A/N: Out of an abundance of caution, I have put a trigger warning in here. In the strictest sense, a character death is discussed in this chapter; it occurred in the past, description is non-graphic and the character is one I consider to be minor. But I know readers have varying sensitivity levels, so I included it. (There will also be at least one more death down the pike, and that one is much less of a footnote. Fair warning.)

Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, especially the ones from guests I can't thank directly - so sweet and I always love feedback on what does (and doesn't!) work for you. In general I don't feel like I'm getting a ton of feedback on this story, so please feel free to let me know what you think...

We're almost to some bends in the road for our characters as the story takes a bit of a twist. But for now, it's off to the ball - after all, this is a fairytale, and every good fairytale must have a ball! Thanks (as always!) for your patience and for reading, and I hope you enjoy.


TW: character death


The next morning dawned gloomy and cold, engulfed in the sort of dreary drizzle only October could provide. By the time Emma pulled herself out of bed and wandered into the common area of the cottage, Bae was nowhere to be seen. She supposed he'd gone on another one of his walks. Outside of drawing it seemed to be his only pastime, and Emma found it unlikely that he'd be deterred by a bit of rain. She couldn't say she was upset to find him gone. If he were at the cottage he'd undoubtedly try to smooth over the previous night's argument, and it was a matter she'd rather not revisit at the moment. She remained too hurt and upset to discuss it with a level head, leaving avoidance as the best way to handle the situation.

By the time he returned, Emma had finished breakfast and curled up in a lounge chair, intent on finishing the book she'd started the day prior. She was fully engrossed in the tale, never even looking up as she grunted in reply to his greeting. She remained only vaguely aware of his movements as he pulled his wet things off and hung them by the fire to dry. In fact, until a shadow was cast across her reading, she did not pay him any mind at all.

With her light blocked, she looked up to find Bae hovering near her chair. She groaned internally, assuming he was preparing an address of some sort. Jumping to speak before he could deliver it, she said, "There's etiquette you'll need for tomorrow. Once I finish this chapter I can begin drilling you."

"Emma, about yesterday-"

"You've a lot to learn and not much time to learn it," she continued, speaking over him as if he hadn't said a word. She returned her eyes to the book, unwavering in her refusal to meet his gaze.

"Emma." The name was delivered as a command. As he said it, Bae stepped in front of her, an attempt to ensure that she wouldn't ignore him again. "We need to talk about this."

"I don't wish to discuss it."

Bae crouched down, putting himself at her eye level before continuing. "Emma, come on," he said, the harsh tone of his prior statement fading into a plea.

She raised her eyes, shooting him an icy glare. "I. don't. want. to talk. about it!"

"Please, Emma," he continued. "I didn't mean any harm. I just wanted you to feel comfortable here, to feel free to be unguarded."

"You called me a liar!"

"I didn't mean-"

"You haven't any right, Baelfire. We met less than a week ago. We hardly know each other. I've been trying here, really trying to make this less miserable for both of us - but you've no right to act as if you know the first thing about me. You know nothing about me."

Bae sighed, closing his eyes and hanging his head. She watched as his shoulders slumped and he brought his hand up, rubbing at the back of his neck as if at a loss for what to do next. Finally he looked back at her, reaching a hand towards her knee. Emma stiffened as she waited for the contact, but to her surprise he caught the upholstery to her right instead. He began to speak again, and finally she met his gaze. "I know you're not happy here. I know that. This isn't what you wanted. It's just... I'd like you to be comfortable. I don't want you to feel as if you have to keep up a pretense around me. I don't care a bit about your title or your status - I just need to keep you safe until I get you back to your family. That's all I'm after, Emma. Please believe me when I say I'm truly sorry to have made the situation worse for you. That's never my intention."

She drew in a breath, eyes trained on the boy crouched to her right as she considered his apology. Something about his plea resonated with her; maybe it was the fact that if what he was after was her status, he wouldn't need to win her favor. He'd already gained the title by marrying her. If that were all he wanted, her happiness should have been of no consequence. Apart from her parents, few people in her life had ever dared to challenge her; fewer still had done so because they gave a flying fig about her. She'd no reason to doubt his words; they all rang true, falling in line with how he'd presented himself from the beginning. And if he was being sincere, holding a grudge would only cause their already awkward circumstance to become more uncomfortable.

Finally, she conceded. "Okay."

"Okay?" he echoed, his face lighting up with hope.

"All right. I'll stop being cross. But I don't wish to speak of the matter any further."

"Thank you," he replied. He stood, stretching his legs before he backed over to the settee and perched on its arm. She watched the tension ease out of his shoulders, realizing for the first time how much of a weight the argument had put on him. She'd need to remember how personally he took things. Far more like her mother - who couldn't stand for her to be upset - than her father, who understood her and knew her anger would fizzle in time. Bae cleared his throat, dragging her out of her thoughts, and she found him looking at her expectantly. "So you were saying, there's some etiquette..."

"Right, right," she replied, shaking herself out of her reverie. "So I've given this a bit of thought, and I think the most important thing for you to know is how to address people." Bae nodded. "You'll be meeting a wide variety of nobility, each with their own titles. It's crucial that you don't offend anyone by dishonoring them, but you also can't go on as if everyone you meet is the Queen Mother herself."

"Okay," Bae replied, sounding uncertain.

"It's not so complicated. If someone is a King or Queen, it's imperative to address them as 'Your Highness.' Princes and princesses - well, that's a little more complicated, some are at status with you, some below, depends on birth order and lineage and - well - let's just stick with 'Your Highness' there as well. You can follow my lead if you're not sure."

Bae nodded, swallowing hard. "Your highness. Got it."

"And that's actually it, really. You'll meet Dukes, Dutchesses, Lords, Ladies, Viscounts - no matter. They're all simply sir or madam to you."

His brow furrowed. "I can't talk down to Lords and Ladies."

"You're not talking down to anyone, it's just a title. They'll expect it, it's not an issue."

"But I can't 'sir' or 'madam' Lords and Ladies, I'm just-"

"You're a prince, Bae."

He stiffened. "I'm not!"

Emma let out an impatient sigh. "Baelfire... you've married a princess. You may not feel like a prince, but that's the title you've inherited. Tomorrow night you'll need to act the part."

"I can't-"

"You can. If you run around 'your highness'ing everyone from my parents to the servants who are stocking the food, people will wonder where it is I dug you up from. There's no quicker way to draw attention than to act like you've no idea how to conduct yourself. So long as we're married, you're a prince. May as well act like it."

Bae scowled, his gaze fixing on a spot somewhere behind Emma. He seemed to contemplate for a moment before finally nodding. "All right. Just for tomorrow night, and only because there's no way around it. Just doesn't seem right that a spinner's son should be looking down upon nobility."

Drawing in a breath, Emma closed her eyes, willing herself to have the patience to explain yet again. "First of all - you're not looking down on anyone, unless you're doing it inside your own head. Proper titling is ingrained into these people, speaking as everyone else does will serve to make you inconspicuous. Beyond that, your father's occupation has little to do with your worth. Don't judge yourself on that, because I can guarantee you no one else there will be. Half of them came from beginnings equally as humble." Bae had no response to this, so Emma continued on. "Now, do you dance at all? I guess I could show you-"

"I can waltz," he said, interrupting her.

"You can?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice.

He shrugged. "I spent four years alone in that room at my father's. I read. A lot. I found a book that diagrammed dance steps... thought it might be fun to learn. Or maybe I was just bored out of my mind. Anyways, I only got as far as figuring out the waltz before Clara walked in on me one day. I felt too stupid to continue."

"Clara walked in on you dancing by yourself?!" she said with an incredulous laugh.

He nodded, blush rising to his cheeks. "Credit to her, she didn't even react. I suppose it's likely not the strangest thing she's seen."

"No, likely not. Not working for your father, anyways."

"Precisely," he replied with a chuckle. "You think the waltz will get us through?"

"I'm not looking to be swept off of my feet in a night of romantic dancing," she said with a shrug. "Just need you to be able to muddle through in case it comes to that."

Bae shot her an amused look. "I almost feel as if I should be insulted!"

"No insult was intended!"

"A likely story," he said with a huff, but as the smile never left his face Emma was unworried. "Okay, so your highness, sir, madam, waltzing - what's left in our etiquette tutorial?"

"Ummm... Okay. So next up is dining. The tables will be set formally, probably three or four forks, a couple of spoons... "

Their training lasted the better part of the day, Emma distilling a lifetime's worth of knowledge into a matter of hours. Luckily for her, Bae proved to be an attentive student and the duo finished out the session feeling confident about the task that lay ahead of them.


The unease from the tiff of the previous day had largely dissipated by the time the duo was ready to depart for the ball. Midmorning, a note had appeared on the kitchen table that advised them to expect the arrival of a carriage just after tea. Neither was willing to admit that in all of their preparations, it was the first time they'd considered their mode of transit.

They were waiting in silence as it rolled up. Bae raised his eyebrow at the sight of the coachman and team of horses. "Papa must be enjoying the ruse. Usually it's just the carriage. No need for a team when you've magic to do the work."

"That would certainly draw attention," Emma replied, walking with him into the yard and towards the carriage. She tugged the carriage door open and Bae offered a hand as she went to step up, but she shook her head, grabbing onto the frame instead. "I'm good. Thanks."

She climbed in, folds of fabric trailing behind her. Bae discreetly lifted them into the carriage, not wishing to trample her dress as he stepped up. Emma had no such worries. She slid her feet out of their slippers, propping them on the bench across from her and leaving a pool of satin and crinoline on the floor between them. He noted her lack of concern and shrugged, sitting next to her feet and stretching out to mirror her, legs extended across the carriage and crossed at the ankles.

Once they'd slammed the door shut the carriage began to move, rocking down the dirt path towards the edge of the grounds. Bae watched as a grin crept onto Emma's face.

"What?" he asked. "Excited?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Thinking about how my mother would kill me if she saw the state of this gown, heaped all over the floor. Nevermind my petticoats exposed to the world."

"Your secret's safe with me," Bae said, sending her a conspiratorial wink. "We'll straighten it out before we arrive."

Emma smiled, tilting her head back against the carriage wall. "Thanks."

They settled into silence, Bae staring out the window as Emma closed her eyes and rested. The sound of the horses' hooves blended into the background as they reached the main road and he watched as the landscape changed from the sharp peaks of the mountains surrounding the Dark Castle to the rolling hilltops of the countryside. With Emma asleep and Bae lost in his thoughts, the trip passed quickly. Before terribly long, a golden sheen came over the horizon. As they drew closer, he realized that the sheen was in fact the reflection of a palace coated entirely in gold. In his shock, he let out a grunt of disbelief.

Emma blinked at the noise, squinting in confusion. She followed his gaze, letting out a chuckle upon seeing the palace. "I see you've spotted our destination."

He tore his eyes from the window to look at her. "I'm no stranger to gold, but that's..."

"A little extreme?" Emma rolled her eyes, her disdain written plainly across her face. "Supposedly it was originally built with stones, as most castles are. But when Midas gained his golden touch, one of his first acts was to turn it into this monstrosity."

"It's his palace?"

She nodded. "Was. He passed on a couple of years back... his daughter's family lives here now. Alex married her eldest son."

"I see," he replied absently, eyes once again fixed outside as he caught sight of the line of carriages pulling up to the palace. "Not a small event, is it."

"No," Emma replied with a laugh. "Most balls aren't." Following his gaze out the window, she made a face and pulled her feet down off of the bench. Stuffing them back into her slippers, she began arranging her dress. "Suppose I ought to get myself straightened out. My luck would have my mother in the carriage in front of me and I'd end up subjected to remedial etiquette lessons all night."

"Well let's not have that," Bae replied. "Doesn't sound like it would be much fun for you."

"No, indeed," she said as the carriage came to a halt. Fixing her gaze on the boy seated across from her, she broke into a mischievous grin. "Well, here we are. Are you ready for your first ball, Baelfire?"


Disembarking from the carriage went smoothly - Emma even managing to keep her wits enough about her to take Bae's hand as she stepped down. He managed not to gape too terribly as they walked into the palace, whispering to Emma that even he had to admit that the gold-plated ballroom - softened by carefully chosen fabrics and illuminated by candlelight - lent a celebratory feel to the occasion. Almost immediately upon entering, Emma caught sight of the guest of honor. Breaking into a grin, she flew across the ballroom, Bae doing his best to keep up with her as she dodged through the crowd.

"Alex!" Emma cried, tossing her arms around her friend. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," she replied. Dropping her voice, she whispered into Emma's ear. "It's a lot of fuss, this ball. I'm glad to see a friendly face."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Alex smiled back at her, releasing Emma from her grasp and for the first time noticing the boy standing behind her friend. She shot Emma a confused look. "Who's this?"

"Oh!" Emma shot a glance over her shoulder and then reached back, grabbing Bae's hand and hauling him forward to stand by her side. "Alex, this is Bae. He's, um... he's my husband." She held her breath, watching Alex's expression as it turned to one of shock and suspicion.

"He's your what?" she asked, after picking her jaw up off the floor. "When did this happen? Why haven't I heard of him before?

"Alex, we just haven't seen each other much lately... you've been so busy, with James and now the baby..." Emma stalled for time as her mind spun. With all of Alex's questions, she realized that in all of their preparation it had not dawned on them to brainstorm even the most basic of love stories.

As if he was reading her mind, Bae jumped in. "It was a bit of a whirlwind romance, to be honest," he supplied, proving answers to several of the questions at once. Emma found herself grateful for his level demeanor.

Alex's eyes narrowed as she regarded them suspiciously. "But married so quickly? Emma, that doesn't sound much like you. Was there a reason for the rush? You're not...?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" she exclaimed, her eyes popping open as she vehemently shook her head. "Certainly not."

"Hm," Alex replied, frowning slightly as she attempted to suss out the rest of the story that she seemed certain her friend was hiding from her. "And how did the two of you meet?"

Emma looked to Bae, worry evident in her eyes as she struggled to fabricate a believable tale. He jumped in before she could speak, opting for a far simpler route. "I went to her family's home on business and I just... couldn't leave without marrying her." He sent her a small smile and she returned a grateful one as she squeezed his hand. The understanding that passed between them - the spirit of his statement concealing the truth hidden within it - must have served as enough of a connection to pacify Alexandra. She tilted her head to the side in contemplation before letting out a soft hum, eventually deciding she could accept the situation as it was presented to her.

"Oh Emma... I do wish the two of you every happiness. Perhaps you could stop by for a visit soon so that we can catch up properly? I'd like to hear more about this husband of yours."

"I'd love that," Emma replied. She beamed at Alex, thrilled that they'd passed inspection. Leaning in, she pulled her friend into a tight squeeze. "I'll send a messenger to arrange it."

Alex barely had time to nod before her attention was required with another set of guests. Emma watched as her friend disappeared behind a well-practiced smile, turning to greet the many well wishers who were clamoring for her attention.

As the duo walked away, Bae wrapped a gentle arm around Emma's waist, intent on playing the role set before him. She leaned in, rising up on her tip toes to whisper a quick thanks into his ear. He gave her a quick smile and nod in response.

As they completed this exchange, Emma's parents spotted them from across the ballroom. Snow elbowed her husband, quirking an eyebrow. "They look cozy," she said, waving at the duo.

"Surprising," Charming replied, suspicion lining his voice as he watched the duo pick their way through the crowd to cross the cavernous space. "They didn't sound close when we saw Emma three days ago."

Snow merely shrugged, far more interested in pulling her daughter into a fierce hug than continuing to speculate on this new development. "Hi!" Emma cried, reaching out to wrap an arm around her father as well. Clinging to both of them, she whispered into their ears, "Play along." As she leaned away from her parents, she noted the puzzled expressions on both of their faces. Willing them to catch on to the ruse, she reached back and grasped her own husband's hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "It's Bae's first ball, isn't it so exciting?"

Her parents exchanged a look, the kind that went on a little too long to be anything other than a wordless conversation. Emma knew those well and her stomach sunk, years of experience reminding her that such looks never meant anything positive for her. "So exciting," her mother echoed, her tone the complete antithesis of her words.

"Baelfire, may I steal my daughter for a dance?" Charming asked. "I'll have her back to you in no time."

"Of course," Bae answered, looking a bit flummoxed at the family dynamic. "I trust you'll take good care of her."

"As much so as I did the first eighteen years of her life." There was an edge to his voice, and as Emma felt her father's firm grasp on her shoulder, she knew she was in trouble. He led her to the dance floor, expression unreadable. Moving into an easy hold, she flashed him a troublemaking grin that was all his own.

"A bold move, stealing the first dance from my own husband."

Charming didn't laugh. "Tell me this charade wasn't your idea. I know we raised you better than that."

Playing innocent, Emma tilted her head to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about, Daddy. Bae and I are married now - of course I brought him along to the ball."

The stern expression her father wore let her know that he didn't buy her act for a moment. "You're acting far fonder of him than you were the last time I saw you. Emma, playacting for the public will only get you in trouble."

"Would it be better for the truth to be known? That I'd married him to avert tragedy for our family and for the kingdom?"

Charming ignored her question, trying again. "The charade was his idea, wasn't it."

Heaving a sigh, she conceded the argument. "He made good points, Daddy."

"Points that allow him to act far more familiar than should be allowed of a boy who's known you only seven days."

Emma snorted. "Please. A hand around my waist is hardly a concern. Must I remind you that I'm married to him? You're the one that gave me away!"

"We hadn't a choice, Emma."

"And do you think Bae and I did? I came out to support Alex. Show up alone, looks suspicious when word gets out that I'm married. Act coolly towards him, the neighboring rulers become concerned you've sold out your own daughter. And for what? If anyone knew who Bae's father is..." She shook her head. "They'll find that piece out eventually. Best for them to think I'm the one who initiated the union in the meantime."

"I don't trust him, Emma."

She drew back, studying her father for a moment before replying. "I don't need you to trust him. But I need you to trust me. This was the best way we could come up with to handle the situation." She sighed, breaking her father's hold as the song came to an end. "I'm going to see if they have any of those tarts that Midas' staff usually prepares. Go on and report back to Mama." She turned, not waiting for a response before she began to walk off.

"Emma-"

She spun back around. "I don't need a lecture. We've got it handled." Beginning to move again, she only made it half a step before she stopped and turned back to face her father. Defiance written all over her face, she tossed one last thought his way. "And for whatever it's worth, regardless of what you think of Bae - I do trust him."


"They're arguing about us, aren't they."

Bae's question followed several minutes of awkward silence between himself and the mother in law he hardly knew. Snow sent him a kind smile in response; based on the little he knew about the kingdom's rulers, he wasn't surprised. Her kindness was legendary.

"Emma and her father are much alike. As a result, they butt heads quite frequently, I'm afraid."

"You think they may be arguing about something else, then?" Bae replied, hope evident in his tone.

"Oh, no," she replied, shaking her head, "it's almost certainly about the two of you." Snow turned, fixing eyes on the young man to whom her daughter was wed. "Why the ruse?"

He looked down, shuffling his feet. "We felt it was the least of the evils placed before us."

"Baelfire, these people are not stupid. It won't take them long to realize Emma hasn't fallen for you."

"No?" he asked, lifting his head to challenge her gaze. "She was able to pass muster with Alex."

Snow frowned. "Alexandra is..."

"Emma's best friend. I know she's flighty - Emma said she gets wrapped up in her own world - but she's the person most likely to notice that something's off. And she didn't. There's no reason to think that anyone else will, either. So long as we continue to play our parts, no one need know that it wasn't your daughter's decision to marry. Unless that's something you'd prefer to have as public knowledge, of course."

"No," she replied without hesitation. "It's probably better for all involved if we keep that close." She stared at Bae a moment longer, debating whether or not to pursue the matter. Eventually she opted to let it drop, instead turning her focus back to the duo on the dance floor. Her expression softened and Bae caught the questions that ran across her face as she watched her daughter. "How is she?"

"She's well," he replied. "It's not an ideal situation but we're making it work. She's got spunk, your daughter."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Snow replied, a smile crossing her face. "She'll keep you on your toes."

"So I've noticed," he replied, his tone tinged with amusement. He stared out at father and daughter for a few moments before furrowing his brow. "There's no handbook on this, you know. How to keep the kingdom's future ruler safe and happy while waiting out your deranged father."

Snow glanced over him once again, some sort of silent assessment being taken and filtered into her opinion of the boy. "No... no, there's not." She heaved a sigh before continuing. "Just do your best by her, Bae. That's all I ask. Under all of that spunk, Emma's got a sensitive soul. However the two of you work things out, please remember that."

Bae didn't answer, only nodding slowly as he kept his gaze fixed on the girl in question. He watched as she stormed away from her father, heading towards the refreshment tables that framed the side of the ballroom. "I should probably go to her... newlyweds and all," he said, speaking to himself as much as to Snow. She nodded, watching after him as he took his leave.

As he walked away, he happened upon Charming, clomping towards his wife. "Your highness," Bae greeted him, bowing his head as he slipped past. The elder prince only glared in response.


Emma stood scanning the table of hors d'oeuvres when she felt a presence to her left. Looking over, she found an acquaintance; a young prince with an eager grin plastered upon his face. Internally, she cringed. "Hello, Phillip," she greeted him, eyes returning to the spread in front of her in hopes that he'd pick up on her disinterest.

"Hello Emma," he replied, leaning over the food and into her line of sight. "May I have this dance?"

She closed her eyes, exercising all the willpower she could muster in order to keep her face neutral while she scrambled for an excuse. "Oh, Philip, I don't know. I'm not sure that would be-" Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Emma stopped. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and found Bae, who had approached from the other side.

"I'm afraid her dance card's full this evening," he said, sliding an arm around her shoulders, the possessive act an attempt to drive his point home.

"I'm sorry, and you are...?" the boy asked, scowling at the interruption.

"Her husband," Bae replied, releasing Emma's shoulder in order to offer her his hand. "Emma?"

She nodded, taking the proffered hand and stepping onto the dance floor as the young prince watched after them, agape. Bae drew her near enough that he could lean down to whisper into her ear. "So sorry... the tension in your shoulders told me that was a conversation you didn't want to be having."

Emma drew back to study him, warring with herself between being grateful that he'd rescued her from her clueless suitor and being angry on principal. "I didn't. I appreciate the save." She took a moment before continuing, unable to stop herself. "Though I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, you know."

"I know," he replied. "But leaving you to fend for yourself would make a terrible impression."

"I suppose that's reasonable," she said, the beginnings of a smile creeping onto her face.

"An old friend?" he asked, modifying his hold to put some space between them.

"Acquaintance," she said. "Young Phillip is the heir to the kingdom that lies to our east. Some years ago, he got it into his head that he was going to court me. Unfortunately he seems incapable of picking up on my disinterest. He's awkward at best, something that I blame on the fact that he has no mother." Glancing at her dance partner, she caught her gaffe. "Of course I don't mean - I mean - it's just that he has no idea how to court - it's not that everyone without a mother is awkward - " She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so insensitive."

Bae watched her fumbling through her words and suppressed a laugh. "It's all right, no harm done. Tell me about this motherless Phillip, though. You've piqued my curiosity... even if he's not a threat to our blissful union."

Emma took a turn at laughter as they spun around the corner of the dance floor. "No, he's certainly no threat. Though I do fear you've just ruined his night," she said, nodding toward where the young man stood. He had remained rooted to his spot near the food table, where he stood sulking.

"Poor lad."

"Indeed. He's got quite a burden on his shoulders. As I said, he lost his mother some years ago. Childbirth. Rumors say she wanted a daughter desperately, despite the royal physician's advice against having another child. Instead of getting that daughter she lost her life, gaining a third son in the process." She shook her head. "It's a shame, really. His father has never been the same, grown ever more reclusive as the years have passed. As soon as young Phillip was old enough to hold his own in court, his father began sending the boy to royal functions in his stead. The poor lad couldn't have been more than twelve when he set his sights on me, but I never had any interest. He's got no spirit, no fire, you know? Who wants to spend forever with someone like that?"

Bae murmured in agreement and she shook herself out of the story, sending him a tight smile. "Suppose it's of no consequence now," she concluded. "He'll need to find himself a new prospect to court."

"Poor lass," Bae supplied, and Emma giggled once more.

"Indeed."

The duo took their leave of the dance floor, heading for the tables where her parents sat chatting with Abigail and Frederick. The foursome looked up as they approached, Abigail smiling widely at Emma.

"Well hello Miss Emma! It's lovely to see you."

"You as well," Emma replied, bending to brush a kiss to the cheek of the long-time family friend.

"Who's this?" the elder princess asked as she glanced behind the younger. "Why Emma, have you found yourself a beau?"

Emma shot a sidelong glance at Bae, biting her lip as she did so. "Um," she replied, stepping back to stand next to him and grappling for his hand, "husband, actually."

Abigail's eyes went wide; to her credit, she recovered quickly. "Congratulations," she replied. "And so quickly!"

Emma merely nodded, bracing herself for follow-up questions that never came. Instead Abigail looked across the table at her friends, directing her next words at them. "These kids! Why are they in such a rush? I mean, at least she waited longer than ours, I suppose..." She punctuated her words with a shake of her head.

Snow gave a shadow of a shrug. "It wasn't how we'd envisioned things happening either, but sometimes life surprises us."

"Ah well," Abigail said with a laugh, "Perhaps my grandchild will end up with a playmate after all."

Abigail's words caused Charming to choke on his wine, drawing all eyes to his corner of the table. "Well," he said, after forcing a cough to clear his lungs, "I certainly hope there'll be no rush on that front."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Daddy, can we not do this here?"

Charming's response was to level a glare at Bae, who couldn't help but shrink back. Only the firm grip Emma had on his hand stopped him from retreating behind her. "It just seems the two of you should spend some time getting to know each other before taking such a drastic step."

"We've no intention of-" Emma stopped, catching herself just before she blurted out a far more telling statement. "I don't think this is a conversation we should be having in this moment. Please can we drop it?"

"Listen to your daughter, dear," Snow said, patting his hand. "This is hardly appropriate for a ball."

Charming only grunted in reply, never moving his eyes off of the young man who had married his daughter. That marriage was a complete sham, and if the boy ever laid a finger on her, well - it wouldn't end well for him. Although he was unable to warn him off in such a public setting, he hoped his warning looks would communicate the message loud and clear.


As the royalty of the kingdoms danced the night away, they were blissfully unaware of the threat that lurked in a nearby castle. For it was there that our villains finished the preparations for some traveling of their own.

Cora paced the room, her boots beginning to wear a pattern in the carpet. "And you're sure there's not a more... expedient way to do this?"

The pirate rolled his eyes, tiring of the conversation they'd had a half-dozen times prior. "Cora, from what you tell me a locator spell only works on people. The Jolly Roger may be my love, but she is still a ship. Traveling down the coast and inquiring at harbor towns will be the best way to locate her."

Cora scowled. "Very well then. Pack your trunk. It seems we have some traveling to do."


The rest of the royals' evening passed without incident; Alex and James' heir was announced to much fanfare and excitement - nevermind that most in attendance were already aware of the impending arrival. Emma drug Bae around to all corners of the ballroom, catching up with friends and acquaintances and introducing him to more people than he could possibly ever remember. Thankfully, their hasty etiquette training proved sufficient and no one paid him much mind. It seemed everyone was far more interested in her rushed nuptials than in her actual husband.

It was well past midnight when the ball finally began winding down. Emma's parents had departed hours earlier. Bae couldn't help but notice that every time he'd glanced their way, her father was sending a scowl back in his direction. Truth be told, it was a bit unnerving, but at least there had been no further drama. As the orchestra packed up, Emma found a yawning Alex to bid her goodbye.

The carriage had been pulled around front by the time they made it through the doors. Emma sent an enthusiastic wave back to Alex and - several hours into their act - accepted Bae's hand without thinking. She scooped up her dress, shoving it out of the way as he followed her up into the carriage.

"That thing's filthy!" Bae said, angling a finger at the heap of dress on the floor. Emma only shrugged.

"Means I wasn't a wallflower, I suppose."

"Well that's certainly accurate! I think you introduced me to every person in the place."

She rolled her eyes at him, wriggling to sit crosswise on the bench. "You say that like you didn't have fun."

"I did enjoy myself, actually. Never thought I'd get to see the inside of a ball like that. Fascinating, the way the royals live."

"Is it now?"

He shrugged. "Bit different than porridge for dinner and a straw mattress for a bed."

"Oh, come on." She rolled her eyes. "I've seen your father's house. It wasn't so far removed from the lifestyle of the royals."

"That's true," he said. "But I didn't always live like that. I suppose once a peasant, always a peasant."

"I wonder if my father feels the same?" she mused, thinking of his humble origins.

Bae, unaware of the prince's beginnings, took the statement a bit differently. "Your father hates me."

Emma chuckled. "He doesn't hate you, Bae! He just... doesn't trust you." A beat and then, "Besides, isn't that what fathers are supposed to do? Hate their daughters' suitors?"

"Emma." He made a face at her. "Did you see how he glowered at me all night? If looks could kill, you'd be a widow right now."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well that would solve a number of our problems!" The look Bae shot her caused her to throw up her hands in surrender. "I'm kidding! Just kidding, Bae, sheesh."

"Not funny. There's a great effort being made here to keep people alive, remember?"

"Fine, fine," she said. "I wouldn't worry about it. He was just put out that we were playing happy newlyweds. Said I shouldn't be deceiving the people or some such."

"And what else were we supposed to do!"

"I don't know." She sighed. "He didn't have any suggestions either, for the record. It's not like this situation came with instructions, you know?"

Bae drew back, giving her a funny look. "That's exactly what I told your mother."

"My. Perhaps we have been spending too much time together."

Flashing her a grin, "Hazards of marriage, I suppose."

"Mm." She lapsed into silence for a moment, watching as he laid sideways on the bench, pillowing his head with his arms. "Bae?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for tonight, genuinely. I appreciate your willingness to play along with all of this so that I could go."

"It was my pleasure, Princess."

The late hour, darkness and sway of the horses made those the last statements of the evening. As the carriage of the young royals rolled past another on the narrow roadway - this one bound for seaboard towns - they were lulled into a peaceful slumber. For once, the dreams of both parties were pleasant ones, as they remained oblivious to the trouble would soon befall them, courtesy of the occupants of the carriage they'd just passed.