𝐸𝓁𝓂𝒶𝓍 𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓉𝓈

𝓜'𝓵𝓪𝓭𝔂

An AU in which Eleanor Ives is a Princess and Maxine Mayfield is her Lady-In-Waiting.
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[Maxine's POV]

When I met Princess Eleanor, we were both five years old. Her mother, the queen, caught me glancing at her instead of doing my job and she decided to take me away from my parents so I could be brought up to be Eleanor's Lady-In-Waiting. So I grew up living in the castle, but it wasn't glamorous. I was always fetching boiling hot pitchers of water for her baths, burning my hands in the process and other things like that. However, the part of my day I enjoyed the most was when Eleanor would request my presence right when the sun went down, telling me about her day and even asking me about mine.

When Eleanor got older, she grew fond of our neighboring kingdom's son, Michael. Michael seemed nice enough, but for some reason whenever I saw them together, I hated it. Then I met Michael's footman, Lucas, and he seemed to fancy me. I took a liking to him as well. He even tried to approach the Queen to see if he could buy my hand with his father's three billies and finest milking cow. Eleanor told me that I should feel proud, apparently that is a lot for a peasant. But it sadly didn't work out, as the Queen intended for me to be a part of Eleanor's ladies forever, or at least until I get too old to fetch the boiling water for her baths. Eleanor seemed glad that I wasn't leaving, though she was distraught at the reason why. I didn't mind it though, I was glad to stay with Eleanor.

Recently, there has been news throughout the kingdom of a Ball being held at Prince Michael's kingdom. Princess Eleanor was to attend, as is tradition. Eleanor told me that they were in a courtship, and I wasn't quite fond with the idea of it. I'm certain it's just because if she gets married, she will get a whole new set of ladies, and I will be left to take care of the queens' other children. Which I wouldn't mind except for the fact that they all think I'm a witch. Apparently my hair frightens people, which I believe is why Princess Eleanor is so fond of me. She doesn't fancy what is normal. I don't believe that witches are evil. I believe people are scared of witches because they don't follow the beaten path. They aren't afraid to be peculiar, they thrive off of being peculiar.

My thoughts were startled by Princess Eleanor walking into the room as I finished pouring the hot water into the bathtub. I accidentally breathe in some of the steam, coughing. "Maxine are you alright?" I nod, walking up to help her get into the bath. She takes off her robe, dropping it to the floor as she climbs the steps up into the bathtub. I look away. I've never found it comfortable to look at her while she's bathing, she's never brought it up before, therefore, I'm right. "Maxine, darling, how was your day? Any new suitors?" I sit on one side of the tub, looking down and away from Eleanor. "M'lady, I must remind you that I prefer to go by 'Max'." Eleanor hums, placing her hand gently on my arm. "Then I must remind you that I prefer to go by 'El'." I nod "Of course m'lad- El." I look at her before remembering why I had been looking down. "You're very skittish, aren't you Max?" I feel my face get hot. "No,..El, I'm just tired." She removes her hand, slowly standing up and climbing out of the tub. I hurriedly grab her robe, slipping it back over her shoulders. "Won't you join me for the evening?" She grabs my hand, I look up into her eyes. Stunning. "I've nothing better to do." 

She walks slowly into her room, stopping once she gets there. "Will you fetch us nightgowns?" I nod, looking down as I walk over to her wardrobe and get us two nightgowns. "I don't see why I can't just sleep in my own garments?" The princess smiles "That wouldn't be very comfortable, would it?" So I turn around, slipping my dress over my head and pulling the soft, silky nightgown on in its place. I turn back around, the Princess struggles to tie her nightgown shut. "Might you require help?" El turns to me, nodding her head. I reach up, grasping the two string in my hands,  fastening them as tight as I can and tying them together. "There." El turns back around "Do you have it?" I sigh softly, shaking my head. "May I assist you?" I shake my head. "No, m'lady, I can do it myself." El wraps her hands around me, reaching the strings on my back. She stops, gazing into my eyes. "What?" She blinks slowly, beginning to fasten the back of the dress. "Nothing." I look down at my feet, feeling heat return to my cheeks. The princess finishes tying the strings, lifting my head up to meet her gaze. "My.. your face is so red." She smiles. I look down at her lips, beginning to tilt forward on my toes, planting a kiss on her lips. I feel her lips moving with mine, when I pull back, she smiles. "Don't leave me, m'lady." She places her hands on my waist, leaning down for another peck. "I was never going to." 

A/N
917 words
This is cute
my victorian era lingo is benign at best, 
forgive me if I butchered it, historians (I gave up at some points)
I might do more chapters with these two,
(I know that's against 'oneshot')
kinda like a recurring situation,
but we'll see
enjoy!
-Roza