Hi, so here is another story from me, my first for this fandom that i discovered I loved after watching the movie.

I am going to keep this short and sweet-I am including the songs here, I am not great with spelling and grammar and I am planning to make this about twenty chapters long.

There is going to be some swearing-it wouldn't be a story without that from me so if that offends you stop now.

I tend to do a mass update of my stories all at once so please keep that in mind.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine.

Please Read and Review.

The Slipper And The Lily

Chapter 2-The Horseless Saddle

Lilianna knows she should be thankful for her life. But she's soon to be fifteen. She wants…well…more.

Lilianna knows she should be thankful for her life. But she's soon to be fifteen. She wants…well…more. Is that a very uncharitable thought to have? She doesn't know. Any issues such as these and she could go to her confessor and pray on it but she's not going to do that because…well to be honest she has better things to do with her time.

The Prince with as sigh and an eye roll that only he can get away with mentions that he is going to his rooms. With a bow and a wink John goes with him and Lili waits patiently. There is no way she can go with them without being dismissed. Court decorum tells her that much so she waits.

She stands there and she waits patiently.

She knows that she is lucky. John has seen to it that she is lucky. As the youngest maid to the Dowager Queen she knows that she is lucky. She is here more because the Prince finds her brother invaluable and had sought to see her to a position where he didn't worry twenty four hours of a seven day week. And really Lili likes what she does, she likes that she can spend time with the other ladies. She likes the companionship. That being said she doesn't like the tedium and a lot of court is tedious. It's reality and she gets it but at the same time waiting to watch the King play a live game of chess is really not what she had in mind when she woke up this morning.

But she does like her mistress. The Dowager Queen has a simple life. She wakes up late, takes Church and midday meal and then stiches for hours. But she does enjoy the educational seminar. She is passionate about the reform of the Church and also of the female state. She never dares to go against her son but Lili suspects her son would never dare. Besides there is an element of the Dowager Queen raising half an eyebrow and the King changing his tune. You do only have one mother. Lili would know.

She doesn't exactly remember her parents. She remembers being dreadfully sick. She remembers what she thinks must be her mother long brown hair and a soft smile bathing her forehead and spooning cool broth down her throat but then she is gone and is replaced with John who is younger, soothes her and holds her when she wakes up to the news that both her mother and father are gone.

She remembers coming to court. Remembers John's promotion. She was ten when that happened and adopted as the darling of the Dowager Queen's court. Since then the older woman has seen to her education and her upbringing. It's a nice life and she knows she should be grateful and indeed she is, she loves the old woman she really does heart and soul but the truth is that she longs for an adventure that she is not sure she is ever going to get from this life.

She is nearly fifteen. She longs for…well…something.

There is a crook of an old finger and she turns to see the Dowager Queen. Immediately she goes to her side.

"Lilianna I have a fancy for apple tart for dinner. Go along and see that Major Domo can let the cooks know. And then be back in time for supper"

She nods and grins. She knows the older woman is giving her time to see her brother in peace and serenity. The older woman gives her a wry old smirk and then she is gone carefully walking. The last time she ran through the presence chamber she got a terrible lecture and an hour on her knees in semi remorseful prayer.

She turns and leaves the presence chamber and then finds Major Domo who has one of the maids in his lap.

"But Lila, Cook's had them to go for the morning. The Dowager Queen said she wanted apple tart last night?"

She shrugged.

"I am but the faithful servant Major?"

"Your something girl that's for sure. Get you to John before I find work for you to do!"

Resisting the urge to make a rude comment she turns and runs to the Prince's chamber. Running with her skirts up as well hair swaying and the guards don't even so much as bother to announce her anymore. There's a common running thread in this palace that where her brother goes she can go. Indeed the Prince is more than happy to have her in his chambers regardless of the vulgar scrutiny that might arise. When she was a child he would sit and work on whatever boring papers he was given and she would sit and read in the corner and it worked very well. Indeed he was like her big brother too…if one could call a Prince a big brother.

She waited until she was allowed in and then she skipped in.

John was there and so was the Prince lying on his bed feet on the tapestry in a way that she would have been surely chided for.

She curtsied and then…

"Oh get on with it girl. John's been chomping at the bit for the last day and a half"

John rolled his eyes, winked and then opened his arms and she ran into them suddenly forgetting that she was supposed to be a respectable maiden of almost marrying age and being exactly the fourteen year old girl (nearly fifteen) that she was.

John caught her around the waist and held her close and she burrowed his face in his neck and breathed in that scent that was unique to her older brother. John chuckled a little and the vibrations warmed her from the inside out. Her brother had been mother, father and protector for so long that the idea of anything happening to her sent waves of panic through her such as she had never experienced before.

"Little sister"

"John"

"Ah you have grown"

"I have only grown a little…and you have not been gone that long"

"And I have been gone too long. It was summer when I left"

"And we are not leaving again" the Prince said from the bed. "I refuse to be dragged out in anything less than summer for this charade. Can you imagine me with a woman old enough to be my mother? Rather defeats the object of marrying to secure the royal line does it not"

John dropped her to the floor and ran a thumb down her jaw.

"You have grown Lili, you are looking more and more like a young woman in my absence" there was a pause where he looked at her and his eyes flickered towards sadness. John had more of a memory of her mother than she had of her father and it showed in this moment right here when he looked at her and saw her mother.

"I am glad you are back brother" she said softly.

"How has everything been anyway Lilibet?" the Prince asked. Lili sighed. Between Major Domo, the King, John and the Prince nobody would get her name right she was sure of it.

"Dreadfully dull Sire"

"Oh?"

"Nothing to report. The entire court has continued functioning as normal nothing has happened, nothing has changed. Unless you count the near constant battles between your father and your cousin…though I don't know if one would call that a battle considering that the Duke of Montague knows nothing…"

"No" the Prince said swinging his legs around. "Intelligence was not the strongest line in his family. His father loved to spend most of his time with the local—"

"Sire!"

"Local ladies at the tavern"

"You can say prostitutes Sire I won't drop down dead"

"See John you are totally wrong she is smarter than most of my father's council."

"With respect Sire I don't think that takes much"

"Hey!"

The Prince just laughed.

Dinner that night was a dreadfully dull affair. Cannon Freake had them praying for about half an hour and while Lilianna did not wish to seem irreverent she had to admit that it was nice to sit down to a meal while it was still hot. She was sat with the other maids and she ate as she had been taught when she was aware of eyes on her. She did not look up…flirtation was something that had been ingrained in her in the Maid's chambers and it was not a lesson she had watched and learnt with little consequence. This was a royal court like many others and the consequences for a fallen or light reputation was severe and it showed in moments such as this. Only six months ago one of the Queen's maids had been sent home in disgrace.

But she knew who was looking at her and more importantly she knew why he was looking at her and so carefully she turned her attention to the lamb and chewed cautiously as Lady Katherine told them all a story about her sister who lived a more scandalous life than she was bound to.

The Dowager Queen did not stay up late. She tended to retire early but this night she did not require her entire retinue to go with her. Caroline as chief Lady in Waiting went with her and so did Lady Katherine but the other girls were allowed to linger. Lady Violet was the one in charge of them but give her a good cup of wine and she tended to relax her gaze for longer than she should.

John and the Prince were engaged in conversation and so she took her cup of wine and slid around the side of the Presence Chamber that she had retired too and she ducked around the side behind the hidden curtain. It was easy enough for anyone to say she had gone to take some air from the cool balcony and she waited tapping her nails on the edge of the stone and looking at the sight of the court gardens in the snow.

"Lili"

She turned and smiled.

"Sir Flynn" she said carefully. "How nice to see you"

Flynn Jethro was the son of Sir Markus Jethro who was the Chancellor's second in command. He was the first born son and the only child indeed to survive to adulthood and had been a thorn in her side in the most delightful way since she had first noticed him. He was the same age as her and had a shock of dark blonde hair that was sticking out at angles sometimes but still artful in a way that only some of the younger men at court could produce. He had not grown it long either but it was cropped close at his skull. He was tall...and had nice cheekbones and a full mouth and he bowed over her hand like she was the Dowager Queen herself. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"How are you?"

"Relieved John is home. How is your father?"

"Close to murdering the Lord Chamberlain so it's the usual I'm afraid"

She giggled.

"You shouldn't be seen with me" she said smiling. "You know that there is a world of difference between us"

"A world of difference perhaps" he said taking another step closer. "But the truth of the matter is that I am here now. And I care not for what the world thinks of us, I care only about you."

Lili felt the colour rushing to her face. Flynn was nice, he was so…achingly nice.

She smiled and took another step closer and then feeling brave rested her head against his shoulder. He smiled at her and they looked out over the snow covered gardens and she felt herself relax.

It was lovely to be here.

It was lovely to be happy.

It was more than lovely to be in love.

Yes…that was what it was.

Lovely to be in love.

And there you go, see you next time.

Next Chapter-Lili wakes up with a song in her head. Call her insane but she knows that it's not her song either.