Riley dashed back to the castle once her hair was dyed and she had exchanged cloaks with Maya. As Maya had predicted, the guards let Riley in the castle with no hesitation. Maya also mentioned that Lucas was out on another trade mission in a kingdom just over the mountains so he wouldn't be home. Riley had been a bit bummed when she first heard that news but now she was grateful he wasn't here yet. Just walking up to this enormous castle was intimidating. Riley had seen it many times but she doubted any commoner had ever been this close to Princess Maya's massive home.

It took her a while to navigate the castle as well. She was given directions on how to get to Maya's room but there were so many turn lefts and turn rights, Riley couldn't keep count. She wanted to turn around and start over but she couldn't remember how many lefts and rights she had taken since entering the castle.

"Princess Maya?"

Riley turned around to see who had called Maya's name… or her name. There was a young woman with dark brown hair just like Riley's natural color. She was in a long dress, similar to what Riley might have worn on a day on the job. She looked like a lady's maid and Maya said Gretchen had blonde hair and Sarah had dark brown. Hopefully, this was Sarah.

"Sarah?" Riley asked.

"Yes, it's me." Sarah had said. "Are you all right? You look awfully frazzled."

"Yes, I'm fine." Riley responded. "I just- I think I would like to take a bath. Would you mind starting one for me?"

"Certainly, ma'am." Sarah said.

Riley couldn't deny she liked this life so far. It was fun to ask for something and not feel guilty about it for once in her life. Plus, this way, Sarah would have to show Riley where Maya's room was.

After following Sarah around the enormous home, Riley finally entered Maya's bedroom. She tried her best not to let her jaw hit the ground as she walked in. Maya's room was completely decked out in an ivory marble that made it look like it cost a billion dollars. She had a sofa and two chairs on the far right side of her room that were a soft pink with a paisley pattern and gold pins around the edges. There was a large coffee table in the middle of that set up with gold legs and a glass top. Between the two large columns that separated the living space from her bed were two busts of the princess. Her bed was as big as Riley's room and had the same soft pink paisley sheets the sofa and chairs had. Her bed was also set up on a spiraling, gold four-poster frame.

Riley couldn't keep her jaw off of the floor when she saw the massive, elaborate room that did not seem to match the girl she had gotten to know in the past few weeks at all.

"Maya?" She heard Sarah ask. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Riley managed to say. "Yes, perfectly all right."

"Good." Sarah responded. "I've just drawn you a bath with your favorite essential oils."

"Essential oils?" Riley asked. She had never heard of such a thing in her life.

"Yes, ma'am." Sarah said, equally confused. "You know, lavender, vanilla?"

"Oh, yes, yes." Riley responded awkwardly.

"Are you sure everything's all right, Maya?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, everything is perfectly all right." Riley responded. "I just suppose I spent too much time in the sun today. I will be back to normal after my bath. Thank you, Sarah."

"Not a problem." Sarah said as she exited the room, leaving Riley to herself.

Riley entered Maya's bathroom to see it was just as elaborate as her bedroom. The whole place was covered in white marble with gold accents. In the corner of the room, Riley saw the tub full of water and bubbles that was nearly as big as her room. All of these things were going to have to be something she was going to have to get used to. Prince Lucas would certainly catch on if she were dropping her jaw at every turn.

Riley peeled off Maya's tight and uncomfortable clothing before slipping into the bathtub. She had not had a proper bath or shower since she lived at the orphanage and even then, this couldn't compare. The feeling of the clean, warm water on her filthy skin felt so good. She scrubbed away at the dirt and grime that had but up over the years until the skin under her nails started to peel away. Once she was done cleaning herself, Riley decided to relax for the first time since she was a child.

The warm water seems to work wonders on her painful joints and sore spine. Being a seamstress wasn't exactly a physical job but it did require some labor. Being bent over a dress every day with your eye as close to the seem as it could possibly be was not exactly comfortable. She couldn't complain about it to any one though because she knew Missy would just laugh at her and Farkle's job was twice as demanding as hers was. It would be extremely selfish of her to ask him to give her a massage when he was probably in twice the amount of pain. The last thing Riley Minkus wanted to be was selfish.

Riley closed her eyes for a long time as she rested her head against the back of the tub. She never fell asleep but by the time she opened her eyes, the large window displayed a starry night sky. The water was also starting to cool down and didn't feel as good as it had before so she decided to get out of her bath and drain the tub. To her surprise, all of her dirt didn't leave a single mark on the floor of the tub. Riley was able to locate a towel to dry herself off, a brush to pull through her knots of blonde hair and a robe for afterwards. She figured Maya would have some sleep wear in her closet.

When Riley walked out of Maya's bathroom she was surprised to see Prince Lucas slowly strolling back and forth at the foot of the bed, reading a book. Maya had told her he made a habit of doing this every night, although she never knew what book he was reading. She knew she was going to see him at some point but just not now. A combination of her surprise, a wet heel and a slick floor made Riley fly through the air and land on her side.

"Maya!" Lucas exclaimed as he approached her. He bent down to her level as Riley turned over to see his beautiful face. She could barely hold back a laugh at the irony; least than a few days ago, the situation was reversed.

They were both silent for a moment as they just gazed into each other's eyes. It was amazing for Riley the effect Lucas seemed to have on her and she now knew it wasn't just because he was a prince and had a life she had always dreamed of, it was because she felt very strongly about him. She couldn't describe the emotion but she knew it was drawing her towards him.

Lucas gazed into Maya's bright green orbs. He always thought she had pretty eyes but since when had he felt so breathless around her? He hadn't felt this way since the girl rescued him from the shipwreck. Was this that girl? She did look remarkably like Maya when she saved him, minus the blonde hair. That would be crazy though. This was definitely Maya.

"Maya?" Lucas finally asked in a soft voice.

"Yes?" Riley said. She was lucky her brain wasn't working right now or else she would have said something that would have given her away and it had only been a few hours.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Yes." She responded again.

"Sarah said you were acting funny." He stated.

"I know." Riley said. "I'm better now."

"Good." Lucas repeated.

Once again, they got lost in the beauty of the other. It was clear as day why Riley felt this way about Lucas but Lucas could not be more confused.

"Princess- Oh, my!" This time it was Gretchen to come in. Riley and Lucas quickly stood up and tried to pretend Gretchen hadn't just seen them in that awkward position.

"Yes, Gretchen?" Lucas asked after a while. It hit Riley that she was probably supposed to respond to her, not Lucas. Stupid, Riley, stupid!

"Oh, I just came to remind you that your dress fitting for the grand ball will be tomorrow at noon, ma'am." Gretchen said.

"Of course." Riley responded. "Thank you, Gretchen."

"Of course." Gretchen said as she gave a small bow and left the room.

Riley looked up at Lucas for a short moment before excusing herself.

"I think I am going to get my nightgown on." Riley said, pointing to the closet.

"Maya?" Lucas asked.

"Yes?" Riley responded.

"Isn't your nightgown in your dresser." Lucas said pointing to the vast dresser on the far wall.

"Yes, of course it is." Riley said as she moved over to the dresser. Low and behold, there were several satin nightgowns in the dresser. Riley grabbed the green one on top and waltzed into the bathroom to change into it. When she exited, she was met with a slightly considered looking Prince Lucas.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Yes." Riley responded. "I'm perfectly fine. I was just outside too long, that's all."

Lucas frowned slightly before walking up to her and placing his hand on her head.

"You don't feel warm." He observed.

"Exactly." Riley said. "I feel fine, I just think I'm going to go for a little walk around the castle to try to clear my head."

"Okay." Lucas said, hesitantly. "Come back soon."

"I will." Riley replied.

Riley made her way around the castle, trying to familiarize herself with everything. The map Maya had laid out for her was not sticking in her mind very well. The twists and turns in the castle almost made her dizzy. The rooms were so similar she always thought she was going in circles. Then again, maybe she was. Maybe she had just been to one room this whole time. Riley had learned the layout of the town square in just a few days but she imagined learning the layout of the castle was going to take an eternity.

Finally, Riley entered a room that seemed to be different from all the others. It wasn't set up any differently but there was a dim light shinning through a big glass window. Riley approached the window and found handles on either sides of the windows. She grabbed them and turned to reveal an opening to a small balcony. Riley walked outside and leaned against the railings. She had the best view of the town's square she could imagine. She could see the blacksmith shop Farkle worked at and the seamstress shop she worked for. She wondered how Maya would handle her first day tomorrow. Probably horribly. She couldn't imagine anybody working for the dreadful Missy Bradford and liking it. She knew Maya wanted to work for her own belongings but maybe this was all a bit much. Maybe they should just abandon the plan now while they still had time. Lucas would have no idea if they switched the real Maya back. But then again, Riley always put others first. Farkle wanted her to think of herself for once and that's what she was going to do.

"There you are." Riley heard a familiar, masculine voice behind her.

"Hi." Riley said as she turned around slightly.

"Hey." Lucas replied as he joined her on the balcony. "I thought I'd find you up here."

"Really?" Riley asked. She immediately regretted her response. Maya had told her previously she loved going to the balcony with the view. Riley just didn't realize she meant this balcony.

"I mean… I'm that obvious, huh?" Riley tried to save herself and it must have worked because the charming prince let out a chuckle.

"I'm afraid so." Lucas said. "I know you like to be out here alone but you were gone a while, I got worried."

"Thank you." Riley responded.

"You're welcome." Lucas said looking slightly surprised.

"Why don't you stay out here with me for a while?" Riley asked.

"Because the last time I did, you had me dragged out by your guards." Lucas replied.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago." Riley said.

"It was two weeks ago." Lucas said.

"I just mean… it felt like a long time ago." Riley once again tried to save herself.

"How so?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know… I just… Recently, I feel like a completely different person." Riley replied, trying not to chuckle at the irony of her statement.

"I know what you mean." Lucas said.

"You do?" Riley asked.

"Yeah," Lucas said. "I've just felt… different since I got back from my last expedition. When I saw the flame next to the gunpowder I thought I was dead. But when I woke up on the beach next to that girl, I realized life was valuable. I realized I should treasure every second and just take a risk every now and again. Which is why I'm doing this."

Before Riley could even ask what he was going to do, Lucas pressed his soft but firm lips against hers. She felt herself melt on the inside. The kiss was twice as good as she thought it would be. It made her heart thump so hard in her chest she thought it was going to explode. She felt like she was going to die but she felt like she was going to be extremely happy about it.

All too soon, Lucas pulled away and moved slowly to the far right side of the balcony. Riley just stood there, looking at him shellshocked.

"Wow." Was all Lucas said.

"Yeah," Riley replied with a small squeak. That was better than she ever thought any kiss could be.

Suddenly, Riley realized this was a problem. She was falling for Lucas and, although she was not expert in love, she could tell he was falling for her too. There was going to be a difference for him between kissing Riley and kissing Maya. Therefore, when they switched back, he was going to know about it. He was going to realize that the person he just kissed wasn't Maya. What would happen then? She had no idea. Would he make the connection that she was the girl who saved him in the wreck? He might. He had said that she looked like Maya. Would he leave the real Maya? Would she be upset? No, probably not. One of the things she had told Riley was she always thought of Lucas like a brother.

"You… you know I think of you as a brother, right?" Riley asked, her heart shattering as she did.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"I think of you as a brother." Riley repeated in a slightly firmer voice. "I always have. Ever since we were little. But it's not like we can get out of this marriage, can we?"

"How… how can you say that after the kiss we just had?" Lucas asked. "I mean, I've always thought of you like a sister. Until that kiss."

Riley just stood there, speechless. What was she supposed to say to that? It was good because it meant that he liked Maya as a sister so she wasn't going to have to split up a real couple. But then again, what was she talking about? Like somebody like Prince Lucas would take her as a wife once he found out about her background and profession. She was just a poor, orphan girl and he was a rich, handsome prince. Those two didn't mix.

Lucas was babbling about something. Probably about how he had feelings for her. Riley was trying to block it out but she was starting to fail. All of a sudden, those three fatal words came out of his mouth.

"I love you."

That was the breaking point. Riley threw herself at him and kissed him. She kissed him long and she kissed him hard. She kissed him like she was dying, like it was going out of fashion. She felt very strongly towards him too but she had to divert him away from Maya right now. She had too if she stood any chance at all. She knew she didn't but Riley always completely believed in the impossible.

"What was that for?" Lucas asked when they backed away.

Riley sighed before softly answering.

"To shut you up."

Now it was Lucas' turn to be speechless. Riley knew she had to speak soon or else they would be out on this balcony all night.

"I want to know you're always there to talk to. You're my brother, Lucas. And I'm your sister."

"Maya-"

"I love you, Lucas. And now I know how."

Riley then ducked off of the balcony feeling terrible. She had to remind herself that she was only acting. None of this really changed how he felt about her. None of this could change the fact that Maya and Lucas were going to get married. But she always felt honesty was important in a relationship and Maya and Lucas had been lying to each other for eighteen years. Now, she understood why Maya never wanted to do this.

By some miracle, Riley was able to find her way back to Maya's room with no assistance. Maybe she could get a hang on this castle faster than she thought. She curled up under the itchy, expensive covers, tried her best to forget the events of the past few minutes and fell asleep.

Lucas eventually composed himself enough to walk off of the balcony. He had planned on going back to bed but decided on a quick midnight snack instead.

As he sat in the kitchen eating some left over pieces of cake from his and Maya's cake sampling, he though about the events that just took place. He couldn't deny that things between him and Maya felt odd. She was right when she said she felt like a completely different person. It was almost as if she was somebody else. He and Maya had kissed before but it had always been for the public eye and it was always awkward and they could hardly look at each other for very long afterwards, much less talk to each other. After that kiss on the balcony, all Lucas wanted to do was talk to Maya. It was definitely odd but above all, it was heartbreaking.

Eventually, Lucas put the millions of samples of cake away and returned to his room. He wasn't surprised to see Maya already in bed in a fetal position with the sheets pulled up to her chin. He kicked off his slippers and joined her, their backs facing one another and his copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn laying forgotten on the cold, marble floor.

AN; Well, that was quite the emotional roller coater wasn't it? This show is really a huge emotional roller coaster.

Anyway, I'm sorry I took so long to update. School has been kind of crazy and my mind is sometimes saying "you know what would be a good GMW story? This" and then I can't stop thinking about it.

I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please give this story a follow or favorite if you did or maybe even leave a review. If you want to be super amazing, check out my other stuff too!

Next chapter will focus on Maya and Farkle for those of you Markle shippers!

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