i just might love you (a hosie royalty au)

Part 20: "Either way, it matters not."

A/n: enjoy :)
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"Don't leave me on a cliff!" Lizzie shouted as she smacked her pillow into Josie's sleepy face. "It was just getting good."

Josie groaned into the pillow, hugging it under her head as she closed her eyes. "If you had let me sleep before I told you, there wouldn't be a problem."

"And if you had kept to a reasonable curfew of," Lizzie paused as she dramatically gazed at the sun. "After the witching hour, at minimum, you'd be safe from the consequences. Now hurry up before you forget everything."

Her twin was getting stronger each day and it made Josie's heart fill with glee. This made it easy to brush off her sisters antics. They were currently in Lizzie's infirmary room, which she would soon be moving out of. She could tell her sister was getting better when she began to complain about the scratchy sheets and bland paintings hanging on the wall. The only thing keeping her twin situated (though barely) was her recount of the previous evenings activities. It was hard for her to comprehend that yes, all of those things did happen mere hours before. So she obliges her sister before she forgets .  .  .

"Your majesty." Dana suddenly interrupts, curtseying pristinely to Hope and cutting in front of Josie. If the brunette thought she could handle it she would duel Dana right here and now. A few more tankards of beer and she'd be ready to go. "Thank you for gracing us with your esteemed presence."

"Uh, sure?" Hope replied, inching away from the blonde. Dana almost scrambles at the distance as soon as she notices it, reaching out and clutching to Hope's muscular forearm.

"I'm sorry. I know you said to treat you like a peer but... it's hard to make that transition so soon." She relaxed her grip. "We don't know each other well after all."

Josie watches as Hope's face shifts downward; her brows furrow as she carefully extracts her arm.

"You're a very intimidating person to approach." Dana withdraws herself, analyzing the best way to endear herself to the heir. "Sorry, I'm just nervous."

"It's alright." Hope replies with a small smile. She brings her hands behind her back, and with what Josie now knows, is probably fiddling with them. Hope seems to forgive the brazen way the blonde noblewoman had just approached her, no doubt empathizing with her words.

Even if they were the fakest liest lying words because Dana is a bitch and definitely has some type of sneaky plan. Josie better get the reins of this conversation before someone (probably her) ends up with beer dumped on them.

"Lady Dana, it's always a pleasure to see you." Josie says, stepping up beside Hope and looping her arm through the heir's.

"Ah, Josette. I didn't notice you there. The pleasure's all mine of course." From far away the blondes smile must have looked polite and polished, but the bulging vein at her temple almost made Josie crack.

"Clearly." Josie mumbled under her breath.

"Now that I think about it, you have been taking up all of the Princess' time this evening."

To Hope's amusement Josie's hold tightens slightly. "I'm not holding her hostage, she goes wherever she likes."

"I'm simply commenting on the fact that maybe someone else should have a turn."