Chapter 3.
Authors' Note- Sorry I'm so late with this chapter. I promise to bring more of the characters into the story in the next few chapters. Enjoy!
"Emma." My father says, offering me his arm, and sighing.. "You look stunning, sweetheart. Your mother and Red did an amazing job."
"Thanks." I reply. "You don't look so bad yourself."
"You promise to be good at this party, Ems? I don't want another scene like the one at Alexandria's christening."
"I was five. You don't have to bring that up every time there is a social gathering, you know." I laugh.
"And no sneaking off. Please?" He begs.
"I promise, papa."
"Good. Now, your mother is waiting in the gallery for us. She's getting agitated."
"Then we'd better hurry." I finish, smiling at my father.
"Emma! Charming! Where have you been?" My mother greets hastily. "All of the guests have arrived!"
"I know, Snow. It just took us a while to get Emma down in that monstrosity you put her in." Charming replies, grinning.
"Don't mess with your wife, Charming." She says, throwing a look that could reduce an ogre to tears. "Or you'll be sleeping in the guest room tonight."
"Which one?" He jokes, placing a chaste kiss on the corner of my mothers' mouth.
"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" My mother responds.
"That's why you married me, right?" He reacts, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
My mother ignores the statement, only rolling her eyes slightly. My parents' 'lovey-dovey antics' makes me want to gag most of the time, but there is no room for unnecessary thoughts swirling in my head tonight.
"You ready, Ems?" My father asks.
"Hmm?" I say, suddenly alert. "Yes. Let's go."
The music starts playing as my parents and I make our way down the marble steps. I look around the room, seeing a place filled with beautiful people. Graceful women in grand dresses, dozens of handsome men in their magnificent outfits, sailors in their best dress-uniforms. I feel vulnerable and exposed as I slowly clamber down the stairs, holding my father's arm and trying not to fall in front of half the kingdom. The smooth marble steps that have been polished into oblivion are not helping. I've always been fascinated with the way that my mother can so gracefully slide down the stairs in heels, and manage not to fall over.
Defeating the stairs, clambering down the final step, I let out a sigh of relief. But that relief does not last long, with dozens upon dozens of guests descending upon my father, mother and I. Words of congratulations are whispered into my parents' ears, mostly from high-up officials, royalty from other lands, and captains in my fathers' navy.
I may have to get out of here sooner, rather than later.
"Emma." I hear a lyrical voice emit behind me.
"Rory!" I practically scream with excitement. It had been so long since I had seen my cousin. Rushing her into my arms, we twirl around in joyousness, just happy to see each other again.
"Is Phillip and Hunter here, too?" I ask as I slowly pull away from our embrace.
"Phillip's talking to your father. Hunter is..." She begins, turning on her heel and searching the crowd. "Over there. With Roland." Roland, Robin and Regina's son, was slowly inching his way down the buffet table, with my godson in tow, grabbing pieces of food every few seconds and gobbling it up quickly.
"They are mischievous little boys." Aurora continues, "I apologize."
"Don't worry about it." I laugh in amusement at the two toddlers.
"I missed you, Ems." She smiles.
"I missed you too." I reply.
When Hunter and Roland finally finish combing through all the food that is resting on the banquet table, they finally spot Aurora and I at the end of the hall. A wide smile spreads across Aurora's face, followed by the tensing of her muscles.
"Annemma!" They both scream in unison, manoeuvring their way through the many guests that have accumulated on the ballroom floor. I have mere seconds to prepare for what's coming; the force of two four-year-olds crashing into me simultaneously. Their attack knocks my breath right out of me, but I don't care. It had been months since I had seen Roland, or Hunter, and since they are both relatively light, I scoop both of them up into my arms, placing kisses on both of the princes' cheeks.
"I missed you, Annemma." Roland says, reciprocating the kiss that I had given him seconds before.
"Me too." Hunter chimes, slinging his small arms around my shoulders.
"I missed you, too." I reply, placing them both gently down on the floor.
A figure casts a slight shadow over the four of us.
"Momma!" Roland shouts, as if he hadn't seen his mother in years, as he launches himself into Regina's arms.
"Shh! Roland, sweetie, please keep it down." She hushes.
"Sowwy, momma. But, look!" He exclaims excitedly, trying hard to keep his voice down. "Annemma!"
"I see her." She assures her son. "Emma. I was wondering when I'd run into my favourite goddaughter." She quickly hugs me. Snow had chosen Regina to be my godmother because Regina and Snow's mother, Ava, were best friends growing up. Regina is as close to an aunt I was ever going to get. "I wish I had more time to stay and chat, Emma, but I must talk to your mother." She states. "It was lovely seeing you again. You too, Aurora. Come on now, Roland."
"But momma," the child protested, "I wanna play with Hunter!"
"Later, sweetheart."
"Okay," he says sadly, "Bye Annemma! Bye Rory! Bye Hunter!"
I smile at Roland and Regina's retreating frames.
"Listen," Aurora says after they had disappeared into the crowd, "I best be going, too. I must go find Mulan. I heard she accompanied Robin on the journey here."
"Okay. But come find me in a while. We need to talk." I smile, releasing her hand that I hadn't realised I'd been holding, waving goodbye.
Now that I am alone in the corner of the ballroom, one of the best vantage points to see all the people in the room, I think that now is as good a time to make my escape as ever. Spotting Red on the floor across from me, I give her a subtle nod, letting her know that I am putting Operation Cobra into action. I came up with the name; after a design on one of my bedposts.
Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please leave a review!
