Coming Home

Esme

My discussion with Jacob troubled me. Surely it was not the same child. That child had died so many years ago.

But the name.

My memories swarmed back to the day. I tried to remember the faces. There were so many in that room. I remembered one name. Kari. And I knew where to find her. We had been somewhat acquainted before I was selected as my king's wife. She and her husband had acquired a rather impressive estate near my old home.

I invited my daughter to dine with me in my quarters. It had been weeks since her return. It hurt my being to see her so distraught, but there was little I could say or do to ease her loss. She ate in silence as always. Even in mourning, she was beautiful. When she was young, she had always wanted to be the princess from the fairy tales. She had the best of everything. Perhaps I spoiled her; being my only daughter and the baby of all my children can make a mother act so. So much had changed since those days. A woman sat before me, still beautiful and worth more than any man could understand, who found a different kind of prince who made her feel like a different kind of princess. I was grateful she knew happiness. But I missed my child.

"Any news of Rochester?" Rosalie asked. It surprised me since she rarely spoke. She sadly poked at her food, very unladylike, but I had no issue.

"I have heard of a revolt there," I answered. My daughter raised her eyes in surprise at the news I had just delivered.

"Revolt?"

"The people of Rochester were unhappy and have revolted against the king." The news was very grave. Only some points in history had such tragedy befall them. "The people have near overturned the monarchy before their allies came to their aid. Now it seems a civil war has broken out."

"When?" she asked.

"Shortly after you departed, I would assume. We received word of it many days ago."

"Jasper..."

"Has not returned," I said sadly. No one could tell me why my son had not returned, not even his Lady Alice. The king had told me that he had some business to attend to in a nearby village.

"I wish you wouldn't worry, Mother. He is advanced enough to care for himself." I smiled and nodded. But it was not long ago his pain was so great I had called upon a Jewel to void his fear, though I hardly regretted my actions.

"I worry of him as I do you, Rose," I said. She looked down at her tea. "Are you any better, dear girl?" She shrugged and remained silent. So we finished eating in silence until she requested her leave.

Moments later the king returned to our quarters where I had hardly moved after the maids had cleared. He kissed me on the forehead to signal his returned.

"My queen." He touched the lines on my face that proved my worries. "She will be all right," he promised me, "and so will he." I missed my children; he must have as well. He sat next to me and held me close. As I reminisced over the years of their childhoods, my mind wandered back to Jacob's lady friend and a suspicion arose that I could not sway.

Rosalie

Today was the first day I stopped wearing black. It was sunny, and that bothered me, so I stayed indoors. The world was too cheerful. I committed myself to my studies and hid behind books and lessons to drown out my thoughts. I found a release through music. I adored the sounds and movements of the harp and played and practiced until my once fingers grew raw. I released my sadness and anger in exchange for the dynamic music it sang. I closed my eyes and heard the way I manipulated the sounds with my plucking and strumming.

My trance was interrupted by the sounds of people cheering, but I chose to ignore them. I closed my eyes again and cleared my thoughts to enjoy the music I created. The cheers grew louder, and the more I strained to keep the thoughts out, the more they persisted. I grew frustrated at the world outside and decided to silence them. I peered out of my window to see my brother had returned. I didn't realize that even after weeks of not seeing him how much I still hated him and withdrew back to my room. My time with the instruments seemed to fade, so I decided to take a walk in the dreaded sunshine to at least escape the reminders of my brother's return.

I did not realize where I was until I was already there. Only wanting to be as far away from the sounds, I walked as far as I could to the opposite side of the castle where the entertainers' wing was. I saw the shed where I had first encountered Emmett. I could not help but to revisit that memory once more. The shed was empty, but my memories showed me Emmett sitting in his chair at the table, sharpening his blades and I recalled the feelings of lust I had felt. I remembered him telling me he thought I would had him arrested for kissing me and taking me, but he could not help himself. My beauty had enraptured him so. It made my heartbreak subside then and return now.

Again I heard cheers of welcome and surprise. Is my brother forcing me into madness? Why must he be everywhere? I stormed outside, prepared to embarrass him in front of his admirers if needed. I saw a crowd of entertainers who were embracing and welcoming the man in the center of attention, which confused me knowing that was not an acceptable greeting for a prince. I kept my distance in my confusion and the people looked up to see me, clearing a way to see who it was they were welcoming. My heart stopped and my breathing unsure. My eyes were failing me and I was surely going mad because in front of me stood my Emmett. He smiled at me a coy crooked smile, the kind he used to give me when I tried to bother him with my cruelty, and bowed. I should have slowly walked and welcomed him home, allowed him to kiss my hand and ask to speak to him in private. That would have been the sensible thing to do for the sake of my reputation. My legs reacted before I could control them and I was running to him. I didn't slow down until I flung myself at his waiting arms so hard that he had to lift me up. My lips felt his, tasting his love. The crowd around us were silent and shocked, but I barely noticed. I kissed Emmett until I needed to breathe, and even then I didn't want to stop. The crowd eventually dissolved away and after what seemed like an eternity, I stood alone with him still in my arms.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked him stroking his face.

"No, my princess, you are very much awake," he said back to me. Hearing his voice awakened a new realization that he was real.

"How is this possible?"

"I will tell you in due time, Your majesty. But if I may so bold, I have a proposal I'd like to make to you."

Jasper

I struggled with myself a great deal after hearing the old woman's words. Our arrival in Rochester was of the poorest timing. I had studied a great deal of when a country's upheaval turns against the monarchy. Wars, rebellions, and conquests had always been a thing of interest to me since infancy, which had compelled me to enlist. No country of men revolted without being prepared. They would have no money, only desperation on their side. They would access weapons at whatever cost, and train until the very worst of them became dangerous. There had also been many revolts that failed miserably, but I would not take that chance with my family. I consulted with my father. We realized that withholding such information would count as treason against our host, but without time and more than one testimony as our evidence, our warnings would be too late and discarded. Given the circumstances, we could only fulfill our duties to our own party by removing ourselves from the inevitable danger.

But I remembered my promise to my sister and I was a man of my word. It wounded me greatly to hear Rosalie's words as I told her our intention to abandon Emmett. But my plan was weak and if I failed, it would be because I was not alive to bring him home. I threw my own words at her, finally using a voice I had never used with my dearest sister to conclude our conversation.

After we had departed, I broke off from the party, informing them that I had some business I would like to address in town. I rode quickly to the house of the old woman once more, tying my horse to a tree.

"Sir," she greeted me in surprised when I knocked at the door.

"Madam," I said bowing. The surprised left her face, replaced by irritation as she let me in.

"'Tis bad judgment that 'oo aw still 'ere," she said boiling some water. "The men already gone b'fore the moon did."

"Where did they go?" I asked.

"To their graves, no doubt. They've bin workin' hard, but they're just farmers an' sellers. There's a lot 'o darkness hangin' o'er us."

"What are they planning to do?"

"Start their war."

"Where are they meeting?" She shrugged.

"'eard the master saying he was ridin' east. There's a town larger than this." I thanked the woman again and put another pouch of gold on the table as she poured herself some tea. She had offered some to me, but I did not intend to stay. "If you're plannin' to join 'em, I would think you wouldn't want to show in your clothes." She led me to one of the rooms and put a stack of clothes on the bed. I changed into her master's commoner clothes and gave her my old ones, telling her to say that she had found them so not to betray her association with me. If I was caught, I would be hanged for treason and a war would break between Rochester and Aurelia. I took my leave and made my way to meet the warring men.

By the time I had arrived, hundreds of men had gathered with weapons that I had feared they would possess. I made little contact with anyone, only enough to persuade them I intended to fight along their side. I fed myself and my horse and within hours, we made our way to ambush the castle, the dark of the night our only cover. The old woman was right. Most of the men were only farmers and merchants, though some had experience and trained the others. I had to admit that I was impressed and feared for what the royals were up against. The citizens had planned well.

We rode out to the castle, moving slowly in the dark when the castle was in sight so not give away our coming. When the leader gave his signal, everyone struck up their torches and drove their horses full force towards the castle walls. The front guards of the castle were speared silent and some men began to plant and raise the ladders they had brought. The archers shot whoever was visible over the castle wall, while other men came tumbling down as the ladders were pushed away from the walls. But the ambush served well and not too many guards were out to stop the incessant flow of men that seeped through the cracks of the castle. Finally fights got over the wall and fought their way inwards to open the castle gates. At that moment, we all charged in, slashing and killing everything in his path. I kept my head low and hidden within my helmet and tried to inconspicuously make my way to the dungeons. I let my horse go, knowing he would be killed if he was tied. I jumped the guard at the mouth of the dungeons, hoping I had only knocked him out and grabbed his keys before running to the farthest cell. I quickly unlocked it to see Emmett, beaten worse than before, the cuffs digging away into his skin. He awoke at my entrance and I unlocked his bounds.

"Come, the castle is under attack," I quickly said to him. That seemed to be explanation enough for him and he followed me out. I cautiously peered out to see the mayhem that had awoken the castle, trying desperately to find a way out. My horse, though free, had not moved and I was grateful for that. Another horse without a master rode by and I grabbed its reins and threw them at Emmett. We rode out of the castle unseen and undisturbed. We rode in silence for hours until we found a town and checked into an inn to rest. I had some food brought up to our room and Emmett and I ate.

"Thank you, Your highness," Emmett said to me after swallowing. "My life was said to be over."

"I owe you the same gratitude for what you have done for my sister," I said back. "Despite the trouble it has caused you, I am grateful you protected her from Royce." Emmett just nodded his head.

"Things will always be this difficult for us, won't it, Your grace?"

"You have changed a lot of how my sister sees the world. I have little doubt that she would be willing to ease those difficulties." He looked heavily doubtful.

"I'm a comedian. I can't be the man she wants."

"Iif that were true, her judgment would not be sound. She is already yours." After eating, we fell asleep in our beds, resting for the long journey home.

The guards must have recognized me, despite my attire, for a crowd of people awaited us when I rode through the gates. Emmett and I nodded to each other and he rode off to greet his friends. I dismounted and was greeted by the servants and teachers that knew me. My parents were also informed and my mother embraced and kissed me. My father too came and embraced me. When I was released, I looked up and saw the most beautiful creature I had ever beheld and stood in awe of her. I could see my mother's smile as she shooed the onlookers away while Alice and I stared at each other. I smiled at how similar this greeting was from when we met in Rochester. She walked slowly at first, and then quickened her pace to me, stopping less than an arm's length from me. I gently reached out to her and touched my forehead and nose to hers.

"Welcome home, Jasper," she whispered.

"My lady." I closed my eyes and drank in her presence. Then I pulled away to look at her. My fingers ran over her red lips and I bent low to kiss them. I had missed her more than I knew. "Come, my love. We have a wedding to plan."

So tell me what you think about that! Again, my sincere apologies for keeping May and Jacob from you guys, but I promise that the next chapter is a good chunk of the two. A lot of their struggle right now is because they have been apart, so that's kinda why you haven't been hearing from them. Thanks again for reading my story!