So hi! This is fully dedicated to my lovely and amazing friend Magda (timelordhooks on tumblr). I've only been talking with her for a short time but she's been so wonderful to me and she's just such a great friend, not to mention she literally jumped at the mention of me writing this fic. Even though it did take me a few weeks to get the motivation cause I'd had enough of history with exams.
This idea basically came to me while I was procrastinating during revision. It's based upon the Percy-Neville family feud from before and after the wars of the roses. I do pride myself in historical accuracy's, however things may be completely different from original history to fit the story so I do apologize (For example: This marriage alliance never did actually happen but the Percys (Jones) did hold the Earl of Northumberland title and still do) So I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions do ask me!
-Lisha x
p.s if there are bad grammatical mistakes I am really sorry, I just needed to get this out.
The feud had been going on for over 50 years; it had started before the Wars of the Roses and continued through them, seeing the rise and fall of many a king. It was 1531 before King Henry VIII had had enough of this family feud, so it was decreed that a marriage alliance between the Swans and the Jones' was to be played out, failure to do this would result in the stripping of both families well deserved titles. It was then so agreed that a year later two lady Swans were to marry two Jones men in a joint wedding, only a mere day after meeting one another for the first time...
It was early spring 1532 as the pristine white horses galloped through the greenery of Northern England, the drizzling rain making the sky look grey, as if a massive storm was brewing. The horses dragged along a dark carriage, the wheels making a squishing sound as they collided with the mud below. ''Daddy is it true that the castle is huge?'' one of the girls, the younger one asked her father whilst being sat in the carriage. He chuckled at his daughters eagerness, ''yes dear, they do'' he replied to her. The girl was no less than 20, her hair as black as a raven and running just below her shoulders, a freak accident causing her maids to have cut it this short. Her fingers were nimble and were pristine, as was the rest of her skin and her hazel eyes shone, showing a glimmer of childishness within them. She ran a hand down her lavish dress, the fabric was a deep purple, she had heard of her maidens that purple was the colour of royalty and so she had to have it. She looked up and over to her other female companion and smiled, ''Are you looking forward to meeting him Emma?''. The girl in questioned looked at her green eyes showing annoyance ''No.'' she replied flatly, ''No Anna I am not'' she clarified.
Emma's father, David, who she had been seated next to sighed, telling Anna to just ignore Emma, that she didn't mean it at all. Anna's father looked on at David, a wicked grin on his lips, ''Got a feisty one there brother, reminds me of your Mrs a lot'' he said clapping his brother on the back. ''Too much of her, James. Too much of her'' David muttered, earning another laugh from his brother. David put a hand out to his daughter for her to take, earning not even a look from Emma as she continued to stare out of the window, her blonde locks flowing out of their place in her up do as the wind flew through it, the stands now wet with the rain from outside ''Emma'' he sighed, moving his hand to move some strands of her hair back into its place before realising they were wet with rain, ''It's on the kings orders.. We had no choice'', this earned a fake laugh from her. She turned to face David, tears now brewing down her face ''Well screw the king!'' she basically shouted, ''EMMA!'' David shouted back at her, earning wide eyes from Anna and James across the carriage. David lowered his voice, wiping away the tears from his daughters eyes ''I know this is going to be hard for you Emma after what happened with your other marriage but this is going to be different for you Em. Killian seems like a ni-''
''Killian?'' she interrupted him, ''Who names their child Killian?'' David groaned and put his head in his hands before resuming to speak again ''Just be nice Emma, please?''
''Fine'' she mumbled, ''But I could have at least been allowed to bring Henry with me''
''Hey look!'' Anna quickly shouted before David could say anymore to Emma, ''We're here!''
Emma looked up at the castle in front of her, groaning inwardly at the sight of the spectacular castle, she had vowed to herself to hate everything to do with the Jones' whilst being here, that way she may have been able to get out of this ordeal. The castle stood high and mightily against the English greenery, it really was a wonderful sight to her, sure she lived in a massive manor house but this was something different, it looked magical and mystical, like something from a fairytale, the rain however stopped once they arrived meaning the castle looked even more amazing to Emma, a thought that made her want to flee immediately. This obviously wasn't the Jones' permanent residence but Emma could get used to this, especially with the treatment her and her family had received after finally getting there. Their party was greeted specifically by other members of the Jones family, their servants taking the bags to their new rooms right away from the carriage, the party then being led into the castle and taken to the great hall to wait to be officially greeted by Anna and Emma's soon to be husbands.
"Can you believe it Emma?!" Anna said to her cousin after the duo had been in the hall for almost an hour, David and James had been sent away to look over the wedding arrangements while Emma and Anna were forced to wait to meet Killian and Liam separately. Anna was to marry the oldest, Liam, apparently the Duke of Northumberland preferred a younger bride who did not have any children, leaving Emma to marry his younger brother, Killian. Anna had literally jumped at the chance, feeling the opportunity to do something for the Swan family, her sister Elizabeth had married 2 years previous and she felt she needed to so as well, to honour the family. Emma, however was less than thrilled, she'd already had her marriage in life and she didn't need another one, especially with a man she was supposedly meant to have hated up to this point in her life, all on the order of the blasted king. She felt it pathetic, like two silly marriages would fix years and years of rivalry, it was stupid and she had been resisting it ever since David had told her that she was betrothed to Killian. She didn't want this, she was happy to live her life in the Swan manor with her son, Henry, but according to the king, this was not to play out. "Believe what?" Emma replied from the other side of the room, Emma had sat down in the chairs provided for them, Anna however had took to looking around the hall, her childlike wonder taking the best of her. "That we're both to be married tomorrow!" Anna almost squealed, doing an unladylike jump in the process, "it's like something out of a dream!"
"More like a nightmare" Emma muttered quickly throwing a smile at Anna as she looked at her bewildered, not sure of what Emma said for being so far away. "Just all the gowns and the people and the flowers! We can't forget the flowers!" She gushed, coming over to sit on the other chair with Emma. Emma smiled at this, looking at her cousin in awe, she didn't realise the hardship of marriage yet, she was so innocent that it hurt Emma, just a little bit. Anna was never involved in any of this rivalry, she'd stay home and never go out in the town they lived in so she was still innocent, she obviously wasn't aware of just what this marriage entailed. Anna thought she would marry Liam and fall in love straight away, just like her sister Elizabeth had done to her husband William, but not everyone was that lucky.
"Is your mother coming?" Anna suddenly asked, her voice a whisper. Emma's head whipped up and she took Anna's hands in her own, knowing the nature of the question "Anna.." Emma said "your mother is always going to with you", she pointed at Anna's heart "in here". Anna looked up at Emma, a few tears in her eyes, "I know" she whispered before speaking up "I just wish she was here, I love your mother because she helped me cope and I love my father with all my heart, I ju-"
"You just need your mothers touch" Emma said interrupting her, she stroked her cousins hair feeling her motherly instincts catch up with her. Anna nodded, a small smile on her lips at Emma's understanding. "You don't have to explain to me, Anna." Emma said to her,
"Elizabeth went through the same thing at her wedding. But don't worry, you have me, Elizabeth, Regina and my mother to be all motherly"
"But it's your wedding as well Emma!" Anna said to her stating an obvious fact.
"Anna, I've been married before." She mentioned to her, "it's not as if I haven't done any of this before, I'm even wearing the same dress!"
"That's not the point Emma! You should be thrilled, your father did say that Killian was rather dashing" Anna nudged Emma, winking at her with laughter, laughter being cut short at Emma's scowl and the loud sound of the hall doors opening to reveal the man in question and his brother. "You may not want to keep your face in that position Miss Swan, the wind might blow and keep it that way" Killian joked with a chuckle, his brother pinching him seconds later "Be nice Killian" he said walking up to Anna and Emma who had stood up from their chairs the instant the Jones' brothers walked through the door. He kissed Emma's hand "Miss Emma, nice to finally have you and your cousin here" he said, Emma's face showing a strained smile, something which Killian noted as he did the same to Anna, who's smile was genuine and happy. The brothers then swapped, Anna blushing as she met Liam "You're even more beautiful then your painting my dear" he said to her, her face turning even more red as he continued to charm her.
Emma bowed her head a little at her Jones brother, that fake smile still plastered on her face. "Miss Swan" he kissed her hand, not letting go to wink at her and look in her eyes. They locked eyes for a moment, Emma's mouth opening in surprise. His eyes were blue, not a dull blue but vibrant one, like the colour of the clothes the king and queen got because they were that rich, like the sea that ran along the coast. She was memorised, she promised herself beforehand that she wouldn't be, she was supposed to have found him horrible, he was supposed to have been a rival, a man she was to hate. She didn't want to go through with this. She knew the type of person he was, attractive, cocky and a know it all. She'd dealt with many of them in the past and she was not about to marry one. She whipped her hand back and broke eye contact with him, this was a horrible idea. She couldn't marry someone she'd only just met, better yet someone that made her feel this panicked and scared straight off the bat. Emma took a quick look at Anna, her cousin looking at her with worry before she ran off straight through the doors and hurried through the castle halls leaving Anna to shout after her, Killian and Liam looking at each other in confusion.