Warning: AU and G!P, No smut yet but in the next chapter there will be.

Chapter 1

"The queens are gonna get you! The queens are gonna get you!" A childish squeaky voice sang out, a supposed threat of unknown but certain a horror all of the children in the village were aware of. The young boy who taunted the other children of the village now skipped aside at the ugly look thrown to her by his eldest sister.

"Shut up."

Once she was sure that her brother was thoroughly chastised the young brunette woman whipped her head back to her mother. "I won't go!"

"You have no choice!" Renée spat then added a bit quieter. "We have no choice."

"But you need me here! You can't tend the fields and see the animals with the young ones demanding your attention, Mother. It is my duty as the eldest of this house to look to such chores." She nearly whined as her large doe-like eyes begun to shimmer with tears.

"I can and I must, my girl!" Her mother tried to reason, her quick temper cooling as fast as it had arisen. She sighed at her own words. her 'girl' was a woman now, tall and strong from her time on the farm with only her doe-like eyes and slightly rounded face giving away the shortness of her years.

"The Ladyships cannot expect you to fulfill the agreement made when my father still lived, healthy and strong. If the consumption had not taken her this last winter, I would gladly have presented myself to the Palace. But all has changed now." The last words were spoken with a bitterness Bella could not hide from her mother.

"Isabella, my daughter, don't you see? You must go! When your father and I were betrothed, her Majesties granted to us this land and several cattle in return for the servitude to their court of our first-born child. It was a generous exchange at the time and one which we must keep. We have done well in the years since, and now it is time to pay the price - you!"

"But all the work which must be done ...?" Bella questioned manically waving her hand across the fields before them.

"It is high time your lazy brothers stepped in to do the chores you have shouldered since your father's death. I will not pretend losing you will be easy, my girl, but it is a great honor to our family that you are to be in the Queens' Court, and perhaps in time you will come to visit with us yet."

Bella nodded reluctantly. In truth, she longed to get away from the mundane and repetitive life of the village. For as long as the girl could remember, she had been told that upon her eighteenth birthday she would be presented to the ruler of the land, to offer her service in return for the gift made to her impoverished parents many years before she was even born.

She looked forward to the day with happy anticipation, her opportunity to escape the tedium of everyday life and to find excitement and adventure among the nobles and wealthy. As an added bonus she would be spared the attention of the local roundabouts she found no interest whatsoever in the offers they whispered to her, puffed out chests and lopsided devilish grins. The awkward youth found herself drawn instead to soft round faces, full lips, and low cut dresses which she'd hope to one day explore.

Bella sighed looking over the land she had to leave still not fully understanding as to why she must go.

If the truth were to out, the girl would have learned that the exchange agreed to by her parents benefited their rulers far more than was generally realized. By populating the lands around her city with grateful and beholden peasants, they created a safe zone, and by requiring the eldest child to serve in their Court they maintained a sense of honor and loyalty in their subjects, while at the same time having their choice of the finest young people to serve them.

Those who presented themselves were assessed and allocated - either to the army, or to the Court staff, or whatever was required. Some were sent back, with a commendation for their offer, and supposedly full honor, but it was widely accepted that most families were happier if their children were not asked to return to them so quickly. To have a child in the service of a Queen was a great source of pride for parents.

And so Renée made Bella ready. She already lost her husband so that was an unspoken mark against her family. With her daughter working in the castle though she hoped to get some of her family's pride and name back

The day of her departure from the family home approached quickly, and Bella faced it with a combination of growing excitement and nagging doubt, flavored with the discomfort of concern over her mother and how she would cope without her. To lose two people within one year was a heavy burden, not easily overcome. Yet her demeanor improved rapidly. No longer would she face the unrelenting grind of farm life. The unknown wonders of the Palace beckoned with increasing appeal and she would answer its call a bit reluctantly but willingly.

Days passed and finally, it arrived.

On the appointed day, at the appointed time, Bella bid a bittersweet farewell to her mother and family, rolled her few possessions into a traveling bag, and set out with the coveted paper bearing the elaborate writing which dictated that on this day she offer her service to the Queens.

It was a short journey to the Palace, but one which seemed to the young woman to take forever, lost as she was in mixed emotions. Presenting herself to the keeper of the doors, she was rewarded with a cursory glance at her letter, and directed through a long corridor, around several turns, to an elderly woman busily supervising one of the kitchens. At her appearance, the older woman cast an appraising glance over her, and ordered her to bathe and dress in a plain grey smock she handed to her, before awaiting further instructions.

After she had complied with her orders, Bella found herself being led further down into the basement of the Castle, where she was shown into a long room lit with many ancient tapers. All along one wall were single bunks, about thirty of them, some inhabited, some ruffled but empty, others bare. At one of these bare places, she was stopped and was told that this was to be her bed and ordered to wait there until she was sent for and that she would be allocated duties later that evening.

Suddenly alone and overwhelmed, she sat herself down and fought the disappointment she felt. Though Bella supposed she should not have expected one of Queens themselves to greet this new servant with open arms, but she had imagined something more formal, more 'official' than the bored indifference that had met her in these first hours.

With time to spare, Bella glanced over at the other occupied bunks. One of the young girls, a pale-skinned almond-eyed beauty, noticed her and nodded conspiratorially.

"Hello?" The brunette greeted hopefully.

"Hello," Came an echo.

"Have you been here long?" Bella questioned, suddenly desperate for someone to talk to.

"About three months," Answered her new companion.

"I feel very ... I don't know, lost."

The other girl chuckled softly. "You'll get over that soon enough, once they allocate you your chores! Then you'll wish you could feel lost, because you'll work so hard that sleep will a wonderful gift!"

"Oh." Bella now feeling very alone, and uncertain. she looked again and ventured another question. "How do they decide who does what?"

The other shrugged. "You'll be left to basic things for a while, and then, once there are enough newcomers, they call all the new ones in and make a selection-some for the guards, some of the kitchens, a lucky one or two for the Royal chambers."

"Oh.." Bella repeated, she wasn't good for any of those things. It'll be like shoving a newborn foal into battle. All awkward and clumsy and prone to accidents. "Well, when do we find out what we're going to be assigned to?"

"Probably a few days. The 'unallocated' dormitory is almost full again," Her new friend noted.

For the next week, Bella found herself scrubbing floors in the kitchen, taking swill to the cesspits, doing meaningless and menial chores. She began to pray daily that her lot would not be to do this for any length of time. Still, Bella hoped that she would be assigned to care for the soldiers and their gear, to be able to be surrounded by the strong men and women of the land, proud and tall instead of being a lonely kitchen wench.

Finally, though, the day came when she and the other new girls were not called as usual to the pre-dawn tasks. Instead, they were brought in small groups to a washing room where they were told to clean themselves as best they could and make themselves presentable to one of the Queens. Bella's excitement grew with each passing moment as she hurriedly washed and dressed, eager to discover her new station.

All of the new women were gathered in a long line in one of the marbled halls of the great palace. At a shouted command, each bowed their head and waited as one of the rulers of their land entered the room.

Bella's chanced a glance and her mouth dropped open as she recognized the Queen immediately as being the eldest one of the three, Queen Sulpicia. The woman was a goddess. Hair golden-white as a beam of morning sun was meticulously penned halfway upward in an elaborate braided up-do while the rest fell down her back like fine silk. Her shapely body although slim held muscles that became visible with each and every step, bunch and unbunching underneath a layer of tight black fabric. The dress she adorned was typical of royal at that time with a low cut bust an ankle length skirt that swished with every movement.

Slowly she made her way along the line of thirty or so women, having each one rise and lift her head while the Queen inspected teeth or shoulders, tested arm strength or leg muscle, asked questions to determine the level of education and intelligence each possessed. As she did, the Queen whispered to one of her attendants, who scribbled furiously on a tablet she carried in the crook of one arm.

When the Queen reached Bella's position, she placed a soft icy hand underneath the young woman's chin.

"Look at me." She ordered gently yet firmly.

Bella did as bid and had to physically hold in a gasp when her chocolate eyes locked onto crimson. Never before had she seen such in all her short life. Sure she'd heard the odd tale about them and knew very well they existed. But to have one this close was nearly breathtaking. Yet oddly she felt no fear just a nagging urge to keep her head low and eyes on the floor.

"Mmm, quite fetching for a peasant," She murmured, her voice low and cold like the melting ice of early spring making the girl shiver. "Open your mouth, girl."

A quick inspection of Bella's teeth followed, and the Queen spoke to her directly. "How do you feel about being here?"

Bella gulped back her nervousness. "I am proud to be able to offer my services to the Palace, milady."

"Oh yes? And what do you imagine those services to be?"

"It is your will, milady." The girl pinkened a bit though she didn't know why.

"Oh?" A blonde eyebrow rose. "But what if I made you choose?"

"Well, my..my queen if I had to choose I'd want to tend to the kingdoms armor."

"Really and why is that?" She asked mirth lacing her voice and glittering in her eyes.

"My Queen, I ..." The young woman's voice faltered. "I, um, would like to, er, be able to, ahh, help to look as good as they always do when they march past our village, milady," She spat out in a rush and Gods above please just kill her now.

"Ah, so you're fond of our armor then? Our soldiers?'

Bella's face turned tomato red as she nodded.

The eldest Queen laughed heartily at this and turned to her assistant.

"Have this one assessed for Athenodora's detachment." She ordered dismissively before walking on to the next girl.

Her assistant's eyes widened but said not a word merely scribbled on the parchment.

Bella's heart leapt at the words, yet at the same time, doubt grew quickly within her. As everyone knew, Queen Athenodora was the second daughter in line to the throne. To be possibly allocated to her 'detachment', (whatever that was!), must be a great honor. But there were also whisperings about the younger Queen-whisperings that she was somehow not in favor with her sisters, muttered comments about some strange happenings in the castle, the details of which no one seemed to know, only that whatever it was, it was undesirable.

As the ruler passed down the line and eventually left, the group of young women was quickly broken up by other servants into smaller groups and sent to different parts of the castle to begin their training. Only Bella and one other, a beautifully tanned skinned voluptuous woman with glittering obsidian eyes and hair the color of ink were left. These two were approached by one of the older men and told to follow her.

Within the throne room, the eldest had just sat down after examining the last human girl of the day when she heard a familiar voice from the back entryway call out to her. "Sulpicia."

The blonde queen turned to see her youngest sister Didyme approaching. She was the youngest and no doubt the kindest of the three. The glue that kept them together and the wall that kept them apart if need be. Petite, yet curvy she loved her dresses as feminine as possible with so much lace and frills it nearly made poor Dora gag at the mere sight. Though her owner saving grace was the color which was mostly dark.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure that was wise? Sending that Swan girl to Athenodora of all people." She questioned as she strolled over to her own throne.

"Of course I'm sure." Sulpicia nearly growled. "It high time our sister finds some interest in well...anything."

"But her condition..." Didyme trailed off not willing to say more. Their middle sister's abnormality was always a sore subject among them and never failed to start a fight.

"Is not crippling nor life threatening so I do not see why she should remain chaste forever due to her own stubborn pride and needless shame."

Didyme gnawed on her bottom lip, a habit that stayed with her even after she was turned. A companion would do their volatile sister a bit of good but at what price. It's not like they haven't tried this before. On the contrary, they'd tried countless times to find their sister a suitable bed-mate yet they all ended the same way. Drained dry and with their sister panicking about her condition being discovered. But this particular girl they'd been watching secretly since birth and much to her better judgment the gentle one of the three had grown attached.

"Didyme." The dark-haired queen turned to her sister who was staring at her with soft eyes.

"It will be alright." Sulpicia promised like she did every time.

Didyme sighed heavily."I do hope you're right and not just for Athenodora's sake."

The duo of young women was led along many passages, downstairs and across courtyards, to a smaller building, a tower within the castle itself, and through large heavy doors which were opened before them, but clanged shut and locked after they had passed through.

Finally, the older woman stopped, turning to face the two young recruits. "My name is Heidi," She stated in an accented voice Bella couldn't place. "I am the chief servant to the Queen Athenodora. You have not been chosen yet to serve in her detachment, but merely to be assessed for such service. If you are found acceptable, you will become part of the Queen's household. Wait here." With that, she left them standing in a small room decorated in rich timber and fine silken curtains. Neither Bella or the other woman was game to move, and both stood rooted to the spot as they waited patiently for the next phase in their 'assessment'.

TBC...

AN: Next chapter needs a bit of work. But it should be done by the end of this week and whooo boy is it going to be a smutty one.