I'm hoping that last chapter didn't turn any of you off. I know it was Bae- and Killian-free, but, unfortunately, so is this one. I promise, though, it's the last one to be so.
"Annemma! Party!" Roland bounded into the dining room for breakfast, a sling holding his right arm. His spirit was certainly in full force, despite his injury, and his excitement was contagious.
"That's right! Are you going to save me a dance?" She bent down to ask him, tapping his nose with her finger.
Roland scrunched up his face in deep thought, "Um... OKAY!" He said this beaming at her before throwing his good arm around her neck. Emma squeezed him back, only letting go when he began protesting.
Regina chuckled and ushered him into a chair. "Come on, Roly-Poly, breakfast time." He wiggled as he sat in his chair, the hubbub of the palace's preparations getting the best of him.
Emma's melancholy slowly faded throughout the meal as she watched Roland march his bacon to invade his toast castle, effectively saving his eggs from the evil jam monster. Emma couldn't help but smile and marvel at his imaginative game.
Regina raised her eyebrows at Emma as if to say, See, he's fine.
Happy, one of Snow's dwarf friends, patted her hand and winked. Sleepy complained that he should've been allowed more time to sleep after their long journey and Dopey joined Roland in his breakfast crusade.
Emma looked at all the faces around her. Aurora was wiping a crumb from Phillip's bottom lip. When she was satisfied it was gone, she kissed over where her finger had just been, smiling contentedly at her prince. Robin was trying unsuccessfully to wrangle Roland back to eating his breakfast, instead of playing with it. Regina watched her husband and son with an amused smile dancing on the corners of her mouth. Grumpy, Doc, Sneezy and the king were in a heated debate about the best route to take through the Enchanted Forest. Apparently, each had their own ideas that were superior to the others. Bashful was listening to the queen as she detailed the menu for tonight's festivities, occasionally offering advice about how the buffet table should be arranged.
She loved them all, but none of them had the face she really wanted to see at that moment.
Tonight, she thought. I'll tell him tonight.
The rest of the day passed in a flurry of preparations. The cook was busy ordering servants about, trying to make the process go smoothly, but creating anguish among the kitchen staff. Sauces were sent back for more seasoning, meats cooked either too much or not enough, vegetables inspected with her eagle eye for any blemishes. No one dared contradict or argue with her, so when she told the breakfast goers to shoo, she had work to do, they shooed.
Aurora and Snow had offered to do her hair, but she refused, preferring to use the time alone to think. To plan. She still didn't know how she would tell him, just that she had to. Both of them. Emma sighed. She hated that she had to hurt one of them, but Regina was right. If she didn't do it now, there would be just misery and regret later.
Sitting in front of her vanity mirror, Emma wished she had taken up the offer for someone to do her hair. Usually, she just brushed it and wore it loose, unless she was riding, in which case she braided it.
She turned her head this way and that. She pulled at her cheeks with her fingers, making her face droop. She brought her index finger to her nose and made a snout. After a few more faces, she sighed and set to work.
Normally, her maids would help her, but she had given them the time off to prepare themselves for the ball. She had insisted, as she considered them more friends than servants.
Emma carefully copied what she had seen them do numerous times before. She placed the curling iron over the fire, slowly counted to five, then brought it up to her hair, careful not to touch her skin. After several near-singes, she got the hang of it and successfully managed to create a gentle halo of blonde curls around her head. Not half bad, she thought to herself. She gave one a tug and it obediently sprang back into place.
Now the face, Emma thought, as she stared at the jars and pots laid out before her. She was overwhelmed with all the colors before her, but had watched her mother put her makeup on before. How hard could it be?
She only had to endure cleaning up a few smudges before her eyes were outlined and shadowed in smoky gray. Her cheeks were rosy and glowing, after she removed half the blush that she had originally put on. Her lips were easier. She chose a color she had seen Lily, her handmaiden, use on her before. When she was finished, her lips looked fuller and had a slight shimmer to them. Satisfied with her handiwork, she turned to her wardrobe.
"You're next." She glared at the carved mahogany, knowing the offending gown was inside. When she swung open the doors, the soft fabric greeted her, as if to say, Come one, I'm not that bad.
Before she had time to take it out, a soft knock rapped on the door. "Emma, sweetheart? Need any help?" Her mother's voice floated through the thick oak. Gratefully, Emma flew at the door and opened it for the queen. "I had a feeling you would," Snow smirked "Knowing Madame Forsythe's love of corsets and laces."
Emma made a face at the word 'corset', but stopped to admire her mother's appearance. Snow looked as radiant as ever with her hair piled on top of her head, a few loose tendrils framing her face. It was the perfect cradle to hold her jeweled crown. Her dress was ivory silk, with off the shoulder cuffs and a sweeheart neckline. The fitted bodice flared at her waist in a cloud of silken waves, her skirts just skimming the foor as she walked. Her mother looked beautiful.
"Let's get this over with," Emma said, gesturing to the dress hanging in the wardrobe. If she ended up looking half as good as her mother, Emma smiled to herself, she didn't know how he could refuse her. She just had to gether the courage to tell him she loved him.
I love you all, and I'm sorry I had to torture you for one more chapter of ambiguity… Stay with me though, you'll find out next what Emma has decided...
Reviews keep me going...
