Chapter:4
Chapter Title: Of Shoes and Books
The love continues…
The next morning when James got back to the castle, he felt more alive then he has ever felt; he didn't even care that he hadn't slept, he didn't need it, and he felt invigorated. Life pumped through his body again; his life didn't seem tedious anymore. James didn't care that his parents were still asleep; he still barged into their room and ripped open their curtains around their bed.
"James?" His mother asked groggily. His father rolled over and mumbled incoherently, his mother nudged him, "Henry, I think our son has something to say." His father opened his.
"I want to build a university." James exclaimed.
"But…but there…" His father started but James interrupted him.
"And I want to invite the Death Eaters to the ball." James's words shocked his father out of his morning grogginess but James hurried out of their room before his father could respond. James's mom realized the new change in James and knew that it had something to do with a woman, 'It always does.' She thought.
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Lily collapsed into bed when she got home and slept like she had never slept before. James and the night before ran through her dreams. Lily was in a blissful sleep when she was shaken awake. Lily leisurely opened her eyes to find her stepmother and two stepsisters standing over her looking less than pleased.
"What?" Lily asked with a tone her stepmother didn't approve of.
"What?" She screeched, "What do you think you are doing? Where have you been?"
"Please, just shut up." Lily cried rubbing her temples, "I am very tired and have a splitting headache." Lily's stepmother looked like she was just slapped across the face.
"Who do you think you are?" She yelled, "Who is going to make our breakfast?" Lily rolled over onto her stomach before she told her, "You have two hands, make it yourselves." Lily fell back asleep; her stepmother huffed.
"Jacqueline, go put water to boil." She said before bustling out of the room with Marguerite close behind.
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James was having tea with his mother but he could barely sit still and pay any attention to what she was talking about, his mind kept drifting to Lily; to her beautiful ruby lips, her creamy white skin, her uninhibited nature and her strong will.
"James, James. Are you listening to me?" His mother asked over her cup of tea. She grinned at his sudden return to reality. She put down her cup of tea and took his hand, "Who is she?" James's eyes jumped to his mothers.
"The Countess DeLoncré. I've never heard of her before but maybe you have?" He asked with high hopes but his mother shook her head sadly, "It doesn't matter anymore. She is the most wonderful woman. She is captivating, she is beautiful. She is…"
"The one?" His mother asked. James's smile reached from ear to ear and his mother squeezed his hand, "Thank God; at least its not Spain." James chuckled.
"I have to go. I'm meeting her soon." James kissed his mother on the cheek and hurried from the gardens to his room.
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Lily finally got up to find her stepmother and sisters well fed. Lily ignored their snide remarks and their death glares. She only had to wait for them to leave, they were having tea with friends that were close to the queen, then she could leave to meet James. The Baroness and her daughters dressed to impress but as the Baroness pointed out it was all for Marguerite, so Jacqueline didn't not get as dressed up as her sister. Lily watched them get into their carriage and ride off to impress their connection to the queen. Lily quickly dressed in the wine colored gown with gold trim that she took from the one of Marguerite's old trunks and plaited her hair her long auburn hair. She hurried off to an old abandoned castle that James asked her to meet him at.
James was waiting in the center of the ruins when Lily finally arrived. He embraced Lily in a hug and captured her lips in a quick kiss.
"I didn't think you would come." James whispered into her hair.
"I'm sorry. I had to wait for them to leave." Lily removed herself from James's arms and looked around the stone ruins. The place was like a garden, there were flowers of all colors growing in the old rooms, "Why did we come here?"
"I always came here to think and get away from my oppressive father." He paused, "Its my Utopia." He took Lily's hand and guided her around the stone ruins. They didn't talk but cherished their time together. Lily suddenly pulled her hand out of James's.
"James, I have something to tell you." Lily started but James didn't pay any attention.
"I have to ask you something." James said, "My country has signed a treaty with Spain that I and their daughter are to be wed." Lily's heart plummeted and she forgot about what she had to tell him, "But I refused so my father gave me ultimatum. He said I find a woman worthy of my love by the time of the masque or I go through with the treaty." James took a breath, "Lily, I want you to be with me at the masque." Lily was a lost for words, she knew her feelings wrong but she can't help who she falls in love with. James took her in his embrace once again and captured her lips once again.
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The Baroness didn't catch Lily on her reentrance into the manor, which Lily found a little strange since it was late afternoon when she arrived home. Lily changed into her light blue work gown and stashed the velvet gown at the bottom of her trunk. Lily found the Baroness in Marguerite's room looking for a gown to wear to the masque. Lily's heart stopped when Marguerite held up the gown she was planning on wearing.
"Well, look who has decided to grace us with her presence." The Baroness said when Lily walked into the room. Lily ignored the Baroness, her eyes were locked on the dress in Marguerite's hands.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked Marguerite.
"Getting my dress together for the masque." Marguerite told her smugly while she examined the shoes to the dress.
"But those are my mother's things." Lily cried.
"Yes and she's dead." Anger took over Lily's body and lunged at Marguerite; her fist making contact with Marguerite's eye and causing Marguerite to fall over backwards over the bed. Marguerite clamored to her feet still clutching the shoes.
"I will never allow this spoiled cow to wear my mother's things." Lily screamed before she lunged at Marguerite again steeling the shoes away from her. Marguerite screamed bloody murder and ran out of the room with Lily hot on her heels. Lily chased Marguerite through out the house yelling insults at Marguerite. They ran all the way down to the lowest floor of the house. Marguerite grabbed Lily's book off a chair next to the fireplace and held it out over the flames.
"God help me, I'll do it.' Marguerite breathed.
"No." Lily cried, "Marguerite don't." The Baroness and Jacqueline walked into the room.
"Give her the shoes." The Baroness told Lily but Lily held onto the shoes tightly and Marguerite waved the book over the flames, "Your father's book or your mother's shoes. Make the choice but neither will save you from acute lashing." Marguerite held her hand out for the shoes and Lily unwillingly handed Marguerite the shoes. Once Marguerite had the shoes in her hands she throw the book into the fire and the Baroness held Lily back from getting her book from the fire.
Lily laid on her stomach in her bedroom while Jacqueline cleaned her wounds on her back from her lashing. She cringed from the pain of the warm water on her cuts.
"You brought this upon yourself, you know." Jacqueline said in her soft voice. Lily nodded, "But I will never forget the sight of Marguerite's legs flying above her head." Lily chocked out a laugh.
A/N: This chapter is shortest so far but it was hard to write. I couldn't remember why the prince and Danielle meet at those ruins in the movie, so I made it up. I also couldn't remember how the Queen learns of the Prince's affair with the Countess, so I made that up as well. Anyways, I hope you guys liked this chapter.
REVIEW please. Later.
-socal4ever