Emma woke to sunlight streaming in through her window and groaned turning away and pulling her pillow over her face to block out the sun. She was decidedly not a morning, always wishing she had just a few more minutes to sleep in before her day began, but her slumber was interrupted by her handmaiden softly knocking on her door and entering her room.
"Good morning Princess," she said crossing the room to the window to push the curtains aside and let in more light, "It's going to be a beautiful day today, what would you like to do after you've had breakfast with your parents?"
"How can you be so awake at this hour Ruby?" Emma squinted against the sudden brightness.
"It's in the job description, now come on the King and Queen said they have something important to tell you at breakfast," Ruby said opening Emma's wardrobe and rifling through her dresses and selecting 2 for Emma to choose, one a light sky blue with floral embroidery or an airy lilac.
"All right I suppose I shouldn't linger, let's go with the blue today, but please have my riding clothes ready for when my parents and I are finished with breakfast? I think I would enjoy a nice long ride today," Emma said getting out of bed and going to her vanity. Ruby came up behind her and started brushing out her hair and plaiting it so it fell over her shoulder and helping her into the light blue dress as they talked about any upcoming events any of the other kingdoms would be hosting soon.
"You look lovely my lady," Ruby said as Emma gave herself a once over in her looking glass.
"Thank you Ruby, shall we go to the dining room?" Emma said offering her arm to her handmaiden and closest friend. Ruby giggled and looped her arm through Emma's and the two of them exited her room to venture to the dining room.
As they were rounding a corner of the castle Emma accidentally bumped into one of the other servants knocking his pail, mop, broom and dustpan out of his hands.
"Oh I am so sorry! Let me help you with that," she said bending down to help the man pick up his fallen items.
"Oh no Your Highness, a princess shouldn't be picking up old mops and pails! Allow me," he said kneeling down and hurriedly gathering up his belongings. Emma looked up and saw a pair of sky blue eyes looking earnestly at her.
"Nonsense! It was my fault that you dropped them in the first place, it's the least I can do to help you pick them up again," she smiled.
"I suppose you are right," he said and then remembering just who he was talking to his cheeks flushed red, "I mean, I appreciate the help. I do hope I didn't offend you, Your Highness," he stammered and scratched behind his ear.
"You didn't," Emma chuckled and handed him his mop back.
"My Lady we really must be going, your parents are waiting for us," Ruby reminded her.
"Oh right, I'm so sorry again," she said to the servant before Ruby dragged her away.
"Who was that? I don't think I've seen him in the castle before," Emma asked Ruby as soon as they were out of earshot.
"His name is Killian, he only just started 2 weeks ago, now really miss we must hurry, you are going to be late for breakfast," Ruby reminded her. They rushed downstairs to the east wing and burst into the dining room.
Emma's parents King David and Queen Snow White were already seated at the dining table waiting for her.
"Good morning, I'm sorry I'm late," Emma said kissing both her parents before taking her seat and spreading some butter on her bread.
"It's fine sweetheart, we've come to expect your tardiness at breakfast ever since you were six and made it perfectly clear the morning was not your favorite time of day," her father laughed as he took a bite of bacon.
Emma made a face at him and spread some strawberry preserves on her bread before taking a bite, "Ruby mentioned you had an important announcement for me?" she asked after she swallowed.
"Yes, Emma as you know you will be turning 21 soon," her mother said taking a sip of her tea, "And we will be hosting a very important ball to mark the occasion," she smiled excitedly.
"But we host a ball every year for my birthday, what makes this one so important?" Emma questioned looking from her mother to her father who had suddenly become very interested in his breakfast.
"Well we are planning on inviting all the young eligible bachelors we can find, your 21st birthday is to act as your coming out ball," Snow White explained excitedly.
"Wait you expect to just present me to all these people? Like a show pony?" Emma asked her brows furrowing in anger.
"Emma it won't be as bad as you think, you will dance with lords and dukes and admirals. You'll have your pick of suitors and hopefully will find a suitable match and he can begin courting you and eventually you two will get married," Snow White smile brightly.
"Married? Doesn't this seem all a bit sudden? I'm not even sure if I want to get married now," Emma exclaimed looking pleadingly at her parents.
"Now Emma I believe you are overreacting just a tad, but as a princess is it expected that you find a good husband," her father said calmly.
"And who exactly are you thinking of inviting to this ball? Lord Gold's son, Neal? He has about as much personality as a potato. Countess Zelena's monkeyish nephew Walsh? Prince Eric of the Maritime Kingdom who has been in love with Lady Ariel since we were all 7 years old? He's sure to come courting me" Emma spat sarcastically.
"Emma there are more men out there than that and you know it," Snow White said obviously trying to keep the annoyance in her voice from coming through.
"Of course how could I forget Duchess Regina's new stepson Roland? He has to be about 5 now yes?"
"That is quite enough Emma, I understand this might be a bit of a shock but you do not speak to us like that do you understand?" David commanded and Emma nodded still frowning.
"I think I'm full, may I be excused please?" she asked trying to keep the edge out of her voice.
"You may," he agreed and she got up from the table and hurried back to her room, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. She stomped up the corridors to her room feeling frustrated and angry tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Really how could her parents just dump this information on her like this? How did they expect her to go along with being paraded around like a prize to be won? She burst into her bed chambers just as the first tears were about to fall and closed the door behind her, hot angry tears running down her cheeks. She saw something move out of the corner of her eye and jumped in surprise to see the same servant, Killian, staring at her his mop still in his hands.
"I'm sorry I didn't expect you to be back from breakfast so soon, I'll see myself out Princess," he said quickly gathering up his cleaning supplies and walking towards the door only stopping when he noticed her tears, "Are you all right, Your Highness?" he asked his eyes filled with concern.
"I'm fine," she said quickly wiping her eyes.
"Forgive me for being forward but the tears in your eyes suggest you are not fine," he acknowledged. Emma's eyes met his again for the second time, this time they were filled with concern and she let out a shaky breath.
"My parents wish to use my 21st birthday ball to double as a coming out, I'm to be paraded in front of all the eligible bachelors my parents can find in hopes of finding a match," she breathed and a sudden realization hitting her, "And I now see how selfish I must sound at the moment, a poor little princess who doesn't want to go to the ball."
"I don't think you sound selfish at all. That does sound like a lot of pressure to put on you, to expect you to fall in love with someone after only meeting them and sharing a dance," he sympathized.
"My parents didn't even talk of love when they told me, they made it seem as if I was destined to find love at first sight! Even my parents who have the Truest Love anyone has ever seen, didn't have that," she explained.
"Aye Love at First Sight is almost unheard of in this realm. Bust surely there must be some people who you know and like enough, you royals have balls all the time," he offered.
Emma shook her head, "Yes there is a group of us who have grown up together and run in the same circles, but I could never see any of them being more than friends and certainly not marriage. And gods forbid I get matched with Lord Neal or Count Walsh," she grimaced.
"I'm guessing those two aren't at the top of your list of desired suitors," he smiled softly.
"No definitely not," a small smile pricking at her lips.
"There we go, it's nice to see that smile back," he said gently, "Now Your Highness if you will excuse me, I must attend to the other rooms," he bowed to her and moved to push open the door.
"Thank you Killian, for allowing me to speak so freely to you."
"It was my pleasure Your Highness," he smiled at her, his dimples flashing.
"Please, call me Emma," she said.
"Then it was my pleasure, Emma. I hope you have a nice rest of your day," he bowed and exited the room, leaving Emma still smiling to fall back onto her bed, giggling quietly to herself.