CHAPTER THREE: EVERYBODY'S STARRY-EYED

Author's Note: Anyone else been watching the women's world cup? I have gotten caught up with USA and some of my other fave teams that I haven't written as much lately but I really hope you enjoy this one. As for some of the reviewers, I did fix the issue with the last chapter with the names. I got so caught up in making sure the scene was perfect, I missed it. I did check this one!

Some drabble about why this story is taking place and some pretense. The girls visit Meryton the next day to indulge themselves. Emma, Mary-Margaret, Belle, and Ruby come across this shop that is most peculiar and very new. Each one finds an item that piques their interest and is met by the obscure shop owner.

Emma did settle in for a good night's sleep but the next morning was met with a frenzy by Mrs. Bennet. Breakfast was a retelling of last night's events in the eyes of Mrs. Bennet. The rest of the family pleaded with Mrs. Bennet that they were all cognizant of the assembly. Over breakfast, Ariel and Aurora announced that they overheard the militia arriving in Meryton soon. Their mother was in a greater uproar with the presence of officers in town.

Their house in Longbourn was not far from the village of Meryton. Mrs. Bennet decided that she and the girls would meet Mrs. Lucas and Ruby for their shopping in town. A walk to Meryton was always necessary to amuse their morning hours and furnish conversation for the evening; and, however bare the news the country in general might be. They always intended to learn something from their aunt, who owned a shop in Meryton.

Mrs. Bennet was still in uproar about everything that was happening. Poor Mrs. Lucas was drowned out in the conversation that Mrs. Bennet immediately engaged in upon meeting the Lucas's. Ruby immediately joined Emma's hip and followed Mary-Margaret and Belle into their aunt's shop.

"You began the evening well," Mrs. Bennet said to Ruby. "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."

That was well and good but Ruby had already met the Bingley siblings upon their arrival.

"Yes," Ruby replied, "but he seemed to like his second better."

Emma put a hand on Ruby's arm. It was not her fault that Emma's mother was trying to marry off Mary-Margaret to David Bingley.

"It did seem like he admired Mary-Margaret better…" Mrs. Bennet added. Ruby seized the upper hand and turned the conversation towards Emma.

"My recollections of last night's events recall that Mr. Darcy is not as well listening upon guests as Mr. Bingley is. Poor Emma happens to know just how formidable he is."

Emma began to blush at Ruby's spoken recollection of the arrogant Mr. Darcy. She would rather have Ruby discussing Mr. Bingley and his acquaintances than the snub she received by Darcy.

"However disagreeable he may be," Mary-Margaret spoke up, "Katherine Bingley informed me that he never speaks to anyone unless he is intimately acquainted with them."

"I do not believe a word of it, dear," Mrs. Bennet replied. "But I can guess how it was; everybody says that he was ate up pride. Another time, Emma, but I would never dance with him if I were you."

"His pride," Ruby whispered towards Emma, "does not offend me as often as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder so fine a young man with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think so highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud."

"That is true," Emma replied in the same manner. "I could easily forgive his pride if he had not mortified mine."

Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Lucas carried on in their own conversation about having a new resident in the area. Ariel and Aurora giggled their way over to the ribbon shop after paying their respects to their aunt. It was commonly known between Mary-Margaret, Ruby, Emma, and Belle would saunter off to the bookshop down the way.

Nothing special was in Meryton besides their aunt's shop, the bookshop, and the ribbon shop. However, something caught Ruby's eye as she passed. It was a unique antique shop that had just suddenly appeared in the town. Ruby pulled on Emma's arm and dragged her into the shop. This movement sparked Belle and Mary-Margaret's interest. The four of them piled into the antique shop.

"Welcome, dearies," the shop owner, "to my shop. Browse to your heart's content."

The man wore a powdered wig with a dark green vest. He looked odd and whenever he made an effort to move somewhere, a cane pounded on the floor. Emma and Ruby quickly gave each other a look of disbelief. The man was odd and yet he fit in perfectly with everyone in town.

Mounds of antiques were piled in his little shop but everything was so interesting. Emma felt like she could spend hours in the shop but she knew that her mother would drag her on home before the day pressed on. Belle had dragged Ruby and Mary-Margaret to a corner of the shop with the prettiest embroidered pillows but Emma found herself pilfering through antique jewelry. A bright silver necklace caught her eye and she divulged herself further to find out what this piece was.

Emma grasped a beautiful necklace with a silver pendant. Inside the pendant was an engraved swan about to take flight. It flickered in the sunlight as she held it in her hands. She turned around to find Belle entranced in a large book. Ruby and Mary-Margaret were looking over her shoulders as she turned the pages. They silently signaled Emma to join them.

Belle had used her sharp skills in finding literature buried beneath a stack of books. She flipped the pages and each page seemed to glow in her eyes. Emma hurried quickly to see this new wonder.

The book was filled with stories about this other world filled with magic, adventure, and true love. Fairytales being available for a reader was unheard of in their time. Everything that a lady was supposed to do was be presentable to future suitors and to the rest of society. The concepts of true love was absolutely unheard of and it captured Mary-Margaret attention the most. Every story was different but Emma noticed that a lot of women got to fulfill their purpose in fate. Princesses were not just treasures, but through upsetting life events, could become these heroes; just like their male counterparts.

Emma begged with her sisters that they should buy the book and hide it from their mother. Reading was already a bother to Mrs. Bennet because the Mary-Margaret, Emma, and Belle would not be as social to their visitors as Ariel and Aurora. What was written in this book could very well upset their mother.

"Find what you wanted, dearies?" The obscure shop owner asked. The girls nodded in full agreement.

Each one paid for some unique item that was not expensive. Ruby had found a marble statue of a wolf that captured her attention and Mary-Margaret found a beautiful tiara that she was convinced it would bring her good fortune. The girls were transfixed on their treasures but Emma was weary of upsetting their mother. They were always supposed to spend their money on ribbons, buttons, shawls, or dresses. Coming home with two accessories and a book just might upset their mother for the rest of the century.

The shop owner heard the complaint of the girls and offered four different chests for the girls to take in order to disguise their objects and impress their mothers. The four girls thanked the shop owner and promised him that they would send a positive message about his new shop.

End note: This isn't the end to these little items! Please leave a review and I hope for next Friday!