Alison, quickly turned away from the sight, unable to watch as Ben kissed Emily. Anger shot through her body, furious at Ben for doing such a thing. She wanted to have him beheaded, she had a right to. He was poor common folk, but she also knew Emily would never forgive her if she did.

"Alright that's enough." Alison said, her voice almost causing the shack to shake. She turned back to see a smiling Ben, unable to take his eyes off of Emily, much like how Alison was unable to take her eyes off her. Emily was looking at the ground, smiling slightly, her face red.

"H-how?" Ben began to question, looking at Emily in disbelief. "How did you escape the queen?"

"I didn't." Emily said. "I'm still under her service."

"Than how did the cold hearted Queen Alison allow you to leave the castle to come visit me?" Ben asked, stroking Emily's cheek to check if she was real.

"She didn't." Alison snapped, causing Ben's hand to jump back from Emily's face. "She came to see her mother, you just happened to be here."

"Uh, who exactly are you?" Ben asked, frowning and looking at Alison.

"Vivan Darkbloom." Alison said, glaring daggers at Ben.

"Should I know who that is?" Ben asked, stepping closer to Emily and putting his arm around her waist.

"No. But the queen does have her connections, everyone's watching her people. So I don't think touching what is hers now is going to do you any favors." Alison said, becoming more and more angry.

"I don't think the queen owns Emily. She obviously doesn't if Emily is outside of her castle. She is a vile person who doesn't care about the feelings of her people." Ben said, his voice filling with disgust. He turned to Emily, "Why don't we go somewhere and catch up? You can tell me about all the nasty things about the queen."

"Ben who are you talking to?" a voice said, coming from the back room. Exiting the back room was a middle aged woman, with flour in her hair and on her hands like Ben. She looked confused, but when her eyes caught sight of Emily, her face lit up and she hurried over to her.

"Emily! I didn't think I would ever see you again!" she said, hugging Emily tightly.

"I didn't either mom." Emily said, hugging her mother back. Alison watched their reunion, examining them. Was this what love was? She didn't know, her parents only paid attention to her because she was beautiful.

"What is the castle like? Is it beautiful? Is the queen beautiful? I heard she's getting married to Prince Noel! Is he attractive? I heard he is! I didn't get to see either of them when the queen escorted the prince to the castle. I heard she's gorgeous." her mother said, releasing Emily and holding on to her shoulders.

Emily's eyes flickered to Alison and Alison shook her head slightly, signaling to Emily that she didn't want her identity being revealed. Especially with Ben around. "She is beautiful. She's been treating me very well." Emily said.

"Obviously not well enough if you had to sneak out of her castle." Ben said, crossing his strong arms.

"She didn't sneak out, I-... Queen Alison let her." Alison said, crossing her own arms.

"Ben, what are you doing here? In my mom's bakery. Shouldn't you be at the butcher's with your dad?" Emily asked, awkwardly trying to steer the conversation away from another bicker between Ben and Alison.

"Ever since you left, your mother has needed some help. I offered to help her until she found someone else... or until you returned." Ben said, rubbing his hands together, causing the flour dust to fly.

"That's awfully sweet of you." Emily said, placing a hand on Ben's shoulder. Alison rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to barf. Emily said she didn't see Ben as anything more than a friend, yet she put her hand on him. Alison didn't imagine Emily's reunion with her mother to be like this. She wanted to yell at Ben that Emily didn't like him the way he thought she did when a goofy smile appeared on his face.

"Hello, dear. I didn't think I caught your name?" Mrs. Fields said, looking at Alison with the same kind eyes that Emily had.

"Vivan Darkbloom." Alison said, holding out her hand to shake Emily's mother's. She tried her best to smile, but she could feel Ben's cold stare.

"Well it's nice to meet you. How do you know Emily?" her mother asked curiously.

"Oh... Just through the queen. It's a bit complicated." Alison said, glancing at Emily.

"Well any friend of Emily's is welcome here. Are you staying for dinner when I get it ready?" Mrs. Fields asked, looking at Emily.

"Actually mom we can't stay longer than-"

"No. Dinner sounds alright. We don't have to be back for a while. The queen doesn't mind." Alison said, cutting off Emily.

"Oh! Well in that case I'll make more bread and soup for us... Ben are you staying for dinner as well?" Mrs. Fields asked.

"Certainly, Mrs. Fields. I'll bring some meat over from my father's shop. Speaking of the shop, I think it's best that I go and help him." Ben said solemnly, sighing.

Alison smirked, happy that he had to leave. Ben, removed his apron and hung it on a peg. From the same peg, he removed his hat and jacket. Just when he was out the door, he turned around and walked back in. Just when Alison thought she had enough of Ben's display of affections for Emily, he planted a kiss on her cheek and whispered something in her ear. Alison's jaw clenched as Ben left, this time for good. This was probably the first and last time that she and Emily would visit her family. At least in the castle, Emily wouldn't be fawned over by men.

"Listen, dears. I have to get back to baking. So unless you want to stay and help, I don't think it's going to be much fun here." Mrs. Fields said.

"Oh that's totally fine. Uh, Vivian and I were going to keep walking around. We'll be back by dinner." Emily said.

Her mom smiled and nodded, allowing Emily and Alison to leave through the door. Once both girls made it out, Emily sighed and rubbed her temples. "I didn't expect Ben to be there."

"It's fine." Alison said, although it was not fine. "I thought you said that you didn't like him that way."

"I don't."

"Well it didn't seem like it." Alison said, as they began walking down the same dirt path.

They remained silent, listening to the crunching of the dirt under their feet and the chirping of the birds. Occasionally, Alison would steal a glance at Emily, who was looking around the forest, taking it all in. In the distance, a bridge was starting to come into view. It was dark brown and narrow enough that only two people could go across.

The approached the brown bridge and stepped on, leaning on the railing to support their weight as they looked out at the lake. The water was fairly calm but they couldn't see the bottom. Alison watched Emily as she stared out at the lake, eyes traveling up and down her assistant. For some reason, Alison got the spur of the moment idea and decided to run with it. She quickly stripped herself of her dress, revealing some very revealing skin. Emily realized this, but before she had time to react, Alison had climbed onto the railing and jumped off.

When the cold water hit Alison, she couldn't remember the last time she went swimming. The water was deep and Alison sunk low to the bottom of the lake, but still couldn't feel the bottom. The feeling of the cool water made Alison gasp for air when she resurfaced. From above, Emily was leaning over the edge, obviously panicked.

"Are you alright, my Queen?" Emily called down.

"Come in!" Alison said, splashing around in the water. The feeling of freedom was taking over her sense like adrenaline, causing a rising sense of happiness.

"I don't think that's a good idea!" Emily called down.

"Just because we are outside my castle does not mean I can't order you! Get down here!" Alison said. She watched as Emily stripped herself out of her own dress, down to minimal clothing. This made it impossible for Alison to tear her eyes away as her assistant climbed the railing, preparing herself to jump off. Instead of jumping, she dove, disappearing under the water. Alison waited for her to resurface and when she finally did, a smile was spread across Emily's face.

For the first time in who knows how long, Alison smiled back at Emily. The feeling of being in the water was great, she felt alive again for once. The responsibilities of being a queen were gone and right now, Alison was enjoying her life while she could.

"You scared me for a second, your majesty." Emily said, treading the water and gasping for breath.

"Call me Ali." Alison said, smiling before diving under again. She swam down as far as she could, feeling the water get colder against her skin. When her lungs began to itch for air, she swam back up to the surface, resurfacing and gasping for breath.

"Uh, Queen Alison." Emily said, her eyes wide.

"Emily I told you to call me Ali."
Alison said, splashing water at Emily. Emily blew the water out of her mouth and rubbed her eyes.

"No seriously. Your wig. It's coming off." Emily said.

Alison reached her hands up to touch her hair and tried to look at the locks on her shoulder. She could see her wet blonde hair more than her black and she was able to pull her wig right off her head. She stared at it and looked wearily at Emily.

"Do you want me to help you put it back on?" Emily suggested, starting to swim towards shore.

"No!" Alison said, stopping her. "We just got here. I want to swim more!" She swam to the shore and out her wig on the sand, making a note to grab it before they left. She turned back around and ran back into the water, noticing in the sudden events that Emily had been watching her. She swam back out to Emily and placed her hands on Emily's shoulders, dunking her underwater. Alison laughed as she felt Emily shift under water, her hands finding her way to Alison's stomach.

Alison pushed off Emily and began laughing hysterically. Emily resurfaced and continued her tickling assault on Alison's stomach. Alison couldn't stop laughing as she tried to push Emily away.

"Stop! I'm. Ticklish!" Alison yelled. Emily laughed and finally swam away from Alison.

The pair stayed in the water for an hour, only getting out when they figured that dinner time was nearing. Alison was exhausted from swimming all day and couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. They spent the next hour, drying out and getting ready to go to Emily's house for dinner. They tried fixing the wig as best as they could, hoping that nothing would happen and Alison's cover would be blown.

All the mud had washed off so this wig was basically determining Alison's identity since it was more noticeable now that she wasn't who she said she was. Alison kept her hood up and her head low as they walked to Emily's house, a small hut a little ways away from the town square.

When they entered, Emily's mother and Ben were already inside. Ben was helping by putting the bowls on the table for dinner, smiling when he saw Emily enter. He walked over and greeted Emily by planting a kiss on her cheek, making Alison's blood begin to boil once again. She probably shouldn't feel jealous of Ben, she had just spent the whole afternoon with Emily, swimming in the water. But her jaw still clenched when he kissed her and she was glad that Mrs. Fields quickly told Ben off for his actions.

They sat down to bread, soup, and some sort of pheasant that Ben had brought. She noticed that Emily cast nervous looks at her all while they ate. She was probably worried that Alison wouldn't like the food since royalty never had to eat pheasant under the low candle light and crackling fire. But, surprisingly to Alison, she rather enjoyed this, even if it was Ben's pheasant. She liked being able to eat with someone who seemed to enjoy her presence. Emily's mother didn't ask much about her personal life, she was more interested in hearing about their afternoon. As for Ben, he was actually being tolerable since he couldn't try anything with Emily at the dinner table. Alison compared this dinner to the dinners that she used to have with her parents. Half the time they were asking about how she was doing in her lessons, or about how she needed to do this in order to stay beautiful.

"Uh.. Vivian?" Mrs. Fields asked, looking at her funny.

"Yes Mrs. Fields?" Alison asked innocently.

"You've got. Something...blonde? In your hair?" she said, reaching out to Alison.

Before Alison could react, Emily's mom was trying to see what was in her hair and instead pulled Alison's wig right off, sending her blonde locks to come out from behind held under the wig, down to her shoulders.

Everyone's mouth fell open in the room, including Alison's who looked as shocked Mrs. Fields who was hiding Alison's wig in her hands.

"Mom!" Emily said, outraged by her mother's actions.

"You're... The..." Emily's mom stuttered, staring wide eyed at Alison.

"I knew there was something familiar about her!" Ben said, in an "aha!" tone of voice.

"Shut up Ben." Emily snapped.

"The queen is actually in my house." Mrs. Fields said, her voice full of shock and disbelief. She bowed to Alison from her seated position and Alison didn't like it.

"You don't have to do that." she said, feeling uncomfortable with Emily's mom worshipping her. As she rose, Emily was soon being questioned at rapid fire.

"Why are you both out of the castle?" her mother asked.

"Ali- I mean, Queen Alison wanted to see what it was like to be among the people. We made up Vivian Darkbloom so that we could do that without her being recognized by the public."

Both girls filled Ben and Mrs. Fields in on their intentions, and that they thought it was a good idea in their head. Alison began to feel really guilty as Emily's mother sternly told Emily that Alison could've gotten kidnapped if someone recognized her. She could see Emily was feeling guilty as well, making Alison feel the need to speak up.

"It was my fault I only wanted to come out here and see what it was like. I didn't realize I could've been kidnapped." Alison said.

"Oh. It's not your fault, my queen. It is my daughter's."

"Mom." Emily said, her cheeks red. She looked thoroughly embarrassed by the whole situation. "I think we should be going, my queen." Emily said, looking at Alison.

"Uh, right." Alison said, standing up.

A confused Ben watched as both girls headed towards the door. "You're going so soon?" he said, through a mouthful of food.

"I need to make sure that the queen gets back safely. I hope you'll understand." Emily said. Alison looked back at a still confused Ben and an equally confused mother and thanked them for the meal. The girls exited the shack without another word. Alison drew her hood extremely low over her face since they didn't have the wig anymore now to keep Alison's noticeable blonde hair out of sight.

"How are we going to get back?" Alison asked frantically.

"Let's go through the woods. We can go around the square and avoid all the people. We can cut back through before we reach the castle and tell the guards we were out on a walk." Emily said as they headed towards the woods.

"No! They didn't see us exit! They'd be suspicious. We're going to have to go back the way we came." Alison said.

"Sneak in? Just like how we snuck out! You're mad!" Emily exclaimed, shocked at Alison.

"Well it worked last time didn't it?" Alison said, shrugging as they hurried deeper into the woods.