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 5-First Things First

As spring begins in season Lili goes to the graves of her parents and comes across another young woman leaving flowers. It would be nice to make friends...if her brother wasn't with the Prince jumping on graves of course.

She woke up early on the first real day of Spring and dressed quietly in her pink gown. It was her oldest dressed and had white lace and it was easy for her to slip her brown boots on underneath and slip out of the palace her hair loose and covering her face. Nobody would be up yet and she knew that as long as she was back for mid morning prayer nobody would miss her at breakfast. Indeed this was a court that had bought and sold love for years, this was a court that held many secrets to it and Lili was sure her slipping out of the palace to the stables was not one of them.

"Glenn?"

He jumped from where he was brushing down one of the horses and he flushed red when he saw her. She folded her lip between her teeth and then.

"Can I have my horse?"

"Certainly my Lady"

"Don't call me that Glenn" she said rolling her eyes and she saw him giggle a little. She felt a smile come to her face readily despite what she was off to do. It was easy with Glenn she knew. It was always easier with him than it was with anyone else except maybe John.

She wondered when it had last been that easy with Flynn. She was beginning to think that that man only liked her for a connection to the Prince and she was pretty sure that it was going to be heartbreaking for her to tell him no.

Actually she wasn't now she thought about it. Lili didn't do simpering maidens sighing over their hearts being broken. To be honest she was too old for that even at fourteen...very nearly fifteen thank you very much.

Being an orphan somewhat ages you.

"Can I help?"

"No I just...I just need my horse" she said turning back to Glenn. "If John asks will you tell him I am at the graveyard...actually...no don't...I don't want this to be a thing"

He nodded his face creased in sympathy and he brought her, her horse. He helped her into the saddle and then cupped her boot in his hands. He stared up at her for a second and she looked down at him and he looked as if he wanted to say something and she knew that whatever it was she wanted him to answer. She wanted him to answer with everything that she had.

For a second they stared at each other and then he swallowed and stepped backwards nodding his head at her. She nodded her head at him and then turned and rode out the stables knowing that he was watching her as she rode away and knowing that she wanted to turn back and discover this wonderful feeling that he the stable boy inspired in her.

She didn't understand it. She didn't know how to understand it. All she knew was that she wanted it dreadfully.

There was already someone at the graves and she paused taking off her horse and tying him the tree. It was another servant girl by the looks of her in a black dress and she had been humming to herself as she sorted out the graves. Lili hung back unsure if she should intrude but then the girl turned around and gave a little gasp.

"Apologies" she said with a smile. "I did not mean to intrude. I am finished now"

"No need for apologies" Lili said stepping forwards. "I came to pay my respects. I...I did not wish to...I do not wish to intrude if you wish to stay you may"

The girl eyed her for a second as if kindness was not something she had become accustomed too and then.

"Thank you. I don't get many chances to be with my parents you see"

"Me neither"

And with that she bent down to her mother's grave uncaring of grass stains and she began to clear away the brush that had gathered.

"My apologies" the other woman said from where she was sat on the ground. "Was it plague?"

"Yes. Years ago. You?"

"Plague for my mother, years ago too. Weak heart and a strong winter for my father, this winter in fact"

Lili paused her hands brushing away dirt.

"My condolences"

"Thank you"

They were silent for a while and then.

"My name is Cinderella"

"Hello. My name is Lilianna. But do not feel the need to call me that, most people call me a variation, Lili, Lilibet, Lila"

"Well what do you want to be called?"

She paused. She had never thought on that.

"Lili is what my brother calls me" she said finally. "So I suppose Lili is what you call me"

"Very well...nice to meet you Lili"

"Nice to meet you too...Cinderella"

Cinderella smiled and then.

"I suppose this is a terrible awkward place to make new friends"

Lili smiled.

"I suppose it is"

Whatever they were going to say was interrupted by horses and Cinderella jumped to her feet. Lili put down the flowers she had brought and looked up but the other woman was already moving picking up her skirts and running to the nearest tree. Lili followed but the horses were too far away for anyone to see them and she paused as took in the rich trappings on the horses side.

"It's the Prince" she said to Cinderella. "There's no need to be afraid he's not going to do anything—"

"You don't understand. I am not supposed to talk to anyone or see anyone. Oh my stepmother will be so cross when she finds out about this! She doesn't know where I am and she will not like that I took flowers from the garden to go to my parents graves"

"She sounds like a right bitch" Lili said not even bothering to mince her words. Cinderella gave a giggle and then bit her lip as if she was afraid of her stepmother falling out of the sky and landing on them like an angry dragon.

Lili peered around the tree. Her brother and the Prince had gone into the crept.

"Come on" she said ducking around the tree. Cinderella made a shushing noise but then curiosity won out and she followed Lili to where they were standing by the window hiding out of sight but still able to see and hear everything.

Oh God. They were singing again.

"Singing" she said again with an eye roll. "Everyone is singing these days"

Cinderella opened her mouth to ask no doubt what she was on about but then the Prince suddenly burst into song.

Good kings, bad kings. Sane kings or mad kings. Benevolent or nefarious
Here is where they bury us
Oh ho ho. What a comforting thing to know. There's a prearranged spot in the family plot. Where my royal bones will go. Yes, I'll be slipped into the beautiful family crypt. Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to know
That drunkard, young King Ferdinand
He reigned for half an hour
He got so soused when they crowned him
He fell from the castle tower
And here lies old King Frederick
He stole for forty years
The day he died the people cried

Lili raised an eyebrow her mouth dropping open as John joined in the song.

They cried?

They cried three cheers

"Unbelievable" she muttered turning to Cinderella who was watching with a funny expression like she was torn between disapproval and laughter.

She turned to look back at what she was seeing.

Oh God. Now they were dancing.

Oh ho he
What a comforting thing to see
The traditional stone that is all my own
Where my dying date will be

In peace you'll rest
Beneath the beautiful family crest
Oh ho he
What a comforting thing to see
And here lies brave King Rofar. All the battles that he won. He lies in state, serene and great.Still getting nothing done

It was the most bizarre history lesson she had ever experienced, if this was what you could call this and she was not sure that you could.

Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to know

But remember good King Phineous
Saintly, kind, and wise
He did nothing ignominious
Yet beside these noble brutes and knaves
And drunks and skunks he lies

Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to know
There's a prearranged spot in the family plot
Where my (your) royal bones will go
Yes, I'll be slipped into the beautiful family crypt
Oh ho he
What a comforting thing for me (you) to see
Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to
Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to
Oh ho ho
What a comforting thing to know

And with that the song came to an end. The tolling bell from the field singling the start of the day came loud and clear over the fields and she turned to see what on Earth Cinderella had made of that...whatever that was to see that the other girl had turned and started running her skirts in her hand. Lili sighed and turned back to the window and then jumped backwards.

John and Prince where both looking at her.

And both were grinning.

Bastards.

She stopped around to the door as they came out.

"What on Earth was that?" she asked John bobbing a curtsey to the Prince.

"That my dear" the Prince said beaming and looking younger than he had done in years. "Was a morning well spent"

Lili didn't know what to say to that.

John beamed.

"Who were you with little Lilibet?"

"Oh I think she was a servant girl. She was at..." she trailed off and shrugged under the Prince's touch. John getting the horses looked so happy that she didn't want to spoil it by saying that she had gone to see their parents graves when he had not. She knew it was not for lack of love for them or a lack of feeling when it came to the loss but still...

The Prince hummed for a second and then.

"You know for all I moan about my parents I do know I am lucky that I have them both of this world. I am not sure that I am ready for them to depart it"

"I am not sure they are ready for each other to depart it" she said quietly. It was true. For all the talk that the King and the Queen had a comfortable marriage with little feeling either side they did have feelings for the other. It was constant, comfortable companionship and while they both might seek their favours elsewhere they were nothing but kind to the other and more than once would spend dinner together. Lili didn't dare say it but she thought that they were prime for grandchildren to spend time with.

She sighed as John came back.

"Where's your horse?" he asked as the Prince got himself into the saddle.

"Over there"

"Grab him and we'll race back to the castle"

"Can't do that side saddle your Highness"

"Did you take a side saddle"

"God no"

The Prince laughed and John despite his eye rolled cracked a smile. Lili grinned too. Riding side saddle was too tiresome for words. When she wanted to ride she wanted to ride and she most certainly wanted to keep up. She was a confident horsewoman and she knew it and she saw nothing wrong in showing off that she was who she was and good at it too.

She climbed into the saddle and sat down and got ready and then she pushed her horse into a ride at full gallop and followed her brother and the Prince back to the castle where there was the promise of a hot breakfast and again another charming smile from the stable boy whose face she couldn't seem to get out of her mind.

And there you are, hope you enjoy. See you for the next chapter.

Next Chapter-In which there is a Bride Finding Ball-you can hear the explosion from the Prince on the other side of the Palace.