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"Oh don't worry, we've seen him without a shirt on before, when he's fencing." Annabelle said. "But we've important matters to discuss!"

"We brought you an afternoon snack of-"

Annabelle cut Emily off. "That's not important. Why are you two sleeping in the same bed? Oh hwo I truly wish to know." the princess had obviously come to her own conclusion long ago, but she wished to hear it from Lily. "are you two in love?"

"That's a terrible thing to suggest." Martha said. "Lily has said plenty of times that she is but a servant."

"His personal servant." Annabelle said with a grin.

"While it would be romantic if the two fell in love, it's highly dangerous. They are of two different classes," Emily explained "And unlike you I read nonfiction, Annabelle. Such romances have been punishable from removal of the crown to death of one or both lovers."

Elliot sighed loudly silencing his sisters and sitting make, making sure he wasn't being indecent and adjusting the blanket around his waist. "What is for snack?" And stared at the cubs in his sister's arms before deciding not to ask. Cubs were certainly better then the full grown elk she'd brought home.

Martha gently pushed the cart closer, Annabelle having to climb onthe bed to avoid being squished. "For your snack, since brother is sick, we had the chef make some funny stew from his homeland."

"We have a new cook?"

The tomboy nodded. "His kind are relatives of the Kaspians, except from being more towards north, he's from one of the southern islands by middle earth! He's absolutely colorful! His hair and wings are blue!"

"Well that is certainly interesting." Elliot said, taking a bowl and looking at the food, handing the second one to Lily. It might have just been him, but Annabelle and Emily seemed on edge with each other.

"Why would you want to sleep on the floor?" Martha asked.

"All of the servants sleep on beds." Emily agreed, placing the cubs on the floor where they curiously sniffed. "Why wouldn't you? There used to be a bed in here but it was taken out because you never used it."

"Because she wants brother's warmth, that's why." Annabelle said with a smile, holding her own cheeks. "Oh it's just too romantic! A forbidden romance between master and servant!"

"Annabelle stop talking of such things. Emily is quite right,I'd risk having my crown removed. And Lily is my good friend, thus, I adore her as a friend." And ate another spoonful of the chili.It had a texture he wasn't fond of,but he was incredibly hungry, so Elliot couldn't complain.

"But she's blushing!" Annabelle defended.

"I'd be embarrassed to if you were making such far fetched assumptions."

"But I guess it would be adorable." Martha said, one of the cubs trying to gnaw on the shoe she kept on moving away. "I heard Mom once say the Prime Minister used to be poor, and he's rich now. So it sort of makes sense how a prince could love a servant."

"Martha agrees with me."

"She never agreed, she said it made sense. Your hair color makes no sense but we agreed to it."

Elliot's ear twitched as Lily drew near, glancing at her as he continued to eat. "I'm afraid that if we did, Annabelle might attack." But it was Emily that kept on attacking which made him wonder if something had happened in the morning. Annabelle seemed to be building up her attacks. The prince wasn't sure which one was more likely to explode yet. "Let us just wait for now. I would like to see them before they do."

"Stop whispering sweet nothings to each other! My heart cannot take it!"

"They are whispering, sister! Not being romantic in front of us!" Emily explained. The cubs were reacting to Emily, trying their best to give a growl of warning until the child glanced at them, picking them up. "I'm leaving. I have books to read." And strolled out.

"Emily!" Martha called, placing her hands on her hips before looking at the three on the bed. "The Chef says he isn't used to this weather, it's hotter towards middle earth, so I wonder why he came up here." She was deliberately changing the topic.

Martha shrugged. "I would think so. He thought I was a servant kid when I walked into the kitchen a little earlier today. I didn't tell him I wasn't." She chuckled. "It's fun when someone doesn't know you're princess."

"He could tell I was a princess." Annabelle said. "And Emily."

Martha stuck her tongue out playfully. "I don't like dresses."

Elliot was stirring his food now, gaining the strength to take another bite.The flavor was wonderful,it truly was, but the texture, it bothered his tongue. He looked up from the odd color to the feminine face. "Oh, yes please." And eagerly handed Leo the bowl before leaning in close. "And could you bring me back something, slightly less, this?" He really wasn't sure how to word the texture. "I loved the flavor. Tell him I compliment his skills."

"Oh it's so romantic!" Annabelle exclaimed, practically oozing with giddiness.

"Oh hush, now wait outside while I dress." he ordered, using his hand to shoo them out. "And Lily, take the cart away from Martha."

"Noo!" The child wailed, unwillingly going outside with her counterpart.

The kitchen was toning down in business, a lot of dishes being cleaned and food stored away and taken out, preparing to prepare for dinner. The dishwasher, Justin, was bent down below the sink, burrowing around before finding what he needed, a sponge. The hand made the child jump, slamming the door shut on his hand. "Hello Miss Lily." he said with a smiled, gripping his wounded hand and standing up, resuming his dish washing.

The blue winged chef, said wings tucked in close to prevent touching anything, was currently working on gutting and skinning the hog for supper, vivid gold eyes glancing over before he smiled. "So you're the Lily I've been hearing all about. Ever since I came here, the prince's servant, Miss Lily, the bentien." He nodded. "I'm sorry the prince was ill. Had I known I would have made something more mild, like sopapillas with honey. It's really more of a dessert but it soothes you." He chuckled, carefully pulling out the hog's entrails. The only smell was that of blood and meat, and it was strong, back door wide open to help air out the room. "You're as beautiful as they say you are. Jealously. Three kids came in, the princesses and their servant going on and on and on, and Justin joined to. You're very popular among the children."

He paused his gutting to wipe his hands, bending down to look at the porcelain face. "Shame though, I like my women a little rounder, and I've heard from his sister's that the prince already called you first." And laughed again. "Right Justin? The one with pink hair said so!"

The boy glanced back. "Princess Annabelle. She's been spreading gossip about you and Young Master Elliot, Miss Lily. At this rate you're going to endup with child." he grabbed the newly placed bowls, both filled with food and hungrily ate it. Justin last ate breakfast before sunrise, he was famished. "Kinda spicy."

"If you're not used to it. Now, I know your name, Miss Lily. I am Saegthin, and it is a pleasure to meet the most beautiful maid in this kingdom."

Saegthin watched Lily, remaining polite and rustling through the kitchen for more mild ingredients. "I've no doubt they were wrong, but they are children, fantasizing and dreaming. Ah to be young again." he moved to a counter away from the dead hog, fruit being rinsed off before sliced quickly. "You bow a lot." he pointed out with a chuckle. "everyone does that here. But I am not busy, I shall prepare something mild for his stomach." He looked at Lily again, pausing, noticing the sickly color in the woman's cheeks. "You look ill, Miss Lily. We shall talk about the children later. Justin pull up a chair for the lady." And the boy did, finding one and placing it next to the back door, luckily the sink was right beside it.

"Miss Lily, just breathe. You get used to it." But that's because Justin had always worked in the kitchen. The boy went back to the sink, taking the scented soap and holding it up to the maid's nose in hopes it would help.

"You just stay there. Must not be used to it. That's fine. Just smell the soap and I'll finish preparing the small meal. But who would've thought that boy was actually a girl." he laughed, going back to the bowl of fruit and grabbing the honey.

Justin continued holding up the soap toward her nose, nervously glancing back at the cabinet below the sink. "The smell was a lot stronger, but most of it has left already." He murmured.

Justin shook his head. "It's fine. I don't mind at all." He said with a smile, the smile faltering as a cough was heard underneath the sink.

The door opened and Emily was sitting in there. "It stinks down here." She stared, quickly closing the door of the cabinet, hiding herself.

Justin gave a weak chuckle. "Thank you for healing me. Emily predicted you would come find her."

"Ain't she cute?" The chef asked with a laugh. "Went straight to Justin and hid underneath the sink. Well I've finished the bowl of fruit in honey. Shall I take it to him or would you like to?"

Justin was weakly smiling at Lily. "I won't be punished, will I?"

Justin smiles, relieved. he wasn't quite used to the princess being around him and using him as a shield, but it was certainly much better then Martha stealing his clothes. The boy took back the soap, walking back to the sink in time for the cabinet tohithim, the boy flinching before bending downin pain.

"I'm so sorry!" Emily exclaimed as Justin knelt onto the ground, head hitting the floorboards. "I didn't see you! Don't cry I'm sorry!"She exclaimed, stopping the boy's head from hitting the floorboards in pain.

"I'll be fine. I'm too young to need them anyway."

"They still haven't dropped. You're what? Nine?" The chef asked, placing the bowl on the cart.

"Eight." Justin whimpered, finally allowing Emily to help him stand up. "Dishes, I need to wash."

"You're still crying." Emily pointed out.

Emily looked at Lily before whispering something in Justin's ear as he stood up, leaning against the sink before he nodded.

"Bye bye." And Emily walked to Lily's side, waving again to the chef and Justin before the door closed, the princess looking away from Lily as she walked.Her footsteps were muffled by the carpet underneath. "Nothing is happening, she is just being stupid." and silenced after that before mumbling, "I was going to wear one of the dresses Mother had gotten us, that has lots of frills, because I was thinking about what you said." She swallowed, narrowing her eyes somewhat as she felt the onset of tears, doing her best to keep her voice even. "And Annabelle saw, and asked why I was going to wear it. I said just because i felt like it and she disagreed saying it was for parties. Then I said she was wrong because I saw her wear it for no reason the other day, and then she said." he girls voice cracked, small hands gripping at her much more plain dress and brown eyes looking down, jaw clenched as she fought the tears. "A-And then she said I was ugly, and it would only get worse because I'm having trouble seeing far away, so I'd need glasses." And she was trying not to cry, hands covering her face and wiping away at her eyes.

The princess was sniffling. "Martha defended me and her and Annabelle got into a fight, and she tried to rip Annabelle's dresses, but she wasn't strong enough so she was going to break her dollhouse. The maid came in after that." Emily wiped at her eyes again, sniffling and exhaling. "I didn't go to class today because I didn't want to be around Annabelle, I was in the kitchen almost all day. I smell like soap." And managed a giggle. "I met Justin's mom today. She's really nice, her hair is a little white, but she's pretty. Her hair is as dark as his."