Title: Small Slices
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Alice/Emmeline
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 466
Summary: Royalty!AU. Princess Alice and Princess Emmeline have a secret meeting.
Notes:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: March Event - Jewel Day Challenge - Topaz - Necklace: Write a Royalty!AU
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Writing Club - Story about Alice Longbottom
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Weekly Drabble Competition
Year Long Scavenger Hunt: C34. Write about riding horses along a mountain
Princess Alice rubbed her trusty steed. "Brownie, are you ready for a secret adventure?" she asked.
The horse neighed as if he actually understood her question.
"Good. Where we're going is going to stay just between the two of us."
The horse neighed again.
Alice smiled and with practiced ease, she hoisted herself up into the saddle and with a quick tug on the reins, she took off.
They were taken a ride through the mountains because there was a secret hideaway she had to get to.
Nearly an hour passed before she saw her salvation in the form of secret grotto, an opening within a mountain.
She tugged once again on Brownie's reins and came to a stop. She got down and tied Brownie to a nearby trunk. And she bent a little bit so she could go inside.
The person she was meeting was already there. She knelt on the ground in her own pristine riding uniform. Her perfect chestnut hair was pulled into a bun and her usually serious blue eyes were alight with an emotion Alice hated to see. Sadness. Hopelessness. "Hello, Princess Emmeline."
Emmeline held her hand out to Alice.
Alice took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be pulled close.
"I'm so glad you made it," Emmeline whispered as if she was afraid someone would hear her, even though Alice was pretty sure they were alone.
Alice kissed Emmeline softly on the lips. When she pulled back, she asked the only question that was running through her head. "Do you have news?"
Emmeline's eyes became shadowed. "I am to marry Prince Sirius Black."
Alice sighed. "We had expected that. And it looks like the contract binding me to Prince Frank Longbottom will soon be finalized."
Emmeline rested her head against Alice's shoulder. "What do we do?"
Alice wrapped her arm around her love. "We get married like it's expected of us, and then we do whatever we can to see each other. Even if it has to be in secret."
"I wish I could announce to the world that I'm in love with you," Emmeline murmured sadly.
"Me too," Alice agreed.
In an ideal world, they could be happily in love with everyone knowing about it, but this wasn't an ideal world. Commoners thought the life of a Princess was nothing but fancy dresses and extravagant parties. It was also responsibility and having to put the future of a kingdom before your very own happiness.
It was a life of sacrifice.
Both Alice and Emmeline would give up the crown and be with each other if they didn't believe so many people would suffer because of it.
They had to stay, for the good of their people.
They would just grab the small slices of togetherness that they could.