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 6-Almost The Sound Of Music

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

It was the Duke of Montague who found them. They were hemming sheets for the poor when he burst into the Dowager Queen's rooms...or rather twirled into them and sending them into disarray with the news that he was bringing.

He kissed the Queen's hand and then...

"Have you heard my dear Lady Aunt? There is to be a grand ball"

The second he said those two last words there was a great commotion.

Nothing set ladies off like a ball.

The Dowager Queen clapped her hands.

"Enough of that" she ruled. "What do you mean dear?"

"My Royal Uncle has decreed that there to be a Bride Finding Ball for my Royal Cousin."

Lili nearly choked on her own spit.

She bet the Prince LOVED that idea.

"Aha" said the Dowager Queen in a tone that said she too was thinking the same thought. "Well...are we to attend?"

Again another flutter of whispers.

"I don't see why not, he needs to bump up the ranks, so we must turn to the nobility"

"True" the older lady said tapping her nails on the wooden arm of her chair. "The average Princess these days has about as much intellect as a walnut. Lilianna...go with the Duke of Montague and see what my son wants of me"

Lili nodded curtseyed and then stopped at the door.

"Ma'am"

"Yes"

There was a flicker of wry amusement in the older lady's gaze which told her that she had expected this conversation and would no doubt be having it with six of the other girls Lili shared a bedchamber with.

"Would I be allowed to go?"

The Dowager Queen looked her up and down and then.

"If the King allows it I do not see why we should all not go—but remember" she said suddenly stern as there was a flood of excited whispering. "I have raised you all to be young and respectable ladies so have your families, you will be on your best behaviour, I will be most displeased to find out that there have been any scandalous shenanigans amongst my ladies"

The entire retinue Lili included sunk into deep curtseys, everyone from the oldest Lady to the youngest Maid had too much respect and far too much love for the Dowager Queen to dare bring any harm or disrepute to her door.

The Dowager Queen waved her hand and then she was gone.

The Prince as fully expected was in uproar.

And in song.

Again.

A bride-finding ball, a bride-finding ball
Where every maiden's bound to laugh
At me, the royal fatted calf
A bride-finding ball, a bride-finding ball
Though I'm the one who does the choosing
I'm the one who does the losing
It's nauseating, nauseating
Can't you just imagine it?
Hope springs in all
Short, fat, or tall
As they primp and preen and pray
That this will be their lucky day
There is no affair
Of which I'm aware
More galling to bear than a bride-finding ball

Honestly Lili didn't know why everyone was breaking into song all of a sudden...perhaps it was a sudden affliction of the nerves brought on by the King saying they were going to war every ten minutes unless the Prince got married?

Actually...that wasn't totally out of the realm of possibility when one thought about it.

The Duke rushed to the Queen's side and Lili followed curtsying. The Prince caught her eye and rolled his own so much it was likely to give him strain. John was not here which was a good thing, Lili needed to sure up her people. John, herself and a ball would be a new thing for her protective big brother.

Let nobody say Lilianna did not come with a plan.

The Prince finished his verse and conversed with his cousin for a second and then Queen beckoned her with one finger.

"What says Her Grace the Dowager Queen?"

"That the Maids can go providing we can behave ourselves"

The Queen smirked.

"And you want to go no doubt"

She smiled.

"Whatever your Majesties wish for"

The Queen laughed.

"Well...I don't see why not. I think such a grand occasion means everyone should get involved. Goodness I do love a good ball"

The Prince shot Lili and his mother a look that she was sure had been copied off her brother. Sometimes it was like she had two over protective big brothers instead of the one...only that the other one had the power to command armies and the other one did...well...not.

Lili smiled back as sweet as honeyed milk.

The Prince huffed as the Duke said he was desperate. To be fair Lili didn't think he was. Dukes were never desperate especially the ones who were heirs to the throne. Granted he was not a Prince but she liked the Duke of Montague. He might be hopeless as a warrior but he was kind and always made sure to tip his servants as well as look after them. He was always kind to the ladies that never got to go out on the dance floor and alright he might be a bit of a dandy but she'd take his kindness over the mocking tone that the King used with his nephew any day of the week.

And now the Duke of Montague was singing.

A bride-finding ball, a bride-finding ball
Where luscious lovelies from each land
Will vie to win the royal hand
A bride-finding ball, a bride-finding ball
With frills on dresses, party dresses
Every maiden effervescent
Giving her best, giving her all

Dancing, glancing, laughing, teasing
Whirling, swirling, touching, squeezing
There's no affair
To ever compare
Or thrill or enthrall like a bride-finding ball

The song which was admittedly a rather nice one was interrupted by the King's councillors. Flynn was there and he winked at her and she smiled back. It was odd really. They were supposed to be engaged in this flirtation but she didn't feel any kind of rush to continue it...maybe the ball would help?

Flynn flicked his eyes up and down her and she resisted the urge to snap that she was not a piece of ribbon about to be bought. She was now totally unsure of the entire thing when just three months ago she thought she knew everything.

Was this a part of growing up?

If so...to coin a common phrase...it was shit.

She needed to go and get some air.

Or maybe ride. Yes. Before she found John to tell him the news she would go on a good long ride through the hills. If she could get away.

Maybe that would ease her affliction.

At least she thought as she watched the Prince get prodded and poked into being the fatted calf that he thought, said and sang that he was, at least it wasn't singing.

Fortunately Caroline had warned him when they had met. John had been planning for a nice hour hidden behind a curtain but instead she had told him the news that he was really, really not prepared for, both as an employee and as a brother. John had weighed up the options and decided that the best thing to do was get his sister and the Prince in the same room and deal with them at the same time. He had thought at the time this rather a good plan but then again there was a reality that one person he loved was considering this a funeral and the other was considering this her greatest moment.

And John...John was not ready for this.

There were times like this when he missed his father, times like this when he needed his father here with him, his father would have known what to do with a girl turning into a woman making her entrance on the world stage. He would know what to do with his sister.

"The Dowager Queen says I can go. The theme is to be pastel but she's says she can order me a new gown"

John winced. New gowns were expensive and there was a reality that half of the crowd would have wigs and jewels and everything else. The Prince who was lying on the bed turned on his side to watch them. John didn't dare meet his eyes. He was worried too much of what he was feeling would show and he knew that the Prince was the wrong person to have this conversation with.

"Pastel?"

"Apparently"

"God even the dress code is terrible" The Prince said flopping back down on the bed.

"The Dowager Queen has said you can go?"

"And dance, which reminds me, I have dancing lessons all next week so I won't be in attendance as much—"

"Aha"

There is a pause and then.

"So can I go?"

"The Dowager Queen has said yes so I don't know why you think—"

"No I mean..." she bit her lip. She was practically thrumming with excitement. "Can I go and dance and have a good time without you being...you?"

"What does that mean?" he asked as the Prince barked out a laugh.

"I think that means John that Lili doesn't want you asking her dance partners their intentions or starting a duel if their hands go below the waist"

John blinked...shit he had never have thought of that.

"If they do—"

"Oh I'll help" the Prince said beaming. "A duel at this thing might make it slightly bearable. Especially if it's for some young ladies' honour"

Lili looked stricken.

"Alright" John said. "What else has the Queen said?"

"All Maids are to wear their hair down so there' s no wig"

Well...that was some money saved at least.

"But other than that..."

"Oh alright" John said with an eye roll. "But listen up" he said and she stopped dancing around the room. "You can go to this thing and I will let you dance and I will not cause a scene but you have to do somethings for me too."

"Name them"

"For a start you don't leave the ballroom without telling me or without another lady. If you want to go to the powder room that's fine but you don't slip into the grounds with anyone. If you want air fine but you stay out on the terrace. I don't want you dancing with anyone you don't really know. And you do not have any conversations with anyone about futures or...love or...anything. I mean it Lilianna I am not having you go to a ball and getting your heart broken or worse..."

He looked at the Prince who nodded. Unspoken was the agreement that this girl would have the best night of her life but nothing untoward would happen. To be fair between the two of them it wouldn't. He might even as the Duke if he would keep an eye out...Lili was so liked by the court though that he knew she would be alright but...but it was hard. He was a parent and a brother all at once and he didn't know how to navigate these steps of being a parent or a brother to a girl on the cusp of womanhood.

They should write books on this.

Be more useful than manuals on the art of war.

"Oh that's fine" she said beaming. She threw her arms around him and he hugged her back and felt his heart warm with love for her.

"But honestly John I think you are worrying unnecessarily." She said pulling back and beginning to dance with herself across the Prince's chambers and back.

"I don't think anyone will really notice me"

John took in his sister's slim build, her brown hair flowing over her shoulder and her sparkling expression. He took in the way she held herself and her smile and then he exchanged a wry look with the Prince who was grinning back.

"Oh they'll notice you" John said quietly. "Believe me my sister. They will notice you"

But Lili was too busy dancing around the room to care.

And there you go, hopefully you enjoy-see you next time.

Next Chapter-Edward despises the idea of this ball he really does. But at the same time...he really does want his little sister to be happy. In which we look at The Prince and his feelings/history with John and Lilianna.