[M] Royally Mistaken [Ashen & Midoripickle]

[Ashen]

Giuseppe raised an eyebrow at her. She was lying. He could tell, but he said nothing. If she were fibbing about something, she'd have reason. He could sense no immediate danger, so he let it go. He instead took her hand to prevent her from fleeing, though he figured she'd not dare flee from a prince anyway, especially not one with a horse right beside him. "You did not fall," he told her. "You tackled that thief, and that is not something to fib about. You were splendid there, and I do not understand why you would undermine that." He gave a wide, white grin. In that moment he looked like a child, and it was hard to imagine the man who had assumed authority in apprehending the thief.

She seemed unsure of herself. Giuseppe noted this, too. A simple servant girl... Well, her speech was not of royalty, least not Ibeacian royalty. Giuseppe had been taught not to use contractions, not to slur his speech. Hearing the quirks in her speech just made him happy. She wasn't the royal scum he hated, even if she did bear a suspicious necklace. Perhaps, Giuseppe thought, she had stolen it. Perhaps he shouldn't have been mingling with her.

"I care not what you are," he told her. "I asked of your calling. Surely you will not refuse your prince such a simple thing as your name?" He raised his brow at her again, but he did not at all seem menacing. If anything, he was teasing her. "I hardly think anyone would punish you for wandering too far," he continued. "You need not worry about that. Just let them come to me. I hardly think your wandering will matter when they are to face the prince, or even the king, of this land." He had a smirk on his face. Giuseppe didn't abuse his power, but he was no stranger to occasionally using it to his advantage. He was right, too. Anyone that had a problem with her would have to speak to him, and he could deal with anyone, easy.

[Midori-Hime]

She tensed a little as he took her hand, almost wanting to shy away from the touch. Normally she wouldn't hesitate with a nobleman, but she was a great deal more cautious about offending the prince. However, Jessamine looked up into the Prince's eyes suddenly as he called her splendid, her heart skipping a beat. She couldn't help but return his childish smile, but she looked down suddenly, remembering that a servant wouldn't look him directly in the eyes like that.

She would have expected to be scolded for acting in such a way, but his praise was refreshing and lifted her spirits. It was rare to find someone who could appreciate who she truly was inside. Jessamine despised the idea of becoming a precious doll. A silent, obedient ornament to adorn her husband's arm. No, she was meant for so much more than that... If only she could escape for good. Jessamine swallowed as he asked for her name for a second time. "M-my name... is Mary, your Majesty." She told him, regretting it immediately. Mary was going to want to kill her when she found out.

Again he insisted on taking her to the castle. The prince's intentions were kind and thoughtful, improving her opinion of him greatly, but at the same time he was oh so wrong. To no fault of his own of course... Jessamine had lied and now she was in a bit of a predicament. She couldn't exactly tell her parents she had run into the prince without first admitting she had ran off, dressed up as a servant, and then lied to the prince. Jessamine could already feel the sting of leather on her backside. Perhaps having the prince facing her parents would lessen her punishment, but then he didn't know that her father was the Duke. "A-all right... I will come with you. But I must make it brief. I can't keep my house waiting too long." She agreed finally to go with him. She'd deal with her punishment later...

[Ashen]

She looked directly into his eyes. Giuseppe was astonished at this, though he showed no inclination of it. Her eyes were a darker shade of his own, and he found a certain beauty within them. Staring right into the face of royalty--the tenacity in this one! The young prince was actually getting excited. She wasn't a normal girl. In fact, she wasn't acting ladylike at all, and he was loving it.

He smiled when he said she'd come with him. "Mary," he said, rolling the name over. "That is the name of one of our servants, the very same." It was a mindless comment, something to continue the conversation. Anyone who knew him would be surprised at this. Giuseppe was never one to try to continue conversation with a lady. in fact, he was somewhat renowned for the opposite, for scaring women away. This one, though, he couldn't let this one get away. "Mother would be simply delighted to meet you. Perhaps she might even get off my case!" He had a smile on his lips at that one. Wouldn't that be nice...?

He turned to his steed and gave him a pat on the neck. "You know how to ride a horse?" he asked her. "It will be quickest to ride right into the castle. Well, right into the castle paddock. From there we can go to the apothecary. I will tell Mother what has happened. I also must return a spear to the throne room. But I will be with you shortly after. Our apothecary works wonders. Only the best for House Ibeacia, you know. That is what Father always says. Oh, where are my manners? What kind of prince would I be if I just rambled on all afternoon? Please, allow me to quiet myself. I will help you onto our ride." He moved his hands to act as a stirrup, but soon retraced them. "Oh!" he recalled. "Though I am sure it is unnecessary, a proper introduction is always polite. I am Prince Giuseppe Anderson Liam Ein, of House Ibeacia." He gleamed with pride at his name, and it was clear he had a deep love for his country and the men who had given him his name. "My name is rant enough! Oh, come, let us get you to the castle."

[Midori-Hime]

Jessamine smiled as he said her name, her pretend name. Though it fell away quickly as he spoke of introducing her to his mother, the Queen of Ibeacia. "O-oh no, I couldn't possibly-" She replied, a bit horrified at the idea of meeting the queen under a false identity. She was much more likely to run into the king and queen at court. Oh her parents would murder her...

Her stormy eyes moved to the beautiful horse beside them. "Of course I do." She replied, though she blanched at the mention of the queen again. "P-please don't. Really, you don't need to worry her about such trivial things. Especially in regards to a servant girl." Jessamine was quickly regretting agreeing to go with him to the castle. She watched him move to help her into the saddle. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Giuseppe." She said, smiling at the pride in his name. Though it was the sort of selfish pride, she could see that much.

As Jessamine was about to get on the horse with Giuseppe's help, it suddenly dawned on her that she'd only ridden side saddle before. Surely that would give her noble grooming away. So instead she swung her other leg over the saddle the way a man would. She blushed a little, quickly fixing her gown to cover her legs. But it amazed her how much more comfortable this style of riding was. Oh she could just imagine the look on her mother's face if she saw her now. "Please, let us be quick." She urged him.

[Ashen]

Giuseppe observed the way she got onto her horse. She didn't ride like a lady, and this girl was quickly becoming an intriguing mystery to him. Giuseppe just shrugged it off, however, and he got into place in front of her. Soon, they set off for his home.

He allowed his steed to carry on at a trot. This gave them time enough to speak. He did not look at her, instead kept his eyes on the road, but he was obviously talking to her. "I have already told you I care not of your origins," he said, though if he knew the truth he might have spoke differently. "And I am sure Mother would adore you. But very well, if you've no business with Mother, I will simply see you to our apothecary."

They arrived there in just a few minutes. Giuseppe was greeted by several guards who all seemed surprised to see a woman with him. He hopped off his steed in a rather unceremonious way and helped Mary off as well. "Gerald, if you would," he said to one of the guards, motioning to his horse. The man nodded and immediately led the horse away. Giuseppe entered the castle, leading Mary. "The apothecary is just to the right here. One second." He swung his head around a doorframe leading into a hallway. "Mother!" he yelled. "I have returned!" He then turned his attention back to Mary. "Right now, this way."

Being a castle, Giuseppe's home was a large building, with blue and gold trim at every corner. Guards shuffled about the castle, and occasionally a servant would give a weak smile towards Giuseppe. The apothecary's room was one of many doors in a hallway to the right of the main entrance. When they entered, an elderly man looked up from a book. "Your Highness!" he greeted. "Is everything well? What can I get for you?" He whistled as he spoke. Wrinkles covered his face and easily showed his years. Giuseppe smiled at him. "I would like you to take a look at this fair maiden!" he told him. The prince even waved to her. It seemed his spirit was back. "She has been injured in combat, and I would like you to heal her." He gave a shy smile, then added, "If you would." The apothecary moved from behind his desk to approach the woman. His brown eyes seemed to smile up at her. "You would not mind?" he asked.

[Midori-Hime]

"I don't mean any disrespect of course." She said, looking towards him. "I'd love to meet her but perhaps under better circumstances." She said, hoping that he wasn't upset. He didn't seem to be though, from what she could tell. She was glad the ride was brief. Jessamine looked to him, taking hold of his arms to slide down off the horse and quickly fixed her dress. She glance to the guards and then quickly looked down.

Jessamine was a bit speechless at the beauty of the castle. Though her father had been there many times, she never had. It was definitely a grand palace, but truly she wasn't envious. If her life was strict, she could only imagine what it must be like to live here as a royal. She broke away from her thoughts as the Prince called to his mother like a small child might. However, she found it charming in a way, hiding her smile with a hand. Jessamine quickly regain her composure before she followed Guiseppe to see the apothecary. She stood quietly as the apothecary approached, nodding and held out her arm for him to see.

[Ashen]

The apothecary took her arm with very gentle hands. He looked her over and seemed to consider. "You say she was injured in combat, Your Highness?"
Giuseppe looked up from her arm. He seemed dumbfounded for a second, then shook his head. "Yes, er, well, she chose to fight off a thief who stole something of hers. I helped, of course; no man would let a woman fend for herself, especially not a prince, and I was--"
"Thank you, Prince," the apothecary interrupted with a smile. "Your ladyfriend here is fine, I shall just give her an ointment, if you shall allow me to concoct--"
"Sir she is not my ladyfriend," cut in Giuseppe, who crossed his arms over his chest. "She is a maiden I found that needed assistance, and I was able to deliver."
The apothecary shook his head. "How I do miss youth," he murmured. "Please, allow me ten minutes."

Giuseppe turned away from the apothecary. He sighed and looked to Mary. "His ointments are second to none," he told her. "Here at the castle we have all the ingredients he might need. If I know our apothecary, I know he is making an ointment with vinegar and myrrh. Nothing harmful to you, mind. You will be good as new once he is finished with you." But at that moment there was a knock on the door, and a girl barged in. She looked first at Mary, then to the apothecary, and a smile played over her face. "Well, well, Gale." Her voice was confident, and the smirk she wore was wide.
"Do not call me that," Giuseppe said, teeth bared. He was already reaching for the spear he was holding.
"Oh, what will you do, slay me? Please." She looked to the other woman in the room. As she curtsied, her long, curly black hair shielded green eyes. When she looked up again, she shook her hair out of her face and smiled brightly. "Salutations, stranger," she greeted. "I am Princess Violet of Ibeacia, but I am certain you knew that. And you might be--"
"Violet, go away." Giuseppe gave his sister a nudge. "She is my business, not yours."
"Your business? Oh, has my idiot brother finally found a sweetheart? And a commoner at that. Oh, Mother will love this! And why, sweet brother, is she at the apothecary now? What on earth have you been doing with her?"
Giuseppe growled. "None of your business, Violet," he bit back. "Do you not have some tea party or another to finish? Why must you always be in the way? Of the multitude of rooms in this castle, I always have the misfortune of being in the same as you!"
Violet giggled. "I do not think your ladyfriend will like to see you losing your temper, Gale."
Giuseppe's face quickly colored. He took Mary by her good hand and led her out of the apothecary's room. "We will be returned when the ointment is ready," he mumbled, and he stormed out.

He did not mutter a word until he was in a great hall. The hall was filled with swords and spears of all sorts, some of which were hanging on the hall, some were displayed behind glass, and some were leaned against the wall, waiting for use. It was a tall room, and it seemed swords were hung on the wall up to the high ceiling. Wordlessly, Giuseppe set his father's spear on the wall and grabbed a bastard sword. It was a plain thing, with a standard hilt and a double-edged blade. It seemed only Giuseppe would find the beauty in its simplicity. He looked at it for a few minutes before turning up to Mary. "Please forgive my sister," he told her. "She is but a child. If you have any siblings, I am sure you understand." He motioned around them, at all the weapons. "This is my favorite room in the castle. Here are the weapons that have protected my castle and kin for generations. It works to calm me down effortlessly. I hope you do not mind being here."

The prince sighed and mindlessly waved his blade around. "I could not stand to stay near her," he went on, an explanation. "Lately my parents have been on me for not having a woman. They have presented me with many the potential bride, allowing me the choice in the matter. They say I am lucky to be able to choose. But I cannot see luck in the love life I lead. I have no interest in haughty slatterns, you understand." Terribly blunt. His mother would have flinched. "At nineteen, I am not the young boy my mother would chase after. I am a man now, and I am growing old. The time to choose a bride is growing nigh. So I imagine, with you in the castle accompanying me, they can only assume... Well, you can follow, I am sure." He shrugged his shoulders, a very improper act. "Think nothing of it. It is silly for them to think we will be wed. We have only just met, after all!" Laughter followed his words. It was the sign that he was consciously trying to chase away his anger. He didn't want her to see his anger. It was an uncontrollable thing, and he was quite self-conscious about it. "Never mind that," he muttered after a minute. "The ointment shall be ready soon."

[Midori-Hime]

Jessamine couldn't help but smile a little as the apothecary cut the prince off. Prince Giuseppe was certainly vivacious and perhaps a bit conceited, yet it was quite endearing. Though the smile quickly fell as she was referred to as the prince's ladyfriend. She looked to the prince who denied the accusation. She let out a small breath of relief. That was the last thing she needed... What had she gotten herself into, she wondered as the apothecary put the ointment together. "Thank you." She said with a bow of her head. "You're too kin-" Jessamine trailed off as a younger girl suddenly burst into the room. She blinked at the name 'Gale', glancing to the prince, though he didn't seem to appreciate it.

Jessamine then looked to the young lady, her eyes widening when she introduced herself as the princess. She quickly remembered not to meet her eyes and curtsied back. "It's a pleasure, Your Majesty." She said quietly, feeling a bit awkward. How long would she have to keep up this charade? Her eyes widened, a blush tinting her fair cheeks. "Oh no! It's not like that-" She gasped softly as she was called the prince's sweetheart. She didn't object though as the prince lead her out of the room. The silence made her anxious and she could tell the prince was annoyed. Though, looking back at it now, it was awfully amusing and Jessamine wondered what it would be like to have siblings. Just then prince Giuseppe spoke, as if knowing what was on her mind. "No, I wouldn't Your Majesty. I am an only child." She looked up at him again. Her stormy blue eyes then wandered around the room, looking at the different weapons. They were each quite beautiful in their own way. "No, not at all." She said softly before her eyes fell back on the prince. Her jaw dropped slightly as he explained his troubles and she sighed, looking down.

"I'm sorry to cause you trouble, Your Majesty. Though I do understand your plight. My parents are also trying to force my hand in marriage." She wandered over to a nearby sword on the wall, her fingertips lightly tracing over the glittering hilt. She could see her reflection in the blade and she thought it was an ugly face. "But my suitors are all so arrogant, strutting around like a bunch of peacocks..." She scoffed and then turned back to him with a nod, moving to follow his lead.

[Ashen]

"You are no trouble at all, m'lady," he said to her, following her to his blade. "I feel the same way about the princesses my parents have me meet. They are all so posh. I bet they would not even know how to handle themselves without the riches they were born with. It is pathetic, the lot of them." He fingered his blade gently and slowly before coming to the handle. Giuseppe plucked the blade off the wall and jousted it at an invisible enemy before sighing.

"Her name is Lendys," he said. "This blade. She belonged to my great-grandfather, who fought in the war with Southern Isupia. It still glimmers as if it were brand new. This is the work of a kind smith and a foolish prince." He gave her a sad smile. "Mother and Sister do not understand my love for the blades we have. I think Father does, but only just. Every man ought know how to work a weapon. After all, on a battlefield, your weapon is your only ally."

He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, but soon he put Lendys back on her hooks on the wall. The prince cleared his throat. "Giuseppe Anderson Liam Ein," he said, somewhat randomly. "G-A-L-E. Gale. I absolutely loathe the nickname. Violet uses it to taunt me. Do not mind her though. She knows how to press my buttons, that is for sure." He looked to Mary and gave a low chuckle. "I do envy you," he said. "You do not have to deal with pesky siblings. Or even mindless nobles. What it would be like to be common for a day... If only we could switch places."

He started pacing a bit, checking over the conditions of each of his weapons. "Well, I have told you of some of my life. Why not return the favor?" He did not look up to her. "Why do you not tell me what it is like in your life? The castle does not see many commoners, and even few that appear to be my age. I am curious. There are some things I cannot learn from browsing the castle library, you understand." Finally he turned and locked eyes with her. "What is it like to live like you?"

[Midori-Hime]

Jessamine watched him softly as he spoke and suddenly was racked with guilt that he didn't know her true identity. She took a step back as he drew the blade from it's spot on the wall. She gave him a sad smile, looking down. She supposed she also knew what it was like to be misunderstood, but probably on a much deeper level than even Guiseppe. "I rather like the nickname..."She muttered shyly as he explained his disdain for the name. Though Jessamine blanched a bit suddenly, inwardly cringing as he spoke of switching places. "Y-you'd be surprised..." She muttered and turned away a bit, hoping her expression wouldn't betray her.

Though the prince didn't seem to notice as he paced. "A-about me?!" She gasped suddenly and then flushed, looking down. What was she supposed to say she wondered... If she were actually in Mary's place. Jessamine glanced up at him and then froze, locked in his gaze. A small shiver went through her. It was interesting that the prince would be so eager to look a servant in the eyes. "W-well... I-I..." She swallowed, thinking back to Mary, and how she must be worrying about her at this very moment. "Well, I serve a Noble household, but I don't mind it so much I suppose. My young mistress in a kind and gentle soul. We've been together since we were just young girls and she's always looking out for me... "

"We were always getting into trouble together, but then we were always getting each other out of trouble too." She said, smiling to herself, forgetting about the prince for a moment. "She's very sweet but polite and 'well mannered'. Though she wasn't always so... I suppose over the years she's become more serious and proper, probably because I never am." She explained, her smile becoming a little sad. Jessamine then blinked, focusing on the prince's eyes again. "I'm sorry... my mouth has run away with me." She said, looking down a bit.