7 years ago

White Kingdom

Emma was laying in her bed fast asleep while her maids went around her bedroom to get her ready for her big day. Its Emma's seventeenth birthday and she was having a ball, but also she's meeting her suitor that day. She didn't want to get married, her parents, Snow White and Prince Charming, value True Love and yet there forcing her to love someone she hasn't even met.

A maid noticed Emma sleeping and went up to her so she can get her ready for the day,

"Princess Emma, it's time to get up."

Emma let out a string of coherent words and tried to swat at the maid.

She chuckled lightly and shook her on the shoulder until Emma got up.

"Come on Princess, you're expected to be fitted into a dress soon, your mom will be waiting.

Emma sat up groggily, "Im up, i'm up."

The maid just laughed, "come on, if you're not down there in a couple of minutes your mom will get impatient and then will most likely come in here."

"Awwww crap", Emma said and got up quickly, rushing to put on appropriate clothes.

"A princess does not use profanity, your highness", another maid said, Gabrielle.

"My apologies", Emma mumbled, not all that sincere.

Suddenly the door hinges burst open and in came Snow.

"Emma, glad to see you up and early", Snow said with narrowed eyes.

All the maids around quickly turned and bowed. Snow just waved her hand and said "No need to bow" with a polite smile. As soon as her eyes locked onto Emma's she hardened her gaze.

"Emma we have no time to waste today, it's your day to meet your future husband, you need to look gorgeous."

Yes and it's also my birthday, Emma thought, not even a happy birthday was said let alone a polite greeting.

"Sorry mom, I was tired from horse riding yesterday but as you can see, I was now about to leave", Emma said.

"Don't use your snarky comments with me, madam", Snow said.

Emma sighed agitated, no matter what people say about her parents, they were always selfish. They had their own lives to control and yet, they just keep pushing me to expect to listen to their every command, Emma thought.

"Come on, let's go find your perfect gown for the ball", she said in her chirpier voice.

Once they stepped into the dressing room there was already the best dress makers there ready to size Emma up, and probably Snow. Before everyone got started Emma's dad walked in. "David!" Snow said with a cheshire cat grin. They walked to each other and gave a small peck on the mouths.

David turned to Emma "There's the birthday girl", he said with a bright smile.

Emma laughed and hugged him, "Hey dad" and looked at him with a shy smile, "Thanks." David rubbed her back affectionately. "We got you a present before the ball", and bought out a small cube box. Emma smiled and looked at her parents "Thank you." She grabbed the box and started to open it, inside was a necklace, simple yet elegant. There was a heart shaped piece dangling at the end of the necklace, shiny with a line of diamonds going around the shape. The chain was coloured gold and you could just see reflections going through them.

Emma gasped "It's wonderful", she said and laughed. David put a hand on her back, "sure is" and turned her around. He picked the necklace up from the box, while Snow took the box and set it down somewhere and lifted the necklace in front of Emma to clip it on. Emma was always a daddy's girl rather than a mom's girl. Don't get her wrong, she loved both her parents, but Snow could be more self-righteous and could agitate her more easily, always wanting the perfect princess, no swords, be elegant 24/7. It just got on her nerves, whereas David allowed her to sword fight and not be to girly girl like her mom expected her to be. The only problem was that Charming was a complete sucker up to Snow and normally did what she said also.

"No more wasting time", Snow clapped excitedly "it's time for fittings, David if you mind."

He smiled lovingly at Snow, "I'll see you for dinner in a bit then."

"That is absolutely amazingly beautiful", Snows voice, giddy with excitement rings out the room. Emma goes to stand in front of the mirror and takes a sharp intake of breath. "Yeah", she murmurs quietly, "it is."

Emma was in a tight fit dress, flowing downwards in a wavy length, white as snow with fitted yellow patterns around the edges showing spirals to match her curled hair.

"This will surely gain you the attention from your soon to be husband" Snow chatters, completely oblivious to ruining Emma's mood. She gains a frown on her face and looks like she's burning holes into the mirror.

The doors burst open and in comes the maid, Gabrielle. "Lunch is ready to be served, your majesty" she says to Snow. "Oh, time seems to fly when you're having so much fun", Snow exclaimed. Emma scoffed quietly as to not gain attention and rolled her eyes. "Come now Emma, you need some food." Emma just nods, "I'll be there once I put the dress safe and away." Snow just nodded with a bright smile and glided out the room followed by Gabrielle.

Emma sighed sadly, thinking about meeting her betrothed was upsetting, she wanted to find her own love and the day is just passing quickly.

She hurriedly passed her dress onwards to the couple of maids helping out and put on a fluffy animal jacket with brown tight trousers and a plain shirt. She walked out quickly and went to find the dining hall where her parents will be. She walked up to the door where two guards were standing and they opened the door for her. She hated it when people did that, always treating her like she's some sort of damsel in distress and can't do simple things like opening a door by herself.

"Nice of you to join us, Emma", David said happily. Emma nodded and said her greetings. She sat down next to Red and looked around. Red was to her right and next to her Grumpy and then Doc. Opposite her was the Blue Fairy, Granny and a couple of VIP knights.

"So Emma, how does you dress look for the ball, spending hours getting suited up and ready", Red said. Snow smiled hugely, it was a wonder why her face hasn't split yet. "It looks so beautiful on her, absolutely stunning." Red raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Do I get to see you before the ball, or do I have to wait?" "Well you're going to have to wait and see", Emma said with a cheeky smile and nudge. Red was her godmother and she was probably the most laid back person she has ever met. "N'awwww", Red pouted. Everyone laughed and carried on chatting aimlessly. Emma wanted to eat quickly so that she could get out as soon as possible, she wanted to practise with a bow and arrow and throwing knifes. She was good with throwing knifes, nearly a master but the bow and arrow were more of her mothers strong suit. Which is strange because they both are alike, aiming for a target, Emma was just better with her hands. No one knew she was going to go train. She started practising all this when she was little about 7 years old. Emma just loved weapons, fighting and training was one of her favourite hobbies. She had to train herself mostly because Snow always despised her using weapons, wanting her to be a petty princess. Which Emma finds strange because of Snow was a bandit for pretty much half her life, using weapons herself. Emma finished her soup and stood up. "May I be excused? I want to get some reading in before getting ready for the ball." Snow beamed at her with David smiling gently. "Of course darling", David said. "Don't read for too long", Snow said. Emma just nodded and said her goodbyes to the others around the table.

Emma stood outside with a bow and arrow slung on her back, crouching down with throwing knifes hanging from her belt. She was outside in there own private woods. Emma was never allowed to go in the actual enchanted forest. Apparently too much evil, like the Evil Queen. If she tried to escape, guards on patrol will most likely catch her and report to her parents, who will keep her locked in her bedroom until she 'learns her lesson' and listen to Snow rant about her safety. She was facing a drawn on target on a tree, crouching down in a fighting position. She always felt most relaxed when fighting, it was just in her nature. She loved bloodshed, she loves watching the tournaments when knights would get knocked down and battered. Emma has actually never injured or drawn blood from someone, just practising fighting moves without an opponent.

She pulled a throwing knife out of her belt and took precise aim and the target, with her other hand hovering over her other knifes, about 8 total. She quickly threw the knife that aimed straight for the middle and straight after that withdrew the others and aimed for different targets in the woods. One to the left, right, up above and diagonally. She completed this in 50 seconds and they all got the targets, exactly in the same spot. Emma decided to try the bow and arrow. She slung the bow over and held it in her hand, she grabbed for an arrow in her quiver. She placed it in the bow string and pulled back with her right hand. She aimed for the furthest target to have a challenge. She pulled and let go. The arrow went whizzing past trees and smacked its target. It wasn't exactly in the middle but it was good enough, for now.

She was in the woods for an hour until she got exhausted and decided to head back to the kingdom. She walked through the gate and went past the guards that gave a polite nod and "your highness". She walked into her chambers and decided to have a bath. She looked for the closest maid and asked her to make a bath, it would probably take 50 minutes to make, as she has to go find a water source and heat it up. Emma decided to kill time and grabbed a book on a shelf. She picked it up and looked at the title, legends of the enchanted forest. It was created by the blue fairy when she was a kid. Her parents used to read it to her, but since she was old enough to do it herself, Emma read it whenever she could. It was always fascinating knowing the tales in what has happened to this land before. She sat down in a rocking chair next to her desk and turned pages. This book is always magically updated so to say. You could kind of tell the moves in what happened, so to say the adventures of some famous people, like Robin Hood. There was even some stories of Snow White in her early days. But most of all, Emma liked reading about The Evil Queen. You can't see stories of what happened behind closed doors, but you could see what she's been up to, like what villages she has destroyed and stuff like that. It always fascinated Emma about what she has done, knowing all the people she has killed. Though not as much action has happened since Snow and Charming got married, no one has really heard anything from her, apart from the occasional village caught fire. Though once our knights get there the village would be burnt with no sign to who did it, but everyone knows it's The Evil Queen, you can just tell her presence has been in that area.

"your bath is ready, your highness", Emma jumped from her seat is shock.

She looked up at noticed Gabrielle standing there with an amused smile on her face. Emma laughed good naturally and shook her head.

"Thank you" She said as she got up to get ready.

"Once your done, your mother expects you to put the dress on and meet her in the hall."

Emma just smiled and nodded, though once in the bath she just couldn't relax, knowing that soon her freedom would be taken away and she will no longer be able to have her rights. She was not looking forward to meeting her betrothed, she heard rumours of what he was like, and none of them were nice to the sound of her ears.