The Queen and the Theif

Morning

The next morning I wake up, makeup still on, though I wasn't drunk enough to keep my dress on. Or maybe I was and someone took it off. A woman suddenly comes in, startling me. She is older, with black hair with streaks of grey, making her look like she knows all, but not old enough to look senile.
"Your dress is in the closet, Your Highness," She says, seeing me looking around. She quickly walked into the closet. I am still perplexed at who she is, and why she is here, when she comes out. "My name is Nelouise Von Achenburg, but you can call me Nellie. I have been assigned by his Majesty, Prince Cassian to make sure you have all you need, and to get you ready each day and night. Now. What color and fit of dress today?"
"Do I know what I'm doing today?" I said, playing along. I've had maids before. Usually three or four, but this will have to do I suppose. I haven't had one so friendly though.
"Today you will be touring the kingdom on horseback with His Majesty," She says, getting the makeup and hair things out of my vanity. I finally got out of bed, a headache blasting me.
"Then let's do a royal blue," I say, feeling groggy. "Gold details, and a flat skirt, full length. Riding boots too." I add with satisfaction. Let's see if she can do that.
To my utter surprise, Nellie walks out with a dress that is an exact description, and an outer-corset that she fits to my size once on. It is gorgeous, and makes me look regal, but not overdone. We do my hair in a half up, half down look and curl it. While curling, Nellie asks me a question.
"Your from Saton, yes?" She says
"That is correct" I answer, unsure how to feel about the small talk.
"I'm from Saton"
"That's lovely" I reply "What region?"
She hesitates before answering "Orbitrov, I left there after my father and mother were killed in the great Massacre."
She's a rebel. Oh my God. They assigned my maid to be an Orbitrov rebel. She continued, not knowing oh my sudden mental rage.
"Queen Juliette?" She says, lost in thought. "What do you like about Prince Cassian?"
This startles me. I am stunned for a second, so I can barely get my answer out. "Oh my..." I say, "I haven't known him long, but right now I like his humor, and he is a bit handsome"
A deep voice came from the doorway "A bit handsome? Not incredibly, devilishly handsome? I'm offended." I whirl around, and there, leaning on the doorway is my fiance, looking unfortunately amazing. And who knew? Dressed in all black, with a smirk plastered across his frustratingly perfect face.
"You've stooped down to listen to innocent girls' conversations? How scandalous," I say, an equal smirk on my own face as I turn back around. I suppose I was referring to Nellie. Nothing innocent about me.
"Innocent? Yeah right. But don't get me wrong, I'm glad my fiance thinks I'm handsome, I just think you're selling me short over here," He says, now approaching. "After all, I think my fiance is the most gorgeous woman I have ever met. But whatever you think. Not to mention she has the sharpest tongue I have ever seen. I think you are the only woman in all of the kingdoms who would insult the crown prince of the second most powerful country in the world."
"Oh, Cassy baby, you seem to forget I rule the first."
"Someone's feeling snarky today," he says, as Nellie finishes my hair, and starts on my makeup. He is staring at me. "How would you feel about a tour of my kingdom?"
"Your kingdom? How would Mariland feel about that?" I said, giving him a pouty lip. Suddenly his eyes got wide, as if an idea was sparking.
"Would you prefer I call it our kingdom?" He got really close, our noses only a couple inches apart. "You know what? You've got to stop doing that," He said, eyes flicking from my eye, to my lips, and back again.
"What?" I exclaimed, suddenly flustered. He knows how to paint my cheeks red as well as Da Vinci himself.
"Saying things that make me want to kiss you."
I was momentarily speechless, as he looked in my eyes with such intensity it was a wonder I didn't collapse because of the pressure.
He suddenly burst into laughter, running to the other side of the room. It only takes me a moment before realizing. He stole my hair clip.
The hair clip Ezra gave me while we were dating, because it was all he could afford, and it was my favorite color. Shoot.
I dash across the room, skirts getting in my way, and under my feet, hair most certainly coming more undone then it was already, to try and catch my fiance dear. Suddenly I realized Nellie. I searched around the room for the judging look I'm so used to I'm sure was on her face, but to my surprise, she had already left us alone. Huh.
"Get back here!" I yelled at him as he dodged my attempts to tackle him. Very lady like Ms. Power Queen. I finally got close enough to tackle him, when he suddenly threw the clip onto my bed nearby, and picked me up by the waist spinning me, my black to his front still cackling with laughter as I kicked to try and get him to release me so I could dive for the clip. He then turned me around, and planted a big, long kiss on my lips, once again effectively shutting me up, and pausing my movements.
"Oh, love," He said, releasing me, still laughing a bit out of breath. "I want to tell you I love you until my throat bleeds."
My heart softened. This is why I chose him. I looked him in the eyes, intense. Then I finally turned around, and tackled him onto my bed.
"I win!" I said, triumphant, suddenly realized I tackled him onto my bed. I attempted to scramble up, realizing how inappropriate this is, but he had a firm grasp on my waist. With a start I realized, this doesn't feel sexual as i thought it was. It would be with anyone else. And I feel comfortable.
"I actually think I win," He said, that silly smirk that I'm growing to adore appearing again. This was my chance to catch him. I kiss him, catching him off guard, just like I planned. I kept it up for another ten seconds or so, until he loosened his grip, before reaching over and snatching the hair clip he threw on the bed and hopping off, and reclipping it in my hair.
"Come on, give me a tour." I say, looking over at his pink stained cheeks then begin cinching up my walking boots.
"Well this is disappointing," He said, looking exaggeratingly gloomy. "I shouldn't have suggested that," He says, hopping up and coming over to where I'm touching up my makeup. "Need any help?"
"With what?" I say, perplexed
"Your hair," He says, suddenly looking sheepish. "I used to do it with my sister because my mom was busy..."
"Uhm, sure! Want to braid the top half and make it into a half up half down, and clip it?"
"Easy," He says, a lazy smile playing across his face. It truly was easy for him, because it ended up being the best braid I had ever seen. It looked professional. I was skeptical at first, but as he was braiding my hair, the atmosphere switched from funny to intimate. He disappeared into my closet before coming out with a golden tiara, studded with diamond leaves and flowers, and lightly placed it on my head. I turned and looked at him. And as he looked at me, he looked as if he had just experienced euphoria. "My queen." He whispered, so quiet I almost couldn't hear it at all.
"What is a queen without her king?" I said, looking in his eyes equally quiet.
"Every thing" he responded quietly
I got out and went to my provided closet I was given this morning to see a rack Kings crown that matches my own. I picked out one engraved with diamond thorns. I walk up to him and place it on his head, standing on my tippy toes, then turning and looking into the mirror as his hand rests on my waist. "We look good together. The queen and her dark angel. Perfect."