One and only

Chapter one

Laura moved swiftly through the echoing halls of Windsor castle with a quiet grace that belied her humble background. In the past two years she had served here as a maid, she had made herself quite familiar with the castle's many winding hallways and hidden staircases. She made her way down the old stairs that led to the kitchen, the large crate she carried seemed to weigh more than usual...or perhaps she was just tired from all the extra work she's been assigned as of late.
"Your delivery is here!" Laura calls out, pushing open the heavy kitchen door with her hip.
"Thank you dear! You can set it on the table with all the others!" Replies Sybil, not looking up from the bread she was kneading.
Sybil was the head scullery maid, she had been working at this castle since King Nicholas was just a child. Or so said the other maids. It was hard to tell the truth from fabricated gossip around here. Nevertheless, Sybil was there for Laura when she first moved to the castle. Though she wouldn't say she was an overtly gentle or affectionate woman, she kindly took the time to train her, making sure she could carry out her duties as quickly and competently as possible, and for that, Laura was always thankful.
"It feels as if they've filled this thing with rocks..." Laura huffs as she plops it down amongst the other large crates on the table.
Sybil's chuckle fills the air. "I am not surprised, we've been receiving more than double the normal portion for the past week.
Laura's eyebrow quirks up as she leans against the table. "Why is that?"
"You haven't heard?" Sybil finally turns to Laura, dusting the large amount of flower off of her hands.
Laura was not one to pay attention to gossip, so she was often the last to know when something was going on. "The king has invited the Duke of Rothesay and his family to stay at the castle...most likely so he can offer up his youngest daughter's hand in marriage."
"Hm." Laura let out an uninterested hum as she considered what Sybil had said. Princess Eloise would soon turn eighteen, so she was entering her last prime year of marriage...according to the nobles at least.
"I'm surprised the king let her stay unwed for as long as he did...but I suppose I wouldn't want to deal with that unruly child's tantrums either." Sybil states as she turns around to continue kneading her dough."
Sybil bites her cheek as she holds back any comment she'd like to make. She couldn't help but feel bad for Eloise. As the youngest daughter of four she did not hold much value outside of marriage, and the alliances it could secure for the kingdom. It was a similar situation that led the now queen to be wed to king Nicholas. She herself was the youngest daughter of a wealthy kingdom of the east. The marriage between her and Nicholas had secured a claim to one of the most equitable trade routes of the known world, consequently plunging the kingdom of Windsor to an economic peak. It seemed that princess Eloise was destined for a similar fate.
"I suppose that just means there will be more work for us..." States Laura, absentmindedley tucking a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear.
"Indeed, so you ought to get started  now so you can finish before nightfall, miss Elis." Sybil states with a dry chuckle.
Laura's surname meant nothing to her. How could it? She had little memory of the family it was attached to. It was a particularly brutal winter when her mother had died, succumbing to a sickness that had spread through the kingdom. Laura was only six at the time...too young to really understand the permanence of death, and the effect it would inevitably have on her. All she could remember was her mothers weak smile as she gripped onto her little hand...
Laura shook the thought from her head as she sauntered over to stand beside Sybil. "Is that your polite way of telling me to leave you alone?"
"I can think of some much more abrasive ways to say it if you'd prefer..."
"No, no! That's quite alright! I suppose I'll take my leave then..." replies Laura with a grin, swiping an apple off of the counter as she walks out of the kitchen.
Laura's footsteps echo as she ascends the old cobble stone staircase back to the main hall of the castle. She made her way past the grand tapestries that chronicled the story of the royal family's origins. She knew they were meant to be serious and imposing, but she couldn't help but quietly chuckle to herself as she looked at their funny poses and frilly outfits. She pushes open the dark oak door to the drawing room, where there were many surfaces that needed polished and dusted. She let out a soft sigh as she got to work, following the routine she had done almost every day for the past two years. It was a mundane life, but she couldn't complain. There were others in the kingdom who lived in far worse conditions. At least she had a roof over her head and knew when her next meal would be...
"There you are!"
Laura turns as she hears the familiar excited voice coming from the doorway.
"Here I am." She replies bluntly as she watches Princess Eloise enter the room.
"Someone's in a mood..." Eloise huffs as she plops down on the couch Laura had just finished straightening up. She winced slightly as she saw the crisp cushions come untucked. Despite the fact she had just ruined her hard work, Laura couldn't help but notice how beautiful Princess Eloise looked sitting there...the sunlight from the window reflected off of her long golden hair, and her light blue dress matched her eyes perfectly. She would make an excellent bride for the duke indeed. 
"Well your father has had me very busy running around preparing for his guests." Laura says as she tosses Eloise the apple she had stowed carefully in her pocket. Eloise catches the apple with a big grin on her face.
"Apple's are my favorite fruit, you know."
"I know, that's why I snuck one for you." Laura replies with a grin as she watches Eloise take a big bite.
"I'm surprised Sybil didn't cut your hand off for taking it...I'm sure she's even crabbier than usual since she has to account for all the guests." Eloise states, seemingly not caring that she has a mouth full of food.
"Well, you don't have to be afraid of her when you're as sneaky as me..." Laura replies with a nonchalant shrug. In reality Sibil was just too busy to notice, but Eloise didn't have to know that.
Laura was only eighteen when she began working at the castle. She was one of the only maids close to princess Eloise's age, so naturally they had developed a sort of friendship. Laura couldn't help but give the poor girl attention, she was often neglected and overlooked by her family. Many people would call her bratty, annoying, and too talkative. But Laura knew it was just because she needed someone to pay attention to her every once in a while, and she didn't mind providing that for her. Besides, she was much better company than the other crabby maids.
"You? Sneaky?" Eloise asks with a grin.
"Come on, we both know you're a boring rule follower, why would you know how to be sneaky?"
"Well perhaps there's things you don't know about me princess, have you ever considered that?" Asks Laura light heartedly as she sits on the couch beside the princess. Eloise grabs on to her arm with a wild grin.
"So the perfect Laura has some secrets, hmm?" Asks Eloise wiggling her eyebrows at her.
Laura chuckles at her eager question. "Nothing of interest to you, I'm sure."
"Well I have a secret for you..." Eloise cups her hand over her mouth as she leans in to dramatically whisper in Laura's ear. "The guest my father invited... is the Duke of Rothesay." She leans back, clearly expecting Laura to be shocked.
"Hm you don't say..." Replies Laura, not wanting to disappoint her with the fact she already knew.
"You already knew didn't you!" Eloise smacks Laura's arm playfully. "You damn maids and your gossip...I'm always the last to know..."
Laura laughs softly as the princess huffs and pouts.
"It's not funny you know! My father expects me to marry and I'm the last one to find out about it!"
Laura's smile falters as she hears Eloise's words. She wasn't as naive as everyone made her out to be. She knew exactly what her father expected from this encounter. She searched her face for some kind of sign of how she felt about it.
"You don't know that for sure-"
"Do not treat me as a naive little child! I know exactly what my father wants, he wants to trade me for easy coin!" Snaps Eloise. She turns quickly to gaze out of the window, her nails digging into the forgotten apple in her hand. It broke Laura's heart to see her like that. She was usually so happy and carefree, but now she just looked hurt and scared.
"Hey..." Laura gently grabs Eloise's chin and turns her to look her in the face...the sight before her breaks her heart even more. Eloise bites her lip as she tries in vain to keep the tears from running down her cheeks. She looks up at Laura for a moment with a devastatingly hopeless look before finally breaking.
"Oh Laura..." She sobs out as she throws her arm around the maids neck. Her hot tears soak through her dress, but Laura doesn't care. All she wants to do at this moment is help ease the pain that this poor girl was feeling. She couldn't imagine how it must feel...to know you have no control over your fate. Laura holds onto her tightly as she soothingly runs her fingers through her golden hair.
"Shh it's alright sweet girl..." She coos gently. "Everything is going to be okay..." Eloise just grips on to her tighter, grabbing a fistfull of her dress as she buries her face in the crook of her neck. Laura just sits there and lets her cry. Her sobs echo pitifully throughout the empty room. After a while,  Eloise lifts her head from the crook of Laura's neck, a wild look in her tear filled eyes.
"Promise you won't leave me...please...I can't bear the thought of being without you..." Those desperate words...the way she's outright begging her to stay...It breaks Laura's heart. She does not want to hurt the girl by making a promise she can't keep...she knows what will happen when she gets married. She'll have to move away to her husband's estate while Laura will have no choice but to stay behind.
"I promise..." Laura finally replies, wanting to spare the poor girl any more heartbreak. Eloise's face softens ever so slightly at her words.
"Good... I...I don't want to be all alone again..." Eliose whispers as she casts her gaze to the floor. The poor girl...her parents made no effort to give her any attention. She was not a diplomatic alliance maker like her eldest sister, and she could not fight in any war like her brothers the princes. She was completely disregarded...that was until she came of marrying age. Laura gazes at her for a moment before gently placing her hand under her chin and lifting her face up.
"Eloise, I would never leave you of my own accord, I promise you that." It was not permitted for the staff, or any commoner for that matter, to refer to the royal family by name. But in this moment, Laura did not see a cold imposing princess, she saw a young girl who was uncertain and needed comfort. Eloise searched her face desperately, wanting more than anything to believe her.
"Why do you speak as if you've already been ripped from my grasp..." Eloise asks, looking into Laura's eyes pitifully.
"Well...when you're married my lady...your husband-" Eloise suddenly grips onto Laura's neck like a lifeline.
"I don't want a husband...I want you..." She whispers shakily.
Laura is taken aback at her sudden admittance. She was so innocent, dreaming of a life in which she didn't have to get married, where she could live freely forever. Laura wanted nothing more than to live in that reality with her...to whisk her away, and do nothing more than gossip and frolic around together forever. But it was simply unrealistic. A woman could do nothing without a husband. She could not buy a home, she could not speak for herself legally...to keep Eloise from taking a husband would be to doom her chances at a decent life. Laura's heart aches as she reaches up to pet the princess's hair gently.
"My sweet girl..." There's many things Laura wants to say...she wants to tell her that everything will be okay, that she'll be by her side forever, that she'll do anything to protect her and give her what she wants...but the words die on the tip of her tongue. She knows she cannot feed into these sweet delusions. So instead she just sits there, running her hands through the princess's hair gently as she sniffles against her. The two of them sit holding each other like that for an immeasurable amount of time before Eloise finally sits up. She reaches her delicate hand up to gently brush a stray lock of hair out of Laura's face, her hand coming to rest against her cheek tenderly.
"Thank you...for comforting me." She says as she gazes into Laura's eyes sincerely. A light blush spreads across Laura's cheeks at the tender gesture...the princess is not known for her softness, not even towards her.
"Of course, my princess." She responds with a smile, behind which hides the many conflicting emotions swirling in her head.