Crack A Smile (Camren)

Chapter 1

Lauren sighed as she looked at her reflection in the huge mirror. Her long black hair that cascaded over her shoulders, her slim, muscular body, her somewhat imperfect face, but enough for her to be called magnificent by her people, and her eyes. Her green eyes once full of life that expressed so much passion and emotion that were now dull and lifeless.

She was dying to remember what they looked like since the portraits made of her family had exaggerated the color of her eyes. But as long as she was unhappy, she would not see them again.

Sighing again, she called her servant and best friend. "Yes, ma'am?" Normani asked when entering the Princess's room. "Normani, you know you can call me Lauren" said the Princess. "Yeah, well I have to keep appearances outside these four walls" Normani joked with a smile.

She had been Lauren's personal servant for several years now and they were inseparable. Normani was one of those people who did not try in vain to make Lauren laugh because she knew Lauren's past, but she was one of the lucky ones who saw her smile. "I must look decent today to face these horrible suitors," said Lauren, rolling her eyes. "You know you could meet your prince charming, maybe even your charming princess" she sang while she raised her eyebrows looking at the woman sitting opposite her.

Normani also knew the secret (not so secret) of Lauren, that she admired the body of women as much as she admired that of men. One evening, shortly after their friendship began, Lauren had offered Normani to spend the night with her and after a bottle of wine there had been more than a few bickering between the two. The next day was not at all uncomfortable and since then they were best friends.

"Oh hush!" Lauren shook her head, but the corner of her lips stretched somewhat and that was enough for Normani. After a short while, Normani had made Lauren the princess she should be.

Dressed in a red dress that fell to the ground, her hair combed and tamed in long waves and her makeup done in order to make her eyes a little more alive, Lauren was totally dazzling.
"Princess, you are incredible if I may say" said Normani, patting her on the back. "Always so humble, Mani" said Lauren and Normani rolled her eyes. "Hey ! I did a damn good job!" "I know, thank you" she said sincerely with a small smile that climbed on her lips.

"Now go and dazzle the crowd, Normani shouted enthusiastically. Lauren had shook her head at the antics of her best friend. "Say good morning to Dinah from me, please." Dinah was the best blacksmith in the kingdom and also Normani's partner. "Of course, your majesty" Normani smirked.

Lauren had come out of her room, going down the stairs to the hallway where her parents were waiting for her, dressed in an elegant purple suit.

"Lauren you're very pretty" said Michael as she reached them, catching him in a tight embrace which she returned with pleasure.

She may not have been the happiest girl in the kingdom, but her heart would always be present for her family, especially to those she had lost. "I know you're probably scared" Clara started and Lauren then gave her a look that said "you don't make me say it" "but we do this because we love you. We want you to be with someone who can make you happy. It doesn't matter who it is as long as you are happy." Clara continue "I know, and although I hate sitting down and being cuddled so that I laugh like a child, I know you do this out of love" she said understanding.

Her father smiled proudly before guiding her to the ballroom doors. When the doors opened, the palace guards who stood by the doors raised their horns and blew into it; a sign that the royal family had arrived. All eyes had turned to the Jauregui, but more particularly to Lauren. She might have felt slightly embarrassed if she really cared about the people in the room.

The King, Queen and Princess had made their way to their thrones opposite the hall and had sat down while the royal guard began to speak.

"Suitors! By the decree of the King and Queen Jauregui, the hand of the magnificent Princess Lauren will be given to whoever will make her laugh. Each contender can try his luck once a day. Any violence or arrogance will result in your immediate withdrawal from the realm of the kingdom as well as from the list of pretenders who can try to have the hand of Princess Lauren" said guard Troye Sivan, rolling up the parchment he had in his hands then positioned itself alongside the royal family.

The first suitor to try to have her hand was the Sir Luis, a handsome, but annoying man. His words were bland and his jokes pitiful and Troye knew immediately that he could bring in the next suitor.

"Thank you Troye. I thought I was going to have to pretend to be awake" Lauren whispered in his ear making him laugh. "No one can make you laugh yet, but you make everyone laugh" he murmured, gaining a little smirk from Lauren.

Troye was also a very good friend of Lauren. He and Normani kept her sane within the walls of this castle. Smiling gently at the princess, he resumed his place at his side as the next suitor come in. "Hello, your majesty. I am Prince Bradley of the Simpson kingdom" the little brown haired man says while bending down in front of the princess. Lauren could have said he had a huge laugh, if he had almost had lips.

He had told her a small, but pleasant poem, calling it "as beautiful as a sunset" and other metaphors, but none made her smile. She had been called a pretty woman so many times that she no longer had any reason to believe him. And after he finished, Lauren thanked him and Troye asked to see another suitor.

"No ! I'll have your hand, Princess! I am in the best position to have the crown rather than all these idiots!" Bradley was screaming as Troye approached him.

"You will regret having rejrcted-" Bradley's body hit the ground with a thud after Troye's fist fell on his face and he lay there stroking his cheek as his gaze traveled between Troye and Lauren.

"take that arrogant asshole out," said Troye to the guards behind him, and they did so quickly. "Where were we?" He asked Lauren with a smile that thanked him for putting this jester away from her.

"Duchess Lucy of the Vives kingdom, your majesty" the young woman bowed to Lauren. "Lucy we are good friends you don't have to be so formal with me" she smiled. "I like to put myself in the role from time to time" Lucy gave her a big smile showing her perfectly white teeth.

As close as Lauren and Lucy may be, Lucy still couldn't make the princess laugh. "You did your best, darling" smiled Troye and Lucy only laughed at his sarcastic comment. "There is always tomorrow." "It was a pleasure to see you again, Lucy." Lauren hugged her as a sign of goodbye

"The court will now adjourn. Come back tomorrow to try to win the hand of Princess Lauren" Troye announced loud and clear. Lauren had breathed in relief and slumped into her seat as the suitors left the castle. She had never been so happy to be so unsightly.

"Father, Mother, can we put this off until another day? I can't take that much" Lauren asked hopefully. "Of course, my darling. We understand that seeing all these people can be tiring. We will go at your own pace." Michael smiles as he squeezes his shoulder gently.

With gratitude, Lauren returned to her room to spend her afternoon alone. Closing her door, she had sighed a long time while starting to undress and quickly slipped into her nightgown before going out on her balcony.

Her bedroom balcony overlooked the royal garden, a request she had made a few years earlier after the incident.

Lauren looked sadly at the setting sun, a tear fell slowly on her cheek, she allowed herself once again to think about it. She couldn't cry in front of her people, let alone the nobles, but in the confines of her room she let her tears fall freely.

A rustle below her had caught her attention. Quickly drying her tears, she looked around the garden to see a commoner walking between the flowers. Although they were allowed to be between the walls of the garden, it was rare to see one of them there at such an early hour of the day and alone on top of that.

Lauren watched the commoner take a quick look around before pulling out a rose and putting it in her bag. Lauren was now intrigued. Commoners were definitely not supposed to steal flowers.

"Can I ask you what are you doing? Lauren asked the flower thief in a calm tone. Lauren didn't care as much as someone stealing flowers, it was a beauty that should be shared with everyone, but she was curious as to why someone would do it when no one had tried it before.

Till today.

The thief looked up to see Princess Lauren was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes widened immediately.

"Oh shit!" With that, she run to the exit, praying that the princess will have mercy on her.

Lauren had watched the scene amused by the thief's choice of words. She had to admit that for a commoner, she was very beautiful. Shaking her head after these thoughts, Lauren returned to her room and lay down on her bed hoping that the nightmares would grant her leniency.