Emma was raised on a small farm in the country Florin. Her favourite pastimes were riding her horse and tormenting the farm boy that worked there. Nothing gave Emma more pleasure than ordering the farm boy around. His name was Killian, but she never called him that.
"Farm boy Polish my horses saddle. I want to see my face shining in it by morning."
"As you wish." As you wish was all he ever said to her. He never got mad with her demands he would just smile and do as he was told. Emma did often think that he was kind, and also very handsome. He had dark black hair and these blue eyes that some days Emma would get lost in.
One day she had brought him two pails of water to fill. "Farm boy fill these for me." He had given her a look with those damn blue eyes and she was almost at a lost for words. After staring at him for a moment she finally broke the silence and said "Please." He smiled taking the buckets from her hands. His own soft gentle hands sliding over her and staying there for a moment as he looked in her eyes.
"As you wish." That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying 'as you wish' what he meant was 'I love you.' And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back.
She was chopping vegetables in the farm house when Killian had walked in with an arm full of logs for the fire. She looked over her shoulder and watched him, desperately wanting to talk to him but she had no chores for him to do so she didn't know what to say. He turned quickly to leave before she blurted out "Farm Boy?" He stopped in his tracks as she looked at him still having no idea what to say. She looked around for something for him to do.
"Fetch me that pitcher?" She looked up at a water pitcher that was easily in her reach and was closer to her than it was Killian. He didn't break eye contact with her as he slowly walked across the room reaching above her a to grab the pitcher. He brought the pitcher down and handed it to her, now only inches away from her face.
"As you wish." He whispered. Her eyes were locked onto his until they darted down to look at his lips, they looked so soft all she wanted to do was kiss him. Fortunately for her Killian was thinking the same thing. He leaned in slowly and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. This kiss would be the first of many in their love story.
After some time together the two decided they wanted to get married. Killian had no money for marriage, so he packed up his few belongings and left the farm to seek his fortune across the sea. It was a very emotional time for Emma.
"I fear i'll never see you again." She said as she hugged him goodbye. He had his face buried into her neck, taking in her sent as they said goodbye.
"Of course you will." He whispered. Tears started to well up in her eyes "But what if something happens to you?" He moved away from her neck to look into her eyes as he held her in his arms.
"Hear this now. I will always come for you."
"But how can you be sure?" A tear rolled down her cheek.
"This is true love. Do you think this happens everyday?" He held her cheek in his hand wiping away her tear with his thumb. She smiled leaning up to kiss him one last time before he left. Emma watched as Killian walked off into the sunset.
Killian didn't reach his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who never left captives alive. When Emma got the news that Killian was murdered she went into her room and shut the door. And for days she neither slept nor ate.
"I will never love again." She promised herself.
Five years later, the main square of Florin city was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the Great Prince Baelfire bride-to-be. The trumpets sounded as he made his way to make his speech.
"My people, a month from now, our country will have its 500th anniversary. On that sundown, I shall marry a lady who was once a commoner like yourselves. But perhaps you will not find her common now. Would you like to meet her? The crowd cheered yes and began to clap. "My people, The Princess Emma!" He pointed his hand to a doorway in front of which was a carpet for her to walk out on. The trumpets once again sounded as she made her way out to the crowd. She emerged absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a beautiful nude coloured silk dress. And a tiraha that was covered in the finest jewels, it fit her head perfectly. She walked to the end of the carpet and all of the crowd bowed for their new princess. For a woman who was going to marry into a very wealthy life she looked around at her bowing people very sadly.
Emma's emptiness consumed her. Although the law of the land gave Baelfire the right to choose his bride, she did not love him. Despite Baelfire's reassurance that she would grow to love him, the only joy she found was in her daily ride. She would ride away off the castle grounds on her horse into the forest loving the feeling of the wind in her hair.
On one day she rode into the forest and came across three men stopping her on her path.
"A word my lady?" The shortest man of the three said. "We are but poor, lost circus performers." He gestured to the two other men. One of them was very large, almost giant like. His body was very well built and he was very strong. The other was in the middle of the two, standing with her arms crossed. He was average size. He had brown hair and blue eyes. "Is there a village nearby?" The short man asked sounding desperate to look for help.
"There is nothing nearby, not or miles." She looked down at them from her horse. The giant like man walked towards her as the short ones voice quickly turned dark. "Then there will be no one to hear you scream." The larger man quickly grabbed her from behind her neck pressing on her pressure points making her pass out and fall off the horse into his arms.
The men quickly walked to a boat they had docked nearby taking Emmas horse with them. As the two other men brought Emma to the boat the shorter one, who was their obvious leader, started tearing something next to the horse.
"What is that you're ripping?" The average size man asked from the boat.
"Its fabric from the uniform of an army officer of Guilder." He said tearing it and tucking it into the horses saddle.
"Whos Guilder?" The giant man asked holding an unconscious Emma in his arms.
"The country across the sea. The sworn Enemy of Florin. Go!" He smacked the horse sending it off back to the castle. "Once the horse reaches the castle, the fabric will make the prince suspect the Guilderians have abducted his love. When he finds her body dead on the Guilden frontier his suspicions will be totally confirmed." He said as he walked onto the ship to join the other men.
"You never said anything about killing anyone." The largest man said. Although he was definitely the strongest he also had the softest heart.
"I've hired you to help me start a war. It's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition."
"I just dont think its right killing and innocent girl."
"Am I going mad? Or did I hear think escape your lips?" He rushed over to him poking him in the chest as he yells. "You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass!"
"I agree with Anton." The other man butted in.
"Oh the sot has spoken." He throws his arms up before walking over to him, getting so close to his face he almost pushes him off the boat. "What happens to her is not truly your concern. I will kill her. And remember this. Never forget this! When I found you, you were so slobbering drunk you couldn't buy brandy!" He turns back to the other man. "And you! Friendless! Brainless! Helpless! Hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed? In Greenland?" He storms off to the other side of the boat to make sure the princess is properly tied and gagged. The two men stay silent for a while.
The handsome one quietly walks over to Anton. "That isaac, he can fuss." He gives him a look making Anton think for a moment.
"Fuss...Fuss…I think he likes to scream at us." The two men smiled at each other.
"Probably means no harm."
"He's really very short on charm."
"You've really got a great gift from rhyme." He chuckled.
"Yes. Yes. Some other time." Anton smiles down as he hoists the sails.
"Enough of that!" Isaac yelled as he undocked the boat and they started sailing away. They didn't pay attention to him.
"Anton, are there rocks ahead?"
"If there are, we'll all be dead."
"No more Rhymes now I mean it!"
"Anybody want a peanut?" Isaac groaned loudly. This was going to be a long trip.