Sorry for the wait on this one guys.
Bit of change up in this chapter. This chapter is from Graham's point of view. I'm very excited about this chapter! I've been dying to write this since the beginning!
That smile. He knew that smile. The smile on Emma's face was one of pure joy and happiness. A smile he only saw from her when they were alone. He knew her fake smiles, the one's she used for show when she was out in public. She thinks he's never seen her out in public and around town, but he has. He's always been in the background. Tucked away and out of sight. But he had always been there and seen every forced smile she made and he can tell at this moment that this isn't one of them.
Anger filled him as he watched on. He was staring right at her, begging her to see him, unlike those other times when he had wanted to stay hidden. He wanted her to see what she had just done to him. When she met his gaze he was not disappointed. Her expression transformed from merriment to remorse.
He couldn't bear to look on any more. If he stayed any longer he was sure to make a scene. He turned down the dark alley and never looked back. He was deaf to all the cheers from the crowd. It was all white noise to him.
He made his way from the castle grounds into the forest where he met an awaiting Whisper. The wolf soon noticed Graham's bitter mood and whimpered in response. The huntsman knelt in front of the creature and smoothed the animals ears back with his hand.
"C'mon, boy, we must get moving. There's nothing left for us here." Graham looked back in the direction of the castle one last time as he uttered these words.
The wolf once again whined and whimpered. Graham gave him another reassuring pat on the head before rising to his feet and beginning their march as far away from the castle as possible. Whisper soon followed him, not without slight resistance at first. Both his head and tail hung low.
Graham never looked back once, but thoughts of Emma plagued his mind. Images of each and every encounter between them played in his head. He could clearly see the sparkle in her eyes when she smiled, he could feel the tickle of her golden tresses on his neck when she would sneak up behind him, the way her golden hair shined in the sunlight, and the infectious sound of her laugh. He could hear it now, ringing in his ears, almost hauntingly. He shook his head violently and her laugh slowly faded away. Graham's feet felt heavy and they seemed to weigh him down even more with every step that he took in the opposite direction of the castle, but this wasn't going to stop him. The only thing that did stop him was when he felt and heard the grumble of his stomach.
The huntsman let out a sigh of annoyance. He didn't want to have to stop and eat. He just wanted to keep walking and get as far away from this place and Emma as he could. He didn't have it in him to hunt at the moment, so he decided to stop at a nearby pub.
Upon entering the homey shack, all conversations among the patrons halted to observe Graham make his entrance, along with, to their disgust, Whisper. Graham avoided making eye contact with anyone and quickly took his place at a table near the bar. His wolf took its place under the table, curled up by his owner's feet. Graham could feel all eyes on him, judging eyes. They were stares he was used to as one who travels with a wolf companion must be. He simply focused on twiddling his thumbs as he waited for the barmaid to come by.
"What can I get for you?"
As he looked up to meet her gaze, Graham couldn't help but look her over. The light from the oil lamp above his table illuminated the barmaid in a soft hue. Her chocolate brown hair was softly curled and ended just above a pair of protruding breasts. Her skin was a light caramel color and almost shimmered in the glow of the light. Her uniform hugged every inch of her body in the right way. She was truly beautiful.
Graham wished he could look at her and feel an ounce of what he felt for Emma. It would make things so much easier if he could move on and forget about the blonde, rambunctious princess who stole his heart, but that wasn't the case. The woman who stood patiently before him didn't even hold his attention.
"Something warm to eat and strong to drink would be nice." Was his response.
As she walked away, he noticed her lingering glance and a wanting in her eyes. He wished to tell her it would be a lost effort. He hoped that she would catch on due to his distant demeanor.
Graham had just gone back to twiddling his thumbs when a conversation from the bar caught his attention.
"You hear about the princess? Some prince won her hand in marriage today. He's a blessed bastard, if you ask me."
The two men that were a part of this conversation had to be some of the most disgusting human beings Graham had ever seen. Greasy hair, oily skin covered in blemishes, blackened teeth, raggedy clothes, and dirty fingernails. In Graham's mind, they didn't deserve to speak about Emma.
"I've heard legends that when you take the maiden head of a princess you see God himself."
"Fuck her right I would. Cunt of gold I bet."
"One should not speak of the princess in such an ill manner." Graham sneered without turning to face the men speaking.
"Oy, got somethin' to say wolf fucker?" The fatter one of the two said before both shared a laugh.
Graham quickly rose to his feet and was before the men in an instant, his anger pulsating off of him. Whisper whined from his spot under the table.
"Keep any talk of the princess out of your mouth." Graham warned.
"Or what? You'll set your lover on me." He spat back, eyes shooting to Whisper. "Yeah, I've heard about you. A man raised by wolves. Eats like 'em, sleeps like 'em, hell, he even fucks 'em. You probably wouldn't even know what to do with the princess' cunt if it was presented to you on a silver platter."
The vile words had barely left the grimy man's mouth before Graham had him by the collar of his shirt, feet hovering inches above the ground.
"Not another word about the princess or you'll regret it." Graham snarled.
"I'd fuck her raw and," Not another word was able to leave his mouth before Graham shoved him against the wall, smashing the glass of the mirror hanging from it.
Patrons fled from the bar in a panic while Graham and the man continued to scuffle. The man pushed back against Graham, but the huntsman only used that force against the greasy bastard. Graham forced his feet into the floor and used all of this strength to throw his opponent across the room, causing him to smack against the brick wall and slump motionless on the ground. His fat friend attempted to exact revenge, but Graham was too quick. He deflected each and every blow the man tried to make and ended the struggle by kicking the man in the stomach, causing him to stumble over his own feet and fall backwards, cracking his head on the cold hard ground.
Graham loomed over him. His fists clenched and body pulsating with pure anger. As he looked around, Graham realized what a mess they had made during their fight. Chairs and tables were tipped over and askew around the bar. Broken glass from the mirror was spread all over the floor, mixed with the ale that had been spilled. Finally, Graham came full circle to the view of the bar. The owner was standing behind it. His expression was a mix of bewilderment and frustration. This all made Graham feel awful.
"I'm sorry for my outburst, if there's anything I can do," Graham attempted to apologized, but the man held up his hand to stop him.
"Please, just leave. Your word is no good here." The man answered.
Graham understood. He whistled for Whisper to follow him as he exited the now destroyed pub. He hadn't meant for his anger to explode the way it had. He had gotten control of his temper over the last couple of years. This wasn't the first bar fight he had gotten into. He'd been in plenty. At one point in his life if anyone even looked at him the wrong way they ended up face first in the dirt. But he wasn't that man anymore. He had changed. He had changed for Emma.
Emma. The mere thought of her made him stop in his tracks. The woman had practically openly rejected him only a few hours ago and here he was, being kicked out of a bar for fighting in her honor. He tried to stop the images of her flooding his mind. In his imagination, it was almost like she was taunting him with her smile. A wicked smile that showed him he meant nothing more than someone to fill her time, someone to toy with. He tried to reason with himself. That isn't Emma, he yelled in his mind, she would never do that. She told me that she loves me. He tried to fight the hatred he was feeling, but it only made things worse. Now she was laughing at him, mocking his stupidity. She just wouldn't go away.
That was, until Graham was knocked from his feet by a smack to the back of his head. His face hit the dirt and his scalp was on fire. He tried to get back up but his vision was blurry and he felt disoriented. He slowly realized that shadows were creeping towards him. He faintly heard Whisper whimpering in the distance. What was happening to him? The more he tried to figure it out the worse his head hurt. Suddenly, he was pulled from the ground by a firm grip and his arms were forced behind his back. His hands were soon expertly tied. The roped burned him as one of his unknown assailants tightened the knot. As the man pushed him forward, Graham tripped over his own feet, still unsettled from his head injury.
Whisper barked and growled, but then he emitted a pained yelp.
"Shut that fucking mangy creature up!" One of the men ordered.
Graham struggled against the man holding him. He couldn't let them hurt Whisper. That wolf was the only friend Graham had. Without him, Graham would be alone all over again.
His captor stopped walking and pulled Graham back against him.
"Stop squirmin' or things will get a lot more difficult for you and your fury friend. Ya understand? Just come with us and I promise, no harm will come to you or that beast that follows you around."
Graham was about to challenge the man to do his worst, but a cloth was shoved into his mouth and stopped the threat at the tip of his tongue. Next, he was blindfolded and thrown into the bed of a wagon. His skin was almost rubbed raw as his face slid against the wood. He tried to rise to his feet, but a foot shoved him back down, hard.
"Don't cause any more trouble, boy. Stay right where you are or things'll get ugly."
Graham could feel himself growing weaker. There was no way he could fight back. He felt the wagon lift as the man hopped off. Graham rolled on to his back and felt something cool and slick on the back of his head. It slowly spread down around his neck and he smelt iron. He was fading face. The voices around him were muffled and he felt drowsy with sleep. He was slowly slipping away and soon everything went black.
Graham came to in a dimly lit room. As his eyes started to gain focus, he realized that his hands were no longer restrained. He reached behind his head to inspect the damaged that had been done, but felt nothing out of the ordinary, just a head full of hair. He noticed his head no longer felt ablaze with fire, there was no cloth to gag him, and no blind fold to shield his vision. He slowly rose to sit up, but a soft hand halted his advancement.
"There's no need to strain yourself. You have plenty of time to rest before I really need you."
The hauntingly soft sound of a woman's voice brought him back to consciousness. In an instant, he was face to face with a woman he had never seen before. She had raven black hair that beautifully complimented her light skin. Her eyes twinkled with something Graham sensed was not natural. Her mouth was morphed into a menacing smile and the nails that rested against his chest were long and sharp. He watched as she rose from the couch where he rested, mesmerized by how swiftly she moved, like her feet never touched the ground. Graham couldn't tear his eyes away from her, yet he desperately wanted to. Something about this didn't seem right.
That's when he remembered everything that had happened to him. He had just exited the bar when he was attacked and kidnapped by a group of men. He must have passed out on their way to wherever this place was. But why had they brought him here? Her words rang in his ears. You have plenty of time to rest before I really need you.
Graham leapt to his feet. Whatever this mysterious woman was planning he knew it wasn't good and he was ready to defend himself. But she made no action to counter his defensive stance. She simply stood in front of the fire burning before her, her back facing him, refusing to acknowledge his reason to feel threatened.
"There's no reason for you to feel in danger here, Huntsman." She spoke without turning to face him. "I pose no threat to you. That is, as long as you cooperate and do as I ask."
He could almost feel the evil grin on her face though he couldn't see it. His gaze was still locked on her frame. He took in how the flickers from the flames reflected off of her dress. It was black and fit her body almost like a second skin. She slowly turned to face him and in that moment, Graham came to the conclusion that she was something unworldly. He felt an unnatural pull towards her, a force that was not his own wanting him to move closer. She wasn't human. She was something more. She was a sorceress, he had no doubt.
"Listen she witch, if you do not tell me who you are and what you want with me this instant, I will murder you right where you stand." He growled.
She simply laughed at his threat. "Please, you would be ash before you even took a step."
He lifted his foot to test her theory and she raised an eyebrow in question at his motion.
"Ah ah ah. Do you really want me to end your life before I have answered any of your questions? I would be more than happy to share my need for you if you would simply calm yourself and sit back down."
Graham felt defeated as he abided by her request and returned to his previous position on the couch. Although, he remained at the edge of the cushion with the balls of his feet pressed to the ground, poised and ready if she did end up attacking him, as he did not doubt she would.
"I appreciate your cooperation." She acknowledged his surrender with a nod. "Now, on to your questions." She continued. "Who am I? Well, I have no doubt you've heard of me. In fact, someone very close to you knows me all too well. People have gone to great lengths to protect her from me. Emma, I think her name is?"
His pupils dilated and his jaw clenched at the mention of her name. The witch smirked when she noticed how he reacted. Now he knew who she was and his reason for feeling threatened made sense.
"Regina." He sneered through gritted teeth.
She clapped in excitement at the mention of her name. "So you have heard of me. Splendid! That leaves me with no need to explain what I've done or what I'm capable of."
She was right. He knew exactly what she had done. Emma had told him everything about Regina, though it took her a while to muster up the courage to do so. It was a sensitive subject for Emma, he had found out over the years of getting to know her, and with good reason. When she had first opened up about the situation with Regina to him, he observed how all of the color had left her body. Just the mention of her name sent Emma spiraling. Graham hated seeing her like that, so he never intentionally brought up the subject, but he listened to Emma wholeheartedly when she felt like talking about it. Even he felt on edge when she shared stories with him. The woman had tried to kill both of her parents and had sworn to come after Emma herself. That day had yet to come, but Emma had always feared it would happen at any moment and at this point, Graham was positive it wasn't far off.
"And as for what I want with you, well, there are many things I can think of. The princess really does have good taste."
She winked in his direction and he became overwhelmed with the feeling of disgust.
"But, I guess if I had to pick one, it would be to murder Snow White and bring her heart to me." She simply stated.
"Like hell." Graham snapped.
She sauntered over to him until she stood in between his legs. She lifted his chin with her claw like nail and brought her face inches from his, her eyes bearing right into his soul.
"Oh, I've found that I can be very persuasive." She purred. "You're in love with the princess, are you not?"
She quickly turned from him, her nail drawing blood from under his chin as she swiped it across in a playful manner. He didn't respond.
"I'll take your silence as a yes." She answered for him. "But, being the orphan that you are, you could never possibly marry a princess. Her parents would never allow it. What could you offer her in the ways of protection? Your bow and arrow or that wolf you call a brother? Hardly a great line of defense if you ask me."
"Well, nobody asked you."
"Now, Graham," she chided. "There's no need to get testy. I'm simply stating the truth, am I not? Please, tell me that I'm wrong. Tell me that those same thoughts have never crossed your mind."
With every fiber in his being, Graham wanted to tell her how wrong she was. He wanted to tell her that he was more than enough to protect Emma, that he would do anything and everything in his power to keep her safe. But, he knew it was a lie. Those thoughts had crossed his mind, many times in fact. He knew what she said was true. He just didn't want to give her the satisfaction of him admitting it.
"As I suspected. Now, may I continue speaking without interruption? What I have to say is very important and I need your full, undivided attention."
Once again, he gave no response as a signal for her to go on.
"Right, so back to you being an unworthy suitor for our favorite princess. Ugh," she sighed. "I just love a tragic love story. Don't you? Forbidden love, murder, and, well, who am I fooling, murder is the best part!" She flashed a smile laced with a darkness that sent chills down his spine.
"As I'm sure you know, I am a queen, which means I could very well make you a knight if it pleased me and right now it pleases me very much. Don't you think a king would be more willing to give his daughter away to a knight rather a man that runs with wolves? He'd give his precious daughter anything she wanted to make her happy, especially after the sudden loss of her mother. That is, if he doesn't kill himself out of grief first." She chuckled. "Either way, I think this works out rather well for you. Though, there's still the issue of the prince our princess has just recently become betrothed to. I'm sure it wouldn't be so hard to murder him after you've murdered her mother, wouldn't you say?"
Graham didn't know how much longer he could listen to her mad rambling. If she thought there was any chance of him agreeing to her ridiculous plan she was gravely mistaken.
"And what makes you think I would so easily agree to this?" He questioned.
"As I've mentioned before, I can be very convincing. In fact, now seems like the right time to show you how convincing I can be. Please, join me in front of the mirror, won't you?"
He remained seated with no intention of moving. He didn't trust getting any closer to her than he already was.
"Come now, I won't bite. Well, as long as you don't give me a reason to."
He knew it was an awful idea to do as she instructed, but really, what did he have to lose? His life? At this point he saw no reason in living his life if Emma wasn't in it.
He tentatively rose to his feet and cautiously made his way towards her. She made no sudden movements and bared no teeth. She simply stayed cemented in place in front of the mirror, patiently gazing at it. Once he had arrived beside her, she motioned for him to look into the mirror.
He was hesitant at first. The woman he stood next to was a sorceress, someone capable of many tricks. For all he knew, the mirror could be used to cast a spell on him. It could send him into a trance where she could manipulate him and control him to do her bidding.
"Must you be so naïve? This mirror merely allows me to catch a glimpse of the world and nothing else. No tricks. No hypnotism. It allows me to keep a watchful eye on those who interest me."
At her assurance, Graham gave in and looked into the mirror. The glass of the mirror began to wave and ripple. An image started to form. Colors appeared and shapes became clearer. As the picture came into focus, Graham realized they were looking at a garden. But it wasn't just any garden. These were the gardens on Emma's castle grounds from the view of one of the mirrored fountains.
A sense of rage overcame him. Regina could spy on Emma and her family whenever she felt like it without them ever knowing. No wonder she knew so much about his relationship with Emma. There were mirrors in almost every single room of the palace, especially Emma's room. A room where he and Emma had shared a very intimate experience that only they should know about. He felt so violated, not just for himself, but Emma as well. The witch clearly knew no boundaries.
"Oh, yes, I've kept quite the watchful over our dear Emma all these years." She replied, clearly knowing what he had been thinking.
"So, what, you wanted to show me that you can see into every part of the royal kingdom whenever you feel like it? How is this supposed to convince me to go along with your plan?" He was getting more and more irritated with her by the second and he hoped it showed through in his conviction.
"Oh, this isn't what I wanted to show you, though, now that you know I saw what you and your sweet, little, innocent lover partook in the other night, it's just another thing I can use against you in my effort to get you to do as I request." She reasoned.
"Do you really want daddy to find out his darling princess isn't as pure and innocent as she pretends to be. He'd toss her out with nothing but the chemise she sleeps in and when she realizes this happened to her because of you she'd never forgive you."
He fought every word she spoke. He didn't want her to see the affect her words were having on him. He didn't want to give a reason to believe that her words were working.
"No, my dear Huntsman, this," she said pointing at the mirror once again. "This is what I want you to see."
Emma had materialized in the glass. She looked absolutely breathtaking in the moonlight. It reflected off of her skin, making her glow. But it was her expression that really took his breath away. She looked conflicted, like she wanted to be happy and yet she felt guilty about doing so. He wanted to reach for her, to comfort her, but he knew those moments were long gone and would never happen again.
Graham continued to watch on as something caught her attention. A hand came into frame, touching her arm lightly. As it slid down her forearm to grasp her hand, a body came into view. It was the prince. Her prince. Graham wanted to look away. He didn't want to see this. He had left for a reason.
"Ah, yes, the man who won her heart. Prince Bradley, isn't it? Brent? Brently?" Regina pondered.
"Prince Brindley." Graham corrected her.
"So you know his name. Tell me, does it hurt? Seeing them together?"
"More than you will ever know."
"Oh, I highly doubt that. We're not so different, you and I."
He was about to respond how he found that hard to believe, but what he saw in the mirror stopped him.
It was like his entire world had slowed down. One moment, Emma and the prince were having a friendly conversation and the next they were kissing, and she wasn't fighting it. In fact, her hands had worked their way through his hair and her fingers gripped on tightly, pulling him even further into her. He couldn't believe his eyes. The smile at the end of the duel was one thing, but this - this was something else entirely. And when they finally pulled apart and she touched her fingertips to her lips, he completely lost it.
After leaving her behind earlier today, he hadn't thought that his heart could possibly break anymore, but after seeing that display he knew that it could. It was pain worse than anything he had every experienced before. He couldn't breathe. The ache in his chest was so agonizing that it brought him to his knees. He had truly lost her to this man and there was no chance of him ever getting her back.
He felt Regina crouch down beside him, but he felt no comfort from her. A woman like Regina could never give someone the sense that she cared, not in the slightest.
"I know what it's like to have love ripped away from you like that. To have something that you want so badly, but the world does everything in its path to keep you from getting it."
She was trying to relate to him, but Graham wasn't convinced. Regina wasn't capable of holding love in her heart, only hate.
"But I have power and with my power I can get you what you so desperately want, Graham. I can give you that happy ending. You just have to bring me the queen's heart and it can all be yours." She urged.
Graham steadily rose to his feet. He looked down at Regina as she stayed close to the floor. Her eyes meeting his, acting like she was begging him to do it for his sake.
"That's where you're wrong, Regina. If you truly knew how I felt, you would know that I don't want revenge." He answered sternly.
His words caused her to stand and look at him straight on. He could see the fury in her eyes. She honestly thought she had successfully coerced him into her brilliant plan, when in fact she hadn't changed his mind a bit.
"All I want is Emma's happiness. She left me. It was her decision and I must heed to it. If I couldn't give her what she wanted then maybe Prince Brindley can. I only care for her happiness and if that means that I am doomed to a miserable life, then so be it."
He could tell he had made her completely enraged with his statement and he was proud. He proved that every trick she had pulled to lure him into her scheme had failed.
"As for your request, sorceress, I not so regretfully decline any involvement in the murder of Queen Snow and I believe that means we are through here."
He quickly turned to leave, but halted mid step when he heard Regina laughing behind him. When he faced her again, she was laughing with her head thrown back and her hands were clutching her stomach, like the laughter was too much for her to handle.
"You fool!" She bellowed. "You poor, love sick fool! You honestly thought I would just let you walk away? I have every intention of using you to get what I want whether you agree to it or not. I never believed you would willing do as I asked, but if I could turn you into my vengeful slave without the use of magic that just meant less work for me."
Her laughing had ceased and there was a gleam in her eyes that showed malicious intent.
"Well, you know what they say, if you want something done right,"
Graham wasn't given a moment to move before she had thrust her arms forward. A flash of light left her fingers and shot straight for him, paralyzing him where he stood. She marched over and circled around him, surveying her handy work, before she stopped right in front of him.
"You have to do it yourself." She finished.
She smirked and began to cackle as she shoved her hand right through his chest, snatched his heart, and pulled it out. She threw her head back and cackled even louder as his heart thumped in her hand and Graham lost control of everything that he knew.
Maybe this was all for the best. The moment the words filled her mind it was like everything around her changed. The world seemed brighter and more welcoming. The hand that held onto hers, the one that now belonged to her betrothed, felt warm and trustworthy. No longer did it feel intrusive or overbearing.
She wished she had come to the realization sooner. Maybe then her life wouldn't have felt so out of her control and she could have actually been living. But it wasn't too late to start now. A new life was ahead of her. One she could truly see herself happily living. And it all began the moment she accepted Graham walking out of her life.
Emma and Prince Brindley strode through the town, hand in hand. They were being showered with flower petals, thrown by all of the towns people in celebration as they passed. It was a joyous sight to be seen and Emma felt invincible. She turned to Prince Brindley and they shared a smile, but as quickly as they had been united, she was whisked away. She tried reaching out for him, but her handmaidens only pulled her farther away. She panicked and scrambled against them, but they would not let her go.
"Miss Emma, do not fret. We're only taking you to your bedchambers to prep you for tonight's celebration. You will be reunited with your prince soon enough."
Emma felt more at ease by her handmaidens' words. She gave up fighting and allowed her servants to escort her to her room. They quickly shed her of the dress she was wearing and took down her hair. As they scrubbed her feet and legs free of grime, she enjoyed a tray of fruit and cheese. All too soon she was forced to stand so that they could dress her.
The gown was truly something out of a fairy tale. It was a soft, shimmering pink. With a bateau neckline, her shoulders laid bare. The chiffon fabric was draped, pleated, and cinched at her waist. The skirt was full and barely touched the ground with the illusion that Emma was floating. Silver heels were placed on her feet. Diamonds adorned her wrists, neck, and hair. Powder that shimmered was dusted along her exposed skin. Finally, a crown was placed on her head and the transformation was complete. In the reflection of the mirror before her stood a true princess and for the first time in her life, Emma felt like one.
The sun had long since set and guests were arriving at an alarming rate. Emma had never witnessed a celebration of this size. She felt flattered. All of this was for her, in celebration of her upcoming wedding. She wanted to view the party for herself, but she wasn't allowed to enter the ballroom until she and Prince Brindley were announced. A curtain shielded the room from her view, but as time passed, voices grew louder and louder behind it. She wasn't able to resist peeking from behind it. But when she did, she met Prince Brindley's gaze from across the banister. He was peeking as well. He smiled at her and she blushed bashfully. She let go of the velvet fabric between her fingers and the curtain fell, hiding her from sight once again. She jumped when the trumpets blared, signaling that it was time for her introduction.
She confidently emerged from behind the curtain at the same time as Prince Brindley. They never lost eye contact as they made their way towards one another, a smile on both of their lips. When they met at the top of the stairs, they turned so that they were shoulder to shoulder and when Emma lifted her arm, he placed his hand gently over hers.
"Introducing, Princess Emma and, the winner of the tourney and her hand in marriage, Prince Brindley!"
Cheers, claps, and whistled filled the ballroom as she made her way down the steps with her prince. She took a moment to take in the decorations. Bouquets of peonies and ribbon were strung across every open ceiling. Reflections from the chandeliers bounced around the room. Tables of food with hydrangeas as the center piece were placed along the walls. An orchestra was seated to the right of the stairs and the marble dance floor was empty, save for the king and queen, waiting for the arrival of their daughter and the prince.
When they came face to face with her parents, she hugged both of them and Prince Brindley did the same. They all then turned to face the crowd.
"Party guests," Her father started. "You have all gathered here to join us in celebrating the upcoming joining of two houses. Our daughter and Prince Brindley will be married in two weeks time and we would be honored if every one of you attended."
The crowd roared at his proclamation. Emma felt a rush of excitement flow through her body.
"But as for tonight, enjoy yourselves. Drink, dance, and be merry, for it is a very joyous occasion. Let the celebration commence!"
The moment the words left his mouth the orchestra strung up, conversations continued and party goers flooded the floor to dance. Emma's father took her hand and guided her to the center of the room. She risked a glance behind her only to see her mother doing the same with Prince Brindley. She giggled at his doe eyed expression. She then turned to face her father. He put a hand at her waist and she placed her hand on his arm. With the other hand that held hers, he intertwined their fingers and raised their palms until they were at eye level. As customary, he took one step forward and she took one step back. He directed them across the floor for a few steps until he thrust her from him with their entwined hands, twirling her round and round. Emma closed her eyes and let her head fall back. In that moment she felt pure bliss and nothing less. But soon she was brought back to her father and they were both widely grinning.
"I must say, Emma, I haven't seen you this happy in quite some time. I am grateful."
She couldn't meet his gaze for she knew that if she did she'd surely start crying.
"Am I right in assuming it has something to do with Lord Brindley?" He inquired.
"Yes. You are right to assume so."
"Then I'm glad." He paused for only a moment until speaking again. "You gave your mother and I a rightful freight last year, Emma."
She finally met his gaze and felt ripe with guilt. The pain in his eyes was an expression she had never seen from him.
"You were so distant. You barely left your room and when you did it was only when you were forced to, but, you left in body and not spirit. I no longer saw before me my once bright, cheerful daughter. All that was left of her was an empty shell. This brought your mother to tears on many occasions."
When she thought back on it, Emma realized how unaware she had been about the reactions caused by her actions, or rather, lack thereof. She honestly thought that no one had noticed a change in her, but clearly she had been wrong.
"We came to the conclusion that you were lonely. Up until now, you hadn't had much interaction with others of your age and your mother and I are to blame for that. We were doing everything in our power to keep you safe, Emma. We couldn't take any risks. But by keeping you sheltered, we had deprived you of something vital. Love. We wanted you to have what we have. To find someone that would love you and protect you until their heart stopped beating, and by god, Emma, from the look on your face tonight I think you've found that someone."
"But two weeks - two weeks is too soon for you to leave me, my darling daughter." He complained.
"But did you not agree to two weeks, Father?" She jokingly questioned.
"Hardly, it was on your mother's insistence. I wanted to wait a month, but she wouldn't hear it. She can be stubborn that way."
"I won't be too far, though, only a day and a half by carriage. 2 days if the weather is bad. You can visit me and sometimes I can visit you. Things don't have to change."
"Oh, my sweet Emma, but they already have. Things changed the moment you were brought into this world. Some days, I find myself wishing for the days you were just 2 years of age, running naked through the castle halls, giggling and shrieking at the top of your lungs with not a care in the world."
She blushed with embarrassment at his memory.
"James, do not embarrass our daughter on this night, of all nights." Snow interrupted.
"I was just recalling days of Emma's younger years."
"Obviously I interrupted just in time. Here," Snow pushed Emma towards Prince Brindley and out of her father's arms. "I shall dance with your father to save you from any further humiliation. Besides, I believe Prince Brindley wasn't all that comfortable dancing with me."
"She's quite intimidating." He admitted.
"Something I am very aware of, son." James assured him.
Brindley bowed to both the king and queen before taking Emma's hand and lifting it to his lips.
"May I have this dance, m'lady?"
She could only nod in response as her cheeks reddened. She was surprised by how he still managed to make her blush even though they had done this once before.
When he brought her to him, he pulled her closer than before and whispered into her ear.
"Now that I get to dance with you in front of all these people, I'm never letting you go, no matter who asks. You're mine for the rest of the night."
And Prince Brindley was true to his word. They danced for what felt like hours with no interruption, well not for lack of trying. Many princes tried to dance with Emma, but with one look from Brindley, they turned away with their tails between their legs. On the other hand, there was one prince who showed absolutely no interest in Emma: Prince Dempsey. He was caught up in his newest conquest, a young maiden that didn't seem to mind where he put his hands.
Emma tensed at the sight and Brindley noticed it instantly.
"How about we take a quick pause and enjoy some of those fruit tarts you love so much?"
She could only smile as he took her hand and lead her through the throng of guests. She hadn't realized how hungry she actually was until the tarts came into sight. They shared laughs and fun stories as they ate. Emma wished she could freeze the moment in time, just to hold on to it for a little longer. But it was interrupted when she saw a flash of white through the window facing the gardens.
She didn't give a second thought before she ran from the ballroom to the location she had seen the flash come from. She looked all around her, but she found nothing that could have caused it. Was her mind playing tricks on her? She was well aware that she had consumed plenty of wine, but she in no way felt impaired.
A cool breeze blew past her and she inhaled deeply, the confusion leaving her as she exhaled. She just needed some air to clear her mind, she demised.
She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone touch her arm.
"Emma, why did you leave the party so urgently?"
It was Prince Brindley. The concern in his eyes pulled at her heart. His fingers ran down her arm until he reached her hand, grasping it gently.
"I'm sorry, I just-I," She couldn't even form words. How could she explain to him something she didn't even fully comprehend himself?
"Let me guess, the party became too overwhelming again?" He finished for her.
She nodded her head and sighed in relief. She could accept that as an explanation.
"Emma, I didn't get the chance to mention this earlier, but you-" he paused as if he had to catch his breath. She could feel his eyes taking in her form from bottom to top, until he met her eyes. "You look absolutely magical tonight."
She blushed at his words and had to avert her eyes from his gaze. He had such a strong affect on her. She hated it and loved it at the same time.
"I don't think I can put into words how happy I am to have your hand, but it would be wrong of me to say that I don't wonder if you feel the same."
She was shocked at his admission. She hadn't thought she had given him any reason to doubt her, but maybe she had, on some level that she wasn't aware of.
"If this isn't what you want I would completely understand if-"
"This is what I want." She cut him off.
What happened next was completely out of her control. She stepped towards him and put her hands on his face, pulling him to her, their lips meeting in a forceful kiss. It was like every moment they had spent together was leading up to this and now that it had happened, the world around them seemed to explode.
The intensity Emma felt when his tongue met hers was otherworldly. It caused her to rise on her toes and run her fingers through his hair, gripping at the ends with all of her might. His hands found her hips and pulled her even closer to him, if that was possible.
But suddenly an image flashed in her mind. It was just a flicker, but the picture was so very clear. It was Graham. Emma ripped herself away from Brindley's lips and touched her own. She backed away from him until her back met the tall shrub walls of the garden.
That kiss had made her feel something for the first time in what felt like hours. She slowly came to the realization that she had numbed herself to anything and everything up until this moment. But she was conflicted on what to feel: satisfaction or guilt.
What she had felt for Prince Brindley, after all of her hard work trying to conceal it and push it down, had finally come to fruition. It felt amazing to finally kiss him and admit that she did want him. But then there was the feeling of overwhelming shame and betrayal. She had just kissed a man who wasn't Graham. Once Graham had told her that he loved her and she admitted that she felt the same, she never saw herself being with anyone, but him. It had only been a few hours since he had walked away from her and now she was throwing herself at another man. How had the world come to this? How had things gone so wrong?
But she couldn't dwell on things of that matter anymore. She could only look to her future and it was standing right in front of her.
She walked forward and kissed Brindley again. She smiled when she drew back and her beloved was smiling back.
"Let's get back to the party. I'm sure our absence has not gone unnoticed."
It was true that many had noticed their absence. When they reentered the party, many looked in their direction and whispered to one another. Speculation ran wild, rumors were spread of groping in the dark, but Emma and the prince paid no attention to them. They danced all through the night, right up until King James announced that the celebration had come to an end. He thanked everyone for attending and wished them a goodnight.
When the ballroom was empty, James and Snow wished Emma and Brindley the same.
"Prince Brindley, I trust you will escort Emma to her bedchambers and nothing more?"
Brindley nodded in affirmation. "You've placed your trust rightfully, your majesty."
Emma received a kiss from both of her parents before they retired for the night.
It was a slow walk made in silence to her bedchambers. When they made it to her door, Prince Brindley brought her hand to his lips and bowed.
"Tonight was I night I hope to always remember. Goodnight, my sweet Emma. I will count the hours until we see each other again."
With that he left her. Her handmaidens were already in her room when she entered. They quickly disrobed her and wiped her clean of glitter and makeup.
When she crawled into bed, Emma felt weightless. Tonight had been beyond anything she could have ever imagined. She fought her sleep heavy eyes as she attempted to keep this indescribable night from coming to an end, but her dreams soon carried her away.
Emma didn't know what had woken her, but she felt the sense of overbearing darkness drawing nearer. Her heart beat quickened as she forced herself from her bed. Her eyes were still adjusting to the dark when she heard scuffling from the outside of her door. Something fell on the other side, blocking the light from coming through underneath.
She could feel that something wasn't right. She felt it in the pit of her stomach. Her hand shook as she reached for the knob and she snatched her hand back when she felt how cold it was. She willed herself to reach for it again and when she met the cool metal she didn't pull back. She slowly turned it and heard the lock release. The sound practically echoed through the entire castle.
What lay before her made her jump back in fright and clutch her mouth to keep from screaming. One of her guards was on the castle floor, motionless. She didn't need to feel the body to know that he was dead. She could tell by his eyes.
She stepped over him, keeping her eyes from looking at the lifeless body. Once she had shaken the initial shock, she felt a force pulling her, pushing her to move even though she felt nothing good would come of it. She cautiously made her way through the halls, following where this force was pulling her, not really aware of where it was taking her until the last moment.
She stood in the door way of her parents bedchambers, dead guards scattered all around. But that wasn't what drew her eyes. Beside her parents bed was a dark figure. She didn't understand why, but she felt an eerie sense of familiarity when she looked at it. But something stopped her from going any further. A dagger appeared in the figure's hand and he slowly and precisely moved it towards her mother's sleeping body.
Emma couldn't stop the scream from leaving her mouth. The figure quickly withdrew its dagger and turned in her direction. The identity of the figured was revealed to Emma and it made her blood run cold.
Graham stood before her with a pair of dark, soulless eyes that she knew all too well.
I hope this chapter was worth the wait!
