More than a pretty face: Chapter 4

Hello again everyone… its been awhile, I know - holy crap almost a year! buuuut many things have happened. First off, I kinda was busy, or just lazy, and then forgot about Later on, the computer this stuff was on crashed AND I had forgotten. Then the computer I'm currently writing this on wiped all my freakin data, so I transferred my files to the other computer on here - fortunately THAT memory, at least, hadn't been wiped. And then I rediscovered this, and so now I will attempt to continue. I know that I've had 16 reviews for a while and apologize MASSIVELY for keeping you all waiting and making you lose track of the story.

I will update as soon as possible instead of demanding reviews first, as an apology to all of you readers. And, actually, the writing will probably be much better, as I am a better writer now. And the chapters will no doubt be longer and less abrupt. I hope you enjoy!

Claimer: All characters in this story are my original creations and belong to me. Mine! Mine! ALL MINE! patrols halls and sets up burglar alarms on the doors

They had been in Shankone about a week now. Taggun was pretty well settled in his new role as King. He and Roses' formal wedding was planned and ready to go. Everything seemed to be going well.

Tagguns' sister was actually pretty nice. If extremely relieved that she wasn't going to be married off to some freak to strengthen his relationship with her father. And she and Rose soon became fast friends, despite their age difference of 3 years. Mostly because the sister was willing to talk endlessly about her brothers' virtues, yet honest enough to admit his faults to Rose. According to them both, there weren't many.

Shauna spent much of her time with Athroaten. Obviously there would be no marriage - common marriages weren't decided in 2 weeks. But still, he was there, and she could confide in him even more than she could in Rose, who had been a good friend as well as a good mistress. But Rose tended to have a problem with recognizing the problems of the common people, and thinking very highly of herself. Shauna hoped Taggun would be tolerant enough not to get angry, and find a way to temper her typically spoilt reactions.

Shauna confided many things in Athroaten - her life with Rose, her past, why she was a maid - because her father was in debt, massively so, his 7-year-old daughter had gone to the palace, to find a place as a maid, and become a playmate to the young princess. Her brothers, 16-year-old twins, hired themselves out as guardsmen to the palace. Another brother, at twelve, was hired as an all-purpose servant to the palace.

Now, 10 years later, the twins, now 26, had become to the 2nds of their guard squadron, and her other brother, at 22, had become a personal servant and messenger to the crown prince of Essalia. As a result, they were all paid rather highly, and their wages had pulled their father out of debt and into the middle class of fairly rich commoners. Now they all sent half of their wages to their father and kept the other half for themselves.

Athroaten told her of his past, as well, telling her of the death of his family that left him with a young sister to care for, and his solution of robbing the palace, of all things. Well, he had only been 9, so his idiocy could be -at least partially- excused. When that ploy was inevitably found out, Taggun was made to attend the trial so he could understand justice, but took pity on the poor boy, only his own age, and decided that he should be hired to the palace as his own personal servant. Athroatens' little sister had been placed in the nursery used for all of the children of the palace too young for work. She was thirteen now, working as a maid in the palace. And they continued to talk, and their relationship grew deeper, until they were rarely out of each other's thoughts and arms.

Things did not go quite so well for the royal couple. Taggun was busy planning for the battle with Imperia, always with his troop commanders and those of Essalia, leaving Rose alone except for the evenings, and then he was stressed and distracted, mind filled with thoughts of the upcoming war.

Rose, for her part, was having trouble adjusting to her new environment, new rooms, new servants, and new palace, new everything. She had no sympathy to offer poor Taggun, and they left each other alone for the most part, angry and disillusioned.

Athroaten commented about it to Shauna one day.

"Shameful, that," he tsked. "That cannot be allowed to continue, now can it?"

Shauna grinned. "Of course not. We'll have to fix it somehow."

Athroaten gave her a mischievous smirk. "I fix one half, you fix the other?"

"Certainly… but maybe we should switch the halves. I know Rose and you know Taggun, so maybe I should talk to him and you to her."

He frowned. "Maybe… are you sure that would be wise? I don't think our gracious queen has yet forgotten the insult in the market."

Shauna patted him lightly on the cheek. "I'll take care of that. You prepare Taggun for our little talk, will you?"

She marched off, leaving the perplexed Athroaten to stare after her, certain that he had just been insulted but not quite sure how.

Shauna went straight to Rose, who sulked, alone, in her rooms.

"My lady?"

"Don't 'my lady' me, Shauna. Say what you need to say."

Startled at the sudden abruptness, Shauna stammered out "W- well, it's about Taggun. A-athroaten and I have noticed that you aren't getting on well, and Athroaten wants to talk to you about him because he's his friend and I want to talk to you because you're my friend and… well…" She trailed off nervously.

Rose sighed. "Very well, send the man in if you must."

Shauna scurried off to find Athroaten. She informed him of Roses' summoning and demanded if he'd talked to Taggun yet.

"Yes, I have," he sighed. "He's waiting for you at the palace gates, in that little apple grove."

Shauna hurried off without another word, once again leaving Athroaten stunned.

The young man walked to the royal apartments and knocked hesitantly. Roses' voice said irritably "Yes, yes, come in then."

He entered cautiously. "Shauna informed me that you wished to-"

"Yes, I know why you're here! Now say what you need to say."

He gulped and took a breath. "Well, I…"

Shauna arrived at the apple grove out of breath and rumpled, hurriedly attempting to smooth her wrinkled skirts and hair before greeting the new king. She cautiously stepped into the grove, dropping a deep curtsy upon seeing him

He gave her a tight smile. "Enough of that, if you will. I've had quite enough of exactly that kind of obeisance. Sit down on a stump and let's talk."

She gulped and took a breath. "Well, I…"

Hahahaha! And here is where the chapter ends, on a lovely cliffhanger juuuuust for you! Maybe a bit of suspense will get you to come back!

In any case, I hope you liked this chapter. Hopefully those of you who read it will be subscribed to it and receive the emails. I sure hope so!

Anyways, I know the story seems a bit different. Shauna is less respectful to the princess, for one. I decided to change the story a little bit. Shauna, instead of just being a maid, is actually a good friend of the princess and so can dispense a little bit with the formalities, but still uses them because the proud Rose can still fly into a tizzy if not properly respected. I hope you don't mind the confusion of the changes, but I kind of lost track of the story in the time I wasn't writing it.

See you next chapter everyone!

Luna