Disclaimer: There are only two new characters introduced in this chapter. Belle is an added character; August and Marco are sort of hybrid of Antonio. Again, nothing is mine. Enjoy!
"Emma! You look positively radiant; you must wear that tonight," Snow gushed as Emma turned to look at the dress Snow had forced her to try on.
Ruby gasped when she entered the room and took in Emma's appearance. "Oh my goodness, Emma! You must wear that!"
Emma groaned as she finally looked at her own reflection. Snow had picked out a slim, white dress that flowed at the end for easy movement. It was decorated with white feathers, while the feathers around the neck and hemline of her dress were outlined in black, giving her dress a bold accent. It cut down on her chest in a flattering V neckline while the straps hung loosely over her shoulders. Most of her back was revealed, since the dress fell to right above her bottom. If she didn't hate dresses so much, she would have actually admitted that she looked rather fetching in this thing.
Ruby had begun tying bits of her hair back so that it wouldn't fall in her face when she danced, but she refused to wear any kind of up-do. The pins hurt her head. Snow gave Ruby a few feather accessories to ornament her hair with. The last bits to the attire would be the last things she would out on: her white long gloves, her white high heels, and her white and black feathered mask that really only covered her eyes and nose.
Snow was already dressed, wearing a strapless, lavender gown that poofed out in a classic princess style. Her hair was pinned up and a small tiara sat on top of her head. She wore long, lavender gloves and her chest and torso portion of her dress were decorated in jewels. A lovely diamond necklace accented her chest. Emma had refused to wear any jewelry. It wasn't her thing.
After Ruby finished with her hair, she started to dress herself while Snow offered to do her hair. Ruby slipped into a slim, red dress with black jewelry, heels, and gloves.
Aurora and Ashley entered Snow's bedroom, already dressed and waiting for the others. Aurora wore an exotic purple dress, similar in color to Snow's. It was very flowy, with a corset like design around her torso. Her hair was braided around her head and a simple necklace sat on her chest. Emma whined in jealousy over her choice in attire. She had to admit, it looked very comfortable. Ashley's dressed was similar to Snow's, but it was a teal blue color with simple flower decorations throughout. Her hair was also pinned up with loose curls. She showed off her beautiful glass slippers that Aurora had given her as a present. Both had masks over their faces that matched their dresses.
"You all look so lovely!" Snow gushed as she embraced the women. "I'm so excited!"
"Yes, sister. Do tell why you're so excited," Emma teased as she finished helping Ruby dress.
Snow opened her mouth and closed it, a bright blush colored her white cheeks. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't play coy, cousin!" Aurora pressed on, growing excited.
Snow shot a playful glare to her sister for calling her out. "Our dear Snow has been whisked away in the arms of love, finally," Emma sang with cheer.
All the women cheered happily for their friend, whose blush only deepened.
"And who's soul is it who stole your heart?" Ashley asked.
Snow cleared her throat. "One of the knights," she teased.
"Sir Lancelot! No wait! Sir Killian?" Aurora pressed on, singing out Killian's name in a dreamy manor.
Ruby scoffed, "Everyone knows that Killian's claim is to Emma. Did you see the way he gazed upon her after she returned from the courtyard? It's like she had him under some kind of spell."
Emma's eyes widened as she groaned, "I would have to be a witch to cast anything over Captain Hook; and if I were I'd better yet turn him into a toad than a man with eyes for me."
"Oh, my friend, you are positively too harsh on the man," Ashley giggled. "You have to admit, he is quite dashing. Rumors of his charm and beauty do not do him justice. Though, most of the knights are dashing, if I say so."
Snow's door open to reveal two more women: Alice and Belle, the castle's librarian. Emma embraced Belle after not seeing her all day.
"What's going on in here?" Belle asked, admiring the women's dresses.
"Belle and Alice, you look gorgeous!" Snow complimented. Both women had dresses similar in style to Snow and Ashley. Alice's was a simple, light blue with flowers decorating the neck and hemline. Her blonde hair was pinned up with a black headband and bow on top. Belle's dress was golden with a beautiful embroided neckline and her sleeves fell to her shoulders. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a similar way as Emma and Ruby's.
Ruby began to answer Belle's original question, "We were just talking about Emma -"
"Snow's newfound love," Emma corrected.
Everyone turned their attention to Snow whose blush had returned. "Ok, ok! I feel my heart has called out in the name of Sir David."
They all screeched in excitement for their friend.
A knock at their door pulled their attention away from the excitement. Belle opened it to reveal August. He was the son of Marco, the baron and advisor to the king. August had proven himself a worthy friend to Emma, who shared in her love for adventure and acted like a big brother to both sisters.
"I've been instructed to bring you all down to prepare for the ball," he announced with a smile. "King Leopold is waiting for his lovely ladies."
They all raced down the stairs together, Emma making sure she didn't roll her ankle in her heels.
"It is said that there are no finer women in all the world than the ones my castle harbors – and they would be correct," the King complemented when they all reached the ballroom. "Hello my beautiful daughters. Do you have your masks?"
They held up their masks, not yet putting them on.
"August, was not Dame Regina here at supper?" the King asked.
He shook his head, "I saw her not, nor Sir Greg or Lady Tamara."
"He is of a very melancholy disposition," Snow observed of Sir Greg, who hadn't said anything to any of them in their meeting.
Emma giggled, "It would be an excellent man that were made just in midway between him and Hook. The one is too like an image and says nothing, and the other too like an immature boy, never shutting up."
The King laughed, "Then half Sir Killian's tongue in Sir Greg's mouth, and half Sir Greg's melancholy in Sir Killian's face-"
"With a good leg and a good foot, father, and money enough in his purse, such a man would win any woman in the world, if he got on her good side," Emma finished.
"Oh my dear daughter," the King shook his head and looked fondly upon his youngest, "Will thou ever get thee a husband?"
"In faith, she's too cursed!" August teased.
"Too cursed is more than cursed. I shall lessen God's sending that way, for it is said God sends a curst cow short horns; but to a cow too cursed he sends none," Emma explained.
"So, by being too cursed, God will send you no horns?" the King tried to understand her riddle.
"Just if he send me no husband," she shrugged. "Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face – I had rather lie in the woolen."
"Would you rather have a husband that had no beard?" August asked, stroking his own facial hair and raising an eye brow.
She laughed, "What should I do with him? Dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? He that has a beard is more than a youth; and he that has no beard is less than a man. And he that is more than a youth is not for me; and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. Therefore, I will even take bets in earnest of the bear-ward, and lead his apes into hell."
"Well, then. Go you into hell?" August asked.
"No, but to the gate," Emma sighed. "And there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head. And say 'get you to heaven, Emma, get you to heaven; this is no place for you maids'" the company laughed at her impression of an old man, "So I deliver up my apes and away to Saint Peter for the heavens. He would show me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long."
The King shook his head in amusement, "Well daughter, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband."
"Not until God make men of some other metal than earth," she teased. "You excepted, of course, father." Emma rose to her toes and kissed her father's cheek.
"I wonder how my other daughter feels of this subject," the King turned, "Snow?"
Snow laughed, "I lack the shrewility my sister possesses. I have more faith in mankind than she."
A guard approached to announce that the knights would be joining them presently. They all put on their masks as the King instructed the musicians to begin and the servers to be at attention.
Killian looked around at his fellow knights all of whom were dressed in fitting suits of black, white, gold, red, blue, and green. A mask sat on each of their faces. He had traded in his hook for a faux hand so he wouldn't stand out.
Mulan had opted to wear a dress, a beautiful red and gold gown with her hair falling flat to her back. The woman looked to Sir Phillip who stood next to her, who only looked out towards one of the ladies in a purple dress. Killian watched as Phillip made his way over to said woman and asked for her hand to dance. He looked back to Mulan who only sighed. The woman had it bad.
He looked at the other women surrounding the king. The one dressed in light purple with black hair and the tiara had to be Snow White. Subconsciously he found himself searching for a head of blonde hair. He found three that fit: one in a teal gown, another in a light blue gown, and the last in a white gown. He watched the way the one in white clung to Snow's arm; then he noticed the feathers on her gown. No doubt: that was Swan.
He stood for a minute sipping on a refreshment as he watched the others interact. Phillip continued to dance with the brunette in purple as they engaged in what looked to be a sweet conversation. Victor had taken the hand of another dark brunette with a red dress and black gloves. Jefferson had started to dance with the blonde in the light blue dress. Thomas had paired with the other blonde in the teal dress. Neal now danced with the brunette in the eccentric gold dress. Mulan had started dancing with the baron's son, August. And Lancelot had escorted Snow out to the dance floor, no doubt to employ his rouse, while David stood in the other corner watching from afar.
He suddenly saw Swan in the hands of Sir Graham as they joined the others on the dance floor. Killian scoffed, sending a prayer Graham's way in hopes that the woman wouldn't talk the poor man's ear off.
The first song ended, though most of the pairs had stayed with their others. Except Emma and Graham. Curiosity getting the better of him, Killian made his way to Swan and offered her his hand for a dance.
She smiled and accepted; he assumed she didn't recognize him.
"Lovely, Princess Emma," he complimented, spoiling her guise.
Her mouth dropped and she smiled, "Who told you? Will you not tell me?"
"No, you shall pardon me," he teased as they moved across the dance floor. He hadn't lied; she did look lovely in her dress that clung to her in flattering ways. He tried not to think too hard on that as his hand rest on her lower back and the other in her hand as he led.
"Nor will you not tell me who you are?" she rose an eye brow as he watched her try to match a name to his hidden face. He was finally close enough to see how bright green her eyes were.
Killian simply shook his head as he grinned.
"That I was disdainful, and that I had my good wit out of the 'Hundred Merry Tales' – well this was Captain Hook that said so," she rolled her eyes as she said his nickname.
He rose his eyebrow, "Hmmm, what's he?"
"I'm sure you know him well enough." He shook his head. "Did he never make you laugh?" she asked, raising her eye brow as she watch him. Killian gave her a look of confusion. She sighed, "Why, he is the knight's jester. A very dull fool." Killian tried to hide his shock at her words and quickly wondered if she knew who he was. "His only gift is in devising impossible slanders; none but libertines delight in him. And the praise is not in his wit but in his villany. For he both pleases men and agers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him. I am sure he is in this mess somewhere; I would he had boarded me."
Killian cleared his throat, "When I see the gentleman, I'll tell him what you say."
Emma laughed as the song came to an end, "Do, do! I'm sure he will have a thing or two to say about me." The song ended and Emma noticed Snow motioning for her to come to her aide. "I must be off. Thank you for the dance, strange fellow."
Killian stood in his spot, shocked, as he watched the flaxen haired princess run off to her sister. He felt someone stand next to him, he looked over to see Sir Neal also watching the maiden leave.
"Was that Princess Emma?" Neal asked.
Killian cleared his throat, "I believe so."
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Killian simply nodded. "I think I've decided to court her. Do you think I am worthy?"
Killian chuckled, patting the man on the back. "Good luck, mate." Though a part of him disapproved, he had to keep in good cheer. Otherwise, someone would mistake him for liking the damn woman. And he didn't want that.
I told you guys I LOVED this story! I'll probably keep updating this story relatively fast. I hope you all don't mind. ;)
"celestria06: Yeah update!" Lol and another!
