Title: The Princess and the Pauper
Summary: Camille is a princess who just wants a bit of freedom. Jo is a peasant who wants more in life. One day, they meet and hatch a plan to trade lives for a week. But, things turn out to be more complicated than they thought. AU
Rating: T
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Multiple Pairings

Chapter 1: The Grass is Always Greener

"Logie, can we please skip math today?"

"Your majesty…"

"Camille."

"Camille," Logan sighs, but remaining patient. "We can't keep skipping math lessons. You know your mother would disapprove."

Princess Camille groans in frustration and dramatically falls back on her bed. She knows she can't blame Logan for doing his job, but Camille never enjoyed a math or science lesson. She would much rather read a play, though she has read and analyzed all the royal library has to offer. Camille sits up again, tugging at her hair slightly before nodding at her tutor to begin. Logan gives her an apologetic smile before opening his math book and reading a principle Camille would forget by tomorrow.

"The Greeks…" Camille tunes Logan out, stands up, and walks to the largest window in her bedroom, the one that overlooks the town. In just a few years time, she would rule the whole land of Palmwoods, one of the world's largest kingdoms. Her father had passed away many years ago, leaving only her as the heir to his thrown. Her mother and royal advisors rule the land as of now until Camille is ready to take the throne. The princess dreads the day that comes.

"Logan?"

"Yes, your…Camille?"

"How old am I?"

Logan looks up from the book and gives Camille a confused look. "Is this a trick question?" Logan asks with a half smirk, momentarily breaking his serious demeanor. Camille gives him a grin back and shakes her head. "You're sixteen and will turn seventeen in a few weeks."

"And how long has it been since I have been outside the castle walls?"

Logan's smile falters and his looks of confusion returns. "Why do you ask?"

Camille stares longingly past the castle courtyard and wall to the bustling town that lay beyond. Camille tries to imagine the shops full of colorful goods and the grins of villagers as they come out with them. Or the street performers playing a multitude of instruments as people cheer and clap along. People allowed to go wherever they please and do what they want without a schedule dictating their every minute. She could only dream.

"For once, I would like to see a play in an audience where people cheer and boo and don't just laugh because I do. And have food that doesn't come from five different areas of world and that has been tested because everyone is afraid people have tried to poison it. I just want a day where people aren't constantly telling me what to wear, where to be, and how to act." Camille carefully sits down on the window seat and keeps her gaze on the village. Yes, that is what she wants. Just a little time to be free.

"Camille, I don't know what to tell you," Logan says, closing the book and carefully placing it on the closest table.

A knock comes at the door and Camille sighs once again. It is probably a councilor or lady in waiting coming to fetch her for another "urgent" appointment. "Come in," Logan calls before she can. The door opens to reveal not a councilor or lady in waiting, but Kendall, a knight of the castle and Camille's oldest friend.

"Kendall!" Camille exclaims, momentarily forgetting her sadness in exchange for a wide grin. She gives Kendall a hug. She hasn't seen him in awhile. Either he is off somewhere else in the kingdom or she is too busy going to royal dinners or diplomatic trips to other lands. "When did you get back from the east border?"

"Only an hour ago, but the queen already had something for me do. She needs to see you in the throne room," Kendall tells her, obviously annoyed at being the queen's messenger. He glances behind Camille to see Logan collecting the lesson books and waves to him. Logan waves back, but somewhat awkwardly. The tutor has never seemed to like the knight, though Kendall never asked why.

"Oh, I was hoping I would get to actually talk to you," Camille says with a frown, her excitement disappearing.

"I haven't been assigned to go anywhere else yet, so maybe we can catch up later. Your majesty," Kendall says, giving her little bow.

For that, Camille hits his arm. "I told you last time never to do that. Why don't you accompany me to the hall? We can do a little catching up then." Kendall nods and holds out his arm, which Camille happily takes. Before leaving, the princess glances behind to her tutor. "Goodbye, Logan!" Now let's see what mom wants this time.

Jo is very late and she knows she will be hearing about for the next week. She dashes past people in street, getting quite a few "Watch where you're going" and the less kind "Watch it, asshole." However, she didn't have time to apologize because she would be doing enough of that when she got to the boutique.

A hand suddenly grabs her arm, jerking her back. Jo angrily turns around, ready to scream at whomever is holding her back. Jo inwardly groans when she sees who it is, Jett, the town's most famous, but arrogant actor. "Where you going Joe? The company was thinking about going to the pub? Nervous what secrets come out when everyone gets drunk?"

Jo struggles to get out of Jett's grasp. He has always been suspicious of Jo and her secret and the last thing she needs is him revealing it in the middle of the street. "Let go, Jett," Jo commands in a low voice.

"Why? Can't you get out yourself?"

"Let go!" Jo yells, trying to maintain the low voice.

"Hey!" another voice yells. Jett quickly let's go, staring up over Jo's head. Jo quickly turns to see the queen's most prized knight, Kendall, riding to the castle. "What's the problem here?"

"Nothing, sir. Just a little joking around, right Joe?" Jett lies through his teeth and Jo is forced to go along. She cannot possibly explain what is going on, especially to a knight.

Kendall looks skeptical, giving Jo a curious look. However, Jo sees her chance to get away from Jett and get to work, so she dashes between Kendall's horse and passing people. She doesn't look back, not wanting anyone to follow her. "Hey, sir, are you okay?" she hears Kendall call from behind her, but it is pointless now to turn around. Just get to the shop, just get to the shop.

Upon arriving, Jo ducks into the back door of the little shop. I'm okay so far. "Jo!" The blond immediately freezes and turns around, fearful it is one of her bosses. However, it is just Stephanie, the other employee of the boutique and Jo's only friend. And the only one who knows her secret. "What are you doing still dressed like that? You better hurry, while I try to stall them."

Jo smiles her thanks and rushes into the small bathroom, grabbing her dress that lies in a heap next to it. Quickly, she peels off her boy's wig, shaking out her blonde hair. Almost as quickly, she takes off her pants and shirt in exchange for a more gender appropriate dress. Wiping off any spare make-up, Jo exits the bathroom and gets to her sewing station, happily noticing none of her bosses are in the room.

For most of her seventeen year old life, she had wanted to be an actress. Of course, she was always told that was impossible. It was considered unseemly for girl to appear on stage. Jo was never one to believe there was such thing as impossible. So, with the help of Stephanie, Jo made a boy's disguise and auditioned for plays as Joe, not Josephina. Currently, she is playing Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet.

Just as she is beginning her sewing, a voice booms from behind her. "Josephina, how many times have we told you that we don't tolerate lateness?" The voice comes from the blonde Jennifer, her head boss.

"As many times as I have been late?" Jo says weakly as Stephanie holds back a laugh.

"Humor doesn't work on us," the brunette Jennifer sneers as the others glare at both Jo and Stephanie. "Now get to work before we…"

"What throw me out into the streets? Oh wait, you can't do that or else you won't get your money back," Jo sneers right back.

"Watch it, Josephina. I don't think your poor, dead parents would approve. But they didn't care about you that much or else they wouldn't have left you such a huge debt to pay," the blonde Jennifer says menacingly. "Now get to work or you will be working for us for the rest of your life."

With that, the three leave in standard Jennifer formation. And all Jo can do is glare daggers into their backs. "One day I'll show them that I am better than they will ever be. One day."

"As you know, darling, you will be seventeen in a few weeks and then eighteen year after that," the queen says from her place on the throne. Camille tries desperately to avoid eye contact, playing with the lace on her sleeves. She did not want to know where this was going. "When you are eighteen, you will be taking the throne. And to do that, you must have husband."

"What?" Camille chokes.

"Yes my dear, you do not want to rule alone."

"I don't want to rule at all," Camille mutters.

"Darling, what have I told you? Princesses don't mumble," the queen says strictly. "So, I have arranged for Prince James from the neighboring kingdom of Roque to come for a visit. I believe you two will make a marvelous match. Now, go get ready for dinner, dear. The Duke and Duchess will be dining with us."

Camille runs as fast as her dress would allow her out of the royal hall. She hears footsteps behind her and she hopes it is Kendall or Logan, someone to tell her this would be okay. But, it is neither. It is her lady in waiting, Katie. "Why can't you rule without a husband?"

"Ask my mother," Camille says bitterly. She finds her eyes drifting to a window again, watching as the sun begins to dip into the sky. Suddenly, a wave of confidence flows through her. If her mother is going to make her marry away the rest of her freedom, she is going to get one last trip that allows her to be reckless. "Tell the queen I am unable to come to dinner. I have come down with something." Camille throws in a convincing fake cough at the end, but it doesn't work on ever observant Katie.

"You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?"

"Maybe, and I need you to cover for me," Camille says as she begins to walk towards her bedroom. "And don't tell Logan or Kendall. Especially Logan." Outside the castle walls, here I come.

Jo cracks her sore knuckles and exits the back door closely followed by Stephanie. Another day wasted sewing dresses for people that would never thank them, only the Jennifers. Yet, Jo still longs to be one of those people.

"Well, I'm off to the pub down the street. Are you in?" Stephanie asks.

"I'll pass. I had a long day." Jo waves good-bye to Stephanie and walks down the nearly vacant street. Stepping lightly on cobblestones, while whistling a tune lightly, Jo makes her way to her tiny home above one of the town's bakeries. It isn't much, but the baker and his family are sweet, having used to know her parents. They let her live in the room for free, knowing the Jennifers don't give her a cent for all the work she does.

"Hey, Jo," Lucy, a local musician, calls to her while packing up her guitar. Lucy is always the talk of town, living off money she makes from playing music, which isn't much, and not strictly abiding by social rules. However, Jo finds her endearing and wishes to have such a free, easy going lifestyle like hers.

"Good business today?"

"Better than nothing. Did Stephanie go to the bar?" Jo nods and Lucy waves goodbye, heading to meet Stephanie. Once again, Jo begins walking home, beginning her whistling again. Lost in her thoughts, Jo rounds a street corner, not looking where she is going. Soundly, she collides with another body, sending her straight to the ground.

Jo immediately gets up, used to a few bumps and scratches. This girl, Jo observes, definitely is not. After letting out a very high shriek, the girl groans in pain from the ground. Jo holds out her hand which the girl grasps and pulls her up. "Sorry about that," Jo says. "I wasn't really looking where I was going."

"No problem. It's actually kind of nice to be able to fall without at least five people surrounding me and ten others calling for every doctor in town," the girl says, brushing her dress. Jo can't help, but notice it is expertly made and incredible intricate. If her memory served her right, Stephanie made that dress a few weeks ago, apparently for the princess.

"Where did you get that dress?" Jo asks, trying to sound casual.

"I don't know exactly, it was made for me," the girl says with a sheepish shrug.

No, it's not possible. The real princess would never be outside the castle unescorted and she would never talk to a girl like me even if she did. "You might think I am crazy for asking this, but you wouldn't happen to be, ah, the princess would you?"

The girl sighs and pushes back the hood of her cloak, revealing perfectly placed, though slightly frizzy chocolate curls. "What gave me away? Was I that obvious?"

"No, your majesty. It was your dress. I work in the shop that made it for you." Jo is at a loss for what to do. Does she bow? Beg not to be put in jail? Though, being in the castle's prison might be a step up from the prison she is already in. "I don't know what to say. Could I get a hint?"

Camille starts laughing, which Jo hopes is a good sign. "Anything's fine. I'm sick of the your majesties and your royal highnesses. What's your name?"

"I'm Josephina, but you can call me Jo."

"Well, I'm just Camille, not princess. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a seamstress," Jo says with little enthusiasm, which is why the princess's response suprises her.

"That sounds exciting," Camille says with dreamy look on her face.

"Yeah, it's a real adventure," Jo says sarcastically. "Does being a seamstress really sound more exciting than being a princess."

"Are you kidding? Anything is more exciting than being a princess. And when things get a little exciting, someone is there to make sure to tame it," Camille jokes and Jo genuinely laughs. I'm having a normal conversation with the princess of Palmwoods. I wish there was some way to rub this in the Jennifers' faces.

"Well, I would give anything to see what that life is like," Jo says with a sigh. "No working eighteen hours a day for no pay or getting constantly insulted by my bosses."

"I would give anything to work instead of people doing everything for and having people say what they think to my face," Camille responds and her face lights up in an instant. "What if I told you we can both get what we want?"

"I would say make it happen," Jo says uncertainly, but excited all the same.

"What if we traded places for say, a week. I can see what is like to be part of the working class and you can see what is like living a life with royalty," Camille says with a large grin at her idea, but Jo remain skeptical.

"How could we possible pull that off? We don't look anything alike."

With that, Camille's face falls. "Yeah, I guess it was just a foolish hope."

Now it is Jo's turn to be struck with a brilliant idea. "We may not look alike now, but I think I know a person who can make it happen. So, are you in?"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Possibly."

"Then I am so in!" Camille exclaims, her large smile returning. "Let's switch places."

What do you think? Good, bad? Tell me if anyone seems OOC. And don't worry, James and Carlos will be making appearances soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated.