful herbs; two poisons-one slow-working, one fast-;a crushed root good for healing cuts and wounds; itchwort, a harmless, practical thing used on annoying one's enemies; a fast-working headache cure; and a sleeping drought. All this she checked with a deftness that showed she had done so many times before.
She was in the room for over five hours. In that time frame she observed the room she was in, taking in its details and finding any weaknesses it might have. There was a single small, barred window, placed up near the ceiling, signifying to Lily that she was underground. The floor was made of stone and mortar, as well as the walls. The room was old, Lily guessed probably going on 100.
Just as the sun was setting, Lily heard footsteps approaching the door. The buxom red-head-turned-blonde sidled up to the side of the door. Pressing flat against the cool stone, she stilled her breaths, waiting for the attack, and then for escape. The man came through the door, bearing a tray of hot, steaming soup.
The soup flew up in the air. Lily's foot connected with the jaw of her captor. His head flew back. He fell back onto the floor. The soup clattered off to the side and the bowl broke. Lily knew he had keys, and she needed them to get out of the building. She deftly sprung onto him, pulling out on of her thigh knives, and straddled him, holding the knife harshly to his throat.
"Keys," she whispered in his ear. His long dark hair rustled as her breath tickled his ear.
"Sorry, babe," he replied, and attempted to flip Lily off of him.
Lily was expecting it. Before he could flip her over, another of her daggers was in her other hand and pressing painfully into his groin.
"Not today, sir. You kidnapped the wrong princess," Lily inwardly grimaced at her blonde hair. "You move, and I cut off your balls."
The darkly handsome man gulped and an angry look came across his face. "You're messing with the wrong man's private parts, miss," he warned darkly. Lily smiled seductively and rolled back onto her the balls of her feet, bringing her weight off his torso. She appraised his body underneath her, eyeing his twitching muscles. She looked up into his eyes, and was totally caught off guard.
Lily thought she couldn't be frightened easily. Almost nothing fazed her. But seeing a man you had just been sitting on transform suddenly into a big, shaggy dog was not exactly what Lily expected.
She jumped off of him, tripping over her feet and landing unceremoniously on the ground. The man loped to the door, transformed back into his original state, and glanced back at her with a hint of anger, "Too bad for you, that soup was your only meal until tomorrow," He was about to close the door, but stuck his head in one last time, "You know, Princess," he sneered at her, "blonde hair really doesn't fit you. People said you were beautiful, but they must have been delirious." It was weak, he knew, but he was obviously mad. With that, he left, shutting the door with a slam.
Lily arose to her feet ungracefully. She glared at the door, then sighed uncharacteristically. What a mess she was in! I just should be thankful it's me and not Amial, she thought again. She shook her head—how come she had jumped so when he had transformed? Usually she was calm and cool witted. But she had totally over-reacted!
Lily sighed and ran her hands through her disgustingly blonde hair. She slid herself over to the wall and curled her knees up to her chest. She placed her head on her knees and slept.
-------- --------------- --------------
Please review! It helped so much. I wrote this really quick and added a whole section that I didn't even think about because of the reviews!
(A/N: I made up the names of nobles and their fiefdoms, so I didn't mean anyone any disrespect while writing this. I just didn't know any names of places in within Spain or Whales, or Europe for that matter --I don't live there... --I also have nothing against blondes, just to get that out of the way, I just have to get the point across that Lily doesn't look good in blonde hair.)
