Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The castle walls were covered in vines of fragrant jasmine, hundreds of flowers giving off a gourmand floral scent that made it difficult for Lily to think. The invitation was still clutched tightly in her fist, and her hair was frizzing under her hat at the sheer unfairness of the situation. 

She had not even been that late; she had heard the creaking of the iron gate closing as she hurried down the street, cursing her cat for lying down on her invitation while she practically tore up the little room she rented above the dressmaker. 

Despite having answered the castle’s summons, Lily had no intention of actually attending the selection ceremony, not seeing a reason to subject herself to the pageantry and parading. After all, who would select her as the People’s Princess? She was not sophisticated or fetching enough to stand out among the upper-class ladies that had no doubt donned their most regal attire for this visit. 

No, Lily was here for something far more important. She’d made a promise to one of her students to find a tome that supposedly had wish granting properties. A final hope to cure something incurable. While she was not certain this book was real, she could not pass up the opportunity to search for it. The People’s Princess selection was the perfect guise and likely her only chance to ever enter the palace. Which was why she was not going to let a closed gate stop her. 

All she needed was a way in. Easy, right? If it weren’t for the large, smooth walls that rose high enough that no amount of jumping was going to give her anything to grip onto. If only she were a spider or ivy, she could have easily clung onto it. The thought of ivy drew her attention to the vines of jasmine, which filled their air around them with their intoxicating sweetness when the idea dawned on her. Before Lily could change her mind, she gripped onto a thick vine, set her boot against the wall, and hoisted herself up. 

She winced as she heard something snap under her foot while her arms grabbed the top of the castle wall, grunting as she pushed herself on top of it. She dangled, quite unladylike, over the top when a voice from below startled her. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Her eyes snapped up to see a handsome man in armour, casually leaning against a topiary as he regarded her with equal measures amusement and exasperation. 

Still stuck, her boot tangled in the foliage, Lily laughed nervously at the man’s question. “Nothing of consequence, certainly not trying to monkey over the wall,” she answered nervously. “No monkey business here!” she added, making a final attempt as her foot broke free. 

She felt a button or two pop off before her foot slid out of her boot and allowed her to perch atop the wall. Feeling a little more secure, she fished the invitation from her pocket, waving it at the knight, who was giving her a very sceptical look.  

“I was invited,” Lily told him, her nod of determination making her sway and nearly topple forward. She barely caught herself in time;  the man had already bolted forward to break her fall. 

He relaxed a little, his arms falling back to his side as he remarked, rather fairly, “most guests enter through the gate.” His head inclined in its general direction. “I suppose, since you’re here now, I might as well escort you to your flock.” An amused edge crept into his voice as he reached his hand up to help her down. 

Lily did her best to—carefully, and with some grace— descend, rather than just crash into his arms. Which went about just as well as her other plans for that day had gone, leaving both of them groaning as her forehead collided with his nose. 

“Let’s just get you to the ceremony,” the knight grunted, still rubbing his nose while he placed a firm, guiding hand on her lower back and escorted her through the hallways, past the library she was seeking and to a large room filled with opulently dressed ladies. 

She could not help but feel that she stuck out like a sore thumb. The sooner she could make her escape, the better. Lily turned towards her knight, in part to check if he had left her an opening through which to bolt, only to find him still standing there. 

“Thank you very much, I think I can find things from here,” she said with as much authority as she could muster, a tight smile on her lips. Perhaps, if she made it sound enough like a dismissal, he would take the hint and leave. 

The knight barely had time to take his leave when the room of royal-potentials gasped and Lily craned her neck in curiosity at what, or rather who, had garnered such a reaction. 

Not that she needed to. 

The man who had just entered the room was imposing despite his slender frame, towering over everyone present and exuding poise and elegance as he commanded the room. His mere presence, domineering.

Whispers in the room told Lily that this was Chamberlain Black, advisor to the king.  By the sound of it, there were a few ladies here just to catch his eye. She could hardly fault them; the longer she looked at him, the easier it was for her to forget her own mission. 

She was completely entranced by his statuesque build, all broad shoulders and high cheekbones, accentuated by long, glossy ebony hair that lay in a loose plait over his black, fitted suit. This man was all angles and contrast. 

He was breathtaking and distracting. 

This was the perfect time for her to make her escape toward the library. She walked with determination towards the ornate gilded doors she had seen before, doing her best to look like she belonged here. 

Somehow, she slipped past a handful of maids, soldiers, and knights without being stopped as she made it through the library doors. She had to take a moment, just a breath or two, to drink in the sheer magnificence of the room. The floor-to-ceiling bookcases were filled to the brim with leather-bound copies. 

This was a dream come true for Lily. Too bad that this was the only time she would ever be able to experience being here. With that thought aside, she picked an aisle and started through the stacks in search of a book with a white flower on the spine. 

It was a fool’s errand, and she knew it, but she would give it her all, if only to be able to tell her student that she did. And so her search began. She scanned high and low, occasionally lingering on a particularly interesting title, or artfully decorated spine - which would likely cost more than she earned in a year. 

It was easy to get lost in the ocean or words; which was something that she did not have time for. Lily was well aware that every minute she spent here was borrowed. It was only a matter of time before someone found her. She’d had plenty of luck already, soon enough it would run dry.

Naturally, luck ran out when Lily was on her hands and knees inspecting the bottom shelf. Someone cleared their throat and made her jump and bump her head on the shelf. 

What was it today with her hitting her head? Though maybe a head injury was the only explanation for what was to follow.

Her eyes met the cold gaze of Chamberlain Black, who was towering over her with the slightest of smirks playing on his lips. “I do believe you must have lost your way to the selection ceremony,” he said, then did a quarter turn and the knight that had found her atop the wall stood beside him, equally tall but looking rather amused. “I thought you said you’d brought her to the room.” 

“I did,” the knight replied with a shrug of his shoulder and then turned his gaze fully on Lily, who suppressed a shudder at the weight of it. “I made sure the monkey was at the menagerie before I returned to my duties.” 

Lily’s jaw dropped a little at this. Had he really just called her a monkey? “Excuse me?” she asked sharply, her eyes narrowing at the man. “You cannot just call me that!” 

“And you cannot just lie,” he quipped back, a distinct air of superiority about him. It was almost like he thought he ‘had her’. 

She sniffed indignantly, but before she could speak the chamberlain spoke up and her attention shifted away from the man who’d just insulted her. “I’m sorry, did you just say monkey?” 

Lily took this moment to attempt to get to her feet, finding her foot rousing with a particularly nasty case of pins and needles. So, she tugged her skirt further down over her knees as she grimaced through the unpleasant feeling. 

“Yes, I did,” the knight replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Lily was a little shocked to see that he did not even attempt to explain.

Chamberlain Black fell silent, his tongue pressed into his cheek as he seemed to contemplate and answer before giving his head a disappointed shake. “Right,” he dismissed and extended a hand to help her back to her feet.  “Allow me to escort you back to where you’re supposed to be.” 

His long, slender fingers wrapped around her hand as he took a moment to let his glacial eyes judge her from crown to sole. He tutted once his eyes reached her skirt, making her grip the front in embarrassment. 

The chamberlain led her through the castle in a completely new direction, making Lily wonder if she was being brought someplace else to be reprimanded by someone, or maybe led to the dungeons for trespassing. 

Instead, she was led to an ornate bedroom, her eyes shifting around even more nervously. “Excuse me, Chamberlain Black? Why am I here?” she asked, gripping her skirts with both hands in case she needed to make a run for it. 

There was something about the man that put her on edge, something sharp, something intense. Normally, she prided herself on her ability to read people, but his icy exterior kept her out rather effectively. Maybe his true intentions lay hidden behind a layer of poise. 

“You have a rip in your skirt,” he pointed out, as the maid who had been waiting in the room when they arrived, practically shoved her behind a delicately painted folding screen where she could change in private. Her torn clothes disappeared with the maid who, moments later, bustled back in to hand her a new dress. Lily sputtered upon feeling the dress—the soft fabric, the expert construction, alluding to it being more expensive than her entire wardrobe. She shook her head and made an attempt to hand it back to him; he stopped her with a simple motion of his hand. 

“I can’t possibly take this, it is too much,” she insisted and tried the same thing with the maid, who bowed her head as she stepped back. 

Chamberlain Black’s perfectly composed face morphed up into a full smirk, his head tilting to the side curiously. Like he knew something she didn’t and was waiting for her to figure it out. But his expectant gaze would be met with nothing but confusion from Lily. 

He drew in a deep breath, a disappointed look crossing his immaculate features, giving her one more beat before completely turning her life upside down. 
“We would not want the People’s Princess to look unkempt.” 

Chapter Text

After the chamberlain—who insisted on being called Sirius—informed her that she had been selected to be the People’s Princess, Lily’s day became a whirlwind. Her mind was still reeling with the When?, How?, and most importantly Why? while the maid helped her change into the new dress with surprisingly little manhandling, and sat her down to style her hair. 

Her only protest came when she was offered a pair of delicate, high-heeled shoes which were a far cry from her usual boots and clogs. Wobbling on her feet for the first hour of wearing them as she was shown around the castle and the grounds, she absorbed nothing but the way out. 

Dinner was extravagant and whatever she did, it seemed to tick off Sirius. It began when her chair scuffed the floor, making a loud, grating noise that echoed off of the gilded walls and painted ceilings of the dining room. Which earned her a sharp inhale and an even sharper look from across the table.

Her cheeks heated and her gaze drifted away to anything but him, taking a moment to drink in the room, take in the brilliance of it all. Every single surface seemed to gleamed from the polished table, the surface shining like a mirror; it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. It made Lily nervous, reluctant to touch anything. 

“For someone too impatient to be helped to the table, you appear to exercise quite the caution with the cutlery,” Chamberlain Black remarked in an off-hand sort of tone. All the while she could feel his strong grip on the back of her chair, denting the delicate cushioning. “Should I be concerned you are unwilling to touch the silver?” 

Lily swallowed her hesitation while her eyes surveyed the parade of forks, knives, and spoons laid out in a sequence she was unfamiliar with. “Silver?” she echoed, her tone too uncertain for her liking. 

“Yes, silver. It repels vampires, werewolves, and as it seems, unmannered maidens,” Sirius quipped back almost instantly, like the words had already been on the tip of his tongue.

In the short time that she’d known the man, he’d had words ready for every occasion, every answer, snark, and remark. He met her with equal fervour, something she never encountered before. Against her better judgment, Lily found herself intrigued by him. 

“You start here,” he instructed calmly, his fingers smoothing down her tightly laced sleeves before he wrapped them around her hands. With a firm grip they guided her hands along the line of finely polished forks and knives before they landed on the smallest, at the far ends of the line-up. “You work your way inward.” 

Lily shuddered at the feeling of his hot breath against the sliver of skin exposed along her collar. “I should be able to remember that much,” she told Sirius, her throat tight, her tongue dry. The type of dryness that could not simply be swallowed away. 

Undoubtedly, he could feel her pulse race under the delicate silk, and she despised the fact that her nerves were so blatantly on display. In her periphery Lily could see Sirius’ cheek lift. For a moment she wondered what could have made him smile, when he spoke once more. His voice was closer than she expected. “Now, sit up straight or I will tie you to the chair, understood princess?” 

If her cheeks had been flushed before, they were on fire now.

Lily nodded after swallowing—it did nothing to remedy the drought in her throat—and decided to move along. She kept her back straight and reached for the first spoon, the Chamberlain’s presence still hovering behind her, ominous and impatient. 

Before she could even finish her first scoop of bouillon, she was corrected. “Always scoop away from the body,” Sirius told her, the pressure of his body close to hers once again, too close, anticipating her next mistake instead of waiting for her to correct herself, his hands on hers while he corrected her — for someone that cold, his hands were surprisingly warm.

Her head dipped forward to catch the spoonful; the moment her lips touched the silver she could hear the disapproving tuts coming from right behind her ear. “What now?” Lily snapped; it was potentially impatient and certainly inappropriate. 

“Your food comes to you.” She wasn’t sure that she understood what he was saying and paused. A moment later, his fingers were gripping her chin with a commanding gentleness that coaxed her back. “Now, try again, Your Highness,” he told her while his grip softened, fingers trailing down her throat where they brushed her pulse. 

Lily shuddered at the contact, closing her eyes for a moment to push away the unladylike thoughts. “Yes, sir,” she quipped, though her voice was strained. The tension only fell off of her when Sirius hummed in approval once her spoon made it all the way to her mouth without her moving an inch. 

This was only the start of her dinner, her five courses with no company other than the Chamberlain and a footman, who seemed to disappear the moment her first dish was served. No, she was practically alone with the man who insisted on harping on her every mistake and reminding her time and time again that she was no longer a commoner. That she needed to learn. 

After dinner, she was given a moment to breathe. A moment to compose a letter to her pupil to explain what was going on, promising to continue looking for the book for her. She would deliver the letter tonight and hoped she would have a moment to return to her own home to retrieve some things. 

Once the castle grew quiet, Lily slipped through the hallways. She was glad that people did not know who she was just yet; it made sneaking out a lot easier. While she was willing to accept the role and the duties that came with it, she was not going to let herself be trapped in this place. 

She was a strong, independent woman. She did not need to be protected by walls and gates as long as she could stick to the well-lit streets. There was no reason for her to not leave after dark and Lily was more than happy to inform the Chamberlain, and anyone else that dared to suggest otherwise, of that fact. Not that she had any intention of being caught. Successfully having navigated without being seen, she made it to the grand entrance when a gaggle of knights rattled down the hallway in their armour, sending her heart into a flurry. 

She was too close to get caught now. Lily rushed down the stairs, looking behind her to make sure no one would come to investigate the sound of her heels on the marble. Just then, her foot caught on her skirt and sent her tumbling down the last few steps. 

The sound of her shoe skittering down after her echoed in her ears when she found herself caught in a pair of strong arms, colliding with a firm chest. The letter crumpled during the impact, still gripped tightly  in her hand as she heard the voice of her saviour. 

“Where does Her Highness think she’s going?” Sirius asked, an edge to his voice. A warning not to lie. 

Her bravado from earlier had melted away, the words she had prepared disappeared and her tongue turned to lead. She gulped. “I am delivering a letter,” she told him, her voice not nearly as resolute as she had hoped it would be when confronted with her indiscretion. 

“And Her Highness was intending to leave the palace at this hour?” he asked her, as if he did not already know the answer. His insistence on her incriminating herself, to coax her into saying what he needed her to and talk herself out of leaving. 

The worst part of it all was that she could see it happen and could do nothing about it. 

Pulling out of his embrace, Lily sniffed indignantly and turned her face away from him. Her cheeks flushed as Sirius chuckled. “It seems that we do not need to teach you to be spoiled like a princess,” he teased, his slender fingers guiding her chin towards him. Forcing her eyes to meet his. 

“I am perfectly capable of delivering a letter by myself,” she hedged and locked her jaw, jumping back as Sirius moved closer. Lily blinked in confusion as she balanced on her toes on the cold palace floors; her eyes trailed down as she watched him kneel down in front of her. 

Her eyes widened when he lifted her skirt, his hand sliding to her ankle, lifting her foot before slipping her lost shoe back on. “I have no doubt that Her Highness is capable of delivering a letter in daylight,” he informed her with a polite smile.

Lily could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she watched the handsome man on his knees in front of her. Her cheeks flushed. This, however, did not stop her. The moment the shoe was back on her foot, Lily prayed for forgiveness and thrust her knee forward, striking him in the nose.

Sirius groaned and she took this as her cue to go. She lifted up her skirts—there was no way she was going to trip over them again—and rushed down the hallway. Her eyes honed in on her goal, she was certain that if she made it to the door before he recovered she would have gained enough distance. 

What Lily did not expect was a third person; the knight from earlier that day appeared out of nowhere. His hand encircled her wrist and pulled her to a sudden stop, the momentum making her veer back towards him like a taut leather cord. 

“And where do you think you’re going, little monkey?” the knight asked, the same amused tone in his voice, the same mischievous sparkle in his eyes. It was infuriating.

Lily whipped her head around to see Sirius recovering and the thought of her being trapped with her letter undelivered made panic rise in her chest. “Let me go!” she hissed, glaring up at the knight. 

“Or what?”

The words rang in her ears, a challenge. Which was his mistake because Lily Evans never backed away from a challenge. Especially not against someone as arrogant as this man with his square jaw and insufferable grin. 

She tried to wrench herself free once, twice, but the grip only got tighter. Now the Chamberlain was moving toward them, his expression giving her chills. Maybe that was why she did it, why she decided to swing her leg as hard as she could, landing squarely between the knight's legs. 

This time around, Lily did not wait for her captor to crumble. Instead, the moment that she felt the knight's grip slip, she pulled and… Nothing. Even now, while he was wincing and wheezing, he held onto her. 

“Would you look at that, Sir James to the rescue. Who would have thought?” 

“That you would be the damsel, Black? Who wouldn’t? Aren’t you the fairest of them all?” 

If Lily did not know better, she would say these two were flirting. Actually, come to think of it, she did not know better. The thought alone made her bite back a smile, as she still tugged at Sir James’ hold. 

“Don’t bother,” Sirius told her and grinned, his eyes clearly on the man behind her. “I am certain his left gets plenty of exercise.” The look on his face suggested there was something more to the comment that Lily failed to grasp. 

James clearly did catch it and scoffed, his free hand going through his hair and if the firelight wasn't deceiving her, there was a slight flush, she would have thought there was a slight flush building on his cheeks. 

It was then that his grip slacked and she decided to have one more go at it. Just to see how far she would make it. Her hand slipped out from James’ and in a blink of an eye she was three paces away, sprinting for the door. 

Lily couldn’t help but smirk as their collective groan rang through the empty foyer, heavy leather footfalls following at an alarming speed. Another blink and her waist was encircled by a set of muscular arms, her feet already off the ground.

“Put me down!” she commanded as she was lifted higher, hoisted unceremoniously over James’ shoulder like a sack of flour. Lily refused to go quietly, her fists coming down against his back where she could feel the rough texture of the mail under his tunic. 

While she was by no means a delicate lady of the court—yet—even her calloused hands hurt after a few strikes. All this while, the knight did not even flinch. He loped casually back to the stairs, undoing all the progress she’d made. 

“I can handle myself,” she protested, wiggling like a freshly caught fish in his grip. She didn’t even really want to run any longer. She had set aside the idea of delivering the letter that very night, deciding that it was not worth fighting a losing battle. 

She only did so begrudgingly. 

“I don’t doubt you believe that,” Sirius told her, keeping pace beside them and making no effort to hide the amusement on his face. “But I don’t think you realize the danger you are truly in.” 

Now it was Lily’s turn to scoff and roll her eyes at Sirius. She crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly when it was clear she wasn’t going to be able to break free. “That’s what you think,” she muttered to herself, loud enough for him to possibly hear but not loud enough to make it clear she intended him to. 

“Your little monkey is a feisty one,” James commented and the nickname made her cringe. He could not call her that forever, could he? It was atrocious. 

Evidently, Sirius agreed with that and he made as much clear. “Do I want to know why you’ve decided to refer to the princess as a primate?” he asked, his tone already detached, yet exasperated. 

“That would be our little secret,” James replied and jostled her more than necessary as if to drive home a point. All it did was make her feel nauseous. 

Lily huffed out a breath to settle her stomach and vocalize her discontent in one fell swoop, kneeing the knight in the shoulder as best she could for good measure. “Is not!” she protested, watching the hallway where her quarters were situated come into view. “Now, set me down!”

She did not expect anyone to give into her demand; they had not done so previously and she had to grip onto James’ forearm for balance when her feet found the ground. Lily muttered a word of thanks, her hands lingering a moment too long before she occupied them with smoothing out the fabric of her dress.

“Turns out my left is good for more than you imagined,” James said, his words loaded but meaningless to her. 

Lily tried to ignore the jab, but there was something about it that tickled her curiosity. Other than her usual need to know and understand everything. “I’m assuming you’re not left-handed, then?” 

Both sets of footsteps faltered for a moment and in the silence she could hear a snort and a choked laugh from Sirius. James pulled in a gulp of air that was so large it was almost obscene and it only made her curiosity worse. 

“Well?” she pressed, eyes flicking between the two, her hands set on her hips. 

After a beat of silence James answered with a shake of his head. “No, right is my sword hand, left my lance,” he replied, a smile visibly tugging at the corner of his lip. 

“Dagger, more like,” Sirius quipped without missing a beat and before the knight could respond he held open the door to her quarters and ushered her inside, following her with a swift good night to James. 

“What was that about?” 

“Nothing that should concern you, Your Highness. Now, if you please, tomorrow will be a long day,” he insisted, redirecting her attention by extending his hand as if he was waiting to receive something. 

Lily’s eyes lingered on the open palm and frowned, not grasping what he was asking for. 

“The letter,” Sirius pressed.

She instinctively held it to her chest in order to prevent it from falling into the chamberlain's impatient hands. “I can deliver it myself. I could have done so tonight, if you’d have simply trusted me,” she informed him with an air of indignation. 

“Even if you could, it wasn’t safe.” 

“It was perfectly safe.” 

Sirius’ lips pressed together into a thin line, the patience he had for her burned up with her persistence. “Your Highness,” he cautioned, his slender fingers pinching the bridge of his nose before he regarded her with a calculated look which made a shiver run down her spine. “Even if it was—which it was not—I would not have allowed it.” 

She wanted to protest, but after her first huff and hum the air got knocked out of her. Suddenly, Chamberlain Black grabbed her hands and pushed her back onto the chaise. Hands pinned above her head and legs caged in by his lean frame he hindered her from moving. “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice trembling as she struggled. 

“Since you do not seem to listen to reason, I think a physical demonstration might be more educational,” he ventured, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin of her neck. Goosebumps appeared on her skin. “If someone had ill intent, it would be all too easy.” 

His hot breath made her fluster, her heart hammering against her ribs and she was certain that he could feel it as she could feel the heat that emanated from his body. Her eyes closed, and she turned her head away, unsure what his intentions were. 

But then, just as suddenly, he lifted himself off her body, leaving only the ghost of his weight on her. A sudden hunger to feel his lips against her skin again. 

“Do I make myself clear?” Sirius asked, carefully righting his appearance and dusting himself off like he had not just made her feel things that no man ever had, just by speaking to her. Grateful for the starched underskirts to hide the way it made her squirm for him.

Lily made a show of stomping off towards the bed and tossing her hair over her shoulder, to really drive home her utter discontent. She would simply have to find a different route out of the palace to accomplish her goal. “Thank you for the escort back to my room, you may take your leave now,” she commanded in her most regal tone. The sooner she was left alone, the sooner she could find a way out of this place. 

“With all due respect, Your Highness, but I shan’t take leave,” Sirius countered, his authority sounding far more natural than hers.  He obviously had a lot more experience being in charge, as he used it with the accuracy of an arrow aimed perfectly at its target.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and her arms crossed tightly over her chest, regarding the Chamberlain as he sat down on the chaise and pulled a book from the inside pocket of his tailored coat. “Since I cannot seem to trust you to stay in your room or have any regard for your own safety, I will watch over you.” He seemed to settle in for the long night. His long, graceful legs crossed at the ankles as he leaned into the plush pillow perched on the bench. 

“I am perfectly capable of handling myself, thank you very much,” she protested, defiantly dropping her shoes and cloak on the floor, unhooking her day dress to sleep in her shift. Lily attempted to find a glimpse of him in a reflection, too stubborn to turn around. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was bothered. She crawled into the bed that was far too big for her, it was like being in the ocean after getting used to a puddle. 

Eventually, she fell asleep with a stubborn frown still on her face. 

Chapter Text

The next morning, Lily woke up to the sound of her name. Or rather, the sound of her new title from somewhere in the room. Her eyes blinked open slowly, and limbs languidly stretched as she gazed across the room to the chaise-lounge, where she met the grey eyes of the Chamberlain.

She pulled away, clinging the sheet to her chest despite her shift fully covering her. “What on earth are you still doing in my room!?” she demanded, trying not to think about how the way he lounged made him look more like what you would see in a painting of a hero or a god. Almost surreal. 

“You were acting rather odd, I feared you might make another run for it,” he told her casually, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes and a smirk playing on his lips. 

“So, you thought it would be acceptable to stay the night in my bed chambers?” she questioned, her voice sliding up the octave. 

“We did not do anything improper,” Sirius pointed out, the way his eyes were lingering on her body suggesting that there was an implied ‘yet’ there. Making her clench with anticipation, lips parting in an involuntary sigh. Her jaw dropped a little more when he mentioned, 

Her face coloured a similar shade of red like the camellias on her bedside. Watching as he closed the distance between them and sat on the edge of the bed, his leg pressed against hers as he towered over her.

His laughter offended her, his large hand cradling her face, his thumb resting on her bottom lip. “Nothing happened, Princess,” he murmured, making the blush creep along her body. Her ears glowing hotly and her chest flushed. 

Lily was rather grateful for the brocade sheet she was pressing against her, hiding what such a simple touch did to her. Maybe if she’d been with a man before, she would not so easily be enchanted by the attention Sirius paid to her. 

As quickly as he had appeared at her bedside, he disappeared, his sudden distance practically giving her a whiplash. “I think her highness would enjoy a bath,” he drawled, pulling an ornate rope beside her bed to summon her handmaid. “We shall start your education after breakfast,” he intoned, nodding his head politely before taking his leave. 

Just as he reached the door, Lily spoke up again. “Sirius?” she called and watched him turn around slowly, an unamused smile playing around his lips. 

“Your Highness?” he asked, the red heels of his boots clicking together as looked at her dutifully. 

There was something insincere and impatient about the whole moment, but Lily decided that what she had to ask was far more important than addressing Sirius’ attitude issues. “Did Sarah get the letter?” she asked, her voice pressing, lacking all the playfulness from the moments before, though the incessant desperation remained. 

Sirius seemed taken aback by the question, his face softening. “Yes, I had someone deliver the letter first thing today.” It was a relief to hear, a small smile crept onto his face, it was beautiful and private. Like a layer of defence was stripped off the stand-offish facade. 

“Thank you, that means a lot,” Lily told him earnestly, giving Sirius a gentle nod. 

With that he disappeared once more, leaving her confused and conflicted in her feelings. Something she’d hoped a bath would clear right up for her.

After her maid had washed her hair, she’d been left alone to soak in the fragrant water, flower petals floated around her, their silken touch teasing her skin. The heady scent of jasmine and lavender swirling around as she sunk deeper into the water. 

The Chamberlain was already driving her mad and they were supposed to be spending every day from morning till night together leading up to her coronation. How was she ever going to concentrate when he insisted on touching her the way he had. 

Lily let her fingers brush along her lower lip, still feeling his broad thumb pressing against the delicate skin. Feeling that same rush again, her body flushed with something she could only call desire. 

Her thighs pressed together under the water as her fingers brushed along her hardened nipples, her breasts sensitive under her soft touch. Maybe if she indulged herself, she would be able to concentrate. 

It did not take her much to convince herself, not when the slickness between her thighs was going to distract her from learning all she needed to do. If she was going to be a perfect princess in five weeks, she better be on top of things. 

So, she allowed herself this moment of self-indulgence. Let her fingers slip under the surface, following the curve of her body as she spread herself open, drawing small circles along the sensitive nub. The ball of her hand built up friction while Lily let her eyes flutter closed. A small whimper filling the bathroom while she pumped her fingers in a steady rhythm, quickly feeling a familiar tightness building behind her belly button. 

Lily let her mind wander, expecting her mind to conjure up the usual kaleidoscope of colours and rushing memories of release when she rutted against a pillow after a long, stressful day. 

But instead, the cool gaze of Sirius penetrated her mind, that damned smirk of his curling around her name. Gods, she wanted him to say her name. Breathe it into her ear, feel those strong fingers grip her chin like he’d done this morning. 

Her back arched, shoulders pressing into the porcelain tub as her release lifted her skyward before letting her crash down to earth, breathless and not quite satisfied. 

Just the thought of him drove her mad, how was she ever going to survive spending weeks with her only time alone being in the bath? How many times would she touch herself to just the promising outline in his trousers? 

After her bath, Lily wrapped herself in the plush robe and summoned her maid by pulling at the ornately woven rope. She decided she was going to give this princess business her best shot.

Dressing and styling her hair was an entire event before the short stroll to Sirius’s office, where he commanded her to sit down with a simple motion of her hand. She tried not to think too much about the way he sounded when he said, “I am glad to see you can be obedient when needed.” The words made her squirm despite her best efforts to get it out of her system. 

The breeze from the palace gardens made the thin, painted silk billow like great sails in the ornate study. The sun danced through the delicate weave and from where Lily was sitting, it almost gave the illusion of wings to the man sitting behind the tulip wood desk. It elevated her finishing teacher from looking unreasonably attractive to otherworldly, and she could not help but stare. 

“I would like to remind you, Your Highness, that staring is considered impolite,” the cold voice drawled and the ice in his tone made her shiver. Her hands nervously smoothed down the delicate cotton of her day dress, fingering the silk embroidered flowers on her skirt. 

She still felt out of place here. The ornate room, the lavish dress, the title. Gods, the title was the worst. Every time someone addressed her as Princess or Your Highness, she had the urge to run. To find a place that made sense. 

Back to the schoolhouse she’d been teaching in since she was seventeen. But last night had decreed that this was not an option. That she better get used to her new life quickly because her actions now held consequences for others. 

For example, the dark circles that stood out starkly against Sirius’s pale features. She felt a pang of guilt at the thought of him sitting up and watching her all night. Making sure she would not run again. Yet, she bit back the urge to apologize. 

At least for now.

After an extended silence—the room filled with nothing but the wind blowing and his quill scratching against paper, while she watched his long lashes flutter against his cheek.—he looked up to offer her a polite smile. “I would like to start the day by discussing your duties directly following your coronation, for which I will be preparing you thoroughly.” 

Lily nodded, hands folded in her lap in an effort to convey her attentiveness. Wanting to absorb everything so she could start preparing herself mentally for what her life was going to look like. Trying her utmost best to not be distracted by the tongue that darted out of his mouth and swept along his lips as he whetted them. 

“As you are aware, you will be officially crowned People’s Princess in time, after which there will be a banquet and a subsequent ball,” he started, pausing as if giving her a moment to process this. Only continuing when she nodded in acknowledgement. “Here we strive for you to meet and select a consort, to whom you will be wed, and produce an heir, preferably within the year.” 

Lily looked at him, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, only snapping her mouth shut as Sirius continued, making a rather inappropriate remark she had not expected to hear from a man of his station. “Princess, has no one ever taught you not to open your mouth that wide in the presence of a man, unless it is an invitation?”

There was a twinkle in his eye before he slipped the cool mask back over his features. The wall of ice appeared as suddenly as it had thawed. Hands clapped together, like calling a class to attention. 

Morning melted into afternoon and before Lily knew it, it was night again. She was exhausted from detailed lectures on history and the royal household. If she had to recall one more Fredrick, George, or Edward, she might just pitch herself off the tower. 

What did not help was the way Sirius would be there, too close, at every turn. Leaning over her, his thigh pressing against hers, his breath fanning across her neck. He’d been close enough that the scent of cologne clung to her skin like an invisible mark. 

Lily was sitting on the edge of her bed, already dressed in her nightgown, ready to collapse into the pile of down pillows and let her tired mind lead her to better places. Places with breaks and flat shoes. But most importantly without Chamberlain Black.

She longed for somewhere she would not constantly have the urge to reciprocate, likely imagined, advances of the one man she was not allowed to have. Once officially crowned, she was allowed to pick whomever she pleased to be her consort. Everyone but the man that made her drawers damp. 

Anyone but her tutor. 

If she were to be wed and bred, as he so crudely had stated, she at least wanted complete control. Not that she was certain she would even want him. Beside being handsome, smart, sensual, and witty, Sirius was also pompous, supercilious and a complete swot. 

That did not stop her from flustering when he marched, unabashed, into her quarters with another stack of documents. “Absolutely not!” she protested, her voice rising in pitch at the sight of him. 

Sirius stopped in his tracks, looking at her curiously, only the slightest raise of the eyebrow begging her to elaborate on her outburst. 

Lily bristled and folded her arms under her chest, suddenly hyper aware how her breasts were too large for the shift she’d been dressed in for bed. The soft mounds, nearly spilling over the top as she snipped at him. “I do not need another chaperone. I am perfectly content to go to sleep this night.” 

“I am not staying, your highness. I am simply delivering your nightly reading. I expect you to have studied these documents before breakfast,” he answered, a twinge of amusement in his voice while his eyes lingered obviously on her current predicament. 

Under his gaze, her nipples pebbled and pressed against the thin fabric that encased them. She watched his perfect teeth catch on his lower lip at the sight. The corners of his lips curled up into a knowing smile.

Sirius placed the papers in the small, gilded vanity that stood against the wall. His long, deft fingers perched against the polished top. “If you have not studied them properly come morning, I might be less gracious as I have been with you so far.” 

His words were supposed to be a threat, but his tone was suggestive. The sultry tones ignited the fire in her belly, making her gulp involuntarily. The motion was taken as an invitation to saunter closer. 

“Have you ever been with a man before?” The question took Lily by surprise, and too shocked to be offended, she shook her head. An all too honest answer met by an all too eager smirk. “Has a man ever touched you, at all?” Another shake of her head as she inched into the mattress. “Have you?” 

At that, Lily blinked. A breath rushing from her lips in a sigh that was too longing to be proper. Sirius had closed the distance between them, he stood over her as she sat on the edge of her bed, and forced her to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. 

Her smouldering gaze met his, a fire having ignited behind his icy eyes, and making her realize she’d been wrong. His eyes were not ice, they were silver. Hot, molten silver, able to harden into daggers at the slightest provocation. 

“Would you prefer your wedding night to be the first time you are with a man?” Another completely impertinent question she should be offended by, as a lady, as a princess, as a woman. But the heat of his body, the scent of him, had broken down her dignity. 

Her chest heaved as it hitched while she uncrossed her arms and her hand brushed against something hard in his trousers. Lily’s heart raced as she answered Sirius truthfully. “No, I don’t.” 

The words hung between them, his hand sliding against her neck in a surprisingly tender motion. 

“Tell me why,” he commanded, his thumb brushing her lips and igniting her very being. 

“I want to know how it can be with someone who isn’t there out of obligation. Who isn’t simply trying to conceive an heir. I know it can be pleasurable, and I want to know what that is like before I settle for mediocrity.” Her voice was getting stronger the more she spoke. 

Sirius watched her, something resembling pride on his features. “Excellent answer, princess,” he praised, smirking at the way her heart fluttered at this. “Is there someone-” 

“You,” Lily replied before he could finish his sentence. Before he could ask who she’d had in mind. 

His overbearing presence shifted as his broad chest moved closer, and she responded as if by instinct. She laid back onto the bed while his knee settled between her legs, and he stooped down to bring his lips to her ear. “What if all I want to do is breed you?” The word she’d used earlier that day in an effort to shock him, suddenly taking on a different tone all together. 

“Please.”

His chuckle was hot against her ear. “What was that, your highness?” 

“Please,” she repeated in a pathetic whimper. “Breed me. Show me how good being with a man can be.” 

Sirius’s lips skimmed past her pulse, his teeth scraping against the sensitive spot before pressing a kiss right below her ear, drawing a wanton moan from her parted lips. One word whispered into her ear, leaving her utterly undone. 

“No.”

His answer felt like swimming in the lake in early spring. Cold, painful and thrilling. A challenge to rise up to. 

Lily brushed her hand along the outline of his cock, this time deliberately, and watched as a small crack appeared in his flawless facade. A nearly silent growl, a clenched jaw for a fraction of a moment. 

With a triumphant smirk on her face as she taunted him, growing a little more daring when she was not reprimanded. Pressing her palm against the front of his trousers, revelling in the way his throat bobbed, his teeth bare.

“Why?” Lily asked, a smug smile on her face as his hips pressed into her hand. She had him right where she wanted him to. Or so she thought.

Sirius pulled away, the silver in his eyes nearly eclipsed by his pupils, and yet he managed to straighten his cravat and rise to his full length.

“Good night, Your Highness. I will see you in the morning.” And with that, swept out of the room. Leaving her laying sprawled on her bed, confused and frustrated. 

A new goal to make her time here in the palace more bearable: break Sirius into giving her what she wanted. 

And so, the games began. It would be fun to have someone to tease, to challenge, even if it was just physically in the same way he would challenge her intellectually when studying. She wasn’t struggling to keep up, however, she would be lying if she’d called any of this easy. 

Speaking of studying, Lily slipped off the bed and made her way over to the homework that was delivered just now. Nothing like a good, old stack of parchment and books to cool her down. 

Though, she did not expect this to include tears. 

The first thing Lily spotted atop the pile of official looking work was the familiar chicken scratch hand of Sarah. It seemed that, not only, had someone delivered the letter, there was a response too. 

Which meant one of two things; Either they had waited around for Sarah to pen a quick reply, or she had walked all the way up to the palace to hand this off at the gate. The latter option filled Lily with a profound sense of guilt. The idea of her student standing there, not being allowed in was almost as heartbreaking as the letter itself. 

Dear Miss Evans,

Do I have to all you princess now? I am so happy that they picked you, I know that you are going to help everyone, like you always said you wanted to. And I understand that it is sometimes hard to help one person when you are helping so many. Please don’t worry about the flower. We already knew that it was probably not real. My aunt will take good care of me. 

I drew you a picture of the flower, just in case you needed it. 

Sarah

Lily unfolded the drawing carefully, smoothing out the creases as she looked at it through the tears welling in her eyes. She had been here two days and she had not even made an attempt to look for it or the book since first being caught in the library. 

It was something she needed to get back to, ask questions in between the inappropriate remarks and her testing her tutors armour. Maybe, if she wasn’t so tired after a full day of lessons she could resume her scavenge in the library. 

Hopefully, this wasn’t the usual amount of work, there was a finite amount of things she could have to learn to be a figurehead. After all, wasn’t the majority of her job to look presentable and be polite? She had, at least, a basic understanding of both of those things already. 

With that in mind, Lily gathered her nighttime reading and retreated to the bed.

The days that followed fell into the same pattern, a continuous cycle of meals, lessons, fittings, broken up by the occasional stroll in the garden for exercise. Lily rarely had a second to herself; she was starting to believe that behind every corner, bush, and in every alcove there was a guard or maid. Someone to remind her of her new title.

Lily's ears rang with an endless parade of 'Princess', 'Your Highness', and 'My Lady'; she could not quite decide which one she hated most.

There was one small window of time, right between dinner and library time - which she almost enjoyed. Here she was left to her own devices, told to rest in her room. At first, this is what she did. Lily would lay on the bed, starting up at the ceiling and simply existing until she was fetched.

She grew bored of the elaborate crown moulding rather quickly though, and set out to find something new. The view over the gardens was lovely, though she could not bare to sit inside when she could be out there under the stars. The open window was a compromise which only satisfied her for so long.

This was when she learned that people did not stop her from leaving her quarters. It made her feel less like a well-kept pet and more like she was actually living in this enormous castle.

It did not take Lily long to find her way to the stables—her now favourite place on the grounds. She would not be bothered there. The horses did not care who she was, they did not bow and scrape. Frankly, they barely seemed bothered by her presence at all.

It made feel normal for just a little bit; a respite from the craziness that her life had become.

Every day, she would find a different route; making good use of the time to get to know the surroundings. To have chance at finding the flower. She knew it was silly and that giving up while she was ahead was probably for the best. Lily simply could not bring herself to. She'd Sarah a promise, after all.

It was not in the flower garden, which smelled so rich and heady it made her dizzy. Neither did she find it in the walled patch of herbs and gnarled roots the Alchemist kept. An older lady wearing a white cap and red robes who offered a kind smile that overtook her stern expression before bidding her to leave.

Lily had protested that. "Surely, nothing here can harm me."

The Alchemist tutted dismissively and made a statement that settled in her mind as profound wisdom should. "With the right dose, anything can harm you. Plants, pleasures, people, so be careful." It had left Lily a little unsettled. There had been nothing foreboding about the tone, yet she could not help but take it to heart.

Her favourite route took her through kitchen gardens that overflowed with produce and fragrant herbs. A kindly older cook had chased her away when she'd tried to snack on some ripe tomatoes.

When she returned the day after, this same cook brought her a handkerchief filled with dried berries and nuts claiming that he could not let her grow hungry.

She returned at least twice a week to claim a sweet boon.

Most of the people working in the kitchen were too busy to chat with her, something that she respected as best she could. There was nothing she could do to help; she'd tried and been scolded for her attempts. At least, they did not chase her away. She was grateful that they indulged her need to know everything going on in the lower town.

It was a way for her to still feel connected to her home without explicitly breaking any of the rules that Sirius had set forward.

So, it wasn't a surprise for the staff when Lily sneaked in a little before dinner to have a little chat. She'd grown quite fond of one of the newer members of staff. A woman, a few years older than her with a sharp look in her eyes and something hiding behind her smiles. Celia was smart, well read, though her humour skewed a little dark for Lily's liking.

They'd both arrived around the same time and were both still getting used to castle life—though obviously Lily's adjustments were for different reasons. She never told the kitchenmaid that she envied her because they wouldn't understand and she did not want to seem ungrateful. Many girls dreamed of becoming a princess and here she was wishing it wasn't her. This thought put a bit of a damper on the conversation and it wasn't long until her friend noticed.

"Are you alright, Princess?" she asked in her sweet tone, her wild black curls falling into her face and she pushed them away with her long, slender fingers, tucking them back under the head covering she wore.

Lily nodded and smiled, her eyes darting away from the other woman's intense look. "Yes, I just get very peckish around dinner time, you know," she lied and laughed. "It doesn't help that is smells delicious in here." They both laughed at this.

Celia held up a finger, telling her to wait. She had already had a little snack, a small cake and some dried fruits presented to her not long after arrival. She'd come to notice that it was always the same woman that brought out her snacks. She was old, probably the oldest in the room by a mile with shrewd eyes and a silver braid that she pinned under her cap.

Lily wasn't sure why her mind drifted to her then and it would unsettle her later once her mind had wrapped itself around the whole situation. Before Celia could return there was a crash and a commotion further down in the kitchen. It sound startled Lily and her first instinct was to investigate. She picked up her skirts and ran after everyone.

There on the floor was the old lady looking pale, her muscles twitching oddly and Lily's eyes zoned in on the dribble that flowed from the corner of her mouth. Her heart raced while she pushed through the people surrounding her and dropped to her knees despite the protests.

"Get the physician!" she ordered, her voice cracking as she shuffled closer, lifting the woman's torso up and cringed when she retched, covering the bottom half of her skirt with sick. Still, Lily's fingers gently brushed the woman's sweat-slicked brow. "Don't worry, don't worry. It'll be fine, you'll be fine. I know you will," she soothed, her voice stumbling over the words as she repeated them again and again.

Lily wasn't sure how long she sat there or when her fingers had started to tremble and things started to blur together. There were heavy footfalls and a portly man walked in, followed by a gangly blond boy. "Out of the way," he ordered the staff and paused for a breath before nodding to her. "If you will let me, Your Highness." His tone had shifted from a barking order to a firm request.

"Yes, yes, of course," she answered and allowed him to take the almost still woman from her. Hands found her shoulders, reassuring touches and gentle words led her out of the kitchens. No matter how much she craned her neck, Celia was nowhere to be found.

She was handed over to her handmaidens, who undressed and bathed her; Lily could not find it in herself to protest tonight. After she sat on her bed, staring at her nightly reading and ignored the food that was brought in. She lost herself in her work until Sirius appeared, James in his wake to inform her that the lady was fine.

Lily wanted to ask one of them to stay, to spent the night on the sofa, in her bed; she didn't care as long as she wasn't alone. But the words wouldn't come out. Before long she was left alone with her thoughts and her memories.

Right before she fell asleep her mind wandered to Celia and her convenient departure, the secrets behind her dark eyes. She spent the moments before sleep wondering if maybe she had a bigger part in all of this after all.

Chapter Text

The following morning, Lily told her maid to dress her in a provocative gown; it was something to distract her from the previous nights stress. Only to be informed that she was to wear something simple. Admittedly, she was a little shocked when she was presented with a pair of men’s hose and a tunic. 

It wasn’t particularly flattering, nothing like the dress she’d selected specifically to get a rise, literally, out of the chamberlain. Lily had had it all worked out. 

The bodice was spilt to her navel, a panel of patterned lace showed off the curve of her breasts. Her hair would be brushed until it shone like spun brass, and twisted and braided to show off the graceful curve of her neck. 

She would press her thigh against his whenever he took the seat next to her. Bending over the table-top whenever he was across. She watched for the signs. His breath hitching, his throat bobbing and the tightness in his trousers. 

It was perfect, she would get him to break sooner or later. After all, she had her heart and mind set on it. Which meant she was not going to back down. At least until he had successfully married her off to some avaricious viscount or another.

Lily caught a glimpse of herself in the gilded mirror and frowned, if anything, she felt like all she needed was a cap, and she could pass for a boy. So, she tugged the tunic down a little further, the belt a little higher and just like that, she supposed she was presentable—and frankly, rather scandalous too. 

Her dear departed mother would have a faint, seeing just how exposed her ankles were. Perhaps, she could turn this to her advantage after all. 

As expected, the moment she left her room, Sirius fell into step, his long legs carrying him half a step ahead of her. When they turned down an unfamiliar hallway, Lily paused and in response, so did the chamberlain. “Where are we going?” she demanded, more curious than anything. 

“The garden,” Sirius replied simply, only half turning to look at her.

“Why?” 

“You have a lesson there.” 

“What lesson?”

This line of questioning was met with a deep inhale and a slow exhale which dripped he managed to make sound impatient. He turned his body to face her fully, his brows raised as he made a point of straightening up, looming over her—not intimidatingly, but as if it would add weight to his words. “In light of your recent… shenanigans. I saw it prudent you received some basic self-defence lessons.” 

Self-defence? Did he really believe her to be such a damsel? She’s managed just fine if it had not been for Sir James’ lance hand—whatever that might have implied. The only thing she was certain of was that it implied something.  

“I fail to see the need for it,” Lily replied in a haughty tone that earned her a very condescending applause from the chamberlain. The sharpness of his gaze made her want to avert her eyes, but she held strong, her brows pinching in displeasure. 

“Ah, I see you are practising your princess attitude already, lovely,” he told her, tone dripping with attitude and a glint in his eye that was, for the lack of a better word, cheeky. “All you’re missing is a pout and a stomp of your foot, and you can start your tantrum.” 

Lily’s eyes went wide at the comment, unsure how to handle it as her hands found her waist. She only stopped herself when she realized she was doing precisely what he’d predicted, and was about to stomp her foot. 

She could not let him have this, he’d be insufferable, she just knew it.

Instead, she turned her nose up at him, her face relaxing into a mask of indifference. “ Is that a way to speak to your princess?” she asked, giving him her most deadly side-eye feeling frustration bloom in her chest when he smirked at her. “Just lead the way,” she huffed, refusing to let him win. She’d already showed him how easily irked she could be. 

When she followed, she could swear he muttered something that sounded like ‘that’s a good girl’ under his breath. The words making her head snap up in time with her rapidly speeding heart. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I said nothing, Your Highness,” he replied politely, though even from where she stood Lily could see his cheeks lift and imagine the smile on his insufferably handsome face.

Without saying another word they wound through the unfamiliar hallways to a door she had not seen before. Granted, this was her second day in the palace and her explorations had not got her far. Now she thought about it, every time that she had tried to do something she’d been caught by the same person. 

From the moment that she had made her way over the wall, Sir James had been there to catch her. Heat rose in her cheeks at the thought of him, though she could not tell if it was frustration, embarrassment, or some third emotion she wasn’t aware of yet. Regardless of what it was, she deemed it unwelcome.

The doors to the garden were open and there, on the steps she could see a man standing with his back to them. This, made her pivot and turn back the way they’d come. “Absolutely not.”

Lily made it about three paces before Sirius appeared by her side and then stepped in front of her, cutting off her escape. “I am not going to spend the day with him.,” she protested, glancing back to where he stood, still unaware of their presence. 

“Please enlighten me as to why,” Sirius said with a sigh, already sounding tired, and it was not even noon yet. Was she really that taxing? Were there other things going on that she didn’t know about. Well, she was certain there were, she knew nothing yet. 

Lily couldn’t wait to be trusted enough to be involved in actual business, to be able to help people and make decision that matter. It honestly was no wonder she’d set her sights on seducing her tutor, after all, it was the only exciting thing that had happened since her appointment. 

“He’s insufferable,” she hissed in response to Sirius’s question, her arms crossed over her chest in a silent protest. “Surely there are better things to do.” 

He chuckled in response, her gaze flicking down the hall, lips curling into an unfamiliar smile. “I am aware of that, but you’re going to have to endure.”

Frustrated, Lily turned a quarter, now fully facing away from the garden. “I don’t see why I need to endure, don’t you have something more valuable to teach me?” 

 “More valuable than to learn to defend yourself?” 

Lily couldn’t help but laugh at that. “It isn’t like you are going to let something happen to me,” she pointed out and stretched up to appear taller, to get more on his level. “The most I will be in danger of is a paper cut or a rolled ankle from those horrid shoes.” 

Sirius leaned in as well, his thumb and middle finger pinching his perfectly sculpted nose, a sign of clear frustration. “If that is what you think, means that I have been doing an excellent job of keeping you in the dark, princess.” 

She blinked a handful of times in rapid succession, her teeth grinding in irritation. “Well, then stop it and tell me,” she demanded, her words slow and deliberate, filled with frustration. Lily hated being kept in the dark, being treated as if she needed protection. She wasn’t frail or meek. She wasn’t a princess. 

His eyes flicked between her and the door behind her and he could almost see the thoughts turn over in his mind. Sirius’s lips rubbed together, and even in the heat of the moment, she couldn’t help but wonder if they tasted as good as they looked. “If I tell you, will you go have your lesson with James?” 

Lily considered it, or rather pretended to so she wouldn’t come across are too impulsive, before nodding. A measured motion accompanied by a raise of her brow. “You have a deal,” she told him impatiently when he did not immediately launch into an explanation. So much for showing restrained, she supposed. 

“Not everyone is pleased with my choosing you, and some of them are upset enough to make it a problem,” he said, though she wished he’d explained it more. What did that have to do with her taking self-defence classes? She was used to people not liking her, after all, she grew up with a sister who couldn’t stand her. 

Her eyebrows drew together into a frown while she tried to make sense of the situation, to find the correlation between his decision and people's apparent dislike for her. “Well, I hope you don’t expect me to punch everyone that is rude to me,” she told him incredulously. 

“No, but I would hope that this would help you when someone comes at you with a blade.” All the potentially witty remarks she’d lined up to throw back at him withered on her tongue, her eyes roaming his face as if she knew him well enough to read the concern in his impassive mask. 

She imagined he would be concerned, if not for her life—It had only been a handful of days, after all—then for the effort that had been wasted selecting her. Lily swallowed thickly at the thought of someone wishing her harm. Her, specifically, for the hand that she had been dealt. 

“Alright,” she relented and gave up trying to look taller and meaner and more authoritative than she felt in that moment. There were people out to kill her, a few combat lessons would not hurt. Even if this meant spending time with a man who had thought it acceptable to nickname her monkey.  “But if he is being insufferable, I am leaving,” she insisted. 

There was a moment that Lily swore she could see something soft cross Sirius’ face before he composed himself, an amused smile spreading across his face. “Spoken like a real princess,” with that said, he nudged her back towards the gardens. 

Reluctantly, Lily let herself be led to where her instructor was waiting. The closer she got, the more her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was somehow taller without the armour, his shirt, well-fitted in most places, strained when he lifted his hair to run through his already damp curls. 

And those, those luscious, messy curls caught the sunlight in just the right way, revealing a warm, almost reddish tint that clung only to the inside of his ringlets. Then he turned to look at her, just a few paces away, and before she knew it the words had leapt from her mouth. “I thought your armour was mostly padding,” she confessed with mortifying honesty. 

“Good morning to you too, princess,” James laughed and stretched his arms over his head. Which, frankly, looked more like an excuse to show off the way his muscles stretched almost obscenely defined, the glimpse of a flat stomach and a trail of dark hair that caught her attention in an inappropriate way. 

The way his gaze met hers made her think he was putting on a show, like a preening peacock, showing off its feathers, as if to impress her. Like that was going to work.

Something between her ribs tightened, and Lily was inclined to name it irritation. A new variant reserved wholly and exclusively for the palace duo that seemed to watch her every step. Just in case it is something more uncouth, she crosses her arms under her chest, trying to squeeze it out before it could become a problem. 

“Good morning,” Lily muttered in a way that she hoped conveyed the fact that she was not here by choice. “Can we get this over with? I have more important things to do,” she sniffed in her most snooty princess way; chin jutting forward, nose turned up. 

What she did not expect was for him to hit her with the ‘better than to learn how to defend yourself?’. Which meant he had either heard her talk to Sirius, or the two shared some sort of mental connection she was unaware of. 

Frankly, Lily wasn’t keen on either.

James stood there for a moment, his eyes sliding from crown to sole—which should have made her more uncomfortable than it did. Most men she knew only did this with a lecherous look and improper attention. Not unlike how she had when he’d stretched just moments before. Was he better than her? The knight in front of her wasn’t ogling, his eyes barely lingered on her chest. No, he was looking for something. 

The silence between them was loaded with nervous energy, mostly hers, as she practically brimmed with anticipation. Lily was ready to go, to see what he would throw at her, only to fizzle out at his words. 

“Alright, attack me,” James said, his posture unchanged. He was expecting her to attack him like that? His hands practically in his pockets? Was he asking to be hit? Or did he really think she was that incapable? 

The thought alone made something inside of her rally—she did not care if it was her sense of justice or her wounded pride. Lily stepped in and put all her force behind a left hook that she was certain he could not sniff at once it connected with his perfectly angular jaw. 

Only, it did not connect with anything. James’ arm came up, and he swatted away her attempt like he was shooing away a fly. He did not even have the decency to look fazed. “Again,” he instructed, an insufferable smirk on his face as he added: “this time less obvious, Your Highness.” 

It had been two days of everyone calling her that, maids, butlers, the stable girl and Sirius. But even he had not been able to make it sound quite so much like insult. Lily scoffed, darting a step backward while she looked for an opening. 

She knew how to fight, well, she knew how to win a schoolyard brawl, she’d been in plenty when she was little. Something about the way she looked, the way she talked, the way she was smarter than most of her classmates had made her unpopular. 

Lily had been well liked, mind you. People liked it when she was smarter than the teacher or when she gave them cheek, she was kind most of the time and shared what she had freely. But she wasn’t popular, her choice in companionship had made her less so still. 

Thinking back on it now, likening James to the bloated schoolyard brute, she couldn’t help but conclude that most of the scraps she’d found herself in were on behalf of a former friend. The thought of him alone left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

She pulled in a long, deep breath, shaking the thought off of her shoulders before darting forward again. James’ large hand folded around her hand—which she thrust it out, palm first—before it could connect to his sternum. “You tried,” he taunted and Lily kicked at his shin but if it had bothered him, he did not let it show. 

Lily was about ready to rip her hair out, grateful that the porch they were training on had been free of other palace dwellers. Even though she would never admit it to James’ face, she was mostly boiling out of embarrassment. After all, how hard could it be to get a crack in the perfectly smug facade. 

“If this is all you've got, Princess, I dare say you do really need the training,” he taunted with that insufferable smirk of his. She had half a mind of demanding Sirius make up to her for sticking her with this berk. 

“You call that training?” Lily hissed back indignantly, stomping on his foot for good measure. She did not care that he would get a thrill out of goading her on. She was done with his stupid handsome face, his stupid smirk and his stupid less. “This is –“

Before she could finish her sentence, the air squeezed out of her body, her world spun and for just a moment she thought that he might have thrown her. Lily braced for impact, only to collide with something warm and almost pliable. 

Within the blink of an eye, James had used the grip on her arm to spin her around, her back pressed to his front, effectively pinning her between his body and the nearest wall. Her arm was still captured in his hand, laying across her stomach in a way that strained her even without moving. She could not imagine wrenching out of it without injury, while he had her other hand pinned against the stone wall beneath his own.

“Now, little monkey,” James murmured, his breath tickling the sensitive skin behind her ear, making her tense against him. “If you manage to get out of this I might even let you play with a dagger next,” he promised and Lily hated the fact that she could picture his smirk. She hated it even more that it made her stomach flip.

A shiver scuttled its way down her spine. Feeling him so close, rendering her completely immobile, should not feel so good.

“I’m waiting,” he taunted, his voice too close to be proper. 

Lily suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him, there was no use—he couldn’t see it. And if he could, he’d probably have a quick little quip for her in return. Instead, she pressed her eyes closed, trying to clear her mind, to think her way out of the situation. “How long do I have?” she asked, her voice too low, too husky for her liking.

She despised the soft laugh he let out, the sound curled tauntingly around her, informing her that he, too, had noticed her predicament. “I might give you a minute or two,” he said, his lips brushing along the shell of her ear as he spoke in a low, gravelly tone.

Focus. She needed to focus. She needed to remember that he was an insufferable git. No amount of muscles and devilish smiles was going to change that. He was just a jackass in a fancy metal can, sans can, at the present time. What did it matter that his incredibly well-toned muscles pressed deliciously against her back? 

Lily tried to shift her stance a little, to see if there was an escape route, a way to slip his grip. He had her arms pinned so thoroughly, her legs were her only option. She grateful that they were also her strongest assets, hours of walking and standing had made them strong. After all, he might call her ‘princess’, but she was nothing like the dainty dame one would imagine. She moved her hips, distributing her weight, her eyes lighting up at what she discovered. 

She could hear James’ breath catch as her hips ground against his, feel the way his fingers tightened around her wrist. The realisation gave her pause, her smile growing wicked when the power she had just discovered became apparent to her. Her teeth caught on her lower lip in an attempt to hide her wicked smile

All she would have to do now was shift, and maybe if she just pressed a little harder, she could distract him enough so he would loosen his grip and escape. If he were to accuse her of anything, all she would have to do was feign innocence. 

As she undulated her hips, her ass pressed hard against James's crotch, Lily revelled in the way he made a pathetic attempt to swallow a moan. This would be easier than she thought, just one… Two… He gasped, she opened her mouth to taunt him when a voice from across the terrace broke the illusion of privacy. 

“I was under the impression that this was a self-defence lesson, aren’t you supposed to teach her something useful?” 

James laughed at that and the vivacious sound vibrated through Lily, warm and challenging. He was so open and expressive, a rare quality in the castle, she had found. “Who says this isn’t useful?” he replied, and his grip on her loosened. “I have got her thinking.” 

“Right, thinking is absolutely what I am observing right now,” Sirius returned flatly, the leather sole of his boot making an impatient tapping sound against the limestone. 

This was an opportunity and Lily intended to make full use of it. James was clearly distracted, his attention split by the two of them, and the rising situation in his trousers. There was no way he could keep up with all of it. She was impressed that he still managed to joke. 

She flipped and faltered when she shifted her weight once more, “She’s thinking strategically!” he told Sirius, while she managed to find a good, solid stands. 

“I was thinking you could teach her how to handle a real dagger.” Sirius sigh was that of a tired, suffering man. Yet, despite this clear displeasure at this whole situation, he was still witty, and it was still something so close to banter that she hesitated to call it anything else. 

“She’ll have to earn that.” 

“So, you decided to go for a quid pro quo, a little tit-for-tat?”

“I resent your implications. My intentions are purely educational.” 

“Ah yes, I am sure she can feel how firmly you are invested in her education.” 

Lily couldn’t help but grin when she found her opening, a way into the conversation and perhaps her way out of his grip. “You’re really bursting to teach me more, aren’t you, sir?” she told James, just loud enough to carry across to Sirius. 

She could feel him shudder, his grip letting up and allowing her to slip her arm free. With all her limbs freed, it would have been easy enough to free herself; she could have punched or pushed. But it as a lot easier—and a lot more thrilling—to simply turn around to face James. 

Still caged in his arms, she peered up at the tall knight, her hand resting against the taut muscle of his abdomen, as she let them slowly trail down while she spoke. “So, do you think I’ve earned playing with your dagger now?” she asked, very intentionally batting her lashes at him. 

Lily was delighted to watch the crimson flush spread across his cheeks and all the way up to his ears. He was now glowing, his heart speeding under her touch while he searched for words. The way his weight pressed against her now was different. Unintentional, like something was drawing them together—it was seeking contact rather than trying to restrain her.

“Not quite, Princess. You still need to escape,” James said and she could swear that his eyes lingered on her lips while he swayed closer. Her lashes fluttered against her cheek when he got close enough that his hot breath washed over her. The proximity of him, the promise of satisfaction, made her breath hitch. 

“I hardly see how this constitutes as self-defence, she is barely resisting,” Sirius complained just as Lily fingers curled around the dagger on James’ belt. Her eyes flicked to the Chamberlain with a mischievous wink while she pulled it. 

Lily pressed the sharp tip of the blade under James’ armpit and watched the realisation dawn on his face. “Does that could as an escape, Sir?” she asked, her voice still a low purr, her eyebrows perked up, demanding an answer. 

James’ hand captured her wrist as he carefully lowered the weapon from where she’d rested it. “I believe it does,” he replied in a measured tone. “You seem rather nimble with a blade.” 

“Like I’ve said before, I am not a damsel; I can take care of myself,” she replied, even if that remark was not reserved solely for the knight—after all, he had never insinuated this, unlike their spectator. She flipped the blade over, offering it back to James after he’d stepped away and she pushed away the thought of missing his weight against her already. 

Their eyes lingered, trapped in each others gaze for a moment longer than was likely proper but she couldn’t help it. There was something about the way the light made them shift from a warm, golden brown to a soft green reminding her of the labradorite pendant her grandmother used to wear. 

She could have stared for hours if it had not been for Sirius clearing his throat and breaking the spell. 

“Next time, we’ll see how well you handle a blade,” James promised with a smirk, sheathing his dagger as he stepped away.  “Without the monkey business,” he added and just like that, reminded her just why she’d thought he was insufferable. 

What a shame, because for a moment she thought that choosing a suitor might have been easy.