The Princess and The Commoner

In Which the Girl's Backs Ache

After the walk home, Emma lay down on the bed. Tired from all the walking and squealing she had done for the day. When she finally got cozy and started to drift off, the seamstress walked in.

"Oh no you don't, you've got a lot of work to help me with. Even if your 16 you still have to help. Jacob's here again to lend a hand so be nice to him." She left after saying this, mumbling about how much work in so little time there was to do.

Emma wondered who Jacob was. Thinking back to the night where this all started, Emma remembered a mention of Jacob. He was a "boy who lives next door who helps out." To Bella the boy was "very annoying" and the princess should just "ignore him." Signing the princess walked over to the dirty mirror, fixed herself up, and walked into the shop. There was a tall boy who she presumed was Jacob. He had dirty blond hair and green eyes like the leaves of the many plants in the castle garden. Although he was dirty and his clothes, like everyone else's in the village, were torn and patched in many places, Jacob was very handsome. When he saw that she had walked in he walked over to her with a smirk on his face.

"Hey, Bella. How was your first day in the big castle?" His tone was mocking, but Emma couldn't help but answer sincerely.

"Very good, thank you for asking," Emma said before remembering how she had to act annoyed by him, "Better than hanging out here with you." She added with an eye roll.

"Ha." Jacob laughed and sat down at a nearby table, starting to see things together. Walking around the table to sit across from Jacob, the princess realized she had no idea how to sow. She glanced over at how Jacob was moving the thread and started doing the same to hers. Several times the seamstress made her start over and several times Jacob laughed and teased her at how bad she was doing. Finally after a while, Emma started to get the hang of it and quickly caught up to where Jacob was on his sowing. Soon it was a competition against the two.

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Bella never realized how many responsibilities a princess had until she became one. She had to go from one lesson on proper posture to the proper way to ride a horse. All the teachers words went through one ear and out the next. By the time Bella had a break her back aches from standing up right and she was tired from all the countless activities she was made to do.

Sitting down on her bed, she wondered what she would do for her free time. Wondering around the castle until she found what the princess describe as the arts room, she found a needle and thread. Sitting down next the the familiar objects, she quickly became at home with just the needle and thread and the sound of the needle pulling through the fabric she had found.

The fabric was silk, just like almost every other clothing item the princess had. Bella found that she loved the smooth feel of the fabric and the glossy finished it had. She loved to sow the different patterns of the silk onto each other making a soft, glossy patchwork quilt. Soon after she was done with the quilt and snuggled into it on her bed. There was a knock on the door. Sighing, she opened the door to see one of her maids. ("Maybe her names Lilly," she thought) The maid had heard the loud sigh and quickly became like a mother.

"Oh my dear. You have bags under your eyes. Come, come. I have just the thing. There's a prince waiting for you outside," the maid said with a smile.

"A prince!" The commoner said, suddenly not tired at all. She hoped it was Jeremy coming to see her again.

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When Bella was finally done with the maid's (she learned her name was Shelly) remedy, which happened to be makeup, the maid laid out a dress for the commoner. The dress had flower lace around the sides of the dress and came together in the front with a fake red rose. Under the lace was white silk. The maid helped her get into her bodice and slipped her gown over her head. Pinning Bella's hair into a braided bun with pieces hanging out with it, the maid placed a rose matching her dress and stepped back to view her masterpiece.

"Perfect," she said, smiling an even bigger smile. Showing the commoner herself in the mirror, the commoner stepped back in fear. She saw not herself in the mirror, but Emma. She then realized how much her and Emma looked alike.

Shelly seemed satisfied and left the commoner alone to be amazed at how much she looked like Emma. Finally, gathering her courage, Bella stepped out of the room and down the grand staircase. Looking down she saw Jeremy waiting for her with flowers. She ran towards him and hugged him tightly, not caring if any of her teachers found her and scolded her for being unladylike.

Jeremy, obviously surprised that a princess would act this way, then returned the hug.

"Seems like you missed me as much as I missed you," he said once the hug was over.

"Oh yes, very much so. It's been all teaching proper posture and the proper way to pour tea and on and on. My back started hurting from having to hold it straight for so long. And my teachers are so strict. If I do one thing wrong, I'm done for..." Bella stopped realizing she was going on and on, "I'm sorry it's been a long day."

"Oh no, please go on. I love to hear your stories!" Jeremy said looking down at her.

"Okay, let's talk in the garden," Bella said. As they sat in the garden, they talked until night fell and Jeremy had to leave. When they finally sat up and said their goodbyes, Jeremy surprised Bella with a kiss. It was a quick kiss but one the was sincere. Bella had only been kissed one other time by someone out of her family and that one was annoying Jacob, this one was with handsome Jeremy. His lips were soft and warm and filled Bella with hope and love. It ended as fast as it started and Bella was left with a funny feeling inside.

"Goodnight Princess Esmerelda," Jeremy said, bowing and walking out of the garden.

And that's when the commoner realized he though he was in love with a princess, not a commoner.