I'm back! Sorry for it being so long since the last update. University life if quite hectic. I will try to update whenever I can.
P.S brownie points to whoever gets the chapter title reference ( Don't tell me what I can't do."
Also IMPORTANT: I am having some trouble with my views. There is something wrong with that section of my page. It stopped recording views after a certain point (and I am getting reviews so I know people are reading). PLEASE leave a review just so I can know people are still reading this. Thank you. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Nine: Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do
"Emma, you can't!"
"I've already made up my mind, James. There is nothing you can say that will change that."
"But Emmy-" Her youngest brother,Leo,piped it.
"Hush, sweetie." Emma said, wrapping her arms around him like she did when he was little. He was too young to understand what was going on. He was simply angry and fighting back because James was.
"Emma, have you talked to Killian about this?" James continued, not backing down from the fight. Stubbornness must have ran in their blood or something.
Emma moved away from Leo and put her hand on her hip."No, I have not. And I see no reason to until the matter is taken care of. It does not currently concern him. He will just try to talk me out of it."
"But-"
"I'm not doing this because of him if that is what you were going to ask. It's been a long-time coming. I base my future on no one but me. No one else decides what I shall do with my life."
"Spoken like a true royal." James muttered, plopping himself down into a chair like a child rather than a seventeen year old Prince.
"You should be happy." Emma told him. "It benefits you."
"At your cost!" He all but yelled. He was standing now, arms waving. "I will not do this at your cost, Emma."
"I shall be fine."
"And what makes you say that?" He smuggly countered.
"I just know it, okay. Have I ever not been able to do something? For someone who hears so much about hope, the lesson clearly has not set in." Emma snarked, coming short of raising her voice.
"Guess what, Em! Hoping doesn't always work!" James shouted at her.
Emma stepped closer, putting her hands on James shoulders. "James, I will be fine."
James gritted his teeth, but finally the look of anger left his face. He looked as if her were about to break down. "I can't lose my sister." He whispered.
"You won't." She told him. He gave her an unsure look, but she just smiled at him. That was all he needed.
He stepped back, slowly nodding. "Okay." He finally said. He turned around, ready to leave, before turning back to Emma, smug look back on his face."You sure this is not about Killian?"
Emma couldn't help but laugh. "Positive. And even if it was, I could never tell him that. He has a bit to much self confidence."
Emma and James walked slowly into the throne room were their parents were. Leo had argued that he wanted to come, but Emma refused. She did not want him seeing this. He was just a little boy,there was no need to involve him in adult matters before he was knew her parents loved her, but she did not know what their reaction would be.
Her parents welcomed them warmly, as always. Hugs ans kisses on the cheeks, the normal welcome. Emma just went through the motions. They settled themselves down and there was an awkward silence. Her parents knew there must have been a reason that her and James came to see them, but Emma did not know what exactly to say. Emma swung her feet a bit where she stood, trying to look at her parents and not the floor.
"So, how are you, children?" Her father finally asked.
"There's something I want to talk to you two about." Emma fastly said. She did not know where she was going to go with all of this, but she could not stop now.
"Alright, go on." Her father nodded.
"My claim to the throne." She stated, as if they would know what she meant.
"Emma dear, what do you mean?" Her mother asked, confused. "You know you are first in line, but you must marry first."
"Don't worry dear, you will find a suitor when you are ready, there is no rush." Her father added in.
Emma shook her head. Her parents just looked at each other. She whispered something, sure they could not hear it. She did not know how to get the words out.
"Emma-" Her father.
"I rescind." She cut him off, not looking at either of them.
"What?" Her parents questioned. They started to say something else, but she just ignored them. There was no point in stopping this mess now.
"I give up my claim to the throne."
